Fulham vs Aston Villa
Craven Cottage, London
Monday, 28-09-2020 @7:45pm
Ref: Scot Atwell
Fulham have won five consecutive home matches against Aston Villa in all competitions since a 0-0 Premier League draw in August 2011. Villa only managed one point from the four most recent Premier League encounters. Their most recent victory in this fixture was 1-0 at home in March 2012.
Fulham are at full strength for Monday’s visit of Aston Villa. Recent recruits Ola Aina and Antonee Robinson are vying to make their league debuts for the club.
Aston Villa’s new signing Bertrand Traore could make his first Premier League appearance since playing for Fulham’s neighbours Chelsea in May 2016. Defender Bjorn Engels is still not fit for Villa, who have reported no new injury concerns.
Fulham haven’t lost their opening three league fixtures since starting the 2014-15 Championship season with four defeats. They have conceded seven times in their opening two league matches this season. The Premier League record for most goals conceded by a club in their opening three matches is 11 by West Brom this season. None of Fulham’s last 21 Premier League games have finished level, with the Cottagers winning just five of them and conceding 45 goals. Since his debut for the club in February 2018, Aleksandar Mitrovic has scored 39% of Fulham’s league goals. However, Mitrovic has failed to score in all six competitive appearances against Aston Villa for Newcastle and Fulham.
Villa are attempting to begin a Premier League season with successive victories for only the third time, having done so in 1995 and 1999. Aston Villa’s current five-match unbeaten run in the top flight is their longest since May-October 2011, when they went 10 games without defeat. They have earned just one point from their past 10 Premier League fixtures in London since beating Tottenham in April 2015. It’s 26 top-flight away games without a clean sheet for Villa since a 0-0 draw at West Brom in January 2016. Seven of their past nine Premier League goals have come from set-pieces: four corners and three free-kicks.
Liverpool vs Arsenal
Anfield Stadium, Liverpool
Monday, 28-09-2020 @10pm
Ref: Craig Pawson
Liverpool will host Arsenal at Anfield in the headline fixture of game week three.
The two sides have seen their respective seasons get to a brilliant start, winning all three of their opening games in all competitions.
Having won their first two league games, both went on to triumph in the League cup in mid week.
The Kops head into the ecounter as favourites after winning all their past four home games against Mikel Arteta’s side.
For Arsenal, they will be full of confidence after overcoming Jurgen Klopp’s in their most recent league meeting.
Liverpool have won their past four home league games against Arsenal, their best run at Anfield since a seven-match winning streak ended in 1988. Arsenal beat Liverpool in July for the first time in 10 Premier League meetings (D4, L5). The Gunners can win back-to-back league games against Liverpool for the first time since September 2012.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has said that midfielder Thiago is in contention to make his first start against Arsenal. Jordan Henderson and Joel Matip have been ruled out but Joe Gomez has returned to training.
Arsenal hope to welcome back defender Kieran Tierney for the trip to Anfield, although Cedric Soares remains out. Sokratis is still sidelined along with Emile Smith Rowe and Shkodran Mustafi.
Liverpool won their opening eight Premier League fixtures last season. The third match was a 3-1 home victory versus Arsenal. No reigning champion has won their opening three Premier League matches since Manchester United in 2011-12. Liverpool’s 60-match unbeaten league run at home is the third longest in the history of England’s top four divisions, behind Chelsea’s 86 games (2004-08) and Liverpool’s own streak of 63 (1978-80). They have scored in 35 successive Premier League home fixtures since a 0-0 draw versus Manchester City in October 2018. However, the Reds have conceded three goals in back-to-back league games at Anfield for the first time since September 1982. Mo Salah has scored 26 of his last 33 Premier League goals at Anfield. Thiago’s last three competitive appearances against Arsenal ended in 5-1 victories, all for Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
Arsenal can win their opening three Premier League games for the first time since a run of five victories in 2004-05. They won their opening two matches last season but then triumphed just twice in the next 13 fixtures (D7, L4). The Gunners can win four successive league fixtures for the first time since a run of seven from August to October 2018. Arsenal are winless in 27 Premier League away fixtures versus other established top-six teams since a 2-0 triumph at Manchester City in January 2015. They have conceded 61 goals in those 27 matches, drawing 10 and losing 17. Alexandre Lacazette has scored four goals in his past six Premier League appearances. He last scored in three consecutive league games in February 2019. Mikel Arteta can become the first Arsenal manager to win his first away trip to Liverpool in any competition since Tom Whittaker in December 1947. Nine managers since then have failed to win, with eight losing.
Premier League results this past weekend
Saturday, 26-09-2020
-Brighton 2-3 Man United
-Crystal Palace 1-2 Everton
-West Brom 3-3 Chelsea
-Burnley 0-1 Southampton
Sunday, 27-09-2020
-Sheffield United 0-1 Leeds United
-Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Newcastle United
-Man City 2-5 Leicester City
-West Ham United 4-0 Wolves
