The English Premier League reaches its first midweek round of fixtures of the new season, with the pressure already ramping up at both ends of the nascent EPL table.
Arsenal are the early pacesetters thanks to a perfect record from their opening four matches.
The Gunners are heavy favourites with the bookies to extend that run on Wednesday night, too, as Mikel Arteta’s side host an Aston Villa side that have lost three of the opening four to see the early pressure building on Steven Gerrard in his first Premier League managerial role.
He’s not the only one hot under the collar, as newly resurgent Manchester United go to rock-bottom Leicester on Thursday.
Foxes chief Brendan Rodgers looks thoroughly fed up in trying to motivate the same squad as last year while suitors line up for their star players ahead of the transfer deadline, while the Red Devils need to prove back-to-back wins are no flash in the EPL pan.
Angst was rising at Anfield as well, until last season’s runners-up Liverpool finally clicked at the fourth time of asking in roaring to a 9-0 success at the weekend.
Jurgen Klopp’s men now face the challenge of unbeaten Newcastle on Merseyside on Wednesday, in a contest that still crackles with the memories of a series of blockbuster games between the pair back in the 1990s.
Reigning champions Manchester City are also at home on Wednesday, with top spot within their grasp once again.
Pep Guardiola’s star-studded side welcome promoted Nottingham Forest to the Etihad Stadium off the back of three wins from four, while the Midlands outfit remain an unknown collective quantity following their summer spending spree after clambering out of the Championship.
Chelsea come into the midweek programme in sixth, despite a clunky old start to their new campaign.
They head to St Mary’s to take on unpredictable Southampton, who have made an idiosyncratic start under Ralph Hasenhuttl.
And there’s even the fizz of a London derby to enjoy, as high-flying Tottenham head to low-flying West Ham.
Antonio Conte has piloted his Spurs to ten points from a possible 12 so far as Harry Kane continues to climb the all-time scoring charts, while Hammers chief David Moyes was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief last weekend as his side collected their first points, not to mention maiden goal, of the season.
Bournemouth have returned to home comforts after falling victim to rampant Liverpool on Saturday, with winless Wolves the visitors to the south coast for a match that has the early feel of a six-pointer about it at the wrong end of the standings.
Three more Tuesday fixtures, meanwhile, include Leeds seeking to bounce back from their first defeat of the campaign when they welcome Frank Lampard’s limping Everton to Elland Road.
Craven Cottage is the venue as promoted Fulham attempt to put the first dent in Brighton’s sparkling start, with Graham Potter’s Seagulls having already taken their points tally to double figures before August is even out.
An early nudge up the standings would do no harm for Crystal Palace or Brentford either, as the capital city pair do battle at Selhurst Park.
English Premier League predictions for 30 August – 1 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 | |
| Crystal Palace | 48 | 54 |
| Brentford | 29 | 31 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Fulham | 30 | 1 |
| Brighton | 44 | 33 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Southampton | 18 | 33 |
| Chelsea | 64 | 67 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Leeds | 47 | 37 |
| Everton | 30 | 23 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Arsenal | 69 | 77 |
| Aston Villa | ||
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Bournemouth | 28 | 50 |
| Wolves | 48 | 41 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Manchester City | 94 | 91 |
| Nottingham Forest | ||
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| West Ham | 28 | 46 |
| Tottenham | 51 | 53 |
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Liverpool | 75 | 69 |
| Newcastle | ||
| Chance of winning (%) | Usual win % with these odds | |
| Leicester | 29 | 30 |
| Manchester United | 49 | 52 |