Premier League Tips: Can Haaland score another hat-trick at the Etihad?

The Premier League returns on Saturday with crunch matches at both ends of the table. Greg Lea gives his Premier League predictions for the day's action below.

Bournemouth v Leicester City

Kick-off: 3pm Saturday

Leicester finally got their first three points of the campaign on Monday as they thrashed Nottingham Forest 4-0. That victory will have served as a huge confidence-booster for the Foxes, who blew their East Midlands rivals away at the King Power Stadium.

Gary O’Neil has done a good job of steadying the ship at Bournemouth, who are yet to lose under his stewardship. But if Leicester play to their potential in this match, there will only be one winner. With James Maddison in the form of his life, Brendan Rodgers’ side can make it two triumphs on the bounce.

Prediction: Leicester to win @ 2.14

Chelsea v Wolves

Kick-off: 3pm Saturday

Wolves parted company with Bruno Lage last weekend, with a 2-0 defeat by West Ham proving to be the last straw. It has certainly been a poor start to the season for the club: Wolves are in the bottom three having won just one of their first eight encounters.

Just like last term, their biggest shortcoming has been at the top of the pitch. No team in the division has scored as few goals as Wolves, who have found the back of the net only three times to date. Caretaker coaches Steve Davis and James Collins are unlikely to have made the side more effective in attack during their few days in charge.

Chelsea were reasonably solid against Crystal Palace last time out, as Graham Potter collected a first win at his new club. A first clean sheet in the league looks eminently possible here.

Prediction: Chelsea to win to nil @ 2.08

Manchester City v Southampton

Kick-off: 3pm Saturday

All eyes will be on Erling Haaland when Southampton visit the Etihad Stadium. The Norway international has scored a hat-trick in three of his four Premier League home appearances, as well as a brace against Copenhagen in midweek. Southampton, who have lost four of their last five games, will struggle to contain him.

This should be a comfortable afternoon for City, who will go top of the table – at least temporarily – with a win. With another Champions League game on the horizon in midweek, Pep Guardiola will want to get this match done and dusted as quickly as possible. Back City to make a fast start.

Prediction: Manchester City to score more than 1.5 goals in the first half @ 2.2

Newcastle United v Brentford

Kick-off: 3pm Saturday

Before last weekend’s trip to Fulham, the talk was of Newcastle having failed to win a game since the opening day of the season. But a 4-1 victory at Craven Cottage puts a more favourable slant on their record this term: the Magpies, who sit seventh in the standings going into the weekend, have lost just one of their first eight matches.

Eddie Howe will now be looking to turn draws into wins, having been held by Crystal Palace and Bournemouth at St James’ Park. Brentford will have studied those games and concluded that defending in a deep, compact shape can cause problems for this Newcastle team. As such, we should not expect a particularly high-scoring contest.

Recommended trade: Under 2.5 goals @ 1.98

Brighton v Spurs

Kick-off: 5.30pm Saturday

It has not been a particularly good week for Tottenham, who lost the North London derby to Arsenal before failing to beat Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League. Things do not get any easier for Antonio Conte’s side, who face a tricky test at the Amex Stadium in the late kick-off on Saturday.

Brighton are full of confidence right now and they will take the game to Spurs, buoyed by the three goals they scored at Anfield last time out. The Seagulls should be able to prise open a Tottenham backline that struggled against Arsenal, but it is hard to see Harry Kane, Son Heung-min et al. being as subdued as they were at the Emirates.

Recommended trade: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals @ 2.16

Premier League Saturday predictions

Bournemouth v Leicester City: Leicester to win @ 2.14
Chelsea v Wolves: Chelsea to win to nil @ 2.08
Manchester City v Southampton: Manchester City to score more than 1.5 goals in the first half @ 2.2
Newcastle United v Brentford: Under 2.5 goals @ 1.98
Brighton & Hove Albion v Tottenham Hotspur: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals @ 2.16