Matchweek 8 Previews
West Ham United v. Crystal Palace
West Ham have been one of this season’s biggest successes thus far, entering the weekend outside of the top-4 on goals scored alone. They look to keep up momentum against Crystal Palace, whom they have not lost to in over 4 years, but who have had their own strong start to the season. With just 1 loss in their last 5 Premier League matches, the Eagles have been a pleasant surprise in their own right early on.
Southampton v. Chelsea
Chelsea have seemingly started to find their feet under Frank Lampard. With 3 straight wins in all competitions, plus a first clean sheet of the season last weekend against Brighton, the Blues could be turning a corner. They take on Southampton in this match, who have won just twice in the last 20 Premier League meetings between these sides.
Manchester City v. Wolverhampton Wanderers
In the ever-intense title race, 2-time defending champions Manchester City look to remain within touching distance of rivals Liverpool. They take on Wolves in this match, who have recovered from a spell of poor form to win their last 2 matches in all competitions. Both recent form and the head-to-head stats in this matchup favor Manchester City, but Wolves are beginning to return to 2018-19 levels, which saw them rise to a 7th-place finish last year.
Arsenal v. Bournemouth
The mood around Arsenal is a confused one, as the Gunners have just 1 win in their last 5 Premier League matches, but still enter the weekend in 4th place. With question marks around the club, Unai Emery will hope for a comfortable win against a Bournemouth team that Arsenal have beaten in all 5 of their home meetings in all competitions. Still, the Cherries are unbeaten in their last 3 PL matches and could prove a more challenging task than anticipated.
Newcastle v. Manchester United
It’s another away match for Manchester United, who have now not won away from Old Trafford since March. Off to their worst-ever Premier League start, the Red Devils have had to deal with their fair share of injuries. While things look bad for Manchester United, they look even worse for Newcastle United. New boss Steve Bruce has struggled to make progress with a side many tipped to be a relegation favorite, a prediction that looks better as the weeks go by. The Magpies have just 3 wins in their last 31 Premier League meetings against Man United, so things could yet go from bad to worse.
