(Arsenal have endured their worst start to a Premier League season since Arsene Wenger took over – Adam Davy/EMPICS Sport)
TV: Setanta Ireland
Betting: 4/7 (home) 3/1 (draw) 5/1 (away)
Arsenal face Fulham in a game that would normally be considered a nailed-on three points for the Gunners.
However, Fulham are improving, while the hosts have now officially had their worst start to a Premier League campaign ever.
Fulham, though, with four draws and 22 losses, have an incredibly poor record away to Arsenal.
Yet with the two sides currently level on points, expect this to be a close game, though Arsenal should get over the line, provided Santi Carzola et al are at their best.
Suspended: Arsenal – Jack Wilshere.
Doubtful: Wojciech Szczesny, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Fulham – Mahamadou Diarra.
The verdict: Arsenal
The game: Everton v Sunderland
(Steven Fletcher remains the only Sunderland player to score this season – Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport)
Betting: 8/15 (home) 3/1 (draw) 5/1 (away)
All the signs here point to an Everton win.
David Moyes’ men have enjoyed one of their best ever starts to a Premier League campaign, while Sunderland have failed to score in eight hours and nine minutes of football, and Steven Fletcher is still the only player to score this season for the visitors (save a Demba Ba own goal).
Sunderland must also cope with the superb form of Maroune Fellaini, who has started the season superbly, and showed his excellence again against Fulham last week.
There were a number of surprise results last weekend, with Tottenham losing to Wigan and Chelsea drawing with Swansea, but if Sunderland could get a win from this game, it would arguably represent a bigger shock than both the aforementioned outcomes.
The verdict: Everton
Injured: Everton – Tony Hibbert, Darron Gibson and Victor Anichebe.
Doubtful: Sunderland – James McFadden.
The game: Reading v Norwich
(Norwich’s form has gradually improved under Chris Hughton – Stephen Pond/EMPICS Sport)
Betting: 13/10 (home) 9/4 (draw) 11/5 (away)
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As many predicted they would, Reading have struggled this season.
Norwich, meanwhile, have recovered quite well following a slow start, and are finally starting to play the type of football under Chris Hughton that they regularly demonstrated with Paul Lambert at the helm.
The Royals are still without a win this season, yet playing at home against a team like Norwich, they’ll surely fancy their chances more so than in most games.
Yet the the combination of steel and skill that Norwich and in particular, Wes Hoolahan, have displayed recently – going unbeaten in their last three outings – means they should have enough quality to earn them a point at the very least.
Injured: Reading – Alex McCarthy, Jem Karacan, Danny Guthrie. Norwich – Russell Martin.
Doubtful: Norwich – Michael Turner, Javier Garrido.
The verdict: Draw
The game: Southampton v Swansea
(Nigel Adkins has been backed by Southampton’s fans despite their recent poor form)
Betting: 6/4 (home) 9/4 (draw) 15/8 (away)
Another tricky one to call, Swansea will no doubt be buoyant following their terrific performance against Chelsea last week, while Southampton, despite being bottom of the table, have at times looked better than their current position suggests when playing at home this season.
Southampton manager Nigel Adkins will have been encouraged to have heard fans singing his name during the defeat to West Brom on Monday, though there is no doubting the gargantuan task he faces in keeping the side up.
Recent history suggests he has a nearly impossible task on his hands, with only one team surviving having lost eight of their first 10 Premier League games.
Swansea, meanwhile, haven’t been too much better results-wise recently, with only one win in their last eight games.
Consequently, the lack of confidence likely to be felt by both sides suggests a draw is the most realistic outcome.
(Stoke have often struggled this season despite Peter Crouch’s goals – Dave Thompson/PA Wire/Press Association Images)
Betting: 10/11 (home) 12/5 (draw) 16/5 (away).
While this might look like a straightforward home win, given the sides’ respective positions in the table, recent history tells a different story.
QPR have won the last four meetings between the sides, so have some hope to latch onto going into the game, despite their dreadful form of late.
More optimism that QPR can get something out of this game is provided by the fact that Stoke have drawn six of their ten games so far this season, thus at times demonstrating an overly reticent style.
With Mark Hughes’ side currently in turmoil though, you can expect Stoke to finally add to their sole victory against Swansea this season.
Injured: Stoke – Michael Owen, Rory Delap, Marc Wilson. QPR – Fabio, Andrew Johnson.
