Four matches to watch this weekend

Juventus v Napoli @ Allianz Stadium @ 7:45pm on October 4

Juventus dug deep to escape with a point from the Stadio Olimpico last weekend through a Cristiano Ronaldo brace and this weekend they come against a Napoli side, who have started the season perfectly, having taken six points from their two matches, scoring eight goals and conceding none.

But the enforced COVID-19 absence of midfielder Piotr Zielinski and the injury to Lorenzo Insigne will hamper Gennaro Gattuso’s Napoli side. Juventus’ new manager, Andrea Pirlo, will be without the suspended Adrien Rabiot, which means a likely start for Arthur Melo, the summer transfer signing from Barcelona. The mobility and strength of new Napoli No.9, Victor Osimhen, who is yet to open his goals account for the Partenopei, will test the defensive solidity of Juventus.

Current Form: Juventus [D-W-W-W-L]; Napoli [W-W-W-W-L]

Head to head

17/06/20 COI Napoli P 0 – 0 Juventus

26/01/20 SEA Napoli 2 – 1 Juventus

31/08/19 SEA Juventus 4 – 3 Napoli

03/03/19 SEA Napoli 1 – 2 Juventus

29/09/18 SEA Juventus 3 – 1 Napoli

Prediction: Juventus 2-2 Napoli

Lazio v Inter Milan @Stadio Olimpico @2pm on October 4

Inter Milan mean business this season. They have shown this with the manner in which they have started the season, coming from 3-2 down, after 86 minutes in their first match to Fiorentina and scoring two goals in two minutes to win 4-3.

Their second match was a straight forward win, beating Benevento away 5-2. In those two matches, Romelu Lukaku scored thrice to pick up where he left last season. Lazio are already playing catch-up with their 4-1 loss to Atalanta in their last match and injuries to Joaquin Correa, who pulled out before the loss to Atalanta.

Other players like Vedat Muriqi, Senad Lulic, Stefan Radu, Luiz Felipe and Denis Vavro, all in danger of missing out of the matchday squad because of a lack of match fitness.

Current Form: Lazio [L-W-D-W-W]; Inter Milan [W-W-W-W-L]

Head to head

16/02/20 SEA SS Lazio 2 – 1 Inter Milan

25/09/19 SEA Inter Milan 1 – 0 SS Lazio

31/03/19 SEA Inter Milan 0 – 1 SS Lazio

31/01/19 COI Inter Milan 1 – 1 P SS Lazio

29/10/18 SEA SS Lazio 0 – 3 Inter Milan

Prediction: Lazio 1-3 Inter Milan

Man. Utd v Tottenham @ Old Trafford @4:30pm on October.4

There has been some mudslinging from the two managers in the lead-up to this encounter and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be desperate to field his best 11, as Jose Mourinho leads his Tottenham team, in excellent form to Old Trafford.

Solskjaer revealed in his pre-match press conference that both Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes need assessing before Sunday’s game. Mourinho also revealed that Spurs’ forward, Son Heung-min, has a slight chance of making the squad to Manchester.

United have three points from their two matches, with their blushes saved last weekend by a late penalty, away at Brighton. Spurs were very good against Newcastle, missing many opportunities before missing out on all three points courtesy of a late Newcastle penalty.

This is a match that no one dares lose as they seek to chase down early season table leaders, Leicester City, Everton, and Liverpool.

Current Form: Man. Utd [W-W-W-L-L]; Tottenham [W-W-D-W-W]

Head to head

19/06/20 PRL Tottenham 1 – 1 Man. Utd

04/12/19 PRL Man. Utd 2 – 1 Tottenham

25/07/19 ICC Tottenham 1 – 2 Man. Utd

13/01/19 PRL Tottenham 0 – 1 Man. Utd

27/08/18 PRL Man. Utd 0 – 3 Tottenham

Prediction: Man. Utd 1-2 Tottenham

Barcelona v Sevilla @ Camp Nou @ 8pm on October 4

Barcelona were perfect in their first two matches of the 2020/21 season, scoring seven goals and conceding none with Ansu Fati confirmed as a starter by Ronald Koeman, having already scored three goals. Lionel Messi has said they should forget the drama of the summer for the team to move forward.

Sevilla were unfortunate to lose to Bayern Munich 2-1, in the UEFA Super Cup, and they have started the season also with two wins out of two, though they needed a 90th-minute goal from Youssef En-Nesyri to beat Levante. They face a stiffer test at Camp Nou with the manager, Julen Lopetegui, looking for a first win against the Catalans.

Clement Lenglet is suspended for the clash, which could mean a start for academy graduate Ronald Araujo, while Antoine Griezmann will look to open his goal account for the season after Koeman gave him the No.9 spot ahead of the now departed Luis Suarez.

Current Form: Barcelona [W-W-W-W-W]; Sevilla [W-W-L-W-W]

Head to head

19/06/20 LAL Sevilla 0 – 0 Barcelona

06/10/19 LAL Barcelona 4 – 0 Sevilla

23/02/19 LAL Sevilla 2 – 4 Barcelona

30/01/19 CDR Barcelona 6 – 1 Sevilla

23/01/19 CDR Sevilla 2 – 0 Barcelona

Prediction: Barcelona 3-1 Sevilla