Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea meet in the first heavyweight clash of the new season, as Spurs host their opening Premier League game at Wembley.
Swansea vs Manchester United (Saturday, 13:30)
The big talking point: United’s opening weekend performance. A genuine sign of intent or just a measure of how bad West Ham were? Swansea won’t provide a litmus test, but we’ll at least see whether Jose Mourinho’s adventure extends beyond Old Trafford.
What will happen: Another comfortable victory. Paul Clement has had to wait for Gylfi Sigurdsson’s sale to be completed before improving his squad, so United will face a restricted Swansea team that carries some obvious, longstanding weaknesses. Midfield in particular, might be a problem, with Nemanja Matic now anchoring a group that looks terrifyingly vertical.
What won’t happen: Any sign of Victor Lindelof. Mourinho left him out of his squad completely last weekend, citing a lack of readiness for Premier League football. It looks like it’s the Swede’s turn to be ‘that’ guy.
SC predicts: 1-3
Bournemouth vs Watford (Saturday, 16:00)
The big talking point: Not a talking point as such, but a curiosity: what are Marco Silva’s Watford going to be? Their game with Liverpool was enjoyable and entertaining, but not necessarily the type of fixture which provides a basis for proper judgement. Bournemouth will be that type of game, though: a tricky match against a side that Watford should be directly competing against.
What will happen: Andre Gray will likely start. Interesting, because he will now be supported by a diversity of supply he never enjoyed at Burnley, and of course be playing for a more offensively imaginative coach and with a more talented group of players.
What won’t happen: A goalless draw seems highly unlikely. Each of these teams had their defensive issues last season, and with mobile forwards and static defenders in opposition all over the pitch here, both goals-against columns could get a stuffing.
SC predicts: 2-3
Burnley vs West Brom (Saturday, 16:00)
The big talking point: Stamford Bridge. Chelsea may have fought back against Burnley and applied some modesty to the scoreline, but it was still as seismic a result as the opening weekend has ever produced.
What will happen: Well, what will have to happen is a big emotional adjustment: there’s an energy which comes from facing the defending champions that doesn’t radiate from the prospect of playing West Brom at home. This will be a day for professionalism and, given the opponent, a lot of grind.
What won’t happen: New Burnley creativity. Andre Gray has gone and George Boyd has also left – so where are the goals coming from? That might be a slightly joyless response to last week’s achievement, but it’s a fair question. Beyond relying on Sam Vokes’s ability in the air, what options do Burnley actually possess other than relentless, percentage shelling?
SC predicts: 0-1
Leicester vs Brighton (Saturday, 16:00)
The big talking point: Leicester also lost their first game, but the need is greater for Brighton. Newly-promoted sides crave the sense of belonging which comes with winning their first points, and Chris Hughton’s players need to remove that zero as quickly as possible.
What will happen: A difficult tactical decision. Given the size of the transfer fee, Kelechi Iheanacho will almost certainly become a starter once Craig Shakespeare deems him ready. The trouble is that would likely involve dropping Shinji Okazaki, and Leicester underestimated his influence to their cost last season. There’s certainly a creative, supporting-forward aspect to Iheanacho’s game and – in addition to goals – he will have to provide a bridge between Jamie Vardy and the supporting players.
What won’t happen: This will be tight – no walkover. Leicester ran Arsenal close at the Emirates a week ago, but the scoreline made it appear closer than it really was; Shakespeare’s side scored from their all three of their shots on target. Brighton aren’t favourites here, but being away from home and feeling entitled to sit quite deep should suit them.
SC predicts: 1-1
Liverpool vs Crystal Palace (Saturday, 16:00)
The big talking point: Liverpool’s defence. Each passing game presents more evidence that Jurgen Klopp’s back four will be prohibitive to his ambition. Right on cue, a bogey side is heading to Anfield: Palace, although under different management each time, have won on their last two visits and scored some very soft goals in the process.
What will happen: A battle between a side that channels their energies into a Champions League qualifier in midweek, and one that currently looks flummoxed by their new head coach’s instruction. Liverpool should have enough to win, but don’t expect anything particularly stylish from either side.
What won’t happen: No Philippe Coutinho, who will most likely be a Barcelona player by the time this game kicks off. Klopp has been restrained in the market so far, admirably so, but losing Coutinho will deny him a different thrust to that provided by Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah. He’ll need replacing, particularly if Klopp’s aim is to keep whitewashing fragility with attacking power.
