By Niall Clarke
- Five questions on our minds ahead of match-week seven of the Premier League season
- Predictions for all 10 of the weekend’s games.
PREMIER LEAGUE, UK – Ahead of the International break, here are five burning questions for match-week seven of the season.
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Can Manchester City maintain their 100% record?
Pep Guardiola has taken to the Premier League like a duck to water. Six games in and the Citizens have yet to drop a single point and as a result they have positioned themselves clear at the top of the Premier League table.
Only a few points behind are Tottenham in second place, and they will provide the opposition in a titanic first vs second battle on Sunday. Can Mauricio Pochettino solve the Manchester City riddle and end the 100% start to the season?
Spurs managed to do the double over the Citizens last season, but this City side is much improved from the one that disappointed last year. Both sides have in-form forwards with Sergio Aguero and Son Heung-Min both racking up the goals so far this season.
It promises to be a cracker at White Hart Lane. Could this be end of ‘Perfect Pep’??
Will Chelsea’s recent woes continue?
Three games into the new season and Chelsea were looking like title contenders once again, three games later they look in crisis, especially defensively. Cracks have started to appear, and the Blues look shaky and devoid of ideas.
Antonio Conte’s men will look to get back on track away at Hull on Saturday. The Tigers have not been in the best form after winning their opening two games and are winless since then. The way Chelsea have been playing though could give Hull confidence in causing the upset, especially at home.
Would a loss at Hull signal crisis at Chelsea? Possibly not. But it will be one step closer to a crisis if they drop another three points here. Hull will not pose the attacking threat of Arsenal, but they will make themselves difficult to beat, and Chelsea are in need of a win.
Will Rooney be dropped again?
The decision to drop Wayne Rooney against Leicester proved to be a correct one for Jose Mourinho as his side ran out 4-1 winners at Old Trafford.
We saw much improved performances from the likes of Paul Pogba who played his best game in a Manchester United shirt. Will he produce something similar against struggling Stoke on Sunday? Juan Mata shone in his favourite role as the number 10 as a result of Rooney being left out of the starting 11. Overall United looked rejuvenated after a string of poor results.
That begs the question, will Mourinho bring his captain back into the side? Rooney is a big influence in the dressing room and on the pitch when playing well, but his performances this season have left a lot to be desired. The Red Devils put in their best performance of the season without Rooney, will they decide to leave him out again?
Will Liverpool continue their free scoring form?
To say Liverpool’s attack has been devastating might be an understatement. Jurgen Klopp’s side have been ruthless up top, as show by their 5-1 thrashing of Hull last weekend.
The Red’s will cross the border into Wales on Saturday to face a Swansea side who looked good against Manchester City despite falling to a 3-1 defeat. The Swans will no doubt test Liverpool’s less than stellar defence, but it is the offence that will catch the eye.
The front five of Liverpool have been in free scoring form thus far. How will the Swansea defence handle their pressure?
Will any of the Premier League’s struggling clubs pick up points?
Sunderland and Stoke are the only sides to not register a win this season, and both will be looking to break their duck this weekend. Stoke travel to Manchester United on Sunday, so it might be too much of an ask for them to record their first league win of the season.
Sunderland are rock bottom with only a single point so far. They came very close to recording a win at home to Crystal Palace, but their 2-0 lead was overturned late on. David Moyes will be feeling the pressure as his side host West Brom. Tony Pullis’ sides are always difficult to beat, but at home Sunderland supporters will be expecting to pick up the win.
West Ham’s defence has looked disjointed to say the least thus far, and their excellent campaign last year is already a distant memory. The Hammers lie 18th in the table after six games, but they will be favoured to get the three points at home to Middlesbrough on Saturday.
Predictions
Everton 2-0 Crystal Palace
Swansea 1-3 Liverpool
Hull 1-2 Chelsea
Sunderland 1-1 West Brom
Watford 2-1 Bournemouth
West Ham 1-1 Middlesbrough
Man United 3-0 Stoke
Leicester 2-2 Southampton
Tottenham 1-1 Man City
Burnley 0-2 Arsenal
The Premier League weekend kicks off on Friday night with Everton vs Crystal Palace.
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