Soccer February 7, 2026

Arsenal are on a mission, and right now nobody is standing in their way. Six points clear at the top of the Premier League, the Gunners have been ruthlessly efficient in recent weeks. They dispatched Chelsea 1-0 in the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg, winning the tie 4-2 on aggregate to book their spot in the final, and then went to Elland Road and hammered Leeds 4-0 in convincing fashion. That's the kind of form that screams title winners, and the Emirates will be rocking on Saturday afternoon. A 79.6% win probability is about as high as you'll see for any fixture, and it feels entirely justified.

The one caveat for Arsenal remains in the treatment room. Bukayo Saka's continued absence is a genuine loss, as his creativity and direct running from the right have been a cornerstone of Mikel Arteta's attacking system for years. Martin Odegaard is listed as doubtful, which adds another layer of concern in the creative department. But Arsenal have shown remarkable depth and adaptability this season, and the squad's collective quality means they rarely look diminished even when key players are missing. The likes of Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz have all stepped up when called upon.

Sunderland's return to the Premier League has been a mixed bag. They beat Burnley 3-0 recently, which was an impressive result, but their away form has been the Achilles heel of their campaign. Winless in seven away league matches tells you everything about their ability to compete on the road against quality opposition, and it doesn't get much tougher than a trip to the Emirates to face the league leaders in full flow. They'll also be without Granit Xhaka, the former Arsenal midfielder, due to an ankle injury, removing one of their most experienced players from a match where composure and quality in possession will be essential.

The Emirates should be a fortress for this one. Arsenal at home against a promoted side with a woeful away record, riding the confidence of a cup final berth and a six-point lead at the summit, is about as close to a banker as you'll find in the Premier League. Sunderland will try to stay organized and compact, but Arsenal's ability to break down low blocks has improved significantly this season, and the quality in the final third, even without Saka and potentially Odegaard, should be more than enough. Expect a professional, controlled performance from the league leaders.

Don't sleep on Bournemouth at the Vitality. Andoni Iraola's side have quietly become one of the most dangerous home teams in the Premier League, collecting 10 points from a four-game unbeaten run that includes victories over Liverpool and Tottenham, both by a 3-2 scoreline. Those aren't fluky results against weak opposition. Those are statement performances against legitimate contenders, and they suggest Bournemouth have developed a genuine identity and belief that makes them a nightmare to visit. Sitting 12th might not look glamorous, but they're punching well above their weight at home.

Aston Villa, on the other hand, are wobbling at exactly the wrong time. Third in the table and seven points behind Arsenal sounds respectable on paper, but the recent trajectory tells a different story. Three losses in their last six matches, including back-to-back 1-0 home defeats, signals a squad that's running low on confidence and ideas. Unai Emery's side looked like legitimate title challengers earlier in the season, but the demands of Premier League and Champions League football appear to be taking their toll. Ollie Watkins is listed as doubtful, which could further blunt an attack that's already been sputtering.

The injury situation for Bournemouth is significant, with David Brooks, Justin Kluivert, Ben Doak, and Marcus Tavernier all missing. That's a lot of attacking creativity on the treatment table, and it forces Iraola to reshuffle his options in the final third. For Villa, Amadou Onana is likely to start in midfield, and his physical presence could be key in a fixture that's likely to be contested aggressively. Villa need a response after their recent dip, and a trip to the south coast against a depleted Bournemouth squad might look like a golden opportunity on paper.

But here's the thing about Bournemouth at the Vitality: they consistently find a way. The atmosphere is tight, the pitch is compact, and Iraola has created a team that feeds off high-intensity pressing and rapid transitions. Villa's vulnerability in recent weeks has been their inability to handle physical, direct teams who get in their faces and don't allow them time on the ball. That's exactly what Bournemouth do. Despite the injuries, the Cherries will fancy their chances in this one, and Villa's fragile confidence makes this a genuine coin-flip regardless of the league positions.

