Dimitar Berbatov previews the weekend’s Premier League action (Picture: Metro)
The Premier League is back with a bang this weekend and we’ve got some hugely significant fixtures to look forward to.
Despite the international break, the soap opera at Manchester United has rumbled on and Erik ten Hag will be desperate for the focus to return to matters on the pitch as his side welcomes in-form Brighton to Old Trafford.
Arsenal, meanwhile, will hope to build on their win over United and end their Goodison Park hoodoo against struggling Everton who have picked up a solitary point so far.
As ever, Betfair Ambassador Dimitar Berbatov previews the weekend action for Metro.co.uk…
Wolves v Liverpool
Liverpool will be relieved Mohamed Salah is still at the club amid interest from Al-Ittihad (Picture: Getty)
Wolves are not doing so well at the moment. Liverpool will be the favourites, and I can’t argue with that, although Van Dijk still being suspended may be a problem. I think his suspension is ridiculous- the referee should speak to the players. Without speaking to them, you will just make the players angry, particularly the big ones. Just talk to him calmly, explain the decision and he will respect the decision. You must express what the player did wrong. I do think Liverpool will beat Wolves though. Prediction: 0-2.
Fulham v Luton
I will go for my former club to win this one. It will be a good opportunity after the break for them to get points on the board. Luton will find the Premier League difficult, and they have already shown that they will have to fight. In this case, I will go with a Fulham win. Prediction 2-0.
Tottenham v Sheffield United
Spurs are doing well, and they will be fine this season. Sheffield United will find it hard to stay in the Premier League this season, so I think Spurs have a great chance to continue their trend of moving upwards. Tottenham must win this game, and I think they will. Prediction 4-0.
West Ham v Man City
This will be a good game. After Declan Rice left, people were thinking maybe things will be difficult for West Ham, however they have managed to get going. However, Man City have so much quality with the way they play football- it is ridiculous.
West Ham have done great so far this season, but I think Man City will win this one. Prediction: 1-3.
Man United v Brighton
All eyes will be on Brighton striking sensation Evan Ferguson at Old Trafford (Picture: Getty)
Man United have suffered against Brighton before. If they are not careful, they will suffer again. I like the way Brighton play football, with their passing and their use of space. Yes, sometimes, they get beaten like against West Ham where they have loads of possession, lots of shots and still lose. Man United need to wake up, as before you know it, the season will be nearly over.
They need to get points on the board. I think United will win, but if they don’t, the gap with the top teams will get too big. Prediction: 3-2.
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
I like watching Aston Villa, particularly since Leon Bailey from Bayer Leverkusen moved there. We all know that good players come from Leverkusen.
I will go for Villa to win here as they play good football. Crystal Palace may surprise people this season, but here, I’ll go with Villa. Prediction: 3-1.
Newcastle v Brentford
I was surprised that Newcastle got beat so easily by Brighton. The international break came at a good time for them, but they would not have wanted to go into it having lost. Now is a chance for them to start again and then get going, such as by getting a clean sheet. They will need to play well against Brentford and get the points.
Last season was great for Newcastle, where they were able to get Champions League football. They will need to sort everything out, or they will end up mid-table. They will need to have at least the same as last season and find consistency.
It would be a good time for them to start that run against Brentford, so I will go with them. Prediction: 2-0.
Bournemouth v Chelsea
It has been a sluggish start to the season for Moises Caicedo and Chelsea (Picture: Getty)
I have high expectations for Chelsea, but they have been really poor. It’s just strange.
I hope Caicedo can get going as soon as possible. He needs to wake up- he’s playing for Chelsea. They paid a lot of money for him, and he needs to show why. The whole team needs to do better, but I think the game will be a draw. Prediction: 1-1.
Everton v Arsenal
There are rumors that Everton are in the process of changing owners. They have not started their campaign well, and they need to get the points.
It’s not ideal for them to come up against Arsenal. Arsenal play good football, and Everton need to be clever against them. If they do not have the quality to match Arsenal, they will have to try and beat them physically. They will have to bully them a little bit. Everton used to have strong players, back in the day. Players who you would not want to play against, who would use their elbows flying around. They need to use their strong sides, even if it is ugly.
In a desperate situation, you need to use desperate measures to get the points. If Everton continue the way they have done, they will not have a good season. However, it may come as a surprise, but I think this game will be a draw. Prediction: 1-1.
Nottingham Forest v Burnley
I think Nottingham Forest have started the season well. On the other hand, Burnley have started really poorly. This is where reality will hit for Burnley in the big league. They’ve been in the Premier League before, but they need to start working hard to get points on the board.
Sometimes, you need to play ugly and bully teams to match them. You need to know how to physically challenge them and match them.
In this case, I don’t see them winning to be honest. I think Forest will win as they have good players and I think they will surprise some big teams this season. Prediction: 2-1.
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