The 2016-17 Premier League season continues this week with Matchday 6, and Sportsnet will have live coverage of five games:
Saturday, September 24
• Manchester United vs. Leicester City, 7:00 a.m. ET / 4:00 a.m. PT (Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific)
• Liverpool vs. Hull City, 9:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 a.m. PT (Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific)
• Middlesbrough vs. Tottenham Hotspur, 9:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 a.m. PT (Sportsnet ONE)
• Sunderland vs. Crystal Palace, 9:30 a.m. ET / 6:30 a.m. PT (Sportsnet World NOW)
Sunday, September 25
• West Ham United vs. Southampton, 10:30 a.m. ET / 7:30 a.m. PT (Sportsnet World)
You can also follow all of the Premier League action this weekend online with SPORTSNET’S LIVE MATCH TRACKER.
Here’s what you need to know ahead of this weekend…
THE BIG GAME
Arsenal vs. Chelsea: The Blues pay a visit to Emirates Stadium on Saturday in a high-profile London derby that both sides need to win in order to keep pace with league leaders Manchester City—Arsenal and Chelsea are both five points adrift of City, who have won all five of their opening contests.
Arsenal is winless in their last nine Premier League meetings with Chelsea dating back to 2011, but they have won their last three games in the current campaign, and if they were to pick up three points on Saturday it would mark the first time they’ve won four in a row since last October (when they won five on the bounce).
Chelsea has won more league matches (four) at Emirates Stadium than any other away side, and the Gunners are winless in their last five London derbies in the Premier League at home.
Sparks flew last year when these teams met—remember Gabriel’s red card at Stamford Bridge following Diego Costa’s provocation?—and both Arsene Wenger and Antonio Conte have warned their players to keep a handle on their emotions in Saturday’s contest.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Islam Slimani: The Algerian international played for 62 minutes in his debut for Leicester in last week’s win over Club Brugge in the Champions League. Three days later in his first Premier League match he scored the first two goals in Leicester’s 3-0 win over Burnley.
SPURS’ HARRY KANE OUT INJURED
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino this week revealed that star striker Harry Kane damaged ligaments in his right ankle.
Kane had to be carried off on a stretcher after scoring the winner against Sunderland last Sunday.
It’s unclear for how long Kane will be sidelined (speculation is that it’ll be for a few months), so expect him to play on Saturday when Spurs visit Middlesbrough.
TOURE-MAN CITY CONTROVERSY
Pep Guardiola this week said veteran midfielder Yaya Toure won’t play for Manchester City until his agent apologizes for comments he made about the Spaniard.
Toure’s representative, Dimitri Seluk, recently stated Guardiola humiliated the Ivorian midfielder by not including him in City’s squad for the Champions League group stage. In response Guardiola said that “Yaya is out” and won’t play until his agent apologizes.
Toure has made just one appearance—in a Champions League playoff game—for City since Pep took over. He didn’t even make the substitutes’ bench for the Blues’ other seven matches so far.
STOKE CHAIRMAN BACKS HUGHES
Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has received the backing of club chairman Peter Coates. The Potters are winless through the first five games of the season (with four losses) and sit dead last in the table. But Coates doesn’t seem poised to make a coaching change.
“We are obviously disappointed with the start we’ve made but Mark and the management team have our full support,” Coates told Telegraph Sport. “He is a very experienced manager and knows what it takes to get results in the Premier League. It’s still very early in the season and while these results obviously can’t go on forever, we’re convinced that things will change.”
Stoke hosts West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.
INTERESTING STAT
SHARMAN’S THOUGHTS
Ahead of every weekend this season, Sportsnet commentator James Sharman will give his three thoughts on what’s going on in the Premier League. These might not always be the biggest stories, but rather his personal observations as the games approach each Saturday.
Here’s an excerpt from this week’s blog…
This Saturday Bournemouth host Everton, a match featuring two managers destined for some pretty big things. Bournemouth’s Eddie Howe is the latest fresh-faced English manager in the Premier League, while Ronald Koeman is slightly more grizzled, but he is also on the way up in the managerial ranks.
There are many who believe that Howe could one day replace Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, a move that could happen as early as next season. Howe’s Cherries are a limited club that play above themselves and play the right way. In fact, Pep Guardiola suggested after Man City’s win over Howe’s side last week that Bournemouth was the best attacking team he had faced in England so far.
What Koeman has done with Everton is no less remarkable than what Pep has accomplished at City. Sitting second in the table and unbeaten so far, it would appear the Toffees are legitimate European contenders.
To read the full blog, CLICK HERE
THE BIG QUESTION
Manchester United has fallen on hard times in recent weeks. After starting the season with three straight wins, the Red Devils have lost two straight—including the Manchester derby at Old Trafford—and they lost their first match in the Europa League.
All of which leads us to ask “The Big Question”…
What is Manchester United’s biggest concern at the moment?
Sportsnet wants to know what you think, so have your say by voting in the poll. Then tune in to Sportsnet’s Premier League coverage this weekend as soccer commentators James Sharman, Craig Forrest and Danny Dichio debate “The Big Question.”
HE SAID IT
“We need to be angry against Hull. They want our points. I would love to see everybody go with the right expectations to these games. Why should it be easier?” – Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp ahead of Saturday’s home game against Hull City.