The first midweek fixtures of the season provide some interesting matches for fans to look out for. All the top 6 sides won their fixtures over the weekend. The highlights included Liverpool’s 9-0 mauling of Bournemouth while ,10-man Chelsea held on beat Leicester, and Man City came from behind to win 4-2 against Crystal Palace thanks to a hattrick by Erling Halaand. Man Utd weren’t particularly good but were able to beat Southampton and Spurs comfortably beat Forest. Arsenal overcame Fulham and West Ham registered their first win of the season against a hapless Aston Villa.
Lets take a look at the fixtures for Matchweek 5 and my predictions –
Crystal Palace vs Brentford – Palace had the measure of the champions Man City in the first half but then imploded to throw away a 2-0 lead. They will hope to gain some consistency before facing Man Utd during matchweek 7. Brentford look like they want to play man utd every week. They will need to sort out their defensive issues if they seek to avoid the drop.
DribbleSensei Verdict – Crystal Palace win
Fulham vs Brighton – Fulham look like they mean business. They have played two of the top 6 so far and in both games they have taken the fight to their opponents. They might just stay up this season. Brighton beat Leeds in a competitive fixture and look like they could challenge for the top 6 provided they avoid injuries. They still need to replace Cucurella with only 1 day remaining of the transfer window.
DribbleSensei Verdict – Brighton win
Southampton vs Chelsea – While they caused some problems in the end for man utd, they never looked likely to score. Perhaps they were unlucky with a penalty claim, but they should have done better against an inconsistent Manchester United. Chelsea were playing well before Connor Gallagher was sent off after a second yellow card. After that they were brilliant, dominating Leicester who seemed to have no clue what was going on. While their lack of a striker could still hurt them, they still have what it takes to push for the top 4.
DribbleSensei Verdict – Chelsea win
Leeds United vs Everton – Leeds are looking like a team who will probably finish mid table while just a few weeks ago, most pundits were writing their obituary. Everton are still a mixed bag. The team looks randomly assembled and it is tough to assess their potential.
DribbleSensei Verdict – Leeds win
Bournemouth vs Wolves – Bournemouth were destroyed by a resurgent Liverpool and their manager Scott Parker was sacked after bemoaning their lack of quality. If the owners think they are struggling because of the manager, then they deserve to get relegated. Wolves did well to hold off Newcastle and should look to win against a club low on confidence.
DribbleSensei Verdict – Wolves win
Manchester City vs Nottingham Forest – The champions looked disoriented and were trailing 2-0 at half time. A Bernardo Silva goal and Halaand hattrick later, it was like the first half never happened. Nottingham Forest never really challenged Spurs and will hope Man City play like they did in the first half against Palace.
DribbleSensei Verdict – Man City win
Arsenal vs Aston Villa – Arsenal have looked really solid so far and will hope to maintain their perfect start to the season. Odegaard and Jesus are key players to keep an eye on. Stephen Gerrard has failed to utilize his squad to its potential. This leaves Aston Villa scrambling to find solutions to their poor start.
DribbleSensei Verdict – Arsenal win
West Ham vs Tottenham – The Hammers registered their first win of the season and will hope to take that momentum in a clash against a dangerous Spurs. However, they need to get Antonio firing if they hope to challenge Antonio Conte’s men. Spurs are looking good so far and look likely to finish in the top half. Harry Kane looks sharp and despite a missed penalty, still remains one of the deadliest strikers around.
DribbleSensei Verdict – Tottenham Hotspur win
Liverpool vs Newcastle – After a sluggish start to the season that culminated in a loss to Man Utd, there were several question marks. They responded with a resounding win over Bournemouth. Newcastle went from drawing Man City to drawing Wolves. They need to be able to comfortably win these games to able to be considered top 6 challengers.
DribbleSensei Verdict – Liverpool win
Leicester City vs Manchester United – Leicester didn’t seem to realize they had an extra man over Chelsea until they were already 2 goals down. A goal by Harvey Barnes couldn’t give them a lift to overcome 10-man Chelsea. With a lackluster transfer window, they will hope senior players step up. Man Utd picked up where they left off against Liverpool and were able to beat Southampton. They were good defensively and while not great in attack, they managed to score. With new signings in Antony and Casemiro, it looks like we are yet to see the best of Man Utd this season.
DribbleSensei Verdict – Man Utd win
