• Southampton v Bournemouth, Friday, 11pm (UAE): Callum Wilson proved once again last week that he is one of the Premier League's most productive strikers. His brace against Everton took him to three goals for the season with as many assists. Expect him to increase at least one of those statistics in the match against Southampton. PREDICTION: Southampton 1, Bournemouth 1. AFP
    Southampton v Bournemouth, Friday, 11pm (UAE): Callum Wilson proved once again last week that he is one of the Premier League's most productive strikers. His brace against Everton took him to three goals for the season with as many assists. Expect him to increase at least one of those statistics in the match against Southampton. PREDICTION: Southampton 1, Bournemouth 1. AFP
  • Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur, Saturday, 3.30pm: Tottenham were lucky to leave Greece with a point after being completely outplayed by Olympiakos in their Champions League opener on Wednesday. While the likes of Son Heung-min and Harry Kane (pictured) are firing up front, the defence and midfield looks brittle. PREDICTION: Leicester City 2, Tottenham 1. Reuters
    Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur, Saturday, 3.30pm: Tottenham were lucky to leave Greece with a point after being completely outplayed by Olympiakos in their Champions League opener on Wednesday. While the likes of Son Heung-min and Harry Kane (pictured) are firing up front, the defence and midfield looks brittle. PREDICTION: Leicester City 2, Tottenham 1. Reuters
  • Burnley v Norwich City, Saturday, 6pm: I couldn't have predicted last week's Norwich result any worse as they pulled off a shock 3-2 win over champions Manchester City. So this time around I'm going for a win in the Canaries' favour. PREDICTION: Burnley 0, Norwich 1. AFP
    Burnley v Norwich City, Saturday, 6pm: I couldn't have predicted last week's Norwich result any worse as they pulled off a shock 3-2 win over champions Manchester City. So this time around I'm going for a win in the Canaries' favour. PREDICTION: Burnley 0, Norwich 1. AFP
  • Everton v Sheffield United, Saturday, 6pm: Everton came a cropper against Bournemouth last time out (one of the few predictions I did get right) and the problem of a reliable goalscorer continues to haunt Marco Silva's men. Richarlison needs to get back among the goals; who better to do that against than Sheffield United? PREDICTION: Everton 2, Sheffield United 0. AFP
    Everton v Sheffield United, Saturday, 6pm: Everton came a cropper against Bournemouth last time out (one of the few predictions I did get right) and the problem of a reliable goalscorer continues to haunt Marco Silva's men. Richarlison needs to get back among the goals; who better to do that against than Sheffield United? PREDICTION: Everton 2, Sheffield United 0. AFP
  • Manchester City v Watford, Saturday, 6pm: Manchester City have already dropped five points this season after only five games. The defeat to Norwich last time out was a shock, but Pep Guardiola's side could just as easily have won that match as lose it. A 3-0 win at Shakhtar Donetsk suggests no lingering hangover. Watford, who showed fighting spirit to draw 2-2 with Arsenal in Quique Sanchez Flores' first game back last week, will need to be on the ball again at Etihad Stadium. PREDICTION: Manchester City 3, Watford 0. Reuters
    Manchester City v Watford, Saturday, 6pm: Manchester City have already dropped five points this season after only five games. The defeat to Norwich last time out was a shock, but Pep Guardiola's side could just as easily have won that match as lose it. A 3-0 win at Shakhtar Donetsk suggests no lingering hangover. Watford, who showed fighting spirit to draw 2-2 with Arsenal in Quique Sanchez Flores' first game back last week, will need to be on the ball again at Etihad Stadium. PREDICTION: Manchester City 3, Watford 0. Reuters
  • Newcastle United v Brighton & Hove Albion, Saturday, 8.30pm: Newcastle led Liverpool for 28 minutes last weekend before succumbing 3-1 to the Premier League leaders Liverpool. That's longer than all teams combined managed in the whole of 2018/19! Brighton are a team Newcastle need to target points against. PREDICTION: Newcastle 2, Brighton 0. EPA
    Newcastle United v Brighton & Hove Albion, Saturday, 8.30pm: Newcastle led Liverpool for 28 minutes last weekend before succumbing 3-1 to the Premier League leaders Liverpool. That's longer than all teams combined managed in the whole of 2018/19! Brighton are a team Newcastle need to target points against. PREDICTION: Newcastle 2, Brighton 0. EPA
  • Crystal Palace v Wolves, Sunday, 5pm: Palace and Wolves conceded nine goals between them in their last league outings. Roy Hodgson's side were dire in the 4-0 defeat to Spurs and Wolves not much better in trying to contain Chelsea. Thursday night's Europa League defeat away to Braga is likely to have a negative effect on Wolves, so Palace need to make this match count to get moving up the table. PREDICTION: Crystal Palace 2, Wolves 1. EPA
    Crystal Palace v Wolves, Sunday, 5pm: Palace and Wolves conceded nine goals between them in their last league outings. Roy Hodgson's side were dire in the 4-0 defeat to Spurs and Wolves not much better in trying to contain Chelsea. Thursday night's Europa League defeat away to Braga is likely to have a negative effect on Wolves, so Palace need to make this match count to get moving up the table. PREDICTION: Crystal Palace 2, Wolves 1. EPA
  • West Ham United v Manchester United, Sunday, 5pm: That rare sight of a Manchester United converting a penalty last week as Marcus Rashford resumed spot-kick duties. United were forced to cling on for the win against Leicester and can expect a similarly tough outing against a West Ham side beginning to hit their straps. PREDICTION: West Ham 1, Manchester United 1. Reuters
    West Ham United v Manchester United, Sunday, 5pm: That rare sight of a Manchester United converting a penalty last week as Marcus Rashford resumed spot-kick duties. United were forced to cling on for the win against Leicester and can expect a similarly tough outing against a West Ham side beginning to hit their straps. PREDICTION: West Ham 1, Manchester United 1. Reuters
  • Arsenal v Aston Villa, Sunday, 7.30pm: There are few better strikers in world football at the moment than Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. His goal in the 2-2 draw at Watford took him to five in the league already. The problem for Arsenal isn't their attack, it's a defence that may as well come pre-packaged with the label "error prone". PREDICTION: Arsenal 3, Aston Villa 0. AFP
    Arsenal v Aston Villa, Sunday, 7.30pm: There are few better strikers in world football at the moment than Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. His goal in the 2-2 draw at Watford took him to five in the league already. The problem for Arsenal isn't their attack, it's a defence that may as well come pre-packaged with the label "error prone". PREDICTION: Arsenal 3, Aston Villa 0. AFP
  • Chelsea v Liverpool, Sunday, 7.30pm: Liverpool's perfect start to the season unravelled in Naples as they went down 2-0 in their Champions League opener. They face in Tammy Abraham a young striker with seven goals including a hat-trick in Chelsea's win against Wolves last time out. Virgil van Dijk made a rare mistake that led to the second Napoli goal but expect the Dutchman to be back to his imperious best to shut out the Chelsea upstart. PREDICTION: Chelsea 1, Liverpool 3. EPA
    Chelsea v Liverpool, Sunday, 7.30pm: Liverpool's perfect start to the season unravelled in Naples as they went down 2-0 in their Champions League opener. They face in Tammy Abraham a young striker with seven goals including a hat-trick in Chelsea's win against Wolves last time out. Virgil van Dijk made a rare mistake that led to the second Napoli goal but expect the Dutchman to be back to his imperious best to shut out the Chelsea upstart. PREDICTION: Chelsea 1, Liverpool 3. EPA

