Saturday’s Key Games: 3rd October
Leeds United v Manchester City
Saturday sees two of the greatest managers facing up against each other in the form of Marcelo Bielsa and Pep Guardiola. An exciting prospect is two managers coming up against each other who have respect for one another. Also, theirs the fact that Bielsa inspired Guardiola, when the two met in 2006, when Guardiola met Bielsa at Bielsa’s home in Buenos Aires. They are two managers as well who have a distinct style of play and that is why this game is one to look forward to.
Leeds will be without Pablo Hernandez due to injury, while Jack Harrison is ineligible for the game, as he is on loan from Man City.
Ilkay Gundogan will miss the game as he is set to return from isolation but has been unable to train with his teammates and therefore, will not return for Man City until after the international break. John Stones is out of the game, but the club have signed a centre back this week in the form of Ruben Dias, from Benfica, with Nicolas Otamendi going in the opposite direction. Ruben Dias could make his debut for Pep Guardiola’s side. Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus are both still out injured.
The sides have not met since 2013, when Manchester City won 4-0 in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Leeds have got off to a positive start as they have won two of their opening three league games, with the only Premier League defeat coming against Champions Liverpool, when they lost 4-3. They have beaten Fulham 4-3 and beat Sheffield United 1-0, last weekend.
Manchester City will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 5-2 defeat last weekend to Leicester. They did win their opening league game against Wolves 3-0.
Leeds will be wanting to show they can compete with the elite teams in the Premier League, like they did on the opening game of the season against Liverpool, whereas Man City will want a comfortable afternoon at Elland Road to keep pace will the early pace setters at the top of the league.
RB Leipzig v Schalke 04
Saturday will see Leipzig host Schalke. For the visitors it will be the first game in charge for new manager Manuel Baum after David Wagner was sacked by Schalke. He has managed in the Bundesliga before, when he was in charge of Augsburg.
Leipzig could see Josep Martinez and Hugo Novoa return to the side after they have spent a period in quarantine. Marcel Sabitzer is out with a thigh injury. Ibrahima Konaté is a doubt with a hip problem and Konrad Laimer is also a doubt with a knee injury. Youssouff Pouslen is also a doubt for the game.
Schalke will have Ozan Kabak unavailable as he was sent off last weekend after he received two yellows and has been suspended for a further four games after a spitting incident. Salif Sané and Omar Mascarell are both doubts for the game. Suat Serdar will miss the game with a thigh injury and Amine Harit will also miss the game as he is in quarantine. Schalke have signed Danish goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow has joined on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt, and he could play.
The last meeting between the two was back in February, when Leipzig beat Schalke 5-0.
Leipzig have got off to a decent start with four points from the opening two league games. They beat Mainz 3-1, then drew against Bayer Leverkusen 1-1.
Schalke lost their opening two league games with an 8-0 loss to Bayern Munich on the opening game of the season and they lost last weekend to Werder Bremen 3-1.
Leipzig will be looking for a victory to keep them near the top of the table, while Schalke will be looking to get off to a positive start under their new manager.
Spartak Moscow v Zenit St Petersburg
In Russia, the top two meets, when Spartak Moscow welcome Zenit St Petersburg.
Spartak have a doubt over Nail Umyarov who sustained an injury in their last game against FC Mordovia Saransk. They will not have Maksim Glushenkov and Aleksandr Kokorin available as they are both out injured.
Zenit have doubts over Dejan Lovren, Yaroslav Rakitskiy and Malcolm, who picked up injuries in last weeks game against FC Ufa, but they are all expected to be available for this week’s game. Sardar Azmoun is also a doubt. Sebastián Driussi and Andrey Lunev are both unavailable with long-term injuries.
Zenit won the last game between the two in July, when they won 2-1.
Spartak Moscow are second in the table due to goal difference. They have played nine games so far this season, they have won six, drawn two and have lost one game. They have had a good start to the season with fifteen goals scored and eight conceded.
Zenit St Petersburg are top of the league with the same record, as they have also won six games, drawn two and lost one. They have scored twenty goals in their nine league games and have conceded five.
Both sides will be looking for victory to take the lead at the top of the Russian Premier League.
FCSB v Dinamo Bucharest
The Eternal Derby takes place on Saturday in Romania between the two most successful teams in Romania, with FCSB facing Dinamo Bucharest. The derby is also called the Romanian Derby and the Great Derby.
The last game between the two was when FCSB won 1-0 in July.
FCSB are third in the table after their opening five games as they have won three games with 3-0 wins over Astra, Viitorul Constanta and Arges Pitesti. They have lost twice, with a loss to FC Voluntari 2-1 and they lost last weekend 5-2 to Poli Lasi. They are six points off the top spot in the league.
Dinamo Bucharest are in 12th after their opening five games. They won once over Gaz Metan Medias, they won the game 3-1. They have drawn two games, both 1-1 against FC Hermannstadt and FC Botosani. They have lost once, with a 1-0 defeat Chindia Targoviste.
Both sides will be looking for wins over their rivals and a win to improve their league positions.
Hannover 96 v Eintracht Braunschweig
In Bundesliga 2, there is a derby on Saturday when Hannover 96, host Eintracht Braunschweig. They will meet in a game called the Lower Saxon Derby.
Hannover 96 will be without Martin Hansen, who is out injured with a hand injury. There are doubts over Franck Evina and Josip Elez.
Eintracht Braunschweig will be without Niko Kijewski, who is out after he tore a cruciate ligament against Holstein Kiel. Patrick Kammerbauer is out as well with an arm injury.
The last game between the two was in 2017, when Hannover 96 won 1-0.
Hannover 96 have played two league games so far this season, they won 2-0 against Karlsruher and lost 2-1 last week to Vfl Osnabruck.
Eintracht Braunschweig have played two games as in the league this season, and they have drawn and lost their opening two games. They lost 2-0 against Heidenheim and lost last week against Holstein Kiel 0-0.
Both sides will be looking to win the first derby game between since 2017.
