The Grubby Balls Matchweek 1 Preview

A brief preview of all the matchups during our first weekend of Premier League action

It's that time of year again, Christmas Eve for football fans. While it only feels like yesterday we were closing the curtains on what was a dramatic 21/22 Premier League season, it's time for us to break out our scarves and ready our singing voices for another season of Premier League action. Here's what to expect from all the matches this weekend.

Crystal Palace vs Arsenal

20:00 GMT Friday, August 4th.

We start the 2022/23 season with what should be a high-scoring affair in London as Mikel Arteta's Arsenal travel to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace. In last season's head-to-head, Crystal Palace came out on top, drawing with Arsenal 2-2 at the Emirates in October of 2021 and following that up with a resounding 3-0 victory against the Gunners at home in the Spring. Crystal Palace will be hoping for a repeat of that performance this Friday. Both teams have had a good preseason, with Arsenal winning all of their past 5 preseason matches, scoring an impressive 20 goals in the process. New signing Gabriel Jesus has been absolutely on fire, and will hope he can kick off his Premier League career in the red of Arsenal with a goal. While it will be interesting to watch how Palace get on in their first competitive match since losing their player of the season, Conor Gallagher. Despite that, Crystal Palace have also been in good form this preseason. They're unbeaten in their last four and have scored 9 in the process. Their defence has looked a bit shaky, conceding 8 in their past 5, but despite this, I think Viera will be confident that they can get something out of this one, especially considering the pressure will be on Arsenal to start with a bang after all the business they've conducted in the off-season. With neither team missing any key players through injuries and both looking capable of scoring lots of goals, I reckon we'll be in for an exciting end-to-end encounter to kick off the 22/23 Premier League season.

Fulham vs Liverpool

12:30 GMT Saturday, August 6th

Kicking off our first full Saturday of Premier League football is a meeting between Championship Champions Fulham and Champions League Finalists Liverpool. While we often see good performances from newly promoted sides in their home openers, Fulham will likely struggle to cope with Liverpool, who looked very sharp in their 3-1 victory over Manchester City last weekend in the Community Shield. All eyes will be on Darwin Nunez to see if he can follow up on his excellent performance last week, where he outshone the other new Premier League star striker Erling Haaland, and I'd fancy him to put one past the Fulham defence, who were leaky last season. Fulham have been good in preseason, with their new signings slotting in nicely. With new signing Andreas Perreira delivering some great balls in for Championship record-breaking goal scorer Aleksander Mitrovic, they've shown they can be a threat from set pieces, which is an area they struggled in during their last Premier League campaign. The interesting thing to watch with Fulham is how they handle tough, close matches. In the Championship last season, they destroyed several teams, they're not going to be able to do that in the Premier League, so it will be interesting to see how the squad reacts to going down. While Liverpool are heavy favourites, as they should be, you can never completely count out the new teams on the opening weekend. They do have a tendency to catch their opposition cold. No matter how the result goes, it will be an excellent test for Fulham and a chance for them to get up to speed with little to no pressure on them to get a result.

Bournemouth vs Aston Villa

15:00 GMT Saturday, August 6th

The first of our 3pm kick-offs brings us to the South Coast, where newly promoted Bournemouth host Aston Villa. Historically Bournemouth have a winning record against Aston Villa, having won 3 out of their 5 matchups, but the Cherries will not be favourites come Saturday. Bournemouth have not looked great in pre-season, losing their last three matches against Real Sociedad, Bristol City, and Braga. On the contrary, Aston Villa are unbeaten in their previous five, winning four times and drawing against Manchester United at Old Trafford, only conceding three goals in the process. Bournemouth have done little to improve their squad this summer, with the only notable signing being Marcus Tavernier, who joined this week from Middlesbrough. This has led them to be tipped as one of the favourites to go down. For Villa, this season is probably make or break for Steven Gerrard. After all the investment put into the side, they need to show they can perform at least on par with the rest of the mid-table pack. Whether this pressure makes diamonds, we'll have to wait and see. Anything less than a win for Aston Villa will be classed as a disappointment, so I anticipate they will try and start quickly and go at Bournemouth, whereas I expect Bournemouth to try and be patient, sit back, work themselves into the game, and hope to maybe nick a goal on the break.

