Sports Mole provides score predictions and previews for all of today’s Premier League fixtures, including Manchester City vs. Liverpool.
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To Jurgen Klopp’s chagrin, Liverpool occupy a spot in the Saturday lunchtime Premier League kickoff following the international break, as the Reds take on Manchester City in a top-of-the-table spectacular at the Etihad.
Pep Guardiola’s treble winners are only one point clear of their Merseyside counterparts heading into the weekend’s headline fixture, although the hosts’ winning streak came to an end in phenomenal circumstances two weekends ago.
We say: Manchester City 3-1 Liverpool
With fresh concerns arising for both teams during the international period and key players trying to fight off jet lag to prove their fitness, neither side may be at their free-flowing best in the lunchtime kickoff, but another miserable Manchester afternoon surely awaits the men in red.
While breaching opposing backlines comes naturally to Klopp’s team no matter what turf they step out onto, not a single Premier League team has prevented Man City from coming up trumps at the Etihad in 2023, and with Haaland expected to be given the green light to terrorise a Reds defence without a top-flight clean sheet on the road this term, we side with the champions on this occasion.
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> How Liverpool could line up against Man City
> How Man City could line up against Liverpool
> Man City injury, suspension list vs. Liverpool
> Liverpool injury, suspension list vs. Man City
> Combined XI: Manchester City vs. Liverpool
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West Ham United will endeavour to close in on the top seven of the Premier League when they travel to Turf Moor to face basement club Burnley on Saturday afternoon.
The Clarets, meanwhile, are seeking to end a torrid six-game losing streak and claim their first points of the season on home soil.
We say: Burnley 1-3 West Ham United
Burnley can ill-afford to drop too many more points and must significantly improve at both ends of the pitch if they wish to ease the threat of being cut adrift at the bottom of the table.
The Clarets will hope to have some joy in the final third against a West Ham outfit who have struggled on their travels in recent weeks, but Moyes’s men should have few problems outscoring the hosts, even if Bowen misses out through injury, en route to claiming maximum points at Turf Moor.
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Seeking to move further away from the Premier League relegation zone, Luton Town play host to Crystal Palace at Kenilworth Road on Saturday afternoon.
The two teams meet for the first time in any competition since the 2006-07 Championship season when the home side came out on top by a 2-1 scoreline in both fixtures.
We say: Luton Town 0-2 Crystal Palace
Luton will view Saturday’s match with Crystal Palace as a real opportunity to claim three valuable points in their quest to avoid the drop, and they have the potential to frustrate the visitors on home soil as they did against Liverpool earlier this month.
However, Palace are virtually at full strength in the attacking department and they should have enough quality in the final third to breach the Hatters’ backline en route to securing a hard-fought victory.
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Newcastle United and Chelsea will be looking to return to winning ways and climb the Premier League table when they do battle at St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon.
While the Magpies sit seventh in the table with 20 points from 12 matches, the Blues find themselves four places and four points further back in 10th spot.
We say: Newcastle United 1-1 Chelsea
Following two manic goal-laden contests against Spurs and Man City, Chelsea may expect a tighter affair against Newcastle considering that only two goals or less have been scored in seven of the last eight meetings between the two clubs.
Victory for either side would provide a significant confidence boost heading into the festive period, but if Newcastle are strengthened by a few stars returning from injury, the hosts should do enough to claim a share of the spoils in front of a fired-up St James’ Park.
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> How Chelsea could line up against Newcastle
> Chelsea injury, suspension list vs. Newcastle
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Out to snap a six-game winless run in the Premier League, Brighton & Hove Albion travel north to take on Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon.
The Seagulls were held to a 1-1 draw by Sheffield United last time out, while the Tricky Trees went down 3-2 to West Ham United before the international break.
We say: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Having felt Cooper’s wrath after their agonising loss to West Ham, Forest – even an Awoniyi-less one – should be backed to come up with a satisfactory response at the City Ground, where no visiting team has emerged triumphant in a Premier League fixture this season.
A two-week reset is just what the doctor ordered for Brighton as well, but victory may be step too far for a decimated Seagulls squad, who may very well record a 1-1 draw for the fourth top-flight game in a row.
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Bramall Lane plays host to a Premier League basement battle on Saturday afternoon, as Sheffield United pit their wits against Bournemouth.
The rejuvenated Blades entered the international break on the back of a 1-1 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion, while the Cherries dented Newcastle United’s European aspirations in a 2-0 beating.
We say: Sheffield United 1-1 Bournemouth
With Sheffield United yet to record a top-flight clean sheet this season and Bournemouth leaking goals at an alarming rate on the road, neither backline should depart Saturday’s game having successfully protected their goalkeeper, but the feel-good factor should still be present in both camps.
An untimely fortnight’s break could certainly harm both sides’ momentum, though, and we are finding it impossible to pick an outright winner in this tie, ultimately settling on a low-scoring draw.
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Depending on the outcome of Manchester City and Liverpool’s lunchtime encounter, Arsenal could potentially end the weekend at the top of the Premier League table with victory over London rivals Brentford on Saturday evening.
Mikel Arteta’s team put Burnley to the sword 3-1 before international football took precedence, while the Bees were comfortably swept aside 3-0 by Liverpool two weekends ago.
We say: Brentford 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal have followed the recipe for defensive success during their last two trips to the Gtech, but attempting to keep Brentford quiet in front of their own fans may be a fruitless endeavour this time around, as it has been for a plethora of other revered teams.
Frank’s troops have been prone to a defensive lapse this season as well, though, and with Odegaard expected to be given the all-clear to return to the fold, Arsenal should right their recent wrongs on the road and march to consecutive win number three.
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> How Arsenal could line up against Brentford
> Arsenal injury, suspension list vs. Brentford