Chelsea’s title credentials face a testing fortnight

Chelsea’s status as genuine Premier League title contenders will be tested with Sunday’s trip to London rivals Tottenham Hotspur, before they face the ultimate challenge against champions Manchester City next week.

While Chelsea start as favourites on Sunday, Spurs manager Nuno Espirito Santo will also learn a great deal about just how well-equipped his team is for this campaign from the clash with Thomas Tuchel’s European champions.

The next week, Spurs have a north London derby with Arsenal and a promising start to the season could quickly be forgotten if those two matches end in defeats.

Tuchel’s side are favourites with new signing Romelu Lukaku having made a strong start following his summer move from Inter Milan.

Chelsea are one of four teams at the top of the table who are unbeaten and have 10 points from three wins and a draw earned away to Liverpool when they played the second half with 10 men.

Spurs are in the trio of clubs just a point behind having won their opening three games, including an impressive victory over Manchester City, but their 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace last weekend has somewhat soured the early season optimism.

Chelsea have not lost to Spurs in the Premier League since a 3-1 defeat at Wembley Stadium in November 2018 and Tuchel’s side are favourites, with new signing Romelu Lukaku having made a strong start next his summer move from Inter Milan.

City and Liverpool will both expect to pick up three points on Saturday with Pep Guardiola’s side at home to Southampton and Liverpool hosting Palace.

Manchester United’s euphoric mood since the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo and his two-goal debut in the 4-1 win over Newcastle United on Saturday was deflated by Tuesday’s Champions League loss at Young Boys in Bern.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side face a tricky test on Sunday at the London Stadium against unbeaten West Ham United.

Arsenal got their first win of the season at home to Norwich City, which eased the pressure a little on manager Mikel Arteta, but they can ill-afford to slip up at struggling Burnley on Saturday.

The weekend’s round of fixtures kicks off on Friday, with two winless teams meeting as Newcastle host Leeds United at St James’ Park.

All the match stats and facts for the weekend

Friday

Newcastle United v Leeds United (9pm, all SA times)

• Newcastle lost both league meetings with Leeds last season, having lost just one of their previous 11 against the Yorkshire club (W7 D3).
• Leeds are looking to win three successive league games against Newcastle for the first time since October 1967.
• Newcastle have conceded more goals (12) than any other side in the Premier League this season.

Saturday

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brentford (1.30pm)

• Wolves have won three of their last four league games against Brentford (D1).
• Brentford have won just one of their five away league games against Wolves in the 21st century (D1 L3), winning 2-0 in a Championship match in October 2015.
• None of the 10 top-flight meetings between Wolves and Brentford have ended in a draw, with both teams winning five games each.

Burnley v Arsenal (4pm)

• After a run of 10 consecutive league defeats against Arsenal, Burnley are unbeaten in their last three against the London club (W1 D2).
• Arsenal are unbeaten in their last nine away league games against Burnley (W4 D5), last suffering a 2-1 defeat at Turf Moor in December 1973.
• Burnley are without a win in their last 12 home league games (D6 L6), their longest run without a victory at Turf Moor in their league history.

Liverpool v Crystal Palace (4pm)

• Liverpool have won their last eight Premier League games against Palace, scoring 24 goals and conceding five.
• Liverpool forward Sadio Mane has scored in each of his last eight Premier League games against Palace - no player has scored in nine consecutive games against an opponent in the competition.
• After winning three consecutive Premier League away games against Liverpool between 2014-15 and 2016-17, Palace have lost in each of their last four visits to Anfield in the competition.

Manchester City v Southampton (4pm)

• City have won eight of their last nine Premier League meetings with Southampton, having lost 1-0 at St Mary’s in July last year.
• City’s Raheem Sterling is three goals away from reaching 100 Premier League goals.
• Southampton are without a win in their last six Premier League games (D3 L3), securing a draw in each of the last three in a row.

Norwich City v Watford (4pm)

• Norwich have lost each of their last four league meetings with Watford, with Watford winning both games in the Championship last season 1-0.
• Watford have won six of their last nine away league games against Norwich (L3), as many as they had in their previous 40 visits to the Canaries (W6 D10 L24).
• Norwich have had eight shots on target in the Premier League this season, fewer than any other side.

Aston Villa v Everton (6,30pm)

• Villa are unbeaten in four league games against Everton, with two wins and two draws.
• Everton have won three of their last six away league games against Villa (D1 L2), as many as they had in their previous 29 visits to Villa Park (W3 D12 L14).
• Everton manager Rafa Benitez has lost just one of his 17 games against Villa in all competitions (W10 D6).

Sunday

Brighton & Hove Albion v Leicester City (3pm)

• Brighton have lost their last two home league games against Leicester, as many as they had in their previous eight against them (W3 D3).
• Leicester are unbeaten in all eight of their Premier League meetings with Brighton (W6 D2), the most they have played a side without suffering defeat in the competition.
• Striker Jamie Vardy is aiming to become the first Leicester player to reach 250 Premier League appearances in this match.

West Ham United v Manchester United (3pm)

• West Ham have won two of their last six Premier League games against United (D1 L3).
• United have won their last two Premier League meetings with West Ham, last winning three in a row against the East London club in September 2014.
• United’s Paul Pogba has seven assists in four games in the Premier League this season, more than in his previous two seasons combined (six).

Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea (5.30pm)

• Tottenham have conceded more Premier League goals against Chelsea (103) than they have against any other opponent.
• Chelsea have won each of their last five away league London derbies. They have never won six in a row on the road before in the league.
• After scoring three goals in his first four Premier League games against Chelsea, Tottenham striker Harry Kane has scored only once in his last eight in the competition against them. 
• — Reuters