The Premier League finally resumes on Saturday afternoon and it does so with the biggest day of action in the season so far as matters at the top of the table and towards the bottom are very much in the spotlight.
We return with the typical order of play on Saturday with a TV game at the start of the day and the end of it while the five matches which take place in between will carry all of the regular updates in the usual places.
Early Kick Off
We come out of the international break with the biggest match of the season so far when the top two in the Premier League table meet at the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City look to extend their lead at the summit when they host a Liverpool side who will move to the top of the pile themselves should they come out on top. It is widely thought that these are the two best teams in the league and they will be expected to deliver a cracking match to get an uninterrupted four month stint for the league up and running.
3pm Matches
Four of the bottom five in the table are in action in the traditional 3pm slot on Saturday afternoon. There are five matches in total with the biggest one at the bottom coming from Bramall Lane where third from bottom Sheffield United play host to AFC Bournemouth. Even though Everton have been deducted 10 points, Burnley still find themselves bottom of the league. They will be looking to pick up their first point of the season at Turf Moor when they welcome an up and down West Ham United to Lancashire.
The other team in the bottom five in action on Saturday afternoon are Luton Town. They go in search of a maiden Premier League home win when Crystal Palace are the visitors to Kenilworth Road. Two other matches take place as Nottingham Forest will look for three points when they host Brighton and Hove Albion while at St James’ Park injury troubled Newcastle United will play host to a Chelsea side who should be on a high after going toe-to-toe with the champions Manchester City prior to the international break.
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Late Game
We conclude the day at the GTech Community Stadium where Arsenal will be looking to take advantage of whichever team slips up in the first game of the day and keep their title hopes alive when the make the short trip across London to take on a Brentford side who had clicked into gear prior to the international break before running into Liverpool on the wrong day immediately prior to the latest stoppage in the league. Arsenal can put a statement out with a win in this one.
Betting
There are a few bets which tempt me over the course of the day but I’ll stick to just the one which comes in the form of Newcastle United taking on Chelsea in a match I just don’t see being anything but high scoring. Chelsea have scored four goals in each of their last two matches and three times in their last five but for all that they have found the way to goal in the right end of the pitch, they certainly haven’t done that through keeping things tight at the other end.
Newcastle were woeful last time out at Bournemouth but that was largely down to injuries and suspensions so they will be pleased to have the likes of Kieran Trippier and Miguel Almiron available while Bruno Guimaraes is back from suspension. They do still have issues at left-back though and Lewis Hall is ineligible which doesn’t help with the matter. Chelsea look troubled defensively with just three clean sheets all season and they have all been against goal shy Luton, Bournemouth and Fulham. In recent times Newcastle have shipped two to Bournemouth and two to Wolves. This feels like a match which will contain goals.
Tips
Back Newcastle United vs Chelsea – Over 2.5 goals for a 3/10 stake at 1.80 with 888sport
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