Newcastle United vs Chelsea
St. James Park, Newcastle upon Tyne
Saturday, 21-11-2020 @3:30pm
Ref: Craig Pawson
Chelsea have won five of their past seven Premier League meetings, albeit keeping only one clean sheet during this run. The Magpies have only lost once in their past seven home league games against Chelsea (W5, D1). Newcastle are looking to win successive Premier League matches against Chelsea for only the second time.
Newcastle forward Callum Wilson could make a swift return from a hamstring injury, while Jonjo Shelvey and Matt Ritchie haven’t been ruled out. Ryan Fraser isn’t fit and Miguel Almiron only arrived back in England late on Thursday and is being assessed.
Chelsea will again be without the injured Christian Pulisic, while Frank Lampard says Thiago Silva is unlikely to play following international duty. Kai Havertz is back in training after a period of self-isolation.
Newcastle have won two of their past three home league matches, as many as they had managed in their previous 11 fixtures at St James’ Park. Their tally of 11 points after eight matches is more than they had at this stage of the two previous seasons combined. The Magpies have lost only one of five matches against sides currently above them in the table (W2, D2). Newcastle are without a clean sheet in seven matches since the opening day of the season. They are also without a clean sheet in their last eight home league fixtures. Steve Bruce’s men have conceded nine home league goals; only Manchester United, with 10, have let in more. Eight of Newcastle’s 10 league goals have come after half time. Callum Wilson has been directly involved in seven of Newcastle’s 10 league goals, scoring six and setting up one.
Chelsea are unbeaten in 11 games in all competitions, six of them in the Premier League. They have not lost an away league fixture this term (W2, D2) and have kept back-to-back clean sheets on their travels. No side has scored more league goals this season than the Blues, with 14 of their 20 coming in the second half. Timo Werner can become the first Chelsea player to score in five successive matches in all competitions since Didier Drogba in November 2009. Werner could also become just the fourth German to score in three consecutive Premier League fixtures, emulating Jurgen Klinsmann (three times), Dietmar Hamann and Leroy Sane. Hakim Ziyech has been involved in four of Chelsea’s seven league goals in the two games he has started. Goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has conceded only two goals in his eight Chelsea appearances in all competitions.
Aston Villa vs Brighton and Hove Albion
Villa Park, Birmingham
Saturday, 21-11-2020 @6pm
Ref: Michael Oliver
Aston Villa winger Bertrand Traore made his comeback from a groin strain on Monday when he played for Burkina Faso. Kortney Hause could also be fit but fellow defenders Bjorn Engels and Frederic Guilbert remain out with respective thigh and side injuries.
Brighton captain Lewis Dunk has served a three-match ban and will start. Aaron Connolly and Solly March are back in contention but there are doubts over Leandro Trossard, who has had a muscle injury, and the ill Davy Propper.
Villa are unbeaten at home to Brighton in all competitions, winning nine games and drawing the other three. The Seagulls are winless in eight league meetings since a 1-0 home triumph in December 1980 (D4, L4). Brighton have only once scored more than one goal against Villa in any of their 20 league encounters. That came in a 2-1 home victory in the third tier in 1972.
Villa have won five of their opening seven Premier League fixtures for only the second time. In 1998-99, they extended that run to six wins from eight matches. The Villans have won three Premier League games this season by at least a three-goal margin, as many as they had in their previous four top-flight campaigns combined. However, Aston Villa have suffered consecutive home league defeats. Dean Smith has only made three changes to his starting XI in the Premier League this season and used 18 players. Both are the lowest tallies in the division. Ollie Watkins has scored six goals in seven Premier League games. Dion Dublin, with nine goals, and Dean Saunders, with seven, are the only players to have scored more in their first seven appearances for Villa in the division. Jack Grealish has scored in each of his past four appearances against Brighton in all competitions, including in all three meetings last season.
