Brentford Sense Chance To Sting Chelsea’s Leaky Backline
Chelsea have not won this west London derby since Brentford’s first Premier League season.
Each visit since October 2021’s 1-0 win, Ben Chilwell the scorer, has been a draw. This season has continued the divergence between the clubs’ respective approaches, Brentford’s solidity and continuity contrasting with Chelsea attempting their latest reboot.
Kevin Schade, after two well-taken goals at Bournemouth, will fancy facing a defence not yet attuned to Xabi Alonso’s configurations.
Only one team has won a Premier League title with a defensive trio: Chelsea’s last title team, in 2016-17 under Antonio Conte.
Alonso’s attack has been rather more successful, presenting another challenge for Jannik Schuster. Replacing Nathan Collins, the 20-year-old central defender had a tough examination from Bournemouth’s Evanilson on his first Premier League start, emerging with credit.
For Chelsea, João Pedro has three goals and three assists, but doubts surrounding his fitness could lead to Danny Welbeck’s first league start.
*Brentford v Chelsea, Friday.
Brighton’s Free-Scoring Express Meets Arsenal’s High Productivity
When coach Fabian Hürzeler spoke about Brighton’s success being founded on them being “well structured” after their stirring comeback against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday, he could have been referring to Malick Yalcouyé.
The 20-year-old Ivorian moved to the south coast in 2024 after spending just a few months with IFK Gothenburg in Sweden but had to wait until this season to make his senior debut for Brighton after being sent on loan to Sturm Graz in Austria and then Swansea last season.
With Jack Hinshelwood sidelined by injury until after the international break, Yalcouyé has taken his chance in the No 10 role and already found the net twice in the Premier League as Brighton have made a brilliant start.
Arsenal are up next for the division’s top scorers – who have 13 goals from their opening four matches – and Mikel Arteta should be wary of the threat posed by Yalcouyé and co as the champions prepare for a fourth away game in succession.
*Brighton v Arsenal, Saturday.
Desperation Day As Cliffhangers Spurs, Villa Clash
What happens when a very stoppable force meets an extremely movable object? We will be tuning into events at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday (tomorrow) to find out as 19th-placed Aston Villa arrive in north London.
The teams have scored one goal between them in the league and are desperately hoping for a first Premier League win.
The return of Pedro Porro is big for Roberto De Zerbi and that should bring the Archie Gray Experiment at right-back to a merciful end.
No Premier League starting XI feels less settled than Spurs – most players look as if they are a mistake or two from being dropped – which has culminated in a side that seems governed by fear and continuously prefers to take the safe option.
After coming off the bench against Everton and Liverpool in the past week, the injury-plagued James Maddison will be itching to start and take some sort of initiative for Tottenham.
*Tottenham v Aston Villa, Saturday
Liverpool’s Iraola Returns To Bournemouth In Acid Test
After watching Bournemouth make their European bow from afar in a 2-1 victory against Real Sociedad at San Sebastián, a city Andoni Iraola knows inside out, the Basque head coach will return to his previous club on Sunday.
Iraola – whose assistants Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper played for Bournemouth, the former captaining the club into the Premier League in 2015 – led the Dorset club into the Europa League by recording their best-ever finish, sixth.
His body of work on the south coast earned him the Liverpool opportunity and a warm welcome is a guarantee.
Despite the Cherries’ slow start under Iraola’s successor, Marco Rose, they will pose tricky opposition. The German spent a couple of hours in Iraola’s company before officially starting in June and both will be braced for an all-action contest.
Eddie Howe failed to beat Bournemouth in the eight league games he managed against them with Newcastle and Iraola and his staff will expect a tough test.
*Bournemouth v Liverpool, Sunday.
Manchester City Face Sunderland Plot To Down Blues’ High Riding Trajectory
Manchester City’s maximum 12 points from their first four Premier League games featured 1-0 wins (over Coventry and Manchester United), a 2-1 victory (Bournemouth), and a 4-1 success (Crystal Palace).
Conceding only two goals while scoring eight is an impressive record that is only marginally bettered by the champions, Arsenal (one conceded, eight scored in their 12-point tally), and it seems a rosy augury that Enzo Maresca’s team will be genuine title contenders this season.
Coach Régis Le Bris, though, plots to halt City’s perfect start, and can draw on guiding Sunderland to a share of the points last season against the FA Cup holders, though that was at the Stadium of Light.
In the corresponding fixture at the Etihad Stadium, City cruised to a 3-0 win.
*Manchester City v Sunderland, Sunday.
All Eyes On Oscar Bobb In Manchester Utd Showdown
Oscar Bobb came off the bench against West Ham and fired Fulham into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with a clinical late winner at the London Stadium on Tuesday night.
It was a fine piece of individual play from the Norway winger but he needs to do it more often. The goal was Bobb’s first since joining Fulham last January and a player of his ability should be producing more of an end product.
The 23-year-old is a clever dribbler and looked ready to establish himself at Manchester City before a serious injury curtailed his development. The talent is clear.
Bobb had a good World Cup and should be full of confidence when Fulham, still seeking their first win in the league this season, host Manchester United.
*Fulham v Manchester United, Sunday.
