Premier League - Manchester City v Arsenal (Sun 22nd Sept, 4.30pm, Sky Sports Main Event)
Though only 4 games into the new season, this fixture feels like a crucial battle in the race for the Premier League trophy, especially as Arsenal have already dropped points.City have pipped Arsenal to the title in the last 2 seasons by 5 points and 2 respectively so the head-to-heads are going to be pivotal.
City have been in dominant form, winning all of their opening league games along with scoring 11 goals; Erling Haaland looks well rested and energised after missing out on the Euro’s, scoring 9 goals so far.Â
The Gunners have continued their defensive stinginess from last season, Mikel Arteta’s men have conceded just 1 league goal so far and kept 3 clean sheets, the most in the Premier League.Â
Form in the last 5 league games
Manchester City = D-W-W-W-W
Arsenal = W-W-W-D-W
Head to Head (Premier League)
Manchester City 16 wins
7 draws
Arsenal 5 wins
Key StatÂ
Arsenal have not beaten Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium since October 2010 when goals from Samir Nasri, Alex Song, and Nicklas Bendtner gave the Gunners a 3-0 win.
Key Player Manchester City - Erling HaalandÂ
Having scored over 80% of Man City’s goals in the Premier League so far this season, Haaland’s impact on the contest will most likely decide the outcome; The Norwegian has hit the net twice in 6 appearances against Arsenal in a City shirt.Â
Key Player Arsenal - William Saliba
Part of a defensive unit that kept Tottenham scoreless in the North London derby last weekend, Saliba will most likely be tasked with the duty of trying to quell the rampant Haaland on Sunday; he has won 26 duels so far, he will need to significantly add to that tally to help Arsenal get an important win over City.Â
Injuries/Suspensions - Manchester City
City will be without Nathan Ake who picked up a hamstring injury on international duty and Oscar Bobb who is predicted to be out until January with a broken leg.
Injuries/suspensions - Arsenal
Oleksandr Zinchenko, Bukayo Saka are doubts for the game; Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Riccardo Calafiori, and Takehiro Tomiyasu are all out for Sunday.Â
Prediction
I imagine City and Arsenal will offer up a cagey affair with very few goals on show, I predict Pep’s side will shade this encounter 1-0.Â
La Liga - Villarreal v FC Barcelona (Sunday 22nd Sept, 5.30pm, Premier Sports/La Liga TV)
After an indifferent 23/24 campaign in La Liga, Villarreal have had a solid start picking up 11 points from their first 5 games.
Barcelona under new coach Hansi Flick have started the season in whirlwind fashion, remaining undefeated and scoring 17 goals along the way.Â
As good as Villarreal have been under the tutelage of Marcelino, scoring 11 goals thus far, they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their 7 La Liga matches.Â
Robert Lewondowski continues to lead the line and show no signs of slowing down, the Pole has struck 4 goals and assisted twice in Barca’s march to the summit of La Liga.
Form in the last 5 league games
Villarreal = D-W-W-D-W
Barcelona = W-W-W-W
Head to Head (Last 26 La Liga Games)Â
Villarreal 2 Wins
4 Draws
Barcelona 20 Wins
Key Stat
Villarreal have no beaten Barcelona at home in 15 years
Key Player Villarreal - Ayoze Perez
Since arriving at the Estadi de la Ceramica from Real Betis in the summer, Perez has proven to be an astute signing scoring 3 crucial goals that has helped his new side claim late wins away at Sevilla and Real Mallorca, as well as a draw at the Mestalla against Valencia.Â
Key Player Barcelona - Lamine Yamal
Superlatives are fast running out to describe the brilliance of the 17 year old Yamal, belying his tender age, he is fast becoming one of the leaders of this youthful Barca side. Already he has 3 goals and 4 assists in his first 5 league games of this season.Â
Injuries/Suspensions - Villarreal
Alfonso Pedraza is still a long term absentee; Gerard Moreno, Juan Foyth, and new signing Willy Kambwala are out until the end of the month at the earliest with injuries.Â
Injuries/Suspensions - FC Barcelona
Ferran Torres misses out after receiving his marching orders last weekend against Girona. Barcelona have an extensive injury list with Marc Bernal out for the season, as well as Andreas Christensen, Ansu Fati, Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, and Ronald Araujo all on the treatment table.Â
Prediction
Given Barca’s superior record at Villarreal, allied with their excellent start to the season, I predict they will be made to work hard for a 3-1 win.Â
Bundesliga runners up from last season Stuttgart host beaten Champions League finalists Dortmund, with Nuri Sahin’s men looking to avenge last season's results against Die Roten (The Reds); Stuttgart did a league double and also knocked Dortmund out of the DFB Pokal.Â
Sebastian Hoeness has watched his side get off to a slow start, winning just 1 of their opening 3 games in the league, though despite defeat in the opening night of the Champions League to Real Madrid there was much to take from their performance.Â
Dortmund have picked up 7 points from a possible 9 under the new management with signs that their extensive transfer outlay in the summer will bear fruit; striker Serhou Guirassy and defender Waldemar Anton swapped the MHP Arena for Signal Iduna Park in the summer.Â
Form in the last 5 league games (Bundesliga)
VFB Stuttgart = WDLWW
Borussia Dortmund = WDWWL
Head to Head (Last 24 Bundesliga games)
VFB Stuttgart 4 Wins
6 Draws
Borussia Dortmund 14 Wins
Key Stat
VfB Stuttgart is fourth in the Bundesliga, scoring an average of 2.3 goals per game, while Borussia Dortmund has the second-best defense, letting in just 0.7 goals per game.
