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City and Liverpool to disappoint
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Gunners set to carry on firing
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Fading Fulham a cautionary tale
Man City v Liverpool (12:30) - A slow build
Alex Keble backs goals at the Etihad but there is sufficient evidence to consider the alternative.
Aside from Arsenal's recent 4-2 besting of Aston Villa, Saturday lunchtime kick-offs are typically low-scoring affairs, offering up a slender 1.5 goals per game from the last 10. In this instance too, players are out of the Premier League groove having returned from all over the globe.
Let's meet down the middle therefore and suggest a cagey opening half an hour is not out of the question before each team remembers themselves and this fixture reverts to type.
Erling Haaland hasn't trained this week so that's naturally a colossal miss for City, but so too is Phil Foden who always seems to excel against the Reds.
On the striking front it's better news for Jurgen Klopp with Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo both set to feature after respectively suffering from an ankle knock and food poisoning. How fit and firing they are however remains to be seen.
Arsenal v Leeds (15:00) - A magnificent seven
If results go their way this Saturday, the Gunners could conceivably find themselves 11 points clear at the top but for that to happen they must overcome a seventh consecutive side they're both expected to beat and half-expected to slip up to.
The manner in which Mikel Arteta's side have navigated this pressure is little short of impressive, averaging 3.1 goals since losing to title rivals Manchester City six weeks ago with Gabriel Martinelli coming to the fore throughout. The Brazilian has notched six in six and will surely play a pivotal role again at the Emirates.
As for Leeds, there are clear signs of improvement since Javi Gracia took the reins but historically their record in this fixture is poor, failing to win in 13 attempts.
It's worth noting that nine of the last 10 goals Leeds have conceded have come after the break.
Bournemouth v Fulham (15:00) - Cottagers in decline
Aleksandar Mitrovic is clearly a big miss for the Cottagers, a player who has scored 28.9% of their season's haul and 33% of their headed goals. That matters given that Fulham have thrown in the fifth most crosses this term.
With the burly Serb in their line-up Fulham have picked up 1.5 points-per-game. Without him, 1.1.
His absence is enforced following his cup antics at Old Trafford and though Fulham's meltdown was spectacular it shouldn't have overly surprised. No team have picked up more cautions in the top-flight.
With the influential Willian also unavailable it presents an opportunity for the Cherries to secure a precious result against opponents who appear to be fading.
Brighton v Brentford (15:00) - Marching on together
The Seagulls have lost just once in their last nine outings. The Bees have lost only once since October, an extended run that has seen them pick up four points from the Etihad and Emirates.
Both have a top six place firmly in their nostrils. Both have been absolutely outstanding for the most part this season.
In trying to separate them we go back five months to their corresponding clash in West London, when Brentford were victorious despite Brighton boasting 72.5% of the possession. Thomas Frank's men have scored five times this term from counters.
Expect a similar approach from the visitors, which is a risk because Brighton are a far more cohesive proposition now with the ball, as evidenced by winning four of their last five at home to nil.
In Solly March they have one of the form players in the top-flight and we'll continue banging the drum for this ever-excellent, always under-appreciated talent until the odds catch up with him. The 28-year-old has racked up 25 shots on target in 2022/23, more than anyone else featuring besides Ivan Toney.
Speaking of Toney, while his goal-threat is an obvious detail, so too are his nine yellow cards picked up in battle.
Crystal Palace v Leicester (15:00) - What gives?
Something has to give at Selhurst Park with Leicester the only side yet to keep a clean sheet post-Qatar and Palace the joint lowest scorers in the top-flight.
To elaborate on the latter, remarkably the Foxes have scored more goals in the first-half of contests this term than the Eagles have in total. To extend on the former, since Boxing Day, Brendan Rodgers' malfunctioning side have been breached on average every 45 minutes.
This surely represents a decent opportunity to put that right, facing a Palace front three who have collectively scored just the once in 2023. Wilfried Zaha's drought now runs into double figures.
It's a lack of potency that cost Patrick Vieira his job over the international hiatus with Roy Hodgson back in temporary charge, and Roy being Roy his first priority will be to make Palace difficult to break down.
Add in what's at stake on Saturday and this has a low-scoring afternoon written all over it.
Nottingham Forest v Wolves (15:00) - Drawing conclusions
Don't expect especially long highlights on Match of the Day for this one either, given that between them Forest and Wolves have scored two fewer league goals than Brighton.
Only four of their meagre combined tally have come from outside the box though that's not for a lack of trying from Ruben Neves. The Portuguese international has taken on 55 shots this term and that's ten more than anyone else expected to be on the pitch this weekend.
Wolves' middling away form is a factor, their only two wins coming against sides enduring outright crisis at the time (Everton in December and Southampton in February). They do, however, know how to eke out a stalemate, drawing half of their away games against non-top-six opponents this season.
Forest aren't a bad proposition at home but even with a vast squad their injury worries are substantial with strikers Awoniyi, Wood, Dennis, Ayew and - most crucially - Brennan Johnson all either ruled out or 50/50.
Pertinently, the Tricky Trees have drawn half of their last 10 at the City Ground.
Chelsea v Aston Villa (17:30) - On the up
Graham Potter will have been frustrated at the timing of the international break, with Chelsea turning a significant corner in March, even if a last minute concession to Everton was an almighty fly in the ointment. Kai Havertz has scored three in three, Raheem Sterling is set to return from a hamstring problem, while Ben Chilwell has added greater intent down their left. The Blues should be backed here.
That's not to diminish the visitor's chances who are also in decent shape, unbeaten since mid-February and keeping three clean sheets in four. Ollie Watkins has found the net in each of his last four away games.
With both sides on the up let's overlook the fact that Stamford Bridge has heralded the fewest number of goals this term. Indeed, the only negative worth highlighting is Villa's low corner-count in 2022/23.