Gameweek 9 promises another weekend of drama as teams battle to climb the Premier League table and steady their early-season form.
Arsenal lead the pack after a string of strong performances, while Liverpool and Manchester City look to close the gap.
Manchester United and Chelsea are showing signs of momentum, but tricky fixtures against Brighton and Sunderland could test their progress.
At the other end, Wolves and Leeds will be desperate to turn their fortunes around in crucial clashes that could
shape the relegation fight.
Leeds v West Ham
Leeds lost a potential six-pointer against fellow newly promoted Burnley to drop down to 16th in the table.
The Peacocks haven’t enjoyed the best of starts this season and will need to improve at both ends of the pitch against West Ham this weekend.
The Hammers haven’t fared any better, losing four of their last five games and collecting just four points from their opening eight fixtures.
Leeds will make late decisions on the fitness of Wilfried Gnonto, Noah Okafor, Ethan Ampadu, and Pascal Struijk. For West Ham, Konstantinos Mavropanos is ruled out after picking up an injury against Brentford last week.
Prediction: 1-1
Chelsea v Sunderland
Chelsea put five past Ajax in the Champions League to make it three consecutive wins in all competitions. The Blues appear to be finding their rhythm as new arrivals begin to settle into Enzo Maresca’s system.
Discipline, however, remains a concern, with several red cards already this season.
Sunderland have enjoyed a dream start to life in the Premier League, winning four, drawing two, and losing two of their opening eight games.
The Black Cats’ perfect blend of youth and experience has surprised many, as they currently sit seventh with 14 points.
Liam Delap is nearing a return for Chelsea but is unlikely to feature here, with next week’s cup tie a more realistic target. Omar Fernandez is out for Sunderland due to injury, while Reinildo is suspended.
Prediction: 2-1
Newcastle v Fulham
Newcastle bounced back from their defeat to Brighton with an impressive 3–0 win over José Mourinho’s Benfica in the Champions League.
The Magpies looked solid defensively and clinical in front of goal, qualities they’ll need again against a Fulham side capable of competing with the league’s best.
Fulham have suffered a dip in form in recent weeks, losing three straight after an impressive start. Their once-reliable defense has faltered, prompting Marco Silva to experiment with different setups in search of stability.
Sandro Tonali faces a late fitness test for Newcastle due to illness. For Fulham, Tom Cairney and Saša Lukić have been passed fit, while Harry Wilson is a doubt after picking up a knock during the international break.
Joachim Andersen is ruled out with a muscle injury.
Prediction: 2-0
Man United v Brighton
Manchester United will look to make it three league wins in a row when they host Brighton at Old Trafford on Saturday. The Red Devils shocked Liverpool last week, winning thanks to goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire.
Brighton also recorded a big win, defeating Newcastle with a Danny Welbeck brace. The Seagulls have been inconsistent this season, making this encounter difficult to predict.
Diego Gómez has been passed fit for Brighton, while Brajan Gruda, Kaoru Mitoma, and Joël Veltman will be assessed ahead of kickoff.
Prediction: 2-2
Brentford v Liverpool
Brentford will aim to make life difficult for Liverpool as they look to hand the champions a fourth consecutive league defeat.
The Bees claimed a hard-fought away win at West Ham last week courtesy of goals from Jensen and Thiago. Defensive discipline will be key as they attempt to contain a Liverpool attack featuring Ekitiké, Salah, Gakpo, and Isak.
Liverpool returned to form in emphatic fashion with a 5–1 Champions League win over Leverkusen, ending a four-match losing streak that had raised questions about their summer signings and squad balance.
Prediction: 1-3
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Arsenal’s narrow 1–0 victory last weekend secured their third consecutive league win and kept them top of the Premier League with 19 points from eight games, three clear of Manchester City in third place and four ahead of Liverpool and Bournemouth.
The Gunners also produced a statement 4–0 victory over Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, underlining their ambitions for multiple trophies this season.
Jean-Philippe Mateta’s hat-trick earned Crystal Palace a point in a thrilling draw with Bournemouth last weekend.
The Frenchman could have sealed all three points late on but failed to convert a golden chance. A lively London derby awaits at the Emirates on Sunday.
Prediction: 2-0
Aston Villa v Man City
A late Emi Buendía strike secured all three points for Aston Villa in their comeback win over Tottenham last week, their third league victory in a row after a difficult start to the season.
However, Unai Emery’s men failed to carry that momentum into Europe, falling 2–1 to Go Ahead Eagles in the Europa League.
Manchester City remain in strong form after a routine 2–0 Champions League win over Villarreal, with goals from Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva.
The Citizens have won four of their last five in all competitions and enter this clash as clear favorites.
Prediction: 1-2
Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest
A late Mateta goal denied Bournemouth a win against Crystal Palace after Ryan Christie’s second-half strike had put them ahead.
The Cherries still climbed to third place with the draw and continue to impress under their current setup. Antoine Semenyo has been a revelation, contributing to five goals in eight appearances.
Sean Dyche takes charge of his first Premier League match for Nottingham Forest following the sacking of Ange Postecoglou after their 3–0 defeat to Chelsea.
Dyche has already guided Forest to a 2–0 Europa League win over Porto, giving fans renewed optimism.
Julio Soler is available for Bournemouth, while Enes Ünal and David Brooks remain doubts. Oleksandr Zinchenko is ruled out for Forest with an adductor strain, and Chris Wood is also a doubt with a knock.
Prediction: 2-2
Wolves v Burnley
Wolves remain rooted to the bottom of the table after another disappointing defeat, this time to Sunderland. They’ve collected just two points from eight games, scoring five and conceding sixteen.
Burnley, meanwhile, head into this fixture as slight favorites after a disciplined win over Leeds. It was their first in five games, lifting them out of the relegation zone.
Hee-Chan Hwang and Jean-Ricner Bellegarde are both doubts for Wolves.
Prediction: 1-1
Everton v Spurs
Everton’s defeat to Manchester City last week saw them drop out of the top half of the table.
The Toffees were without Jack Grealish due to Premier League regulations preventing loanees from facing their parent club, but the winger will be available against Spurs.
Nathan Patterson remains a doubt after sustaining an injury during the international break.
Spurs suffered their first league defeat in five against Aston Villa despite leading at halftime. They also failed to secure victory in the Champions League, drawing 0–0 with Monaco.
Thomas Frank’s men will need a sharper attacking display to overcome David Moyes’ well-drilled Everton side. Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero, and Ben Davies are all sidelined with injuries.
Prediction: 2-1
That wraps up our look at the key team news ahead of Gameweek 9, but now it is over to you. Which line-ups do you think will spring the biggest surprises this weekend, and how do you see the scores playing out? Drop your predictions and join the chat below – let’s see who gets it spot on.
