Manchester United v Everton

Last weekend saw Manchester United bounce back from losing to Leicester, which was the first time the Red Devils had lost in the Premier League after being two goals up. After beating West Ham last week and having home advantage again this weekend, United will be confident of gaining their first back-to-back wins in the Premier League since early April.

They will, however, have to do this without their newly appointed captain Wayne Rooney, who was sent off against West Ham last weekend. The former Everton star will be a massive loss to United, having taken his goal tally to three last weekend, as revealed by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. The data also tells us that that is the same amount of tackles that he has won and clearances he has made. This is not surprising given that he has covered 64.39km; more than 14km more than any other player in the United squad.

In his absence, Angel Di Maria will look to continue his good form since club record transfer to United. The Argentine has netted twice in his first four games for the club, converting 33.3% of his shots. He has also added a further two assists to go with his goals, but most importantly he has attempted 20 dribbles, which is more than anybody in the squad. He has added a different dimension to United with his direct running style and has hit a top speed of 34.2km/h. He is 12/5 to score anytime with 888sport.com.

In Rooney’s absence, it is widely assumed that Robin van Persie will skipper the side. The man who will look to lead the side from the front on Sunday has already bagged himself two goals this season according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. He will look to impose his authority by adding to his goal tally, and is also willing to put himself about having already completed 48.46km and a squad best 191 sprints. He is 17/10 to score anytime with 888sport.com.

Everton go into the game after earning a last gasp point in the Merseyside derby, following a Phil Jagielka wonder strike. Everton currently sit 15th in the table, with six points from six games. Everton’s away from has, however, been better than their home form, which will take confidence into the game. They have picked up five of their six points on the road and remain undefeated away from Goodison Park.

Whilst Jagielka rescued a point for the Toffees with the goal of a lifetime, he knows that his main duties lie at the other end of the pitch. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index reveals that he has so far done his defensive duties with aplomb, winning 88.89% of his tackles so far this season. He has made a squad best 60 clearances this year and also has five interceptions and four blocks to add to that tally.

After an impressive debut campaign with Everton, Stephen Naismith has refused to take his foot off the pedal going into this term. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index reveals that he has already bagged himself three goals, making him the Toffees top scorer. The hard working midfielder has covered

62.64km so far this season, which is more than anybody else in the Everton squad and will be looking to cover the whole pitch again in order to swing the midfield battle Everton’s way.

Romelu Lukaku impressed in his loan term at Everton last year and managed a return of 15 goals. So far this season, he has netted two goals according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index and has also got an assist to his name. Further to this, Lukaku has completed 100% of his dribbles so far this season and has also hit a top speed on 34.2km/h, and his direct style will trouble any defence. He is 19/10 to score anytime with 888sport.com.

Sunderland v Stoke

Sitting in 17th position in the Premier League, Sunderland will be hoping to kick start their campaign with their first home victory of the season. Having already played four home games, the Black Cats have only managed three draws and a defeat, but will be hoping that they can reverse their fortunes come Saturday.

Having drawn five of their opening six fixtures with just five goals scored, Sunderland will need to look to improve on their goals tally this weekend. One player who is certainly capable of adding to his one goal so far this term is Adam Johnson. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index reveals that he has hit a top speed of 33.1km/h and has completed 13 dribbles already this season, and will worry any defence that he runs at. The winger is 4/1 to score anytime with 888sport.com.

In Midfield, Lee Cattermole has started the season in fine form, as illustrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. He has covered a squad best 63.71km and is one of only four Sunderland players to have found the back of the net. The combative midfielder has also won 14 tackles, made 14 clearances and also made 16 interceptions.

His midfield partner, Seb Larsson, will be equally important to the Black Cats this weekend. He has covered the second most ground for Sunderland, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, completing 62.49km. He has also bagged a goal and two assists so far this campaign, and has won 16 tackles. He has completed more passes in the opposition half, with 112 successful passes, and will look to be the key that picks the lock to the Stoke goal.

Stoke will be looking for the second victory of the week and third win on the bounce, having beaten Newcastle on Monday. The Potters sit in 11th place in the table, but will be urged on by the fact that a win could push them into the top four.

Stoke’s inspirational leader Ryan Shawcross has kicked off his own personal campaign in fine form. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he has won 85.71% of his tackles, whilst completing 57 clearances and making

13 interceptions. He has also capped his fine set of displays with a goal, and will pose a threat to the Sunderland goal at Stoke set pieces.

