The Premier League returns from the briefest of breaks with the Manchester derby taking centre-stage at Old Trafford in gameweek 22.
Elsewhere, Arsenal are in action at Nottingham Forest, Liverpool bid to prolong their recent unbeaten run at home to Burnley, while Thomas Frank and Nuno Espirito Santo lock horns in the battle of the under-fire bosses.
Stats you might see
United’s derby drought
- Manchester United could fail to score against Manchester City for the third game in a row, their longest barren stretch against their rivals since World War I.
Michael Carrick will be hoping to breathe fresh life into a stalling Manchester United after he was appointed interim manager. Though his first assignment is a tough one against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
Should United fail to score, it would mark the first time they have gone three consecutive home matches against City without finding the back of the net since a four-game drought between December 1911 and September 1914.
Meanwhile, the last time United failed to score in both league meetings with the Citizens – following their 3-0 defeat in September – was in the 1973–74 season, which ultimately ended in relegation from the top flight.
Capital punishment for the Hammers
- West Ham could become only the third team ever to lose seven consecutive Premier League London derbies.
Tottenham vs West Ham is being dubbed as ‘El Sackico’ as it pits together two under-fire managers in opposing dugouts. Spurs boss Thomas Frank is winless in four matches across all competitions and has managed just one home league victory in nine games stretching back to August.
As for Nuno Santo, he’s failed to win any of his last 10 top-flight matches at the helm of West Ham. Another defeat on Saturday would see the Hammers become only the third team to lose seven consecutive Premier League London derbies, after QPR (1995-96) and Fulham (2018-20).
Stadium of Light streak
- If Sunderland avoid defeat, they will become the first newly promoted team since 1992/93 to go unbeaten in their first 11 home Premier League games.
Sunderland are one of just two Premier League sides yet to suffer a home defeat this season – the other being Arsenal, of course – with the Black Cats winning five and drawing five of their 10 games in front of their own fans.
Up next at the Stadium of Light are a wounded Crystal Palace who are winless in nine games in all competitions, a rotten run that includes a shock 2-1 FA Cup third round defeat to non-league Macclesfield.
Should Sunderland avoid defeat on Saturday, they would become the first newly promoted team since Ipswich Town in 1992-93 to go unbeaten in their first 11 home Premier League games.
Beleaguered Burnley
- Burnley could go without a win in 13 top-flight league games for the first time since 1970.
Burnley enjoyed a welcome break from league struggles with a 5-1 FA Cup win over Millwall, but attention now turns back to their Premier League relegation scrap.
The Clarets make the daunting trip to Liverpool, who they’ve lost their last six league meetings with by an aggregate score of 12-1.
Another defeat would extend Burnley’s league winless streak to 13 matches, their worst run in the topflight since 1970.
DCL’s quest for double digits
- If Dominic Calvert-Lewin scores at home to Fulham he will reach double figures in a Premier League campaign for only the third time.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s blistering form for Leeds has seen his odds to be named in England’s 2026 World Cup squad slashed from 50/1 to 4/1. The striker’s goalscoring output is proving difficult to ignore, with eight goals in his last nine matches and nine for the season overall.
One more goal would take Calvert-Lewin into double figures in a Premier League campaign for just the third time in his career, having previously done so twice for Everton in 2019-20 (13) and 2020-21 (16).
Bees buzzing
- Brentford could go unbeaten in seven Premier League games; only in March 2023 have they gone more games without defeat (12).
New Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior takes charge of his first Premier League match in a fixture that has frequently troubled the Blues in recent years. Chelsea have won just one of their last eight meetings with Brentford, who have claimed three wins from their last four league visits to Stamford Bridge.
The Bees have been superb of late, rising above Chelsea to 5th following a six-game unbeaten run. Avoid defeat in Saturday’s West London and Keith Andrews’ side would equal their second-longest unbeaten streak in the Premier League.
Forest’s home woes
- Nottingham Forest could lose seven of their opening 11 league home games for the first time since 1908-09.
Nottingham Forest secured a valuable win away at relegation rivals West Ham last time out in the league, but were then knocked out of the FA Cup in the third round by Wrexham.
Forest now return to the City Ground, where they face leaders Arsenal. Their home form has been a real concern this season, with six losses in 10 league games, which has already surpassed the five home defeats they suffered in the entire previous campaign.
A defeat to Arsenal would see Forest suffer seven home losses in their opening 10 league matches for the first time since 1908-09.
Toon seek 2026 hat-trick
- Newcastle could win their first three league games in a calendar year for the first time since 1996.
Newcastle travel to the Midlands aiming for their third consecutive league win at the start of a calendar year for the first time since 1996.
The Toon face a struggling Wolves side marooned at the bottom of the table with just seven points. Yet Rob Edwards’ side do have reason to be optimistic, having avoided defeat in their last four games in all competitions, which includes a 3-0 win over West Ham in their last league outing at Molineux.
Villa’s home comforts
- Aston Villa could win 12 consecutive home games across all competitions for the first time in 43 years (14 in 1983).
Aston Villa are enjoying a home winning run of the ages, having claimed the spoils in each of their last 12 matches in all competitions at Villa Park, stretching back to August.
Unai Emery’s side will be determined to keep the pressure on Arsenal and Man City in the title race, as they bid to record a 12th straight home win for the first time since 1983, when they won 14 in a row.
Mitoma’s milestone
- If Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma plays against Bournemouth, he will become only the third Japanese player to reach 100 Premier League games.
If Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma features against Bournemouth this weekend, he will become only the third Japanese player to reach 100 Premier League appearances, joining Maya Yoshida (154) and Shinji Okazaki (114).
Mitoma, who scored in Brighton’s last league game against Man City, will hope to mark the milestone with a goal. He has an impressive record against Bournemouth, having netted a career-high five goals against the Cherries.
