- Leeds are finding their way
- Mitrovic will trouble champions
- Seagulls set to fly high again
- Leicester's recovery continues
Leeds v Bournemouth (15:00) - A switch of momentum
Bournemouth's stopper Neto is unavailable and that's a significant loss. The Brazilian keeper has been breached every 84.3 minutes this term while his replacement Mark Travers has been beaten every 24.7 minutes in his four-and-a-half outings.
Interim boss Gary O'Neill has other concerns too, namely that his side travel to Yorkshire on the back of three consecutive defeats, after an encouraging bounce post-Parker saw the Cherries reach the heady heights of eighth. How they psychologically respond to their reality check will go a long way to determining the outcome of this clash.
If Bournemouth are being revisited by insecurities, Leeds have shed a bunch of theirs, a late winner at Anfield very likely putting a spring back in their step. Luis Sinisterra is out but in Rodrigo the hosts have a striker who has rediscovered his goalscoring boots, bagging two in two.
Around the Spaniard, Aaronson, Harrison, and Summerville are all capable of producing something, the latter also boasting two in two, and there is a distinct feeling that a strike-force that previously flattered to deceive is beginning to click.
Our Opta stats round-up tips a home win. With nascent momentum on Leeds' side, it's hard to disagree.
Man City v Fulham (15:00) - Two-way traffic
Pep Guardiola's Haaland Globetrotters have already ruthlessly dismantled two promoted teams this season at the Etihad, scoring a total of 10 goals across their matches against Bournemouth and Forest. Now it's Fulham's turn, right?
Maybe, but the Cottagers' circumstances contrast sharply to those of their fellow-promotees.
For one thing, the Blues' freakishly prolific striker is only 50/50 to start, and even then who's to say he is fully fit and firing? Furthermore, City have struggled - by their standards - to find the net in Haaland's absence, averaging 1.1 goals-per-game in their last six fixtures across all competitions. In their previous 12, they racked up 3.6 per game.
Then there's Alexandar Mitrovic to factor in, a formidable presence up front who's banged in nine in 12, had 78 touches inside the opposition box and committed 22 shots on target in 2022/23. This is not a forward - so often seen - who turns up at the champions in form and leaves neutered.
Of course, City should be backed to record an 11th straight home win in the league, a run not seen for nearly a century in the top-flight. It would be a disservice to Fulham's fine campaign, however, to believe the hosts will have it all their own way.
Nottingham Forest v Brentford (15:00) - Blunt Bees to be swatted
Ivan Toney has scored the same number of goals as Forest have in their entirety, so it's a huge boost for the struggling hosts that the 26-year-old is suspended for this one. Last season, Brentford averaged 1.2 points-per-game with Toney leading their line. That plummeted to 0.3 ppg without him.
Elsewhere, all the evidence points to the Bees lacking sting on their travels. Thomas Frank's side last won away from the Gtech Community Stadium back in May and damningly have managed to keep just one clean sheet in 22 on the road.
For all their woes, Forest typically start brightly at the City Ground, scoring 71.4% of their goals there in the first period. Home or away the very opposite applies to Brentford. Only Bournemouth have conceded more in the first half of games this term.
Wolves v Brighton (15:00) - Lean wolf
The Seagulls have accrued 67 shots on target this season from 169 efforts, which amounts to an impressive accuracy of 39.6%. If they can just do the hardest part and beat the opposition keeper, they'll be flying.
Against Chelsea last week Brighton did precisely that, four times over. Against old boss Graham Potter's men, the Seagulls were everything they've strongly suggested they're capable of being all campaign long.
This prompts a concern that Trossard and co may put in an after-the-Lord-Mayor's-show performance at Molineux but anyone who has watched the top-six chasers under De Zerbi will know that's unlikely. Brighton have been consistently excellent this term. Fluid, playing on the front foot, and confident.
Daniel Podence is Wolves' dangerman, creating 1.89 chances per game, while the winger has also converted a third of his side's league tally. A meagre six goals to date though from a managerless side tells its own sorry tale, and a cracking long-ranger from Neves last week doesn't really change that.
Everton v Leicester (17:30) - Fleet foxes do enough
The Toffees have a decent record in this fixture, unbeaten in their last five meetings. Four clean sheets in their last eight Premier League games suggest Everton will be hard to break down, especially if Goodison is rocking in this early evening kick-off.
It's a parsimony that has come about from pairing up two of the top-flight's most under-rated centre-backs in James Tarkowski and Conor Coady. Ahead of them Amadou Onana goes about his business unnoticed and unjustly so. The 21-year-old has made 34 tackles this term, a fairly ordinary number for a player in his position. But he has successfully won the ball a remarkable 87.2% of the time.
Speaking of impressive percentages, Jordan Pickford's 80.3% save ratio is right up there and these high-achievers at the back are going to need to be on their game this Saturday against a Leicester side transformed.
Though the Foxes lost at home to Manchester City last weekend, they still conjured up five shots on target and were the better side for long spells. They should be fancied to win here but there really is not much in it.