EPL Week 9 Predictions: Premier League Picks, Key Players and Fixtures
Manchester United will face another stern test on Sunday when boss Jose Mourinho takes on former side Chelsea for the first time.ย
Manchester City take on Southampton as they look to return to winning ways, while Arsenal could go top if they better the Citizens' result at home to Middlesbrough.
Tottenham Hotspur will travel to Bournemouth and Liverpool host West Bromwich Albion at Anfield.
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Here are all the fixtures from Week 9 of the Premier League, complete with score predictions for each:
| Saturday, October 22 | 12:30 p.m./7:30 a.m. | Bournemouth vs. Tottenham Hotspur | 0-1 |
| Saturday, October 22 | 3 p.m./10 a.m. | Arsenal vs. Middlesbrough | 2-0 |
| Saturday, October 22 | 3 p.m./10 a.m. | Burnley vs. Everton | 1-2 |
| Saturday, October 22 | 3 p.m./10 a.m. | Hull City vs. Stoke City | 1-1 |
| Saturday, October 22 | 3 p.m./10 a.m. | Leicester City vs. Crystal Palace | 2-2 |
| Saturday, October 22 | 3 p.m./10 a.m. | Swansea City vs. Watford | 2-1 |
| Saturday, October 22 | 3 p.m./10 a.m. | West Ham United vs. Sunderland | 1-0 |
| Saturday, October 22 | 5:30 p.m./12:30 p.m. | Liverpool vs. West Bromwich Albion | 3-1 |
| Sunday, October 23 | 1:30 p.m./8:30 a.m. | Manchester City vs. Southampton | 2-1 |
| Sunday, October 23 | 4 p.m./11 a.m. | Chelsea vs. Manchester United | 1-1 |
Sergio Aguero, Manchester City
After being held to a draw with Everton, City are now winless in their last three matches in all competitions.ย Having won their first six in the league, Pep Guardiola's side are still top but their rivals have regained some ground.
It is perhaps no coincidence their faltering form has coincided with a similarly difficult spell for Sergio Aguero. The Argentinian started the season in supreme form and has 11 goals already but hasn't been his clinical self in recent weeks.
Against Everton, he came on as a substitute and saw a penalty saved by Maarten Stekelenburg. Football writer Michael Cox noted his troubles with spot-kicks:
Indeed, it wasย hisย sixth penalty miss of 2016, just days after failing to net from the penalty spot against Paraguay for Argentina.
The 28-year-old's confidence has likely taken a knock, but he'll need to get back to his best when the Sky Blues host a Southampton side who've won three of their last four matches.
City should have enough quality to win games even without Aguero firing on all cylinders, but he remains of vital importance and a goal or two will help him and the team get back on track.
Eden Hazard, Chelsea
After a difficult season last year, Eden Hazard is steadily getting back to his best form for Chelsea.
On Saturday, he netted his third league goal of the campaignโa tally that took him 28 games to reach last seasonโin a commanding performance against champions Leicester City.
Squawka Football revealed the numbers behind his especially impressive first-half display:
The Belgian stood out in a No. 10 role for the Blues having been moved in-field from the left flank, and he ran at defenders, sought out goals and forged opportunities for his team-mates.
On Monday, Chelsea's upcoming opponents United drew 0-0 with Liverpool. As ESPN's Alex Shaw and Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News noted, the Red Devils set their stall out to frustrate and stifle their opponents with hard work and pressing:
ESPN FC's Liam Twomey is eager to see if they'll repeat such a tactic at Stamford Bridge on Sunday:
The Bluesย don't press or swarm forward like Liverpool, but they're strong going forward and as the home side the onus will be on them to attack, soย United might play a similar game.
If they do, Chelsea won't have as much time or space as they enjoyed against the Foxes and creating chances will be more difficult.
This makes Hazard's performance key, as he will be the man charged with doing so for the hosts, and he'll need to take any chances that come his way too.
