Premier League
Bullet point previews of Premier League matches
Match-by-match facts and statistics ahead of the next round of Premier League fixtures from Saturday 16 September to Monday 18 September. (All times GMT):
Saturday, Sept. 16
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool (1130)
* Liverpool, undefeated in their last 15 league matches, have had a player red-carded in back-to-back league games for the first time since March and April 2015.
* Liverpool’s new midfield signing Dominik Szoboszlai scored his first goal for the Merseyside giants in their 3-0 win over Aston Villa before the international break, with vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold securing his first assist of the season in the same match at Anfield.
* Wolves have lost 14 of their 18 league matches against Liverpool, with two matches ending in draws.
West Ham United v Manchester City (1400)
* Pep Guardiola will be back on the touchline against David Moyes’ West Ham, who are fourth in the standings and two points behind leaders City, after missing two games following a back surgery.
* Midfielder James Ward-Prowse (one goal, three assists) is the first West Ham player to either score or assist a goal in his first three league appearances.
* This is West Ham’s joint-highest points tally after their opening four games of a league season, having also earned 10 points in 1999-2000.
Tottenham Hotspur v Sheffield United (1400)
* New Spurs captain Son Heung-min scored his fourth league hat-trick in the north London-based club’s last match against promoted Burnley.
* Second-placed Spurs, with the help of new manager Ange Postecoglou, can make their best start to a league season since 1965 by beating Sheffield United at home.
* This is the first time in the English top-flight that as many as four teams, namely Everton, promoted Sheffield United, Luton Town and Burnley, have lost their opening three games to a campaign.
Manchester United v Brighton & Hove Albion (1400)
* Midfielder Sofyan Amrabat and defender Sergio Reguilon will be among those hoping to make their debut for United at Old Trafford, while 20-year-old forward Rasmus Hojlund is in contention to start after making a cameo at Arsenal earlier this month.
* Uruguayan winger Facundo Pellistri could also be given a chance by United manager Erik ten Hag in the absence of Antony, who will not immediately return to United as the Brazilian addresses assault allegations against him.
* Brighton’s 18-year-old striker Evan Ferguson, who scored his first league hat-trick against Newcastle United earlier this month, is an injury doubt.
Fulham v Luton Town (1400)
* This marks the first league meeting between Fulham and promoted Luton since the 1959-60 campaign.
* Luton could become just the second team to suffer four consecutive losses in their debut top-flight season, after Swindon Town in 1993-94.
* Fulham have dominated at home against promoted sides in the last eight matches (W3 D4), suffering just one loss by Leeds United in March 2021.
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace (1400)
* Villa lost their winning momentum before the international break when they suffered a 3-0 defeat by Liverpool, having recovered from a heavy opening-day loss at Newcastle.
* Villa could get a boost with the return of Alex Moreno following the defender’s injury last season.
* Palace just have two wins in 16 league matches at Villa Park.
Newcastle United v Brentford (1630)
* Newcastle’s new signing Sandro Tonali is an injury doubt after the former AC Milan midfielder missed Italy’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Ukraine.
* Eddie Howe’s Newcastle, who qualified for the Champions League for the first time in 20 years, have lost three of their first four league matches this season. They only lost five games last season.
* Thomas Frank’s Brentford have only been beaten once in their last 11 league matches (W6, D4), a 1-0 defeat by Liverpool in May.
Sunday, Sept. 17
Bournemouth v Chelsea (1300)
* Chelsea’s 115 million pounds record-signing Moises Caicedo is the second player to give away a penalty on his top-flight debut for the west London-based side. The Ecuadorian midfielder did so in his side’s 3-1 loss at West Ham last month.
* Chelsea have two wins from their last 16 league games, including an away victory at Bournemouth.
* New Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is winless in 13 away games in the league, a run that stretches back to Feb. 2019 with his former club Spurs.
Everton v Arsenal (1530)
* Arsenal will look to carry the momentum following a 3-1 home win over league rivals Manchester United.
* Abdoulaye Doucoure scored Everton’s first goal of the campaign when the Mali forward netted the opener against Sheffield United.
* Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin could make a return for Everton after sustaining a facial injury in last month’s 4-0 defeat by Villa, providing a boost to manager Sean Dyche, who will hope to avoid another relegation battle as his side languishes in 18th place.
Monday, Sept. 18
Nottingham Forest v Burnley (1845)
* Forest, who signed as many as seven players on the transfer deadline day, will miss the services of promising Wales striker Brennan Johnson, who moved to Spurs earlier this month.
* Steve Cooper will, however, rely on new signing Anthony Elanga, who joined from United and has already scored a goal and claimed an assist for Forest.
* Burnley manager Vincent Kompany will look to organise his defence after the promoted side conceded as many as 11 goals in their first three matches.
–Reuters
Liverpool will have to wait for a few more days to be crowned Premier League champions despite a 1-0 victory at Leicester City after Arsenal kept their slender hopes just about alive with a 4-0 romp at 10-man Ipswich Town on Sunday.
Trent Alexander-Arnold came off the bench to score Liverpool’s winner in the 76th minute at the King Power Stadium to restore their 13-point lead at the top with five games left.
