EPL Round 3 picks and previews

EPL Round 3 – Picks and Previews

Burnley v Manchester United

The only time these two sides have met at Turf Moor in the EPL the home side prevailed 1 nil in what was a huge shock, the same result tonight would be far less shocking.

Sean Dyche has been handed a tough start to the season, Chelsea first up and then Swansea away followed by the visit of United. While they’re yet to pick up a point the Clarets have performed admirably taking the lead in the opening game and pushing the Swans close in the last round.

For the home side Dean Moxey and former United midfielder David Jones are doubts otherwise Dyche has most of his squad available.

For United things have been going from bad to worse, the loss to Swansea first up followed by what was a fortuitous point on Wear side and then a mid-week capitulation by a side made up of players who should have been hungry to impress the new boss but ultimately failed completely.

On the brightside Angel Di Maria is available and should add even more threat going forward while Jonny Evans availability offsets the loss of Chris Smalling to groin problem. Van Gaal is currently without 10 players due to injury and probably about 3 because Ed Woodward hasn’t signed them yet.

Tough to go against United here, looks like there is too much forward threat but I said that the last two rounds!

Pick Burnley 1 Manchester United 2

Manchester City v Stoke City

City has started the season strongly and will only get better as the squad beds in. They’re a tough side to beat at home and have two top players for every position so this should be a comfortable win.

Negrado is out with a foot injury but the way Jovetic has been playing I doubt he’ll be missed.

For Stoke City it’s been a flat start to the season, they were expected to see of Villa in the opening game at the Britannia but lost 1 nil. Last weekend they struggled to draw with a Hull side that played 75 minutes with 10 men so Mark Hughes needs to fire his side up – something that’d not usually a problem for his side.

Barcelona recruit Krkic is a doubt with a rib problem and Phil Bardsley also has a question mark next to his name. Look for the Potters to stack the midfield and try and negate the physicality of Toure through sheer weight of numbers. Having not won in their last 10 games against the Blues of Manchester a draw would be gratefully accepted no doubt and check the odds on a red card – good chance Stoke won’t keep 11 on the pitch.

Pick Manchester City 4 Stoke City 0

Newcastle United v Crystal Palace

Alan Pardew’s side look like they will click and give someone a hiding at some point. I’ve been really impressed by new signings Cabella and De Jong and that combination created a handful of chances against Aston Villa last weekend.

Chieke Tiote is still missing with a hamstring problem and Davide Santon is also a miss at left back while Mike Williamson is suspended but Newcastle should secure 3 points in front of their fans at the second time of asking against a side they’ve beaten four times on the spin without conceding.

The man dubbed Colin Wanker, Neil Warnock is back at Palace. He seems like a yesterday man for me but he does know the club and has managed at this level before.

The arrival of Palace old boy Zaha on loan for the season from Manchester United will give the Londoners a more viable option than Jerome Thomas on flank but the concern will be whether or not influential centre back Scott Dann can recover from injury in time for the match.

The Eagles need time to settle under their new boss and I can’t see them taking anything from the match. If you want a punt take the halftime fulltime option of Draw/Newcastle as Palace have conceded winners in injury time the last two times these sides have met.

Pick Newcastle United 2 Crystal Palace 1

Queens Park Rangers v Sunderland

It’s been a terrible start to the season for Harry Redknapp’s charges, shipping 5 goals and scoring none. The decision to start Ferdinand and Dunne as part of a back three against Spurs was questionable at best but it’s really the first up loss to Hull that could hurt in the long run.

To miss a penalty and a raft of chances (19 shots only 6 on target) against a Hull side that’ll likely be in the lower reaches of the table come May is reckless and could be fatal to survival.

If that’s not bad enough it looks as though marquee striker Loic Remy could be heading to neighbours Chelsea and seems likely to miss the match as will the creative Alejandro Faurlin who is battling injury.

For Gus Poyet things look on the up and up. The signing of Jack Rodwell from Manchester City seems good business if his game against Manchester United is anything to go by.

The Black Cats have had draws away at West Brom and home to United and Poyet will no doubt be happy with two points at this stage and given last week’s result at White Hart Lane confident of a further three this round.

