Premier League Matchday 23: Liverpool and Everton clash in Merseyside derby

The Premier League continues this weekend as Matchday 23 offers up some entertaining fixtures ahead of the return of the Champions League next week.

Monday night football sees Liverpool and Everton contest a much-anticipated Merseyside derby while West Ham host London rivals Chelsea with both teams eager for three points.

Elsewhere, Arsenal entertain Brentford and the North Londoners' title rivals Manchester City welcome Aston Villa to the Etihad.

Read on as we preview all 10 matches in England's top flight ahead of an action-packed weekend.

West Ham vs Chelsea (Saturday, 12.30pm, BT Sport)

Both West Ham and Chelsea drew on Matchday 22 and will be keen to claim bragging rights in the capital in the lunchtime kick-off at the London Stadium.

History favours the Blues in this fixture as they have picked up a win in four of their last five meetings with the Hammers, but lost on their last trip to East London in December 2021.

The hosts have lost eight of their last 10 London derbies in the league and have struggled for consistency in front of goal this season.

Jarrod Bowen is the Irons' top scorer this term but has only struck four goals in the Premier League — all of which have come on home turf.

Arsenal vs Brentford (Saturday, 3pm)

Arsenal return to home comforts having been knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester City and defeated at Everton since their last game at the Emirates.

The Gunners triumphed in the reverse fixture but the Bees are undefeated in their last nine Premier League matches — only Newcastle (16) are on a better run.

Two of the three league goals conceded by Mikel Arteta's side in 2023 have come from set-pieces and no side have scored more often from dead balls than the visitors this term (14).

At the other end of the field, Thomas Frank's men have kept clean sheets in each of their last three games and will be a tough nut to crack.

Crystal Palace vs Brighton (Saturday, 3pm)

Brighton find themselves in serious contention for a spot in Europe next season but they have not beaten old rivals Crystal Palace in any of their last six meetings.

However, the Eagles are winless in 2023 and have not recorded a victory at Selhurst Park since they beat Southampton 1-0 back in October.

The visitors, on the other hand, have won six of their last eight in all competitions and have a good recent away record — only Arsenal (eight) have picked up more league wins on their travels this term.

Roberto De Zerbi will hope to rely on Kaoru Mitoma's form in front of goal — the Japanese winger netted late winners against both Liverpool and Bournemouth in the Seagulls' last two outings.

Fulham vs Nottingham Forest (Saturday, 3pm)

Fulham defeated Nottingham Forest at the City Ground earlier in the season, but they face a rejuvenated side in 2023 who are unbeaten in their last five league matches.

The Cottagers have enjoyed an impressive return to the Premier League themselves but have failed to score in their last three top-flight outings under Marco Silva.

Forest have picked up four points in their last two away fixtures, double the amount they tallied in their first eight matches on the road in 2022-23.

Brennan Johnson is a man in form for Steve Cooper's outfit and has been involved in each of Forest's last five league goals.

Leicester vs Tottenham (Saturday, 3pm)

Leicester are Harry Kane's favourite team to play — the Tottenham talisman will be looking to extend his scoring run at a side that he has tallied 20 goals against.

The Foxes have kept just one clean sheet against the North Londoners in their last 16 home league meetings and Spurs have been victorious in each of the last four clashes.

Since the East Midlands side returned to England's top tier in 2014, games between the pair have accumulated 71 goals, the most of any fixture in the competition in that time.

Brendan Rodgers will be happy with how Leicester performed in the 4-2 win at Aston Villa last weekend, while the visitors have won three on the bounce, including a 1-0 victory at home to Manchester City last time out.

Southampton vs Wolves (Saturday, 3pm)

Southampton have lost each of their last three meetings with Wolves and have the worst home record in the top four tiers of English football, with only six points gained from 10 matches at St Mary's this term.

The visitors look much improved under Julen Lopetegui and have only lost two league matches since the Spanish coach arrived last November.

Despite a 3-0 win over Liverpool last time out, the West Midlanders still rank as the lowest scorers in the top flight, netting only 15 times but they visit a Saints team who have conceded the second-most goals (38).

Nathan Jones is under increasing pressure on the South Coast and a ninth loss in 10 outings could signal an abrupt end to his short tenure.

Bournemouth vs Newcastle (Saturday, 5.30pm, Sky Sports)

Newcastle's 1-1 draw against West Ham last Saturday was their 10th in the Premier League this term, more than any other side.

Lucas Paqueta's equaliser pegged the Magpies back, but Bournemouth were the last team to take the lead against Eddie Howe's men, in the reverse fixture last September.

The Cherries have conceded more goals than any other side in England's top flight (43), while no team has let in fewer than the Tynesiders' 12.

Howe returns to former club Bournemouth having won three of his last four games against previous employers.

Leeds vs Manchester United (Sunday, 2pm, Sky Sports)

After picking up a valuable point at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, Leeds will face Manchester United for the second time in four days.

The managerless Whites have won just one of their last eight league games (four draws, three defeats), held by Bournemouth and West Ham in their last two contests at Elland Road.

Erik ten Hag's visitors have opened the scoring in each of their last four away league games but have failed to win either of the last two, drawing at Crystal Palace and losing against Arsenal.

Marcus Rashford continued his fine form by netting in Wednesday's 2-2 draw, becoming the first Manchester United player to score in six consecutive appearances at Old Trafford in the Premier League since Wayne Rooney in April 2012.

Manchester City vs Aston Villa (Sunday, 4.30pm)

Manchester City famously came from 2-0 down to win the title in this fixture against Aston Villa on the final day of last season, and the Citizens have won the last 12 league meetings between these two teams at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola's men went down 1-0 at Tottenham last time out and have already lost four times in the Premier League this season, more than they did in the whole of 2021-22 (three defeats).

Since Unai Emery took over at Villa, they have won all three of their away league games and the Basque boss could become the first manager to win his first four since John Gregory in 1998.

Against Spurs, Erling Haaland failed to register a shot on target for the first time in a City shirt and the Norwegian did not even muster a touch in the opposition penalty area over 90 minutes.

Liverpool vs Everton (Monday, 8pm, Sky Sports)

Liverpool have a phenomenal record against Everton at Anfield, having lost just one of their last 22 home league meetings against their local rivals.

However, the Merseyside derby has finished 0-0 more often than any other fixture in Premier League history, with the match at Goodison Park earlier in the season marking the 12th time that scoreline has happened.

The Reds have failed to score in their last three league outings and face an Everton side who are looking to win consecutive matches for only the second time this season.

Since the conclusion of the World Cup, no player has had more shots (22) and shots on target (10) in the competition without scoring than Darwin Nunez, who has netted five times in 15 Premier League appearances in his debut season for Jurgen Klopp's side.

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