Stoke forward Mame Biram Diouf has already managed two goal so far this term and will be desperate to up his total this weekend against the Black Cats. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index has revealed that he has hit a top speed of 34.7km/h this season, the fastest in the Stoke squad, and it is that pace that he will look to use to threaten the Sunderland defence. He is 49/20 to score anytime with 888sport.com.

Looking to overcome the Sunderland midfield and dominate Larsson and Cattermole, will be a Stoke engine room led by Steven N’Zonzi. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he has covered 67.03km in his first six games of the season, more than anybody else in the squad. He has also won 78.57% of his tackles this season, and is proving equally as gifted on the ball having completed 78.57% of his dribbles as well.

Swansea v Newcastle

Swansea have made an impressive start to the season, which sees them lying in 5th place in the Premier League. Their good start has been built on a solid defensive foundation, which has seen them concede just six goals in as many games. They will hope to continue their tight defence and extend their unbeaten run in the league to three games this weekend.

One man who is very much impressing in the white of Swansea is Nathan Dyer. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he has bagged himself three goals from just five shots. Away from his good work in front of goal, he has also won 77.78% of his tackles. It is, however, going forward where he will pose his main threat, and having hit a squad best top speed of 34.1km/h, will worry the Newcastle defence. He is 17/5 to score anytime with 888sport.com.

Having completed his transfer across the border from England to Wales, former Arsenal shot stopper Lukasz Fabianksi has instantly showed why he was so sought after by the Swans. He has been in inspired form, as illustrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. He has made a remarkable 18 saves in his first six games of the season, and will need to continue his good run to earn his third clean sheet in a row.

South Korean midfielder Ki-Sung Yueng has had a fantastic start to the season for the Liberty Stadium side, netting his first goal of the campaign already. Whilst he is not necessarily an attacking midfielder, he is one of the keys to Swansea’s success. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he has covered a mammoth 68.64km and has won nine tackles, made 19 clearances and also made 14 interceptions. He will need to keep up the hard work to ensure the midfield battle goes Swansea’s way.

Newcastle re-structured their squad over the summer and will hope to put some stability back into their results with a victory at the Liberty Stadium this weekend. A loss on Monday night at home to Stoke may have dented their confidence, but Newcastle will be as keen as ever to bounce straight back.

One man who will be keen to deliver aid to the cause is Papiss Cisse, who is the only Newcastle Player to have scored twice this season. What is interesting is that the Senegalese international has only required two shots to score his two goals. Having played only 66 minutes of football this season, it is this deadly touch that Newcastle have been missing so far this season.

New signing Daryl Janmaat is one player who has impressed the Geordie faithful this year, and has managed to grab himself a goal in the process of his good performances. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, he has won 76.47% of his tackles, made 10 clearances and made nine interceptions. The full back will continue to push on and look to add to his attacking threat, which has seen him complete 75% of his dribbles. He is 18/1 to score anytime with 888sport.com.

At the back, Mike Williamson will be looking to add to his solid defensive performances with a further impressive display. The EA SPORTS Player performance reveals that he has 83.33% of his tackles so far this season, made 30 clearances, made 10 interceptions and made six blocks. The defender has also capped his fine displays with a goal and will be hoping he can make a difference at both ends of the pitch this weekend.

Aston Villa v Man City

Aston Villa will be looking to bounce back from consecutive 3-0 defeats to Arsenal and Chelsea and get back to the good form that saw them become the league’s early pace setters. In spite of back-to-back defeats, Villa still sit in sixth position in the league, just one point behind the visitors who they will look to leapfrog with their fourth victory of the season.

Prior to their last two matches, Villa had based their early season performances on defensive solidity, and the EA SPORTS Player Performance tells us how important their shot-stopper Brad Guzan is to them. The data reveals that he has made 13 saves already this season and that the American keeper conceded just one goal in his first four appearances of the season. He will be looking to return to that form that has seen him keep three clean sheets already.

In front of Guzan, his back four have been equally impressive, in particular Alan Hutton. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, the Scottish international has won a highly impressive 88.89% of his tackles in addition to making 21 clearances and a squad best 12 interceptions. The full back has played every minute of the season so far and will want to keep up his impressive start to the weekend come this weekend.

