The Premier League returns following the midweek Carabao Cup action.
Arsenal travel to Bournemouth, while Manchester United face Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. The pick of the games, however, takes place on Saturday evening when Tottenham Hotspur host Liverpool.
_The Athletic _brings you all the latest team news and injury updates going into this weekend’s fixtures. Click or tap on the match headings for team and player stats plus all the officials.
- Premier League full schedule and results
- Premier League table
- FPL: Double Gameweek 7 tips and more
Aston Villa vs Brighton
Saturday, September 30 (12.30pm BST)
**Aston Villa team news: **Unai Emery has confirmed that Jacob Ramsey could miss out again this weekend after picking up a “small injury” against Chelsea last Sunday. Emi Buendia and Tyrone Mings are long-term absentees. Tim Iroegbunam and Leon Bailey are doubts.
**Brighton team news: **Jakub Moder is recovering from an ACL injury and Julio Enciso is some months away from returning, while Pascal Gross and James Milner won’t be fit before the international break. Roberto De Zerbi said on Wednesday night that he is hopeful Evan Ferguson can recover from illness.
Referee: Andy Madley (Stuart Attwell VAR)
Opta omen: Aston Villa have won their last four Premier League games against Brighton, scoring exactly two goals each time.
Bournemouth vs Arsenal
Saturday, September 30 (3pm BST)
**Bournemouth team news: **Ryan Fredericks, Chris Mepham, Lloyd Kelly, Alex Scott and Emiliano Marcondes are all out.
**Arsenal team news: **Thomas Partey and Jurrien Timber remain out. Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli are doubts. Rice will continue to be assessed over back discomfort, while Trossard missed the north London derby draw with a muscle injury. Martinelli has been undergoing treatment for a hamstring injury. Saka took a knock to his foot against Spurs but the issue is not thought to be serious.
Declan Rice has avoided serious injury but will be assessed ahead of the weekend (Getty Images)
Referee: Michael Salisbury (David Coote VAR)
Opta omen: Arsenal have scored at least once in all 12 of their Premier League games against Bournemouth, netting 29 goals in total. Of sides they’ve faced at least 10 times in the competition, only against Hull (2.5) do the Gunners have a higher goals–per–game average than they do against the Cherries (2.4).
Everton vs Luton Town
Saturday, September 30 (3pm BST)
**Everton team news: **Dele Alli, Seamus Coleman and Andre Gomes are out. Vitalii Mykolenko is an injury doubt after picking up a knock in the midweek Carabao Cup win over Aston Villa.
**Luton team news: **Dan Potts, Jordan Clark and Gabe Osho are out, as is Albert Sambi Lokonga who suffered a long-term injury last weekend. Ross Barkley could return this weekend, while Tom Lockyer is a doubt after sustaining a minor injury in the Carabao Cup loss against Exeter.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Paul Tierney VAR)
Opta omen: After their 3–1 win at Brentford, Everton are looking to pick up successive league wins for only the second time since the start of last season, previously doing so in September/October 2022 against West Ham and Southampton under Frank Lampard. Manager Sean Dyche last enjoyed back–to–back Premier League victories in February 2022 with Burnley (vs Brighton and Tottenham).
Manchester United vs Crystal Palace
Saturday, September 30 (3pm BST)
**Manchester United team news: **Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia and Kobbie Mainoo are all out. Lisandro Martinez, Scott McTominay and Christian Eriksen are doubtful. Jadon Sancho is still not with the first team and Antony has taken a leave of absence amid assault allegations, which he denies.
Crystal Palace team news:Dean Henderson is a doubt after suffering a leg injury that has seen him go for a scan. Naouirou Ahamada and Jairo Riedewald also nursing issues. James Tomkins, Nathan Ferguson, Michael Olise, Matheus Franca, Jefferson Lerma and Odsonne Edouard are all ruled out.
Referee: Chris Kavanagh (Peter Bankes VAR)
Opta omen: Having won 16 of their first 20 Premier League games against Crystal Palace (80%), Manchester United have won just three of their last eight against the Eagles (37.5 per cent).
Newcastle United vs Burnley
Saturday, September 30 (3pm BST)
**Newcastle team news: **Harvey Barnes suffered a foot injury against Sheffield United last weekend and faces a spell on the sidelines. Emil Krafth and Joe Willock are also out.
