The Premier League returns this weekend for one last round of fixtures before an extended three-week international break.
Lovely. Just as the season starts getting interesting, everyone can disappear for three weeks – who in their right mind gave this the go-ahead? There should be serious repercussions.
Matchweek 5 is not exactly the friendliest weekend for an acca, either. There are awkward fixtures everywhere you look, with several of the usual suspects facing games we would rather leave well alone.
Still, we have dug through the fixtures and found four selections we like.
Some are more straightforward than others. As ever, we just need all four teams to behave themselves for 90 minutes.
Simple, really.
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Arsenal to beat Brighton
We are starting with the champions, although this might be the leg that causes the most pacing around the living room.
Arsenal have made a perfect start to their Premier League title defence. Mikel Arteta’s side have won all four of their opening league games and have carried that form into Europe.
They were made to work for their victory at Sunderland last weekend. However, that is becoming one of Arsenal’s biggest strengths.
Even when games become scrappy, they rarely lose control completely. There is enough quality throughout the side to find a goal without having to play particularly well for 90 minutes.
Brighton are capable of making this uncomfortable, especially at the Amex. They put five past Coventry last weekend before dumping Manchester United out of the Carabao Cup in midweek.
That makes this far from a freebie.
However, Arsenal have more quality in the areas that should decide the game. We are backing the champions to make it five Premier League wins from five.
Everton to beat Ipswich Town
David Moyes has quietly made Everton extremely difficult to beat again.
There are no fireworks. Nobody is getting carried away. Everton are just turning up every week, making life unpleasant and leaving with something.
Very Moyes.
The Toffees remain unbeaten in the Premier League this season. Their latest point came away at Tottenham, where another solid defensive display earned them a goalless draw – Shock horror, Spurs failed to score.
Now they return to the Hill Dickinson Stadium to face Ipswich.
The Tractor Boys have shown they can compete since returning to the Premier League, so Everton cannot expect to simply turn up and collect three points.
However, this looks like exactly the sort of home game Moyes will expect his side to win.
Everton should be difficult to break down, while they have enough attacking quality to punish Ipswich at the other end.
It probably will not be glamorous. Nobody is asking it to be.
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Nottingham Forest to beat Coventry City
If you are a Coventry supporter, you may want to skip this section.
Four Premier League games. Four defeats. Zero goals.
It has been a fairly brutal introduction to the Premier League for Frank Lampard’s side.
Last weekend was particularly painful. Coventry were beaten 5-0 by Brighton and are still waiting for both their first point and first league goal of the season.
The City Ground is not an ideal place to go looking for either.
Forest have not exactly blown teams away themselves, but they have been much more competitive.
They also picked up their first Premier League victory of the campaign last weekend and now have the opportunity to build some momentum at home.
Coventry will eventually get themselves going. We are just not convinced it happens here.
Until they give us a reason to think otherwise, opposing them remains difficult to resist.
Manchester City to beat Sunderland
This could be one of the tougher selections on our acca.
Sunderland gave Arsenal an excellent game last weekend. In fact, the 2-0 scoreline was harsh on the Black Cats.
Enzo Le Fée had a penalty saved at 0-0. Arsenal then broke through before Bukayo Saka added a second from the spot in stoppage time.
Sunderland also have an interesting record against City.
They are the only Premier League team Erling Haaland has faced without scoring against. The Norwegian failed to score in both meetings last season.
However, Sunderland’s schedule could make a difference this weekend.
The Black Cats were in Europa League action in midweek. They beat AZ Alkmaar 1-0 at the Stadium of Light, with Le Fée scoring the winner from the penalty spot – something poetic about that.
As a result, several Sunderland players will head to Manchester with plenty of minutes in their legs.
City should be much better equipped to handle the quick turnaround. Enzo Maresca has a huge squad and can rotate without losing too much quality.
Sunderland have already shown they can make the best teams work. Therefore, we are not expecting City to have everything their own way.
However, home advantage and their greater squad depth should eventually tell.
Premier League matchweek 5 accumulator
So, our four selections are:
- Arsenal to beat Brighton
- Everton to beat Ipswich Town
- Nottingham Forest to beat Coventry City
- Manchester City to beat Sunderland
Four teams. Four wins needed.
What could possibly go wrong?
Please don’t answer that.
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