Looking ahead to the EPL weekend - September 15/16/17

A Harry Kane brace helped Spurs see off Liverpool 4-1 at White Hart Lane last season with Mo Salah potting a consolation for the Reds. Mo Po may not be thanking Gareth Southgate for playing Kane for the last thirty minutes against Switzerland after Southgate previously talked of 'burnout' regarding Kane. Spurs were poor against Watford in their last outing and will be striving to get back among things at Wembley in the Saturday lunchtime kick-off, a match originally scheduled to be the first played at Spur's new address. Spurs (15/8 from 7/4) have netted in all four of their games so far, as have Liverpool (in to 13/10 from 6/4) though the visitors have conceded just once while Spurs are leaking an average one goal per game. Deli Alli is a doubt after pulling out of the England squad on Tuesday with muscle strain. Lloris is likely to be out until at least the end of the month. Sissoko and Lamela will face fitness tests after injuries and could be available for selection while Lallana for Liverpool is expected to be available with Lovren still out.
Of the Big Six sides' 7 or so games before the next international break Liverpool's looks the most testing. After Spurs away it's PSG in the Champions League a mere few days later before Southampton in the league, which is swiftly followed by the visit of Chelsea in the League Cup. By the odd quirk of fate that sometimes throws up successive cup/league encounters between two sides , four days later it's a league visit to Stamford Bridge followed by Napoli away and finally Man City in the EPL. CFC and City's 7 games look less of a challenge indeed, and Watford get off with just a 5 game schedule. Spurs will be hoping to pick up points v Brighton, Huddy, Cardiff and West Ham. So it really could be a quite pivotal three weeks for the Anfield posse.

The FA will trial VAR at the five 3pm kick-offs although there will be no contact between match officials and the people at the VAR Hub in Stockley Park, near Heathrow. It's a test. They want to 'settle' possible disputes at the five games to find out if VAR is able to technically cope with multi-match decisions. As I understand it, nothing 'decided' at Heathrow Hub will affect things on the five pitches.

EPL meetings between Bournemouth (11/8) and Leicester (2/1) have resulted in five draws and a 1-0 home win for the Cherries, with a total of just 7 goals in six matches. Jamie Vardy will be hoping to up the ante somewhat as he returns for the Foxes following his three match ban. Leicester could also see new Turkish signing Soyuncu fit for purpose while Bournemouth may miss Stanislas.

Cardiff finally broke their goals duck against Arsenal last time out but still succumbed to a late Lacazette winner to keep them a stone's throw from the relegation zone. They visit Chelsea (1/6) whose only injury concern is Fabregas' knee which will probably see him play no part. Cardiff (16/1) have a couple of injuries but nothing major.

There's a scrap going on at the John Smith's Stadium where 17th placed Huddersfield take on 15th spot Palace. Huddy will be hoping to welcome back keeper Hamer after injury while Roy Hodgson has one headache after another with Benteke, Zaha and Tomkins all possible doubts. But Palace are favourites here at 7/5 the win. I've been waiting for Huddersfield to show me something for four games now and could this be it? They're up at 21/20 but last season's result (0-2 the Palace) doesn't bode well. Last week I fancied Palace for this (and I will stick by my prediction just in case Zaha does start) but surely this is a good opportunity for Huddy to really get their heads down and pull something out of the hat. They're currently 4/7 for the drop and I'd take those odds any day of the week. Lose this one and watch those odds shed weight.

Yes, it's true, Man City are playing at 3pm on a Saturday. What a novelty. City disposed of Newcastle last time out by the one goal difference and will hope to boost their GD with the visit of Fulham who are unbeaten in four in all comps (including a 0-1 win in Saturday's friendly with Atletico Kolkata with Schurrle potting the winner - don't worry if the Cottagers are on your coupon, it was played in Spain not India, so nay jet-lag concerns here)
City (punt-wise) are obviously unbackable at home and once again the match odds are massively out there (1/10) And a Fulham 0-1 head start will bag you just 1/3 for the City win. -2 at 5/6 is a consideration, though, what with the Ethiad crowd having to settle for just the two against Toon : they'll be baying for goals, that's for sure, and so too will Guardiola. City could be without Silva (B) and Raheem Sterling while Fulham have one or two minor worries in Cairney and Ream. The away win pays 16/1 by the way. And the last time these two met in Manchester four years ago it ended five-nothing City.

Talking of Newcastle, they were diabolical in their League Cup defeat to Forest but as I say came back to deny Man City an expected slaughter a few days later at the Ethiad. They're in the relegation zone and things don't look good. They tried to park the bus in their last home game v Chelsea and paid the price with a 1-2 loss. They may try the same with the visit of Arsenal although the corresponding fixture last season saw them triumph 2-1 after coming behind from an early Lacazette strike. Jonjo Shelvey will be hoping for a return to duty as will Matt Ritchie. Arsenal have Iwobi, Maitland-Niles, Kolscielny and Kolasinec all on the treatment table. They go 16/5 Toon with Arsenal slight odds-on favs at 17/20. I fancy that if Toon can breach that leaky Arsenal defence and keep it tight at the back themselves then the draw doesn't disgrace itself at odds of 5/2.

