EPL Week 11 Predictions: Premier League Picks, Key Players and Fixtures
Manchester United and Manchester City both face big tests in Week 11 of the 2017-18 Premier League as they take on Chelsea and Arsenal, respectively.
Pep Guardiola's Sky Blues will be looking to extend their remarkable winning streak to nine on the bounce in the English top flight, and Jose Mourinho's United can down a second top-four rival in as many matches having beaten Tottenham Hotspur last time out.
Spurs, meanwhile, host Crystal Palace ahead of the two Manchester clubs' fixtures on Sunday, and Liverpool's visit to West Ham United is arguably the pick of Saturday's clashes.
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Read on for the fixtures in full, predictions for each match and a closer look at three players who could be crucial over the weekend.
Saturday, Nov. 4
Stoke City vs. Leicester City (1-1)
Huddersfield Town vs. West Bromwich Albion (1-2)
Newcastle United vs. Bournemouth (3-2)
Southampton vs. Burnley (0-1)
Swansea City vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (2-2)
West Ham United vs. Liverpool (1-1)
Sunday, Nov. 5
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Crystal Palace (3-0)
Manchester City vs. Arsenal (1-1)
Chelsea vs. Manchester United (0-0)
Everton vs. Watford (1-2)
David De Gea, Manchester United
Mourinho's approach to matches against big clubs, especially away from home, rarely changes.
He sets up his side not to concede and is happy to escape with a draw. If the opposition make a mistake and his talented attackers take advantage to snatch a win, all the better.
Most crucial, though, is to keep a clean sheet.
In Mourinho's first match back at his old club last season his plans went out the window inside a minute as Pedro netted after 30 seconds before the Blues ran out 4-0 winners at Stamford Bridge.
The Portuguese manager will not allow the same thing to happen on Sunday, and he has already proved this season he has the personnel to keep out bigger clubs having drawn 0-0 with Liverpool and beaten Spurs 1-0.
Even with a fine defensive display, though, it seems unlikely goalkeeper David De Gea will not be called into action at least once to keep out Chelsea's forward stars, which includes an in-form Eden Hazard, per Squawka:
Given the Spanish stopper is one of the best goalkeepers in the world, Mourinho will have confidence De Gea can step up if and when he needs to against the Blues.
Nicolas Otamendi, Manchester City
City's impressive attacking exploits have been well documented already this season.
Guardiola's men have been scoring for fun in 2017-18, returning 35 goals in 10 matches in the English top flight, with 10 different players finding the net.
There seems little chance their opponents on Sunday, Arsenal, will be able to stop them from scoring, especially at the Etihad Stadium.
However, the Gunners will likely take heart from some poor Sky Blues defending in their 3-2 victory over West Brom last time out.
It was a comfortable victory over the Baggies in the end for City, but both the goals they conceded were avoidable.
John Stones was undone by a flighted Gareth Barry delivery for Jay Rodriguez's first, and Nicolas Otamendi gifted Matt Phillips the second in stoppage time after a mistimed chest back to his goalkeeper.
The Argentinian cannot afford to be so careless against an Arsenal attack that includes Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez and Alexandre Lacazette, and both he and Stones will need to produce top performances if City are to win on Sunday.
Mohamed Salah, Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool have won just one of their five away Premier League matches so far this season and have conceded 15 times on the road.
They travel to a struggling West Ham side on Saturday whose last game at the London Stadium ended in an embarrassing 3-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion.
The trip to east London should offer the Reds the perfect opportunity to improve their away record, which is in stark contrast to their exploits at Anfield, per WhoScored.com:
Liverpool's defensive problems are clear, but so are their attacking strengths.
It seems inevitable West Ham will get a goal on Saturday but Liverpool should have more than enough quality to out-score the Hammers.
Liverpool's key attacking presence so far this term has been Mo Salah, who has netted five league goals and provided two assists since his summer arrival, per WhoScored.
His blistering pace and movement are too much for even some of the best defenders, while he also brings team-mates into play expertly.
If Salah is on form Liverpool should be able to claim their second away win of the season at West Ham.