If you're looking for pure desperation football, this is your match. Burnley sit second from bottom, 11 points from safety, and haven't won a Premier League match in 15 attempts. That's a staggering run of futility that has pushed the Clarets to the brink of Championship football next season. West Ham aren't much better off, sitting 18th and six points behind 17th-placed Nottingham Forest. Both of these sides are staring into the abyss, and Saturday at Turf Moor feels like a genuine last-stand moment for at least one of them. The loser of this match could see their Premier League fate effectively sealed in February.

Burnley's problems are systemic. Fifteen winless Premier League matches isn't just a bad run, it's an indictment of a squad that simply isn't good enough at this level. The effort at Turf Moor has never been in question. Burnley's players leave everything on the pitch, and the home support remains passionate and vocal despite the misery. But effort without quality only gets you so far, and Burnley have lacked the individual brilliance needed to change games. Their best hope is that the sheer magnitude of this match unlocks something that 15 previous attempts couldn't.

West Ham's season has been its own particular brand of chaos. They blew a 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 at Chelsea in their last outing, which is the kind of collapse that destroys dressing rooms. That result captured everything wrong with this West Ham squad in one 90-minute window: capable of competing but mentally incapable of seeing it through. To make matters worse, Jean-Clair Todibo is suspended for three matches following violent conduct, removing one of their defensive options at a time when they can least afford it. The Hammers need points desperately, but their ability to self-destruct makes them impossible to trust.

Relegation six-pointers have a rhythm all their own. They're tense, scrappy, ugly affairs where the ball spends more time in the air than on the ground, and individual errors decide outcomes more than tactical masterstrokes. Both teams will be terrified of losing more than they're motivated to win, and that fear factor could produce a cagey, low-scoring affair. But the quality of defending on display from both sides this season suggests that mistakes will happen, and when they do, the consequences could be devastating. This is Premier League survival at its rawest, and neither side looks equipped to handle the pressure.

Craven Cottage is one of the Premier League's most charming grounds, and Fulham under Marco Silva have turned it into a genuinely difficult place to visit. The Cottagers have been one of the league's quieter success stories this season, playing attractive, progressive football that consistently produces results against mid-table and lower-table opposition. Silva's tactical approach emphasizes controlled possession, intelligent movement, and defensive discipline, which has translated into a team that rarely gets blown out and usually finds a way to win at home.

Everton's season continues to be defined by the transition to new ownership under the Friedkin Group and the lingering shadow of past points deductions. On the pitch, David Moyes has done a remarkable job of keeping the squad competitive despite the constant off-field distractions, and Everton's defensive organization remains their strongest asset. They're hard to break down, they don't give you much space in dangerous areas, and they make you work for everything. The problem is on the other end. Everton's attacking output has been limited, and away from Goodison Park they rarely create enough clear chances to win matches against established Premier League sides.

The tactical matchup favors Fulham's ability to control games at Craven Cottage. Silva's side will look to dominate possession in the middle third, use their full-backs to create width, and feed their attacking players in dangerous positions between Everton's compact defensive lines. Everton, in turn, will try to stay disciplined, defend in their usual disciplined low block, and look for opportunities on the counter or from set pieces. It's a classic clash of styles, and the home advantage could be the deciding factor in a match that's unlikely to produce a flurry of goals.

Fulham's consistency at home this season gives them a clear edge in a fixture that doesn't carry the same drama as some of Saturday's other matches. Everton will make it uncomfortable, because that's what Moyes teams do, but Craven Cottage tends to bring out the best in Silva's squad, and one or two moments of quality in the final third should be enough to separate the sides. Don't expect fireworks, but do expect Fulham to find a way to grind out the three points in front of their home supporters.

