Harry Kane-less Spurs to beat Manchester United, Lanzini is Palace’s bogeyman and the Swansea enjoy playing at Arsenal among the things to look out for
SUNSPORT rounds up this weekend's matches starting at Old Trafford, with Manchester City and Arsenal also playing Saturday.
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ANOTHER week has flown by, another weekend of exciting Premier League action set to come.
Manchester United host Tottenham in the pick of the weekend action - which is also the Saturday lunch-time kick-off... talk about starting strongly.
Elsewhere, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea are all in action on Saturday.
There are some intriguing plot-lines on Sunday and Monday too - mostly surrounding the recent managerial drama.
But what are the main stories to look out for this weekend? Find out the top ten, below...
Manchester United vs Spurs
Matchweek ten gets under way on Saturday lunchtime with a humdinger at Old Trafford with both sides looking to recover after shock defeats recently.
You can guarantee that after a week where Jose Mourinho has torn into his troops United will be a different side to the one that surrendered to Huddersfield last weekend.
Likewise Spurs who after that Carabao Cup reverse to West Ham will have their full-strength team back in action.
With home advantage and a record of 20 wins in their last 25 league games against Spurs, United will start as marginal favourites.
But the visitors did triumph the last time these sides met with a 2-1 win in the final ever game at White Hart Lane.
If they win again it’ll be the first time they’ve ever managed consecutive Premier League victories over United.
But bad breaking news! Spurs are going to have to do it without Harry Kane. He’s been ruled out of the game.
You can almost hear Victor Lindelof’s sigh of relief from here.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: AWAY WIN
Arsenal vs Swansea
Fresh from their 5-2 mauling of Everton, Arsene Wenger’s side host Swansea on Saturday in what will be the Frenchman’s 800th Premier League game in charge of the Gunners.
Only Fergie has more than that (810) so assuming Wenger will stay put at the Emirates he will eclipse that total in the next three months.
Will it be a day to celebrate for Wenger? Quite possibly.
Although Swansea have won three times away at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League and only Chelsea have beaten Arsenal more often at their soulless home (four).
Might Olivier Giroud get a start this time around?
After all, the French striker has been directly involved in five goals in seven league starts against Swansea (three goals, two assists).
That’ll be Alexandre Lacazette starting again then.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Crystal Palace vs West Ham
Anybody who watched the second half of West Ham’s preposterous comeback win against Spurs in the Carabao Cup in midweek must be wondering this...
Why can't the Hammers muster at least something similar every week in the Premier League?
The answer’s simple. They’re West Ham.
That said, their fans must be hoping that their win at Wembley reignites a season that’s looked increasingly doomed in recent weeks.
The fact that they’re unbeaten against Palace in the league under Slaven Bilic (W3, D1) should give them reason to be optimistic.
Keep an eye out (or two, it’s your call) for Manuel Lanzini... the sprightly Argentinian loves playing Palace.
In fact, he’s scored in each of the four league games against the low-flying Eagles.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: DRAW
Liverpool vs Huddersfield
The big question here is will Dejan Lovren start for Liverpool this weekend or will Jurgen Klopp mix things up by playing an ironing board in central defence instead?
It’s a big call. Actually, it isn’t at all.
Lovren was dreadful against Spurs last Sunday, adding to a succession of dodgy performances that have enraged Reds’ fans this season.
Mind you, Liverpool have lost only one of their last 42 Premier League home matches against newly-promoted sides.
They’re unbeaten in each of the last 19 so they probably could give the ironing board a run-out.
But all that assumes Huddersfield are still resting on their laurels after that mammoth, Aaron Mooy-inspired victory over Manchester United last weekend.
If they can win, though, then they’ll become only the fourth side in the history of the known universe to defeat both Liverpool and Manchester United in the same season.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Watford vs Stoke
Is time running out on Mark Hughes’ spell at Stoke?
The Potters sit in 17th place with just two wins all season and have already conceded 20 goals in just nine games – the most of any side in the division.
A win at Vicarage Road is a must then you’d think but they’re up against a Watford side are a different side under Marco Silva.
The Hornets have only lost twice this season and they were in games against leaders Manchester City and reigning champions Chelsea.
