London [UK], October 23 (ANI): Matchweek 8 of the 2026/27 Premier League season will bring several key fixtures as Manchester City, the only side with a perfect record, travel to Aston Villa looking for an eighth consecutive win.
Chelsea host Tottenham Hotspur, having recorded six straight wins over their London rivals, while Liverpool welcome in-form Brighton to Anfield. Manchester United, meanwhile, host Bournemouth after their worst start to a league season since 1989-90, according to a release.
Elsewhere, Hull City and Brentford meet in the top flight for the first time, Coventry City host Fulham for only the third top-flight meeting between the sides, and Sunderland face Leeds United at the Stadium of Light. Here are some of the key Opta facts ahead of this weekend’s action.
Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest: Ipswich Town have won two of their three Premier League home games this season (L1), as many as in their previous 25 at Portman Road (D6 L17). They’re looking to win consecutive top-flight home games for the first time since a run of four in December/January 2001-02.
Nottingham Forest have lost their last three league games, more than in their previous 14 (W5 D7 L2). They rank seventh for expected goals (11.2) but have scored just five times, the biggest xG underperformance of any side this season (-6.2).
Ipswich have scored five 90th-minute goals this season, more than any other side, and all three of their wins have come courtesy of 90th-minute strikes.
Ipswich manager Gary O’Neil has never lost in five Premier League matches against Forest (W1 D4), his most games against an opponent without defeat in the division, the release said.
Aston Villa v Manchester City: Aston Villa have won four of their last six league games against City, as many as in their previous 35 (D5 L26). City have lost their last two games against Villa, and last lost three in a row between August 1962 and September 1966.
Manchester City could become the eighth side to win each of their first eight games of an English top-flight season. City have had more open play sequences of 10+ passes than any other side (158) and have scored more build-up goals than anyone else (6).
Having failed to win any of their first four Premier League games this season (D1 L3), Aston Villa have now won two of their last three (D1). However, the Villans are winless in all three home games so far (D1 L2), last having a longer run at the start of a campaign in 2015-16 (9).
Erling Haaland leads the league in goals (8), shots (27) and shots on target (13), but he has not scored in any of his last four against Villa. Villa’s Johan Manzambi has been involved in a goal in each of his three league starts (2 goals, 2 assists).
Arsenal v Everton: Arsenal have won 11 of their last 12 league games, including all six at the Emirates Stadium in that run. They are unbeaten in their last seven matches against Everton (W5 D2), their best run against the Toffees since going 13 without defeat between December 2007 and December 2013.
Everton are winless in their last eight league away games (D5 L3), with all three on the road this season ending level. David Moyes has never beaten the previous season’s champions away from home in 19 attempts (D5 L14). Gabriel Magalhaes could make his 200th Premier League appearance, the 11th Brazilian to reach the milestone. Arsenal have won 65% of their games when he plays.
No side has conceded fewer league goals than Arsenal this season (5), and the Gunners have also faced fewer shots on target (21) and have a lower xG against (5.6) than any other side.
Coventry City v Fulham: This is just the third top-flight meeting between Coventry and Fulham, and the first since 1967-68. Coventry completed a league double over Fulham in the 2021-22 Championship season (4-1 home, 3-1 away), the release said.
Coventry have lost five of their seven league games this season, their most defeats at this stage of a campaign since 1996-97. They have also conceded seven goals from outside the box, more than twice as many as any other side.
Fulham are averaging 57.2% possession and 492 successful passes per game, both their highest on record in a single campaign. However, they are winless in their last eight away league games (D4 L4).
Fulham’s Alex Iwobi could make his 328th Premier League appearance in this match. It would put the Nigerian level with Mohamed Salah in joint-second for most games by an African player in the competition, behind only Kolo Touré (353).
Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur: Chelsea have won each of their last six league games against Spurs, their joint-longest winning run against their London rivals. Spurs have won just one of their last 36 league visits to Stamford Bridge (D11 L24).
Cole Palmer has been involved in five goals in five league appearances against Spurs (3 goals, 2 assists). His next goal will be his 50th in the competition, and he would be the third-fastest Chelsea player to the milestone (104 games), the release said.
