The Premier League returns this weekend following the midweek European fixtures.
Champions Manchester City travel to Arsenal on Sunday in an anticipated showdown, while Manchester United play Brentford on Saturday and Tottenham Hotspur face Luton Town at Kenilworth Road.
VAR is sure to be in the spotlight after a week during which referees’ body PGMOL released the officials’ audio following Liverpool’s wrongly disallowed goal against Spurs — and Jurgen Klopp subsequently called for a replay. Klopp’s side head to Brighton on Sunday.
_The Athletic _brings you all the latest team news and injury updates going into the 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: Who should you keep and sell?
Luton Town vs Tottenham Hotspur
_Saturday, October 7 (12.30pm BST) _
Luton team news:Albert Sambi Lokonga, Gabriel Osho, Dan Potts, Jordan Clark and Amari’i Bell are all still in the treatment room. Teden Mengi replaced Reece Burke — who had a groin issue but was still named among the substitutes — in the backline against Burnley last time out.
Tottenham team news:Manor Solomon is facing an extended period on the sidelines with a torn meniscus in his knee. Bryan Gil is close to making his comeback after groin surgery but if he is still not ready, Spurs’ main attacking options on the bench are likely to be 20-year-old Alejo Veliz and 18-year-old Jamie Donley.
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Referee: John Brooks (VAR: Michael Oliver)
Opta omen: This is the first meeting between Luton and Tottenham in any competition since a goalless draw in a top–flight game at Kenilworth Road in March 1992.
Burnley vs Chelsea
Saturday, October 7 (3pm BST)
Burnley team news: Johann Berg Gudmundsson, Manuel Benson and Nathan Redmond are still out but could return after the international break. Aaron Ramsey is being assessed after a knock. Hjalmar Ekdal and Michael Obafemi are long-term absentees.
**Chelsea team news: **Nicolas Jackson returns from suspension after sitting out the Fulham win after picking up five yellow cards, but Malo Gusto’s ban continues. Mykhailo Mudryk — who scored his first Chelsea goal last time out — was taken off at half-time with a thigh issue, but Mauricio Pochettino played down the severity after the game. Romeo Lavia, Benoit Badiashile, Carney Chukwuemeka and Marcus Bettinelli are edging closer to a return. Reece James, who has been sidelined with a hamstring injury, is suspended. Wesley Fofana, Christopher Nkunku and Ben Chilwell are longer-term absentees.
Mykhailo Mudryk, who scored against Fulham, is expected to be fit (Getty Images)
Referee: Stuart Attwell (VAR: Darren Bond)
Opta omen: Burnley have won just one of their 16 Premier League matches against Chelsea (D4 L11), a 3–2 away win in August 2017 when the Blues were reigning champions.
Everton vs Bournemouth
Saturday, October 7 (3pm BST)
**Everton team news: **Andre Gomes is nearing a return, but Seamus Coleman is still building up his fitness after a knee injury and Dele is a “longer-term” absentee. Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored in his last three games in all competitions and is getting closer to “true total fitness,” manager Sean Dyche has said.
**Bournemouth team news: **Tyler Adams faces another spell on the sidelines after suffering a hamstring injury setback. Ryan Fredericks, Lloyd Kelly, Chris Mepham, Alex Scott and Emiliano Marcondes are continuing their rehabilitation.
Referee: David Coote (VAR: Simon Hooper)
Opta omen: The home team has won nine of the 12 Premier League games between Everton and Bournemouth (D2 L1), the only away win being a 3–1 Bournemouth victory in July 2020.
Fulham vs Sheffield United
Saturday, October 7 (3pm BST)
Fulham team news:Tosin Adarabioyo is still out with a groin injury. Adama Traore and Kenny Tete are being assessed.
**Sheffield United team news: **Centre-back John Egan will be “out for a while” and is due to see a specialist, Paul Heckingbottom has confirmed. United are already without defenders George Baldock, Max Lowe and Rhys-Norrington Davies. Tom Davies is doubtful but Oliver Norwood could return in midfield if Heckingbottom decides to try and shore up his winless team. Daniel Jebbison remains out with illness, but striker Rhian Brewster returned against West Ham United after a long lay-off.
Referee: Sam Barrott (VAR: Paul Tierney)
Opta omen: Sheffield United won both of their most recent league meetings with Fulham in the 2021–22 campaign, last winning three in a row against the Cottagers between 1985 and 1988.
Manchester United vs Brentford
Saturday, October 7 (3pm BST)
**Manchester United team news: **Sergio Reguilon will be assessed but Lisandro Martinez, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are still out. Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo are also sidelined, though Mainoo is closing in on a comeback. Antony has returned from his leave of absence over assault allegations, which he denies, and made a late cameo in the midweek defeat to Galatasaray. Casemiro’s suspension following a red card in that game only applies to European competition. Jadon Sancho has been exiled from the squad following a dispute with manager Erik ten Hag.
