…Seven Nigerians in crucial ties for points

Chelsea host Manchester United on Saturday (today) and Liverpool welcome Arsenal on Sunday in a blockbuster Premier League weekend, but neither game is expected to feature a Nigerian, as the Super Eagles’ interest lies in five other fixtures.

Seven Nigerian players are in contention across those games. Alex Iwobi and Calvin Bassey travel with Fulham to Aston Villa on Saturday evening, Semi Ajayi’s Hull City host Ipswich Town, Ola Aina is set to return for Nottingham Forest at Brentford, and Frank Onyeka and Taiwo Awoniyi could feature as Coventry City face Sunderland. Zadok Yohanna may be involved as Brighton visit Manchester City.

Chelsea and Manchester United meet at Stamford Bridge at 1:30pm Nigerian time on Saturday. United are 16th, one point above the relegation zone and winless in eight games in all competitions, while Michael Carrick was kept in charge after a meeting of the club’s hierarchy on October 26. Chelsea are fifth.

Liverpool host Arsenal at 5:30pm Nigerian time (4:30pm GMT) on Sunday. Arsenal are level on points with leaders Manchester City, while the Opta supercomputer gives them a 41.8 per cent chance of winning. They have not won any of their last 13 league games at Anfield.

Fulham have won their last two league games 1–0, away to Hull City and Coventry, and are chasing a third in a row for the first time since December 2025. Iwobi made his 328th Premier League appearance in the win at Coventry, which puts him level with Mohamed Salah as the joint-second African on the all-time list. Only Kolo Toure, with 353, has more.

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Bassey has played every minute of Fulham’s eight league games this season. The hosts beat Manchester City 2–1 last weekend and have won eight of Unai Emery’s nine league meetings with Fulham.

Hull have gone six league games without a win, since beating Coventry on August 29, but remain unbeaten in four home games. Ajayi scored their opening-day goal against Manchester United and played the full game in last weekend’s 1–1 draw with Brentford. Hull have scored just nine league goals this season.

Coventry are 19th with six points, one above Sunderland, who have taken one point from their last 15. Onyeka is expected to start in midfield, while Awoniyi hopes to score his first Premier League goal for Coventry.

They both came on in the 67th minute of the 1–0 defeat by Fulham.

Aina is set to come back into Forest’s back three at the Gtech Community Stadium, possibly on the left side. Forest are 18th with one win and six goals, all scored away from home. Brentford are sixth.

Yohanna has returned to training after missing 11 matches through injury, but Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler did not confirm whether he will be available at the Etihad. The winger joined from AIK in a deal worth €28m. Yohanna is 19. Fellow Nigerian Femi Azeez is still waiting to make his debut for Brighton.