EPL Matchday 4 Preview

by Scott Kerr

The season’s first international break – or Interlull as I prefer to call it – is upon the Barclay’s English Premier League, so fans had better get their fix this weekend before twelve barren EPL days. Matchday 4 has some intriguing matchups as the nascent Prem table starts to shape up. Here is a quick look before the Labor Day holiday weekend starts.

Saturday, September 1st

Leicester City v Liverpool

The 7:30 A.M. kick-off pits Leicester City against rampant Liverpool at the King Power Stadium. The Foxes won last week against Southampton 2-1 as Damarai Gray and England World Cup hero Harry Maguire scored during a 2^nd half comeback. With Jamie Vardy missing out again through suspension, Leicester will look to Kelechi Iheanacho and Gray for the offensive spark up front. Liverpool continued their 100% record last weekend with a cagey 1-nil win at home against Brighton & Hove Albion. Mo Salah scored in the 23^rdminute and the Reds new-look watertight defense did the rest. Liverpool has only surrendered 22 goals in their last 32 competitive matches as Virgil Van Dijk has imposed his will across the back line. This match should be open and entertaining with two teams who like to attack. I think Leicester will finally breach the Liverpool backline to score, but the trio of Salah, Sadio Mane and Bobby ‘Chompers’ Firmino will score more. 3-1 to the Reds.

Crystal Palace v Southampton

Both teams come into this 10:00 A.M. match-up as losers the last two times out. Palace couldn’t find a way back against Watford despite a plethora of chances and dropped a 2-1 decision. Wilfrid Zaha continued his fine opening season form with a goal in the 2^nd half, but the rest of the Eagles could only go close. Southampton has had 2-1 nightmares the past couple weekends on the wrong end of that scoreline against both Leicester City and Everton. Ryan Bertrand scored an exceptional goal last weekend to open the scoring against Leicester, but a goal deep into injury time doomed the Saints. Danny Ings has looked lively for Southampton and will lead the line into Selhurst Park. Both managers will be looking for points headed into the Interlull and the atmosphere is always raucous in South London, but I expect Crystal Palace will make Roy Hodgson the happier of the two managers with a 2-1 win.

Everton v Huddersfield Town

Our second 10:00 A.M. match takes place at Goodison Park and both teams hope to be red card free this weekend. Everton drew 2-2 at Bournemouth last weekend with goals from Theo Walcott and Michael Keane following a silly red card from Richarlison. The Toffees couldn’t hold the lead and surrendered two quick-fire goals to Bournemouth after the Cherries had also been reduced to 10 men. Of concern to manager Marco Silvo was a serious head injury suffered by blossoming star defender Michael Keane late in the match. Huddersfield Town played out a drab scoreless draw against Cardiff City after Jonathan Hogg saw a red of his own. Warning signs abound for the Terriers as they have managed just a single goal while conceding nine in the three matches played. Everton have enjoyed an offensive resurgence from two Prem veterans in Theo Walcott and Gylfi Sigurdsson. Both should enjoy running through and around the Huddersfield defense in a comprehensive 4-1 shellacking of the downtrodden Terriers.

Brighton and Hove Albion v Fulham

Contrasting styles will be on display at the Amex Stadium in this 10:00 A.M. kick-off as these two squads meet up on the South Coast. Chris Hughton has already claimed Manchester United’s scalp at home with his pragmatic, compact approach and will look to do the same to Fulham. Brighton lost 1-nil last weekend at Anfield to Liverpool, but their midfield tactics did manage to slow the Reds offense. The Cottagers will try to impose their fluid, attacking style on the Seagulls and create a raft of chances going forward. Fulham ran out 4-2 winners last weekend at home as three of their summer signings found the back of the net. Steal of the summer Jean Michael Seri opened the scoring in the 4^th minute, Aleksandar Mitrovic grabbed a brace before Andre Schurrle killed the game off in the 83^rdminute. The Seagulls will put up a stiff fight at home, but eventually I think Fulham will create enough chances to escape the Amex with a 2-1 win.

Chelsea v Bournemouth

If the last match preview spoke of contrasting styles, this 10:00 A.M. match will showcase two teams who set out to dominate possession from the beginning. Chelsea are one of four teams remaining with a 100% record with three wins on the trot. Maurizio Sarri and his trademark ‘Sarri-ball’ has seen a liberated Eden Hazard confound defenses. Jorginho has looked every bit as capable in England as he was in Italy for Sarri, pulling the strings like a maestro from deep in the midfield. The Blues were the beneficiaries of a late own goal last weekend in their win at Newcastle, but neverless found a way to win against the negative tactics from Rafa Benetiz. Bouremouth are sitting on seven points after two wins and a draw, including last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Everton. Eddie Howe’s men have already managed six goals this campaign, and have an injury free Callum Wilson to thank for much of that. The Cherries face a tough task at Stamford Bridge against the rampant Blues. Sarri will need to keep his defense on alert, but I think Chelsea’s offensive trio of Hazard, Pedro and Alvaro Morata will be too much for Bournemouth in a 3-1 win.

