Derby dates dominate the weekend fixture list, with Tottenham and Chelsea squaring off on Saturday and Sunderland and Newcastle clashing on Sunday.
Derby dates in London and North East catch the eye
Derby dates dominate the weekend fixture list, with capital rivals Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea squaring off on Saturday and North East neighbours Sunderland and Newcastle United locking horns on Sunday.
While those games will capture the imagination, there are a number of intriguing tussles set to take place elsewhere as Premier League competition returns after the international break.
Manchester foes City and United will be looking to keep pace at the top, while those clubs currently languishing inside the relegation zone go in search of their first three-point hauls of the campaign.
There promises to be a tasty affair at White Hart Lane on Saturday lunchtime, in front of the
Sky Sports cameras, with in-form
Tottenham playing host to table-topping
Chelsea. Following a slow start to his reign, former Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas has overseen four straight league successes - with Spurs unbeaten since the opening day. Chelsea, however, are yet to taste defeat and sit four points clear of the chasing pack in their efforts to reclaim the top-flight crown. They will be hoping to maintain their flying start in North London, but will be without the services of skipper John Terry after he accepted an FA charge of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand and a subsequent four-match ban.
Manchester City are the only other team in the Premier League to have negotiated seven games unbeaten, but the reigning champions are unlikely to have things all their own way when they take in a tricky trip to
West Bromwich Albion. The Baggies have made a bright start under the tutelage of Steve Clarke and boast a 100 per cent record on home soil. City will be hoping to become the first side to leave The Hawthorns with the spoils, while continuing to build on the momentum they established prior to the battle for World Cup qualification taking centre stage.
Tough nut
Manchester United sit second in the standings, level on points with City, and will be determined to avoid becoming the latest side to surrender points to
Stoke City when the Potters arrive at Old Trafford. Tony Pulis' team are a notoriously tough nut to crack and they have already held Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool this term - conceding just once in the process. United, though, put in a convincing display against Newcastle last time out, with Sir Alex Ferguson of the opinion that his side are starting to move through the gears.
Arsenal have been billed as potential title challengers this season, but only three wins so far means they have work to do if they are to get their name back on the trophy . A trip to
Norwich City on Saturday evening would appear to offer Arsene Wenger's side an ideal opportunity to make a statement of intent. The Canaries have yet to get out of the blocks, with no wins suggesting it could be a long, hard slog at Carrow Road. Chris Hughton's men have conceded nine goals in their last two fixtures and desperately need to plug the defensive leaks if they are to keep Arsenal's creative talents at bay.
It appears to be a case of new season, same old
Liverpool for those on the red half of Merseyside, with Brendan Rodgers' arrival in the dugout yet to have the desired effect. He has been quick to point out that the Reds are a work in progress, with there definitely more of an emphasis on keeping the ball on the deck, but he will need no reminding that he is in a results business. Two points from a possible 12 at Anfield just isn't good enough for a side of Liverpool's stature and they need to get their home monkey off their back when winless, but hard-working,
Reading travel to the North West.
West Ham United have made a solid start to life back in the big time, picking up just a point less than cross-London rivals Arsenal. There is, however, still a long way to go and Hammers boss Sam Allardyce has billed Saturday's home date with
Southampton as a 'six-pointer'. You can see what he is getting at, with West Ham looking to do as much damage to those in and around them as possible. Unfortunately for the Saints, heavy blows have been raining down from all angles this term, with the most forgiving back four in the top flight undoing the good work being carried out at the opposite end of the field.
Winless runs
Swansea City boss Michael Laudrup is finding out the hard way that honeymoon periods do not tend to last long in the Premier League, with a three-match unbeaten start to the season turning into something of a distant memory for the Dane. A five-match winless run is dominating his thoughts at present, with the Swans suddenly incapable of keeping a clean sheet. The Liberty Stadium is, however, considered to be something of a fortress and it is unlikely that a
Wigan Athletic side that has also gone five games since they last tasted success will be relishing a trip to South Wales.
A five-point return from their opening seven games represents
Aston Villa's worst start to a Premier League season, and Paul Lambert will be keen to start distancing himself from that unwanted record. A lack of firepower has been something of a problem for Villa, so it might be time for Lambert to return Darren Bent to his starting XI from a spell on the bench. Goals are likely to be required if Villa are to take anything from their latest outing, with weekend opponents
Fulham having netted at least twice in five of their seven games so far. Martin Jol's side have particularly impressed at home, with nine goals plundered in three fixtures.
Sunday's action gets under way on Wearside, with arch-rivalries rekindled as
Newcastle make the short trip to
Sunderland - in a contest which can be seen live on
Sky Sports 1HD. Derby day in the North East has a tendency to produce fireworks and referee Martin Atkinson would be advised to keep his cards close to hand - with the last four meetings between these two producing four red cards and 25 yellows. Hopefully the latest contest will buck that trend, with both managers looking for their sides to become upwardly mobile after making steady, yet unspectacular, starts to the season.
The final offering in the latest round of Premier League fixtures, and the second helping in a Super Sunday double-header, comes from Loftus Road - with
Queens Park Rangers taking on
Everton. Mark Hughes' summer transfer business was supposed to have QPR troubling the top half this season, but a period of transition has taken longer than expected and the club remains rooted to the foot of the division with just two points to its name. Hughes will claim that results have not reflected performances, but that argument will only stand up for so long. Everton could push the Welshman closer to the exit door on Sunday as they look to cement a top-four standing, with David Moyes proving that squad stability, rather than major reconstruction work, is the best recipe for success.
