Sunday, 11 October 2026, brings three Premier League fixtures, with an emotionally charged return to Selhurst Park and a heavyweight confrontation at Anfield providing the afternoon’s biggest talking points.
Crystal Palace welcome former manager Oliver Glasner back to South London, where his Nottingham Forest side will attempt to secure their second league victory of the season. Newly promoted Hull City then look to rediscover their early momentum against an unbeaten Everton side, before Liverpool and Manchester City meet in a fixture carrying significance well beyond the league table.
City arrive at Anfield with five wins from five, but the recent verdict in their Premier League financial rules case has intensified the attention surrounding Enzo Maresca’s team. Liverpool, meanwhile, remain unbeaten under Andoni Iraola but face a serious attacking injury crisis. Here is our guide to all three Sunday fixtures, including team news, match analysis, verdicts and betting tips.
Sunday, 11 October · 14:00 UK · Selhurst Park
Our considerations
There will be a familiar face in the opposition dugout at Selhurst Park on Sunday, although Oliver Glasner can expect a complicated reception when he returns to Crystal Palace as Nottingham Forest manager. The Austrian oversaw one of the most successful periods in Palace’s history, delivering the FA Cup, Community Shield and Conference League titles before departing. His successor, Pierre Sage, has inherited a club with considerably higher expectations, but translating Palace’s recent cup success into consistent Premier League results has proved difficult.
Palace have collected just one victory from their opening five league fixtures, despite demonstrating their quality in other competitions. Successive cup victories against Middlesbrough and Lech Poznan provided encouragement before the international break, but Sage needs his players to reproduce that intensity in domestic football. Their performances have not been without promise, although a lack of attacking consistency and several costly defensive lapses have prevented them from building momentum.
The hosts have significant selection concerns. Jean-Philippe Mateta remains unavailable with a hamstring injury, depriving Palace of an important focal point in attack, while Dean Henderson is also sidelined. Axel Disasi serves a suspension, and Takehiro Tomiyasu and Chadi Riad are injured. Ismaila Sarr is available to start, however, and could provide the pace and movement required to trouble a Forest defence that is also missing important personnel.
Forest have experienced an equally inconsistent beginning to the campaign, winning only once in five Premier League matches. Glasner has attempted to introduce his preferred tactical structure, but his side have struggled to turn competitive performances into victories. Morgan Gibbs-White remains central to their attacking creativity, while Dan Ndoye offers a direct threat in wider positions. However, the visitors have their own injury problems, with Igor Jesus, Nikola Milenkovic and Nicolo Savona unavailable. Neco Williams is also a fitness concern after missing training through illness.
The tactical familiarity between Glasner and his former players adds another dimension to the contest. Forest’s manager knows the strengths and weaknesses of several Palace players particularly well, although Sage has had time to introduce changes of his own. Both teams have struggled to convert promising passages of play into sustained pressure, suggesting that midfield control and the effectiveness of their remaining attacking options could determine the outcome.
For a closer examination of Glasner’s return to Selhurst Park, the team news and the tactical challenges facing both sides, read our full Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest preview.
Verdict
Palace should benefit from home advantage and the confidence generated by their recent cup performances, but the absence of Mateta reduces their attacking threat. Forest possess enough quality to remain competitive, although their defensive injuries are concerning. With neither side showing convincing league form, a closely contested encounter looks likely. Our tip: Draw.
Sunday, 11 October · 14:00 UK · MKM Stadium
Our considerations
Hull City have already demonstrated that they can compete in the Premier League, but Sunday’s meeting with Everton will provide another important test of their credentials. Sergej Jakirovic’s promoted side made an excellent start to the campaign, winning their opening two matches and keeping clean sheets in both home fixtures. However, three successive league games without a victory have raised questions about whether Hull can sustain their early results over a longer period.
The Tigers’ approach has been built around defensive organisation, physical commitment and making the most of limited possession. They have averaged just over 32% possession during the opening five rounds, the lowest figure in the division, while their passing accuracy has also been below that of every other Premier League side. Those numbers do not automatically indicate a problem, particularly for a promoted team, but they leave little margin for error when opponents are capable of maintaining pressure for extended periods.
Hull’s recent results illustrate both the strengths and limitations of that approach. A 2-2 draw at Chelsea demonstrated their resilience and ability to punish defensive mistakes, but defeats against Sunderland and Newcastle exposed their difficulties when chasing matches. Mohamed Belloumi has been their most productive attacking player with two league goals, while Oli McBurnie provides a physical presence that can help relieve pressure and bring teammates into attacking positions.
Jakirovic faces several injury concerns. Eliot Matazo, Darko Gyabi, Ilyas Ansah and Jack Butland are unavailable, while Matt Targett has suffered an ankle injury. There is more encouraging news regarding Nobel Mendy, who has recovered from concussion, and Tim Iroegbunam, who has returned to training ahead of schedule. The availability of Hidemasa Morita and Brooke Norton-Cuffy could also provide the manager with additional options.