West Ham United v Wolverhamton Wanderers

London Stadium is the site for this 10:00 A.M. matchup between two teams still searching for their identity. West Ham and new manager Manuel Pellegrini are winless, with a porous defense and poor finishing to blame for the lack of points. The Hammers fell 3-1 away to Arsenal last weekend despite creating several excellent chances against the fragile Gunner’s defense. Felipe Anderson showed why Pellegrini was anxious to splash the cash and was the most electric player on the pitch. Wolves have played very well, but only managed to draw two of their three matches. Nuno Espirito Santo has a host of attacking talent at his disposal, but his defense has proven to be almost as poor as Pellegrini’s. Ruben Neves and Raul Jimenez have been a handful up front, but a handball allowed Wolves to draw Manchester City 1-1 in last weekend’s most surprising result. West Ham needs points badly but Wolves are not the team to take on when you have defensive issues. The Hammers will enter the break at the bottom of the table after Wolves take all three points with a 2-1 win.

Manchester City v Newcastle United

The story coming into this 12:30 P.M. match at the Etihad Stadium centers around the negative tactics of Rafa Benetiz and Newcastle United. Rafa parked the bus last season against City at home and made a game of it against all odds. He attempted the same in Manchester and the Magpies were demolished. Benetiz trotted out the same idea last weekend at home against Chelsea and would have shared a point had Deandre Yedlin not deflected a ball into the back of his own net in the 83^rd minute. City meanwhile was being held to a 1-1 draw by Wolves, though the Cityzens had several penalty appeals waved away and several saves deflected away by the woodwork. No Kevin De Bruyne means the creative work is going to fall to David Silva, and he will need Riyad Mahrez and Leroy Sane to rediscover their best form while KDB is out. City does have Kun Aguero and I see goals for the diminutive Argentinian in this match. The bus will be parked, but Manchester City will find a way around it in a 3-nil win.

Sunday, August 26^th

Cardiff City v Arsenal

Cardiff City Stadium will be buzzing as one of the Top 6 make the trip to Wales for the early game at 8:30 Sunday morning. Cardiff hasn’t scored yet this season, but they’ll have to fancy their chances to find the net against an Arsenal backline that has looked at sixes and sevens all season. The lack of goals hasn’t troubled manager Neil Warnock yet. He characteristically has one of the Prem’s best defenses through three games, surrendering just two goals, and scratching out back to back goalless draws. Arsenal captured the first points of the Unai Emery Era last weekend in a 3-1 home win against West Ham. Nacho Monreal and Danny Welbeck goals sandwiched around a West Ham own goal provided the attacking spark for the Gunners. Their defense was vulnerable though as the Hammers hit them time after time on the counter. This could spell trouble for the London giants as Cardiff’s only attacking threat has been on the counter. Of particular interest for Arsenal fans will by the use of Mesut Ozil who missed last weekend through illness. This match has all the makings of a banana peel for Arsenal and will tell if the squad’s mentality has changed. I see a 2-1 win for the Gunners heading into the Interlull.

Watford v Tottenham Hotspur

Vicarage Road should be the scene of the weekend’s most entertaining match as both teams enter with perfect 100% records. Watford and manager Javi Gracia have seen seven goals fly in the first three matches behind offensive forces Roberto Pereya, Troy Deeney and Abdoulaye Doucore. Pereya was on the scoresheet last weekend and Jose Holebas added another as the Hornets held off a late charge from Crystal Palace. Tottenham are on the road again – and will be for the foreseeable future as stadium completion delays continue to pile up. On the pitch, Spurs have been irresistible going forward. A 3-nil drubbing of Manchester United at Old Trafford last Monday seemed to illustrate two teams heading in opposite directions with their title credentials. Harry Kane and Lucas Moura provided the goal scoring in lightning counter attacks that left the Red Devils chasing shadows on the break. Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld, Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose have conceded just two goals so far this season along the Spurs backline. This match will show if Watford is more than a flat track bully and can match the big boys on the pitch. It should be a spirited encounter, but Spurs best is better than the Hornets best and Tottenham will head back to London as 3-1 winners.

Burnley v Manchester United

R E S P E C T … it’s only fitting Aretha Franklin’s greatest hit is in the Premier League news this week. Following last weekend’s 3-nil home shellacking by Tottenham, United manager Jose Mourinho wanted some respect put on his name in a bizarre post-match press conference where he claimed to have won the tactical and strategic parts of the game. He finished the match by pointing out that he has more Prem titles than all other active managers combined saying, “Three for me and two for them. So respect man, respect, respect, respect” … somewhere Aretha was singing along. The Special One will need to get more out of Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku if United are to turn the early season difficulties before the Interlull. The crisis at United is matched by Burnley’s current predicament. Only a scoreless draw on the opening weekend against Southampton has provided any relief for last season’s surprise over-achievers. Sean Dyche’s men have had to slog through Europa League qualifying – they crashed out after last night’s 1-1 draw with Olympiacos – and the physical toll has been apparent. If United need a pick me up game, this is it. Turf Moor can be an intimidating place when the Clarets are on song, but this won’t be their night to carry a tune. United will find a way to scrape up a couple goals and win 2-1.