Premier League preview

Rooney returns to Everton; Arsenal meet Bolton; Hammers host Chelsea

By James Dall   Last updated: 11th September 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Premier League preview

Rooney: Under the microscope

Click below for individual match previews and statistics
Saturday
Everton v Man Utd
Arsenal v Bolton
Fulham v Wolverhampton
Man City v Blackburn
Newcastle v Blackpool
West Brom v Tottenham
West Ham v Chelsea
Wigan v Sunderland
Sunday
Birmingham v Liverpool

Related links

Teams

Also see

Wayne Rooney faces an antagonising reception at Goodison Park as the Premier League action returns following a two-week international sabbatical.

Manchester United lock horns with Everton, live on Sky Sports HD2 & 2, with Rooney set to feature at his old stamping ground keen to focus on his football amid ongoing allegations surrounding his private life.

Elsewhere, a Theo Walcott-less Arsenal host Bolton Wanderers, Chelsea make the short trip to London rivals West Ham United, newly-promoted duo Newcastle United and Blackpool meet while Liverpool round off the fixtures on Sunday at Birmingham City.

Rooney has been under intense scrutiny since the infamous newspaper reports emerged on Sunday, but his display for England against Switzerland indicated he remains unperturbed on the pitch by the claims. Manchester United are eyeing back-to-back league triumphs after they saw off West Ham with relative ease in their last outing. Everton, though, have endured a disappointing beginning to the term, with the club garnering just the one point thus far. Nonetheless, their display against Aston Villa will have encouraged boss David Moyes while the Toffees will take heart from their 3-1 scalp of United in last season's corresponding match-up.

Resolve

Arsenal head into their clash against Bolton having won their last two matches but they will be without injured pair Walcott and Robin van Persie. The former sustained an ankle injury while on international duty with England, and his absence is a blow considering the form he had been in prior to the setback. Van Persie, meanwhile, remains injury prone. The Gunners demonstrated impressive resolve in their previous game against Blackburn, and they can expect a similar physical examination against Bolton. Goals away from home have been a worry for the Trotters - who are unbeaten in the league thus far - in recent times, but fans will have been boosted by their most recent match on the road, which saw them put three past West Ham.

Chelsea aim to continue their 100 per cent start to the 2010/11 campaign when they face struggling West Ham, whose manager Avram Grant is already under pressure despite the term and his career at Upton Park being in its embryonic stages. Chelsea's beginning to the season has been imposing, as their statistics read: 14 goals scored, none conceded. Carlo Ancelotti's men drew at West Ham in December last year. Hammers fans, though, will unlikely be optimistic of a repeat stalemate, such has been their stuttering to date. Grant's side are bottom of the standings having not yet registered a single point, scoring just the one goal and conceding nine. The Israeli could have done without being reunited with his former club.

Manchester City will look to bounce back from their surprise defeat to Sunderland when they welcome Blackburn Rovers to Eastlands. Said loss was indeed a shock result after City had looked decent in their triumph over Liverpool. And now, if last season is included, the form card reads: two wins in their last eight Premier League matches. Blackburn will likely feel hard-done-by after suffering successive losses in the league as their respective performances versus Birmingham and Arsenal were at least worthy of some return. England's top-flight remains unforgiving, and Sam Allardyce's troops must regroup ahead of the trip to Manchester, having struggled on the road in recent times.

Tottenham Hotspur are another team seeking a response following their even more surprising defeat against Wigan. The international break has been unkind to Harry Redknapp's squad, as he lost Michael Dawson and Jermain Defoe to long lay-offs. On Saturday, Spurs go head-to-head with West Brom at the Hawthorns, with Roberto Di Matteo's team indicating they have learnt a great deal in a short space of time from their opening day hiding at Chelsea. The Baggies have since slayed Sunderland whilst they only lost 1-0 at Anfield. The match could see Tottenham hand debuts to two new signings as William Gallas and Rafael van der Vaart compete for starting berths.

Encouraging

Newcastle and Blackpool have both enjoyed encouraging starts to the new season, with the newly-promoted pair accruing four points each from a possible nine. The Magpies' first home game of the term saw them wallop Villa for six, and manager Chris Hughton will be hopeful the St James' Park faithful can again inspire his charges. When these two sides met in the Championship on Tyneside last term, Newcastle ran out 4-1 winners, with promising striker Andy Carroll on the scoresheet. The youngster will be eager to repeat that feat and add to his four goals scored so far as it is expected he will be available after overcoming an ankle injury.

Wigan Athletic replicated their predictable unpredictability of last term after they beat Tottenham despite having conceded 10 goals in their opening two matches. The Latics next face Sunderland at the DW Stadium, with the Black Cats infamous for their poor away record. Indeed, Steve Bruce's side have won just one of their last 19 Premier League away matches. Sunderland's concerning beginning to the new campaign was saved by their late win over City last time out, but the tension will return in Bruce's direction should his team again fail away from Wearside. For Wigan, achieving back-to-back league victories within a term would mark a first since since March 2009.

Lastly on Saturday, Fulham are in action against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Craven Cottage. Fulham have become something of the draw specialists so far this term, having notched three stalemates under manager Mark Hughes, who was sacked at City following a successions of one-point hauls. Indeed, Hughes has drawn 11 of his last 14 games as a Premier League coach. Furthermore, last season's corresponding fixture ended goalless - fans heading for West London will have their fingers crossed for goals. Fulham tackle a Wolves side that have enjoyed a promising first three matches this campaign. Mick McCarthy's men are unbeaten to date, sparking cause for optimism. Should the club notch a positive result versus the Cottagers, that optimism will continue to grow.

Sky Sports HD1 & 1 brings you live coverage of Birmingham City's encounter against Liverpool on Sunday. The Blues head into the game after throwing away a two-goal lead to draw at Bolton. That said, Alex McLeish has seen his side go without defeat and tally five points from their opening three matches. New Reds boss Roy Hodgson has got off to an indifferent start on Merseyside, with a lack of firepower, just two goals scored in three matches, perhaps early cause for concern. A positive result is a must for Liverpool, who will be keen to gather some form ahead of their next match: a trip to Old Trafford.