Who’s going to make the difference for Stoke? Look no further than veteran striker Peter Crouch.
He’s got three goals in his two Premier League starts against Watford.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
West Brom vs Manchester City
It’s hard to see anything other than another comprehensive win for the league leaders again.
City are unbeaten this season and also unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League matches against the Baggies (W14, D1), winning the last 11 on the spin.
A victory at the Hawthorns will give Pep’s flyers not just their best-ever start in a Premier League campaign but the best-ever start after ten games for any team in the competition’s history.
And they’ve got any number of players ready, willing and able to deliver the victory.
Sergio Aguero, for example, has seven goals and four assists in ten Prem appearances against West Brom.
Meanwhile Leroy Sane has both scored and assisted in three of his last four league matches.
West Brom have Hal Robson-Kanu.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: AWAY WIN
Bournemouth vs Chelsea
Chelsea rode their luck against Watford last weekend but showed real character to finally crush the Hornet’s spirited challenge at Stamford Bridge.
It might not be so easy at the Vitality Stadium where Bournemouth have a knack of making life difficult for the big boys.
Still, they have the personnel to do it.
Eden Hazard, for instance, has scored four times in four Prem appearances against the Cherries, with three of them coming at the Vitality.
Meanwhile Michy Batshuayi has scored six goals as a sub in the Premier League since the start of last season... only Olivier Giroud has more with seven.
The Cherries, meanwhile, will look to Jermain Defoe to extend a record that has seen him already score against Chelsea for four different teams (Spurs, West Ham, Sunderland and Portsmouth).
Will he make it five? Probably not, no.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: AWAY WIN
Brighton vs Southampton
Quite why this match is being sold as a south coast "derby" when there’s nearly 70 miles between the two cities is beyond me.
It’s like saying Leeds vs Liverpool or Leicester vs Barnsley is a derby.
But we are where we are. And for Brighton that means a new-found confidence after a resounding 3-0 win at West Ham last Friday and a comfy berth in mid-table.
While their defence is as resolute as they come, it’s the form of Pascal Gross that’s really catching the eye.
The German has been involved in six of Brighton’s nine league goals this season (two goals, four assists) and runs more than Forrest Gump.
Yet Saints are finding a bit for form too and they’ve actually won more Premier League away games in 2017 (five) than they have at home (four).
They’ve also won five of their last away days at Brighton too (D1, L1).
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: HOME WIN
Leicester vs Everton
You’ve got to love the contrast between these two new managers.
On one hand there’s new Foxes boss Claude Puel; lithe, laconic, thoughtful.
On the other there’s David Unsworth who looks like he’d turn you away from a club for wearing trainers before wading in when it all kicked off.
In the latter’s defence he did seem to get a response from Everton when they ran Chelsea very close in the Carabao Cup at Stamford Bridge in the week.
The Toffees have a solid enough recent record against Leicester, winning the last two league encounters and despite all his troubles, it seems Wayne Rooney is still capable of chipping in with key goals.
If he scores here it’ll be the first time since January 2016 that’s he’s scored in three consecutive league games.
So how will Claude Puel fare? Hard to say.
Yes, he did OK at Southampton but is he really the man motivator needed to get the best out of City?
Underwhelmed is the feeling among Foxes’ fans.
That is to say, exactly how they felt about Claudio Ranieri when he got the job.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: AWAY WIN
Burnley vs Newcastle
As the managerial vacancies begin to open up in the Premier League so it is that Sean Dyche continues to be mentioned with a move away from Turf Moor.
It’s not surprising.
Burnley are enjoying their best ever start to a Premier League campaign and now they face a Newcastle side that they haven’t lost to in their last eight meetings (W5, D3).
Defensively, the Clarets are solid as you like.
While they’ve faced the most shots in the league this season (170) they’ve also conceded the lowest proportion of goals from those shots (five per cent).
Mind you, Newcastle’s start hasn’t been too shabby either.
In fact, their tally of 14 points is the highest total at this stage by a newly-promoted side since West Ham amassed the same back in 2012/13.
SUNSPORT PREDICTION: DRAW