Leeds United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

15:00 GMT Saturday, August 6th

This match is one of the toughest to call of the weekend. Wolves, who finished well above Leeds last season but finished their campaign in relatively poor form, have had a quiet summer, while Leeds, who only just avoided relegation, have brought in a whole host of new players. Both teams have been in similar form during pre-season, with Leeds winning three, drawing once, and losing once. While Wolves have won two, drawn two, and lost once. While there are concerns about defensive depth and a backup striker for Leeds, their whole squad should be fit for this opening encounter. Patrick Bamford scored twice last weekend in their 6-2 win against Cagliari, with new signing Brenden Aaronson providing a brilliant assist with the outside of his right foot for one of the goals. Rodrigo capped off a good team performance with a hat trick, indicating that Marsch will be relying on him more heavily with the departure of Raphinha. While new signings Roca and Kristensen also looked good. While the depth concerns will be ones to look out for in the long term, I'd back a solid performance from a fully fit Leeds side at home this weekend. Wolves fans are a bit apprehensive about this coming season. A lack of summer business concerns them about depth in midfield, and especially attack, where they lack a fully fit number 9. Though the reintroduction of players like Morgan Gibbs-White, who was on loan with Sheffield United last season, have provided a bit of a spark. I would back Leeds to get a result here, but it will be interesting to see how Wolves cope with the pressure of a packed Elland Road.

Newcastle United vs Nottingham Forest

15:00 GMT Saturday, August 6th

Nottingham Forest's first Premier League match in 23 years will be a tough test for the newly promoted side as they travel to the Northeast to take on Newcastle at St. James's Park. Newcastle's recruitment has been slow and steady, but they have only improved themselves defensively, with Eddie Howe admitting this week that he has been frustrated by the club's inability to bring in any new attacking options. Callum Wilson has looked good in preseason, scoring in their 2-1 win against Athletic Club this past Saturday, but we know that he has had issues staying fit, so Newcastle will be looking to bring in additional attacking options. Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron, and Chris Wood have all also scored during the preseason. On the other hand, Nottingham Forest have brought in many new signings, necessary recruitment after losing so many who were on loan with them last season. Their preseason results have been mixed, but this is expected when trying to gel so many new players into the side. But getting new players to perform was one of Steve Cooper's strongest skills last season during his remarkable turnaround of Nottingham Forest from a relegation candidate to a Premier League side. New signings from the Bundesliga Taiwo Awoniyi and Moussa Niakhate will be key players in attack and defence, respectively, with Niakhate looking very good in preseason. While many eyes will also obviously be on Jesse Lingard to see if he can revitalize his career again with a move away from Manchester United. You would expect Newcastle to win at home, but don't put it past the Tricky Trees to get something out of this game.

Tottenham vs Southampton

15:00 GMT Saturday, August 6th

Saturday gives us our first proper look at this revamped Tottenham squad when they host Southampton at home. Tottenham's transfer window has been well publicized, as they've spent big money on bringing in many players in various positions all over the pitch. Some of their most notable signings were the purchases of Richarlison, Yves Bissouma, Djed Spence, and Ivan Perisic. These acquisitions add depth to an already good squad, headlined by the most prolific strike partnership in the Premier League of Harry Kane and Heung Min Son. There is a bit of a now or never feeling for Tottenham this season, as with the squad they've assembled and Antonio Conte at the helm, there are no excuses for underperformance. Southampton have also undergone many changes over the past 12 months: new owners, a new head of recruitment, and an overhaul of their first team coaching staff. While all this change could be good for the club's future, it had a short-term negative effect, with Southampton only managing to get one win out of their last 12 matches in the 21/22 season. This form put them perilously close to ending up in a relegation battle, finishing only five points off the drop and only one point above Everton, who only secured safety in the second to last match of the season. They have invested good money into their squad, but four of the five permanent signings they've made are 20 years old and under. This is a good sign for the future, but they are largely unknown quantities as to how they'll perform this season. Their preseason form has been subpar, winning only one of their past five matches and only scoring five goals in the process. August could be a defining month for Ralph Hassenhutl and Southampton and one that shows whether this rebuild is going in the right direction or if they need to shift gears to avoid a potential drop down in divisions. Tottenham will be favourites to win on Saturday, but the style in which they win if they do should be a good indicator of how these teams may perform over the season.

Everton vs Chelsea

17:30 GMT Saturday, August 6th

The last match of our opening Saturday sees a clash of familiar faces when Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea head to Goodison Park to take on Frank Lampard's Toffees, just three months since Everton took a crucial three points off Chelsea in their 1-0 win at the beginning of May. It's the start of the new post-Abramovich era at Chelsea, and with that comes many questions. They have had an up and down summer. Their defence has seen losses and gains in the form of Rudiger and Koulibaly, but they probably still don't have enough cover, especially at fullback. Their midfield is solid, with Kante and Mount looking good in preseason, but their attack lacks goals, with the addition of Raheem Sterling being counterbalanced by the lack of a natural striker. These ups and downs have shown in the preseason, with the squad winning two and losing two. Everton have the same record in the preseason, with early losses to Arsenal and Minnesota United (funnily enough, the exact same calibre of side Chelsea lost to), leaving fans pretty hopeless, only for wins against Blackpool and a 3-0 win over Dynamo Kyiv highlighted by a brace from new signing Dwight McNeil giving fans something to cheer for again. James Tarkowski has looked a great addition, with his passing range adding something the squad has been lacking, but questions remain over their other defenders. Michael Keane still looks like he has a mistake in him, while Yerry Mina's fitness remains an issue. Everton's midfield was their biggest issue last year, and though it looks like they may be finally replacing Idrissa Gana Gueye with.... Idrissa Gana Gueye, they still likely need recruits in that area of the pitch. The biggest concern for Everton is the recent injury to striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who will reportedly be out for around 6 weeks with a knee injury. Everton lacks a solid second option in that position, so they will likely need to play Dele Alli in a false 9 role, at least for their early matches. Saturday will be an exciting clash, with both teams' fans unsure how their squads will perform this year.

