In Premier League match week 5, there are some exciting fixtures lined up. West Ham will face Chelsea in the early kickoff, followed by Aston Villa against Wolves, and Liverpool welcoming Bournemouth. Later, Tottenham will host Brentford, and Manchester United will travel to Crystal Palace to wrap up the day. On Sunday, Brighton will host Wolves, and the highlight of the weekend will be the match between Manchester City and Arsenal in the title race.
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West Ham vs Chelsea
Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has had a calm start, guiding his team to seven points from their first four Premier League games. While they haven’t won at home yet, Chelsea secured away victories against Wolves and Bournemouth, with Christopher Nkunku scoring a late winner in the 1-0 Bournemouth match. Chelsea are set to face five games in 16 days, starting with West Ham away, followed by home matches in the EFL Cup, Premier League, and Europa Conference League. West Ham may miss Emerson Palmieri and Niclas Fullkrug due to injuries, while Michail Antonio is struggling for form. Chelsea’s Reece James is out with injury, and Axel Disasi is expected to play at right-back. Romeo Lavia is doubtful, but Enzo Fernandez and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are available again. New signing Jadon Sancho might make his first Chelsea start after impressing against Bournemouth.
Aston Villa vs Wolves
Aston Villa returned to the Champions League after 40 years with a win against Swiss champions Young Boys, with goals from Youri Tielemans, Jacob Ramsey, and a stunning 30-yard strike from Amadou Onana. Villa have now won three straight games, including a comeback victory over Everton. They’ve started the Premier League season strong, with three wins from four games, and are aiming for another victory in a busy schedule that includes matches against Wycombe in the EFL Cup and Bayern Munich. However, their defense at Villa Park has been shaky lately, conceding 26 goals in 12 games. Leon Bailey may play this weekend, and Ollie Watkins is expected to be fit despite an ankle issue, but Jhon Duran is ready to step in, having scored key goals off the bench. Boubacar Kamara, Tyrone Mings, and Matty Cash are still sidelined. Wolves, who made changes for their midweek EFL Cup game, will bring back key players like Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen, while some, including Craig Dawson and Rayan Ait-Nouri, may miss out.
Fulham vs Newcastle
Fulham have had a tough few days, dropping points in a 1-1 Premier League draw with West Ham after Raul Jimenez’s opener was cancelled out in stoppage time, followed by a 16-15 penalty shootout loss to Preston in the EFL Cup. They now focus on the Premier League, where they sit 12th, but face a tough test against Newcastle, having lost their last five league meetings. Newcastle, currently third in the league, are unbeaten this season and are coming off two 2-1 wins over Tottenham and Wolves. Fulham’s only injury is striker Carlos Vinicius, while Marco Silva is expected to return to the team that drew with West Ham. Newcastle have several injuries, including Callum Wilson, Sven Botman, and Jamaal Lascelles, and may make a late decision on Alexander Isak’s fitness. If Isak is unavailable, Will Osula or Anthony Gordon may play up front, with Harvey Barnes possibly taking Gordon’s place on the left.
Leicester City vs Everton
Leicester boss Cooper can relate to Everton manager Sean Dyche after both teams blew two-goal leads recently, with Everton suffering a painful 3-2 loss to Aston Villa despite being 2-0 up. Everton’s struggles continued as they were knocked out of the EFL Cup by Southampton on penalties after losing their lead again. Despite being bottom of the Premier League with four straight losses, Everton’s board still supports Dyche, though rumors of David Moyes returning persist. Leicester, unbeaten in their last three home games against Everton, welcome back Odsonne Edouard, who missed the last match but will compete with Jamie Vardy for a starting spot. Leicester’s injury situation remains unchanged, with Patson Daka and Jakub Stolarczyk out. Everton, dealing with several injuries and illnesses, could see Vitaliy Mykolenko, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, James Tarkowski, and Michael Keane return, but key players like Seamus Coleman, Idrissa Gueye, and Jarrad Branthwaite remain sidelined. Ashley Young, who missed a crucial EFL Cup penalty, is expected to start, along with Jack Harrison and goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Liverpool vs Bournemouth
Bournemouth nearly secured a win against Chelsea last week, but despite a late effort from the Blues, including a goal from substitutes Jadon Sancho and Christopher Nkunku, Bournemouth’s unbeaten start to the season ended in a 1-0 loss. Bournemouth, now with just one win this season against Everton, face a tough trip to Liverpool, hoping to become the third Premier League team to win back-to-back away games against both Merseyside clubs. Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa could make his first start, while Harvey Elliott is out, and Alisson Becker is a doubt with a hamstring issue, possibly giving Caoimhin Kelleher a chance in goal. For Bournemouth, on-loan Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga returns after being ineligible last week, while Tyler Adams is out, and Dango Ouattara remains doubtful. Evanilson missed a penalty last week and may face competition from Enes Unal, who is back fit.