Brighton’s tally of six points is their lowest after eight matches of a league campaign since 2002-03, when they were eventually relegated from the second tier. The Seagulls are winless in six Premier League matches since beating Newcastle 3-0 away in September (D3, L3). Albion could set a club record of scoring in eight successive top-flight away matches. They can keep consecutive league clean sheets for the first time since a run of three in October 2018 under Chris Hughton. The 106 fouls Brighton have conceded this season is the most in the Premier League prior to the weekend. Aston Villa have earned the most free-kicks in the division. Pascal Gross is one match short of becoming the fourth player to make 100 Premier League appearances for Brighton. Lewis Dunk celebrates his 29th birthday on the day of this fixture.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Man City
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Saturday, 21-11-2020 @8:30pm
Ref: Mike Dean
Tottenham’s 2-0 home victory in February ended a run of six Premier League games without a win in this fixture. Manchester City have only lost more Premier League games against Chelsea than the 24 they have versus Tottenham. In both of Manchester City’s two fixtures at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Son Heung-min has scored, Hugo Lloris has saved a penalty and the visitors have failed to score.
Tottenham are without Matt Doherty, who tested positive for Covid-19 on international duty. Steven Bergwijn is available despite being sent back by the Netherlands after they declared he was not fit enough, but Erik Lamela remains out.
Manchester City forwards Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling have returned to training after injury and could feature on Saturday. However, Fernandinho will miss out because of a stomach problem.
Spurs have trailed for a total of just 58 minutes in the Premier League so far this season. The next best record is Manchester City’s 88 minutes. Spurs could extend their winning streak against other established top-six teams to three matches, which would equal their best run dating back to the 1999-2000 season. Son Heung-min is level with Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Mohamed Salah and Jamie Vardy as the top flight’s leading scorer prior to the weekend, with eight goals. The Premier League record for the most goals in a club’s opening nine matches of a season is 10, set by Les Ferdinand for Newcastle in 1995-96. Jose Mourinho has lost five league matches as a manager versus Manchester City, his joint most against a single opponent – along with Spurs. Mourinho is aiming to win successive competitive fixtures against Pep Guardiola for the first time.
Manchester City have lost just one of their 12 matches in all competitions this season. However, 12 points is their lowest tally after seven fixtures of a Premier League campaign since 2008-09 under Mark Hughes. They’ve scored only 10 goals in their opening seven league fixtures, compared to an incredible 27 at the same stage of last season. City have lost five of their past seven Premier League away matches against other established top-six sides, including each of the last three.
Man United vs West Bromwich Albion
Old Trafford, Manchester
Saturday, 21-11-2020 @11pm
Ref: David Coote
Manchester United are optimistic that Marcus Rashford will be fit to return from a shoulder injury. Alex Telles could be available, but Victor Lindelof’s ongoing back problem and Mason Greenwood’s recent illness puts their involvement in doubt.
West Brom had a number of unnamed squad members test positive for coronavirus during the international break. However, Branislav Ivanovic, Matheus Pereira and Callum Robinson can play after completing their self isolation.
Manchester United could lose consecutive league matches against West Brom for the first time since December 1980. The Baggies have won three of their past five league games at Old Trafford, having won just once on their previous 31 league visits. West Brom can become the first club to keep three successive top-flight away clean sheets against Manchester United since Arsenal between 1980 and 1982.
United have won all three Premier League away fixtures this season but have only taken one point from their four home league matches. They have only twice failed to win any of their opening five home league games – in the 1930-31 and 1972-73 seasons. Manchester United are winless in six top-flight home matches since beating Bournemouth on 4 July. Their run could extend to seven games for the first time since February to March 1978. The Red Devils are looking to avoid equalling the club top-flight record of failing to score in three consecutive home matches. They have done this on 13 occasions, but only once in the Premier League – back in March to May 2002.
West Brom are winless in 12 league fixtures since a 2-0 home triumph against Derby in the Championship on 8 July (D6, L6). Their run of eight games without a league win at the beginning of this season is second only in their history to the 1985-86 campaign, in which they were winless in their opening 12 league fixtures. They went on to be relegated from the top flight. The Baggies have led for 108 minutes in top-flight fixtures this season, which is actually six more than Manchester United have managed. They are one of three sides yet to concede in the opening 15 minutes of their Premier League games so far, along with Arsenal and Aston Villa.
The other upcoming Premier League games this weekend
Sunday, 22-11-2020
-Fulham vs Everton @3pm
-Sheffield United vs West Ham United @5pm
-Leeds United vs Arsenal @7:30pm
-Liverpool vs Leicester City @10:15pm
Monday, 23-11-2020
-Burnley vs Crystal Palace @8:30pm
-Wolves vs Southampton @11pm
