Five Things to look forward to in the Premier League this weekend

An intriguing clash beckons as AVB’s Spurs take on Moyes’ men

Wayne Rooney scored 4 of the 5 goals against Bayer Leverkusen

After back to back losses against Newcastle at home and City away, the last thing Andre Villas-Boas would have wanted is an in-form Manchester United side who are unbeaten in their last eleven games in all competitions. Going into last weekend’s game against City, Spurs had conceded just 1 away goal all season and had kept seven clean sheets – the most in the League, but a hapless Spurs outfit were put to the sword by a clinical City side, who put six past them.

And they now face a United side, high on confidence, after their 5-0 thrashing of Leverkusen in midweek. Spurs record against United isn’t all that great, having won just one of their last 24 games and none of their last 12 games at White Hart Lane.

But, André Villas-Boas reckons Tottenham are in good shape to challenge United, after their 2-0 win over Tromso near the Arctic Circle, which secured them the top spot in their Europa League group and was their fifth win in five games in the competition.

Villas-Boas will be hoping to take this form back to the League, where he hopes that a victory against United, will bring his side back on track in the League.

Will it be ‘third time lucky’ for the Saints?

Southampton lost 2-0 to Arsenal last weekend

In their two away games against last season’s top four, the Saints have so far managed a creditable draw away at Manchester United and a disappointing, self-inflicted loss against Arsenal, which they could have very well drawn again.

So, when the Saints head to Chelsea, they will be hoping that they get third-time lucky. They will be boosted by the presence of Rickie Lambert, who scored in both games against Chelsea last season and the fact that this is their best ever start to a Premier League season after 12 games, obliterating their previous record of 17 in 03/04 season.

A victory against the Blues however, is far from a given, especially since they haven’t lost any of their last 15 home games in the League, winning 12 of them.

But Pochettino’s side have conceded just seven goals in their last 11 away games and have allowed the opposition fewer shots than any other team in the League (35). Saints will be hoping to heap more misery on Mourinho’s inconsistent side with a win on Sunday.

Cardiff’s fans will be crucial as they look to upset the applecart again

Cardiff drew 2-2 with Manchester United last weekend

Arsenal and Cardiff face off this weekend in a clash that pits together two sides, whose predictions for the season were filled with doom and gloom, following their opening day defeat to Aston Villa and West Ham respectively.

There were question marks raised about Arsène Wenger and some even suggested that he had lost the plot. Whilst Cardiff started the season with an unpopular owner and a changing of the club colors.

But, the Premier League isn’t always as it seems and both clubs have done pretty well since then.

Whilst Arsenal sit pretty at the top of the League, Cardiff have beaten last year’s runner up Man City and won the first ever Welsh derby in the English topflight. They even held Man United last weekend, in a game that many predicted they would lose.

Much of it has been down to their frenzied fan support and the atmosphere in their home games. Whilst it might be a stretch to suggest that a side who just managed to win in front of 66,000 daunting Dortmund faithful earlier this month, are going to be fazed by less than half the number of singing Welshmen, stranger things have happened in the League and Cardiff will be hoping to add yet another big scalp to their name.

Dark clouds looming ahead for the bottom five

Fulham lost 1-2 to Swansea City

In what is perhaps the first relegation derby of the season, West Ham host Fulham in a battle of two sides desperate for three points. Victory for either side will mean that they will move onto 13 points and out of the relegation zone.

After four successive losses, the pressure on Jol to pick up all three points and the arrival of René Meulensteen as coach, hasn’t yet had the desired effect. West Ham on the other hand are struggling for goals, and their striker less formation hasn’t really worked out well for them.

In another relegation clash, Crystal Palace travel to Norwich City and will be hoping to continue their recent good form, which has seen them pick up four points from their last two games, which has lifted them out of the bottom spot.

It will be Tony Pulis’s first game in charge, and he will be looking to capitalize on Norwich’s poor home form, which has seen them win just two of their opening two games. Pulis knows that a victory will put them on double digits, which looked like a remote possibility early in the campaign.

Will rumors of unrest upset the in-form team in the League?

Newcastle United have won 3 of their last 4 games

After having signed a whole host of French players in January, Pardew signed just one player in the summer. But, what a signing he has proven to be, as Loic Remy has hit the ground running with eight goals in his last eight games. And they go into the game against West Brom looking for their fourth-straight win, a result, which, if other results go their way, might see them occupy fourth place, by the end of the week.

On the eve of such a big game, it has once again emerged that two of their key players, Yohan Cabaye and Fabricio Coloccini, are itching to leave the club. But, Pardew has played down those suggestions and said that they were staying put.

“Sometimes when they are abroad they get asked questions which are slightly loaded with slightly different connotations to them,” said the Newcastle manager, who will be hoping that this doesn’t affect his team’s performance on Saturday.