Manchester City head to Villa Park, Chelsea welcome Tottenham for a London derby and Liverpool face Brighton as the Premier League returns across 23–25 October. The programme begins with Ipswich against Nottingham Forest on Friday and ends with Sunderland hosting Leeds on Sunday.
All kick-off times below are UK time: BST on Friday and Saturday, then GMT on Sunday after the clocks go back.
Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest previewAston Villa v Manchester City previewArsenal v Everton previewCoventry City v Fulham previewChelsea v Tottenham Hotspur previewCrystal Palace v Newcastle United previewHull City v Brentford previewLiverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion previewManchester United v Bournemouth previewSunderland v Leeds United preview
Ipswich Town FCGary O’Neil
Nottingham Forest FCOliver Glasner
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Ipswich
Nottingham ForestRECENT LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last 2 Premier League meetings. Latest: Forest 2–4 at Ipswich, 15 March 2025.
Fri 15:00 leave → Fri 18:30–19:00 estimated arrival
Fri 22:30 leave → Sat 02:00–02:30 estimated home arrival
Gary O’Neil wants Ipswich to build on the belief they took from their performance at Manchester City, even though that effort brought no points. Speaking before Forest’s visit, he said his promoted side had nine points from seven games and plenty of work still ahead. Sasa Lukic remains unavailable with a groin injury; O’Neil hopes he will return to the squad during the following week.
The Ipswich manager expects a very different challenge from Forest. He described Oliver Glasner’s side as direct and dangerous in transition, with a defensive structure that can press aggressively from a low starting position. His warning is that Forest’s performances have been better than their points return suggests. Ipswich must turn their growing confidence into a result against that awkward opposition.
Forest’s difficulty has been turning their attacking opportunities into goals: they scored only five in their opening seven league games. Their recent record against Ipswich offers encouragement, with wins in both Premier League meetings in 2024–25, but three successive league defeats leave little room for another slow start. For the visitors, the challenge is to make their attacking work count without losing the defensive organisation Glasner is trying to establish.
Aston VillaUnai Emery · UP THE VILLA coverage
Manchester CityEnzo Maresca
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Aston Villa
Manchester CityRECENT LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last 5 Premier League meetings. Latest: Man City 1–2 Villa, 24 May 2026.
Sat 08:45 leave → Sat 11:00–11:30 estimated arrival
Sat 15:00 leave → Sat 17:15–17:45 estimated home arrival
Villa Park offers a demanding lunchtime assignment for City. Villa have won four of the clubs’ past six Premier League meetings, according to the league’s matchweek analysis, providing a useful reminder that reputation alone will count for little here. The home side’s recent record makes this one of the weekend’s most compelling fixtures.
Enzo Maresca confirmed at his pre-match news conference that Erling Haaland is fully available. Matheus Nunes, Mateo Kovacic and Nico O’Reilly could also be available, although doubts remained over all three. Maresca praised Unai Emery and Villa’s intensity without the ball, while stressing that City still have room to improve in both attack and defence.
Villa have selection decisions of their own. Johan Manzambi faces a late assessment after missing the midweek Champions League match, while Emery confirmed Amadou Onana, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Matteo Ruggeri remain unavailable. Other players also needed checks following Wednesday’s game. That makes the short recovery before a lunchtime kick-off an important part of Villa’s preparation, even with their recent improvement and strong record against City offering reasons for confidence.
ArsenalMikel Arteta
Everton FCDavid Moyes
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Arsenal
EvertonRECENT LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last 5 Premier League meetings. Latest: Arsenal 2–0 Everton, 14 March 2026.
Sat 08:00 leave → Sat 13:30–14:00 estimated arrival
Sat 17:30 leave → Sat 23:00–23:30 estimated home arrival
Bukayo Saka’s condition dominates Arsenal’s preparations after he came off against Bayern Munich. Mikel Arteta said further scans and specialist opinions were needed before the club could give a definitive answer. That uncertainty should not be converted into a confirmed recovery date. Arteta praised Eberechi Eze’s response in the previous game and said Max Dowman would receive minutes.
