Alan Shearer previews this weekend’s Premier League action including the north London derby
(Credit: REX / GETTY)
The international break is over and the Premier League is back with a bang this weekend with a blockbuster north London derby to look forward to on Sunday.
The Gunners will be without several key players including the suspended Declan Rice and injured captain Martin Odegaard so a trip to their feircest rivals could not have come at a worse time for Mikel Arteta.
Elsewhere, nothing but a win is likely to do for Erik ten Hag who takes his Manchester United side to struggling Southampton.
As ever, Betfair ambassador Alan Shearer previews the action for Metro.co.uk.
Southampton v Man United
Erik ten Hag is again under pressure following a poor start to the season (Picture: Getty)
This is a huge game for both sides. Southampton have to start picking up points, especially now Leicester don’t look to be getting deducted any points.
Southampton have been struggling to put the ball in the back of the net and finishing the chances they’ve created, so when they do get them, they have to start taking them. That’s where they have to improve massively
I think Man United have been bang average so far this season, which is why there’s a lot of talk around Ten Hag, so this is a huge game for both clubs and could have huge ramifications going forward.
There’ll be so much noise if Man United don’t win this game, particularly with the start to the season Southampton have had too. If Man United were to go there and fail to win, or even worse, be beaten, then the noise around the job and everything else at the club would rank up a notch or three. I’ll go for a draw.
Brighton v Ipswich
Brighton will hope in-form striker Joao Pedro will be fit to face Ipswich after playing for Brazil in midweek (Picture: Getty)
The point against Fulham last time out should give Ipswich great confidence but they’re coming up against a Brighton team here that look really good and full of confidence.
The manager has them playing some great stuff and I’d be surprised if Ipswich get anything from this game. I’ll go for a Brighton win.
Crystal Palace v Leicester
Everything eventually feeds down into the dressing room, whatever is going on at a football club, players will be talking about it, whether in the open or privately to each other. It’ll be interesting to see if the news around Leicester changes their fortune.
Having said that, it shouldn’t really impact the players. This will be another tough game for Leicester, and I think with the forward players that Crystal Palace have, I’ll go for a home win.
Fulham v West Ham
Another London derby for these sides at the Cottage, and I have mentioned before that I see these derbies tough to call. West Ham have had a tougher start to the season so it remains to be seen what they can do just yet. There is likely not going to be much between them, so I am opting for another draw.
Liverpool v Nottingham Forest
Mohamed Salah has made a red hot start to the new season with Liverpool (Picture: Getty)
It will be too much for Nottingham Forest at Anfield. I think they may try and shut up shop but with the form Liverpool are in, the way they’re playing and the confidence they’ll have, they’ll have too much for Forest.
It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Liverpool were to win and keep a clean sheet again, so I will go for a home win in what will be a superb start to the season for Arne Slot.
Man City v Brentford
Erling Haalandhas scored back to back hat-tricks and now has Brentford in his sights (PIctre: Getty)
Man City will have too much for Brentford. Brentford have been reasonable up to now and they handled the Toney situation really well, got decent money for him, but I don’t see them getting anything from this game.
Erling Haaland netted on international duty following his seven goals to start the season so good luck to Brentford out there. Home win.
Aston Villa v Everton
It has been a dismal start to the season for Everton and Sean Dyche (Picture: Getty)
It’s another tough one for Everton. Their confidence must be really, really low after what happened against Bournemouth last time out.
It will have been a long international break for them, and I think that’ll continue. I don’t see them getting anything out of the game, so I’ll go for a home win.
Aston Villa found out their Champions League fate last week, having worked so hard to get there, so I bet they can’t wait to get started next week.
They have got a bigger squad, but there’s no doubt about it, it is going to be tested. We saw what happened to Newcastle in terms of the injuries and it’ll be very interesting to see how they handle the added workload.
Morgan Rogers has started the season really well, he got a couple of goals for the U21s earlier this week, and they have good players across the park. There’ll be great anticipation from both the players and the fans because they deserve to be in the Champions League.
What is a shame is the Villa ticket prices for their fans in the Champions League. I don’t remember Newcastle’s being as expensive as what Aston Villa are charging as far as I’m aware.
It’s really disappointing when fans have been there through thick and thin, helped the team get over the line, and now when it’s come down to it, the big games in the Champions League, the prices have gone that high. It’s not fair on the fans.
Bournemouth v Chelsea
We all look at Chelsea and think what on earth is going on. They get one good result and then a not so good one. We know they have the players and ability to win this game though.
This is a tough game to call because Bournemouth have started well, played really well here vs Newcastle a few weeks ago and despite not playing well at Everton, somehow managed to win it. I’ll flip a coin on this one and go for an away win.
Tottenham v Arsenal
Arsenal are almost certain to be without their captain Martin Odegaard against Tottenham (Picture: Getty)
The North London derby is a huge one in the Premier League. Derby games are great to play in because you can get away with a little bit more, the referees are a little more lenient, and they understand what it means to coaches, players and fans.
If of course, Martin Odegaard is ruled that’s bad news for Arsenal but very good for Tottenham because Odegaard and Rice are two of Arsenal’s big hitters so to go into a game of this size without them, it would be tough for Arsenal.
Hopefully Dominic Solanke is deemed fit for this one, because what a great way to introduce himself to the Tottenham fans if he could make the difference in his first derby game, to make a huge statement in a game of this size.
They key to this game for me is will Spurs improve in forward positions. It’s something Ange Postecoglou will want to work on in terms of having more killer instinct when they do have the ball because on the evidence I saw, they’ll have to improve massively.
These games are always really tight, and with the potential injury news for Arsenal, there may not be a lot between the two teams, so I’m tempted to go for a score-draw in this one.
Wolves v Newcastle
Newcastle fans are waiting for the team to get it into gear because after three games, they have two wins and a draw without playing particularly well, which is a good sign.
I think with the confidence Isak would’ve picked up from getting his goal for Newcastle and then three for Sweden during the break, plus, the confidence Gordon would’ve picked up from Lee Carsley picking him for England could accelerate the side getting into full flow.
If those two are on form, I can see Newcastle going to Wolves and getting the three points.
For more from Betfair Ambassador Alan Shearer, head to https://betting.betfair.com/football/alan-shearer/.
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