Tottenham and Aston Villa meet in Saturday’s early kick-off in a Premier League fixture that few would have predicted at the start of the season, with the two clubs sitting 17th and 19th respectively in the table and both still searching for a foothold.
Tottenham finished 17th in each of the past two campaigns and spent more than £300m in the summer in an attempt to change that, yet four games in they are 17th again, without a win and without a single goal. Roberto De Zerbi insisted after Tuesday’s League Cup defeat at Liverpool that his side would “click” soon, and a home game against a Villa team with only one point so far presents an obvious opportunity – for both sides.
Arsenal, by contrast, have opened the defence of their title with four wins from four and face what looks the trickiest of trips, away to Brighton, whose 13 goals from four games are the highest in the division. At St James’ Park, Newcastle are dealing with an injury-hit squad after Monday’s 4-1 thrashing at Leeds ended their unbeaten start, a result that served as a wake-up call for Matthias Jaissle. They host high-flying Hull, whose manager Sergej Jakirovic has taken them to fourth with two wins and two draws, including a 2-2 draw with Chelsea last time out.
In the Women’s Super League, Renée Slegers’ Arsenal are unbeaten going into their Emirates Stadium meeting with Manchester United, although they were frustrated by a scoreless draw with promoted Crystal Palace last weekend. Eva Olid’s United have lost both of their opening games and have conceded seven goals, more than any other WSL team. “My main message is about being themselves,” Olid said. “I am not sure they are showing in the first two matches who they are and what they can do. For me it is so important that they show that to perform. We had a day to reflect and analyse the game, to see what we can do better and we know what we have to do.”
Sunday brings four Premier League matches, an Old Firm derby and a meeting of old foes at Molineux, where Wolves host West Brom. Liverpool are unbeaten in all competitions under their new head coach, Andoni Iraola, but three draws from four league games have stifled any early momentum. Iraola returns to familiar surroundings at Bournemouth, the club he previously managed, where his replacement Marco Rose is still awaiting a first league win after three draws and an unlucky defeat at Manchester City.
At Craven Cottage, the pressure is building on Michael Carrick. Manchester United have won only one of four league games – at home to promoted Ipswich – and that was compounded by Wednesday’s League Cup exit at home to Brighton, having led 2-0. Another setback against a Fulham side without a league win would deepen the sense that United’s season is in danger of drifting before it has properly begun. United take encouragement from having not lost at Fulham since 2009, while Álvaro Arbeloa’s team drew at Liverpool last week and won a League Cup tie at West Ham in midweek.
Celtic have a 100% league record but arrive at Sunday’s Old Firm derby in something of a tailspin, having been thumped 3-0 in the League Cup by Rangers at Ibrox and then beaten 3-1 by Ferencvaros at Parkhead in the Europa League on Thursday. Rangers, who visit Celtic Park, will be striving to make it six wins in succession across all competitions. Martin O’Neill called the latest loss “a huge frustration” and “psychologically damning”, admitting: “It’s not the start we wanted. Really need to concentrate now on Sunday … Sunday’s a big game.”
In the Championship, leaders West Ham travel to the Den to face London rivals Millwall for the first time in 14 years.