Arsenal can also call on Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie, with Arteta explaining that Calafiori is further along after completing pre-season. For Everton, the task is to frustrate the hosts and prevent their alternative attacking options from settling. The selection decisions around Saka’s absence will be central to how Arsenal approach the afternoon.
Everton’s build-up brings uncertainty too. Moyes declined to detail the squad’s fitness problems at his news conference and would not give a specific answer on Branthwaite, so his comments should not be treated as confirmation that the defender is either available or ruled out. With one win and three draws in their last five league matches, Everton’s route to a result is likely to depend on keeping the game competitive and making their attacking moments count.
Fulham FCAlvaro Arbeloa
Coventry City FCFrank Lampard
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Coventry
FulhamRECENT LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last 2 Championship meetings (2021–22). Latest: Fulham 1–3 Coventry, 10 April 2022.
Sat 10:45 leave → Sat 13:30–14:00 estimated arrival
Sat 17:30 leave → Sat 20:15–20:45 estimated home arrival
Fulham arrive after securing their first league win of the season against Hull. Alvaro Arbeloa said the victory had not changed the objective: his players must fight again for another difficult result. Ryan Sessegnon is suspended, while Emile Smith Rowe completed training after an issue the previous week and was expected to be available, subject to assessment.
Arbeloa identified Coventry’s ability to attack quickly, deliver crosses and threaten on the counter as major concerns. He wants Fulham to find Gonzalo Garcia’s forward runs more often, rather than retaining possession without exploiting those movements. That gives this fixture a clear point of interest: whether the visitors can make their passing productive while handling Coventry’s speed into the attacking areas.
Coventry have a home performance to build on despite their defeat at Tottenham: their previous league game at the Coventry Building Society Arena brought a 4–1 win over Newcastle. They enter this fixture one point above Fulham, making the contest significant for both promoted Coventry’s momentum and the visitors’ recovery. The older Championship head-to-head record favours the hosts, but current performances and selection carry more weight than results involving very different squads.
Chelsea FCXabi Alonso
Tottenham HotspurRoberto De Zerbi
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Chelsea
TottenhamRECENT LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last 5 Premier League meetings. Latest: Chelsea 2–1 Spurs, 19 May 2026.
Sat 14:45 leave → Sat 16:00–16:30 estimated arrival
Sat 20:00 leave → Sat 21:15–21:45 estimated home arrival
Mike Penders is set to start in goal for Chelsea as Emiliano Martinez recovers following surgery on a broken jaw. Xabi Alonso backed Penders’ preparation, personality and performances in cup matches. Malo Gusto is available, but Pep Chavarria will miss the derby. Alonso said Emmanuel Emegha was feeling better but still needed to wait.
Alonso’s wider message was about harnessing the occasion without losing emotional control. He wants the energy from the stands carried onto the pitch while Chelsea remain composed. Spurs, meanwhile, seek to build on their 3–1 league win over Coventry. A derby at Stamford Bridge gives that recovery an immediate and demanding test.
Tottenham’s options are affected by their own injury concerns. De Zerbi said Lucas Bergvall and Savio are unavailable, with Maddison and Kulusevski still requiring caution rather than being treated as certain starters. Pedro Porro is back in contention and Andy Robertson is available. Those decisions matter for Spurs’ ability to progress the ball and create chances, while their 3–1 win over Coventry gives them a positive result to build on before a much tougher away assignment.
Newcastle UnitedMatthias Jaissle
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Crystal Palace
NewcastleRECENT LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last 5 Premier League meetings. Latest: Palace 2–1 Newcastle, 12 April 2026.
Sun 04:45 leave → Sun 12:30–13:00 estimated arrival
Sun 16:30 leave → Mon 00:15–00:45 estimated home arrival
Both clubs need greater defensive security. The Premier League’s preview records Newcastle conceding 14 goals and Palace 17 across their opening seven league matches. Those figures make the ability to protect the penalty area a central issue at Selhurst Park, rather than a guarantee that the meeting will produce a particular scoreline.
