For the current 2021-22 Premier League GW1 Predictions and Preview please follow this link here.
Can’t wait for the new season to start, and looking for a stats filled preview to get you in the mood for the new season? Then you may enjoy our Premier League Predictions Week 1 preview of the big opening weekend..
Each week our preview includes just enough quick info and barely interesting stats to help you decide a winner. Or to provide just enough barely interesting information leading into the weekend of football.
We also offer up our alternative method of picking Premier League winners via this link, and this week it is all about each team’s first day performance for the last ten seasons.
If you enjoy loads of stats and graphs with some opinion, then you will enjoy our full Premier League Week 1 Predictions and Preview.
Premier League Week 1 Predictions – Preview Summary
Here’s our match by match review and our own Premier League Predictions Week 1. With loads of stats as below.
H2H stats are for all time unless stated, and other stats are based on last season. The visual will expand as the 2020-21 Premier League season plays out.
FULHAM v ARSENAL
MATCH STATS
Why Fulham can win
Fulham have big game experience recently having won the richest game in football in the world at Wembley.
Fulham won five of the their last six games at home to end last season. Arsenal won only two of their last 11 away.
Arsenal had the worst record against London sides of he top ten Premier League sides last season. They also won only two of six games v promoted sides.
Fulham haven’t done a Fulham this season. Yet.
Why Arsenal can win.
Arsenal won their first away game last season.
The Gunners are on a roll after winning the FA Cup and Community Shield recently.
Arsenal scored more goals and points per game after the restart than Fulham.
Fulham haven’t beaten Arsenal since 2012, add another four years for the last win on a Saturday.
They have a manager who seems to know what he’s doing unlike the start of the previous season.
Barely Interesting Stat:
The last promoted side to win their first game of the new Premier League season was Huddersfield in 2017.
We Say….
Fulham 1 Arsenal 2
CRYSTAL PALACE v SOUTHAMPTON
MATCH STATS
Why Crystal Palace can win
With new signing Eberechi Eze joining up with Wilfried Zaha, Crystal Palace could be plenty exciting.
Crystal Palace lost only once to south coast clubs last season. Southampton won five of 12 games v London sides.
Why Southampton can win.
Danny Ings scored 22 goals last season, Crystal Palace only managed 31 combined.
Crystal Palace ended last season with seven straight losses followed by a last draw.
Southampton lost just once in the post-lockdown period, including a win over Man City.
Crystal Palace had the third worst home record last season from January, Southampton were the third best away team over the same time.
Southampton scored exactly twice as many goals away last season than Crystal Palace did at home.
Barely Interesting Stat:
Southampton finished third in the post-lockdown table. Crystal Palace were second last.
We Say….
Crystal Palace 1 Southampton 1
WEST HAM v NEWCASTLE
MATCH STATS
Why West Ham can win
West Ham lost just once in their last seven games to finish last season. Newcastle didn’t win any of their last six.,
Michail Antonio
Newcastle averaged less than a goal a game away last season.
West Ham have won almost half to the Saturday home games v Newcastle.
Newcastle have the worst first day record of the current Premier League clubs from the past ten seasons.
Why Newcastle can win.
Saint-Maximin
Newcastle have scored three goals in three of the past five visits to West Ham, in a nice pattern too. Most recent game first – 3 , 0 , 3 , 0 , 3 , 0. So according to that patter it is zero goals for Newcastle so that means no win.
Newcastle did win two games in London last season.
Barely Interesting Stat:
West Ham have scored exactly two goals in each of their last four home games v Newcastle. Their record is W2 L2.
The away side has scored three goals in four of the last eight clashes between these sides.
We Say….
West Ham 3 Newcastle 0
LIVERPOOL v LEEDS UTD
MATCH STATS
Why Liverpool can win
They did the job in a similar games last season v Norwich. Home to the Championship winner.
Liverpool dropped very few points at home last season.
Leeds haven’t beaten Liverpool since Harry Kewell played for them.