This is a mismatch on paper, and the numbers don't lie. Chelsea sit fifth with 40 points from 24 games, posting 11 wins, 7 draws, and 6 losses. Wolves are rock bottom with a staggering 8 points from the same number of fixtures, managing just 1 win against 5 draws and 18 losses. That single victory tells the entire story of Wolverhampton's catastrophic season, and the 62% win probability for Chelsea reflects the massive gap in quality between these two sides. Molineux has gone from one of the league's most intimidating venues to a place where visiting teams expect to collect three points.

Chelsea's season under Liam Rosenior has been a story of steady improvement and occasional brilliance. The squad depth is enormous, and the rotation between Premier League and European fixtures has kept key players relatively fresh. Cole Palmer remains the creative fulcrum, and Chelsea's ability to score from multiple positions and through different methods makes them extremely difficult to prepare for. The loss of Pedro Neto, Levi Colwill, and Romeo Lavia to injury is notable, but this is a squad so deep that the replacements are often international-caliber players themselves.

Wolves' injury concerns are just as significant but far more damaging to a squad with less depth. Adam Armstrong and Toti Gomes being unavailable further thins a roster that was already stretched beyond its limits. The fundamental problem for Wolves isn't just the injuries or the lack of quality in certain positions. It's the complete collapse of confidence that comes from winning just once in 24 Premier League matches. Every week brings another defeat, another blow to the collective psyche, and at some point the players simply stop believing they can compete. That's the most dangerous place to be in football.

Chelsea should handle this professionally. Rosenior's side have been clinical against the league's weaker teams this season, and Wolves at Molineux, despite the hostile atmosphere from frustrated supporters, don't present the kind of tactical or physical challenge that's likely to trip Chelsea up. The only real question is margin. Chelsea's ability to keep clean sheets has been inconsistent, and Wolves, for all their troubles, do occasionally produce a moment of attacking quality that catches opponents off guard. But the quality gap here is simply too large for Wolves to bridge, and Chelsea should leave the West Midlands with all three points.

St James' Park under the lights for the late Saturday kickoff, and this could be an absolute thriller. The numbers between these two sides are remarkable: Premier League meetings between Newcastle and Brentford have averaged 4.1 goals per game, the highest average of any fixture in the league. That's not a quirk or a small sample size. It's a genuine pattern that reflects the attacking, open style that both teams tend to play against each other. If you want entertainment on Saturday, this is where you need to be.

Newcastle's season has hit a rough patch at exactly the wrong time. Winless in three league games, Eddie Howe's side are watching the European places drift away while dealing with a mounting injury crisis. Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, and Fabian Schar are among those missing, and those aren't peripheral squad players. That's the creative heartbeat, the physical engine, and the defensive leader of the team all unavailable at once. Newcastle's squad depth has been tested before, but this is a different level of absenteeism, and it shows in their recent results. Sitting 11th, three points behind Brentford in 7th, the Magpies need to stop the bleeding quickly.

Brentford, in contrast, are flying. Keith Andrews' side sit 7th and have been one of the league's most impressive outfits in recent weeks. Their 1-0 away victory at Aston Villa, with Ouattara scoring the winner, demonstrated the kind of tactical discipline and clinical edge that separates good teams from great ones. Brentford don't rely on one system or one player. They adapt, they compete, and they find ways to win in different types of matches. The departure of Ivan Toney feels like ancient history now, as the squad has developed multiple goalscoring threats and a collective mentality that makes them dangerous against anyone.

The 4.1 goals-per-game average in this fixture isn't just a fun stat. It's a reflection of two teams that play expansive, attacking football and refuse to sit back. Newcastle, even with their injuries, will try to impose themselves at St James' Park through intensity and the incredible atmosphere that 52,000 Geordies generate on a Saturday afternoon. Brentford will look to play through the press, exploit the spaces that Newcastle's aggressive approach creates, and use their set-piece quality to create chances. With Newcastle depleted and Brentford in form, this could be the most entertaining match of the entire Premier League Saturday slate, and it's almost certain to deliver goals.