Leicester vs Brentford

14:00 GMT Sunday, August 7th

Brentford were the surprise package of last season, showing that their "Moneyball" Esque approach to the Football League could also translate very well to the Premier League. They've signed two exciting young players in Keane Lewis-Potter and Aaron Hickey, the latter of whom solves the right-back issue plaguing the Bees last year and brought in defender Ben Mee from Burnley, an astute signing. Brentford will be looking to repeat the success they had in their inaugural campaign, while players like Bryan Mbuemo and Yoanne Wissa will be hoping to improve upon solid Premier League campaigns and lift some of the goal-scoring pressure off of striker Ivan Toney. Leicester have made headlines in the offseason for being one of only two teams in Europe's top five leagues to have made zero signings. The good thing is they've yet to lose any of their best assets, with the only summer departure being veteran goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who they have yet to replace. Leicester have some excellent players, Jamie Vardy, James Maddison, Wesley Fofana, and Youri Tielemans, just to name a few. They also have depth, with no glaring shortness in any position. The one question mark over Leicester would probably be the manager, with many Leicester fans seeming not totally convinced by Brendan Rogers in recent months. One thing that should help Leicester is the lack of European football, which will help key players stay fit. The clash between Leicester and Brentford on Sunday should be a good one, and I reckon both teams will think they can win it. If I were to pick a result based on last season, I'd say a draw is most likely, but both of these teams have the potential to impress this season.

Manchester United vs Brighton

14:00 GMT Sunday, August 7th

The soap opera that is Manchester United continues on Sunday when they host Brighton at Old Trafford in their first match of the season. You have to feel for Erik Ten Hag because Manchester United has had a good preseason. He seems to be beginning to implement his system onto the squad, with signings like Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia slotting in nicely, all while players like Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford seem to be returning with an improved focus and vigour. But just like that, the headlines change, Martial is out on Sunday, and Ronaldo made the very mature decision to leave the last friendly of preseason before the final whistle despite starting the match. All in all not great for morale. That being said, I expect the verdict on Manchester United to be more positive this season than last. Not like that's especially difficult, though I do not expect them to finish in the top four. Brighton serve as a fantastic reminder of just how abysmal United was last season, the last time these two sides faced each other, Brighton came out 4-0 victors, a result the Old Trafford faithful will hope they do not see parallels to on Sunday. Brighton are in quite a different situation, they may not have lit up the transfer market this summer, losing Yves Bissouma and Marc Cucurella, edging ever closer to an exit, but Potter has proven in recent years that he can deliver results. While they may not quite reach the heights of last season due to all the squad turnover, you wouldn't put it past them either. Brighton seems to have a tendency to do their best when people begin to count them out. Sunday's clash will illuminate how Ten Hag's United side can perform when it's no longer a dress rehearsal, and regardless of the result for Brighton, I still expect them to have a good season.

West Ham vs Manchester City

16:30 GMT Sunday, August 7th

The Champions begin their title defence in London on Sunday with a trip to West Ham. Manchester City's short three-game preseason showed when they took on Liverpool in the community shield last weekend, as it has to be said that they looked a bit rusty. Erling Haaland will be looking to get off the mark after clattering what can only be classed as a sitter into the crossbar in the dying embers of last week's game. It will be hard for West Ham to reach the dizzying heights of last season's 7th place finish plus Europa League semi-final, but their transfer business has been solid up to this point. Gianluca Scamacca has flown under the radar with several big-name strikers entering the Premier League this offseason, but the 23-year-old Italian has heaps of potential and will free up Antonio when on the pitch together. Stars Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen remain with the Hammers this year and will be looking to build upon their respective great seasons last year, with both looking at the England World Cup squad as a motivator to stay in good form. No team wants to be the first to take on Manchester City, but based on last weekend's performance, they're far from invincible. Manchester City will hope to dust off the cobwebs with one of their typical dominating performances, while West Ham will hope they can repeat the excellent result they had at home last May to Manchester City when they managed to take a point off the Champions.

Thanks for reading this article from The Grubby Balls Premier League blog. Stay tuned for our matchweek 1 review this coming Tuesday for the breakdown of all teams performances.

Stay Grubby!