XTURES AND STATS
BRENTFORD V ARSENAL TODAY, 8PM, SKY SPORTS
Brentford make their return to the top-flight after 74 years but nobody can say it’s a fluke. On and off the pitch the Bees have been a model to follow right down to their beautiful new stadium which will look even smarter with fans inside. Thomas Frank largely starts with the side that won promotion and although club-record signing Kristoffer Ajer will bolster the defence it’s hard to see them parking the bus. Out of Europe for the first time since 1995, it could be argued Arsenal’s descent into mediocrity isn’t a fluke either.
MATCH STAT BRENTFORD DID NOT LOSE IN SEVEN PRE-WAR DIVISION ONE MEETINGS, WINNING FIVE MAN UNITED V LEEDS SATURDAY, 12.30PM, BT SPORT
One of the pities of last season was Leeds fans had to watch their thrilling return to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa from afar. One of the games they probably can cope with having taken place behind closed doors was the 6-2 drubbing at Old Trafford when Scott McTominay netted twice in the first three minutes. Leeds finished ninth, the same as Sheffield United the year before, but surely they have enough to avoid a similar second season syndrome. United may give £73million Jadon Sancho his debut.
MATCH STAT SIX HOME DEFEATS FOR UNITED LAST SEASON, INCLUDING THEIR OPENING THREE
The two sides that finished directly above last season’s relegation places meet at Turf Moor tomorrow and the fact neither have splashed the cash so far suggests survival will be the first aim again this time around. Burnley boss Sean Dyche must hope key striker Chris Wood’s Olympic adventure with New Zealand doesn’t prevent him beginning this season as he finished last term for the notorious slow starters. For a side so easy on the eye, Brighton didn’t score many goals and could do with Danny Welbeck having a big year.
BOTH LEAGUE MEETINGS BETWEEN THE SIDES LAST SEASON ENDED IN A DRAW
MATCH STAT BURNLEY V BRIGHTON SATURDAY, 3PM CHELSEA V CRYSTAL PALACE SATURDAY, 3PM
The Patrick Vieira era as Crystal Palace manager starts with a trip to the European champions so this might not be the time to show off a more expansive game than the one adopted by his predecessor Roy Hodgson. Defenders Joachim Andersen and Marc Guehi have come in as well as exciting Reading forward Michael Olise, but Wilfried Zaha – for now at least – remains the main man. Chelsea rested some key players for their Super Cup clash with Villarreal in midweek as Thomas Tuchel plots a title push.
MATCH STAT CHELSEA SCORED FOUR TIMES IN BOTH MEETINGS AGAINST PALACE LAST SEASON EVERTON V SOUTHAMPTON SATURDAY, 3PM
Rafael Benitez once labelled Everton ‘a small club’ when he was manager of Liverpool. Chelsea fans never forgave him for a jibe at them but he still ended up winning them the Europa League in 2013. After the huge spending of recent years, Everton have landed Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend on the cheap. Saints went fourth by beating Liverpool in January but nosedived after that and boss Ralph Hasenhuttl has replaced striker Danny Ings and left-back Ryan Bertrand with Adam Armstrong and Romain Perraud. MATCH STAT SOUTHAMPTON LOST 15 OF THEIR LAST 21 PREMIER LEAGUE GAMES LAST SEASON
LEICESTER V WOLVES SATURDAY, 3PM
As much as the fact they have added the Community Shield to the FA Cup, a sign in the shift of football’s aristocracy came when Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers reportedly turned down Spurs, a job Wolves’ Nuno Espirito Santo subsequently took. For all their flair players, Wolves lacked dynamism last season, especially after Raul Jimenez’s horrible injury, scoring just 35 goals but new boss Bruno Lage, a former assistant of Carlos Carvalhal, looks likely to bring a rather more enterprising approach.
MATCH STAT
BENFICA SCORED 103 GOALS UNDER COACH LAGE IN 2019-20, EQUALLING A CLUB RECORD WATFORD V ASTON VILLA SATURDAY, 3PM
Chief executive Christian Purslow made it clear Villa didn’t want to lose Jack Grealish, even for £100million, but fans can take heart from the fact they have planned for his departure with the signings of Emiliano Buendia, Leon Bailey and Danny Ings. Buendia was the standout player in the Championship last season but missed Villa’s final pre-season game while Ollie Watkins hobbled off. Nantes midfielder Imran Louza is the Hornets’ biggest buy on their top-flight return, while landing Danny Rose feels like a coup. MATCH STAT WATFORD WON THIS FIXTURE 3-0 TWO SEASONS AGO, TROY DEENEY SCORING TWICE
NORWICH V LIVERPOOL SATURDAY, 5.30PM, SKY SPORTS
Norwich made it clear a couple of seasons ago they weren’t prepared to mortgage their future on survival and it paid handsome dividends as Daniel Farke took them straight back up. Signing the exciting Billy Gilmour on loan from Chelsea has tempered the blow of losing Buendia and splashing fees on six more players suggest they intend to put up more of a fight this time. The return of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez in defence and You’ll Never Walk Alone from their fans must boost Liverpool’s hopes of regaining the title. MATCH STAT LIVERPOOL WON 4-1 IN THE FIRST GAME OF THE CANARIES’ LAST TOP-FLIGHT SEASON
NEWCASTLE V WEST HAM SUNDAY, 2PM, SKY SPORTS
Newcastle haven’t made too many statements of intent in recent seasons but landing Joe Willock on a £25million deal from Arsenal would feel like a step in the right direction. West Ham may have had a great season last term but the Magpies did the double over them. Michail Antonio though is still relishing the spectators’ return at St James’ Park. ‘The Newcastle fans are amazing up there, they’re loud and fully support their team,’ he said. ‘Hopefully we’ll have some fans up there to help push us, but it’s going to be quality.’ MATCH STAT EIGHT GOALS FOR WILLOCK IN 17 APPEARANCES ON LOAN AT NEWCASTLE LAST TERM
ONE TO WATCH FRANK ONYEKA/BRENTFORD
Much of Brentford’s success in recent years has been built on plucking players from relative obscurity but their homework on the Nigerian ball-winner will have been more straightforward than most. The 23-year-old spent five years at Danish top-flight side FC Midtjylland, also owned by Bees benefactor Matthew Benham and fired the winner in their friendly win over Valencia last Saturday.
DID YOU KNOW? ONYEKA WON TWO DANISH LEAGUE TITLES AND A DANISH CUP WITH MIDTJYLLAND