Premier League preview: Sunday’s action including Chelsea vs Liverpool
Brentford vs Spurs
The first Sunday of the new season starts with a London derby. Last season, these sides finished their Premier League campaigns separated by just one point.
Tottenham have bought in an exciting manager in Ange Postecoglou, but will the Australian see his side get off to a flier away at Brentford this week? It’s not an easy start, with the Bees famously beating Man Utd 4-0 in their opening home game of the season last year.
Thomas Frank’s side will be without star striker Ivan Toney, but they’re hardly a one-man team. Brentford won five of their last six games of the last season, a run that saw them beat Tottenham 3-1 away, then beat Man City 1-0 on the final day of the season (albeit when City had already sewn up the title).
It seems likely that Spurs will be without Harry Kane too. While Postecoglou is undoubtedly a man who can get Tottenham back up to speed after recent disappointments, it probably isn’t going to happen overnight. Brentford might be able to start with a bang here, and the hosts are 9/5 for the win.
Chelsea vs Liverpool
These two teams underperformed fairly drastically last season. Although in the battle of the bunglers, Chelsea definitely dropped the biggest bollock.
Managers came and went, Todd Boehly went on a spending spree – and the Blues plummeted to 12th in the table.
Will Chelsea prove more restrained this season? At the time of writing, Chelsea and Liverpool are engaged in a battle to land the services of Moises Caicedo. The outcome of which may lend an extra edge of ill-temper to this meeting.
Either way, Chelsea have a decent manager in Mauricio Pochettino, but that doesn’t guarantee the side can impress immediately; shockingly, Chelsea won just one of their last 12 league games last time out. In contrast, Liverpool finished strongly, unbeaten in an 11-game run.
Can the visitors inflict more pain at Stamford Bridge this weekend? Truth be told, recent matches between these two sides haven’t served up much in the way of thrills. It’s been four straight nil-nils in all competitions.
It’s less Super Sunday, more Stupor Sunday – but hopefully that barren run doesn’t extend into the new season.
What we can say is that Liverpool haven’t had an ideal pre-season, with players sold to Saudi Arabian clubs leaving their midfield looking a little light. Even if in-coming players like Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai look potentially decent purchases.
Liverpool took two points from their first five away games in the Prem last time too. Obviously Chelsea ended up having bigger problems, but with home advantage and a desire to bring the good times back to Stamford Bridge quickly, we’re tempted to back the hosts to nick the win. A Chelsea victory is a 2/1 shot.
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