Premier League Preview & Predictions: Gameweek 7

Molineux hosts the weekend's first clash
Molineux hosts the weekend's first clash / Visionhaus/Getty Images
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With six matches down for the majority of the sides in the Premier League, the division is starting to hot up.

There have been a few surprise starts to the campaign, some who have flattered to deceive and others who've been downright rubbish. This is the English top flight, and it's never predictable across the board.

Ahead of gameweek seven, here's your lowdown of the full fixture list.


Friday

Wolves vs Crystal Palace

Wolves conceded late on to Newcastle in their recent 1-1 draw.
Wolves conceded late on to Newcastle in their recent 1-1 draw. / Visionhaus/Getty Images

What Time Is Kick Off? 20:00 GMT
Where Is it Played? Molineux
TV Channel/Live Stream? BT Sport Box Office
Read 90min's preview here.

Two teams with near identical records in the Premier League so far go head-to-head on Friday, as Wolves host Crystal Palace with both sides registering ten points from their opening six matches.

A solid start to the campaign saw Wolves win away at Sheffield United, but back-to-back defeats against Manchester City and West Ham brought the club crashing back down to earth. They've since regrouped with consecutive 1-0 victories over Fulham and Leeds and looked on course to make it three in a row only to be denied by Jacob Murphy's late free-kick against Newcastle.

The Eagles have had a mixed bag thus far, losing heavily to Chelsea but securing a memorable win away at Old Trafford as Roy Hodgson sticks to his usual counter-attacking style. Victory away at Fulham on the road may have given them confidence to repeat the feat on Friday, but it's unlikely.

Prediction: Wolves 2-0 Crystal Palace


Saturday

Sheffield United vs Manchester City

De Bruyne's City were in Champions League action in midweek
De Bruyne's City were in Champions League action in midweek / Alex Caparros/Getty Images

What Time Is Kick Off? 12:30 GMT
Where Is it Played? Bramall Lane
TV Channel/Live Stream? BT Sport
Read 90min's preview here.

Fresh off the back of a comfortable win away at Marseille on Tuesday, Manchester City head to Yorkshire sitting in a lowly 13th spot in the table. Pep Guardiola's side have played one game fewer than most, but their last two league fixtures on the road have finished 1-1 and nothing less than three points will suffice.

Their task has been made easier by the Blades' wretched form this term. Sheffield United have scored just three goals in their six matches, claiming one solitary point from their home draw with Fulham.

With a fit and ready Kevin De Bruyne to contend with, their poor run looks set to continue.

Prediction: Sheffield United 0-3 Manchester City


Burnley vs Chelsea

Dyche's side are without a win this season
Dyche's side are without a win this season / Michael Regan/Getty Images

What Time Is Kick Off? 15:00 GMT
Where Is it Played? Turf Moor
TV Channel/Live Stream? BT Sport Box Office

Burnley are one of only four sides yet to win a league match this season, and they invite Chelsea to Turf Moor sitting 18th in the table. A point was accrued in a 0-0 draw away at West Brom, while they've only managed to find the back of the net three times so far.

They do, however, have a game in hand on most teams, and victory over Chelsea would lift them out of the relegation zone for a little while at least. The Blues have struggled on the road this season - at least where the Premier League is concerned - with just two points from their previous three away league games.

A thumping 4-0 Champions League win in Russia will have quelled their travel sickness.

Prediction: Burnley 1-2 Chelsea


Liverpool vs West Ham

West Ham will be without key man Antonio for their trip north
West Ham will be without key man Antonio for their trip north / Visionhaus/Getty Images

What Time Is Kick Off? 17:30 GMT
Where Is it Played? Anfield
TV Channel/Live Stream? Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Premier League

This encounter might not have been quite so cut and dry were it not for West Ham being handed a major blow with Michail Antonio ruled out for the foreseeable future with a hamstring strain.

Without that, coupled with Liverpool's defensive crisis, that may (genuinely) have made for a more even clash, but it would have required David Moyes' side to contend with that forward line. The Hammers have been in good form with victory over Leicester followed by draws against City and Spurs, but the Reds are quite simply too good on home soil.

Prediction: Liverpool 3-1 West Ham


Sunday

Aston Villa vs Southampton

Villa were brought crashing back down to earth against Leeds
Villa were brought crashing back down to earth against Leeds / Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images

What Time Is Kick Off? 12:00 GMT
Where Is it Played? Villa Park
TV Channel/Live Stream? Sky Sports Box Office

'Aston Villa are going to win the league!'.....is what everyone was saying before they got humbled 3-0 at home to Leeds in their most recent outing. Indeed, the 7-2 thumping of Liverpool and a 100% start to the season had everyone making premature claims for the title - no matter how tongue in cheek - all of which were put to bed by Marcelo Bielsa and co.

