adminLONDON. — Manchester United will have some new faces on show when they meet QPR tomorrow while Liverpool play host to Aston Villa tonight in the pick of the weekend’s English Premiership soccer action.Champions Manchester City travel to Arsenal, leaders Chelsea welcome second-placed Swansea to Stamford Bridge and newly-promoted duo Crystal Palace and Burnley clash at Selhurst Park.
Newcastle make the long trip to face Southampton, Tottenham head to the north east for their clash with Sunderland, West Brom faceEverton and Stoke City play host to Leicester.
The anticipated Old Trafford revival under Louis van Gaal is yet to commence, with the former Holland manager Louis van Gaal having presided over a start which has seen Manchester United fail to win in the English Premier League and exit the Capital One Cup in humiliating fashion.
The transfer deadline day signing of Colombia striker Radamel Falcao has lifted flagging spirits, and he will hope for a first Old Trafford outing alongside fellow new arrivals Angel di Maria, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind and Luke Shaw.
QPR, meanwhile, go into the weekend above United in the standings, with their victory over Sunderland ending a run of defeats at the hands of Hull City, Tottenham and Burton Albion.
Liverpool supporters can similarly expect to see a new striker on show when they face Aston Villa.
Mario Balotelli’s return to the English Premier League has given Brendan Rodgers an additional option in attack and he can expect to make his Anfield bow, particularly in the wake of Daniel Sturridge’s thigh injury, having started the win over Tottenham last time out.
Paul Lambert’s Villa make the trip to Merseyside third in the fledgling table after victories over Stoke City and Hull City and a home draw with Newcastle. Last season’s encounter between the two teams ended in a 2-2 draw after the visitors opened up a 2-0 lead before being pegged back.
Arsenal also have a new addition to their attacking ranks following the summer transfer window, with England international Danny Welbeck making the move to Emirates Stadium from Manchester United.
Welbeck, who scored both goals in England’s 2-0 victory away to Switzerland on Monday, will feature against Manchester City today, but manager Arsene Wenger would not disclose if his latest signing will start.
Champions City head to north London having suffered a shock 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Stoke City prior to the international break, while Manuel Pellegrini’s men were comfortably beaten 3-0 by the Gunners after a limp display in the Community Shield.
The only two teams with 100 per cent records in the English Premier League go head-to-head at Stamford Bridge today as leaders Chelsea play host to Swansea.
Garry Monk’s men are second only due to their inferior goal difference having followed up their opening day success away to Manchester United with home victories over Burnley and West Brom.
Chelsea, meanwhile, picked up maximum points from their meetings with newly-promoted Burnley and Leicester before delighting and infuriating manager Jose Mourinho in equal measure during their 6-3 success away to Everton in a game packed with attacking flair and defensive blunders.
Burnley’s return to the English Premier League has been tough, with home fixtures against Chelsea and Manchester United either side of an away defeat by Swansea.
Sean Dyche’s side can take heart from their 0-0 draw with United prior to the international break, but a lack of goals is hampering the Clarets so far, with just one from their opening three matches as they prop up the table.
Opponents Crystal Palace have endured an equally unprofitable start, with their only point to date coming in the 3-3 draw at Newcastle following defeats by Arsenal and West Ham, but they do at least have a new manager at the helm with Neil Warnock brought in following Tony Pulis’ shock exit.
Newcastle are one of eight teams in the English Premier League yet to record a victory this season, with Wilfried Zaha’s last-gasp leveller for Palace denying Alan Pardew’s men two weeks ago.
The increasingly uneasy relationship between the Magpies boss and sections of the club’s supporters will only improve with an upturn in fortunes, starting against Pardew’s former club Southampton today.
New Saints boss Ronald Koeman has overseen a mixed start to the campaign, opening with a defeat at Liverpool and a home stalemate with West Brom before claiming his first English Premier League victory with their 3-1 triumph away to West Ham.
Tottenham’s impressive beginning under former Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino was brought to a shuddering halt with a 3-0 defeat at home by Liverpool in their last outing and a return to the form which saw Spurs overcome QPR and West Ham will be demanded as they travel to Sunderland.
Gus Poyet’s Black Cats suffered their first defeat of the new term away to Harry Redknapp’s QPR in their last match, but having drawn their first two fixtures against West Brom and Manchester United, a Wearside win would be welcomed by the hosts.
But with six defeats and two draws from their last eight English Premier League meetings with Spurs, history is not on the side of Sunderland.
West Brom boss Alan Irvine faces an emotional reunion with former club Everton when the Toffees travel to the Hawthorns for today’s clash.
Irvine left his role as head of the Goodison Park academy in the summer to take up the vacancy created by Pepe Mel’s departure from the Baggies.
The former Preston and Sheffield Wednesday manager is yet to guide his new charges to a victory in the top-flight, with his only success coming in the penalty shoot-out with Oxford in the Capital One Cup.
Everton have been unable to hit the heights which saw them finish fifth last term, as losing leads to draw with Leicester and Arsenal was followed by the 6-3 home hammering by Chelsea.
Today’s remaining fixture sees Stoke City play host to Leicester City at the Britannia Stadium.
Mark Hughes’ men produced what is likely to stand the test of time as one of the shock results of the season with their 1-0 victory away to English Premier League champions Manchester City in their last outing.
That success was the Potters’ first in the top-flight in the new term after opening with a home defeat at the hands of Aston Villa and following that up with a 1-1 draw against 10-man Hull City. Nigel Pearson’s Foxes are yet to taste victory on their top-flight return, but having faced Everton, Chelsea and Arsenal so far there is no disgrace in having two points on the board.
Fixtures
(all 4pm unless otherwise stated)
Today: Arsenal v Manchester City (1:45pm); Chelsea v Swansea; Crystal Palace v Burnley; Southampton v Newcastle; Stoke v Leicester; Sunderland v Tottenham; West Brom v Everton; Liverpool v Aston Villa (6:30pm).
Tomorrow: Manchester United v QPR s(5pm).
Monday: Hull v West Ham (9pm). — Sky Sports
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