The weeks are absolutely steaming by, its as though you blink for a minute in the football world and you miss everything; we are already heading into the third game stage at the top flight. Transfers, England and Europe have all been the key subjects of discussion but for now it's premier league o'clock and we certainly have some blockbuster ball games lined up. Last Saturday's showcase made spectacle for some blinding results that made waves in and around the league. Highlighting but a few of the unpredictable accumulations we had Manchester United fail to get their opening win when they drew even in a goal piece game against Sunderland, Liverpool were also stumped, given a slap back to reality as Man City turned on the charm walking over the Scouser's 3-1. Shaky starts have also proven to be a trend for premier league new comers as between Leicester, Burnley and QPR they only have a single point not forgetting about fellow strugglers Crystal Palace who, like two of the newbies, are yet to post a point on the board. The dark cloud continues to lurk over Selhurst Park from Pulis' recent departure, then after appointing Neil Warnock as his successor it would seem to me that they have just opened the flood gates; no top flight experience, an extremely poor record and a outspoken personality can only spell disaster for Palace, Warnock is not the one. So what can we expect this week? a few more revelling results? or an average week in the English league life?.
Whip up your bacon butty, place your feet up and enjoy Saturday's lunchtime kick off between Burnley and Manchester United. There is nothing more welcoming to a freshly sprung Championship side than playing two of England's finest squads in your opening three fixtures, both of which at home in front of your own fans; poor lads couldn't have written a worse opening script. The newbies could rewrite the history books though as last time the Red Devils headed to Turf Moore they lost by a measly late goal, if this happened again I think Louis Van Gaal might just flip his calm and collective lid. Still in search of their first three points of the year, the newly strengthened United team have a point to prove yet again. I'm expecting experimenting, creative play and a lot of eyes to be fixated on the next number seven, Angel Di Maria. Argentinian's will be vital to the clean slate United as fellow countryman Marcus Rojo is strengthening up the leaking Red defence. Manchester are out to cause chaos but I don't think the claret and blue of Burnley are just going to roll over and take it. My 15:00 highlight has got to be at St.James Park in the game between Newcastle and Crystal Palace purely on the fact that Palace have so much at stake, so early on. A new manager behind the reigns with an abysmal reputation, this could cause serious disaster and equal the end of a fruitful Premier League spell, I just genuinely hope for their sakes it goes better than predicted. The Toon army have been thoroughly impressive up until this point and you wouldn't have thought it with just a point on the table. Against Man City they were valiant putting up a solid performance and last weekend at Villa Park they were bigger majority, its just up front they lacked a goal scoring predator. Ginger Pirlo, Jack Colback is a key signing and his recent call up to the England squad has surely boosted his confidence; it would be heartbreaking if the lad went and done a young star stereotype where he flopped harder than a soggy kebab on Friday night. In the Saturday evening showdown Everton are hosting a superb Chelsea and this game has all the right signs for feisty fixture. Goal hungry Costa is looking likely to miss out on this important game after recently taking a knock, the big spaniard seems to have already adapted to English life nailing a sterling two in two games. Everton on the other hand, ploughed into Arsenal last weekend taking a two goal but then threw it all away in a final fluster where the Londoner's came back to snatch a point.
Once again the football heavens have listened to us because for the second week on the bounce we have not one, not two but three super Sunday fixtures. Hull City, still creaking from the Thursday night Europa League game, are going to have to oil up and get back on the saddle as they to travel to Aston Villa. Tired legs and sore heads are going to take a serious toll on the Tiger's but to make it as a consistent top team, they are going to have to deal with it. Last Sunday Villa played in a not so memorable match against Newcastle, I'm seriously dreading this game is going to be another bore draw from two mid table teams. Let us not forget the other 13:30 kick off between Spurs and Liverpool, the Red men of the Mersey put up a severely lack luster display on Monday night against the champions and they lost a lot more than they wanted to from the game. In the final third of the game Liverpool postured a lifeless display and a few of the first team players fell like flies to injury; this week Rodgers is mustering up a plan that is going to be somewhat different from previous scenarios as the enigma, Balotelli is now up on the team sheet. Quietly but competently little old Spurs, who haven't delegated in much business this summer, have snuck in two wins out of two and are top of the league, Pochettino looks as though he's got the sparks finally flying at White Hart Lane. All in all this game is certainly going to be a cracker with no clear victor coming out on top for my predictions, can Balotelli burn holes back in the premier league or will a high flying Tottenham rub salt into an already injured Liverpool team. Finishing off the weekend of football, all ready for the international break, we have Leicester facing off against the Wenger boys, Arsenal. Not a single striker in sight for Arsenal, the gunners are literally scraping the barrel for a goalscorer after losing Olivier Giroud to a brutal injury. The big Frenchman is down and out until January 2015, so any tactics made around him are going to drastically change. My favourite of the promoted squads, Leicester have started brightly and give off an extremely comfortable ora in top flight life. As I mentioned in the introduction paragraph, the Midlands men are the only one of the Championship crew to posses a point and against Arsenal they'll be looking to break some hearts. Wenger shouldn't underestimate the power of his opponents and should dig in for a hard fought win, this year their are no easy games in the premier league.
WEEKEND PREDICTIONS:
Saturday 30th August...
Burnley 1-2 Man United
Man City 4-0 Stoke City
Newcastle 2-0 Crystal Palace
QPR 1-1 Sunderland
Swansea 2-0 West Brom
West Ham 0-1 Southampton
Everton 1-2 Chelsea
Sunday 31st August...
Aston Villa 1-1 Hull City
Tottenham 2-2 Liverpool
Leicester 1-3 Arsenal
WORTH A PUNT:
Angel Di Maria to Score First Against Burnley, 7/1...
What a headline that'd be, the fresh, superstar signing, donning the famous number seven shirt on his Manchester debut, nailing the first goal on United's revival journey. Van Gaal will be playing about with the formation and its undeniable that a lot of the play is going to mould around the Argentine. Some might say that he's just going to be another transfer regret where as others think that this late business could hint at the signing of the summer. One things for sure I'll be backing Angel and its certainly worth a gamble on him scoring first. At 7/1 he's a real steal for a nifty profit, three golden nuggets can snatch a smooth £21 from your chosen bookie, so don't back down on this deal.
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