Premier League Matchweek 8 Preview: Fixtures & SAST Times

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Matchweek 7 kept Manchester City perfect: they were made to work for a 3-2 win over a stubborn Ipswich Town to make it seven wins from seven, Arsenal stayed within three points with a narrow 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest, and Brighton’s 5-0 demolition of Crystal Palace was the standout scoreline of the weekend. Premier League Matchweek 8 runs from Friday 23 October to Sunday 25 October, and it opens tonight with bottom-half strugglers Ipswich Town hosting Nottingham Forest, before the league leaders travel to Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon. Here’s every fixture and SAST kick-off time, plus one thing worth knowing before you check the clock: British clocks go back an hour on Sunday.

How Matchweek 7 Finished

Manchester City were made to work for it this time, edging out Ipswich Town 3-2 to stay perfect after seven games, Arsenal’s 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest kept them in touch at the top, and Brighton’s 5-0 thrashing of Crystal Palace was the standout result of the round. Here’s the full set of results:

Manchester City lead the table on 21 points from a perfect seven wins out of seven, with Arsenal second on 18 and Brighton up to third on 16 after that win over Palace. At the other end, Sunderland prop up the table on four points from just one win in seven.

Premier League Matchweek 8: Fixtures & SAST Kick-Off Times

One thing to flag before you set a reminder: British clocks go back from BST to GMT at 2am on Sunday 25 October. South Africa doesn’t observe daylight saving, so Friday’s and Saturday’s kick-offs are the usual 1 hour ahead of UK time, but Sunday’s five fixtures are 2 hours ahead of UK time instead, since the UK falls back an hour overnight. The SAST times above already account for this, but it’s worth knowing so Sunday’s kick-offs don’t catch you out. As always, it’s worth double-checking against your operator’s own listed time closer to kick-off, since broadcast schedules can shift at short notice.

Friday Night Opener: Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest

Friday night at Portman Road pits a team on the rise against one scrapping to avoid the bottom three. Ipswich, 10th on nine points, pushed Manchester City all the way last time out and could field an unchanged side: Sasa Lukic is expected to be cleared from a groin issue in time for the squad, though no final call has been made on his involvement, and Emersonn is set to continue in midfield. Nottingham Forest, 19th on five points, are without Igor Jesus (calf) and Nicolo Savona (knee), and Morgan Gibbs-White is a doubt with a muscular problem, though head coach Oliver Glasner is hopeful he’ll start. Liam Delap is expected to keep his place up front for Forest, with Daniel Munoz and Neco Williams continuing as wing-backs.

Saturday’s Headline Fixture: Aston Villa vs Manchester City

The league leaders head to Villa Park looking to make it eight wins from eight. Manchester City have fitness concerns to manage: Erling Haaland is a minor doubt after being rested in midweek but is set to return, Antoine Semenyo is out with a knee injury until the end of December, Nico O’Reilly and Mateo Kovacic are both major doubts and need late fitness checks, and Matheus Nunes needs assessment after being forced off against Ipswich. Aston Villa, 12th on eight points, have their own list to watch: Johan Manzambi (calf), George Hemmings (knee) and Ian Maatsen (ankle) are all 75% chances of playing, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka is out with a hamstring injury until 21 November. Neither side has a suspension to contend with.

Also Worth Watching

• Arsenal vs Everton, Saturday, Arsenal will assess Bukayo Saka (thigh, 50% chance of playing) and Piero Hincapié (ankle, 75%), and are without Christos Tzolis (hamstring) until 1 November, while Everton have nothing flagged on the official injury list
• Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur, Saturday, Chelsea goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez will miss out after being hospitalised with a head injury from a collision during the Everton win, with Mike Penders deputising in goal; Reece James (knee) also remains out, while Malo Gusto and Pep Chavarría are both 75% chances; Spurs are without the suspended Rodrigo Bentancur and the injured Sávio, both out until 7 November, while Pedro Porro (hamstring) is targeting a return for this exact fixture and Andy Robertson and Omar Marmoush are both 75% chances
• Liverpool vs Brighton, Sunday, Liverpool will be without Dominik Szoboszlai and Jeremie Frimpong (both hamstring, no return date yet), with Munoz a 75% chance, while Brighton have a clean bill of health on the official list
• Sunderland vs Leeds United, Sunday, Sunderland are without the suspended Kevin Danso and have doubts over Brian Brobbey, Dan Ballard, Wilson Isidor and Thomas Meunier, while Leeds are missing Joe Rodon (hamstring) until 21 November

Where to Bet on the Premier League in South Africa

Every major South African-licensed sportsbook covers Premier League markets, from straightforward match-result bets through to in-play options once kick-off arrives. See our South African sportsbook comparison to find an operator that suits you, or check individual operator reviews for licensing, bonus and payment details before you sign up.