Watford vs Stoke
Is time running out on Mark Hughes’ spell at Stoke? The Potters sit in 17th place with just two wins all season and have already conceded 20 goals in just nine games – the most of any side in the division. A win at Vicarage Road is a must then you’d think but they’re up against a Watford side are a different side under Marco Silva. The Hornets have only lost twice this season and they were in games against leaders Manchester City and reigning champions Chelsea. Who’s going to make the difference for Stoke? Look no further than veteran striker Peter Crouch. He’s got three goals in his two Premier League starts against Watford.
West Brom vs Manchester City
It’s hard to see anything other than another comprehensive win for the league leaders again. City are unbeaten this season and also unbeaten in their last 15 Premier League matches against the Baggies (W14, D1), winning the last 11 on the spin.MA victory at the Hawthorns will give Pep’s flyers not just their best-ever start in a Premier League campaign but the best-ever start after ten games for any team in the competition’s history. And they’ve got any number of players ready, willing and able to deliver the victory. Sergio Aguero, for example, has seven goals and four assists in ten Prem appearances against West Brom. Meanwhile Leroy Sane has both scored and assisted in three of his last four league matches. West Brom have Hal Robson-Kanu.
Bournemouth vs Chelsea
Chelsea rode their luck against Watford last weekend but showed real character to finally crush the Hornet’s spirited challenge at Stamford Bridge. It might not be so easy at the Vitality Stadium where Bournemouth have a knack of making life difficult for the big boys. Still, they have the personnel to do it. Eden Hazard, for instance, has scored four times in four Prem appearances against the Cherries, with three of them coming at the Vitality. Meanwhile Michy Batshuayi has scored six goals as a sub in the Premier League since the start of last season... only Olivier Giroud has more with seven. The Cherries, meanwhile, will look to Jermain Defoe to extend a record that has seen him already score against Chelsea for four different teams (Spurs, West Ham, Sunderland and Portsmouth). Will he make it five? Probably not, no.
Brighton vs Southampton
Quite why this match is being sold as a south coast "derby" when there’s nearly 70 miles between the two cities is beyond me. It’s like saying Leeds vs Liverpool or Leicester vs Barnsley is a derby. But we are where we are. And for Brighton that means a new-found confidence after a resounding 3-0 win at West Ham last Friday and a comfy berth in mid-table. While their defence is as resolute as they come, it’s the form of Pascal Gross that’s really catching the eye. The German has been involved in six of Brighton’s nine league goals this season (two goals, four assists) and runs more than Forrest Gump. Yet Saints are finding a bit for form too and they’ve actually won more Premier League away games in 2017 (five) than they have at home (four). They’ve also won five of their last away days at Brighton too (D1, L1).
Leicester vs Everton
You’ve got to love the contrast between these two new managers. On one hand there’s new Foxes boss Claude Puel; lithe, laconic, thoughtful. On the other there’s David Unsworth who looks like he’d turn you away from a club for wearing trainers before wading in when it all kicked off. In the latter’s defence he did seem to get a response from Everton when they ran Chelsea very close in the Carabao Cup at Stamford Bridge in the week. The Toffees have a solid enough recent record against Leicester, winning the last two league encounters and despite all his troubles, it seems Wayne Rooney is still capable of chipping in with key goals.
If he scores here it’ll be the first time since January 2016 that’s he’s scored in three consecutive league games.
So how will Claude Puel fare? Hard to say.
Yes, he did OK at Southampton but is he really the man motivator needed to get the best out of City?
Underwhelmed is the feeling among Foxes’ fans.
That is to say, exactly how they felt about Claudio Ranieri when he got the job.
From The Sun
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