Matthias Jaissle said Anthony Elanga had trained and worked hard during rehabilitation, with a possible squad return in view, although he was not ready for 90 minutes. Jacob Ramsey is also back on the pitch and requires careful management. Matias Fernandez-Pardo remained limited by illness. Newcastle’s final selection therefore still depends on how those players progress.
For Palace, the issue is restoring a defensive platform around their attacking play. Sage’s side conceded 17 goals in their opening seven league games, and Sky Sports’ assessment highlighted how injury and suspension had disrupted continuity in the back line. Their recent home victory over Forest shows the attacking threat has not disappeared. Newcastle’s own uncertain selection gives Palace an opportunity, but protecting the spaces left when they commit players forward remains central to their chances.
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Hull
BrentfordRECENT LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last 5 Championship meetings (2018–20). Latest: Hull 1–5 Brentford, 1 February 2020.
Sun 07:30 leave → Sun 12:30–13:00 estimated arrival
Sun 16:30 leave → Sun 21:30–22:00 estimated home arrival
Sergej Jakirovic has called for a response after Hull’s defeat by Fulham. He said his side needed more aggression, contact and commitment to winning second balls, and indicated that additional squad options could lead to changes. Nobel Mendy is back working on the grass, with a return to team training expected on Monday.
The Hull manager described Brentford as a major challenge because of their height, intensity, speed and willingness to play on the front foot. His emphasis is on being braver and competing throughout the pitch. Those comments put the contest’s physical demands at the centre of the build-up, with Hull seeking a much stronger collective display.
Brentford must adjust in midfield, with Vitaly Janelt and Yehor Yarmoliuk suspended after their dismissals against Liverpool. Andrews reported that Jannik Schuster had returned to training, while Nathan Collins and Mathias Jensen were progressing in their recoveries. That creates a different selection picture from simply reading the form table: the visitors have lost only once in the league, but Hull have yet to lose at home and the availability of Brentford’s midfield options could shape how they control the contest.
Liverpool FCAndoni Iraola
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LiverpoolBrightonRECENT LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last 5 Premier League meetings. Latest: Brighton 2–1 Liverpool, 21 March 2026.
Sun 06:00 leave → Sun 12:30–13:00 estimated arrival
Sun 16:30 leave → Sun 23:00–23:30 estimated home arrival
Liverpool’s team news includes a fit Bradley Barcola, who trained normally on Friday, while Victor Munoz remained doubtful after a knock and Dominik Szoboszlai was still unavailable. Iraola expects to keep rotating through a demanding schedule, but wants his side to maintain their pressing intensity and turn their Anfield performances into league victories. The hosts have three wins in their last five league matches, giving them results to build on as well as selection decisions to make.
Brighton bring four successive league victories and their own demanding European schedule. Hurzeler said Pascal Struijk would be assessed before a decision on his availability, while Yankuba Minteh and Mats Wieffer were approaching returns rather than being confirmed starters. Jason Steele missed the trip to Jablonec through illness, and Diego Gomez and Maxim de Cuyper were rested. Hurzeler’s emphasis was on sustaining performance levels, with Brighton confident but aware of the pressing intensity they will face at Anfield.
That makes the midfield contest and the use of substitutes important for both clubs. Liverpool’s recent league head-to-head record is stronger, but Brighton won the latest meeting and arrive in better league form. The visitors’ ability to play through pressure will test Liverpool’s organisation, while Iraola’s side must make their own attacking quality count against opponents who are conceding few league goals.
Manchester UnitedMichael Carrick
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Manchester United
BournemouthRECENT LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
Last 5 Premier League meetings. Latest: Bournemouth 2–2 United, 20 March 2026.
Sun 06:15 leave → Sun 12:30–13:00 estimated arrival
Sun 16:30 leave → Sun 22:45–23:15 estimated home arrival
Bournemouth could have Junior Kroupi involved for the first time this season after his recovery from a foot injury. Marco Rose said the plan was to take him to Manchester and give him some minutes. The striker’s return would add an option, but the manager also stressed the need to handle the next steps of his comeback carefully.
