Premier League Matchday 6 features a full slate of weekend action, including a clash between new rivals Chelsea and Brighton and a matchup between top-of-the-table Liverpool and Oliver Glasner’s Crystal Palace. On Sunday, Newcastle will try to jump-start their season at home against Arsenal.
Let’s get ready for these big matchups and every other Matchday 6 fixture with our EPL predictions for each match.
Brentford vs. Manchester United
Gtech Community Stadium, 12:30pm BST (7:30am ET), Saturday, September 27
Manchester United bounced back from their 3-0 defeat to Manchester City with a 2-1 win at home against Chelsea. As chaotic as that match was, the Red Devils played well and will be coming into this match on a high.
Brentford, on the other hand, are feeling as low as they’ve felt all season after their 3-1 loss to Fulham. The Bees took an early 1-0 lead in that match, before giving up three unanswered goals to the Cottagers.
Keith Andrews will have a tough task against Man Utd, but at least he can count on his side’s home advantage. Brentford have yet to lose at home this season, and managed to draw 2-2 with Chelsea in Matchday 4. The Bees have lost just one of their four home matches against United specifically since 2022.
Man Utd are the favorites here and should win, but it could be tough for them.
Brentford vs. Manchester United Prediction: 1-2
Chelsea vs. Brighton
Stamford Bridge, 3:00pm BST (10:00am ET), Saturday, September 27
Chelsea are in sixth place, but neither of these teams are in the best form at the moment. The Blues have dropped points in winnable matches against Palace, Brentford, and Man Utd. Brighton, meanwhile, have regressed from last season. Man City win aside, it’s been frustrating for the Seagulls so far.
Per Fbref, Fabian Hurzeler’s side have lacked energy and aren’t converting their chances. Villa, Palace, and Man Utd are the only teams underperforming their expected goals more than Brighton through five games this season. They are averaging less than 46% possession this season, six fewer than last year.
This match could be close if Cole Palmer is still out injured. Overall though, with Brighton unable to control games right now, it’s hard to see anything but a Chelsea win here.
Chelsea vs. Brighton Prediction: 3-1
Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool
Selhurst Park, 3:00pm BST (10:00am ET), Saturday, September 27
The only thing more impressive than Liverpool’s perfect start to their Premier League campaign is Crystal Palace’s 17-match unbeaten streak in all competitions since April last season. Just a few weeks ago, the Eagles were going to sell Marc Guéhi and it looked like Oliver Glasner might walk away from the club. Now, they’re fifth in the table and one of the Conference League dark horses.
Unfortunately for Palace fans, I can’t see them getting anything out of this match. Yes, the Eagles pushed Liverpool in the Community Shield, but that was with Eberechi Eze in the side. With him gone to Arsenal and Ismaila Sarr likely out injured, it’s hard to see Palace creating many chances this time around.
Palace’s competition hasn’t been the toughest either. Bar the draw against Chelsea, Glasner’s team have played Aston Villa, Forest, Sunderland, and West Ham. Not exactly a murderers’ row.
Crystal Palace vs. Liverpool Prediction: 1-2
Leeds vs. Bournemouth
Elland Road, 3:00pm BST (10:00am ET), Saturday, September 27
Bournemouth’s blazing start to the season came to a crashing halt in Matchday 5 with a 0-0 draw at home against Newcastle. Despite the result, the Cherries still find themselves in fourth place, level on ten points with Tottenham and Arsenal.
Leeds, meanwhile, took care of business in a 3-1 win at the Molineux against Wolves. The Whites already have seven points, the same as Brighton and Aston Villa combined. All of these points were earned at Elland Road. However, this doesn’t necessarily bode well for their chances here.
Andoni Iraola’s side were the fourth-best team away from home last season according to expected goal differential. Only Liverpool created more xG away from home than Bournemouth.
It’s too early to say whether that form will hold this year, but the Cherries have looked solid in their two road matches this season, against Liverpool and Tottenham, respectively. I like their chances against Leeds.
Leeds vs. Bournemouth Prediction: 1-2
Manchester City vs. Burnley
Etihad Stadium, 3:00pm BST (10:00am ET), Saturday, September 27
Manchester City opted to play on the back foot against Arsenal in Matchday 5. The Sky Blues had just 33% possession in that 1-1 draw — the least amount of possession ever had by a Pep Guardiola-coached team. I’d be stunned if they played the same way against Burnley.
Scott Parker’s team have conceded three goals in each of their away matches this season. They lost 2-1 to Championship side Cardiff City in the EFL Cup on Tuesday. The Clarets also have a horrendous record against City in recent years.
