West Bromwich Albion vs Tottenham Hotspur
The Hawthornes, West Brom
Sunday, 08-11-2020 @3pm
Ref: Andy Madly
Tottenham have won just two of their past 10 league fixtures against West Brom (D6, L2). The Baggies won their most recent game against Spurs in May 2018 and can record back-to-back league victories against them for the first time since 1984.
West Brom will assess defender Dara O’Shea, who has missed their past two matches because of an ankle injury. Sam Field and Hal Robson-Kanu remain sidelined.
Tottenham left-back Sergio Reguillon missed the midweek trip to Ludogorets through illness but has returned to training and should be available. Spurs will monitor Serge Aurier, who sat out the trip to Bulgaria with a minor injury, while Erik Lamela is ruled out by a niggling problem.
West Brom are winless in eight Premier League matches since beating Tottenham 1-0 in their penultimate game of the 2017-18 season (D3, L5). The Baggies’ tally of three points from seven matches is their worst start to a league season since 1985, when they had just one point at the same stage. The previous time they failed to win any of their opening seven Premier League games was in 2004-05. They beat Bolton 2-1 in their eighth match and ultimately avoided relegation on the final day of the season. Slaven Billic has won three of his four home matches against Tottenham as a manager in all competitions – those victories (two with West Ham, one with Besiktas) were all by a 1-0 scoreline.
Tottenham could win their opening four away matches in a league season for the fourth time in their history. If Spurs avoid defeat in a seventh consecutive league game it will be their longest unbeaten run under Jose Mourinho, and their best since Mauricio Pochettino oversaw a 14-match sequence between December 2017 and April 2018. Their tally of 12 goals from their opening three away games is the highest by a top-flight side since 1935, when Middlesbrough had 14 goals at the same stage. The Londoners are the Premier League’s top scorers prior to the latest round of matches, with 18 goals. Defeat by Sheffield United in July means Spurs could lose back-to-back league matches against newly-promoted sides for the first time since 2012.
Leicester City vs Wolves
King Power Stadium, Leicester
Sunday, 08-11-2020 @5pm
Ref: Anthony Taylor
Jonny Evans is set to feature for Leicester City after missing three games with a back injury. Jamie Vardy and Nampalys Mendy should return after being rested for Thursday’s Europa League win against Sporting Braga.
Wolves have no new injury concerns, with Fernando Marcal in contention after missing the win against Crystal Palace with a minor injury. Rayan Ait-Nouri may be preferred after an impressive debut last weekend.
Leicester have lost just one of their past 23 home league games against Wolves (W13, D9). Wolves are winless in 10 top-flight away meetings since a 2-1 victory in December 1971 (D4, L6). They have failed to score in six of their last seven top-flight matches at Leicester.
Leicester have won five of their opening seven top-flight matches in a season for the first time. However, the Foxes could lose three successive home league games without scoring for the first time since 1983. Their tally of 17 Premier League goals is bettered only by Tottenham’s 18 prior to the weekend. Leicester have the best shot conversion rate in the Premier League this season, scoring with 26.2% of their attempts. Jamie Vardy has scored seven goals in six Premier League games this season, matching his total tally from the previous 19 matches. However, Vardy has failed to score in 11 of his last 13 home league appearances and is yet to score in six league meetings versus Wolves. Youri Tielemans has scored three Premier League goals this season. He finished with three goals in total in both 2018-19 and 2019-20.
Wolves are unbeaten in four Premier League games (W3, D1). Their tally of 13 points is a club record after seven fixtures of a Premier League campaign. Wolves have kept a clean sheet in each of their past nine Premier League victories. Raul Jimenez has scored half of Wolves’ eight Premier League goals this season.
Man City vs Liverpool
Etihad Stadium, Manchester
Sunday, 08-11-2020 @7:30pm
Ref: Craig Pawson
Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus could make just a second Premier League start of the season following a goalscoring return from injury in the midweek win against Olympiakos. Sergio Aguero, Benjamin Mendy and Fernandinho remain out.