With the win against Burnley, and the statement of support from the Utd Board, José Mourinho saw his Sack Race odds promptly fatten from 10/11 to 3/1. His side, currently 10th, visit high-flying Watford for the 5.30pm set-to. The head injury to Luke Shaw means he may be unfit although reports suggests he is making good progress and may occupy the bench. Phil Jones (hamstring) Fellaini and Rojo may also be at Mourinho's disposal. Deulofeu could return for the Hornets. Although Watford have not potted at Old Trafford in three seasons, the three fixtures at Vicarage Road have seen 13 goals, both teams scoring, 2 wins for Watford and 1 for Man U. This could have goals all over it and the 4/5 just for both sides to score stands out like Wayne Rooney in the Mastermind Chair. The 10/11 for the United win is a joke and flatters them beyond belief. With odds of 3/1 the home win, Watford will be all out to earn their backers a pretty penny or two. The draw rocks up at 12/5.

With the return of MNF there's just the two Sunday games. At 1.30pm Wolves (3/4) take on Burnley (4/1) Fresh from Europa League elimination Burnley seemed to have paid an early league price for their overseas involvement. They sit in 19th boasting just the opening day draw v Southampton against three losses. Their defeat to Man Utd was their 8th game in a little over three weeks but they've had the international break to recharge their batteries and re-focus their minds on the EPL. The last time these two clashed in the top flight at Molineux was nearly nine years ago when Wolves won 2-0 with strikes from Milijas (remember him?) and Kevin Doyle. Milijas returned to Red Star (from where he arrived) and Doyle ended up in the USA playing for Colorado Rapids. In fact, one of Doyle's brothers, Padraig, was once [EDITOR'S NOTE : For Christ's sake get on with it] Wolves have no injury concerns while Burnley have about six out.

The 4pm game is Everton (out to 1/1 from 17/20) squaring up to West Ham (into 5/2 from 3/1) These are dark days indeed for nice guy Manuel Pellegrini, and at the start of three quite difficult fixtures for his side, you'd be silly not to consider him in the Sack Race (currently 7/2 for first to go, just behind Mourinho and ahead of Warnock) West Ham have been rotten. This is a club that bought in nigh on £100m worth of players in the summer break and lost at home to a newly promoted side, Wolves, just four games in (see Koeman's Everton last season) There they sit, in 20th, no points, 2 pots, 10 conceded, and looking for all the world like midtable Championship League material. It's hard to see where the necessary kick-up-the-arris is going to come from. Pellegrini, as amiable a gent as he is, looks tired and ultimately answerless in interviews, the players just aren't doing it and their home has never felt like a home, so sayeth the majority of fans on the forums. Do they really wanna be playing in the same stadium where the sweat and swagger of Mick Jagger's arse has been left ingrained forever, or where Beyoncé flashed her bazookas to the sweaty masses while Jay-Z worked up a semi under his $150 Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson boxers? Oh, cry the despondent faithful , oh for a return to E13. Richarlison, a two-goal hitman for Brazil v El Salvador on Tuesday, is still suspended and Walcott and Jagielka should be missing for Everton while the Hammers have about five out including Reid, Masuaku and Lanzini. Not forgetting Andy Carroll of course. However, it's time for West Ham to surely pick up some paydirt and the draw could be a goer at 13/5. Should West Ham, backed into 5/2 as above, lose this one I fully expect Pellegrini to replace Mourinho as Sack Race favourite come 6pm.

Your Monday Night Football action comes courtesy of Southampton (1/1) and fellow coast dwellers Brighton (3/1) Saints recently turned the Seagulls over at the Amex in the League Cup and come off the back of a fine win at Crystal Palace in their last outing. Brighton came back well to grab a point from Fulham in their last outing with a brace from Glenn Murray, and their recent performances v Man Utd and Liverpool have been encouraging. They may welcome back Gross for this one although Saltor, hamstring, remains a slight doubt. Saints have only one injury concern and that's Shane Long whose foot ailment might keep him out.



Latest Title odds :

Man City 4/6
Liverpool 11/4
Chelsea 10
Spurs 16
Man Utd 40
Arsenal 50
Watford 250
500/1 BAR



Latest Relegation odds :

Cardiff 4/11
Huddersfield 4/7
Burnley 7/4
West Ham 9/4
Newcastle 3
Brighton 7/2
Fulham 5
7/1 BAR



Latest EPL Top Scorer odds :

Kane 3
Aguero 3
Salah 5
Mane, Lukaku 9
Abayag Ameyan Abgyman the French gooner 10
Hazard 20
25/1 BAR