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Chelsea's woes to continue
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Spurs to win goal-fest
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Newcastle back-line as stingy as ever
West Ham v Chelsea (12:30) - Tangled up Blues
The Hammers' performances are improving and they should be fancied to get something against a Chelsea side who are either a work in progress or a side in complete disarray.
Most of the evidence, it must be said, points to the latter.
Three consecutive clean sheets is obviously a big plus for Graham Potter's under-achievers but at the other end goals have been in short supply.
It may surprise to learn that West Ham have the better return in 2023, averaging 1.25 points-per-game.
It may also surprise that David Moyes' men have taken on 39 more shots than Chelsea in 2022/23.
That last stat is not necessarily a positive, with the hosts having a league low goals to xG ratio, but at least Jarrod Bowen is firing once again. The 26-year-old has scored all four of his season's tally at the London Stadium.
The timing of this game is a factor, with Saturday lunchtime kick-offs rarely exploding into life. Indeed the last eight have harvested a meagre 1.5 goals per game.
Arsenal v Brentford (15:00) - Capital gains
The Bees are absolutely buzzing right now, unbeaten in eight and furthermore wasting little time in making their good form count. Two-thirds of their goals post-Qatar have come before the break.
It's a highly impressive run that has seen them keep four clean sheets in five and Thomas Frank's men will not be cowed by a trip to the Emirates, having taken 11 points from 18 off the traditional 'top six' this term.
The league leaders will very likely respond constructively to consecutive defeats, one in the cup, and in Eddie Nketiah they possess a striker who has notched 13 goals in his last 13 starts on home soil. They also have a very decent record in London derbies, winning their last seven.
Crystal Palace v Brighton (15:00) - Slightly feisty
Given the intense rivalry between these clubs it's tempting to think it might get feisty at Selhurst Park and history tells us we're half right.
An average of 3.7 yellow cards across their previous 10 Premier League clashes is par for the course. Two dismissals however is above the norm.
What does jump out from this fixture's past is a propensity for second-half goals with 75% of strikes going back to 2018 converted after the break.
This leads us to Kaoru Mitoma who not only boasts nine direct goal involvements in his last 12 but has also fired two late winners in recent weeks.
Wilfried Zaha meanwhile always rises to the occasion against Brighton, scoring eight in prior meetings, but considering the contrasting form of both clubs it will likely be the Japanese winger who shines brightest.
Fulham v Nottingham Forest (15:00) - Aleksandar, the wait
Aleksandar Mitrovic's 4.2 shots per game across this campaign is a league high but by his usually prolific standards the Serb is enduring a lean spell, firing blanks in his last three outings and last scoring at Craven Cottage back in October.
This of course is hardly a drought, more of a parched throat, and notably the striker has form for felling the Tricky Trees, scoring three in their last three meetings.
Even if it feels premature to call it a dip, Fulham are winless in three while Forest are on a definite upcurve, unbeaten in 2023, but the visitors must start showing more intent on the road, scoring only three times in 11 away games.
In this regard they will turn to Brennan Johnson who has five direct goal involvements in four.
Leicester v Tottenham (15:00) - Goals galore
Harry Kane's record-breaking feats have helped maintain Spurs' top-four aspirations, as detailed by Mike Norman here, and the arch-poacher will be licking his lips at the prospect of facing Leicester. Remarkably, Kane has scored 20 in 19 against the Foxes in all comps, with five assists along the way.
Consecutive clean sheets bodes well for Antonio Conte's men after a sustained period of haemorrhaging goals but they'll be seriously tested at the King Power, with Leicester a greatly improved proposition following the return to action of James Maddison.
It's highly pertinent however, that even in posting two decent results, the Foxes still conceded twice each time.
There will be goals in this one, for sure.
Southampton v Wolves (15:00) - Sorry Saints
On paper this is a bottom six-clash but Wolves appear to be on the mend under Julen Lopetegui and will be on a significant high from thrashing Liverpool last weekend. The Saints, by stark contrast, continue to veer from crisis to conflict.
This, let's not forget, will be the first game where we'll see Nathan Jones' uncompromised management, with the wonderfully deluded Welshman claiming last week he has taken the middle ground to date. Whether his bellicose comments lead to anything, only Saturday will tell.
Certainly Southampton have to start showing something. They've been breached every 49 minutes all season, including a league-high 13 from crosses. Going forward, they are one of only four sides still to score on the counter and have converted the fewest number inside the box. This highlights their reliance on James Ward-Prowse and his wand of a right foot.
They have also won a lowly 4.4 corners per game.
Bournemouth v Newcastle (17:30) - Curate's egg
Four draws in five is a real curate's egg for the Magpies. On the one hand it extends their unbeaten run to 16, extending too a phenomenally good defensive record.
West Ham's equalizer last week was the first time Newcastle had been breached for nine-and-a-half hours.
The flip-side, however, is that the goals have dried up. In their last five outings, only two efforts have found the back of the net. In the five prior they notched 14.
It's a blessing therefore that it's Bournemouth they're facing as a top four fight sheds its gloves. The Cherries have kept only one shut-out since the start of October and have averaged 3.2 shots on target all season.