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The third week of the new Barclays Premier League season has thrown up some intriguing fixtures.
The day kicks off with Arsenal’s visit to Blackburn Rovers followed by Blackpool’s first home match in the Barclays Premier League when Fulham visit Bloomfield Road.
Champions Chelsea have begun the defence of their title in blistering form scoring 12 and conceding none, a Premier League record after two matches. They host a Stoke City side who were beaten 7-0 on their last visit to Stamford Bridge in April.
Wigan Athletic have conceded 10 goals in their first two matches – and return to the scene of last season’s 9-1 humiliation at Tottenham Hotspur.
Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United have both made solid starts and meet at Molineux and the day’s programme concludes with West Ham United chasing their first points of the campaign at Manchester United.
Blackburn v Arsenal
Blackburn are aimng to become the 12th club to achieve the feat of winning 1,000 top-flight matches.
They face an Arsenal side who have not won away since March and who have not kept a clean sheet away in their last 10 league and cup matches on the road.
Rovers lost only three home fixtures last season and beat Arsene Wenger’s men 2-1 in May, their first victory in eight Barclays Premier League meetings with the Gunners.
Blackpool v Fulham
Blackpool play their first home match in the Barclays Premier League after being forced to reverse their opening-day fixture against Wigan because of ground improvements.
This is their first top-flight match at Bloomfield Road in 39 years, since drawing 1-1 with Manchester United in May 1971.
Fulham have won six of their last seven meetings with the Seasiders who have won only one of their last six home meetings with the Cottagers. Fulham have gone 19 away matches without a win since the opening day of last season and they have scored only once in their last 10 on the road.
Chelsea v Stoke
The champions have scored 29 goals without reply in their last five Barclays Premier League matches. Seven of those came against Stoke City at Stamford Bridge last April and Potters manager Tony Pulis will be keen to avoid a repeat.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men have not conceded a goal in 496 minutes of Barclays Premier League action since Gareth Bale scored for Spurs in April. They have scored 21 goals in their last three outings in front of their own fans, including seven against the Potters last season.
Stoke, who have lost three of their last four on the road, have not won at Stamford Bridge since 1974 and have won only one of their last eight Barclays Premier League matches. Potters defender Danny Higginbotham hopes to make his 200th Premier League appearance.
Spurs v Wigan
Spurs are unbeaten in their last 17 outings on their own patch since losing to Wolves on 12th December while the Latics have conceded 10 goals in their first two Barclays Premier League fixtures.
Not since Manchester City in 1962 has a top-flight team conceded so many goals after two matches.
Wigan stopped the rot with a midweek Carling Cup 3-0 win at Hartlepool United but they will not relish a return to White Hart Lane where they lost 9-1 last season. It is a ground where they have never won.
Tottenham have won six of their 11 league and cup meetings with Wigan who have won only once. The Latics have lost their last six Barclays Premier League away fixtures and have not won on the road since January.
Wolves v Newcastle
These sides have not met since the 2003/04 season when both matches finished 1-1 . However Wolves won the previous four Molineux meets with the Magpies.
Newcastle have lost their last four away matches in the Barclays Premier League without scoring but are buoyed by Sunday’s 6-0 win over Aston Villa.
Wolves have lost just one of their last seven league matches and have made a solid start with four points from their opening two fixtures.
Man Utd v West Ham
The Hammers have made their worst ever start to a Premier League season, losing both their opening matches with six goals conceded and just one scored However they did beat Oxford United in the Carling Cup in midweek.
United lost early ground in the title race as they were held to a 2-2 draw at Fulham but they have won their last five meetings with West Ham, scoring 14 goals and conceding just one.
Wayne Rooney will be aiming to end a goal drought which stretches back 13 matches for club and country. The Hammers have not won a Barclays Premier League away match since the opening day of last season.
Barclays Premier League fixtures
Click on a fixture below to view the match preview
Blackburn Rovers v Arsenal (Referee: Chris Foy)
Blackpool v Fulham (Michael Oliver)
Chelsea v Stoke City (Martin Atkinson)
Tottenham Hotspur v Wigan Athletic (Phil Dowd)
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United (Stuart Attwell)
Manchester United v West Ham United (Mark Clattenburg)
“Champions Chelsea have begun the defence of their title in blistering form” .
Credits: PremierLeague.com
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