Sports Mole provides score predictions and previews for all of today’s Premier League fixtures, including Arsenal vs. Brighton.
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Top spot in the Premier League table is up for grabs at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday lunchtime, as Arsenal and Brighton & Hove Albion put their 100% records on the line.
The Gunners banished their Aston Villa hoodoo in a 2-0 win in the West Midlands last weekend, while the Seagulls dramatically saw off Manchester United by two goals to one.
We say: Arsenal 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
During their earliest days as a Premier League force, Brighton often had Arsenal’s number, but the Gunners’ defensive steel in the English top flight has been unrivalled over the past 12 months.
Hurzeler’s men can still be expected to put up a good fight, but Arteta’s winning machine ought to make it three for three and end the visitors’ perfect start, even if it is not another goal-laden showing.
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On the back of respective EFL Cup second-round wins, Brentford and Southampton bid to right some Premier League wrongs at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday.
Thomas Frank’s men overcame Colchester United in midweek after falling short against Liverpool, while the Saints responded to their defeat against Nottingham Forest by sinking Cardiff City in an eight-goal extravaganza.
We say: Brentford 2-0 Southampton
For all of their periods of plentiful possession, Southampton remain deprived of a killer touch in the final third, whereas Brentford always possess a clinical threat up top when Mbeumo and Wissa are working in tandem.
Also taking into account their phenomenal home record against newly-promoted clubs, the Bees have our vote to continue their sequence of wins to nil against the Saints.
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The third time could be the charm for Everton and Bournemouth, who lock horns in Saturday’s Premier League showdown at Goodison Park.
Neither side has a top-flight win to their name yet this term, although the Cherries are still unbeaten after two games, while the Toffees are still waiting for their first shred of Premier League positivity.
We say: Everton 1-1 Bournemouth
Neither Dyche nor Iraola possess the managerial formula for success in August, but given the Cherries’ propensity for fouls – they gave away 20 free kicks against Newcastle – Everton can at least get on the goalscoring board.
A Bournemouth side aiming to right their EFL Cup wrongs can fight fire with fire, but not enough for us to believe that they can end their sequence of 1-1 stalemates.
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Having faced two of the Premier League’s most potent powerhouses in their first two games of the season, Ipswich Town face a friendlier fixture on Saturday, when Fulham head to Portman Road.
The Tractor Boys have some EFL Cup mistakes to rectify after losing on penalties against AFC Wimbledon in midweek, while Marco Silva’s men got the better of Birmingham City.
We say: Ipswich Town 1-2 Fulham
A refreshed set of Ipswich legs should not suffer a similar humiliation a la their Wimbledon woes, but McKenna’s men are noticeably frail at the back and will certainly leave gaps for Fulham to exploit if they adopt a risky approach.
Silva’s settled starting XI have had time to gel and were worthy winners over one newly-promoted side last weekend, so we expect the Cottagers to prolong Ipswich’s wait for a first point of 2024-25.
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Two teams looking to bounce back from Premier League defeats last weekend do battle at the King Power Stadium on Saturday as Leicester City play host to Aston Villa.
The Foxes and the Lions meet for the first time since April 2023 when the latter secured a 2-1 away victory over the former.
We say: Leicester City 1-3 Aston Villa
Goals are to be expected on Saturday as both sides have looked vulnerable at the back in the early weeks of the new season. In addition, nine of the last 13 meetings between these two teams have seen three or more goals scored.
Leicester have a solid top-flight record against Aston Villa, but if the visitors can learn from last week’s defeat to Arsenal and manage to take their chances in the final third, they should find a way to come out on top in the East Midlands.
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Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espirito Santo welcomes his former side Wolverhampton Wanderers to the City Ground for a Premier League contest on Saturday afternoon.
Neither team could be separated last season as they played out two score draws, including an entertaining 2-2 draw at the City Ground in April.
We say: Nottingham Forest 1-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Each of the last three Premier League meetings between Nottingham Forest and Wolves have ended as a draw and another closely-fought contest could be played out on Saturday. Both teams will view this fixture as a winnable one, on paper, but it is difficult to separate them at this stage, so the spoils could be shared once again.
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Seeking to make it three wins out of three at the start of the new Premier League season, reigning champions Manchester City travel to the London Stadium to face West Ham United on Saturday afternoon.
The Citizens have done the double over the Hammers in the last two seasons and secured a 3-1 victory the last time they locked horns in the capital almost a year ago.
We say: West Ham United 1-3 Manchester City
Man City have scored more away goals against West Ham than they have against any other Premier League opponent (42), while their 25 goals at the London Stadium is the most an away team has scored at a specific venue since its opening in 2016-17, so the Citizens have every right to feel confident of success on Saturday.
West Ham have attackers of their own who could cause Man City some problems, but it is difficult to back against the champions outscoring their opponents en route to a comfortable victory in the capital.
> Click here to read our full preview for this match
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