With the title race having already swung back and forth while the top-four and relegation battles are as open as they have been for a few years, the Premier League is becoming increasingly difficult to predict. Sure, the odd match still follows the formbook, but a number of teams are proving tough to pin down and figure out what to expect from them on a game-to-game basis.
As such, knowing what shape the news cycle is going to take is anyone's guess at the start of a round of fixtures. Refereeing controversies, outrageous managerial quotes and even the reactions of big-name pundits can drive the narrative around the English top-flight, and thus it's difficult to figure out what will be dominating the newspaper back pages, website homepages and fan reaction shows in the hours and days that follow.
That hasn't stopped us at GOAL from trying, though. Rather than merely predicting the weekend's results, we have looked into our crystal balls to figure out what headlines you, the fans, will be reading and clicking on as you digest the latest Premier League action…
Getty Images Sport'Slot sliding towards Anfield exit'
Liverpool have now lost six of their last seven games in all competitions, with the already under-fire Arne Slot having brought more unwanted attention on himself after he basically sacrificed the Reds' hopes of progressing in the Carabao Cup by resting the majority of his regular starters for Wednesday's clash with Crystal Palace. The result was an entirely predictable 3-0 home defeat, and the only way in which Slot can salvage any positive press from his controversial selection call is to oversee an upturn in results before the November international break.
He certainly would not have handpicked Liverpool's upcoming fixtures were he looking for straightforward routes to victory, with Saturday's home game against Aston Villa set to be followed by a Champions League clash with Real Madrid and then a visit to the Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester City. Given the standard of performance that Liverpool are currently churning out, there is a world where defeats seven, eight and nine of the season arrive in the next 10 days.
Slot is desperately searching for a solution, as illustrated by him deploying a 4-4-2 formation against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Reds' last European outing while he matched Palace's 3-4-3 in midweek to little effect. Finding a system to get the best out of his newly-assembled, uber-expensive squad will likely make or break Slot's tenure, and current signs suggest to it eventually being the latter.
Certainly Villa arrive on Merseyside in buoyant mood after three successive league wins, the most recent of which came over Man City last week, and though Unai Emery has had his own issues in getting the best out of the attacking talent he has available to him, Saturday's encounter presents the likes of Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers the opportunity to get their seasons back on track.
As such, we expect the misery surrounding Liverpool to remain, and given the games they have coming up thereafter, questions will begin to be asked of just how long Slot, the man who delivered the Premier League title in such emphatic circumstances six months ago, can survive if things don't improve.
AdvertisementAFP'Maresca losing control of immature Chelsea'
Slot isn't the only 'Big Six' manager to be feeling the heat, with Enzo Maresca also coming under fire from sections of the Chelsea support after the Blues' inconsistent start to a campaign that promised plenty following the Blues' Club World Cup success. Saturday's last-gasp defeat to newly-promoted Sunderland has left the Conference League winners languishing in ninth in the table, and though they won through in the Carabao Cup in midweek, they had to survive an almighty scare as Wolves fought back at Molineux.
A Saturday evening trip to take on rivals Tottenham is next on the agenda for Maresca's side, and usually a visit to north London would be exactly the tonic for the Blues given recent results, as they have won six of their eight games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since it opened in 2019, scoring four goals in each of their last two victories there. However, Chelsea's current performances, coupled with their continued discipline issues, suggest there is an opportunity for Thomas Frank's side to further bloody the Blues' noses.
Expect this one to be ill-tempered given the importance of the fixture to both sides, and we're backing Spurs to narrowly come out on top while Chelsea end the game with nine men. If that plays out, the knives could be out for Maresca before too long.
Getty Images Sport'Mbeumo might be the signing of the season'
Liverpool and Chelsea's respective slumps have opened the door for others to push themselves into contention for top-four places, and Manchester United already look well placed to push for Champions League qualification after three successive wins for Ruben Amorim's side. Bryan Mbeumo has scored three goals and assisted one other during that stretch as he looks well on his way to repaying his initial £65 million ($85.5m) transfer fee.
Despite him coming off a 20-goal season with Brentford and the interest of others, that outlay did feel a little steep at the time, but Mbeumo has shown himself to be an ideal fit for Ruben Amorim's system while striking up a strong relationship with wing-back Amad Diallo. The pair's combination has been so effective, in fact, that Amorim is already having to answer questions as to how they will be replaced when they head off to the Africa Cup of Nations in December.
For now, Mbeumo will have the Nottingham Forest defence in his sights, and the Cameroon international will fancy his chances of maintaining his strong form in front of goal. Another two goals to take down Sean Dyche's strugglers will even have some asking whether Mbeumo should be considered the signing of the season so far.
Getty Images Sport'Man City need to make their Iraola move ASAP'
Across town from Old Trafford, the presumed revival of Manchester City has been a slow process thus far, with Erling Haaland's remarkable goal record having carried Pep Guardiola's side. The Norwegian sat out the midweek cup win over Swansea City after drawing a rare blank against Villa last weekend, but should be back in action when City host Bournemouth on Sunday.
The Cherries enter the weekend sat second in the table after a remarkable start to the campaign that has seen them go on an eight-match unbeaten run following their opening-night loss at Liverpool. Despite losing his starting goalkeeper and three-quarters of his first-choice defence over the summer, Andoni Iraola has maintained the positive momentum that he has built at the Vitality Stadium, with Antoine Semenyo having emerged as one of the most dangerous attacking players in the division while teenage striker Eli Junior Kroupi has begun to hit his stride in front of goal.
As such, City are unlikely to have things all their own way at the Etihad, and we're predicting a 2-2 draw that will leave the Super Sunday panel purring to the extent that Iraola will end the day being touted as the ideal man to replace Guardiola when the Catalan eventually steps aside from his role.