While Sunderland look a lot more solid so far this season than last they still look like they may struggle for goals having failed to convince Liverpool loanee Fabio Borini to join fulltime. So it’ll be up to the injury prone Steven Fletcher, the raw Connor Wickham and misfiring American Jose Altidore to take their chances.

Pick – Queens Park Rangers 1 Sunderland 1

Swansea City v West Bromwich Albion  

Gary Monk’s side have had a great start to the season with wins at Old Trafford and against Burnley at home. Despite losing some influential players from last season the Swans have hit the ground running and the slick passing style that was implemented years ago by Roberto Martinez is still to the fore.

Spurs loanee Tom Carroll and new defensive signing Federico Fernandez from Napoli are both available strengthening an already confident side.

Ivorian striker Wifried Bony has started the season on form and he’ll be a handful for West Brom’s defence.

The Baggies have been solid so far this season under new manager Alan Irvine. The Scot was the bookies favourite to win the Sack Race pre-season but his side played well first game up against Sunderland and probably deserved 3 points as opposed to one and last weeks’ battling performance away at Southampton has to be applauded.

West Brom’s problem last year was turning nearly chances and good displays into three points, they drew 15 games, more than any other team in the Premiership and Irvine needs to rectify that.

Ideye Brown has been brought in and has a very good record in the Ukraine though he’s yet to find his scoring touch in England, they’ll need him too before these 1 point gains start looking like 2 points lost.

Irvine is an admirer of the passing style of his opposition and he’ll need to find a way to combat that or it could be a long afternoon.

Pick – Swansea City 2 West Bromwich Albion 0

West Ham United v Southampton

The Hammers 3 – 1 away win at Selhurst Park will have eased pressure on Sam Allardyce and no doubt instilled confidence in the side ahead of the visit of Southampton.

Big Sam’s side are still missing Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan, Carl Jenkinson, James Collins and Matt Jarvis but for now seem capable of performing without them. Mauro Zarate looks to be a player who could play a big part at Upton Park this season, the classy Argentine was top scorer in his homeland last season and his previous experience at Lazio should mean he’s able to deal with the rigours of the Premiership week in week out.

West Ham has a very good record versus the Saints and they’ll be keen to replicate last weekend’s form in front of their own fans.

Ronald Koeman’s side are a work in progress, unlucky not to get a point at Anfield but toothless last weekend at home.

New signings Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic will need to gel as they did at Anfield to create openings against a workman like defence and midfield at Upton Park and the industry and invention of James Ward-Prowse and Gaston Ramirez will be equally important.

The Saints are a hard side to pin down at the moment given the amount of changes at the club in the summer and while I expect them to come good through the season I think they may struggle this time out.

Pick West Ham United 2 Southampton 1

Everton v Chelsea

Roberto Martinez will be acutely aware of the 4 points thrown away already this season, conceding late goals to both Leicester and Arsenal has hurt the Toffees and they’ll need to tighten things up in late kick off with Chelsea.

Romelu Lukaku will no doubt have something to prove against the manager who didn’t want him and a boost in form would be welcome for Everton’s record transfer who hasn’t yet recaptured the form that encouraged them to splash 28 million pounds on him.

The blue half of Merseyside do have a decent record against Chelsea having won 4 of the last 5 meetings at Goodison but with the loss of Ross Barclay and Steven Pienaar through injury could mean they’ll struggle to create chances against what’s likely to be a compact midfield and defence.

Jose Mourinho’s side have started reasonably convincingly this season though it took them an hour breakdown Leicester City at Stamford Bridge last weekend. The problem for Chelsea could be the state of Diego Costa’s hamstring which he reportedly injured in training during the week and with Eto’o released and Torres on his way to AC Milan finding a focal point for the attack could be an issue especially with an injury cloud also hanging over Andre Schurrle.

In Cesc Fabregas Chelsea have a man whose been used by Barcalona and Spain in a false 9 role but given his effectiveness as a deep lying playmaker the Mourinho is unlikely to want to move him.

So two solid sides who are missing much artillery.

Pick - Everton 0 Chelsea 0