Football

Can Virgil van Dijk contain Chelsea hot-shot Tammy Abraham? Premier League predictions

Check out deputy sports editor Steve Luckings' predictions for this week's round of matches

Steve Luckings
Steve Luckings
Abu Dhabi

September 20, 2019

  • English
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This week's Premier League action kicks off on Friday with Southampton at home to Bournemouth, but the tie of Matchday 6 looks set to be Sunday's late kick off between Chelsea and Liverpool.

Chelsea and Liverpool both suffered setbacks in midweek Champions League action. Frank Lampard's first match as a manager in Europe's premier club competition ended in a 1-0 defeat at home to Valencia while Liverpool went down 2-0 away to Napoli.

A rare mistake from Virgil van Dijk led to Napoli's second goal and the Dutchman will want to put the horrors of that misplaced pass to Fernando Llorente behind him at Stamford Bridge.

He faces in Tammy Abraham the Premier League's form marksman. The young England striker has netted seven times in the league already this season, including a hat-trick in last week's 5-2 rout of Wolves.

Liverpool are unbeaten in the league though and already have a five-point gap on second-placed Manchester City.

The Premier League champions suffered a shock 3-2 defeat to Norwich City last week. Buoyed by victory at Shakhtar Donetsk in their opening Champions League fixture, however, Pep Guaridola's charges will want to get back to winning ways on the home front against Watford.

Tottenham Hotspur travel to Leicester City in Saturday's early kick off while Burnley host Norwich, Sheffield United travel to Everton and Newcastle United welcome Brighton & Hove Albion.

On Sunday Crystal Palace face Wolves at Selhurst Park while Manchester United are the visitors to West Ham United. Arsenal are at home to Aston Villa before Chelsea take on Liverpool to wrap things up.

Ahead of the games, deputy sports editor Steve Luckings provides his predictions in the photo gallery above.

To move on to the next image, click on the arrows, or if using a mobile device, simply swipe.

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