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Tottenham face Manchester City on Sunday as the remaining two unbeaten sides in the Premier League go head-to-head.
Elsewhere, resurgent Arsenal face a trip to Burnley while Manchester United host Stoke, Liverpool travel to Swansea and troubled Chelsea are at Hull.
Predict the results of all the weekend’s matches by voting in our match polls.
TOTTENHAM: Manchester City have won all six of their Premier League games so far and they are the highest scorers in the top flight with 18 goals. But Spurs have the best defensive record, home advantage and an extra day’s rest after their European exploits. They also did the double over City last season but all these factors may cancel each other out, with both sides retaining their unbeaten records.
Prediction: Tottenham 1-1 Manchester City – Ben Pearce
MAN CITY: The midweek 3-3 draw with Celtic in the Champions League was the first game City have failed to win this season. It was an exhausting match for Pep Guardiola’s side. That makes the trip to in-form Tottenham a difficult follow-up. Mauricio Pochettino’s team have shown intelligence in their play this season, so it could be a tough afternoon.
Prediction: Tottenham 2-2 Manchester City – David Mooney
BURNLEY: Although the Clarets have suffered a couple of heavy defeats away from home, they have been strong at Turf Moor, but their run of seven points from three home games will be tested by an in-form Arsenal side. Burnley memorably beat Arsenal in the League Cup here a few years ago; a repeat performance feels unlikely but Sean Dyche’s men will push the Gunners hard.
Prediction: Burnley 1-2 Arsenal – Jamie Smith
ARSENAL: Arsene Wenger’s men are on a roll and have the chance here to set the seal on a solid opening portion of the season. With Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott beginning to combine brilliantly in attack, the Gunners ought to have too much for Dyche’s men.
Prediction: Burnley 0-2 Arsenal – James McNicholas
MAN UNITED: Stoke, once renowned for their resilient league form, have had a disastrous start to the season, conceding goals freely – while their hosts, Manchester United, are fresh from their best performance of the season so far in last Saturday’s 4-1 win over Leicester and Jose Mourinho may slowly be discovering his best team.
Prediction: Manchester United 2-0 Stoke – Musa Okwonga
STOKE: The Potters haven’t won at Old Trafford for over 40 years and given this is their worst start to a Premier League season it is unlikely they will buck that trend on Sunday. A goal for new boy Wilfried Bony would be a bonus, as would any points on the day ahead of a run of more winnable games.
Prediction: Manchester United 3-1 Stoke – James Whittaker
SWANSEA: Liverpool are second only to Manchester City in terms of goals and style this season. Swansea did better against City last Saturday than the 3-1 scoreline suggested, but it’s hard to see an end to the Swans’ struggles just yet.
Prediction: Swansea 1-2 Liverpool – Max Hicks
LIVERPOOL: One team struggling against another full of confidence leads to one obvious conclusion. Liverpool thrashed Hull 5-1 and perhaps ended their peculiar hoodoo against the so-called lesser sides. They don’t have too good a record at the Liberty Stadium, so it’s time to put that right too.
Prediction: Swansea 1-3 Liverpool – Steven Kelly
HULL CITY: It’s hard to know if this is a good or bad time to be hosting Chelsea. For all the talk of a crisis at Stamford Bridge, they’ll face Hull City with a point to prove. It’s another free hit for Mike Phelan’s side after facing Arsenal and Liverpool but it’s still going to take something special to avoid a third straight loss.
Prediction: Hull 1-2 Chelsea – Phil Buckingham
CHELSEA: A crushing 3-0 defeat to Arsenal has Antonio Conte scrambling, but the Blues travel to Hull, who suffered an even worse hammering. Diego Costa was kept quiet at Arsenal last time out but if Chelsea can play to his strengths they should have enough firepower to see off the Tigers.
