Southampton vs Everton
St. Mary’s Stadium, Hampshire
Sunday, 25-10-2020 @5pm
Ref: Kevin Friend
Everton are looking to earn consecutive top-flight away wins at Southampton for the first time since they did so at The Dell in 1992 under Howard Kendall. Saints have kept more Premier League clean sheets versus Everton than against any other side in the top flight, with 10 of their 13 shutouts coming in home games.
Everton’s James Rodriguez is hoping to overcome the knock he suffered in the Merseyside derby, but Jonjoe Kenny is not yet fit after an ankle problem. Captain Seamus Coleman is sidelined with a minor hamstring injury and Richarlison begins a three-match ban.
Southampton’s on-loan winger Theo Walcott is ineligible against his parent club, while Moussa Djenepo is still out with a hamstring injury. Stuart Armstrong is set to return after a period of self-isolation.
After losing their first two games of the season, Southampton are now unbeaten in three (W2, L1). Saints have only lost twice in 12 league matches (W6, D4). Danny Ings has scored four goals in his five Southampton appearances in all competitions against Everton. He scored both home and away in this fixture last season. Ings has scored 26 Premier League goals since the start of last season, second only to Jamie Vardy’s 28.
Everton remain unbeaten in all competitions this season (W7, D1). It’s their best start to a campaign since a nine-match run without defeat in 1986-87, when they went on to win the league title. The Toffees could win their first three away games of a top-flight campaign for the first time since 1938-39. They are looking for a fourth consecutive away win in the top flight for the first time since December 1985. Everton have scored 14 league goals in their first five matches, their biggest haul at this stage since 1936-37. Only Tottenham, with 15, have scored more in 2020-21. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored in all five of Everton’s Premier League games this season, netting seven goals in total. Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero is the only player in Premier League history to score in each of his side’s first six games to a campaign.
Wolves vs Newcastle United
Molinuex Stadium,
Sunday, 25-10-2020 @7:30pm
Ref: Lee Mason
Wolves head coach Nuno Espirito Santo says several unnamed players are fitness concerns and will be assessed. Jonny continues his rehabilitation from a long-term knee injury.
Newcastle will make a late decision on goalkeeper Karl Darlow, who is still sore after colliding with Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford last weekend. Isaac Hayden will also be monitored after being forced off with a minor muscle problem, while Sean Longstaff has recovered from tonsillitis.
Seven of the 10 Premier League meetings have been drawn, with six of those games – including the last three – ending 1-1. Wolves’ last top-flight home win against Newcastle was 1-0 at Molineux in November 1977.
If Wolves win it would be the first time since 1979 they have claimed at least four victories from their opening six top-flight matches. They have kept seven clean sheets in their past nine Premier League home games. Wolves have failed to win any of the last six top-flight matches in which they conceded, last doing so in March’s 3-2 victory at Tottenham. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side have failed to score a first-half goal in 33 of their past 45 league games. However, they have lost just one of their last 20 top-flight fixtures which were level at half-time (W8, D11). Raul Jimenez has scored the winning goal in 10 Premier League matches since the start of last season, more than any other player prior to the weekend. Willy Boly is set to play his 100th Premier League game.
A win would give Newcastle their best start to a Premier League season since 2011, when they took 12 points from their opening six matches. The Magpies have kept clean sheets in two of their past 13 league games. Callum Wilson can become the first player to score in each of Newcastle’s opening three away matches in a Premier League season. Wilson has been directly involved in five of his side’s seven league goals this term, scoring four and assisting one.
Arsenal vs Leicester City
Emirates Stadium, London
Sunday, 25-10-2020 @10:15pm
Ref: Craig Pawson
Arsenal are unbeaten in their past 27 home games against Leicester in all competitions, winning 20 of those matches. The Foxes’ most recent victory at Arsenal was in 1973, although they did end a run of 12 consecutive away league defeats by drawing 1-1 at the Emirates last season.
Arsenal will assess Willian and Dani Ceballos, who were absent against Rapid Vienna with minor injuries, while Rob Holding is out with a hamstring strain. Mesut Ozil and Sokratis have not been selected in the Gunners’ Premier League squad, but Thomas Partey may start his first game in the English top flight.
Leicester will monitor Jamie Vardy, who has missed their last two league and cup games with a calf problem. Ricardo Pereira, Caglar Soyuncu, Daniel Amartey and Wilfred Ndidi are injured. Islam Slimani comes back into contention after being ineligible for Thursday’s victory against Zorya Luhansk. The striker was not included in the Foxes’ Europa League squad but is available for domestic matches.
Arsenal have not lost a Premier League home game in 2020, a run of 11 matches since defeat by Chelsea on 29 December (W9, D2). They have won eight of their past nine top-flight matches at the Emirates, with the exception being July’s 1-1 draw with Leicester. The Gunners have only failed to score in three of their last 73 home league fixtures, with each of those blanks coming against Manchester City. It is 32 matches spanning 18 years since they lost a home league game in the month of October (W26, D6).
Leicester could lose three consecutive league matches for the first time since February 2019, a run which led to Claude Puel being sacked. They could win their opening three away games in a league season for the first time. The Foxes have scored with 35.3% of their shots in the Premier League this season (excluding blocks), the highest percentage in the top flight. Brendan Rodgers is winless in all seven away matches as a manager against Arsenal in all competitions (D3, L4). Jamie Vardy has scored 10 Premier League goals against Arsenal – only Wayne Rooney, with 12, has netted more versus the Gunners.
Upcoming Premier League games
Monday, 26-10-2020
-Brighton vs West Bromwich Albion @8:30pm
-Burnley vs Tottenham Hotspur @11pm
Results so far
Friday, 23-10-2010
-Aston Villa 0-3 Leeds United
Saturday, 24-10-2020
-West Ham United 1-1 Man City
-Fulham 1-2 Man City
-Man United 0-0 Chelsea
-Liverpool 2-1 Sheffield United
