Manchester City and Spurs all square, Leicester end Liverpool hoodoo: Premier League predictions

Club football back in action after international break with Guardiola and Mourinho going head-to-head again

SATURDAY - Newcastle United v Chelsea (Kick off 4.30pm UAE): St James' Park has not been a happy hunting ground for Chelsea with the Blues losing five of their last seven trips to Tyneside - including a 1-0 defeat in January which saw Frank Lampard's team enjoy 70 per cent possession and make 19 attempts on goal. Expect similar stats this time around but with a Chelsea attack now containing the likes of Timo Werner and Hakim Ziyech, no Newcastle miracle. Prediction: Newcastle 1 Chelsea 3. AP

Aston Villa v Brighton (7pm): Villa will hoping that the latest international break has not cost them momentum after their superb win at Arsenal last time out. Ollie Watkins, who scored a hat-trick in their barely believable 7-2 victory over Liverpool, grabbed a brace at the Emirates and will be looking to add to his tally again against struggling Brighton. The Seagull's have only won once all season - at Newcastle back in September - and should be there for the taking. Prediction: Villa 4 Brighton 2. EPA

Spurs v Manchester City (9.30pm): A crunch clash even before you take into consideration the rivalry between the two managers. Jose Mourinho's Spurs are second in the table and the Harry Kane-Son Heung-min attacking partnership feels almost unstoppable at the moment. Pep Guardiola's City appear to have found the defensive stability missing last season but are lacking their usual attacking edge. Prediction: Spurs 1 City 1. Getty

Manchester United v West Bromwich Albion (midnight): Every game feels like a huge game for United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at the moment. A 3-1 win at Everton in their last match has kept the wolves from the Old Trafford door for a while longer but a squad like United's should not be sitting 14th in the table. Failure to beat a Baggies outfit without a win all season and all the hard work of the win on Merseyside will be immediately forgotten again. Prediction: United 2 West Brom 0. AFP

SUNDAY - Fulham v Everton (4pm): After finally winning your first game of the season, at the seventh attempt, the last thing you need in your next match is for one of your players to fluff a last-gasp chance to grab a point with an embarrassing Panenka-style penalty. But that is what happened for Fulham at West Ham and manager Scott Parker did not hide his fury at Ademola Lookman after the game. Everton have their own problems, taking one point from a possible 12, but you fancy them to re-find their winning touch here. Prediction: Fulham 1 Everton 3. AP

Sheffield United v West Ham (6pm): These are worrying times for Sheffield United. Bottom of the table with one point, coming in on the back of a 4-1 thumping by Chelsea, the Blades are experiencing by far the worst start under Chris Wilder in his fifth campaign as manager. They desperately need three points but West Ham have shown they are capable of downing bigger guns than Wilder's side and the winless run is set to continue for the Yorkshire club. Prediction: Sheffield United 0 West Ham 1. Reuters

Leeds v Arsenal (8.30pm): Consistency is proving elusive for both of these sides. Leeds followed up their 3-0 win at Aston Villa by suffering successive 4-1 batterings, against Leicester and, more damagingly, at Crystal Palace. The Gunners secured a rare win at Manchester United only to fall to a 3-0 home defeat to Aston Villa a week later. A hard one to call but you feel with Marcelo Bielsa's side involved, there will be goals. Prediction: Leeds 3 Arsenal 2. Getty

Liverpool v Leicester (11.15pm): Table-toppers Leicester might just have timed their trip to Merseyside with perfection. The reigning champions were already ravaged by injuries so the news that attacker Mohamed Salah has tested positive for Covid-19 and is currently in quarantine is a sucker punch. The Foxes have started the season with nine wins from 12 in all competitions and will never have a better chance of winning at Anfield for the first time since 2000. Prediction: Liverpool 2 Leicester 3. AP

MONDAY - Burnley v Crystal Palace (9.30pm): A real opportunity for Roy Hodgson's Palace to consolidate their position in the top half of the table - and even knock on the door of the top four - if they can beat another of the top-flight's winless wonders in Burnley. Palace were superb in their last match - a 4-1 defeat of Leeds - while the Clarets eked out a point at Brighton. With just three goals all season, it's abundantly clear where Burnley's main problem lies. Prediction: Burnley 0 Palace 2. Getty

Wolves v Southampton (midnight): Heady days for Southampton after a 2-0 win over Newcastle before the international break meant the Saints briefly took over the top of the Premier League for the first time ever. Other results saw them drop down to fourth but it's a position inconsistent Wolves would like to emulate. Defensively, Nuno Espirito Santo's men are a tough nut to crack but only the bottom four clubs have scored less goals. Prediction: Wolves 1 Southampton 1. Reuters

After yet another international break we can now turn out attentions back to the much more interesting domestic dust-ups.

There are a few humdingers this weekend with top-of-the-table tussles and a bitter old rivalry resurfacing again.

Kicking off proceedings on Saturday is Newcastle United's clash with Chelsea on Tyneside, followed by Aston Villa versus Brighton in the midlands.

Then attentions turn to Tottenham Hotspur against Manchester City – and Jose Mourinho going head-to-head with Pep Guardiola – in the capital. Manchester United's home game with West Bromwich Albion brings to day to a close.

On Sunday, it is Fulham against Everton first up at Craven Cottage, then two games in Yorkshire with struggling Sheffield United playing host to West Ham United and Leeds United taking on Arsenal. Finally, on to the match of the day with champions Liverpool's clash with table-topping Leicester City at Anfield.

Monday sees Burnley looking to win their first game of the season at home to Crystal Palace, followed by Wolves versus Southampton at Molineux.

To see our predictions for the upcoming matches, look through the photo gallery above and click on the arrows or swipe.