The Premier League is back on Saturday with a reduced slate of five games thanks to the first round of European competitions beginning this week.
We have picked out four tips for the day’s action.
- Manchester City to win and both teams to score
- Crystal Palace to win
- One or both teams not to score in Luton v Wolves
- Brentford to win
Manchester City v Nottingham Forest
Manchester City have won 17 of their last 19 Premier League matches and can extend that impressive run when they host Nottingham Forest.
However, the Tricky Trees will be no straightforward clash, they will be buoyant after a 1-0 win away to Chelsea on their last road trip and could cause problems for their hosts.
Forest played out a competitive 1-1 draw with Burnley on Monday night and find themselves in the top half of the table after a respectable start to the campaign.
Steve Cooper’s men have netted in nine of their last ten away games and could well extend that run in this match-up.
Pep Guardiola’s side went 1-0 down against Red Star Belgrade on Tuesday before rallying to win 3-1 in their first Champions League clash of the season.
The Citizens have made a habit of winning matches in which both teams score recently, their last four matches have seen them prevail in that manner.
While Forest can provide a challenge for Pep Guardiola’s side, the quality of the hosts should tell at some point and they are fancied to maintain their perfect start to the season.
MAN CITY TO WIN AND BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE
Crystal Palace v Fulham
Crystal Palace and Fulham are level on points in the top half of the Premier League table, with the Eagles narrowly ahead on goal difference.
However, home advantage and the visitors’ leaky defence means that Palace are fancied to take all three points from this meeting.
The hosts lost 3-1 to Aston Villa in dramatic circumstances last weekend, conceding twice after the 98th minute, but acquitted themselves well in a 3-2 win over Wolves before that.
Fulham squeezed past Luton 1-0 last time out, but will need to step up on that performance if they are to get anything from this visit to Selhurst Park, where the Eagles are solid.
Roy Hodgson’s side recorded three more wins at home than on the road last season and they can get the better of their London rivals in this clash.
The Cottagers have conceded ten goals this season and that defensive frailty could cost them dearly in this match-up.
Odsonne Edouard has been in red-hot form for the home side, almost matching his goal tally from last season already and he could add to his haul of four goals in the league.
Luton v Wolves
Both Luton and Wolves have struggled in the new season, taking just three points between them from the first 27 available.
The Hatters have lost all four of their games since returning to the top flight, but did at least show a little more in their 1-0 defeat to Fulham last weekend.
Still, the fact remains that Rob Edwards’ side have only scored two goals and conceded ten in their four matches.
Wolves continue to flatter to deceive, with some solid performances being held back by their poor finishing or lacklustre defending.
Gary O’Neil’s side should have been comfortably ahead at half-time against Liverpool last weekend but failed to take their chances and the Reds came back to win 3-1.
Only Burnley have conceded more goals than the Midlands club’s 11 and they will have to sharpen up at the back if they are to avoid a relegation battle.
Goals may be few and far between in this matchup however with both sides low on confidence after a bruising few weeks.
This pair will both see this game as a crucial opportunity to secure points in the race against the drop and a cagey affair could be the result.
Both teams have scored in only one of Wolves's last six away league games and one or both teams not to score in this match-up is the selection between these strugglers.
ONE OR BOTH TEAMS NOT TO SCORE
Brentford v Everton
Everton stayed up narrowly last season but their struggles have continued into the new campaign and they have taken just a solitary point from their five games.
The Toffees have failed to score in four of those matches, with the exception being their 2-2 draw with Sheffield United recently.
Despite signing attacking reinforcements Beto and Arnaut Danjuma, Sean Dyche’s side are the joint-lowest scorers alongside Luton, with those two goals against the Blades the only time they have found the net.
They face a tough task getting anything out of this Brentford side in the later kick-off.
The Bees have lost only one of their last 18 home league games and have developed into one of the most awkward teams to face in the division.
Thomas Frank’s side drew three of their first four matches but were a touch unfortunate to do so.
They can also feel slightly aggrieved about losing 1-0 to Newcastle last weekend, they should be able to bounce back against these opponents.
Everton have failed to score in their last seven away defeats in the top flight and their weakness in forward areas may be their undoing.
Despite the suspension of Ivan Toney, the Beeshave maintained their attacking edge, with Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo stepping up to fill his space with six goals between the pair this season.
In light of Everton’s struggles on the road and Brentford’s rock solid record at home, the Bees are fancied to inflict further misery on the Toffees with a win.