Rose expects United to respond with anger and intensity after their Champions League defeat by Como. He does not want Bournemouth distracted by the noise around their opponents: his focus is on executing their own football and reacting well during the match. Thursday’s Europa League win over AC Milan also leaves him balancing another quick turnaround with the opportunities available across his squad.
United’s response is a major part of the contest too. Carrick insisted there was no division in the dressing room and used his news conference to demand the work, commitment and humility he believes the club requires. He accepted responsibility for getting those qualities back into the team after the defeat at Como. Bournemouth therefore face a side seeking a reaction, but United’s four draws in their last five league games show how difficult turning an improvement into a victory has become.
Leeds UnitedDaniel Farke
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Sunderland
LeedsRECENT LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
Both Premier League meetings in 2025–26. Latest: Leeds 0–1 Sunderland, 3 March 2026.
Sun 12:45 leave → Sun 15:00–15:30 estimated arrival
Sun 19:00 leave → Sun 21:15–21:45 estimated home arrival
Sunderland close the weekend looking to end a sequence of four league defeats. Leeds arrive seventh, according to the Premier League’s matchweek preview, making this a demanding assignment for the hosts. Sunderland must also handle the short gap between Thursday’s European fixture in Poland and Sunday’s return to league action.
Speaking before that European trip, Regis Le Bris said Brian Brobbey should be ready for Leeds. That was an expectation rather than a confirmed team selection. Le Bris also stressed the importance of balancing workloads and responding honestly to defeats. Sunderland now need to turn those messages into a stronger league performance against opponents enjoying a better start.
Leeds must make late fitness decisions on Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Anton Stach and Noah Okafor, while Dan James is back in contention following full training. Those assessments could affect both Farke’s starting side and his attacking options from the bench. Three draws in the visitors’ last five league games suggest a team that has been competitive without consistently winning; how well Leeds handle any changes will matter against a Sunderland side trying to recover its league form.
Score predictions are credited to Lewis Jones (“Jones Knows”), Sky Sports, published 23 October at 12:49 UK time. Fan Banter Betting Tips are our editorial selections, weighing recent league form, the stated head-to-head sample and reported player availability alongside Jones’s forecast. They can differ from Sky’s prediction. Snapshots use league results before matchweek 8. Historical records do not guarantee a result. Championship head-to-head samples are older and involve different squads.
Sources
BBC Sport: Hurzeler’s Brighton team news and Liverpool preview; BBC Sport: De Zerbi’s Chelsea preview; Hayters: Emery’s squad update; Moyes’ Everton fitness comments; Sky Sports: Palace’s defensive concerns; Brentford’s official Hull preview and team news; Sky Sports: Carrick’s Bournemouth news conference; Friday’s press-conference team news, including Leeds.
PLStats.uk match results, form and Premier League head-to-head records; Coventry–Fulham historical meetings; Hull–Brentford historical meetings.
Premier League UK broadcast selections; Sky Sports channel listings; TV listing cross-check; Premier League fixtures; RTÉ fixture cross-check; Premier League matchweek analysis; BBC Sport managers’ news conference reports for Ipswich, Manchester City, Arsenal, Fulham, Chelsea, Newcastle, Hull, Liverpool, Bournemouth and Sunderland, dated 21–23 October 2026.
Ground photograph credits
Archive photographs illustrate the venues and may show earlier layouts. Images are displayed as cropped headers.
- Portman Road: Andrew Dunn · CC BY-SA 2.0.
- Villa Park: Arne Müseler · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · arne-mueseler.com.
- Emirates Stadium: Arne Müseler · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · arne-mueseler.com.
- Coventry Building Society Arena: Julieanne Savage · CC BY-SA 2.0.
- Stamford Bridge: Arne Müseler · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · arne-mueseler.com.
- Selhurst Park: Arne Müseler · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · arne-mueseler.com.
- MKM Stadium: Paul · CC BY-SA 3.0.
- Anfield: Arne Müseler · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · arne-mueseler.com.
- Old Trafford: Øyvind Vik · Public domain.
- Stadium of Light: Arne Müseler · CC BY-SA 3.0 de · arne-mueseler.com.
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