Regardless, they still have the best defensive record in the league and sit third ahead of the weekend, but Southampton are beginning to click after recovering from two straight defeats at the start of the season. Che Adams and Danny Ings are forming a fine partnership up top, and Villa better watch out.

Prediction: Aston Villa 1-2 Southampton


Newcastle vs Everton

Calvert-Lewin found the net in this fixture last season
Calvert-Lewin found the net in this fixture last season / James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images

What Time Is Kick Off? 14:00 GMT
Where Is it Played? St James' Park
TV Channel/Live Stream? Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Premier League

Newcastle, the reactionary rascals. It seems every time they suffer a poor loss, the response is positive. Whether it's snatching a point at Wolves or going to Spurs and drawing after a thumping home defeat, they always seem to find some inner reserves.

That all points to them losing on Saturday.

Everton slipped to a deserved defeat against the Saints - their first of the season - but Newcastle's immobile central midfield area should struggle to deal with the movements of Abdoulaye Doucoure and James Rodriguez. Carlo Ancelotti should get a response from his side.

Prediction: Newcastle 0-1 Everton


Manchester United vs Arsenal

It will be a second meeting between Arteta and Solskjaer
It will be a second meeting between Arteta and Solskjaer / Getty Images/Getty Images

What Time Is Kick Off? 16:30 GMT
Where Is it Played? Old Trafford
TV Channel/Live Stream? Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Premier League

A fixture that was once cause for excitement in the Arsenal camp has become one of sheer terror for the last 14 years. Indeed, the Gunners haven't tasted victory at Old Trafford in the Premier League since 2006.

Now is not a good time to face the Red Devils either, as they're in red hot form both domestically and in Europe, with goals across the team and performance levels raised throughout.

Arsenal, by contrast, will have to play Shkodran Mustafi on Sunday, which just about says it all. Apart from that though, they're yet to find their groove in an attacking sense so all the pre-match indications are that this won't be pretty for the visitors.

Prediction: Manchester United 4-1 Arsenal


Tottenham vs Brighton

Two players in stunning form
Two players in stunning form / JASON CAIRNDUFF/Getty Images

What Time Is Kick Off? 19:15 GMT
Where Is it Played? Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
TV Channel/Live Stream? Sky Sports Box Office

Jose Mourinho will not stand for what he saw in Belgium on Thursday. A weak and lifeless Spurs display saw his side deservedly lose 1-0 to Royal Antwerp, with nothing of the sort acceptable for the visit of Brighton.

The Seagulls are winless in their last five in all competitions, and their hopes of securing anything remotely positive in north London will be hampered further by the sublime form of forward duo Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.

Tottenham need a response after their Europa League defeat, and they'll get it.

Prediction: Tottenham 5-1 Brighton


Monday

Fulham vs West Brom

Parker's men are in desperate needs of points
Parker's men are in desperate needs of points / Chloe Knott - Danehouse/Getty Images

What Time Is Kick Off? 17:35 GMT
Where Is it Played? Craven Cottage
TV Channel/Live Stream? Sky Sports Box Office

Fulham have their second fixture of the season already against fellow newly-promoted sides, but they'll be hoping for a better result than their 4-3 loss away at Leeds. In a league that has been unpredictable so far, one of the few presumptions that has rang true is that these sides would be struggling at this stage.

Both are without a win ahead of Monday, although the visitors have done marginally better with three draws from their six matches.

The Cottagers already look on their way back down, but victory at home against the Baggies could kick-start their season. They need a win somewhere to turn the tide. Both do, in truth.

Prediction: Fulham 1-1 West Brom


Leeds vs Leicester

Bamford grabbed a hat-trick against Villa
Bamford grabbed a hat-trick against Villa / Michael Steele/Getty Images

What Time Is Kick Off? 20:00 GMT
Where Is it Played? Elland Road
TV Channel/Live Stream? Sky Sports Main Event/ Sky Sports Premier League

Leeds are fun to watch, aren't they? Playing a brand of football that is pleasing on the eye but opens the door for goals to be scored at both ends, it offers Jamie Vardy the chance to excel.

He's back from injury and back in the goals after putting Arsenal to the sword last time out, and how susceptible Leeds will be to the Foxes' breakaways could decide the outcome in the final match of gameweek seven.

Fourth against sixth looks set to have some goals in it.

Prediction: Leeds 2-2 Leicester