Chelsea’s Morgan Rogers has been involved in six goals in six games against Tottenham (4 goals, 2 assists), all while an Aston Villa player.
Spurs’ Andy Robertson could be just the second Scottish player to start 300 Premier League matches, after Gary McAllister (305). His assist for Omar Marmoush against Coventry was his 62nd in the Premier League, just two behind Trent Alexander-Arnold for the most among defenders in the competition.
Crystal Palace v Newcastle United: Crystal Palace are looking for consecutive league wins over Newcastle for the first time since a run of three between August 1971 and September 1972. Newcastle have won one of their last 11 away league games at Palace (D6 L4).
Palace have conceded more goals (17), faced more shots (125) and more shots on target (43), and have a higher xG against (14.8) than any other side this season. They have conceded at least twice in 11 of their last 13 league games.
Palace’s Chris Richards could make his 100th Premier League appearance and would be the second-youngest American to reach the milestone (26y 211d).
Newcastle’s Yoane Wissa has scored just one goal from 18 shots in the Premier League this season. Of all players to have found the net at least once, only two have a lower shot conversion rate than Wissa (5.6%)
Hull City v Brentford: This is the first top-flight meeting between Hull and Brentford, who have faced each other in the second, third and fourth tiers. Their last league meeting was in February 2020, a 5-1 win for the Bees in the Championship.
Hull started the season with consecutive wins but are winless in their five games since (D3 L2). They are unbeaten at home this season (W1 D2) and have picked up more yellow cards than any other side (22).
Brentford’s Igor Thiago has six goals in his last six league appearances against newly promoted clubs. Hull’s Mohamed Belloumi has had 10 shots from outside the box, more than all but four players this season, the release said.
Hull City have completed just 354 passes in the final third of the pitch in the Premier League this season, the lowest total of any side. Against Fulham on MD7, the Tigers only completed 17 passes in the final third, their joint second-lowest tally in a Premier League match.
Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion: Brighton have won each of their last four league games by an aggregate score of 15-0. The last side to win five successive league games without conceding were Liverpool in April 2022. They have won three league games by four or more goals this season, only two fewer than they managed in total between 2017-18 and 2025-26. They have scored 23 goals in their opening seven games, the first side to do so since Manchester City in 2022-23.
Liverpool are winless in their last five home Premier League matches (D4 L1), only twice having worse runs at Anfield: seven from November 2002 to February 2003 and eight from December 2020 to March 2021.
Alexander Isak has five goals in his last five league appearances, as many as in his previous 20 combined, while Florian Wirtz has created the most chances in the league this season (20).
Brighton’s Charalampos Kostoulas has scored and assisted in two of his last three league appearances, and is the first teenager to do so more than once in a season since Kelechi Iheanacho in 2016-17.
Manchester United v Bournemouth: Manchester United have seven points from seven league games this season (W1 D4 L2), their worst start to a league season since 1989-90. They have drawn their last three league games, and have spent just 18% of their games in the lead.
Bournemouth are unbeaten in their last three league visits to Old Trafford (W2 D1), scoring at least three goals in every match, the only team to ever do so in three consecutive visits to Man Utd.
The Cherries registered their first league win of the season last time out against Sunderland. Evanilson has been involved in six of the Cherries’ nine goals this season (2 goals, 4 assists), the highest share of goals scored or assisted by one player for any club.
Bruno Fernandes has been involved in nine goals in nine league appearances against Bournemouth (5 goals, 4 assists). Bryan Mbeumo has scored six goals in his last nine league appearances for United, after going 11 without a goal.
Sunderland v Leeds United: Sunderland won 1-0 against Leeds in their most recent league meeting and are looking for consecutive wins over the Whites for the first time since 2006-07. Leeds have lost just one of their last eight top-flight visits to Sunderland (W6 D1).
Sunderland have four points from seven games this season (W1 D1 L5), their lowest at this stage since 2016-17, when they finished bottom. They have lost their last four league games, all by a margin of two goals.
No side has drawn more league games than Leeds in 2026 (13), their highest share of games drawn in a single year in their history (13/27, 48%).
Since 29 November last year, only Erling Haaland (21) has more league goals than Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin (17). Leeds goalkeeper James Trafford has made more saves than any other goalkeeper this season (26). (ANI)
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