You’ve escaped the international break lull… for now. We must warn you, they come around like they’re going out of fashion before the year’s out.
But hey, the Premier League is back this weekend! Yippee.
We’ve only had a mere taste of the 2024/25 campaign thus far, with Gameweek 4 on the horizon. There’s a monster Saturday slate as well as Gary Neville’s favourite fixture, the north London derby, to enjoy on Sunday afternoon. Sure, the weekend ends with a bit of a damp squib, but the action should be belting beforehand.
Here’s how 90min is predicting Gameweek 4 of the 2024/25 Premier League season to pan out.
Saturday 14 September
Southampton are just one of two sides to endure a point-less start to the new season, and Russell Martin’s side are involved in Saturday’s early kick-off as they welcome Manchester United to St. Mary’s.
United were battered by arch-rivals Liverpool before the break, but they’ve got a great chance of bouncing back this weekend. The Red Devils have lost just one of their previous 30 games against newly promoted clubs. Deadline day arrival Manuel Ugarte could make his debut for the club.
Only two teams have maintained 100% records through three games – Liverpool and Manchester City – and they’re both in untelevised action amid the Saturday 3pm blackout this weekend. While the Reds host Nottingham Forest, City welcome Brentford to the Etihad. Thomas Frank’s Bees are the last team to claim victory at the Cityzens’ fortress, but that triumph arrived almost two years ago.
Brighton‘s bright start under Fabian Hurzeler continued with a point at the Emirates before the break. The Seagulls welcome the spritely Ipswich Town to the Amex on Saturday afternoon hoping to continue their unbeaten opening to the new season.
Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace are looking to ignite their campaign, but they’ll be expected to kick into gear when they face Leicester at home. There’s a less glamorous London derby to enjoy, too, as West Ham take on Fulham at Craven Cottage.
Everton are the other point-less outfit after they contrived to lose two weeks ago against Bournemouth despite boasting a 2-0 advantage heading into the final five minutes of the contest. They haven’t exactly got an easy task this weekend as they travel to Aston Villa just days before the Villans’ Champions League campaign gets underway.
The day concludes with a rare Saturday Night Football on the south coast. Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea made plenty of headlines over the summer and throughout the international break, and they’ll aim to shut out the outside noise when they face Bournemouth. The Blues are bidding to record their second league win of the season.
Sunday 15 September
It’s rarely a dull occasion when the bitter north London rivals collide, and a spectacle awaits in N17 despite the contest arriving at a very early stage of the new season.
A depleted Arsenal are gunning for their third-straight victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Last season’s 3-2 win meant the Gunners had already secured more Premier League wins at Spurs‘ new stadium than the Lilywhites have at the Emirates since its 2006 opening.
Sunday’s bout is one Arsenal will feel they have to win for their title hopes given just how imperious City look. A trip to the Etihad beckons for Mikel Arteta’s side, too.
There’s certainly less on the line with the weekend’s action concluding at Molineux where Wolves take on Newcastle. The Magpies had a dire record away from home last season, and they started their on-the-road slate with a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth on Matchday 2. These two sides did play out an entertaining 2-2 draw in the corresponding fixture last season, and Gary O’Neil’s Wolves could do with claiming a result on Sunday.