Up front, the Villans find themselves with two in-form strikers who look as though they will threaten any side. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index reveals that Andreas Weimann has already grabbed himself two goals and an assist, and that strike partner Gabriel Agbonlahor has also bagged two goals. The pair have scored four goals from just eight shots between them, and Weimann is 7/2 to score anytime with 888sport.com, whilst Agbonlahor is 37/10 to score anytime with 888sport.com.

This weekend’s visitors to Villa Park, and current reigning champions, will be looking to make it two wins out of two in the Premier League, following their victory at Hull last weekend. The free flowing football that Manchester City play when they are on song is a joy to watch, and they will be looking to add to their 12 goals from their opening six games.

The main goal scoring threat for Manchester City will come in the form of Argentine forward Sergio Aguero. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index reveals that Aguero has found the net four times this season in just 348 minutes of football. His key seems to be getting as many shots off as possible, and has hit the target 10 times already this season. He has completed 169 sprints this season and attempted 22 dribbles and will look to threaten the Villa defence with more of the same hard work. He is 21/20 to score anytime with 888sport.com.

At the other end of the pitch, captain Vincent Kompany has been in equally impeccable form. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index tells us that he has made 27 clearances and 12 interceptions. Argentine centre back Martin Demichelis has also racked up an impressive 30 clearances and seven interceptions, and even managed to grab himself a goal. This pairing will prove difficult to break down if they continue their first class form in line with the statistics.

In between their back and front lines, you will find the majestic David Silva, who is capable of changing any game in an instant. The Spaniard has already opened his scoring account for the season and laid on a further two goal for his teammates according to EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. He has completed 263 passes in the opposition half, and will pose a threat any time he gets the ball in a dangerous position.

West Ham v QPR

West Ham will be hoping to bounce back from a 2-1 defeat to Manchester Utd at Old Trafford last weekend. Despite Diafra Sakho’s close-range header, the Hammers were not able to capitalise on their momentum with the Red Devils eventually claiming all three points.

Winger Stewart Downing has started this season in fine form, providing another attacking outlet down the flanks for the Hammers. Not only does he rank second in the West Ham squad for shots attempted (7), he has the best shot accuracy

rate of any Hammers player this season, working the ‘keeper with 71.4% of his shots according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Cheikhou Kouyate has taken up the role of midfield enforcer for West Ham this season and it appears to be a title that fits him well. He’s completed more tackles than any of his teammates with 22, winning an excellent 95.5% of them.

Summer signing Enner Valencia has quickly become known amongst West Ham fans for his lightning feet and blistering shots on goal, having recently scored an early goal of the season contender against Hull. He has plenty of pace to work with too as demonstrated by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index against Manchester Utd. Only Angel Di Maria completed more sprints than Valenica, the Ecuadorian racking up 16 in total and reaching a top speed of 33.6 km/h. Valencia is 23/18 to score at any time this weekend with 888sport.

Charlie Austin’s clinically taken volley was not enough to see QPR head back to London with something to show for the efforts, as Southampton pulled off a 2-1 win thanks to a tidy strike from Ryan Bertrand followed by a wonder goal from big striker Graziano Pelle.

Often unsung at the back for the R’s, Armand Traore has been at the centre of their defensive work this season. The Senegalese international has quietly amassed an impressive total of defensive contributions (blocks, clearances, tackles won, interceptions) with 75 to his name according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

His defensive colleague Steven Caulker has turned in some equally impressive performances this term, at both ends of the pitch. Whilst noted for his leadership and athleticism at the back, Caulker has also been putting himself about at the other end of the pitch, leading the QPR squad as he does for total attempts on goal with 10. You can find Caulker at 10/1 to get himself on the scoresheet at any time with 888sport.

Niko Kranjcar may have only made three appearances so far this season but whenever he has taken to the pitch Harry Redknapp can always be assured the Croatian international will put a shift in. No Rangers player covered more ground against Southampton than Kranjcar, who ran for an impressive 11.5km over the course of the 90 minutes.

Hull v Crystal Palace

A spirited showing from Hull against Manchester City last weekend was not enough to prevent their slow start to the season as they fell to a 2-4 defeat at the KC Stadium.

As it was last season, Tom Huddlestone has been the crucial lynchpin in the Hull engine room so far this term. The imposing midfielder has completed 102 passes in the opponent’s half so far this term, with a success rate of 70.3%. This marks

the highest total in the Hull squad and makes him as the only Hull player to have moved into triple figures in this category so far this season.

