Saturday
Fixture: Arsenal 3-0 Newcastle
Venue: Emirates Stadium (Arsenal home)
Kick-off: 5.30pm BST
Verdict: Newcastle have an appalling record in London, and particularly against Arsenal. Although the Gunners have started poorly by their standards, they have still looked capable of stepping up a level and putting a few past an opponent. Newcastle, on the other hand, have started well with a win and a draw in the Premier League. But there have been chinks in the armour, exposed manfully by under-strength Championship side Coventry, and could crumble under sustained pressure.
Betting Advice: 2pts more than 2.5 goals at Evens (Bet 365, Stan James and Bet Direct); 5pts Arsenal to win 1/ 2 (1.5 at totesport)
Fixture: Bolton 0-0 West Brom
Venue: Reebok Stadium (Bolton home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: So far West Brom have not been overawed by the Premiership, but have failed to take advantage of some of the excellent chances they've had. They bossed Arsenal for periods and lost, did the same at Everton with bells on, which makes you wonder what they have to do to get points in the top flight. Score, seems to be the answer, because they haven't managed a clean sheet as of yet.
Betting Advice: 2pts draw at 5/2 (3.5 at Bet365, Totesport and Coral)
Fixture: Everton 0-3 Portsmouth
Venue: Goodison Park (Everton home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: Portsmouth looked starved of confidence when they took on Man Utd on Monday night, and that could prove their undoing against an Everton side that seem to be playing to a greater sum than their parts might suggest.
Betting Advice: 3pts Everton win at 23/20 (2.15 at Totesport)
Fixture: Hull 0-5 Wigan
Venue: KC Stadium (Hull home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: Is it me, or is it very difficult to get excited about Hull v Wigan in the Premiership. It can only be six years ago this would have been a non-descript fixture in the bottom rung of English football. That said, one thing that has been very noticeable this season is Hull's ability to pick up points. One thing that has NOT been so noticed is how GOOD Wigan are this season. They look a good, tight unit - and a vast improvement on last season. In fact on form, the Premiership is upside down - Hull should be at the bottom, not Wigan who frightened Chelsea and were unlucky against West Ham.
Betting Advice: 4pts Wigan to win at 2/1 (3.0 at Boylesports)
Fixture: Middlesbrough 2-1 Stoke
Venue: Riverside Stadium (Boro home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: Aston Villa made the fatal mistake of giving away a throw in on the edge of the area in stoppage time last week, and that put paid to their points at Stoke for the weekend. Boro, meanwhile, have started the season well and have a studious manager in Gareth Southgate who will have done his homework (we hope). I think this is the week that our new boys get stuffed.
Betting Advice: 2pts Boro to win at 8/13 (1.61 at Boylesports, Paddy Power, Ladbrokes)
Fixture: West Ham 4-1 Blackburn
Venue: Boleyn Ground (West Ham home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: The bookies are about as unsure of this one as I am. On the one hand West Ham always go well at home, but on the other Blacburn beat them here last season. But, then again, Blackburn are a new outfit this season, however West Ham looked very poor at Man City last week. Blackburn weren't much better at Hull, though. It's a draw then.
Betting Advice: 1pt draw at 2/1 (3.0 generally)
Sunday
Fixture: Aston Villa 0-0 Liverpool
Venue: Villa Park (Blackburn home)
Kick-off: 4pm BST
Verdict: Liverpool have been poor and got away with it in the Premiership - and in the Champions League during the week - but they are likely to get their comeuppance against a side pushing for their place in the top four. Villa were stung by Stoke last week, but they beat Liverpool at Villa Park last season and they can do it again with a more mature and clinical side.
Betting Advice: 3pts Aston Villa to win at 23/10 (3.3 at Canbet.com)
Fixture: Chelsea 1-1 Tottenham
Venue: Stamford Bridge (Chelsea home)
Kick-off: 1.30pm BST
Verdict: Tottenham are unbeaten in two games against Chelsea, including winning the Carling Cup in March, but no one can see that continuing at the moment.The bookies, however, have pretty much priced Tottenham to lose. Still, money is money.
Betting Advice: 5pts Chelsea to win at 2/5 (1.4 generally)
Fixture: Sunderland 0-3 Man City
Venue: The 'ahem' Stadium of Light (Sunderland home)
Kick-off: 3pm BST
Verdict: Sunderland will have targeted this as a home win as part of the 'Save Premier League Sunderland' campaign. But I'm not so sure that this Sunderland side is not a little bit in trouble. They lost their opener against a poor Liverpool side but beat an even poorer Tottenham. I think they are best watched this weekend. This could be a good guage of their progress.
Betting Advice: no bet