Prediction: Hull 1-2 Chelsea – ESPN staff
LEICESTER: The champions will be confident of continuing their strong home record against Southampton, especially after the tremendous win over Porto in the Champions League. If City are to contend for a top-half finish or better they must win at the King Power since their away form has been shaky thus far. Saints are capable of goals so it may be a case of which Leicester defence turns up: the one who beat Porto or conceded four against Manchester United last weekend. If it’s a tight game, it’s one City should win.
Prediction: Leicester 1-0 Southampton – Ben Jacobs
SOUTHAMPTON: Energetic Leicester are the last side Southampton would want to face after a tiring 4,600-mile round trip to Israel in the Europa League on Thursday. Claude Puel left big-hitters Charlie Austin, Ryan Bertrand, Steven Davis and Jose Fonte at home and will be hoping his side benefit from their fresh legs
Prediction: Leicester 1-1 Southampton – Alex Crook
EVERTON: Yannick Bolasie will want to impress but former club Crystal Palace are not ideal opponents as Everton try to bounce back after losing to Norwich and Bournemouth in successive matches. Alan Pardew’s team are unbeaten in three trips to Goodison and have lost just once in the last six meetings.
Prediction: Everton 1-1 Crystal Palace – Luke O’Farrell
CRYSTAL PALACE: The Eagles have previously toiled against Romelu Lukaku – the striker has scored in three of the last four encounters against them – and the added threat of former favourite Bolasie means Palace will have their hands full. Reverting to counterattacking football might be the most successful approach to getting points from the game.
Prediction: Everton 2-2 Crystal Palace – Rob Sutherland
WEST HAM: When a team are in a slump, there needs to be a point where things turn. Two months ago, Hammers’ fans would have seen Saturday’s game with Middlesbrough as a home banker. Now a clean sheet and a hard-fought point will do.
Prediction: West Ham 1-1 Middlesbrough – Peter Thorne
MIDDLESBROUGH: It has been a tumultuous month for both clubs, and both will be in the mood to nick a win before the international break. Middlesbrough will aim to play with a little more attacking freedom than their shackled recent home games, alongside tightening up a leaky defence that has conceded at least two goals per game in their last three outings. There will be goals …
Prediction: West Ham 2-2 Middlesbrough – Catherine Wilson
SUNDERLAND: With one point from six games, Sunderland supporters are gloomily talking about breaking Derby County’s unwanted 2008 record, just 11 points from a season. West Brom have more muscle and guile but the Jermain Defoe factor, if little else, suggests a game Sunderland can finally win.
Prediction: Sunderland 1-0 West Brom – Colin Randall
WEST BROM: After a tepid performance in their 1-1 draw at Stoke, West Brom need to be more adventurous as they face an under-pressure Sunderland. James Morrison had a big impact from the bench at the Bet365 Stadium and returning him to the starting lineup would give Tony Pulis’ side more attacking threat.
Prediction: Sunderland 1-1 West Brom – Matthew Evans
WATFORD: The question ahead of this fixture is a simple one. Which Watford will turn up? The Hornets were limp, lethargic and lacklustre against Burnley on Monday night, a pale imitation of the team that swept Manchester United aside a week earlier. Bournemouth will provide a challenge perhaps more suited to the Hornets’ style of play, but a big reaction will be expected and required if Walter Mazzarri’s men are to get back on track.
Prediction: Watford 2-1 Bournemouth – Mike Parkin
BOURNEMOUTH: Eddie Howe’s side have momentum heading into this fixture. Their outstanding performance in a 1-0 win over high-flying Everton will fill them with confidence for the coming weeks. Harry Arter will again be the best player on the pitch and inspire the Cherries to another win.
Prediction: Watford 1-2 Bournemouth – Will Kent
Will either side at White Hart Lane remain unbeaten after Sunday? Can Chelsea bounce back? Predict the results of all the weekend’s matches by voting in our match polls and also have your say on all the weekend’s action in the Premier League by posting in the comments section below.
Keep up with the latest football updates by following ESPN FC on Twitter.
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