As predicted before the start of the 2023-24 season, Premier League referees are clamping down on player ill-discipline. Seventeen players have been sent off in the first seven rounds of matches, compared with 30 across the whole of the previous campaign.
The highlight of the weekend involves a clash between last season’s best two sides in the Premier League. Arsenal looked like potential champions for much of the campaign but faltered in the final furlongs as City wrapped up a third successive title in a treble-winning season.
Manchester United have endured their worst start to a season since 1986, following Tuesday night’s Champions League defeat at home to Galatasaray. United have lost six of their opening 10 games in all competitions, a tally not seen since the latter stages of Ron Atkinson’s managerial reign.
The record of promoted teams to the Premier League is coming under scrutiny after a dismal start to the campaign for this season’s newcomers. Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton all remain without a win since coming up from the Championship.
Arsenal and Tottenham do battle again this weekend in the latest instalment of the north London derby. The Gunners did the double over their neighbours last season but honours have largely been even in recent times, although goals, cards and drama aplenty are almost always guaranteed.
Neil Warnock is to leave Huddersfield after Wednesday’s match at home to Stoke, bringing to an end another chapter in the incredible career of one of English football’s greatest ever managers. The 74-year-old signed a one-year contract in the summer having saved them from Championship relegation.
There are still three Scottish teams in Europe ahead of the group stages of the three continental competitions. Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibs both failed to make it through qualifying in the Europa Conference League but Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen continue to fly the flag for Scotland.
Arsenal will be looking to end a poor record at Goodison Park when they take on struggling Everton. The Gunners have not won on their last five visits, losing four, and saw their Premier League title hopes suffer a huge blow last season when a 1-0 defeat in Sean Dyche’s first game as Toffees boss triggered a three-match winless streak.
Ahead of the first Milan derby of the Serie A season, we’ve put together our all-time AC Milan vs Inter Milan combined XI. The history of both teams is littered with world-class players in every position and we were spoilt for choice when making these selections.
Son Heung-min, Erling Haaland and Evan Ferguson matched a record with their Premier League hat-tricks on Saturday. It was only the second time in the Premier League era that the English top flight had witnessed three hat-tricks on the same day.
Arsenal have a good record against Manchester United in recent Premier League meetings at Emirates Stadium and are fancied to continue that trend. The Gunners have picked up 13 points out of a possible 15 from the last five top-flight encounters at this venue, outscoring the Red Devils 10-3.
Newcastle and Liverpool face another early test of their top-four credentials when they meet on Tyneside in the pick of this weekend’s Premier League fixtures. Both teams have reasons for optimism this season but it is Liverpool who need the biggest improvement, especially on the road having suffered eight away defeats last season.
New guidelines on added time aimed at clamping down on time-wasting are splitting opinion among football players and fans. Premier League referees have been instructed to more accurately calculate time lost to stoppages this season – including goal celebrations, substitutions and VAR checks – in line with the approach first adopted at the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year.
Manchester City added another trophy to their growing collection this week but might be worth opposing on their return to Premier League action. City have been taken to penalties in both the Community Shield and European Super Cup, plus Kevin De Bruyne is sidelined by injury.