The English Premier League returns for Matchday 10

By Temisan Amoye, Lagos

The English Premier League resumed Matchday 10, with Leicester’s 9-0 record-equalling win against Southampton on Friday night.. It continued on Saturday with victories for champions Man City and probable contenders Chelsea. Everton’s poor form continued with a last-minute defeat to Brighton.

Matchday 10 continues on Sunday, with a trip to St. James Park for Wolves and wraps up when Man United square of with Norwich at Carrow road.

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Match 1, 15:00 pm: Newcastle (17th) vs Wolves (13th), St. James Park, Newcastle

Newcastle will be welcoming a rejuvenated Wolverhampton Wanderers, who have picked up form after a slow start to the season. Newcastle has struggled for form this season and find themselves missing the relegation zone, courtesy of a better goal difference than Southampton.

Despite winning just a game in their last five, losing three in the process, Steve Bruce’s Magpies will be looking to secure a third victory of the season, with their previous wins coming against Spurs and Man United. A win will see Newcastle on eleven points, which could take them into 15th place temporarily, ultimately depending on the result of the Norwich’s match against Man United.

Wolves are fresh off securing a vital away win at Slovan Bratislava, in the Europa League, where they sit second in group K. With a run of 7 games without defeat, Newcastle will have their work cut out for them. Striker Raul Jimenez has picked form, scoring in consecutive matches against Southampton and Slovan Bratislava.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men travel to Tyneside, knowing a victory will take them up 6 places to 7th on the log.

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Match 2, 17:30 pm: Arsenal (5th) vs Crystal Palace (6th), Emirates Stadium, London

Unai Emery’s Gunners have struggled for consistency this season, with fans comparing his term to that of Arsene Wenger’s. Arsenal are 5th on the log, with 15 points, 5 points off Chelsea, with a game in hand. The gunners were stunned by Sheffield United in a 1-0 defeat, and had to be rescued by summer signing Pepe a fortnight ago. The Ivorian scored two freekicks to secure a comeback victory for Arsenal in the Europa League, against Portuguese side Vitoria de Guimaraes.

Arsenal have been boosted by the recovery of striker Alexander Lacazette, who is available to partner Aubameyang and Pepe. Aubameyang has carried on his impressive scoring form, netting seven goals in the league this season, with strike partners still struggling for form. Arsenal go into this game with just one defeat in their last five games but will be wary of Palace, to who they lost this same fixture 3-2 last season.

Roy Hodgson’s Crystal Palace have been impressive this season, sitting in 6th place in the premier league , a point and spot off today’s opponents.  The Eagles who havent lost to Arsenal in their last two meetings. Palace star Wilfred Zaha will be hoping to kick-off his season against Arsenal, a club he was linked to all summer. The Ivorian winger has failed to find the net this season, registering a solitary assist in nine games.

Match 3, 17:30 pm: Liverpool (1st) vs Tottenham Hotspur (10th), Anfield, Liverpool

Liverpool welcomes a struggling Spurs to Anfield, Spurs are 10th on the log, after failing to find consistency. League leaders will be under pressure to secure all three points, as victory for Guardiola’s City cut the lead to 5 points. With Chelsea and Leicester securing convincing wins too.

Liverpool haven’t lost to Spurs at Anfield in the premier league since 2011, with the Reds winning their last three fixtures against Spurs, including the 2019 Champions League final victory. Liverpool welcome fullback, Alexander-Arnold from the sidelines with Joel Matip still a fitness doubt. A victory for Liverpool will ease the pressure and see the Reds maintain their 6 point lead at the top.

Despite their unconvincing premier league form, Spurs will be buoyed by their 5-0 victory over Crevena Zvezda in the Champions League. But a trip to Anfield is a different type of challenge, seeing as Spurs havent won on Merseyside in 8 years and have won just one of the last 13 PL matches against Liverpool. Spurs have won just two games in their last five in all competitions, heaping pressure on manager, Mauricio Pochettino.

A defeat for Spurs could see them drop as far as 13th on the log. and see them drop further from a top 4 spot and the title race.

Match 4, 17:30 pm: Norwich (19th) vs Manchester United (15th), London Stadium, London

It seems like ages ago since Norwich’s famous 3-1 victory over Man City. Injuries and loss of form have seen the Canaries slip to 19th spot on the log, with striker Teemu Pukki experiencing a drop in form. Norwich have lost three of their last five games, with the victory against the 3-2 win against Man City as the sole win.

A win for Norwich could see them climb out of the relegation zone to 17th, with that move reliant on the outcome of Newcastle’s match against Wolves. Manager Daniel Farke will be hoping the trio of Pukki, Buendia, and Cantwell can rediscover their early season form to help Norwich wriggle out of a potential relegation struggle.

Man United travel to Norwich after securing a 1-0 victory over Partizan Belgrade in the Europa League. Anthony Martial converted a penalty to give the red devils a vital away win. The forward will be hoping for a starting berth after missing out against Liverpool in matchday 9. Solkjaer’s United find themselves in 15th on the log, after a poor start to the season, winning just two games in nine.

United have been solid at the back, conceding nine goals this season, but scoring has been the bane of the red devils, netting a meagre 10 goals in the premier league this season, only five other teams including Sheffield, Watford, and Southampton have scored less.

Ole will be looking up to Martial, Rashford and new signing Daniel James to improve the scoring record of the team. A win for United could see them climb five spots up to 10th.

 

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