Saturday football

[Coffee]

"LUT-TOT BUR-CHE EVE-BOU FUL-SHF MNU-BRE BHA-LIV WHU-NEW WOL-AST ARS-MCY LUTON TOWN vs TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR (1230) This one should be raining goals and they won’t be coming from the hosts or, with luck, from VAR. Away win. BURNLEY vs CHELSEA (1500) Having secured their first win of the season at Luton, Burnley remain in the bottom three, but just four points behind today’s sorry visitors. But Chelsea too will have some air in their boots after beating Fulham last weekend. In theory this should be a straightforward away win, but there’s no telling. Away win. EVERTON vs BOURNEMOUTH (1500) Some will call this a six-pointer and with one point separating the two sides it’s hard to argue with that even this early in the season. Both sides will certainly treat it as such, so we’ll likely end up with an old fashioned English football match, all blood and mud and gore. Home win. FULHAM vs SHEFFIELD UNITED (1500) The Blades are struggling big time, bottom of the table with just a single point. Fulham, enjoying mid-table comfort, should boost their goal difference this afternoon. Home win. MANCHESTER UNITED vs BRENTFORD (1500) The pressure is firmly on Eric Ten Hag and his band of costly reprobates. The Bees will fancy their chances at the Theatre of Bad Dreams, but victory may just be one step too far. Draw. CRYSTAL PALACE vs NOTTINGHAM FOREST (1730) Palace will be purring after coming from Old Trafford with all three points in their kit bag. Forest, in 12th, offer little promise on the road. Home win. *SUNDAY* BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION vs LIVERPOOL (1400) What a fixture. The high-flying Seagulls will want to compensate for defeat last time out, while the Reds are enjoying a huge sulk after VAR deprived them of that goal. Should be a corker. Draw. WEST HAM UNITED vs NEWCASTLE UNITED (1400) Both sides come into this on the back of midweek Euro success. Mikhail Antonio is recovering from injury and may or may not be available for this game. The visitors are likely to be without Joelinton, Harvey Barnes and another Joe: Willock. As usual, we will depend on the set piece and will probably sit back and absorb Magpie pressure. However, there have been some encouraging signs of a willingness to attack while not on the break, and that surely has to be the way forward against this lot. Should be a good game, though expect both sides to tire towards the end of the game. Draw. WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS vs ASTON VILLA (1400) Of particular interest to Midland population but also to the other six in the top seven. Villa are in a rich vein of form, but Wolves’ pecker is truly up after unexpectedly – very unexpectedly – putting Man City to the sword last weekend. Away win. ARSENAL vs MANCHESTER CITY (1630) Arsenal are without Martinelli and possibly their recent talisman Bukayo Saka, while City will miss the influential Rodri after his ill-advised attempt to strangle an opponent last weekend. As ever Haaland will be key for the visitors, but this is all set up for a cracking game. Draw. *CHAMPIONSHIP* Nine wins from their 10 games put Leicester firmly on top of the Championship. Ipswich are snapping at the Foxes’ tails just two points behind. The Tractor Boys have a tricky home fixture against high-flying Preston this afternoon, while Leicester host lowly Stoke. Sunderland (4th) are in fine form having won four of their last five games. Sheff Wed are in desperate straits in rock bottom place with just two points to their name – and, since Wednesday, no manager. They host local rivals Huddersfield (19th) this afternoon. QPR and Rotherham join them below the early dotted line. The latter travel to Southampton (11th), many people’s favourites for an immediate return to the top flight, in what should be a routine victory for the hosts to take them back into the play-off mix. Millwall in 14th take on Hull in a game that could also see them jump into the play-off places – the sides between 5th and 10th are all on 16 points. Michael Carrick’s Boro, recently at the foot of the table, have climbed to 17th and make the short journey to the Stadium of Light in what promises to be a high octane encounter in the early kick-off. Whatever happens in that game, expect to see Middlesboro climb the table in the coming weeks."

[lowlife]

"Manuel - agree with that, he seems way out of his depth. Thought O’Neil did alright with them and didn’t deserve being let go. They probably wanted some ‘next level’ type person in."

[Mex Martillo]

"Swindon, I said the same about McTominay in the summer. He has been very good for Scotland. Still, Alvarez is as good or better."

[Manuel]

"Was watching the Manu game and even though I was a bit gutted at what happened at the death, the drama of it all, live, was a great spectacle, which is why some of us love the game I suppose. How long before the Cherries have to admit they have a massive rick with the paella fella?"

[Texas Iron]

Not yet impressed by Spurs… Has lots of luck in their unbeaten run so far… Today’s kit was Puke Coloured…after red wine bash… Tha Ange Effect won’t last IMO…

[lowlife]

"Agreed - I think he gets a lot of unwarranted criticism. Always gives everything, decent on the ball, strong in the tackle and can score. Lap of honour by Manchester United today though - hahahaha"

[swindon hammer]

McTominay is a good player. I think he would thrive if he was given regular game time and more freedom to push forward like he does for Scotland.

[nychammer]

oh well McTominay ain't coming in the Jan window now.

[Coffee]

"Well, it rained a goal."

[twoleftfeet]

27% possession against 10 men at home is pretty poor. Are this seasons new crop of teams from the championship the worse yet?

[lowlife]

Bissouma on a yellow and does a blatant dive. Second yellow and sent off. Hahahahaha - what a twat.

[cheesebgt]

CRY-NFO Draw

[cheesebgt]

LUT-TOT Away BUR-CHE Away EVE-BOU Draw FUL-SHF Home MNU-BRE Home BHA-LIV Away WHU-NEW Away WOL-AST Away ARS-MCY Away

[legrandefromage]

"Hammers eased home by two lengths ahead of a disappointing Blades last time out while Magpies were the easy course and distance winner in the corresponding race last season. Magpies Evens, Hammers 13/10, 5/1 Bar"

[Coffee]

"Thanks, fromage. Yours, Brough"

[legrandefromage]

Today’s previews read in the style and brevity of Brough Scott previewing the runners and riders in the next leg of the ITV Seven