Premier League Form Guide: Liverpool hosts Arsenal

The Premier League's top two go head-to-head on Saturday, as Liverpool takes on Arsenal. Frank Lampard hunts his first win at Chelsea.

Published : Aug 22, 2019 15:14 IST

Liverpool faces Arsenal on Saturday.
Liverpool faces Arsenal on Saturday.
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Liverpool faces Arsenal on Saturday.

The Premier League's top two go head-to-head in matchweek three, as Liverpool welcomes Arsenal to Anfield on Saturday.

Liverpool is aiming for a club-record 12th straight Premier League victory, though in-form Arsenal forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang regularly comes up with the goods against fellow "big six" sides.

Manchester City was denied a late winner against Tottenham by VAR last time out, and will be looking to take advantage of any slip-ups from the early pacesetter when it visits Bournemouth on Sunday, while Frank Lampard is still in search of a first victory as Chelsea boss.

ASTON VILLA vs EVERTON

The Premier League weekend kicks off with Everton's trip to Aston Villa on Friday — the 203rd top-flight meeting between the sides.

Dean Smith's team is still in search of its first win, while Everton would move temporarily top should it triumph.

Villa has won just two of its last 15 league fixtures against the Toffees, though both those wins did come at Villa Park.

The host has earned just one point from its last 45 available in the Premier League, with Jack Grealish currently on a record-breaking 20-game losing streak. However, Everton has lost two of its last three matches against newly promoted sides.

NORWICH CITY vs CHELSEA

It has been a difficult start for life as Chelsea head coach for Frank Lampard. The Blues were held by Leicester City at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, though were perhaps fortunate to come away with a point.

On paper, Chelsea should be confident of beating Norwich City, but the Canaries are sure to be up for their first match against one of the league's elite clubs.

Norwich has lost just one of its last 15 Premier League home games against "big six" opposition, and has Teemu Pukki in fine form.

The Finland international netted a superb hat-trick in the win over Newcastle United, and has scored all of Norwich's league goals so far. He could become the 10th player to score in each of his first three Premier League appearances.

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Frank Lampard is yet to register a win with Chelsea so far. Photo: AP
 

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION vs SOUTHAMPTON

Brighton has enjoyed a bright start to the season under Graham Potter, who will go up against a former club in Saturday's south coast derby.

Southampton is winless so far, but is unbeaten in its last seven top-flight meetings with Brighton since a 2-0 defeat in 1981.

Brighton has never opened a top-flight season by remaining unbeaten in its opening three games, while the Saints are looking to avoid opening a Premier League campaign with three defeats for the first time since 2012-13.

Glenn Murray has scored in three of his four Premier League appearances for Brighton against Southampton.

MANCHESTER UNITED vs CRYSTAL PALACE

Paul Pogba’s penalty miss at Wolves cost Manchester United top spot heading into the third matchweek, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side should be confident ahead of Saturday's clash with Crystal Palace.

The Eagles are winless in their last 12 league visits to Old Trafford, while United is unbeaten in its last 22 league meetings with Palace, which has never beaten the Red Devils in the Premier League.

 

Anthony Martial has scored in each of his two appearances this term. Only Dwight Yorke in 1999-00, Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2005-06 and Wayne Rooney in 2011-12 have scored in United's opening three games of a campaign in the competition.

SHEFFIELD UNITED vs LEICESTER CITY

Sheffield United and Leicester City will be the first in the Premier League, with their last top-flight match coming in 1976.

The Blades have failed to win any of their last six games giants Leicester, losing each of their last three.

Leicester has been tipped to challenge for the top six this season, though the Foxes have drawn their last three Premier League games, while Brendan Rodgers has lost three of his four matches against United as a manager.

Rodgers will need Sheffield-born striker Jamie Vardy to step up in this match, with the ex-England international having failed to score since April.

WATFORD vs WEST HAM

Watford has won more Premier League games against West Ham than it has against any other side. However, the Hammers have lost just two of their last 15 league matches at Vicarage Road, and won 4-1 there on the final day of last term.

Javi Gracia's side sits bottom as things stand, and has lost its last five Premier League games — it has not lost six in a row since losing its final six games of the 2016-17 campaign.

West Ham, though, is winless in its last nine Premier League games in August, with eight defeats followed by last week's draw with Brighton.

LIVERPOOL vs ARSENAL

Liverpool is unbeaten in its last eight matches against Arsenal in all competitions, and the Gunners are without a win at Anfield in six Premier League visits.

No Premier League fixture has seen more goals than matches between Liverpool and Arsenal. Roberto Firmino scored a hat-trick in the corresponding fixture last term, and he has scored more Premier League goals versus Arsenal than he has against any other side.

 

Arsenal will be looking to win its first three games of a top-flight season for the ninth time in its history and for the first time since 2004-05, while Liverpool has gone 41 Premier League games without defeat at Anfield — a run lasting well over two years.

BOURNEMOUTH vs MANCHESTER CITY

Manchester City had its 15-match winning streak ended last time out, though Pep Guardiola's side has the ideal opponent in order to get back on the horse.

Bournemouth has never beaten City in 14 previous league meetings and the champion's 100 per cent win record in eight Premier League games against the Cherries is the best in English top-flight history.

Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne have looked sharp in the opening two games. Sterling has been directly involved in 10 goals in just seven Premier League appearances against Bournemouth, while De Bruyne has assisted 49 goals in his 122 Premier League appearances so far.

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Tottenham Hotspur's contest against Newcastle United will be Mauricio Pochettino's 500 game as a manager in all competitions in his career. Photo: AP
 

TOTTENHAM vs NEWCASTLE UNITED

Steve Bruce is looking to avoid becoming the first permanent Newcastle United boss to lose his opening three games in the Premier League, following defeats to Arsenal and Norwich City.

The signs are not positive for Bruce, with Tottenham having won its last four Premier League matches against Newcastle.

Spurs have won 23 points at home in 2019, 16 more than on the road, and have lost just once in their last 10 league home matches.

This will be Mauricio Pochettino's 500th game as a manager in all competitions in his career. Excluding other "big six" sides, against no side has he lost more Premier League games than he has against Newcastle.

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS vs BURNLEY

The Wolves have won their last four top-flight home games against Burnley.

Burnley has failed to score in 14 of its last 19 competitive away games at Wolves, including drawing a blank in four of its last five trips to Molineux.

After Monday's draw with Manchester United, Nuno Espirito Santo's side is unbeaten in its last nine Premier League games at Molineux.

However, only Sadio Mane (15) and Sergio Aguero (14) currently have more Premier League goals in 2019 than Burnley's Ashley Barnes (12).

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