Well it's Friday, who wants an APLT preview?
Back in the old days before 24 hour rolling sport news and the internet, the League Table would only be compiled about six weeks into the season. So in a sense, the shape of the league campaign only really begins to take shape this weekend, as our APLT contenders take to the pitch for their sixth league matches of the season.
First up an APLT double-header,
Man Utd v Leicester
I know what you're thinking, will this even be considered an APLT match by the end of the season? Well, for now Jose Mourinho's team are just about still hanging in there, so there's a chance. The new manager bounce has been more of a bellyflop for the Red Devils, and they go into this lunchtime clash with the champions on just 9 points in the trad table, and -4 on the APLT. (They also lost their opening Europa League tie with Feyenoord, but did manage to progress in the EFL cup against League One's Northampton Town. Perhaps they've finally found their level.
That said, APLT Champions and Guinness Book rewriters Leicester City haven't had a great start either. They've won just two of five league matches this season, and it's all a long way since lifting the Premier League trophy in May. Burnley and Swansea the vanquished parties, while runners up Arsenal were held to a goalless draw. The best two sides in the country unable to score a goal between them. Sad days.
The two sides met in the Community Shield match, with Man Utd running 2-1 winners.
Both managers had spells at Chelsea and Inter Milan, but only Ranieri has won anything of note with his current team.
Leicester would like a win to keep their place in the APLT open a little longer. United would just like a win at this point.
MNU v LEI
Par 3 for Man Utd, Par 1 for Leicester
MNU win:
MNU -4 LEI -7
Draw:
MNU -6 LEI -6
LEI win:
MNU -7 LEI -4
So that's nice and symmetrical.
Liverpool v Hull 15:00
Next up is Liverpool v Hull City. Much has been written of Liverpool's need to win these "easy" Par 3 matches in recent weeks. After making short work of much of the best the Premier League has to offer, the focus has turned to the Reds' record against the smaller sides, much to the delight of APLT fans, who are well aware of the vital importance of these fixtures in putting together a serious title challenge. On paper, Liverpool are flying, while Hull are comfortably mid-table. In reality, the gap in the Trad Table between the two is just three points. To many, Hull are the epitome of the "park the bus" mid-table sides that clutter the Premier League, providing banana skins to the top sides while never challenging for anything themselves. They are a festering boil on the arse of the league, and Jurgen Klopp has said that his side should be angry at them.
Poor old Hull City may wonder what they've done to upset anyone, apart from that awful "mauled by the Tigers" thing, that was unforgivable, and I'm sure they are aware of it. Nonetheless, the Tigers opened the campaign with a win over the League Champions and will be out to prove a point or three after being used in these unflattering comparisons all week whenever Liverpool are mentioned. They might park a bus, or they might try to take the initiative and get at Liverpool.
Just one game, but a huge test of the Reds' potential. Winning it would not hugely improve Liverpool's chances, losing it could be devastating. Not because of the APLT position - the lowest the reds can fall is a very respectable -2, but because of the implications for the rest of the campaign.
LFC v Hull
LFC win: LFC +1
Draw: LFC -1
Hull win: LFC -2
Next up:
Middlesbrough v Tottenham
Spurs have started the season in good form, as their position on the APLT 0 line suggests, and will want to assert their own title credentials with a win over newly promoted Middlesbrough. The loss of one-man goal machine Harry Kane could be a major blow to their ambitions, but after they put five past Gillingham in his absence, they could gain a psychological boost by inflicting a similar score on Boro, who have just one win to speak of this season, against their awful neighbours Sunderland. Their defeats have been respectable to date, though. Last week's 3-1 loss to Everton was the new boys' heaviest so far, and manager Aitor Karanka will be hopeful that his side can do better in closing out a Spurs' team that put four past Stoke a couple of weeks ago.
Should be a fairly straightforward Par 3 for Spurs.
SPU v Boro
Boro win: SPU -3
Draw: SPU -2
Spurs win: SPU 0
Swansea City v Man City
It's a clash of the Cities, as Swansea entertains Manchester City for the second time in a week, after losing 2-1 in the EFL cup. It looks likely that result will be repeated, propelling Guadiola's side to an ear-popping +6 on the APLT table. It's far too early to say anyone is running away with the league, but the longer Man City can keep that 100% record alive, the harder it gets for anyone to catch them. Swansea have been in poor form lately, and are still looking for their second win since the opening day when they beat Burnley. It's not going to happen on Saturday, lads.
It's a winnable Par 1 for Man City.
Swansea win: MNC +3
Draw: MNC +4
Man City win: MNC +6
Which brings us to another all-star, all APLT clash:
Arsenal v Chelsea
Neck and neck in both the Trad table and the APLT, there seems to be little between Conte's Chelsea and Arsene's Arsenal so far. Since the opening day loss to Liverpool, Arsenal have been going about business as usual, with wins against Watford, Southampton and Hull. Chelsea, meanwhile, have still to fully adapt to new manager Conte's style of football, but have nonetheless seen off West Ham, Watford and Burnley.
It's likely to be a tense, close affair, and the draw looks like a fairly safe bet. Whatever happens, the sides won't be level in the APLT any more.
It's Par 3 for Arsenal, Par 1 for Chelsea.
Arsenal win: ARS -1 CHE -2
Draw: ARS -3 CHE -1
Chelsea win: ARS -4 CHE +1