Gameweek 9: Anfield’s big one, Carrick’s last chance and a basement six-pointer
Ten games, three days, and a weekend that could reshape the title race, the managerial sack race and the bottom of the table.
Midweek EFL Cup football has left a few legs heavy going into the weekend. Liverpool and Chelsea needed penalties at Anfield on Wednesday night, with Liverpool going through. Manchester City also needed a shootout to get past Brighton, and now play them again in the league on Saturday. Then there’s Michael Carrick, confirmed in the United dugout for Stamford Bridge with his job on the line. Here’s your programme for the weekend.
- 1
Liverpool v Arsenal, Sunday 4.30pm. Arsenal, joint top, arrive without Bukayo Saka and William Saliba. Liverpool have won four on the bounce in all competitions.
- 2
Carrick survives, for now. United’s hierarchy have given him the Chelsea game. They’re 16th, one point above the drop zone, and without a win in eight in all competitions.
- 3
City v Brighton, part two. Three days after a shootout win in the cup, City host the division’s highest scorers, with Brighton on 23 league goals.
- 4
Coventry v Sunderland. 19th against 20th, separated by a single point. Three points that feel like six.
- 5
Monday night double-header. Newcastle and Everton meet in the EFL Cup on Thursday, four days before they meet again in the league.
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Fixtures & TVThe weekend’s fixture list
- Saturday 31 October
- Chelsea v Man UnitedTNT Sports 1
- Bournemouth v LeedsNot televised (UK)
- Brentford v Nott’m ForestNot televised (UK)
- Coventry v SunderlandNot televised (UK)
- Hull v IpswichNot televised (UK)
- Man City v BrightonNot televised (UK)
- Tottenham v Crystal PalaceSky Sports
- Aston Villa v FulhamSky Sports
- Sunday 1 November
- Liverpool v ArsenalSky Sports
- Monday 2 November
- Newcastle v EvertonSky Sports
The big one · Sunday 4.30pmLiverpool v Arsenal
Arsenal have won seven of their eight league games and conceded just five goals, which is why bet365 have them 2/5 to retain the title. But this is the first time this season they’ve gone to a top-four ground short-handed. Bukayo Saka picked up a thigh injury in the 2-2 draw at Bayern Munich, and Mikel Arteta’s words were “I think it will be weeks”. William Saliba is out with a back problem and Riccardo Calafiori is a doubt.
Andoni Iraola’s Liverpool come in on four straight wins in all competitions, including last Sunday’s 2-0 over Brighton. The catch is Wednesday night. They needed 120 minutes and penalties to get past Chelsea in the EFL Cup, so there’s a real question about legs on Sunday afternoon.
Liverpool
- OutSzoboszlai (hamstring)
- OutFrimpong (hamstring)
- DoubtWirtz (ankle)
- DoubtMuñoz (knee)
Arsenal
- OutSaka (thigh)
- OutSaliba (back)
- DoubtCalafiori (hip)
- InMadueke expected to start in Saka’s place
We think the price hasn’t moved enough for Arsenal’s absences. Saliba is the cornerstone of the meanest defence in the league, and Saka is their most reliable source of goals. At home, on a four-game winning run, Liverpool at just over 2/1 is the angle we like.
What could go wrong: Liverpool played 120 minutes on Wednesday and Wirtz may not be fit. Arsenal have only lost once all season, and even a draw sinks this bet.
bet365 price as at 26 October 2026. Prices change, so check the live price before betting. 18+.
Saturday 12.30pmChelsea v Man United
United’s board met on Monday and decided Carrick gets at least one more game. He took training on Tuesday, and it’s his job to lose at Stamford Bridge. It’s some fall: appointed in January after Ruben Amorim’s sacking, Carrick won 12 of 17, took United to third and back into the Champions League, and was made permanent in May. Now they’re 16th on seven points, winless in eight, after last week’s 4-1 defeat at Como and 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth.
The Bruno Fernandes situation hangs over all of it. He was dropped for Bournemouth after publicly criticising the tactics in Italy, and whether he starts on Saturday is the first big call Carrick has to make. Chelsea are fifth, but they lost 2-0 at home to Spurs last weekend, played 120 minutes at Anfield on Wednesday, and are without Reece James after minor knee surgery.
Chelsea at 11/13 looks obvious, but this is exactly the sort of game where the obvious price is the trap. Chelsea are tired and short-staffed. United have had a full week to prepare, and nobody knows how a squad playing for its manager’s job, or against him, will respond. There’s no price here we’d want to put our own money on.
Sometimes the best bet is no bet. That’s a Footballmine house rule.
Saturday 3pmMan City v Brighton
City and Brighton have now seen a lot of each other. Enzo Maresca rested Erling Haaland, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Rúben Dias, Joško Gvardiol and Elliot Anderson for Wednesday’s cup tie and still came through on penalties, so expect the big names back on Saturday. They’ll need them: Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton have the best goal difference in the division (+16) and have scored 23 league goals.
