THERE are only three Premier League matches this Saturday which is a change from what we've come to expect in these rescheduled times, but with three potential title challengers in action, two sides trying to raise themselves out of the relegation zone with their first win, and the always entertaining West Ham in action, this Saturday should be a cracker.
Sheff Utd vs Man City | Saturday October 31, 12:30
Stretching back to last season, Sheff Utd are currently enduring a nine-game winless run in the Premier League with a 1-1 draw with Fulham the only occasion they've managed to avoid defeat. After threatening the top four last year, the Blades are more akin to a relegation outfit this time around with no clean sheest in any of their games so far, and two of their three goals coming from the penalty spot.
Not a great time then to face Man City, a side who are unbeaten in eight Premier League clashes with Sheff Utd with seven clean sheets. There's no doubt that the current version of Man City is nowhere near their swaggering best under Pep Guardiola, as just one win from their five league games in 2020/21 will testify, but with a morale-boosting 3-0 win over Marseille under their belts this week, there's no reason to suspect a shock in this one.
Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus remain sidelined for City, as does Jack O'Connell for Utd, but Kevin De Bruyne will be fit enough to start. With Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and increasingly youngsters Phil Foden and Ferran Torres coming to the fore in recent games, there's more than enough there for a comfortable away win.
Match odds: Sheff Utd (17/2) Draw (19/4) Man City (8/25)
Correct score: Sheff Utd 0-3 Man City (15/2)
Tip: Man City to win to nil (27/20)
Burnley vs Chelsea | Saturday October 31, 15:00
Chelsea's goalless draw at Old Trafford last weekend did not please everyone, but it would certainly have pleased Frank Lampard whose new keeper Eduoard Mendy has now put a run of three straight clean sheets together. With Burnley scoring the joint fewest goals from open play (one) this season, a solid defensive shift could see Mendy pick up a fourth.
The Blues also have a fine record at Turf Moor with five wins in their last six Premier League trips, scoring at least two on every occasion. In this fixture last season, Christian Pulisic hit a hat-trick as Chelsea cruised to their second straight four-goal win on Burnley's patch. There is a potentially tricky Champions League clash away to Krasnodar to deal with first, but Burnley's one point, one goal season so far will be striking fear into nobody's heart.
None of Burnley and Chelsea's 12 Premier League matches have been goalless at half-time. In fact, this is the most played fixture in the competition to have always had a first goal. So I like the look of the HT Chelsea, FT Chelsea market here. Burnley have not shown a terrific amount of fight this season, so if the Blues can forge an early lead, that could be all it takes for the win.
Match odds: Burnley (5/1) Draw (33/20) Chelsea (11/20)
Correct score: Burnley 0-2 Chelsea (7/1)
Tip: HT Chelsea, FT Chelsea (5/4)
Liverpool vs West Ham | Saturday October 31, 17:30
Between 1978 and 1980, Liverpool went a staggering 63 league games unbeaten at Anfield. 40 years on, they're just one game away from matching it, and the outlook is fairly promising here. Sadio Mane (five goals, three assists) and Mo Salah (six goals, two assists) have each been involved in eight goals in six Premier League appearances against the Hammers, with Mane scoring in each of his last four, while new signing Diogo Jota can become the first Red since Luis Garcia in 2004 to score in his first three league appearances at Anfield.
However, West Ham should not be taken lightly after impressively remaining unbeaten through fixtures which pitted them against four of last season's top seven in succession. With wins over Wolves (4-0) and Leicester (0-3), and draws with Tottenham (3-3) and Man City (1-1), this is arguably the most confident this set of players will have collectively felt at any point in the last few years.
Michail Antonio's tally of 11 post-lockdown goals is only bettered by Harry Kane (12). He's expected to recover from a knock which saw whim withdrawn at Man City and worry a Liverpool defence that not only lacks Virgil Van Dijk at present but also now the Dutchman's replacement in Fabinho who was taken off against Midtjylland on Wednesday. West Ham have had chances in every match so far, and they'll get them on Saturday, but I'm backing Alisson to save the day, and Mane and Salah to do the business.
Match odds: Liverpool (7/20) Draw (17/4) West Ham (15/2)
Correct score: Liverpool 3-1 West Ham (17/2)
Tip: Match multi – Salah to score, Mane to score (5/2)
Trebles
Results treble: Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool – 7/4
Correct score treble: Sheff Utd 0-3 Man City, Burnley 0-2 Chelsea , Liverpool 3-1 West Ham – 600/1
Tip treble: Man City to win to nil, HT Chelsea, FT Chelsea, Match multi – Salah to score, Mane to score – 17/1
Click here to read Premier League betting tips for Sunday November 1, 2020