Key Player VFB Stuttgart - Denis Undav
It went slightly unnoticed last season with Guirassy hogging the limelight, but Undav struck 18 times in the league and had 9 assists. With his strike partner now at Dortmund, the former Brighton man has been tasked with becoming the main man at Stuttgart; a goal against Real Madrid in the Champions League will certainly keep his confidence high.
Key Player Borussia Dortmund - Gregor Kobel
The Swiss goalkeeper has been in superb form, continuing on from his fine 23/24 campaign; he has kept 3 clean sheets in all competitions so far. With Dortmund looking meaner in defence, any breach of the back line will rely on the continued brilliance of Kobel in this encounter.Â
Injuries/Suspensions - VFB Stuttgart
Stuttgart will be without the services of Ameen Al Dakhil, Justin Diehl, Leonidas Stergiou, and Nikolas Nartey who are all currently injured.Â
Injuries/Suspensions - Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund pretty much have a clean bill of health coming into the fixture with just Giovanni Reyna missing with a groin strain.
Prediction
This is a hard game to call, but with Dortmund’s good record at the MHP Arena, I feel Nuri Sahin will lead his side to a 2-1 win.Â
Serie A - Inter Milan v AC Milan (Sun 22nd Sept, 7.45pm, TNT Sports 1)
With Paulo Fonseca already under pressure after Milan’s indifferent start to the campaign, arguably there could be no worse time to face their city Rivals. Inter, though not fully into their flow just yet, have had a solid start to the defence of their Serie A title, as well as starting their Champions League campaign off with a creditable draw away at Man City.
With the Milan fans already very disgruntled, this encounter becomes simply a must win game for Fonseca and his players; in the defeat to Liverpool, supporters booed loudly and chanted obscenities with patience clearly very thin.
Easily the strongest side in Italy with probably the best manager in Simone Inzaghi, Inter did the double over Milan last season, famously thrashing them 5-1 last September; still unbeaten so far, the Nerazzurri will look to inflict further torment.Â
Form in the last 5 games (Serie A)Â Â
Inter = DWWDD
AC Milan = WDLDD
Head to Head (Last 28 Serie A games)
Inter = 14 wins
7 draws
AC Milan = 7 wins
Key Stat
Inter haven’t lost to Milan in their last 6 meetings
Key Player Inter - Hakan Calhanoglu
The former AC Milan player relishes coming up against his old side, the Turkish international having swapped the red and black for blue and black back in the summer of 2021. He has scored twice and provided 4 assists against the Rossoneri, he will no doubt be keen to add to that record on Sunday night.Â
Key Player AC Milan - Christian Pulisic
The American has become a key player for Milan since his transfer from Chelsea over a year ago. In his first season for the club he bagged 16 goals and 10 assists, this campaign he has 2 goals and 2 assists so far; if Milan are to get a win, Pulisic can provide the inspiration and quality needed to do so.Â
Injuries/Suspensions - Inter Milan
Marco Arnautovic has picked up a virus so is unlikely to feature, and Tajon Buchanan is a doubt for Sunday with a leg injury.
Injuries/Suspensions - AC Milan
Milan will be without Alessandro Florenzi, Ismael Bennacer, Malick Thiaw, and Marco Sportiello this weekend through various injuries.Â
Prediction
On current form, it is hard to see anything other than yet another Inter victory in this fixture, I think Inzaghi’s men will triumph 2-0 further pushing Fonseca through the exit door potentially.
Ligue 1 - Lyon v Marseille (Sun 22nd Sept, 7.45pm)
With PSG shorn of the world class talent of Kylian Mbappe, both sides have splashed the cash aiming to make the battle for the Ligue 1 title more of a contest; Lyon spent around €147.79m, Marseille €85.00m though they did recoup €81.00m in player sales.Â
Despite major squad restructuring under Pierre Sage, Lyon have not had the start to the season they would have liked, they have won just 1 of their opening 4 games, and only managed to score in one league game this season.Â
Marseille under Roberto De Zerbi have hit the ground running winning 3 of their games and scoring 12 - 2nd most so far in Ligue 1 - to fuel hopes they could be title contenders this season.Â
Form in the last 5 games (Ligue 1)
Lyon = DWLLW
Marseille = WWDWW
Head to Head (Last 27 Ligue 1 games)
Lyon = 12 wins
10 Draws
Marseille = 5 wins
Key Stat
Lyon and Marseille have not drawn any of their last 6 matches against each other
Key Player Lyon - Corentin TolissoÂ
Since returning from Bayern Munich in 2022, Tolisso has had an up and down period at Lyon, much of his time blighted with injuries. One of Les Gones more solid performers so far, this will be a big game for the 2018 World Cup winner to help his side grab an important victory over their old adversaries.Â
Key Player Marseille - Mason Greenwood
Since his controversial transfer from Manchester United in the summer, Greenwood has put all the off the field stuff behind him to demonstrate his qualities in a Marseille shirt; with 5 goals in 4 league games, he will hope to continue his good form and help keep the pressure on PSG at the top of Ligue 1.
Injuries/Suspensions - Lyon
Lyon will potentially have Wilfried Zaha as a doubt for Sunday night’s game, the former Crystal Palace forward has a muscle issue.Â
Injuries/Suspensions
De Zerbi has several players unavailable for selection; Derek Cornelius is suspended, and the injury list includes Bilal Nadir, Faris Moumbagna, Quentin Merlin, and Ruben Blanco miss out.Â
Prediction
Despite having a poor record at the Groupama Stadium, I fancy Marseille to get the win here with their strong start to the campaign, triumphing 2-1 with Greenwood having a big say in the game.