Southampton vs Ipswich
Ipswich started their Premier League return with two losses to Liverpool and Manchester City, and an EFL Cup defeat to AFC Wimbledon, but have since drawn with Fulham and Brighton. Goalkeeper Arijanet Muric was the star in their goalless draw against Brighton, while Liam Delap hit the post in a close call for Ipswich. Head coach Kieran McKenna praised the team’s defensive strength and hopes for more performances like this to avoid relegation. Ipswich have a good record against Southampton, winning both games last season in the Championship. Southampton will be without injured Gavin Bazunu and doubtful players Kamaldeen Sulemana and Will Smallbone, while Jack Stephens is suspended. Ipswich have most players fit, with McKenna considering some changes in attack, possibly giving Chiedozie Ogbene or Jack Clarke a start.
Tottenham vs Brentford
Tottenham boss Postecoglou came close to seeing his team’s EFL Cup hopes end in a disappointing match against Coventry, but late goals from substitutes Djed Spence and Brennan Johnson saved the day. Despite Tottenham’s poor start to the season, this win could be a turning point. They face Brentford next, looking to avoid losing three of their first five games for the first time since 2008. Brentford also had a tough time in their recent EFL Cup match but won 3-1. However, they’ve struggled away from home this season and have several key injuries, including Yoane Wissa, who will be out for a couple of months. Tottenham also have injury concerns with players like Yves Bissouma and Richarlison. Both teams are dealing with injuries, but Brentford may rely on Bryan Mbeumo and Kevin Schade in attack, while Tottenham’s Johnson and Kulusevski are set for starting roles.
Crystal Palace vs Manchester United
Manchester United had a tough start to the 2024-25 season, losing their first two Premier League games to Brighton and Liverpool, putting pressure on manager Erik ten Hag. However, they bounced back impressively, winning their last two matches 10-0 in total, with a 3-0 victory over Southampton and a 7-0 win against Barnsley in the EFL Cup. Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho each scored three goals in these games, boosting the team’s confidence ahead of a busy schedule. Currently sitting 10th in the Premier League, they face Crystal Palace this weekend, struggling with a poor away record against London teams. Crystal Palace will be missing some players due to injuries, while United has a few players sidelined but welcomes back Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount for a late fitness check before the match.
Brighton vs Nottm Forest
Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler remains unbeaten in his tenure, though last week’s draw with Ipswich felt like two points lost rather than one gained. The Seagulls held firm against a strong Ipswich defense, resulting in a goalless draw, following a previous draw with Arsenal. However, Brighton found their scoring touch in the EFL Cup, winning 3-2 against Wolverhampton. Currently sixth in the Premier League, they aim to achieve their best-ever start by going unbeaten in their first five league games. Nottingham Forest, fresh off a surprise 1-0 win against Liverpool, are close behind in the standings. They are looking for their fifth consecutive away win in the league, a feat they’ve never achieved in the Premier League era. Brighton may be without Joao Pedro due to injury, while Forest will miss key players Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare. Callum Hudson-Odoi is expected to start for Forest after his winning goal against Liverpool.
Manchester City vs Arsenal
A little over a year ago, Rodri helped Manchester City secure their first Champions League title, but in their recent match against Inter Milan, City struggled to score, ending in a goalless draw. Despite this, they maintained their perfect Premier League record with a comeback win against Brentford, thanks to Erling Haaland, who has scored nine goals in four games. Arsenal also faced a goalless draw against Atalanta in the Champions League, where goalkeeper David Raya made crucial saves, including stopping a penalty. Both teams will be without key players this weekend, as City’s Kevin De Bruyne is out with a groin injury, and Arsenal’s Martin Ødegaard is sidelined with an ankle issue. Phil Foden is expected to start in De Bruyne’s place, while Arsenal might rely on Leandro Trossard up front as they navigate their injury struggles.