Despite being a little lacklustre after winning the title last season, they still outperformed their xG in the post-lockdown by the same margin as the two Manchester clubs.
Why Leeds Utd can win.
Because of Marcelo Bielsa who is hopefully set to entertain the Premier League this season.
Leeds won five of their last six away games to finish off their Championship season.
Leeds conceded less than a goal per game on average last season away from home. All three promoted clubs did this.
Barely Interesting Stat:
Leeds scored more goals per game in the post-lockdown than Liverpool.
We Say….
Liverpool 2 Leeds 1
WEST BROMWICH ALBION v LEICESTER
MATCH STATS
Why West Brom can win
Although it is a new season, Leicester did sign off the 2019-20 edition with three losses from their last four.
West Brom have the best looking kit this season.
Why Leicester can win.
Leicester have a 4-1 advantage at the Hawthorns since 2010, winning the last four games there.
Promoted clubs very rarely win their first game.
Leicester have won the last five games v West Brom away on a Saturday.
No team conceded fewer goals to midlands teams last season than Leicester.
Leicester scored 1 more point per game on average against teams with striped kits last season than plain kits.
Barely Interesting Stat:
There have been 5 goals in the three of the last four games at West Brom.
We Say….
West Brom 0 Leicester 0
SPURS v EVERTON
MATCH STATS
Why Spurs can win
Everton haven’t beaten Spurs since 2012, 16 games ago. But on a Sunday. Everton have at least drawn five of the ten Sunday games since their last win.
Jose Mourinho has only lost twice in 19 games v Everton.
Spurs had a very good record last season art home to non big six clubs.
Spurs would like to start the new season off well for a second series of their documentary.
Everton averaged just 0.17 points away to big six teams last season. Essentially, one point in six games.
Harry Kane has nine goals in ten games v Everton, Son has three goals and three assists in four.
Spurs earned 1.4 points on average v Blue kits last season, Everton just 0.5 v white kits.
Why Everton can win.
Everton have some very exciting new signings. Who’d think when the football demanded James Rodriguez after the 2014 World Cup that down the track he’d be playing for Everton.
Barely Interesting Stat:
Everton had the third worst post-lockdown xG and less than a goal a game. Spurs weren’t much better four places higher. But at least at a goal a game.
Carlo Ancelotti has managed more games against Everton (6) than Spurs (5).
We Say….
Spurs 2 Everton 0
BRIGHTON v CHELSEA
MATCH STATS
Why Brighton can win
Brighton did secure their best ever result against Chelsea in the last meeting between these sides in the league last season. A 1-1 draw.
Why Chelsea can win.
Look at Chelsea’s off season spending. They get European and World footballing stars. Brighton get ex Liverpool players.
Chelsea had the second best xG for the post lockdown period behind Man City, and that’s without their summer spending spree.
Brighton averaged 0.29 points against top six sides at home last season. Their record is slightly better at home to big clubs as they did beat Arsenal and Spurs
Brighton have only beaten Chelsea once before – in 1933 in a cup game.
Barely Interesting Stat:
Kai Havertz and Timo Werner scored one more goal combined in just the Bundesliga last season than Brighton did in total last season in the Premier League.
We Say….
Brighton 0 Chelsea 2
SHEFFIELD UTD v WOLVES
MATCH STATS
Why Sheffield Utd can win
The Blades have won their last two home games v Wolves.
Sheffield United conceded just two goals at home in post-lockdown. Wolves scored less than a goal per game away in the same period.
The Blades kept all their best defenders, Wolves sold their best.
Why Wolves can win.
Wolves have a slightly better record v middle eight sides than Sheffield United.
Sheffield Utd lost their last three games to finish off the 2019-20 season.
Wolves kept Jiminez for now, and he scored 17 goals last season. Sheffield United’s best scorer max was six goals.
Barely Interesting Stat:
There have only been two Sunday fixtures between these sides and Sheffield United have won neither (1L 1D)
We Say….
Sheffield Utd 0 Wolves 1
