Premier League: Man City Travel North as Chelsea and Liverpool Look to Keep the Pace
by Joseph King | by Joseph King
Newcastle vs Man City
Our list starts with what is undoubtedly the headliner of Saturday’s Premier League fixture list as Manchester City make the trip up north to take on Newcastle at St. James’ Park.
It’s been a difficult season for Newcastle fans so far and the pressure is certainly starting to ramp up on manager Eddie Howe. Three points over the rampaging Citizens here would be a huge statement win for the 47-year-old as Newcastle desperately try to claw their way back into a top four battle.
For visiting Manchester City, this game represents a massive potential banana peel as they try to keep pace with league leaders Arsenal. Newcastle held City to a 1-1 draw in this fixture last season and the Magpies have already given Liverpool and Arsenal a good run for their money at this ground. It should be a cracker of a match - get yourself ready by checking out our Newcastle vs Manchester City prediction!
Eddie Howe vs Pep Guardiola career head-to-head
- Eddie Howe wins: 1
- Draws: 2
- Pep Guardiola wins: 15
- Howe goals: 11
- Guardiola goals: 46
Burnley vs Chelsea
The early kickoff on Saturday sees promoted Burnley looking to derail Chelsea’s charge up the table. The Blues have been involved in a number of high-scoring matches on the road this season, and our experts’ Burnley vs Chelsea prediction is expecting more of the same. It hasn’t been easy for manager Enzo Maresca, who has been dealing with a number of injuries to his squad throughout the season. They were dealt another blow as star Cole Palmer was announced to have fractured a bone in his foot while at home, meaning he will miss an additional three matches.
In spite of these challenges, the Chelsea players have stepped up. With four wins from their last five, they’ve now shot up to third in the standings – two points behind City and four behind Arsenal. Burnley, however, could prove to be a tough nut to crack. Scott Parker’s team prides itself in its defensive organisation and a trip to Turf Moor always promises to be a tough, physical battle.
Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest
It’s safe to say this season hasn’t gone as planned so far for Liverpool fans. However, they do have a nice run of very winnable fixtures coming up and they’ll need to be near perfect if they are to close the gap on Arsenal. First things first, they’ll have to make it past a resurgent Nottingham Forest side that is beginning to find its feet under manager Sean Dyche.
The Tricky Trees are 2-2-1 under the 54-year-old former Burnley boss. They’re coming off arguably their best performance so far under Dyche as they created 2.55 xG and three clear cut chances against Leeds in a 3-1 home win before the international break. This is a massive test though, and it’s no surprise that Liverpool come in as heavy favourites. See our experts’ analysis of the game in our Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest prediction!
Liverpool next 5 league fixtures
- Forest (H)
- West Ham (A)
- Sunderland (H)
- Leeds (A)
- Brighton (H)
Bournemouth vs West Ham
Bournemouth have been one of the surprise packages of the 2025-26 season and are playing beautiful football under manager Andoni Iraola. They’re unbeaten at Vitality Stadium in the league, winning four and dropping points only once. Antoine Semenyo has made the headlines this season, both for his fantastic play (6 goals scored - third leading scorer) as well as his reported £65 million release clause. The rumours continue to swirl regarding his future, with the country’s top clubs all potentially eyeing up a January move for the in-demand 25-year-old. Unfortunately for Iraola, his star player could miss out here with an ankle injury.
After sacking Graham Potter, West Ham moved quickly to secure the services of Nuno Espirito Santo. And while they failed to win in Espirito Santo’s first four games at the club, the players look like they’re finally starting to adapt to the Portuguese’s system. The Hammers have now won their last two on the bounce and are on the cusp of breaking out of the relegation zone. They’re tied on points with 17th-place Burnley, trailing only on goal differential.