Guardiola’s side have won 10 straight matches against Burnley. They won nine of those games by two goals or more. City haven’t dropped points to a newly-promoted team at home since losing 2-1 to Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United in April 2021. Burnley have done better than expected so far, but they’re not good enough to compete with City.
Manchester City vs. Burnley Prediction: 3-0
Nottingham Forest vs. Sunderland
The City Ground, 5:30pm BST (12:30pm ET), Saturday, September 27
Nottingham Forest picked up their first point under Ange Postecoglou on Saturday against Burnley. The Reds were the better team, but couldn’t break down Scott Parker’s side. Unfortunately for Forest fans, I could see the same thing happening this weekend.
Say whatever you will about his exit, Nuno Espírito Santo built Forest into a very good counter-attacking team. It’s going to be tough for Postecoglou to get them playing his possession-heavy football.
Sunderland, on the other hand, know how they want to play and know how to keep things close. I think they could do well against a tired Forest side, who will be coming into this match off the back of their mid-week Europa League match against Real Betis.
Nottingham Forest vs. Sunderland Prediction: 1-1
Tottenham vs. Wolves
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 8:00pm BST (3:00pm ET), Saturday, September 27
If there were any doubts about how Tottenham would transition from the Ange Postecoglou era, Thomas Frank has silenced them. Spurs have gone from strength to strength under the Dane and now sit in 3rd place ahead of Matchday 6. They’re not perfect by any means — last week’s 2-2 draw with Brighton is proof of that — but they should have enough to beat a struggling Wolves side.
Vítor Pereira’s team are the only winless team in the Premier League. In my opinion, they aren’t as hapless as West Ham. Wolves beat the Hammers in the EFL Cup and we have proof from last season that Pereira knows how to coach this team well. That said, they’ve conceded three or more goals in five of their league matches this season. It will be tough for Wolves on Saturday.
Tottenham vs. Wolves Prediction: 3-1
Aston Villa vs. Fulham
Villa Park, 2:00pm BST (9:00am ET), Sunday, September 28
If you told me that Aston Villa would be in 18th place at any point this season, I wouldn’t have believed you, but that’s exactly where we are heading into EPL Matchday 6. Unai Emery called his team “lazy” after their draw with Sunderland. His side have yet to win a league match this season. They’ve barely even managed to score. Matty Cash’s goal against Sunderland last weekend was the Villans’ first of the season.
Fulham, meanwhile, have lost just one of their seven competitive matches this season — a 2-0 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Marco Silva’s team definitely are in better form, but they have a terrible record against Villa in recent years. The Cottagers have lost five of their last six against Villa and haven’t won at Villa Park since 2014.
I think that Villa will turn things around eventually, but not this week, especially since they will be tired from hosting Bologna in the Europa League on Thursday. Fulham should get at least a point here.
Aston Villa vs. Fulham Prediction: 0-1
Newcastle vs. Arsenal
St. James’ Park, 4:30pm BST (11:30am ET), Sunday, September 28
We’re only five weeks into the season and Arsenal are already five points back in the title race. Newcastle are down in 13th. The Magpies are only four points out of the top four though, so this fixture could do a great deal to help them stay in Champions League contention.
Eddie Howe’s side have won four of their last five home matches against Arsenal. The Gunners were shut out in each of those fixtures. Goals are hard to come by in general for both these teams when they face off.
Ten of the last 11 Arsenal vs. Newcastle matches have had fewer than three goals. Newcastle have allowed the fewest xG in the league so far this season, and Arsenal have struggled to score outside of set pieces. I expect another hard-fought match this weekend. A draw seems like the most likely outcome here.
Newcastle vs. Arsenal Prediction: 1-1
Everton vs. West Ham
Hill Dickinson Stadium, 8:00pm BST (3:00pm ET), Monday, September 29
Everton suffered a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby last weekend. Normally, hosting one of the worst teams in the league would be a good way to bounce back from a loss like that, but the Toffees don’t have the best record against West Ham in recent years.
The Hammers have lost just one of their last six matches against Everton since 2023. That said, this West Ham is probably the worst team they’ve had since the team that was relegated in 2011. They have conceded a league-worst 13 goals and have the second-worst goal difference, behind Wolves.
There’s a chance that West Ham can pull another surprise like they did in their 3-0 win at Forest in Matchday 3, but I think David Moyes’s team is too solid to let that happen. Barring a shock early goal from the Hammers, Everton should win this easily.
Everton vs. West Ham Prediction: 2-0
