After three weeks out, the Premier League returns this weekend and Arsenal are the first to be in the firing line to put things right. Mikel Arteta's side will welcome Leeds United to their home ground in a 12:30pm WAT match on Saturday, 33 days after they defeated Brighton 3-0 in their opening match to end their run of unbeaten form. If you are searching for "Premier League returns today", that early kick-off is your answer. The headline fixture follows on Sunday, when Liverpool host Manchester City at Anfield.
Form and Key Statistics
Matchweek 5 ended on 20 September, meaning that each side will come back with five matches in the league standings. Manchester City are topping the table after winning all five games. Arsenal's perfect record went at Brighton, a reminder that the champions are beatable.
The scoring numbers matter if you follow goal markets. The league has registered 141 goals in 50 games with an average that stands at 2.82 goals per game. City's 5-3 victory over Sunderland on 20 September is the highest-scoring game to date, with Erling Haaland topping the goalscoring charts with five. At the other end, Bournemouth, Fulham and Tottenham are all in the longest losing streak in the division with five consecutive defeats.
Match Analysis
Arsenal vs Leeds is a proper test of how the champions respond. Returning from the international break can be difficult, with players returning at different times, and Arteta says he faces a few changes due to injuries and rotation. Leeds have impressed in the early weeks, so this isn't a routine home fixture.
Well, everyone will be watching Liverpool v Manchester City match. The pitch is a breath of fresh air for Enzo Maresca, who has been travelling to the U.S. to attend the club's financial-rules trial. The big question is fitness following such a long international lean; and Haaland and Rayan Cherki are the names to look out for. The game between two teams that enjoy the ball always leaves room for the attackers to score, and Andoni Iraola's squad are the home side.
It's on Saturday that Chelsea host Bournemouth and the round will be finished on Monday night with Coventry taking on Newcastle at 8pm.
Rooted Predict Verdict: Premier League Prediction This Weekend
This weekend, you will see prediction sites promising you 100 sure Premier League prediction today, or on any other day, and anyone offering one is selling confidence rather than analysis. What the evidence supports is a lean, not a promise.
Goals will be the strongest angle this weekend. Given the average of 2.82 goals in a game, over 1.5 goals is a sensible starting point, and our over 1.5 prediction this weekend will have on Liverpool v Manchester City, where City's scoring record points toward chances at both ends. The same reasoning applies if you want an over 1.5 Premier League prediction today or an over 1.5 Premier League prediction tomorrow: check team news close to kick-off, because after an international break line-ups carry more uncertainty than usual.
For a match result view, City have a perfect record so it would be safe to say they don't need to be worrying about Double Chance (City or draw) if they don't lose at Anfield. However, Anfield is not an easy time generally so it is best to rate this as medium confidence. You'll find the rest of the weekend in our free football predictions, each with a confidence rating.
Conclusion
The break was long, but the return is loaded. Arsenal must get going, City are on a perfect run in and have a lot of noise around them, and the league is a high-scoring one that can only go towards goals. Check team news on matchday before you commit to anything, because after three weeks of international travel, line-ups are the biggest unknown.