West Ham United v Chelsea – Prediction: West Ham 0 Chelsea 2
West Ham endured a heavy 3-0 loss at Sunderland, their midfield collapsing under pressure. Chelsea, by contrast, played out a frustrating 0-0 draw at Crystal Palace, looking solid at the back but lacking sharpness in front of goal. João Pedro and Cole Palmer offered promising movement in attack and should carry them to victory here.

Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur – Prediction: Manchester City 3 Tottenham 1
City swept aside Wolves 4-0 with Erling Haaland ruthless in front of goal. Tijjani Reijnders has quickly settled into midfield after his summer move, adding fluency to their possession play. Spurs impressed in their 3-0 win over Burnley, but James Maddison’s absence will weigh heavily. Historically, Spurs have had joy in this fixture, winning five of the last 10 league meetings, but City have taken more of the recent contests and looked formidable in their opener.

AFC Bournemouth v Wolverhampton Wanderers – Prediction: Bournemouth 2 Wolves 0
Bournemouth lost 4-2 at Liverpool but impressed with Antoine Semenyo’s brace and sustained pressing. Wolves, by contrast, struggled badly against City and offered little threat. Bournemouth’s attacking intensity at home should secure the points.

Brentford v Aston Villa – Prediction: Brentford 1 Aston Villa 2
Brentford’s 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest exposed defensive gaps, and the absence of Bryan Mbeumo still hurts their fluency. New signing Juan Quintero is being asked to spark creativity. Villa, disciplined in a 0-0 at Newcastle, look more settled, and with their balance across the pitch they should have too much quality for Brentford.

Burnley v Sunderland – Prediction: Burnley 0 Sunderland 1
This has the feel of a relegation six-pointer even in August. Burnley were undone 3-0 by Spurs and looked short of belief, while Sunderland’s return to the Premier League started with a resounding 3-0 victory at West Ham. Both sides will approach cautiously, unwilling to open up too much, but Sunderland’s energy and momentum might just tilt it their way.

Arsenal v Leeds United – Prediction: Arsenal 3 Leeds 0
Arsenal were not at their sparkling best in the 1-0 win at Manchester United, yet still found a way through: always a sign of a strong side. Stealing Eberechi Eze from under the noses of rivals adds a lift to the dressing room and should sharpen their creative edge. For Leeds, last week’s narrow victory over Everton showed determination, but the Premier League already looks like a big step up in intensity and quality.

Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest – Prediction: Crystal Palace 1 Nottingham Forest 2
Palace’s defensive resilience was on display in a goalless draw at Chelsea, but losing Eberechi Eze to Arsenal deprives them of creativity. Forest arrive buoyant after a 3-1 win over Brentford, with Chris Wood in sharp form and Morgan Gibbs-White pulling strings. That balance of power suggests a 2-1 away victory.

Everton v Brighton & Hove Albion – Prediction: Everton 0 Brighton 2
Everton failed to score in their 1-0 defeat at Leeds, continuing a worrying lack of invention and the trend from last season. Brighton looked comfortable in a 1-1 draw at Fulham, with João Pedro lively in attack. Their possession and movement should prove too much for Everton.

Fulham v Manchester United – Prediction: Fulham 0 Manchester United 2
Fulham battled for a 1-1 draw at Brighton but rarely threatened. It has been a quiet window at Craven Cottage, with little strengthening done, and that lack of new quality leaves them vulnerable. United, who lost 1-0 to Arsenal, are bedding in their new forward trio of Benjamin Šeško, Bryan Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha. That blend of power, pace, and work rate should give them too much for a Fulham side standing still.

Newcastle United v Liverpool – Prediction: Newcastle 1 Liverpool 3
Alexander Isak’s ongoing transfer saga has reached boiling point, with the striker omitted from the squad as Newcastle face his desired destination. That backdrop ensures a fiery atmosphere at St James’ Park, but Liverpool arrive with greater balance and firepower. The Reds looked sharp in their 4-2 win over Bournemouth and should have too much for Newcastle despite the edge that this clash will carry.

Game of the Week

The standout fixture this weekend is Manchester City against Spurs. This clash rarely fails to deliver, with City’s sharpness tested by one of the few sides to consistently trouble them in recent years. Spurs may hold a recent edge in the head-to-head, but City’s form and firepower set up another compelling encounter at the Etihad.