SC predicts: 2-1
Southampton vs West Ham (Saturday, 16:00)
The big talking point: Southampton and goals. The Saints have now failed to score in six successive home games.
What will happen: But that sequence will end here. West Ham were almost shamefully poor at Old Trafford last weekend and looked concerningly porous. Southampton actually created plenty of opportunities – plenty of good opportunities – against Swansea last weekend (29 shots), and really should have been comfortable winners. They’re at least threatening the penalty box now, and forcing saves and blocks from their opponents, so the goals should be just around the corner.
What won’t happen: Any greater job security for Slaven Bilic. The Croatian is a likeable chap, forthright and honest, but he has spent a lot of money over the summer, and back-to-back losses would not be a good look for a manager who ended last season under a lot of pressure.
SC predicts: 3-0
Stoke vs Arsenal (Saturday, 18:30)
The big talking point: Still, after all these years, it’s Ryan Shawcross’s challenge on Aaron Ramsey.
What will happen: For reasons that nobody has ever been able to properly explain, the natives will boo Ramsey from first minute to last. At best, it’s a clumsy expression of grievance towards the unwitting symbol of an unfortunate incident, but at worst it’s a rather graceless way to taunt a player who nearly lost his career to a horrifying injury.
What won’t happen: No joy here for Stoke. Jese has been signed on loan from PSG and will, when available, fill the Marko Arnautovic gap. Nevertheless, the Potters remain a side that desperately needed freshness over the summer – particularly in midfield – but continue to look stale. Arsenal might look a little chaotic at the back – they’re certainly a work in progress – but Arsene Wenger’s side are playing with sizzling vibrancy in the final third and should overwhelm Stoke.
SC predicts: 0-2
Huddersfield vs Newcastle (Sunday, 14:30)
The big talking point: What a start by Huddersfield. Crystal Palace may have been dreadful, but David Wagner’s players were ruthless at Selhurst Park and would love to be similarly dominant in front of their own fans. Beware, though: nothing would prick that swelling optimism like defeat here.
What will happen: We know that Jonjo Shelvey is suspended, but that incident involving Dele Alli masked what had actually been a highly respectable Newcastle performance against Tottenham. Rafael Benitez needs more players – Joselu alone just won’t do – but his team are not to be underestimated; it sounds like an easier game for Huddersfield than last week, but it won’t be. Benitez remains one of the league’s arch plotters and his team won’t be short on discipline.
What won’t happen: Will there be a way back for Shelvey? It’s a question for early September rather than now, but how many times can he be given the benefit of the doubt after failing to learn the same lesson? This will be a tough season for Newcastle and they’re understaffed as it is, so there’s no margin for idiocy.
SC predicts: 0-0
Tottenham vs Chelsea (Sunday,17:00)
The big talking point: Chelsea’s absentees. Tiemoue Bakayoko and Eden Hazard have returned to training, but are unlikely to feature, while Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas are suspended following their sendings-off against Burnley. It’s really not the time to face a Tottenham team that seems to have begun the new season in the same form they ended the last one.
What will happen: The game will be won in midfield. Mauricio Pochettino has a full deck of cards in that area, with Victor Wanyama fit and ready to start, so how Antonio Conte stretches his limited resources will determine the outcome of this game. Nullifying Spurs depends on limiting the supply of forward possession from Mousa Dembele, so Chelsea will need structure, they’ll need focused pressure on Dembele, and – from somewhere – they’ll have to find the requisite balance.
What won’t happen: The only real case for a Chelsea win depends on the Wembley factor. Tottenham’s record at their temporary home is abysmal, having won just one of their last nine games, but that’s a flimsy intangible in the face of Conte’s very real, very significant issues. No Wembley blues here.
SC predicts: 3-1
Manchester City vs Everton (Monday, 21:00)
The big talking point: Gylfi Sigurdsson has finally – finally, finally, finally – completed his move to Everton, but it’s unrealistic to expect him to show his £45m worth here. Instead, the focus falls on Pep Guardiola’s fullbacks. Home debuts for Kyle Walker and Danilo.
What will happen: Ronald Koeman’s great success at Everton has been to toughen their middle, meaning that City’s attacks will be funnelled out wide and become the responsibility of those aforementioned fullbacks. There’s an awful lot of expectation on those two players and this will provide the first true test of their worth.
What won’t happen: A quiet night for Jordan Pickford. Not going to happen. If City’s attacks come from wide, Pickford can expect a stern examination of his aerial ability. He’s a fabulous shot-stopper, of course, but this is a stage on which he can show his goalkeeping range.
SC predicts: 2-0
