Three “Must-Watch” Premier League Games This Weekend
West Ham vs Manchester City- Saturday, 10:00 AM (EST)
West Ham Forward Michail Antonio. Credit: Getty Images
It wasn’t too long ago that this fixture would be viewed as an average weekend clash. This year's meeting, however, is a tantalizing mixture of play styles and players. Through four games, Manchester City has a record of 4-0-0 and is in first place, while West Ham enters the match with a record of 3-1-0 and is in fourth. The Hammers’ only draw came against Bournemouth in the first game of the season. Since then, David Moyes’ side has outscored opponents 8-3. West Ham’s counterattacking style differs from the possession-based tactics of many of the other teams in the top half of the table. Jamaican international and consistent goal threat Michail Antonio has notched two goals while winger Jarrod Bowen has three.
Manchester City has been dominant once again. The Manchurians are tied for a league-high 11 goals scored. Defensively, City are in sole possession of the best goals allowed record, with just two conceded. Striker Erling Haaland has already found the back of the net six times, but it’s been MC’s other players who have really shined. Youth academy product Phil Foden has stepped up in the absence of Kevin De Bruyne. The England international has picked up right where the Belgian left off, dishing out three assists to start the year. Rodri has been Guardiola’s most consistent player, once again, controlling the midfield in each match. The Spaniard has completed a league-high 453 passes in just four matches.
Manchester United vs. Brighton- Saturday, 10:00 AM (EST)
Irish Striker Evan Ferguson has scored four goals for Brighton. Credit: Getty Images
Firstly, it is important to note that this match takes place at the same time as the West Ham and Manchester City game. Despite that, these squads each have too many storylines surrounding them not to include the fixture in this list. Manchester United has started the season with a record of 2-0-2 and are in 11th. Brighton come into Old Trafford boasting an impressive 3-0-1 record and sit comfortably in sixth. The Seagulls are flying, once again, under the supervision of the much-publicized Roberto De Zerbi. The Italian manager helped lead Brighton to a sixth place finish last season. Even with losing the likes of midfielders Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister, the Seagulls have still managed to be one of most entertaining teams in all of soccer. Brighton’s seemingly endless supply of youth talent has stolen the show for another season. Irish striker Evan Ferguson has four goals and even scored a hat trick in his last match against Newcastle.
While the buzz hovering above Brighton is largely positive, Manchester United once again find themselves in the midst of controversy. Off the field issues have plagued the Red Devils over the last 12 months. Manager Erik ten Hag has decided to keep winger Jadon Sancho out of training after the former wonderkid made comments after United’s 3-1 defeat to Arsenal. Additionally, Brazilian winger Antony has not been allowed to come back to the club’s training ground following allegations of abuse from three women. On the field, Manchester United have continued to struggle against quality opponents. United’s losses have come against Arsenal and Tottenham. Even in wins, the Red Devils have looked poor. United beat Wolves 1-0, but allowed six shots on target. Additionally, Man. U barely squeaked by 10-man Nottingham Forest 3-2. No player has scored more than one goal for the side all season.
Newcastle United vs. Brentford- Saturday, 12:30 PM (EST)
Newcastle acquired Sandro Tonali from AC Milan for €64 million over the summer. Credit: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images
Capping off Saturday's impressive slate of seven matches is Newcastle vs Brentford. The Magpies entered this season with a lot of expectations; however, their schedule has not been kind. Newcastle comes into the game with a record of 1-0-3 and in 14th place. However, all three of their losses came against opponents currently in the top six. On the other side, Brentford sits in eighth place with a record of 1-3-0. Without striker Ivan Toney, Brentford has relied heavily on the contributions of Bryan Mbeumo. The Cameroonian has tallied four goals in four matches, good enough for second in the Premiership. Under manager Thomas Frank, Brentford has established itself as a real threat in Europe's top division. Last season, the London side became giant slayers, finishing with an impressive 6-3-3 record against the “Big Six.”
Newcastle finished last year in fourth place, qualifying for the Champions League for the first time since 2002-03. The summer additions of midfielder Sandro Tonali, winger Harvey Barnes, and fullback Tino Livramento gave fans of the Magpies a lot of hope for this year’s campaign. Despite going toe-to-toe with the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool, Newcastle has not been able to take down the Premier League’s upper echelon of teams. This weekend's matchup is the first time that the Magpies will play against a team that is not in a European competition. Swedish striker Alexander Isak has not scored since he netted two in Newcastle's 5-1 shellacking of Aston Villa in the opening week.