Hull clearly have a livewire up front in the shape of Abel Hernandez following a number of lively showing at the beginning of this season. He turned in another eye-catching performance against reigning Premier League champions Manchester City last weekend, recording the highest speed of any player on the pitch with 33.1 km/h according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. It’s easy to see why Hernandez is an industry best 9/5 to score at any time this weekend with 888sport.

Ahmed Elmohamady has been putting it plenty of work down the flanks for Hull this season, picking up where he left off last term. Not only has he completed more dribbles than any other Hull player (7), he’s also compiled a squad-high 34 crosses meaning there is plenty of service coming the way of Hull’s strikeforce courtesy of the Egyptian international.

Crystal Palace gained their first home win of the season as they emerged as 2-0 winners against Leicester at Selhurst Park on Saturday. Frazier Campbell displayed all the finishing ability he has been known for throughout his career to notch up the Eagles’ first, followed by a header from their in-form captain Mile Jedinak.

Jedinak has once again been the driving force behind Palace this season, leading from the front as all exceptional captains do. The Australian midfielder has completed more passes in the opponent’s half than any other Palace player with 78, and has also racked up 75 defensive contributions (interceptions, clearances, block, tackles won) according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, making him the higest rated midfielder in the league in this category this season.

Yannick Bolasie has been in good form of late and the Hull defence will have to be alive to the threat he poses to their goal this weekend. He achieves the second highest recorded speed of any player on the pitch against Leicester (33.5km/h) and will be looking to test out the Hull defence with his pace on Saturday.

Expect to also see Jason Puncheon at the centre of Crystal Palace’s attacking efforts this weekend, the midfielder having been central to their efforts so far. He has more dribbles (12) and more assists (3) to his name than any other Palace player this term so expect so see him heavily involved should he feature against Hull. Puncheon if 23/5 with 888sport to get on the score sheet himself this weekend.

Chelsea v Arsenal

Last year when Arsenal visited Stamford Bridge, Arsene Wenger was celebrating his 1000th game in charge, and this year sees another anniversary for the manager, as this game marks Wenger’s 18 years at Arsenal. He will certainly be hoping this landmark has a happier outcome than last year, as Arsenal were

beaten 6-0 by the Blues. The two sides go in to this game as the only remaining Premier League teams yet to lose. The match to end in a draw and both teams to keep up their unbeaten record is 29/10 with 888sport.

Diego Costa bounced back from his goal drought that lasted all but a game, heading home in the 59th minute against Aston Villa. The in-form striker recorded a further four shots on target last weekend, meaning he has had 15 shots on target in total this season, five more than his next challenger, Sergio Agüero. Costa has scored a goal every 62 minutes and 23 seconds this season, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Although Jose Mourinho has said that Costa’s run of form will not last forever, he will certainly be hoping that it can carry through to this weekend’s game at least. Costa is 10/3 with 888sport to score the first goal on Sunday.

Chelsea’s wingers displayed plenty of pace and energy last weekend, clocking the two fastest speeds any Chelsea player run this season. According to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, Eden Hazard was recorded running at 33.9km/h while Willian ran at 33.1km/h. Should both players make the starting lineup on Sunday, they are likely to be two of the biggest threats to Arsenal with their combination of pace and skill on the flanks.

Nemanja Matić has been an ever-present fixture in heart of Chelsea’s midfield this season, playing every minute of Premier League football. The Serbian has been extremely impressive this season, and this was reflected by his statistics against Aston Villa, with a pass completion rate of 95.1%. He also completed the second most passes in the opposition half out of the Chelsea team, with 55, only beaten by Cesc Fábregas (88), according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

With Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta ruled out of Sunday’s clash, Arsenal will be hoping that Jack Wilshere can recover from his ankle injury in time to play on Sunday. Should he not be fit in time, Arsenal may look to give Oxlade-Chamberlain the opportunity to play in his preferred central position against Chelsea. The England international has recorded the fastest sprint speed of any Premier League player season, with a top speed of 35.2km/h, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Calum Chambers currently has the best minutes-per-tackle ratio out of the Arsenal squad. The versatile youngster has made a successful tackle every 26 minutes, with sixteen tackles in his 433 minutes played so far this season, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. With Arsenal’s injury troubles in defence, Chambers could be set for another start against Chelsea, and could be in for his biggest test yet.

With Ramsey missing, pressure will be on Mesut Özil to have the biggest impact going forward. In the Premier League, Özil has the fifth most passes in opposition territory, with 253, having played a game less than those above him, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Arsenal fans will hope that this positive play can translate in to assists this weekend.