Liverpool expect to welcome back defender Joel Matip, who has missed the last two games through injury. Naby Keita is available after returning in Tuesday’s Champions League but Thiago Alcantara, Fabinho, Alex Oxlade Chamberlain and Virgil Van Dijk are all still sidelined.
Manchester City have won their last three home league games against Liverpool by an aggregate score of 11-1. They can win consecutive top-flight matches against Liverpool for the first time since a run of four victories between 1935 and 1937. The Reds have failed to keep a clean sheet in the last 10 league away encounters, conceding 26 goals in total. However, Liverpool are unbeaten in 11 league meetings as the reigning champions since a 3-1 defeat in 1977.
Manchester City are aiming to win back-to-back league games for the first time this season. They have won nine of their past 10 Premier League matches against the reigning champions. Eleven points is their lowest tally after six league matches since registering the same total in 2014-15 under Manuel Pellegrini. In Pep Guardiola’s 11 previous top-flight seasons as a manager, his teams have always had at least 16 points after seven matches. City could go five Premier League matches without scoring more than one goal for the first time in 11 years. They are one short of 100 Premier League home defeats. Guardiola’s eight defeats versus Jurgen Klopp is his worst record against any manager.
Liverpool have lost four Premier League fixtures in 2020, the same amount as the previous two years combined. They have won only three of their last nine Premier League away matches (D2, L4), following a run of 16 victories in 17 games. Liverpool have conceded 15 goals after seven Premier League games, their most at this stage of a league campaign since 1964-65. The Reds have conceded 27 Premier League goals since winning the title in June, the joint-most of any top-flight team during that period. Liverpool have won a league-high 28 points from losing positions since the start of last season. Mohamed Salah has scored 80 Premier League goals in 115 games since his Liverpool debut in 2017, nine more than any other top-flight player during that period.
Arsenal vs Aston Villa
Emirates Stadium, London
Sunday, 08-11-2020 @10:15pm
Ref: Anthony Taylor
Arsenal have won their last three home league games against Aston Villa by an aggregate score of 12-2. Villa’s 1-0 home win against Arsenal in July ended a run of seven straight head-to-head defeats, and 23 goals conceded, in all competitions. Aston Villa can win consecutive league games against Arsenal for the first time since 1998.
Arsenal have no new injury concerns for the visit of Aston Villa, with squad rotation expected following the Europa League win over Molde. Gabriel, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Thomas Partey are all set to return.
Aston Villa winger Bertrand Traore will be sidelined until after the international break with a groin injury sustained in the defeat at Southampton. Goalkeeper Tom Heaton has returned to full training after 10 months out with a knee ligament injury.
Arsenal’s tally of 12 points matches their total after seven Premier League matches last season. The 1-0 defeat against Leicester City last time out was their first home league loss of 2020. Arsenal have conceded a league-low seven goals this season. However, they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last six home league games. They can fail to score in successive Premier League home fixtures for the first time since February 2016. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could fail to score in four successive league home appearances for the first time since December 2014 for Borussia Dortmund in Bundesliga.
Aston Villa could win three consecutive Premier League away fixtures for the first time since April 2010. Villa can become only the third club in top-flight history to win their opening four matches and lose the next three. Villa did so themselves in 1891-92, followed by Stoke City in 1895-96. They did not record their fifth league win in 2019-20 until their 19th match, on Boxing Day against Norwich City. Villa have lost 12 of their last 13 Premier League away matches versus established top-six opposition (D1). They are the only side yet to concede away from home in the Premier League this season, having been the only club not to keep an away clean sheet last season.Jack Grealish has four goals and four assists in 2019-20. Only Harry Kane (14) and Son Heung-min (10) have been directly involved in more goals prior to the weekend.
Recent results
Friday, 06-11-2020
-Brighton and Hove Albion 0-0 Burnley
-Southampton 2-0 Newcastle United
Saturday, 07-11-2020
-Everton 1-3 Man United
-Crystal Palace 4-1 Leeds United
-Chelsea 4-1 Sheffield United
-West Ham United 1-0 Fulham
