Prem rd 6, Sep 15th, 16th, 17th

Vaguest of form guides starting to take shape with most sides having played at least 2ce home and away.

Birmingham v Bolton
(-, 1-0, 1-2, 2-0, 3-1, -)
Brum are winless at home, only a pt to show from 2-2 draw with dreadful Sunderland, followed by a 0-1 loss to West Ham. A lot of attention been given to Bolton's poor start. 2 losses from 2 so far away to Fulham and Portsmouth, despite opening the scoring in both matches with 12th minute goals. 3/4 wins for Brum historically.
Result: 1-0

Chelsea v Blackburn
(3-0, 4-2, 4-0, 2-2, 1-2, 0-0)
3/3 historically for Chelsea under Jose, and all have gone over. Not too impressive for Chelsea so far at home, single goal victories over both Brum and Pompey. Blackburn started solidly, are unbeaten away with a win at Boro and a draw at Everton, where they led until the 78th minute. Santa Cruz has scored in both.
0-0

Everton v Man Utd
(2-4, 0-2, 1-0, 3-4, 1-2, 0-2)
5/6 wins for Man U at Everton, very impressive historically, but Utd have been anything but so far. 1 goal and 1 pt in 2 away games. Everton have a win and a draw at home and plenty of confidence sitting 3rd in the table after 5 games. Record signing Yakubu seems to like playing against the Reds, scored in 2 of last 3 home games against them (for Portsmouth and Boro).
0-1

Portsmouth v Liverpool
(2-1, 1-3, 1-2, 1-0, -, -)
2 wins each over the last 4 seasons, but early form seems to suggest Liverpool are a different proposition on the road this season, with impressive performances and 6 pts from 2 games at Villa and Sunderland. Pompey don't lose many at home, only 6 in the 31 matches since Redknapps return in December 2005. Overs in last 3 meetings.
0-0

Sunderland v Reading
(-, -, -, -, -, -)
No prev Prem meetings. Both sides struggling recently. Reading started well with 0-0 at Old Trafford and 1-0 win at home to Everton, but where hammered last time out by struggling Bolton, 3-0 at the Reebok. Sunderland have been dire since sneaking a last-minute win to open the season at home to Spurs. Offered nothing last home match against Liverpool. Great chance for both sides to get a moral boosting 3 pts, but both will probably look not to lose and be happy with a point.
2-1

TottenhamvArsenal
(2-2, 1-1, 4-5*, 2-2, 1-1, 1-1)
A draw on the cards? 5/6 historically suggests yes. Spurs are in crisis though and Arsenal are high on confidence after a very positive start to the season. However Arsenal have only 1 away game to go by form-wise, that a 1-1 draw at Blackburn. Spurs' only win so far during a deeply disappointing start for them was at home against whipping boys Derby, 3-0. 7 goals in Spurs' 2 home games so far, and with 19 goals in the last 4 matches historically, overs looks likely.
*Jol's first game as Spurs manager was that 4-5 loss at home to Arsenal in November 2004. A similar result could bring things full circle on Saturday.
**Arsenal had 5 different goalscorers that day, not one of which remains at the club nearly 3 yrs on. Can you name them? Answer at the bottom.
1-3

West Ham v Middlesbrough
(2-0, 2-1, -, -, 1-0, 1-0)
Hammers (aka Toon Reject Bin) boast a 100% record for the fixture over recent yrs. Started poorly at home this season with a loss to City and coming back from a goal down to draw with Wigan, but have looked good on their travels with 2 wins out of 2 at Brum and Reading. If they can find that form at home they should see off a Boro side who lost 10x away from home last season and have lost at Wigan this season before fluking a win at Fulham thanks to comedy goalkeeping and refereeing. Bellamy looks to be a suitable replacement for Tevez so far and as usual settles in well at his new club. Likes playing against Boro, scored in Feb 2004 for Toon in 2-1 win, didn't play against them in 2004-05, scored 2ce for Blackburn in 3-2 win 2005-06 season, didn't play against them last season. In other words, 3 goals in last 2 home outings v Boro.
3-0 (no goal for Bellamy, off injured in the 1st half)

Wigan v Fulham
(0-0, 1-0, -, -, -, -)
Wigan started a lot better than anybody expected this season, with 2 wins from 2 games at home, 4 goals scored and none conceded, and an England centre-forward to boot. They have not won 3 consecutive home matches since October 2005, when strung together wins over Bolton, Newcastle and ... Fulham. Fulham's 2 away games have seen them take early leads at Arsenal and Villa before succumbing to last minute winners and ultimately consecutive 2-1 defeats. Totally unpredictable so far this season, they also led at home to Boro, before losing to another last minute goal, and were played off the park at home to Spurs, before coming back from 2-0 and 3-1 down to score their own last minute goal and grab a point. Anything goes here!
1-1

Man City v Villa
(0-2, 3-1, 2-0, 4-1, 3-1, -)
Good record for City at home to Villa, despite last season's reversal. Plenty goals around historically too. Two 1-0's for City though at home so far: 1-0 at home to Derby looks poor with hindsight and most of know how awfully they played in fluking that 1-0 win over Man U. Villa's 1 away match so far this season was 0-0 at Toon. Looks like a game that could buck the historical trend and end very low scoring, minus one-each if it was possible.
1-0

Derby v Newcastle
(-, -, -, -, -, 2-3)
No recent meetings to go by. What odds Owen to continue his rich vein of form (6/4), scored in his last 4 matches now for Toon and England, he is back and confidence will be sky high. Newcastle have opened the scoring in both away matches so far, at Bolton and Boro. Derby conceded first to Brum last time out, but scored first on the season's opening day at home to Portsmouth. All 4 matches have been overs.
1-0


(Henry, Lauren, Viera, Ljungberg, Pires)