Leicester v Burnley

This weekend sees two of the Premier League new boys face each other at the King Power Stadium. Leicester have had a good start to life in the top division and sit on eight points. Burnley, meanwhile, have accumulated two points so far — but Sean Dyche will look at the game against Leicester as one that they can pick up their first three points from.

Leicester defender Wes Morgan is in the top ten players for number of clearances this season, with 54, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. The Leicester captain has been in fine form at the start of this season, so his fans and manager alike will be hoping that he can continue his form into the game against Burnley.

Another player who is helping to keep the Leicester back line sturdy is Ritchie De Laet. The Belgian has made 19 interceptions so far this season according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, which is the fifth most out of any Premier League Player, and the most amongst the Leicester squad.

Leonardo Ulloa has started the season in scintillating form. The centre forward is second in the top scorers list with five goals from only six games. Ulloa’s five goals have come from ten attempts on goal, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, showing him to have an impressive 50% conversion rate. Ulloa is 5/1 to score first in a Leicester win, with 888sport.

As for Burnley, yet again Scott Arfield is racking up some impressive stats. The midfielder has covered the fourth greatest distance on the field of any player in the top tier this year. The EA SPORTS Player Performance Index indicates that Arfield has now run 72.2km this season, averaging out at just over 12km a game.

Nathaniel Chalobah made his debut for Burnley against West Brom and his manager expressed his delight at his performance. The versatile midfielder had a pass completion rate of 91.2% and no doubt his manager will be looking to give the youngster more playing time as the weeks go on. Chalobah did, however, pick up an injury midweek for the U21s and is a doubt for the game against Leicester, but it would be a huge boost for Burnley if he makes a return.

Dean Marney has won more tackles than any other Burnley player this season. Marney has managed to complete 15 successful tackles so far this season and has proved important in breaking up opposition play. The midfielder is likely to play against Leicester and if Burnley want to take a result from the King Power then his role could play an important part.

Liverpool v West Bromwich Albion

Liverpool welcome West Brom to Anfield, who currently sit a point above them in the Premier League. Alan Irvine will be content with his side’s start to the season, as they sit in tenth place with two wins, two draws and two defeats. Brendan Rodgers, however, will be hoping to see an improvement in his team’s form, starting with a win against West Brom this Saturday.

Newly appointed vice captain Jordan Henderson has continued to show his development in the centre of the park. The England international has completed 244 sprints this season, six more than the next best in the squad, Raheem Sterling. Henderson has an average speed of 7.1km/h, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, and has displayed an abundance of energy this season to match his skill.

Raheem Sterling is a player who has attracted a lot of attention for his performances so far this season, and is Liverpool’s top scorer on three goals. Sterling has displayed plenty of pace and trickery this season, and has proven to be Liverpool’s greatest threat when running at defenders. Sterling has completed the third most successful dribbles in the league with 18, trailing only Eden Hazard and Erik Lamela, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

Dejan Lovren has made more clearances than any other player in the Liverpool squad. The Croatian defender has cleared his lines 55 times in the Premier League so far, ranking him seventh among the rest of the players in the division. Rodgers will be hoping to see Lovren improve the defence further as the season progresses.

Saido Berahino has been the standout player for West Brom this season. The forward has scored four goals in his first six games, leading to calls for an England call-up. He has had seven shots on target, more than anyone else in the West Brom squad, and the seventh most in the Premier League, according to the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. He is ranked joint third in the top-scorers list, and will hope to add to his tally against Liverpool. Berahino is 17/2 to be first goalscorer with 888sport.

Berahino managed two of his goals against Burnley last week in a brilliant West Brom performance, but arguably Graham Dorrans was the key man in that victory. Dorrans bagged a goal himself, as well as laying on assists two for his teammates. The midfielder put in a near-impeccable performance and this was reflected by his 96.9% passing success rate, as shown by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index.

It may be the pace of the likes of Berahino and Sessegnon that is widely regarded as a threat West Brom possess, but in actual fact the two quickest players this season have been their central defenders. Both Jonas Olsson and Craig Dawson have been clocked running at 34.3km/h according to the EA SPORTS Player

Performance Index, which ranks them both in the top 20 quickest Premier League players this season.

Data supplied by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Select and manage your own team of stars at fantasy.premierleague.com or with FIFA Ultimate Team for FIFA 15.

Photo: Action Images

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