While Liverpool can almost taste a record-equalling 20th English crown, Leicester’s defeat confirmed their relegation back to the Championship after just one season.
The Midlands club have now been relegated from England’s top flight a record 13 times.
Chelsea secured a massive win in their bid to qualify for the Champions League as they came from behind to beat Fulham 2-1 at Craven Cottage with Pedro Neto scoring in stoppage time.
The win pushed Chelsea above Nottingham Forest in to fifth place, the last spot for qualification to the Champions League, although Forest play at Tottenham Hotspur on Monday.
Chelsea have 57 points from 33 games, two behind third-placed Newcastle United and one behind Manchester City. Forest and Aston Villa are level with Chelsea on 57 points.
Wolverhampton Wanderers guaranteed their safety as they beat Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford. Pablo Sarabia’s stunning free kick wrapped up a fifth successive league win, the first time Wolves have achieved that in the top flight since 1970.
Liverpool were wasteful at Leicester with numerous chances going begging and Mohamed Salah suffering a frustrating afternoon including hitting both posts with an early shot.
Salah hit the woodwork again moments before the ball came out to Alexander-Arnold who fired a left-footed shot through the crowd to give his side the points — ripping off his shirt and celebrating wildly with the travelling fans.
“We just keep going, mentally we’re really strong,” manager Arne Slot, whose side could be crowned champions if Arsenal lose at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday, told Sky Sports.
“They enjoy playing football and it helps when you are playing for something special. Today (Alexander-Arnold) knows when it matters most he can just bring a bit more which is something all the top, top players have.”
DISTANT SECOND
If Arsenal avoid defeat by Palace, Slot’s side will seal the title if they beat Tottenham Hotspur at home next Sunday.
“We will focus on Tottenham and looking forward again to a home game and I think the stadium will be full,” Slot, who can become the first Dutch manager to win the English title, said. “It’s a nice game to look forward to.”
Liverpool have 79 points with Arsenal a distant second on 66. Arsenal may have their eyes now on a Champions League semi-final against Paris St Germain, but they showed against Ipswich they will not hand over the title to Liverpool.
Leandro Trossard opened the scoring early on and Gabriel Martinelli made it 2-0 after a delightful flick by Mikel Merino.
Ipswich were reduced to 10 men before halftime as Leif Davis crudely raked his studs down the back of Bukayo Saka’s calf and the second half was academic.
Trossard grabbed his second in the 69th minute and Ethan Nwaneri added a late fourth to leave Ipswich stuck in 18th place on 21 points. They will be relegated if they drop points again or 17th-placed West Ham United pick up one more point from their remaining five games.
Chelsea were heading for a damaging defeat at neighbours Fulham as the hosts led with Alex Iwobi’s 20th-minute goal.
Substitute Tyrique George equalised with an instinctive shot in the 83rd minute, his first Premier League goal, before winger Neto swivelled and unleashed a thunderous strike in stoppage time to send the away fans wild.
Manchester United reached the Europa League semi-final with an astonishing comeback win against French club Olympique Lyonnais on Thursday but their Premier League woes returned against Wolves.
They are in 14th place and have now lost eight Premier League home games this season, their most defeats at Old Trafford in a league campaign since 1962-63.
“Wolves scored in the only opportunity they had. we had many chances, and we didn’t score. If you don’t score goals, you are not going to win games,” manager Ruben Amorim said.
-Reuters
Egyptian outlet, Ahram, has reported that Mohamed Salah has signed a new contract with Liverpool, extending his stay at Anfield beyond the 2024-25 season as he prepares for what could be the final chapter of a storied career with the club.
While the terms of the agreement were not disclosed, British media reports indicate the 32-year-old forward has signed a two-year extension, keeping him at the club until at least 2027.
Salah, who joined Liverpool from AS Roma in 2017, has become a modern-day icon at Anfield.
The Egyptian international has scored 243 goals in 394 appearances—third on the club’s all-time scorers list—and has helped the Reds secure seven major trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League titles.
“I had my best years here,” Salah told the club’s website. “Hopefully it’s going to be 10. I signed because I believe we can still win big trophies together.”
He has maintained his prolific form this season, scoring 32 goals and providing 22 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions. His 27 Premier League goals currently lead the division.
During his time with Liverpool, Salah has won the Premier League Golden Boot three times, been named the PFA Players’ Player of the Year twice, and claimed two FWA Footballer of the Year awards.
Now entering the latter stages of his career, Salah remains focused on adding more silverware to his collection and further cementing his legacy at Liverpool.
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Leicester City’s Jeremy Monga, who became the second-youngest Premier League player when he made his senior debut in Monday’s 3-0 loss to Newcastle United, had to wear a blank shirt because it is sponsored by an online cryptocurrency gaming platform.
Britain’s Gambling Act 2005, which underwent a review in 2020, prohibits players under 18 from wearing kits displaying gambling sponsors. Monga, an England U16 international, made his senior debut at 15 years 271 days old.
Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri remains the youngest Premier League player in history, having debuted in the competition when he was 90 days younger than Monga.
Leicester, who suffered an eighth straight loss in the league without scoring a goal, are 19th in the standings, 15 points below the safety zone.
-Reuters
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