EPL Predictions: Picks, Top Players for Week 6 Premier League Fixtures
There are plenty of mouthwatering fixtures to feast your eyes on in the Premier League in Week 6, starting with Arsenal's trip to Stamford Bridge as they face a Chelsea in crisis.
Manchester City will be looking to extend their lead at the top of the table as they welcome West Ham United to the Etihad, while Aston Villa host rivals West Bromwich Albion in a Midlands derby.
On Sunday, Manchester United face a potentially tricky clash away at Southampton.
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Here are the fixtures for Week 6 complete with picks and a look at some of the players set to play instrumental roles for their clubs:
| Saturday, Sept. 19 | 12:45 p.m. | Chelsea vs. Arsenal | Arsenal |
| Saturday, Sept. 19 | 3 p.m. | Swansea City vs. Everton | Draw |
| Saturday, Sept. 19 | 3 p.m. | Aston Villa vs. West Brom | Aston Villa |
| Saturday, Sept. 19 | 3 p.m. | Stoke City vs. Leicester City | Leicester |
| Saturday, Sept. 19 | 3 p.m. | Bournemouth vs. Sunderland | Draw |
| Saturday, Sept. 19 | 3 p.m. | Newcastle vs. Watford | Newcastle |
| Saturday, Sept. 19 | 5:30 p.m. | Manchester City vs. West Ham | Man City |
| Sunday, Sept. 20 | 1:30 p.m. | Tottenham vs. Crystal Palace | Draw |
| Sunday, Sept. 20 | 4 p.m. | Southampton vs. Manchester United | Man United |
| Sunday, Sept. 20 | 4 p.m. | Liverpool vs. Norwich | Liverpool |
Key Players
Theo Walcott, Arsenal
The Gunners are yet to truly click going forward this season but have an excellent opportunity to do so against the Blues.
Chelsea have conceded an astonishing 12 goals already this term just five games in, more than any other team, and have looked particularly vulnerable to pace at the back, with the likes of Jefferson Montero, Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling among those to terrorise their back four.
For Theo Walcott then, the match represents a great chance to silence his critics. The Englishman scored with a neat finish in his last outing against Stoke City. Opta Joe illustrated his impressive goalscoring run for the Gunners:
Former footballer-turned-broadcaster Adrian Clarke highlighted Walcott's ability to cause defences serious problems, albeit he believes his best position to be on the wing rather than centrally:
According to the Telegraph's Ben Findon, Walcott admitted he can still improve following the win over Stoke. He said: "I created a lot of chances, I probably should have taken more, I know that. I will study my performance of what I can do better but there’s no point being down in the dumps about it."
If the 26-year-old is to prove he can be a long-term solution for Arsenal at centre-forward, then decisive goals against teams like Chelsea are needed.
Riyad Mahrez, Leicester City
Leicester City have lost just once since April 4, and it's not by chance their impressive run has coincided with Riyad Mahrez's explosive form.
The Algerian finished last season strongly and has been one of the best players to grace the league so far in this campaign. Squawka Football demonstrates his impressive stats:
In Leicester's last match, Mahrez pulled the strings as he masterminded a successful comeback after the Foxes found themselves 2-0 down against Villa, causing all manner of problems with his incredible dribbling skills and incisive passing.
Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri was full of praise for the winger:
As the Foxes have shot up to second in the table, Stoke have languished in the relegation zone.
No longer possessing an unrivalled ability to bully and harass teams with raw physicality, the Potters are still adjusting to a more technical approach as plenty of new faces attempt to bed in to the team.
Their process of adapting to their new philosophy is understandably taking time, and Leicester's form and outstanding forward play make them well-suited to capitalise.
As has been the case all season, expect Mahrez to be at the heart of another positive result for the Foxes.
Christian Benteke, Liverpool
Liverpool host Norwich City at Anfield, and the Reds will be desperate for a win.
Defeat to rivals Man United in their last match leaves Brendan Rodgers' side in a poor run of form and winless since their victory over Bournemouth in August.
The Reds have disappointingly scored just three goals this season, but what will serve as encouragement is that new signing Christian Benteke has scored two of them, including a goal-of-the-season-contending bicycle kick at Old Trafford, per the Premier League:
The Belgian has linked up surprisingly well with Philippe Coutinho so far and, though he and Liverpool are still adapting to one another, his form is hinting at a successful and lasting relationship.
His power and aerial dominance could be crucial as Liverpool look to cause problems for the Canaries' shaky defence, which is yet to keep a clean sheet this season.
