Fireworks at Stamford Bridge

Palace 0 Arsenal 2

Ian Holloway became the season’s second managerial casualty after Paolo di Canio when he parted ways with Palace. Even by their low standards, the newly promoted Londoners were at their dismal worst in the 1-4 drubbing they suffered at Fulham’s hands.Arsenal were stopped in their tracks by a slick Borussia Dortmund but they should flush that defeat out of their system in this London derby.

Aston Villa 2 Everton 2

Paul Lambert’s Aston Villa are the Jekyll and Hyde side of the league, interspersing good results with wayward outings. At the end of this season, few teams outside the top four will boast of victories over Arsenal and Man City. They therefore have the potential to trouble Roberto Martinez’s slick Everton. The Merseyside club is full of goals but I cant see them winning at Villa.

Liverpool 2 WBA 1

Brendan Rodgers has not forgotten the 0-2 setback his charges suffered in the corresponding fixture last season.I can picture him instructing Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge to shoot anyone in the Brummies zebra stripe on sight. Steven Clarke has West Brom playing effective, combative football with midfield holders Claudio Yacub and YousoufMulumbu hurrying teams out of their stride.

Man Utd 2 Stoke City 0

On Wednesday, champions United played their best football since David Moyes took over as they dominated Real Sociedad in a Champions League showdown.Moyes showed a tough streak when he made wholesale changes to the team that could only draw 1-1 with Southampton in the Premier League. Expect more of the same today as he seeks to stamp his mark.

Norwich 1 Cardiff 0

Chris Hughton is getting increasingly frustrated by the Canaries’ inability to convert talent into performance. The excitement of the pre-season cash splurge that brought in Gary Hooper, Ricky van Wolfswinkel and Leroy Fer has evaporated. Micky Mackay’s Cardiff have, on the other hand, been punching above their weight despite unwelcome interference from the club chairman. I am tipping the Canaries to use their strong home record to their advantage.

Saints 2 Fulham 0

Is there a Premiership team in a better state of mind than Southampton? Such is the buzz generated by the team’s investment in global talent that fans of the south coast club are even dreaming of European football.And why not? The Saint have matched the league’s best toe for toe, beating Liverpool at Anfield and forcing a stalemate at Old Trafford. Martin Jol’s improving Cottagers will provide cagey opposition but leave the St Mary’s Stadium empty handed.

Sunderland 1 Newcastle 1

Gustavo Poyet’s nascent managerial career will receive a major lift if he can engineer victory for the Black Cats in this derby. Sunderland’s survival of the dreaded relegation axe can be traced to their 3-0 victory over Newcastle at the back end of last season in what was one of only two Premiership victories in Paolo di Canio’s short tenure.

Chelsea 2 Man City 1

Jose Mourinho says Chelsea’s early season wobble is over. The Blues were at their lethal best on the counter as they disposed of Schalke in the Champions League on Tuesday. Strikers are still giving the Portuguese gaffer a selection headache, with both Fernando Torres and Samuel Eto’o excelling in their last outings.City are dangerous opposition going forward but they showed defensive vulnerabilities at CSKA Moscow.

Swansea 2 West Ham 0

Michael Laudrup’s Swans finally got a fair rub of the green in last weekend’s 4-0 whitewash of Sunderland. I expect more of the same when Sam Allardyce’s cagey West Ham United travel to Wales. Neither Michu, who set the Premiership alight with his goals last season, nor record signing Wilfred Bony, is yet to play in his element.

Tottenham 2 Hull 0

Steve Bruce is enjoying his latest spell in the big time. His Hull are afraid of no one, and were unlucky not to notch a point at high-flying Everton last time out. Andre-Villas Boas’ strikers have curiously been extremely shy in front of goal, with Jermaine Defoe scoring in other competitions, but not the Premiership. Spurs have the talent and ambition to find a way past Bruce’s newly promoted but gritty Tigers.