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The English Premier League remains the most watched and competitive football league in the world. It is the world's most valuable league, grossing 4 billion dollars a year in revenue. Unsurprisingly then, it is also the football league that spends the most on player transfers.
Last summer, the Premier League teams spent a staggering 1.4 billion euros on transfers to attract players to the league. This year seems to be no different, with the PL teams spending 1.2 billion dollars so far on transfers.
With teams actively spending on the transfer market, this season promises to be highly competitive. Several of the teams who finished in the top six of the league table last year have made sweeping changes in their squad.
Week 1 provided a lot of action and goals, and also some unexpected and disappointing performances. Arsenal lost their first match, against Manchester City at home, while Chelsea, Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool all recorded their first wins.
We look forward to another exciting round of matches this week as Chelsea meet Arsenal at Stamford Bridge and Manchester City meet Huddersfield. Here, we preview the Week 2 matches of the Premier League and try to predict the results.
#1. Chelsea vs Arsenal
This is undoubtedly the marquee fixture of Week 2 in the Premier League and perhaps the most competitive. Chelsea have three points to fight for while Arsenal have their season and pride to fight for.
After losing their first match against Manchester City, Arsenal cannot afford to lose once again to Chelsea. Doing so will mount unnecessary pressure on them as the season progresses, and will also undoubtedly make their long-term objectives harder to achieve.
But history and current performance indicate Chelsea have the upper hand in the fixture. Since the 2008 season, Chelsea have won 11 out of their 20 league matches against Arsenal, lost four times against them, and have drawn on five occasions.
The most damning of all is the fact that the last time Arsenal won against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge was way back in the 2011-2012 season.
Another thing going for Chelsea is the strong start and momentum they have garnered after their win against Huddersfield last weekend. Arsenal, on the other hand, lost their first Premier League match against Manchester City; that result will be a major blow to their confidence going into Saturday's match.
Between the two sides, Chelsea will have players riding a huge wave of confidence, and they are likely to come out victorious at the end of the match.
I predict a 3-1 win for Chelsea.
#2. Tottenham vs Fulham
Tottenham have played a total of 48 matches against Fulham and have won 27, drawn 13 , and lost only eight. At White Hart Lane, the advantage tilts further in Tottenham's favor; out of the 24 Premier League matches Tottenham have played against Fulham at home, they have won 16 times, drawn 6, and lost on only two occasions.
History gives a strong indication that Tottenham will likely win against Fulham this weekend.
Fulham will be the less confident side after losing their first match of the season last week against Crystal Palace. Tottenham, on the other hand, will be playing with a lot of confidence after their great comeback win against Newcastle United.
History and current form seem to be in favor of a Tottenham win, and that's what I'm predicting too.
#3. Manchester United vs Brighton & Hove Albion
Manchester United have played a total of 10 matches against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League and have won six of them, drawn two, and lost two.
While that statistic seems to indicate a strong Manchester United win, Brighton & Hove Albion's home record against United suggests otherwise. United have lost twice against Brighton at their home, which suggests United will face quite a strong opposition there.
That said, Brighton's loss against Watford last weekend will likely affect their confidence going into the game against a United side that will be looking to move to the top of the Premier League table. Everything points to a United win, but perhaps a narrow one.
#4. Manchester City vs Huddersfield Town
Manchester City's record against Huddersfield is surprisingly quite poor. Of the 52 matches they have played against Huddersfield, they have won only 14 times, drawn 22 times, and lost 16 times.
Until 2017-2018, Manchester City had not played against Huddersfield since the 1971-1972 season. Last season, City won one of their matches against Huddersfield and drew the other one.
Past history suggests that Huddersfield will prove to be a tough opponent for Manchester City. But Huddersfield's poor start at the start of the season will affect the confidence of the players, especially as they will take on a City side that won convincingly against Arsenal last weekend.
Manchester City will likely register a slim win over Huddersfield.
