The Premier League resumes this weekend with Matchday 9, and Sportsnet will have live coverage of five games, including Everton vs. Manchester United and Watford vs. Arsenal.
Check out the breakdown and broadcast info for this week’s top matches below (all stats courtesy of the Premier League).
MONDAY
Swansea City vs. Stoke City 
Broadcast info: Sportsnet World at 2:00 pm ET
Player to watch: Ryan Shawcross. The Stoke captain could return to the starting lineup for the first time in two weeks after undergoing back surgery.
Match notes: Fourteen players have started for Swansea in the Premier League this season, the fewest of any team… Stoke have won just one of their last 18 league visits to Swansea (with 12 losses), keeping only two clean sheets in that stretch… Six of the eight league meetings between these clubs have been won by the home side—the other two ended in draws… Stoke City has not won consecutive away matches in the league since December 2011…
SATURDAY
Everton vs. Manchester United 
Broadcast info: Four main Sportsnet channels at 9:30 am ET
Player to watch: Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian has five goals and two assists through the first eight games of the season, and he is only one of four players to score a Premier League hat-trick against Manchester United.
Match notes: Everton is the only side yet to score from a set piece this season… Roberto Martinez’s team have won just one of their last six games at Goodison Park (with three losses)… Everton have won three consecutive home league matches against Manchester United… Gareth Barry will become only the second player to make 550 league starts if he is named to Everton’s starting 11 on Saturday (David James made 579 starts)…
Crystal Palace vs. West Ham United 
Broadcast info: Sportsnet ONE at 9:30 am ET
Player to watch: Yohan Cabaye. The Frenchman has proven to be a solid pickup for Palace, with three goals and an assist. He’s also contributing defensively, as he leads the league in interceptions with 30 (tied with Aston Villa’s Jordan Amavi).
Match notes: The last time Crystal Palace had more points after eight matches in a top-flight campaign (15 this season) was in 1990/91 (16 points). They finished third that season… Alan Pardew has won 58 percent of his Premier League matches as Crystal Palace manager. He won 36 percent in charge of West Ham United between 2003 and 2006… West Ham has the best shot conversion rate in the league this season (23 percent).
Manchester City vs. Bournemouth 
Broadcast info: Sportsnet World at 9:30 am ET
Player to watch: Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian has made an immediate impact upon his return to the Premier League, scoring three goals and assisting on two others in his three starts for Manchester City. With Sergio Aguero out injured, City will be looking to him to keep his hot streak going.
Match notes: Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe played in the last meeting between these sides—a 0-0 draw in February 1999… Manchester City have won four and drawn two of their previous six meetings with Bournemouth… Manuel Pellegrini’s side have scored in all but one of their last 24 league matches, including each of the last 17… Bournemouth have scored in 12 of their last 13 away league matches.
Watford vs. Arsenal 
Broadcast info: Sportsnet ONE at noon ET
Player to watch: Theo Walcott. He’s become a bit of a forgotten man at Arsenal—it’s easy to be overshadowed by Alexis Sanchez. But he’s been in fine form, with 12 goals and three assists in his last 14 league starts, and two goals in seven appearances this season.
Match notes: Nigeria forward Odion Ighalo has scored Watford’s last five league goals… Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech has the best save percentage in the Premier League this season (82 percent)… Alexis Sanchez has scored five times in his last two league appearances for the Gunners… Arsenal has won their last five meetings with the Hornets in all competitions, including all four previous league fixtures… Watford has never won a league match in the month of October (five losses, four draws)…
ALSO OF INTEREST
Tottenham vs. Liverpool 
Kickoff: Saturday at 7:45 am ET
Player to watch: Jurgen Klopp. Okay, he’s not a player. But this is the most exciting managerial debut in the Premier League for quite some time. The German worked wonders at Borussia Dortmund, and it’ll be interesting to see if his fiery passion on the sidelines inspires Liverpool.
Match notes: Gerard Houllier is the only Liverpool manager to win his first league match in charge at the club (in 1998, when he was joint-manager with Roy Evans)… Since his Premier League debut in 2013, Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen has scored more direct free-kicks than any other player (six)… Daniel Sturridge scored three times in five league matches against Spurs before moving to Anfield but has failed to score in four appearances against them for Liverpool… The Reds have won one of their last nine Premier League road games (with four draws)…
