ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE PREVIEWS
Match-by-match facts and statistics ahead of Round 10
BRIGHTON VS WOLVES The two teams have not met in the English top flight since the 1981-82 season when Brighton won 2-0. Brighton last faced Wolves in the 201617 Championship season, with Chris Hughton’s side winning both matches without conceding a goal. Hughton has lost one of his eight previous meetings against Wolves as manager (three wins, four draws). Wolves’ haul of 15 points from nine games so far this campaign is the best return for a newly-promoted club at this stage of the season since West Bromwich Albion in 2011-11 (15 points).
FULHAM VS BOURNEMOUTH Fulham and Bournemouth have never met in the English top division. Their last meeting was in the Championship in March 2015, with the Cherries winning 5-1. Fulham are yet to keep a clean sheet in nine League games so far this season. Eddie Howe’s Bournemouth have made their best start to the Premier League season with 17 points from nine matches.
LIVERPOOL VS CARDIFF Liverpool and Cardiff last met in the Premier League during the 2013-14 season, with the Merseyside club winning 3-1 at home and 6-3 on the road. There have been at least three goals scored in each of the last 10 meetings between the two clubs. Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool have won all seven games against newly-promoted teams at Anfield. Cardiff beat Fulham 4-2 last weekend for their first league win this season, scoring as many goals as they managed in their previous eight matches in the competition.
SOUTHAMPTON VS NEWCASTLE Southampton have failed to score in four consecutive Premier League games for the first time since October 2004. Newcastle have made their worst start to a League season after nine matches, collecting just two points. Southampton boss Mark Hughes has won just one of his 13 Premier League meetings with Rafa Benitez, losing both games against Newcastle last season when he was in charge at Stoke City.
WATFORD VS HUDDERSFIELD Watford suffered defeats in both of their Premier League encounters against Huddersfield last season, including a 4-1 loss at Vicarage Road. Javi Gracia’s Watford have won seven of their 12 League matches at home but have lost their last two games at Vicarage Road. Watford striker Troy Deeney has scored six League goals against Huddersfield Town. However, he was sent off in this fixture last season.
LEICESTER VS WEST HAM Leicester have lost just once in their eight meetings against West Ham but that defeat was in their most recent League match in May. Eight of Leicester’s last nine Premier League goals against West Ham have come in the first half. Since a run of three consecutive Premier League clean sheets in January, Leicester have kept just four in the following 23 games, conceding 43 goals. Leicester boss Claude Puel has suffered defeats in both of his Premier League home matches against West Ham, losing 3-1 in February 2017 with Southampton and 2-0 against the Foxes last season.
BURNLEY VS CHELSEA Chelsea are unbeaten after the first nine games of a top-flight campaign for the fifth time in their history. Burnley have claimed seven points from their last four League games, one more than they picked in their previous 11 matches combined. Maurizio Sarri could become the first Chelsea manager to remain unbeaten in his first 10 Premier League matches.
CRYSTAL PALACE VS ARSENAL Arsenal have lost one of their nine Premier League visits to Palace – a 3-0 defeat in April 2017. Roy Hodgson’s Palace have scored three goals in their last five League games, failing to score on five occasions in this run. Hodgson is on a nine-game winless run as manager against Arsenal in the Premier League. Unai Emery’s Arsenal have scored six League goals this season through substitutes – more than any other team in the competition. Arsenal have scored 22 goals in nine League matches this season, four fewer than leaders Manchester City.
MAN UNITED VS EVERTON Everton are winless in seven matches against United in all competitions since a 3-0 home win in the League in April 2015. Five of United’s last seven League goals against Everton have been scored in the last 10 minutes of the matches. United striker Romelu Lukaku, who is Everton’s all-time leading goalscorer in the Premier League with 68 goals, has failed to score in his last eight matches for the club. Everton boss Marco Silva has won one of his six competitive managerial meetings with Portuguese compatriot Jose Mourinho in all competitions – a 2-1 League Cup win with Hull City in Jan. 2017.
TOTTENHAM VS MAN CITY Just two of the last 28 League meetings between Spurs and City have ended as draws. City are unbeaten in their last 15 League matches, since a 3-2 defeat by Manchester United in April. City boss Pep Guardiola has lost just two of his previous 13 meetings with Mauricio Pochettino. City striker Sergio Aguero scored 10 goals in his first seven League games against Spurs but has since failed to find the net in five appearances against the north London side.