Updated

Updated · fpl.page · Sep 18

Premier League Releases 20 Team News Calls for Gameweek 5 as Arsenal, Chelsea Face Injury Doubts

Updated

Updated · fpl.page · Sep 18

Premier League Releases 20 Team News Calls for Gameweek 5 as Arsenal, Chelsea Face Injury Doubts

Q: Will Tottenham's historic 400-minute goal drought finally end, or can Aston Villa's depleted squad pull off an away shock?

Tottenham look slightly more likely to end the drought than Aston Villa are to spring an away surprise. The evidence points to a very tight, low-scoring game. Spurs have gone 407 Premier League minutes without a goal and have failed to score in four straight league matches, but they have also shown some defensive stability with back-to-back 0-0 draws against Nottingham Forest and Everton. Elias Burke’s 2-0 prediction and Opta’s model, which gives Tottenham roughly a 49% chance of winning, both rest on that improved structure and home advantage. Villa are hardly arriving in strong attacking form themselves. They have one league goal in four matches and rank just behind Spurs for expected goals, with the two sides the weakest in the division by that measure so far. Their heavy loss at Brighton exposed the disruption caused by a major squad rebuild, and injuries and absences have further stretched Emery’s options. Still, Villa cannot be dismissed. They have won four of their last six Premier League away games at Tottenham, and none of the last 22 league meetings between these clubs has ended in a draw. That history gives some weight to the idea that if the match does not go Spurs’ way, it could tilt fully toward Villa rather than finish level. The most credible reading is that Tottenham finally score, but only just. A 1-0 or 2-0 home win fits the current form and the underlying numbers better than an Aston Villa shock.

3 articles · Updated · fpl.page · Sep 18

Predicted line-ups for all 20 Premier League clubs were published for Gameweek 5, with the forecaster saying the picks have run at about 90% accuracy so far.
Arsenal and Chelsea carry some of the clearest selection questions: Ben White is a doubt that could bring Jurrien Timber in, while Joao Pedro is not expected to be fit and Chelsea could hand Chavarria a first league start.
Aston Villa's team news looks especially unsettled, with Ian Maatsen confirmed out, Pau Torres likely absent and several new signings still competing for places; Coventry also appear set for a back-four with Amenda out and Awoniyi suspended.
Elsewhere, Bournemouth, Brighton, Fulham, Ipswich and Leeds are tipped to stay largely unchanged, while Europa League fixtures could still alter plans for clubs such as Bournemouth and Crystal Palace.
The squad calls add team-level context to wider Gameweek 5 coverage after The Athletic separately published match predictions for all 10 fixtures ahead of the international break.