**Burnley team news: **Manuel Benson is set to miss the match after sustaining an ankle injury in midweek. Hjalmar Ekdal and Michael Obafemi are also out injured, while Lyle Foster is suspended. Johann Berg Gudmundsson is a doubt. Darko Churlinov was left out of Burnley’s Premier League squad after a health scare. Nathan Redmond is expected to be ready after the international break.
Referee: Thomas Bramble (Jarred Gillett VAR)
Opta omen: For a fifth time in their nine Premier League seasons, Burnley have failed to win any of their opening five matches (D1 L4). The only side to do so in more different campaigns in the competition are Newcastle (seven).
West Ham United vs Sheffield United
Saturday, September 30 (3pm BST)
**West Ham team news: **Aaron Cresswell is an injury doubt.
**Sheffield United team news: **Max Lowe, Ben Osborn, Daniel Jebbison, Rhian Brewster, John Fleck and Rhys Norrington-Davies are still out. Will Osula and George Baldock are doubts but Oli McBurnie can return from suspension.
Sheffield United will hope returning Oli McBurnie can help them in both boxes after their 8-0 Newcastle drubbing (Getty Images)
Referee: Graham Scott (Darren Bond VAR)
Opta omen: West Ham United have won their last six Premier League games against newly promoted sides since losing 1–0 to Nottingham Forest last August. It’s their longest ever winning run against promoted teams in their top–flight history.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester City
Saturday, September 30 (3pm BST)
**Wolves team news: **Jean-Ricner Bellegarde is suspended and Tommy Doyle is ineligible to face his parent club.
**Manchester City team news: **Kevin De Bruyne is a long-term absentee, while Rodri is suspended following his straight red card last weekend. Bernardo Silva and John Stones are fitness doubts.
Referee: Craig Pawson (Robert Jones)
Opta omen: Since the start of last season, Wolves have received more red cards than any other Premier League side (8), with Jean–Ricner Bellegarde against Luton the seventh different player to see red for them in that time, along with Nathan Collins, Diego Costa, Nelson Semedo, Mario Lemina, Matheus Nunes (twice) and Jonny Otto.
Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool
Saturday, September 30 (5.30pm BST)
**Tottenham team news: **Ivan Perisic, Ryan Sessegnon, Rodrigo Bentancur, Alfie Whiteman, Brennan Johnson and Bryan Gil are ruled out. James Maddison and Giovani Lo Celso are doubts.
**Liverpool team news: **Thiago and Trent Alexander-Arnold are both injury doubts.
Referee: Simon Hooper (Darren England VAR)
Opta omen: Liverpool have scored at least once in each of their last 15 Premier League games against Spurs. However, they’ve also only kept two clean sheets in that run, with both sides finding the net in each of the last six meetings between the sides.
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford
Sunday, October 1 (2pm BST)
**Nottingham Forest team news: **Danilo won’t be fit and Nuno Tavares is a doubt.
**Brentford team news: **Kevin Schade, Ben Mee, Rico Henry, Josh Dasilva, Shandon Baptiste and Mikkel Damsgaard are all ruled out through injury, while Ivan Toney remains suspended.
Referee: Paul Tierney (Michael Oliver VAR)
Opta omen: Brentford have won five of their last eight away league games against Nottingham Forest (D1 L2), drawing 2–2 in their only previous top–flight visit to the City Ground last season.
Fulham vs Chelsea
Monday, October 2 (8pm BST)
**Fulham team news: **Tosin Adarabioyo, Adama Traore and Sasa Lukic are likely out of the west London derby. Kenny Tete and Calvin Bassey are doubts.
**Chelsea team news: **Malo Gusto and Nicolas Jackson are suspended. Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku, Romeo Lavia, Trevoh Chalobah, Benoit Badiashile and Carney Chukwuemeka are out. Mauricio Pochettino said after the Carabao Cup victory over Brighton that Ben Chilwell would need to be assessed. “We need to assess (on Thursday). I think it’s a hamstring.”
Referee: Tim Robinson (John Brooks VAR)
Opta omen: Chelsea are winless in their last 18 Premier League games against sides starting the day above them in the table (D5 L13) since a 2–1 win over 3rd–place Leicester in May 2021 when the Blues began the day 4th. They have lost eight of their last nine such matches away from home (D1) since a 2–1 win at table–toppers Man City in May 2021.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
