New Delhi: The Premier League returns with exciting Matchday 7 fixtures just before the international break. Saturday promises high-stakes action with Ipswich Town seeking their first win of the season while West Ham and Leicester City hovering just above the relegation zone. The defending champions Manchester City will be determined to reclaim the top spot and avoid another frustrating draw. As the anticipation builds fans will be keen to see which side holds the upper hand. So, before the action kicks off here’s a preview of the Saturday matches.
Crystal Palace vs Liverpool ( 5 pm IST)
Crystal Palace will welcome Liverpool at Selhurst Park as the Reds return to the Premier League after a record-breaking win in the Champions League against Bologna. With that win, Arne Slot became the first ever Liverpool manager to win eight of his nine first matches as in charge in all competitions. Victory over Eagles would temporarily move the Reds four points clear of both Arsenal and Man City in the gold medal position, and Slot’s side have registered a win in each of their last five matches. So far they have netted 15 goals.
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, have enjoyed a revival under Oliver Glasner last season but their momentum has stalled. Despite Marc Guehi’s early goal against Everton, Dwight McNeil’s second-half brace sealed their fate. Currently, the Eagles sit in 18th position winless in seven games. While Glasner remains secure due to past success, the historical odds of avoiding relegation are slim. Yet fans hold onto their surprise Anfield win though their last home triumph over Liverpool dates back to 2014.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 0-2 Liverpool
Arsenal vs Southampton ( 7:30 pm IST)
Arsenal will lock horns with the winless visitors Southampton at Emirates Stadium. The undefeated hosts continued their impressive run with a third consecutive home win as they defeated PSG at the Emirates, thanks to Gianluigi Donnarumma’s errors. Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka capitalized on the goalkeeper’s mistakes and helped the Gunners stay just one point behind Liverpool and Manchester City. Now the Gunners are unbeaten in 15 matches across all competitions and could achieve their 400th Premier League home win this weekend, a milestone only Manchester United has surpassed (426).
Southampton will face a tough test at the Emirates as they have lost 246 Premier League away games marking fifth-most in the league’s history. Their latest road defeat saw Bournemouth dominate with Russell Martin’s side struggling despite a second-half goal from Taylor Harwood-Bellis. Sitting just above Wolves in the table Southampton’s poor 4.4% conversion rate is concerning. Martin remains under pressure and a potential defeat at Arsenal will possibly push him closer to getting sacked.
Prediction: Arsenal 3-0 Southampton
Brentford vs Wolves ( 7:30 pm IST)
Brentford will host Wolves at the Gtech Community Stadium tomorrow evening. They are making headlines with their knack for early goals as they have been scoring within the first minute in their last three Premier League matches, a record feat. Bryan Mbeumo’s 37-second volley against West Ham set the tone but Brentford ultimately settled for a 1-1 draw. Currently placed 12th the Bees remain unbeaten at home this season but have struggled to maintain leads as they have dropped 38 points from winning positions since last term. Another first-minute goal this weekend could make history.
Wolves on the other hand had a difficult start to the season and it continues as they sit at the bottom of the table with just one point from six games. Despite scoring in each of their last seven matches across all competitions Gary O’Neil’s side recently lost 2-1 to Liverpool. Facing four of the current top five teams has tested Wolves early on but they head to Brentford unbeaten in five league visits to the Gtech Community Stadium including a 4-1 win last December.
Prediction: Brentford 2-2 Wolves
Manchester City vs Fulham ( 7:30 pm IST)
Manchester City will host Fulham at the Etihad Stadium tomorrow evening as they seek to avoid a third consecutive Premier League game without victory. The two teams last met at Craven Cottage towards the end of the season when the Citizens defeated them by a scoreline of 4-0. Man City responded to their 1-1 Premier League draw with Newcastle by crushing Slovan Bratislava 4-0 in the Champions League. They dominated with 28 shots on target and 73% possession, goals from Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, Erling Haaland, and James McAtee secured City’s first group-stage win. Pep Guardiola praised the team’s improvement and fitness ahead of their final match before the international break where City faces Fulham and will look to extend their 16 game winning streak against them.