Off the pitch, City are level on 21 points with Arsenal but are appealing a guilty verdict on breaches of Premier League financial rules. Until any sanction is known, their title and relegation prices will move with every headline, which is why we’re staying out of the outright markets for now.
“A good prediction can still be a bad bet at the wrong price.”
Saturday eveningSpurs v Palace & Villa v Fulham
Tottenham v Crystal Palace (5.30pm). Spurs have won two on the bounce, including that 2-0 at Stamford Bridge, and are short favourites at 8/15. Palace have conceded 19 league goals, the most in the division, and sit 17th on seven points. They did win at Fulham in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, which might give Pierre Sage a lift. At 8/15, though, there’s not much in the price for Spurs backers.
Aston Villa v Fulham (8pm). Unai Emery’s side beat City 2-1 last weekend and have won three of their last four. Fulham arrive on two straight league wins, including 1-0 at Coventry, but went out of the cup to Palace on Wednesday. Villa are 19/20, which is fair rather than generous.
The rest of the cardDown the divisions, and down the table
Coventry v Sunderland. Coventry are 19th on six points, Sunderland bottom on five with no league win in five. Both sides have scored only six goals. Sunderland did beat Brentford in the cup on Wednesday, and bet365 make them 11/8 favourites with Coventry at 2/1. A cagey, low-scoring afternoon looks most likely.
Brentford v Nottingham Forest. Brentford are sixth with five draws already, and lost that cup tie at Sunderland. Forest are 18th and joint-lowest scorers on six. Brentford are a fair 21/20.
Bournemouth v Leeds. Bournemouth have the momentum after winning 3-0 at Old Trafford and then winning again in the cup on Wednesday. Leeds have drawn five of eight and conceded just six, the second-best defensive record in the league. Bournemouth are 15/13.
Hull v Ipswich. The promoted pair are level on ten points, and the price is almost dead level too. Hull’s eight games have produced 17 goals.
Newcastle v Everton (Monday 8pm). They play each other in the EFL Cup at Everton on Thursday night, so team selection on Monday is anyone’s guess. We’d wait for team news before going anywhere near this one.
As it standsThe league table
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City | 8 | +11 | 21 |
| 2 | Arsenal | 8 | +8 | 21 |
| 3 | Brighton | 8 | +16 | 16 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 8 | +3 | 15 |
| 5 | Chelsea | 8 | +2 | 13 |
| · · · | ||||
| 16 | Man United | 8 | −3 | 7 |
| 17 | Crystal Palace | 8 | −10 | 7 |
| 18 | Nott’m Forest | 8 | −4 | 6 |
| 19 | Coventry | 8 | −9 | 6 |
| 20 | Sunderland | 8 | −8 | 5 |
Red line marks the relegation zone. Table after Gameweek 8.
Odds boardGameweek 9 match odds
| Fixture | 1 | X | 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chelsea v Man UtdSat 12:30 | 11/13 | 3/1 | 7/2 |
| Bournemouth v LeedsSat 15:00 | 15/13 | 13/5 | 5/2 |
| Brentford v ForestSat 15:00 | 21/20 | 14/5 | 13/5 |
| Coventry v SunderlandSat 15:00 | 2/1 | 5/2 | 11/8 |
| Hull v IpswichSat 15:00 | 13/8 | 13/5 | 28/17 |
| Man City v BrightonSat 15:00 | 7/10 | 10/3 | 7/2 |
| Spurs v PalaceSat 17:30 | 8/15 | 7/2 | 5/1 |
| Villa v FulhamSat 20:00 | 19/20 | 14/5 | 14/5 |
| Liverpool v ArsenalSun 16:30 | 39/19 | 13/5 | 13/10 |
| Newcastle v EvertonMon 20:00 | 5/4 | 11/4 | 2/1 |
bet365 prices as at 26 October 2026, before the midweek EFL Cup ties. Odds change, so always check the latest price before betting. See all bet365 Premier League markets · #AD · 18+
Full-timeThe final word
An Arsenal win at Anfield would make 2/5 for the title look a formality. A Liverpool win would drag them, and City, straight back into the race. Carrick’s future could be decided by 2.30pm on Saturday, and the bottom three could look very different by Monday night. It’s a brilliant weekend to watch, so keep your stakes small.
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Ten games. One budget.
A weekend like this makes it tempting to keep adding legs to an acca. Set your budget before Saturday lunchtime and stick to it. Sit this one out if any of these sound like you:
- You’re betting to win back money you’ve lost
- You’re betting more than you planned this month
- You’ve had a drink, or you’re wound up about the game
- You’d struggle if the bet lost
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