Everton arrive with a very different form record. David Moyes has guided the Toffees through their opening five Premier League matches without defeat, collecting two victories and three draws. Their performances have not always been spectacular, but Everton have demonstrated the defensive discipline and patience that were frequently missing during previous campaigns. Thierno Barry has scored twice, while Jack Grealish and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall provide creativity in the attacking areas.
There has nevertheless been an unwelcome distraction during the international break, with news emerging that the Friedkin Group intends to sell Everton. Moyes will be determined to ensure that uncertainty surrounding the club’s ownership does not affect performances on the pitch. The visitors have relatively few injury concerns, although Vitalii Mykolenko requires assessment and Christian Norgaard may not be ready to return. Everton should therefore be able to field a settled side against opponents who have been forced into more significant adjustments.
Can Hull’s defensive organisation frustrate an unbeaten Everton side? We examine the key factors, team news and betting opportunities in our full Hull City vs Everton preview.
Verdict
Hull have shown enough defensive resilience to make this a difficult assignment, particularly at the MKM Stadium. However, their reliance on limited possession places considerable pressure on their defensive organisation, and Everton have the patience and experience to exploit mistakes. Moyes’s side look more settled, have greater attacking options and should be capable of extending their unbeaten start. Our tip: Everton to win.
Sunday, 11 October · 16:30 UK · Anfield
Our considerations
Liverpool and Manchester City have provided some of the Premier League’s defining encounters over the past decade, but Sunday’s meeting at Anfield arrives under extraordinary circumstances. City return to domestic action for the first time since an independent commission found the club guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial regulations. The club continues to deny wrongdoing and has appealed the verdict, but the controversy has created an atmosphere in which events away from the pitch threaten to overshadow one of English football’s biggest fixtures.
For Enzo Maresca and his players, the immediate challenge is to maintain their outstanding start to the campaign. Manchester City have won all five Premier League matches, making them the only team with a perfect record at this stage. They have also been successful in the Champions League and EFL Cup, demonstrating that Maresca’s approach has produced impressive consistency across competitions. City entered the weekend at the top of the table, and another victory at Anfield would strengthen their position considerably.
Erling Haaland has been central to that success, scoring five league goals during the opening rounds. The Norwegian caused some concern when he was substituted during international duty against Portugal, but Maresca has confirmed that he is available. City therefore retain their most dangerous attacking weapon, supported by the creativity of Rayan Cherki and the pace of Jeremy Doku. Phil Foden remains suspended, while Nico O’Reilly and Antoine Semenyo have faced fitness concerns, although City’s squad depth provides the manager with several alternatives.
Liverpool have made a respectable, if less spectacular, start under Andoni Iraola. The Reds remain unbeaten after five Premier League matches, recording two victories and three draws, but they have already dropped six points more than City. Their most recent league fixture produced a narrow 1-0 victory at Bournemouth, and there have been encouraging signs of improved defensive organisation. Liverpool have also won four of their last five matches in all competitions, conceding only once during that sequence.
However, the international break has left Iraola facing a serious attacking selection problem. Alexander Isak has been ruled out with a thigh injury sustained while representing Sweden, while Cody Gakpo suffered an ankle problem on international duty with the Netherlands. Hugo Ekitike is also unavailable because of an Achilles injury, leaving Liverpool without three established attacking options. Isak’s absence is particularly significant after the striker scored four goals in his first five league appearances.
Iraola must now decide whether to use Bradley Barcola centrally or hand an opportunity to young Lewis Koumas. Either approach would require Liverpool to adjust their attacking patterns against a City defence that has been difficult to break down. Federico Chiesa could provide another option if fit, although Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni remain unavailable. Jeremy Jacquet has recovered from his recent injury concern, offering some encouragement in defence.
The atmosphere at Anfield will inevitably be intense, particularly given the financial regulations verdict and the history between these clubs. Liverpool will attempt to use that energy to disrupt City’s possession and force mistakes in dangerous areas. However, the visitors have demonstrated greater attacking consistency this season, and Haaland’s availability gives them a significant advantage against opponents missing several of their most influential forwards. The tactical contest between Iraola and Maresca should be fascinating, with Liverpool’s pressing intensity tested against City’s ability to control possession and create opportunities through midfield.
We take a closer look at Liverpool’s attacking problems, City’s impressive start and the tactical battle at Anfield in our full Liverpool vs Manchester City preview.
Verdict
Liverpool’s unbeaten record and home advantage make them formidable opponents, and the Anfield atmosphere could have a considerable influence on the match. Nevertheless, the absence of Isak, Gakpo and Ekitike leaves Iraola with a difficult attacking problem at precisely the wrong moment. Manchester City arrive with five consecutive league victories, greater attacking depth and Haaland available to lead the line. The hosts should remain competitive, but City’s superior form and more reliable goalscoring options give them a narrow advantage. Our tip: Manchester City to win.