The Premier League returns this Saturday on August 27 for gameweek 4, with another hotly contested English domestic title on the cards. Champions Manchester City drew 3-3 against West Ham in gameweek 3 with Liverpool and Chelsea falling to suprise losses over their respective fixtures. The Hindu looks at all the talking points for the the next gameweek.
Premier League matches August 27
Southampton v Manchester United 5.30 p.m.
- Southampton have not beaten United in their last 13 meetings in all competitions (D7, L6).
- United have not lost away at Southampton in 11 league games, a run stretching back to 2003.
- Saints have conceded 98 Premier League goals against United, more than against any other team.
- Prediction: Manchester United wins
Brentford v Everton 7.30 p.m.
- Everton have lost nine of their last 11 away league matches.
- Brentford have kept a clean sheet in five of their last six league games.
- Brentford beat Everton twice last season, one of three sides the then newly-promoted team achieved the double over.
- Prediction: Brentford wins
Brighton & Hove Albion v Leeds United 7.30 p.m.
- Brighton are unbeaten in their last eight league matches stretching back to the end of last season (W5, D3).
- Leeds last beat Brighton in the second-tier Championship in 2017, losing twice in their first season back in the top flight. Last season’s matches both ended in draws.
- Leeds forward Rodrigo leads the league’s scoring charts with four goals in three games.
- Prediction: Brighton wins
Chelsea v Leicester City 7.30 p.m.
- Chelsea have lost at home to Leicester only once in their last 10 league games, a run stretching back to 2001.
- Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers has faced Chelsea 20 times – more than any other team – but won only twice (D9, L9).
- Leicester have not signed any first-team players apart from backup keeper Alex Smithies. Leicester defender Wesley Fofana is a transfer target for Chelsea, and may not be picked.
- Prediction: Chelsea wins
Liverpool v Bournemouth 7.30 p.m.
- Liverpool are unbeaten in their last 24 league matches at Anfield.
- Liverpool have beaten Bournemouth in their last six league games, scoring 19 goals and conceding just one.
- Bournemouth boss Scott Parker was the last opposing manager to win a league match at Anfield when his Fulham side won 1-0 in March last year.
- Prediction: Liverpool wins
Manchester City v Crystal Palace 7.30 p.m.
- Palace were the only team champions City failed to score against last season, losing 2-0 at home last season.
- City have won 13 of their last 15 home league matches.
- Palace have come away with seven points from their last four league trips to City.
- Prediction: draw
Arsenal v Fulham 10 p.m.
- Fulham have not beaten Arsenal in all competitions in 30 games away at their London rivals’ ground (D6, L24).
- Arsenal are top of the standings and are the only team with a perfect record after three games – a stark contrast to last season when they sat bottom with three opening defeats without scoring.
- Arsenal’s new signing Gabriel Jesus has two goals and three assists. No other player has been involved in more than five goals this season (same as Rodrigo).
- Prediction: Arsenal wins
Premier League matches on August 28
Aston Villa v West Ham United 6.30 p.m.
- Bottom side West Ham are the only team yet to pick up a point this season and are also the only side yet to score a goal.
- West Ham have lost six of their last seven away matches in the league.
- Villa have failed to beat West Ham in their last eight matches (D3, L5).
- Prediction: draw
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United 6.30 pm
- Newcastle have beaten Wolves only once in their last eight league meetings (D5, L2) but won their last encounter 1-0 at home in April.
- Wolves have not won any of their last 10 league matches (D3, L7) – a run that stretches back to April.
- Newcastle are unbeaten in their last five league matches.
- Prediction: Newcastle wins
Nottingham Forest v Tottenham Hotspur 9.00 p.m.
- Spurs are looking to go unbeaten in their opening four matches for the first time since 2016.
- Forest will be Harry Kane’s 32nd Premier League opponent. The English striker has scored against 30 of those teams, failing to find the net only against Brentford.
- Forest lost both home and away the last time they met Spurs in the Premier League in the 1998-99 season.
- Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur wins
With input from Reuters.
