The best action to follow this weekend
Saturday
??????? You’ve made it through the International Break and now you get to reap the rewards on a day filled with EIGHT Premier League games.
They include, and you might have heard about this one – Manchester United vs. Newcastle United and the return of a certain Cristiano Ronaldo. Kicking off at the same time there’s the interesting looking game between Leicester City and Manchester City and we’ll see whether Arsenal can wake from their slumber as they face Norwich City.
And after all that, European Champions Chelsea take on Aston Villa in the evening kick-off.
?? Elsewhere, it’s also a busy day in the Bundesliga. Wolfsburg, the only side left with a 100% record after three rounds travel to promoted side Greuther Fürth whilst Borussia Dortmund and everyone’s favourite Norwegian, Erling Haaland go to Bayer Leverkusen.
And saving the best until last in another big evening kick-off, Julian Nagelsmann must take his Bayern München side back to RB Leipzig, the side he joined from during the summer, bringing a number of ex-Leipzig personnel with him.
?? After his heroics on Thursday night with Argentina, we might have to wait for Lionel Messi to make his first start for PSG but their game in Ligue 1 should be of interest anyway, as the giants take on the minnows of Clermont Foot. The side making their top flight debut have held their own so far, unbeaten after four games and boasting the second highest number of goals scored, behind the Parisians.
Staying in France, there’s the clash between two of the league’s other big sides as Monaco meet Marseille in the Principality.
?? It may be early days in the Serie A season, they’ve played just two rounds so far but today’s game between Napoli and Juventus should be an early indicator of how both are setting up for the new campaign. Juventus are without a win, whilst Napoli have conceded only once in victories over Venezia and Genoa.
?? Lastly today, we look to Portugal, now officially Europe’s 5th best league according to the UEFA Coefficient ratings. Here, we get another early season headliner as defending champions Sporting host Porto, the side they usurped to win their first title in 19 years just a few months ago.
Sunday
??????? Tomorrow, there’s just the one Premier League game on offer with Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United welcoming Liverpool to Elland Road.
That gives us the opportunity to check in on the second weekend of the new Women’s Super League season in England, previewed here by our friends at Two Girls Talk Balls:
‘Chelsea will be looking to make amends for their defeat to Arsenal last weekend when they play Everton at home. Everton will still be reeling from their thumping at the hands of City and can ill afford another hammering.
City are currently top of the pile in the league and must not let their poor Champions League display filter through to their league form. They take on Spurs at home in the final match of the weekend.
At the bottom end of the table West Ham and Birmingham both have potentially winnable fixtures at home to Villa and Brighton respectively. Elsewhere Leicester meet Manchester United in their first home WSL game and Reading host in form Arsenal.’
?? Sunday is traditionally the busier day of the weekend in Serie A and tomorrow is no exception. Champions Inter kick-off proceedings in the lunchtime game, away at Sampdoria.
Then later, in probably the day’s main event Milan host Lazio back at the San Siro with both sides looking to maintain their 100% start to the campaign. Lazio begin this round on top of the pile having scored nine goals in their opening two games.
And finally, Roma take on Sassuolo in the final game of the day. These sides both ended on the same number of points last season (62) but with Roma’s investment in squad, and manager they’ll be hoping for significant improvement this time around.
?? In La Liga, where two of today’s games, including Sevilla vs. Barcelona have been postponed due to the lateness of the South American World Cup qualifiers, we’ll have to wait until tomorrow for a real fix from Spain’s top flight.
Then, Atlético Madrid will be in Barcelona to face Espanyol whilst Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid side at home against Celta Vigo.
??????? We’ll leave you by pointing you in the direction of Scottish football’s second biggest derby – Sunday’s meeting between Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibernian. Not as high profile as the Old Firm but as fiercely felt by all involved and this one maybe even more so. That is because after four rounds of the Premiership season, the sides are neck-and-neck at the top of the table with Hibs only in first place by virtue of goals difference.
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Cover Image from IMAGO