Premier League Acca Builder: Chaotic game should produce goals at Old Trafford

Gueye needed to cope with Elliot

Everton v Liverpool
Saturday, 12:30
Live on BT Sport 1

Everton have become a conservative team under Frank Lampard this season, sitting back in a 5-4-1 and looking to deny teams space from a more hunched position - a direct consequence of Lampard being unable to compress space between the lines in a more attacking setup. Unsurprisingly, it hasn't exactly worked and they continue to look porous through the middle of the pitch.

It is possible Idrissa Gueye will help in this regard. He won more tackles in the Premier League than any other player before he left for Paris Saint-Germain and should slot straight into the Everton team on the left of a midfield two. This happens to be the exact area in which Everton have been most vulnerable, and where Harvey Elliot has been causing havoc as a box-to-box midfielder for Liverpool.

Their head-to-head battle could prove decisive, especially because Liverpool still look stodgy and a little slow at moving through the gears. Everton, galvanised for the derby but taking few risks, can frustrate the visitors with their defensive football as Gueye and Amadou Onana shield those crucial half-spaces. What's more, Lampard's back three has the spare man to come short to track Roberto Firmino.

Back the draw at 4.7515/4

Fulham midfield to strangle Spurs

Tottenham v Fulham
Saturday, 15:00

The key to Marco Silva's excellent start to the season has been tempering some of his attacking instincts by maintaining a solid two-man base in midfield. Harrison Reed and Joao Palhinha have been superb so far, snapping into challenges and beginning the counter-attacks that have allowed Alexandr Mitrovic to flourish.

Tottenham have made a strong start to the season in terms of points, but their performances have left something to be desired as Antonio Conte's low line of engagement sees them become a little stuck. It is still difficult for Tottenham to build through the lines, leaving them reliant on counter-attacking opportunities through Dejan Kulusevski.

Fulham will not allow many of those. Rodrigo Bentancur's return should give Spurs more impetus to create space in transitional moments and weave away from the strong-tackling Fulham midfield, but it is unlikely to be enough to counteract the in-form Mitrovic.

Back the draw at 4.57/2

Repeat of Liverpool win suggests open contest

Man Utd v Arsenal
Sunday, 16:00
Live on Sky Sports Premier League

Manchester United haven't looked much like an Erik ten Hag team in any of their three successive wins, and they surely won't again for the visit of Arsenal. Just like their win over Liverpool, United will look to channel the Ole Gunnar Solskjaer years with a defensive setup that limits space in their own third and launch counter-attacks through a quick front three.

Arsenal have not been tested like that so far this season and they do seem vulnerable to it, particularly in the spaces behind Kieran Tierney as Jadon Sancho sprints forward. There is a strong chance that this will open out into a frantic end-to-end game, with Arsenal lacking the mobility in central midfield to shut down United counters at source - but also having the desire themselves to dribble forward on the counter-counter.

Gabriel Martinelli has started the season well, and along with Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard will enjoy running at a dishevelled Man Utd midfield; in a stretched game, this is likely to be Casemiro's first taste of what it means to be in a United midfield partnership. With both teams liable to a defensive error, and both with firepower from the bench, a high-scoring contest is the most likely outcome.

Back over 3.5 goals at 2.89/5

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