Doubtful: QPR – Park Ji-Sung.
Suspended: QPR – Stephane M’Bia.
The verdict: Stoke City
The game: Wigan v West Brom
(Ben Watson was on target as Wigan unexpectedly beat Tottenham last week – Andrew Matthews/PA Wire/Press Association Images)
Betting: 11/8 (home) 9/4 (draw) 2/1 (away)
This one’s a particularly intriguing affair.
West Brom have exceeded all expectations of them this season, rising to fifth in the table.
Wigan, meanwhile, have impressed sporadically, mixing occasionally brilliant performances with thoroughly underwhelming displays.
West Brom, though, despite their excellent form, traditionally perform poorly against Wigan.
That fact, coupled with Wigan’s morale-boosting win against Spurs last week, means a draw is surely the best result they can attain.
Verdict: Draw
Doubtful: Wigan – James McArthur. West Brom – Ben Foster.
Injured: Wigan – Ryo Miyaichi, Albert Crusat.
The game: Aston Villa v Man United (5.30pm)
(Man United have enjoyed a good run of form recently – Martin Rickett/PA Wire/Press Association Images)
Betting: 11/2 (home) 3/1 (draw) 8/15 (away)
TV: Sky Sports 2
Aston Villa got a welcome victory against Sunderland last week and were also boosted by the recent news that captain Richard Dunne is close to a return from injury.
Nonetheless, United have been picking up points in abundance lately, largely thanks to the form of Robin van Persie, with the striker scoring eight goals in his last ten appearances in the league
Moreover, Alex Ferguson’s men haven’t lost to Villa away since the start of the 95/96 season – over 17 years ago.
Consequently, anything other than a United win would constitute a major surprise.
Verdict: Man United
Suspended: Aston Villa – Eric Lichaj. Man United – Jonny Evans.
Doubtful: Aston Villa – Joe Bennett.
Injured: Aston Villa – Darren Bent. Man United - Nani, Shinji Kagawa, Phil Jones, Nemanja Vidic.
Premier League previews: Who will win today games and why*
Games kick-off at 3pm unless stated otherwise.
The game: Arsenal v Fulham
(Arsenal have endured their worst start to a Premier League season since Arsene Wenger took over – Adam Davy/EMPICS Sport)
TV: Setanta Ireland
Betting: 4/7 (home) 3/1 (draw) 5/1 (away)
Arsenal face Fulham in a game that would normally be considered a nailed-on three points for the Gunners.
However, Fulham are improving, while the hosts have now officially had their worst start to a Premier League campaign ever.
Fulham, though, with four draws and 22 losses, have an incredibly poor record away to Arsenal.
Yet with the two sides currently level on points, expect this to be a close game, though Arsenal should get over the line, provided Santi Carzola et al are at their best.
Suspended: Arsenal – Jack Wilshere.
Doubtful: Wojciech Szczesny, Aaron Ramsey and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Fulham – Mahamadou Diarra.
The verdict: Arsenal
The game: Everton v Sunderland
(Steven Fletcher remains the only Sunderland player to score this season – Mike Egerton/EMPICS Sport)
Betting: 8/15 (home) 3/1 (draw) 5/1 (away)
All the signs here point to an Everton win.
David Moyes’ men have enjoyed one of their best ever starts to a Premier League campaign, while Sunderland have failed to score in eight hours and nine minutes of football, and Steven Fletcher is still the only player to score this season for the visitors (save a Demba Ba own goal).
Sunderland must also cope with the superb form of Maroune Fellaini, who has started the season superbly, and showed his excellence again against Fulham last week.
There were a number of surprise results last weekend, with Tottenham losing to Wigan and Chelsea drawing with Swansea, but if Sunderland could get a win from this game, it would arguably represent a bigger shock than both the aforementioned outcomes.
The verdict: Everton
Injured: Everton – Tony Hibbert, Darron Gibson and Victor Anichebe.
Doubtful: Sunderland – James McFadden.
The game: Reading v Norwich
(Norwich’s form has gradually improved under Chris Hughton – Stephen Pond/EMPICS Sport)
Betting: 13/10 (home) 9/4 (draw) 11/5 (away)
As many predicted they would, Reading have struggled this season.
Norwich, meanwhile, have recovered quite well following a slow start, and are finally starting to play the type of football under Chris Hughton that they regularly demonstrated with Paul Lambert at the helm.
