Spurs vs Chelsea 12:45
Today's early kick off features two of the current top four clubs. Spurs have a 100% home record so far in the league whereas Chelsea's away fixtures have seen them pick up one point from a possible six. Last year this fixture saw a couple of goals from Juan Mata help Chelsea to a 4-2 win at White Hart Lane. They will be hard pushed to match that result this time round as Spurs have conceded just once in their first five fixtures. In fact Spurs boast the best defensive record of all the top five European leagues. This is not good news for a Chelsea side that are struggling for goals of late. Chelsea's strikers are yet to register a single goal this season and I cannot see that changing today. Spurs aren't exactly scoring freely either so I do not envisage lots of goals today.
Score Prediction: Spurs 1-0 Chelsea
Aston Villa vs Man City 15:00
Aston Villa welcome free scoring Man City to Villa Park this afternoon. Last season City came away with maximum points with a 1-0 victory and I expect them to achieve maximum points again today. Villa have been woeful at home so far having lost both league games and thumped 4-0 midweek in the Capital One cup by Spurs. Their main man Christian Benteke is expected to be sidelined for around six weeks so they will be looking at new signing Libor Kozak and the returning Gabby Agbonlahor for their goals. Man City on the other hand are not short of attacking options and are the league's top scorers so far. Their two away fixtures this season saw them lose 3-2 to Cardiff and draw 0-0 with Stoke but I expect them to register their first away league win of the season today.
Score Prediction: Aston Villa 0-2 Man City
Fulham vs Cardiff 15:00
Fulham are languishing in the relegation zone having not won since the opening day. New boys Cardiff sit a couple of places higher registering two draws and an impressive home win against Man City. They lost last time to Spurs courtesy of a late Paulinho goal but failed to get a single shot on the target in the game. They also lost midweek in the Capital One cup to West Ham so they will be looking to bounce back from back to back defeats. I expect it to be a close game but Fulham will just edge it. With Berbatov and Bent up front they should be able to find their way past the Cardiff goalkeeper. Fulham have kept only one clean sheet in their last 17 home Premier League matches so I also expect Cardiff to score.
Score Prediction: Fulham 2-1 Cardiff
Hull vs West Ham 15:00
Hull have enjoyed a very good start to the season picking up two wins and seven points so far from their opening five games. Bear in mind that Hull have visited Chelsea and Man City already. They sit 11th in the table whilst opponents West Ham lie a few places below in 15th. Hull will have highlighted this game in the fixture list as a great opportunity to pick up three points and I think they will. They will want to build on the away win last time out at Newcastle and West Ham are finding it difficult to score with Carroll and Downing inured. If West Ham do score then it is likely to come from Nolan, Morrison or Jarvis. Personally I don't see West Ham scoring so its just a question of whether Hull can score to snatch the three points.
Score Prediction: Hull 0-0 West Ham
Man United vs West Brom 15:00
Champions Man United will want to bounce back from the embarrassing result against City and the midweek cup win against Liverpool should give them the confidence to beat West Brom today. RVP could return from injury but the key player for United so far this season is Rooney. You get the feeling that United's goals will come from or as a result of Rooney. West Brom scored three last weekend in a convincing win against Sunderland for their first league win of the season. However they have never beaten Man United in the fourteen Premier League games they have played against them. They have also conceded 37 goals in those fourteen games. With RVP likely to return and Rooney well in form I expect United to win. The Baggies will offer a threat going forward and are pretty solid defensively so far this season but United will be itching to get back to winning ways.
Score Prediction: Man United 2-0 West Brom
Southampton vs Crystal Palace 15:00
Southampton have started the season very well and are 7th in the league at the moment. They picked up a massive three points at Anfield last weekend and face a Crystal Palace side who were awful in their home defeat to Swansea. Saints spent big over the summer including new striker Osvaldo. These new acquisitions have yet to turn into a bagful of goals for them. They have scored just 3 goals in 5 games and have yet to win at home this season. They play attractive football, keep the ball, pass it and pass it again but they are lacking in the final third. Lambert has yet to find his shooting boots for Southampton and Osvaldo has not scored for his new club yet. I can't see them finding it difficult to brush aside Palace though and if they win and results elsewhere go their way, they could climb into the top 4.
Score Prediction: Southampton 2-0 Crystal Palace
Swansea vs Arsenal 17:30
A late kick off between two sides who play some of the best football in the league. Arsenal top of the league so far and Swansea, after a slow start, crawling their way into the top half of the table. The Gunners have been playing very well of late with four straight wins and new signing Mesut Ozil fitting in seamlessly to the Arsenal way. With injuries to a host of Arsenal players they will be relying more and more on the creativity of Ozil and the goals of Giroud and Ramsey. Swansea are unbeaten in their last three fixtures and were very impressive in a 3-0 win away to Valencia, although Valencia were down to 10 men. They are struggling with home form though having not won any of their last seven Premier League games at the Liberty. The goals of Michu will still be key to any success that they have this season and he could find the net against an Arsenal side who have kept one clean sheet in the opening five games. I can see both teams scoring and it could really be any scoreline but I think it will be a score draw.
Score Prediction: Swansea 1-1 Arsenal
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