Fulham on the other hand are off to their best Premier League start since 2003 with 11 points from six games. Currently, they sit at the sixth spot just three points behind Manchester City. After losing to Manchester United, Fulham have gone unbeaten in five having won their last two matches against Newcastle and Nottingham Forest. Raul Jimenez’s penalty secured a 1-0 win over Forest though he faced criticism for taking the spot-kick from Andreas Pereira. Fulham now faces a tough challenge against City at Etihad where they have won three times, last in 2009.
Prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Fulham
West Ham vs Ipswich Town ( 7:30 pm IST)
Ipswich Town will travel to London as they face West Ham in the upcoming Premier League fixture. West Ham United are under pressure as Julen Lopetegui has managed just two wins from his first eight matches. Following heavy defeats to Chelsea and Liverpool, the Hammers salvaged a 1-1 draw against Brentford, thanks to Tomas Soucek’s goal. With just five points from six games, West Ham currently sits at 14th spot with just two points above the relegation zone. They will aim to avoid losing their fourth consecutive home match and improve against Ipswich, having lost only one of their last nine meetings.
On the other hand, Ipswich Town, in their first Premier League season in 22 years, are still seeking their first win after six matches. They have drawn their last four games, including a 2-2 tie with Aston Villa, where Liam Delap shone with two goals. Kieran McKenna’s side sit 15th, just one point behind West Ham. Despite the slow start, the Tractor Boys can take confidence from winning their last two league encounters with West Ham by a combined 6-1 scoreline.
Prediction: West Ham 1-2 Ipswich Town
Leicester City vs Bournemouth ( 7:30 pm IST)
Leicester City will welcome Bournemouth to the King Power Stadium tomorrow as their search for their first Premier League win of the season continues. The Foxes’ struggles continued after back-to-back Premier League draws with Crystal Palace and Everton, followed by a narrow EFL Cup win over Walsall via penalties. Despite a promising fightback from James Justin’s second-half brace at Arsenal the Foxes still fell short and lost 4-2 after conceding two late goals. Currently hovering just above the relegation zone Leicester faces a tough challenge against Bournemouth as they have won just one of their last 12 encounters with the Cherries.
In contrast, Bournemouth bounced back from defeats to Chelsea and Liverpool with a convincing 3-1 win over Southampton taking control early with goals from Evanilson, Dango Ouattara, and Antoine Semenyo. Despite a second-half reply from Taylor Harwood-Bellis, the Cherries secured their second win of the season. Andoni Iraola’s side currently sits at the 11th spot, having a balanced record of two wins, two draws, and two losses. Heading into Saturday’s clash against Leicester, Bournemouth will aim to extend their three-match winning streak over the Foxes. However, their away form remains inconsistent with just three road wins in their last 13 matches.
Prediction: Leicester City 1-2 Bournemouth
Everton vs Newcastle ( 10 pm IST)
Everton will aim to build momentum after securing their first Premier League win of the season against Crystal Palace where Dwight McNeil’s quick brace turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 victory. This triumph relieved some pressure on manager Sean Dyche, especially with Jarrad Branthwaite’s return solidifying the defense. The Toffees have a solid home record having won six of their last eight matches at Goodison Park, and they hope to capitalize on their favorable history against Newcastle, who have struggled at this venue in recent encounters.
On the other hand, Newcastle United will come into the match with a lot of confidence after amassing 11 points from their opening six games marking their best start in over a decade. Following a 1-1 draw with Manchester City, Eddie Howe’s side will look to maintain their push for a European place. The Magpies have shown improvement on the road having won 10 of their last 17 away matches. Their recent EFL Cup victory over AFC Wimbledon secured by a Fabian Schar penalty keeps their momentum going as they prepare for a challenging visit to Goodison Park where they hope to improve upon their inconsistent history against the Toffees.
Prediction: Everton 1-2 Newcastle United
Check out the detailed preview of Premier League Matchday 7 Saturday fixtures where top teams prepare for intense battles ahead of the international break. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