The Royals are still without a win this season, yet playing at home against a team like Norwich, they’ll surely fancy their chances more so than in most games.
Yet the the combination of steel and skill that Norwich and in particular, Wes Hoolahan, have displayed recently – going unbeaten in their last three outings – means they should have enough quality to earn them a point at the very least.
Injured: Reading – Alex McCarthy, Jem Karacan, Danny Guthrie. Norwich – Russell Martin.
Doubtful: Norwich – Michael Turner, Javier Garrido.
The verdict: Draw
The game: Southampton v Swansea
(Nigel Adkins has been backed by Southampton’s fans despite their recent poor form)
Betting: 6/4 (home) 9/4 (draw) 15/8 (away)
Another tricky one to call, Swansea will no doubt be buoyant following their terrific performance against Chelsea last week, while Southampton, despite being bottom of the table, have at times looked better than their current position suggests when playing at home this season.
Southampton manager Nigel Adkins will have been encouraged to have heard fans singing his name during the defeat to West Brom on Monday, though there is no doubting the gargantuan task he faces in keeping the side up.
Recent history suggests he has a nearly impossible task on his hands, with only one team surviving having lost eight of their first 10 Premier League games.
Swansea, meanwhile, haven’t been too much better results-wise recently, with only one win in their last eight games.
Consequently, the lack of confidence likely to be felt by both sides suggests a draw is the most realistic outcome.
Doubtful: Southampton – Frazer Richardson. Swansea – Chico Flores.
Injured: Swansea – Kyle Bartley, Michel Vorm
The verdict: Draw
The game: Stoke City v QPR
(Stoke have often struggled this season despite Peter Crouch’s goals – Dave Thompson/PA Wire/Press Association Images)
Betting: 10/11 (home) 12/5 (draw) 16/5 (away).
While this might look like a straightforward home win, given the sides’ respective positions in the table, recent history tells a different story.
QPR have won the last four meetings between the sides, so have some hope to latch onto going into the game, despite their dreadful form of late.
More optimism that QPR can get something out of this game is provided by the fact that Stoke have drawn six of their ten games so far this season, thus at times demonstrating an overly reticent style.
With Mark Hughes’ side currently in turmoil though, you can expect Stoke to finally add to their sole victory against Swansea this season.
Injured: Stoke – Michael Owen, Rory Delap, Marc Wilson. QPR – Fabio, Andrew Johnson.
Doubtful: QPR – Park Ji-Sung.
Suspended: QPR – Stephane M’Bia.
The verdict: Stoke City
The game: Wigan v West Brom
(Ben Watson was on target as Wigan unexpectedly beat Tottenham last week – Andrew Matthews/PA Wire/Press Association Images)
Betting: 11/8 (home) 9/4 (draw) 2/1 (away)
This one’s a particularly intriguing affair.
West Brom have exceeded all expectations of them this season, rising to fifth in the table.
Wigan, meanwhile, have impressed sporadically, mixing occasionally brilliant performances with thoroughly underwhelming displays.
West Brom, though, despite their excellent form, traditionally perform poorly against Wigan.
That fact, coupled with Wigan’s morale-boosting win against Spurs last week, means a draw is surely the best result they can attain.
Verdict: Draw
Doubtful: Wigan – James McArthur. West Brom – Ben Foster.
Injured: Wigan – Ryo Miyaichi, Albert Crusat.
The game: Aston Villa v Man United (5.30pm)
(Man United have enjoyed a good run of form recently – Martin Rickett/PA Wire/Press Association Images)
Betting: 11/2 (home) 3/1 (draw) 8/15 (away)
TV: Sky Sports 2
Aston Villa got a welcome victory against Sunderland last week and were also boosted by the recent news that captain Richard Dunne is close to a return from injury.
Nonetheless, United have been picking up points in abundance lately, largely thanks to the form of Robin van Persie, with the striker scoring eight goals in his last ten appearances in the league
Moreover, Alex Ferguson’s men haven’t lost to Villa away since the start of the 95/96 season – over 17 years ago.
Consequently, anything other than a United win would constitute a major surprise.
Verdict: Man United
Suspended: Aston Villa – Eric Lichaj. Man United – Jonny Evans.
Doubtful: Aston Villa – Joe Bennett.
Injured: Aston Villa – Darren Bent. Man United - Nani, Shinji Kagawa, Phil Jones, Nemanja Vidic.
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