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Casemiro’s red card will only be punished in the Champions League (Getty Images)
Brentford team news:Ivan Toney is banned until January, although the striker scored on his return to action in a behind-closed-doors game in midweek. Neal Maupay played in that game and could feature. Joshua Dasilva, Ben Mee, Mikkel Damsgaard and Shandon Baptiste are sidelined, while Rico Henry and Kevin Schade are longer-term absentees.
Referee: Andy Madley (VAR: Peter Bankes)
Opta omen: Manchester United have lost back–to–back home Premier League games, as many defeats as in their previous 34 at Old Trafford (W25 D7). They’ve not lost three on the bounce on home soil in league competition since February 1979.
Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest
_Saturday, October 7 (5.30pm BST) _
**Crystal Palace team news: **Odsonne Edouard is being monitored after a recent thigh injury. Eberechi Eze, Nathan Ferguson, Michael Olise, Naouirou Ahamada and Matheus Franca are sidelined, as are Jefferson Lerma, James Tomkins and Dean Henderson.
**Nottingham Forest team news: **Moussa Niakhate is suspended. Ryan Yates and Danilo are sidelined with hamstring problems, while Ola Aina and Nuno Tavares are nursing muscle injuries. Steve Cooper said on Thursday that Tavares will not be back until after the international break but that Aina had a chance of featuring. Felipe has a knee problem.
Referee: Craig Pawson (VAR: Michael Salisbury)
Opta omen: Nottingham Forest have lost just one of their last 11 league games against Crystal Palace (W6 D4), a 1–0 home defeat in the Championship in December 2011.
Brighton vs Liverpool
Sunday, October 8 (2pm BST)
**Brighton team news: **Pervis Estupinan will be out for about a month after suffering an injury in Brighton’s six-goal thrashing at Aston Villa. Julio Enciso is still sidelined with a knee injury but Jakob Moder is back in training after a long lay-off. Roberto De Zerbi has said he needs to manage the fitness of Adam Webster and Danny Welbeck.
**Liverpool team news: **Cody Gakpo missed out in the Europa League against Union Saint-Gilloise with injury and will sit out again, though is expected to return after the international break. Curtis Jones is suspended after the club failed in their appeal against his red card against Tottenham, while Diogo Jota is also banned. Thiago is recovering after a groin injury.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (VAR: Chris Kavanagh)
Opta omen: Liverpool won their first six Premier League matches against Brighton across the 2017–18, 2018–19 and 2019–20 seasons. In the last three seasons, however, the Reds have just one league win against them (D3 L2).
West Ham United vs Newcastle United
Sunday, October 8 (2pm BST)
West Ham team news: Striker Michail Antonio missed the Europa League victory against Freiburg with a thigh injury suffered against Sheffield United last weekend. Aaron Cresswell and Ben Johnson are still dealing with muscle injuries of their own.
**Newcastle team news: **Callum Wilson and Joelinton missed the Champions League win over Paris Saint-Germain but were close to being involved and could return. Sven Botman is sidelined with a knee injury but is expected to be back shortly after the international break.
Joelinton could return for Newcastle (Getty Images)
Referee: Peter Bankes (VAR: Andy Madley)
Opta omen: Newcastle have won four of their six Premier League visits to the London Stadium (D1 L1), as many as their final 14 in the competition at Upton Park against West Ham beforehand (W4 D3 L7).
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Aston Villa
Sunday, October 8 (2pm BST)
**Wolves team news: **Jean-Ricner Bellegarde is suspended. Tommy Doyle is available after being ineligible against parent club Manchester City.
**Aston Villa team news: **Leon Bailey returned to the squad for Thursday’s Europa League fixture against Zrinjski. Jacob Ramsey is being assessed, while Moussa Diaby, Boubacar Kamara and Alex Moreno are sidelined but making progress. Emi Buendia and Tyrone Wings are long-term absentees.
Referee: Rob Jones (VAR: David Coote)
Opta omen: Wolves have lost just four of their 13 home Premier League games in 2023 (W8 D1), having lost each of their final four on home soil in 2022. They’ve won five of their last eight at Molineux (D1 L2) keeping a clean sheet in four of those wins.
Arsenal vs Manchester City
Sunday, October 8 (2pm BST)
Arsenal team news: Arsenal are waiting on the fitness of Bukayo Saka, who limped off in Tuesday’s Champions League defeat at Lens. Saka was included in the England squad on Thursday, with Gareth Southgate admitting the forward was “still being assessed”. Thomas Partey returned to the squad for that game after injury but did not appear from the bench. Gabriel Martinelli is a doubt.
Manchester City team news:Bernardo Silva came through the Champions League win over RB Leipzig unscathed after returning following injury. John Stones did not feature but was back on the bench.
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Referee: Michael Oliver (VAR: John Brooks)
Opta omen: Should Man City beat Arsenal, it would be the joint–longest Premier League winning run for a team against an opponent, equalling Man Utd against Wigan (13 between 2005 and 2011) and City themselves against West Brom (13 between 2012 and 2018).
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(Photo: Getty Images)
