Posted by This weekend marks Week 2 of the English Premier League season.
Manchester City and Arsenal, two of last season’s powerhouses, both got off to strong starts, with Arsenal having to battle against a tough Nottingham side.
On Friday night, the weekend’s schedule got underway with Nottingham Forest’s 2-1 victory against Sheffield United.
This weekend and Monday will feature more games from Week 2.
Is there a match where an upset is most likely to occur?
Crystal Palace vs. Arsenal, Manchester City vs. Newcastle, and West Ham vs. Chelsea are all analyzed in today’s BANKPAWA
First up, London rivals Crystal Palace and Arsenal will square off in the hopes that the Gunners can keep their perfect start to the season intact. Bukayo Saka and Eddie Nketiah scored for north London in their season opener at the Emirates Stadium, leading to a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest. But it’s never easy when two London teams square up against one another. Crystal Palace has a 16% chance of victory against Arsenal, while Arsenal has a 61% chance of victory. The oddsmakers are predicting a 23% draw. In the last five meetings between the two teams, Arsenal has won three and drawn one. Roy Hodgson’s Palace has won once and drawn once. Despite Palace’s impressive play under Hodgson, an upset is still possible in this matchup.
Two-time reigning Premier League champions Manchester City will take on fourth-place finishers Newcastle this weekend. It’s a tricky one to pull off. A contest where either side could win. Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson referred to Manchester City as “machines” during their treble-winning season, but they will be without key players like Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne. While the latter is out with an injury and will be out for some time, Gundogan has signed with Barcelona. Teams coached by Eddie Howe are under pressure to finish higher than fourth this year.
The third matchup pits Chelsea against West Ham United, who will be led by David Moyes. The Blues’ season opener against Liverpool ended in a 1-1 tie. From their most recent match, it’s clear that the west London club has developed since last year. Pochettino’s squad would feel more secure with a victory. According to oddsmakers, Chelsea has a 45 percent chance of winning this matchup.
There is a 28% chance that West Ham will win, with a 27% chance of a tie. West Ham are the current holders of the UEFA Conference League, and they drew Bournemouth to a 1-1 draw last week. They will be hoping to get their first win of the season in front of their home fans.