Premier League matchweek 8 preview: Villa test City's perfect start, Chelsea host Spurs and Arsenal sweat on Saka
Manchester City go to Villa Park chasing eight wins from eight, Arsenal host Everton without knowing if Bukayo Saka will play, and Chelsea face Tottenham in a London derby. All the fixtures, kick-off times and talking points.
Matchweek 8 of the Premier League runs from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October, and it starts with the biggest test yet of Manchester City's perfect record. Here is everything you need to know. Remember that the clocks go back in the UK on Sunday morning, so Sunday's kick-offs are in GMT.
Fixtures and kick-off times (UK time)
| Day | Match | Kick-off |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 23 Oct | Ipswich Town v Nottingham Forest | 20:00 |
| Sat 24 Oct | Aston Villa v Manchester City | 12:30 |
| Sat 24 Oct | Arsenal v Everton | 15:00 |
| Sat 24 Oct | Coventry City v Fulham | 15:00 |
| Sat 24 Oct | Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur | 17:30 |
| Sun 25 Oct | Crystal Palace v Newcastle United | 14:00 |
| Sun 25 Oct | Hull City v Brentford | 14:00 |
| Sun 25 Oct | Liverpool v Brighton | 14:00 |
| Sun 25 Oct | Manchester United v Bournemouth | 14:00 |
| Sun 25 Oct | Sunderland v Leeds United | 16:30 |
Kick-off times can change for TV. Follow every game live on our scores page.
Aston Villa v Manchester City: eight from eight?
Enzo Maresca became the first manager to win his first seven Premier League games last weekend, and City warmed up for this with a 5-1 Champions League win over AEK Athens thanks to a Phil Foden hat-trick. Erling Haaland has eight league goals.
Villa are an awkward opponent. They are only 12th in the league, but they have won all three Champions League games, and Unai Emery picked up his 100th Premier League win at Newcastle last weekend. If anyone is going to end City's run early, Villa Park on a Saturday lunchtime is a good place to do it.
Arsenal v Everton: the Saka question
Arsenal are three points behind City and need to keep pace before a trip to Anfield on 1 November. The big question is Bukayo Saka, who limped off after ten minutes at Bayern Munich on Wednesday; Mikel Arteta said it "doesn't look good at all". Read our Saka injury update.
Everton lost their unbeaten record at home to Chelsea last week, but they have conceded only seven goals in seven games.
Chelsea v Tottenham: a derby with momentum
Both clubs arrive in form. Chelsea won at Everton and kept their first league clean sheet since January, while Tottenham finally won their first league game of the season, beating Coventry 3-1 on Monday as Dejan Kulusevski returned after 526 days out. Chelsea will be without goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez, who fractured his jaw at Everton. See how Alonso's Chelsea play.
Liverpool v Brighton: the league's best attack
Brighton have scored 23 goals in seven games, the most in the league, and thrashed Crystal Palace 5-0 last weekend. Liverpool, perfect in the Champions League after a 4-3 win over Villarreal, are fifth, four points behind third-placed Brighton.
Manchester United v Bournemouth: pressure on Carrick
United were beaten 4-1 at Como on Wednesday and have gone seven games without a win. Bournemouth won their first league game of the season last weekend. Defeat would leave Michael Carrick under even more pressure — see our story on United's slump.
The bottom of the table
Only three points separate 13th from 20th. Ipswich v Nottingham Forest opens the weekend, with Forest in the relegation zone, and Coventry v Fulham and Sunderland v Leeds are big games at the bottom. Check the table after matchweek 7 for the full picture.
FAQ
When is Aston Villa v Manchester City? Saturday 24 October 2026, 12:30 UK time, at Villa Park.
When is Chelsea v Tottenham? Saturday 24 October 2026, 17:30 UK time, at Stamford Bridge.
Do the clocks change this weekend? Yes. UK clocks go back one hour early on Sunday 25 October, so Sunday's kick-offs are in GMT.
