EPL Week 6 Predictions: Premier League Picks, Key Players and Fixture Info

Chelsea remain top of the Premier League after their 1-1 draw with Manchester City, but Jose Mourinho's men enter the next round of matches with their 100 per cent record diminished. 

Manuel Pellegrini's champions will be pleased to have avoided their second domestic home defeat in a row, especially considering Pablo Zabaleta's sending off during the feisty Etihad Stadium clash. Both sides will be looking to build on a positive result, while Week 6 represents the perfect opportunity for Manchester United, Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham to bounce back from their recent defeats.

Date	Fixture	Time (BST/ET)	Prediction
September 27	Liverpool vs. Everton	12.45 p.m./7.45 a.m.	3-1
September 27	Chelsea vs. Aston Villa	3 p.m./10 a.m.	3-0
September 27	Crystal Palace vs. Leicester	3 p.m./10 a.m.	2-2
September 27	Hull vs. Man City	3 p.m./10 a.m.	0-2
September 27	Man United vs. West Ham	3 p.m./10 a.m.	2-3
September 27	Southampton vs. QPR	3 p.m./10 a.m.	2-0
September 27	Sunderland vs. Swansea	3 p.m./10 a.m.	1-1
September 27	Arsenal vs. Spurs	5.30 p.m./12.30 p.m.	2-0
September 28	West Brom vs. Burnley	4 p.m./11 a.m	1-0
September 29	Stoke vs. Newcastle	8 p.m./3 p.m.	2-1

Key Players to Watch in Premier League Week 6

Steven Gerrard

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Liverpool's 3-1 loss to West Ham will have supporters worried, not merely because the team played poorly, but because Brendan Rodgers' rotation policy is already negatively impacting the squad.

Captain Steven Gerrard remains an ever-present in the midfield, but his form stuttered into shaky territory across the defeats to Aston Villa and the Hammers. This perhaps wasn't helped by Lucas Leiva's inclusion in the team against Sam Allardyce's powerful side, as the Brazilian has a tendency to tread on Gerrard's toes when they sit alongside Jordan Henderson in a midfield three.

Although Gerrard doesn't possess the power to burst forward like he once used to, he is sat too deep to make much of an impact in his current role. Philippe Coutinho's creativity masks this, as the Brazilian's willingness to dribble forward often helps launch incisive counter-attacks for the Reds. When he isn't playing, Liverpool's centre looks laboured.

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Gerrard's passes, be they cross field or just a few yards ahead of him, no longer start attacking moves when Rodgers opts for functionality over attacking ambition. He has so often been a key player during the Merseyside derby, but Everton's midfield of James McCarthy and Gareth Barry will fancy themselves to neutralise Gerrard's threat if Rodgers gets his line-up wrong.

Matt Law of The Telegraph suggests the skipper's time could soon be up, as told to Sky Sports' Sunday Supplement show:

"

I’d probably drop [Gerrard]. I just don’t see the point in this theory in finding a place for him in this back three—if he’s playing badly I’d probably drop him and give him a rest and then bring him back in. 

It does make sense to target him because you can’t deny the fact he’s getting older. In that role where he’s playing if you manage to nick the ball off him he can’t recover going the other way so then you’ve got a free run at the defence.

"

Rodgers is likely to deploy a more attacking side against the Toffees, with Coutinho restored in front of the Anfield crowd. Gerrard's ability to find space, pick out a pass and quickly progress play to the Brazilian or Raheem Sterling could decide the match, but there's no doubt his manager needs a tactical rethink if this is going to happen.

Jamie Vardy

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Leicester fans will have been enraptured by the performances of Leonardo Ulloa this season. During their 5-3 victory over Manchester United, another talent announced himself to the Premier League. Jamie Vardy's display had everything: pace, power and the hunger to succeed, but most importantly, the 27-year-old finally opened his account in the top flight.

He paid his manager back for a showing of real faith against the Red Devils. This was the former Stocksbridge Park Steels striker's first start of the season, and it came in a match that sums up Leicester's excellent return to life among the elite.

Vardy's running and desire to commit players will come in mightily useful away at Crystal Palace, who have started to show their own strength of character under new boss Neil Warnock. Vardy remained a threat throughout the display against United, but he was fortunate to win the game-changing penalty after fouling Rafael outside the area.

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It was a testimony to the rest of Vardy's performance that Louis van Gaal didn't use the incident as an excuse for the defeat, per James Ducker of The Times:

Squawka highlighted the creative quality of Vardy's display:

Palace have proven rocky at the back this season and are susceptible to pace, despite beating Everton last time out. Vardy will energetically buzz around the box in order to provide Ulloa with service to exploit this. The Argentine has scored five goals in as many games this season, suggesting he'll only need one opportunity to put the Foxes ahead.

Yaya Toure

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A difficult start to the campaign has seen Yaya Toure fail to impress for Manchester City. The midfield behemoth, whose bombing runs have so often made the difference, has appeared lethargic and unwilling to move.

He showed signs of getting back to his best against Chelsea and will need to continue upping his game against a physical Hull midfield. Tom Huddlestone, Jake Livermore and new boy Mohamed Diame all started during the recent draw with Newcastle and will look to cut Yaya's influence out of the game.

Steve Bruce's midfield is one of the best equipped in the division to deal with the Ivorian. Yaya may need to play closer to Fernandinho until the ball is gained—just so the pair don't get crowded out—but once in possession drive forward and open up space for his strikers.

Yaya is yet to score or register an assist this season. He played an important role against Chelsea and needs to nail down some consistency. His success is likely to define City's day at the KC Stadium, where he'll be targeted by opposition who can more than match his physicality.