Chelsea will be hoping that a wobble doesn’t result in the wheels falling off their English Premier League campaign, writes GARY LEMKE.

Unbeaten for a club record 12 matches to start the season, Maurizio Sarri’s men have picked up four points from their last four matches, while suffering two defeats – away to Tottenham and Wolves. Their last two home matches resulted in a 0-0 draw with Everton and a 2-0 win over struggling Fulham.

Chelsea’s problems have been laid bare: they are missing a striker to convert the many chances that come their way, and Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud have misfired more than they’ve hit the target. That’s resulted in too much pressure been piled on the likes of Eden Hazard, Willian, Pedro, and a midfield where Ngolo Kante has been moved up the pitch, instead of his preferred defensive midfielder berth.

To make matters worse, Chelsea host Manchester City in the marquee match-up of the weekend. Sarri even went so far as to say this past week that City are ‘the best club side in the world’. I don’t think that’s a wild over-exaggeration, although the puzzling aspect is how Pep Guardiola’s men seem to have stumbled in Europe against lesser lights. A 2-2 draw against Lyon is an example.

In the Premier League, City are unbeaten in 15 matches and have conceded only seven goals while scoring 45, an average of three per game. Next most prolific goal-scorers are Arsenal (34), while Chelsea, despite their striker woes, are next best on 31. Therefore, given what we’ve seen, I’ve got City to win 2-1 as they continue their march to what looks like it will be a title-winning season.

Liverpool, for their part, have done well to slipstream City, even if there was an element of luck in their late, late winner against Everton when a goalkeeper howler in the last few seconds of the match gifted Liverpool the three points. But when things are going your way the luck comes, and Jurgen Klopp’s team are making the most of their purple patch. They are away to Bournemouth and I’ve gone for the visitors to win 3-1 on Superbru, but interestingly, two of our five-man panel have picked the 1-1 draw.

There is consensus with only two of the 10 matches in the panel. They are: Manchester United to beat Fulham and Arsenal to beat Huddersfield. This is significant, because the panel have not been wrong so far when all agree on the same result.

Arsenal have picked up a head of steam and twice went ahead at Old Trafford in the week, only for Jose Mourinho’s men to pull back to 2-2 at the end. All of which meant that the Gunners are fifth, level on points with Chelsea, but they have pulled eight points clear of sixth-placed Everton. That’s a big gap.

Man United have still conceded more goals (25) than they’ve scored (24). Only five other clubs, all at the foot of the table, have leaked more goals this season. However, five of the six-man panel have gone for them to stop that leak this weekend, as the five have gone 2-0 to United, while one prediction is for a 2-1 win.

I’ve managed to get a few more wins on Superbru, but am still struggling with the exacts and my overall percentage is 57.3. Anyone with a 60% success rate will be up there with the leaders at the end, but the reality is that we are not yet halfway through the season, and given the excitement of the English Premier League, there are going to be plenty more twists and turns.

The most common scorelines so far this season are:
28 times: 2-1
22 times: 2-0
17 times: 1-0, 3-1
14 times: 1-1
11 times: 0-0
10 times: 3-0
8 times: 2-2
6 times: 3-2
5 times: 4-0, 4-2
2 times: 5-0, 4-1, 6-1
1 time: 5-1

Here are the SportsClub team’s predictions for this week’s round of fixtures.

Bournemouth vs Liverpool
Dylan Appolis (86/150): 1-3
Gary Lemke (86/150): 1-3
Juandre Joubert (83/150): 1-2
Wade Pretorius (83/150): 1-1
Dean Workman (80/150): 1-1
Marshall Gouts (74/150): 0-3

West Ham vs Crystal Palace
Dylan Appolis: 0-1
Gary Lemke: 2-1
Juandre Joubert: 1-0
Wade Pretorius: 2-0
Dean Workman: 2-1
Marshall Gouts: 1-2

Man United vs Fulham
Dylan Appolis: 2-0
Gary Lemke: 2-0
Juandre Joubert: 2-0
Wade Pretorius: 2-0
Dean Workman: 2-1
Marshall Gouts: 2-0

Cardiff vs Southampton
Dylan Appolis: 1-1
Gary Lemke: 1-2
Juandre Joubert: 2-1
Wade Pretorius: 2-1
Dean Workman: 1-2
Marshall Gouts: 2-0

Arsenal vs Huddersfield
Dylan Appolis: 2-0
Gary Lemke: 3-0
Juandre Joubert: 2-0
Wade Pretorius: 3-0
Dean Workman: 3-0
Marshall Gouts: 3-0

Burnley vs Brighton
Dylan Appolis: 0-1
Gary Lemke: 1-1
Juandre Joubert: 0-1
Wade Pretorius: 1-1
Dean Workman: 1-0
Marshall Gouts: 1-1

Chelsea vs Man City
Dylan Appolis: 1-2
Gary Lemke: 1-2
Juandre Joubert: 1-2
Wade Pretorius: 1-1
Dean Workman: 1-3
Marshall Gouts: 1-2

Leicester vs Tottenham
Dylan Appolis: 1-3
Gary Lemke: 1-2
Juandre Joubert: 1-1
Wade Pretorius: 1-1
Dean Workman: 1-1
Marshall Gouts: 2-3

Newcastle vs Wolves
Dylan Appolis: 1-2
Gary Lemke: 1-1
Juandre Joubert: 2-1
Wade Pretorius: 1-1
Dean Workman: 1-1
Marshall Gouts: 2-2

Everton vs Watford
Dylan Appolis: 0-1
Gary Lemke: 2-1
Juandre Joubert: 1-0
Wade Pretorius: 2-1
Dean Workman: 2-1
Marshall Gouts: 1-0

Lemke is the 2017/18 EPL Superbru Global champion