The quarter-finalists in the Carabao Cup were confirmed in some exciting midweek encounters but now our attentions turns back to the Premier League in England as we look ahead to round 10 of fixtures in 2017/18. Full weekend fixtures as follows:
Saturday, October 28th
Man United vs Tottenham
West Brom vs Man City
Watford vs Stoke
Crystal Palace vs West Ham
Liverpool vs Huddersfield
Arsenal vs Swansea
Bournemouth vs Chelsea
Sunday, October 29th
Brighton vs Southampton
Leicester City vs Everton
Monday, October 31st
Burnley vs Newcastle
Manchester United vs Tottenham Hotspur
Jose Mourinho will be hoping his Red Devils can bounce right back to winning ways after their shock first defeat of the season away to Huddersfield last time out which saw them fall further behind league leaders and noisy neighbours Manchester City at this early stage. Mauricio Pochettino and Spurs however, are full of confidence ahead of this crunch clash at Old Trafford following their 4-1 humiliation of Liverpool at Wembley last weekend. They have won five and drawn two of their last seven Premier League games since defeat to Chelsea in August and a win this weekend would lift them ahead of their opponents into second place on the log. United have won their last three home matches against Spurs scoring 5 goals in the process without conceding any. Tottenham’s last win at Old Trafford came on New Year’s Day in 2014 when Emmanuel Adebayor and Christian Eriksen scored either side of a Danny Welbeck strike for the Red Devils for a 2-1 scoreline.
West Bromwich Albion vs Manchester City
What a difference a year makes! Pep Guardiola’s Sky Blues are flying high in the Premier League in 2017/18 and while they dropped off the pace at similar stage last season, there is a real feeling around the Emirates that this will once again be their year. Eight wins from nine league games represents the only remaining unbeaten start to the season and, five points clear of United and Spurs, they can watch on comfortably irrespective of the result as the two teams below them battle it out before City themselves take to the field guaranteed top spot for another weekend at the very least. West Brom have lost 13 of their last 14 league meetings with Man City and must cast our minds back to September 2010 to when Albion last beat City, 2-1 at home, to knock them out of the League Cup in the third round. City won the corresponding fixture last season 4-0 thanks to a brace each from Sergio Aguero and Ilkay Gundogan.
Crystal Palace vs West Ham United
Two teams desperate for a win this weekend, Crystal Palace and West Ham United, face-off in a London Derby basement battle for the all-important three points. The Hammers have won five out of their last six fixtures against the Eagles including a 1-0 away win in the corresponding fixture last season, in October of last year, thanks to Manuel Lanzini’s 19th minute goal. Not even a win for Palace will lift them off the bottom of the table after eight defeats in their first nine, but anything less than that will surely be a bitter pill to swallow for the fans who just a fortnight ago witnessed that remarkable 2-1 victory over Champions Chelsea.
Liverpool vs Huddersfield
It’s been nearly 18 years since Liverpool’s 2-0 third round FA Cup triumph over Huddersfield Town and over 45 years since the last league meeting between the two teams. The Terriers are back in the big time and have shown already that they are not just there to make up the numbers either. David Wagner’s side come off the back of arguably the biggest win in the club’s history, 2-1 over Manchester United last weekend, and now get ready to face the red half of Merseyside led by another charismatic German. Jurgen Klopp will be feeling the pressure ahead of the visit of Huddersfield after watching his side simply crumble at Wembley against Spurs, which leaves them with just one win in their last six Premier League games, they find themselves in ninth place and looking nervously over their shoulder. They have already dropped points to six of the eight teams ahead of them including the likes of Newcastle, Burnley and Watford and defeat at Anfield on Saturday would see their slide down the table continue and they would fall behind Huddersfield on the table.
Arsenal vs Swansea
Arsene Wenger has seen a true turnaround in his teams form since they were humbled at Anfield back in August. The Gunners have won 9 of their last 11 games in all competitions, losing just the once. The latest of those wins saw them book their place in the last-8 of the League Cup with a brace from 18-year-old debutant Nketiah who could make his first appearance in the Premier League on Saturday against the Swans. Arsenal will have to be weary, having lost three of their last six against Paul Clement’s Stubborn side who themselves have won three of their six visits to the Emirates since winning promotion to the Premier League in 2011, drawing once. Arsenal, however, won the corresponding fixture last season 3-2 thanks to goals from Mesut Ozil and brace from Theo Walcott in a thrilling encounter in what was former manager Bob Bradley’s first game in charge of the Welsh side.