The stop-start 2024-25 Premier League (PL) season is back again on Saturday 19 October 2024. First up at 12 30 pm kick-off is Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United. This fiercely contested Premier London Derbies (PLDs) fixture has produced 4 home wins, 2 aways and 2 draws in the last 8 seasons. Spurs’ season has been stop-start too being 9th in the PL with 10 points. The Hammers have 8 points in 12th but showed signs of better things with a 4-1 home win versus newly promoted Ipswich Town. Both Head Coaches need a win to convince their Boards and fans, so we may be unlikely to see the classic 3-3 draw of the 2020-21 season which convinced Jose Mourinho that not even he could stop Spurs being “Spursy”!
PLDS All-Time table leaders Arsenal (17 points) and Chelsea (14 points) sit respectively 3rd and 4th in the PL. They have both started strongly but The Blues drew their last match at home v Nottingham Forest which they would have hoped to win. The Gunners had a comfortable 3-1 home win against winless Southampton and visit the South coast next travelling to AFC Bournemouth, looking for 3 more points, but it may not be so easy.
Fulham are 8th with 11 points. Their creditable 3-2 defeat at Champions Manchester City will be followed by entertaining 5th placed Aston Villa. The PL is tough! Fellow West Londoners Brentford missed adding to their amazing record of scoring a goal in the first minute of 3 consecutive matches by 16 seconds on Saturday 5 October when they entertained Wolverhampton Wanderers. Nathan Collins scored after 75 seconds in their 5-3 home win which was their first in 4 matches. Next it’s away to Manchester United who must wake up soon surely!
That leaves Crystal Palace who are struggling in 18th place with only 3 points. Their last match was a single goal home defeat to PL leaders Liverpool. They have to wait to Monday 21 October to see if they can get anything away to Nottingham Forest. Strange form when Dean Henderson, Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze were all in the England squad for the Nations League – but that’s football.
Until next time, “Keep Safe” and enjoy your football, Andrew at PLDs.