The English Premier League returns with a disrupted fixture programme this weekend, as football returns following the death last week of Queen Elizabeth II.
All soccer was suspended a week ago as the nation entered a period of mourning and several eye-catching EPL games have been postponed this week too, with police resources stretched ahead of Monday’s state funeral.
Chelsea and Liverpool will have to wait to lock horns at Stamford Bridge in what would have been Graham Potter’s first league match in charge of the Blues.
The cross-Pennine rivalry is on hold as well, as Manchester United’s clash with Leeds has also been put on hold.
A hefty police presence would have been required at Old Trafford for the war of the Roses, meaning the impressive revival for Erik ten Hag and Co will be paused for a little while longer.
Another derby has been called off on the south coast, where Brighton were due to start life without boss Potter with a game against Crystal Palace at the Amex Stadium.
Opportunities to steal a march present themselves, then, including for reigning champions Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola’s side kick off Saturday’s Premier League schedule with a trip to struggling Wolves, with City second in the table and in possession of goal machine Erling Haaland.
It means top honours could to and fro over the weekend, as leaders Arsenal play a day later in a London affair with Brentford that has been deemed low-key enough to survive the royal events elsewhere in the capital.
The Gunners’ perfect start went up in smoke at Manchester United last time out, while the Bees sit an improbable eighth having lost just once this term.
Everton and West Ham can only dream of what the London minnows have, as the big name duo limp along with a single victory between them so far.
Toffees boss Frank Lampard welcomes his boyhood club to Goodison Park for a contest on Sunday in which something really does have to give, as Hammers coach David Moyes enjoys a similar reunion with the club where he really made his managerial name.
Tottenham meet Leicester in another capital city clash that has survived on Saturday.
Spurs’ unbeaten start to the EPL season sees them starting the weekend in this position, while the Foxes need to arrest a miserable run of form so far that sees them rock bottom of the table.
Very north versus very south completes Saturday’s action, with Eddie Howe welcoming former club Bournemouth to Tyneside for a midtable contest, as his Newcastle attempt to put some points on the board to match their early promise.
Two Friday night fixtures kick off the EPL weekend following the unexpected break, as promoted pair Nottingham Forest and Fulham put their contrasting starts to the test at the City Ground.
Aston Villa and Southampton meet in Birmingham, meanwhile, as Villa chief Steven Gerrard attempts to ease the pressure on his underperforming team.
English Premier League predictions for 16 – 18 September
Prediction methodology explained: The expected win percentage is based off publicly available odds. For example, if a team’s odds are 2.30, the expected chance of winning is 43%. If the odds are 1.62 the expected chance of winning is 62% and so on. These are accurate at the time of writing but are subject to change. Where there is no value listed, the odds were not available at the time of writing.
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Aston Villa | 48 | 32 |
| Southampton | 29 | 19 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Nottingham Forest | 35 | 24 |
| Fulham | 39 | 27 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Wolves | ||
| Manchester City | 75 | 75 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Brighton | P | |
| Crystal Palace | P | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Newcastle | 69 | 80 |
| Bournemouth | ||
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Tottenham | 67 | 67 |
| Leicester | ||
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Brentford | 24 | 33 |
| Arsenal | 55 | 47 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Everton | 34 | 33 |
| West Ham | 40 | 57 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Manchester United | P | |
| Leeds | P | |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Chelsea | P | |
| Liverpool | P |