The English Premier League is back with a bang this weekend, with fans around the world pointing their attention directly at the top flight following the international football break.
Liverpool versus Manchester United is a fixture to get us chomping at the bit, break or no break, with plenty riding on this Sunday’s clash between the north west rivals beyond the usual emnity.
The Reds dropped off the top of the EPL table a fortnight ago when they slipped to the rarity of a second consecutive league defeat.
Performances have caused a headache for coach Arne Slot and his reigning champions, who might well be glad of the pause to press the reset button and return to Anfield fresh this weekend.
That the label of ‘inconsistent’ could be described as an improvement is an indicator of where the Red Devils have been dwelling during the reign of Ruben Amorim.
They did notch a third victory of the season at Old Trafford last time out at least, hoisting them just about into the top half ahead of the short trip to Merseyside.
Sunday’s other Premier League game sees Tottenham set out to pounce on another Liverpool slip up when they tackle improving Aston Villa in north London.
Spurs sit third and are unbeaten in four outings, while the Villans have finally awoken from their summer slumber by collecting their first two wins of the campaign in successive outings.
The Monday night football sees a London derby ensconsed in the lower reaches of the table, as West Ham host Brentford at the former Olympic Stadium.
Nuno Espirito Santo is targeting a first three points in his new job in front of an expectant fan base, while the Bees are seeking consistency under rookie coach Keith Andrews.
Before all that there are seven Saturday fixtures to get stuck into, building towards another capital city collision when EPL leaders Arsenal go to Fulham for the evening kick off at Craven Cottage.
The Gunners have won three of their last unbeaten four to top the standings by a point coming into the weekend, but it’s a different tale for the Cottagers, who have lost their last two.
Ange Postecoglou is chucked straight back into the limelight when the EPL returns with the Saturday lunchtime kick off, as his Nottingham Forest go up against Chelsea at the City Ground.
The Australian veteran is clinging to his job in the East Midlands despite having been in post a matter of weeks.
Enzo Maresca arrives with his Blues side targeting a push towards the Uefa Champions League qualification places, having broken a three-match winless streak last time out.
Plenty on the line at the Etihad Stadium, too, when Manchester City and Everton complete the set of clubs playing each other at the western end of the M62 motorway.
Pep Guardiola’s men are clicking into gear having scooped up ten points of a last possible 12, with Toffees chief David Moyes also having plenty to smile about at the helm of his eighth-placed side.
Midtable obscurity was not the pre-season plan for either Brighton or Newcastle, who go head-to-head at the Amex Stadium.
The pair are locked on nine points apiece coming into the south coast clash, although the Seagulls are at least three games unbeaten.
And by stark contrast there’s a surprise top six match on the cards at Selhurst Park, when Crystal Palace face Bournemouth.
The pair are flying in sixth and fourth respectively and have lost just once each so far this term, with a win for the visitors taking them potentially as dizzyingly high at top spot in English football.
You can’t beat a War of The Roses theme to set pulses racing and we have exactly that when Burnley ‘welcome’ Leeds to Turf moor.
The Yorkshire club nip across the Pennines four points better off than their hosts, who already look set for a grim battle against relegation after the pair returned to the Premier League together last season.
Also elevated were Sunderland, who have a real chance of solidifying their shock top half credentials when Wolves visit the Stadium of Light.
The visitors head to Wearside full of trepidation and as the only team without a win this campaign, while the hosts come into the weekend sitting pretty above Manchester United and – even more importantly in the north east – arch-rivals Newcastle.
Nottingham Forest v Chelsea
| Result prediction | Chelsea to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Nottingham Forest / Chelsea to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | A. Semenyo (AFC Bournemouth) |
Sunderland v Wolverhampton Wanderers
| Result prediction | Sunderland to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Wolverhampton Wanderers / Sunderland to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | W. Isidor (Sunderland) |
Manchester City v Everton
| Result prediction | Manchester City to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Manchester City / Manchester City to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | E. Haaland (Manchester City) |
Brighton & Hove Albion v Newcastle United
| Result prediction | Brighton & Hove Albion to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Brighton & Hove Albion / Brighton & Hove Albion to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
Burnley v Leeds United
| Result prediction | Burnley to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Leeds United / Burnley to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | J. Anthony (Burnley) |
Fulham v Arsenal
| Result prediction | Arsenal to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Arsenal to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Rodrigo Muniz (Fulham) |
Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa
| Result prediction | Tottenham Hotspur to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Tottenham Hotspur / Tottenham Hotspur to win |
| Team to Score prediction | Tottenham Hotspur |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur) |
Liverpool v Manchester United
| Result prediction | Liverpool to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Liverpool / Liverpool to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | H. Ekitiké (Liverpool) |
West Ham United v Brentford
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Brentford / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |