The English Premier League roars back into life this weekend, making its comeback after the second international football break of the season.
A massive EPL game on Sunday sees leaders Liverpool take on Chelsea at Anfield.
Coach Arne Slot didn’t want the pause to come last week with his side having won three on the spin, keeping them a point clear at the top of the table.
The Blues, meanwhile, are only four points behind their hosts, as they begin to piece some consistent form together for the first time in a turbulent few years of boardroom wrangling and a madcap transfer policy.
Reigning champions Manchester City are also in action in Sunday’s other fixture, making the trip to the West Midlands to face Wolves.
Pep Guardiola’s side are a point and a place off the pace set by Liverpool, while their Molineux hosts are rock bottom and with just a point to show for their efforts so far this season, as the pressure mounts on boss Gary O’Neill.
Saturday’s programme of seven Premier League fixtures begins with the London derby between Tottenham and West Ham in the lunchtime kick off.
Both have work to do if they’re to mount a challenge for European qualification, with Spurs ninth and the Hammers 12th in the standings after both have had inconsistent campaigns so far.
It’s a worse picture still for Manchester United, who are languishing in the bottom half and with the pressure piling high on boss Erik ten Hag.
They have an Old Trafford date with Brentford to attempt to rescue the situation, with the visitors looking to make it three games unbeaten.
Arsenal return to their latest title tilt when they go to Bournemouth for the late EPL kick off.
The Gunners go to the south coast as the only other unbeaten club alongside Manchester City, while their hosts have lost three of their last four as a bright start to the campaign tails off.
Aston Villa are relishing the combination of a top six push alongside their Uefa Champions League commitments, sitting fifth coming into the Premier League weekend.
Unai Emery and his side face a testing trip to Fulham, though, albeit with the Craven Cottage club having lost for the second time in the league last time out a fortnight ago.
Another contest in the continental shake up sees Newcastle welcome Brighton in a battle between very north and very south.
The Seagulls make the long trek to St James’ Park having finally returned to winning ways ahead of the international break, while the Toon Army are themselves without victory in three despite still sitting in seventh place.
At the wrong end of the table there’s an early season six-pointer between Ipswich and Everton.
The Toffees have pieced together an unbeaten sequence of three to lift the mood in the blue half of Merseyside, while the Tractor Boys have at least drawn four from seven despite not yet finding a win on their long-awaited return to the top flight.
It’s a similar scenario on the south coast when Southampton go up against Leicester.
The Foxes hauled themselves away from the relegation zone with a first win of the season two weeks ago, while the wait goes on for the Saints who have just a point and are looking increasingly imperiled.
Monday night brings the curtain down on the extended Premier League weekend, as Nottingham Forest play host to Crystal Palace.
Oliver Glasner’s Eagles have not clicked at all yet in the Austrian’s first full season in charge, while Forest are going well enough in midtable ahead of the City Ground clash.
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
| Result prediction | Tottenham Hotspur to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Tottenham Hotspur / Tottenham Hotspur to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | B. Johnson(Tottenham Hotspur) |
Fulham v Aston Villa
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Fulham / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | R. Jiménez(Fulham) O. Watkins(Aston Villa) J. Durán(Aston Villa) |
Ipswich Town v Everton
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | L. Delap(Ipswich Town) D. McNeil(Everton) |
Manchester United v Brentford
| Result prediction | Brentford to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Brentford / Brentford to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | B. Mbeumo(Brentford) |
Newcastle United v Brighton & Hove Albion
| 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 | H. Barnes(Newcastle United) |
Southampton v Leicester City
| Result prediction | draw |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Leicester City / draw |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | n/a |
AFC Bournemouth v Arsenal
| Result prediction | Arsenal to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Arsenal / Arsenal to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | K. Havertz(Arsenal) |
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City
| Result prediction | Manchester City to win |
| Over/Under prediction | over 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | draw / Manchester City to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | E. Haaland(Manchester City) |
Liverpool v Chelsea
| 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 | L. Díaz(Liverpool) C. Palmer(Chelsea) N. Jackson(Chelsea) |
Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace
| Result prediction | Nottingham Forest to win |
| Over/Under prediction | under 2.5 goals |
| HT / FT prediction | Nottingham Forest / Nottingham Forest to win |
| Team to Score prediction | both teams |
| Anytime Goalscorer prediction | C. Wood(Nottingham Forest) |