The only game on Sunday in the Premier league is at Goodison Park where Everton will entertain Gareth Southgate’s Middlesbrough. Everton are 11th going into the game while Middlesbrough are behind them on 13, but the Toffees do have a game in hand.

Everton have surprisingly conceded in every single Premier league game so far this season and go into the game on the back of two consecutive losses. Another loss would equal their worst run in the Premier league since 2005. Also, Everton have picked up as less as seven yellow cards while Middlesbrough have been punished with 20. So one can expect Boro to use strong arm tactics to keep Everton’s star forwards in check. On the team front, Thomas Gravesen is surely out. A host of players including Mikel Arteta, Tony Hibbert, Nuno Valente, Andy Johnson are doubtful. Yakubu was signed from Boro in the summer and he would get the nod to spearhead Everton attack ahead of Victor Anichebe.

Middlesbrough are woeful away from home. At least the statistics suggest so. They have scored in just one away game this season and have failed to score away in seven of the last 10. Boro have this game and a game next week against City before playing two big guns back to back, so they would be hoping for maximum returns in the next two games.

Argentinian Julio Arca, Emanuel Pogatetz, Jeremie Aliadiere are all injured while Gary O’Neill and Sanli Tuncay are set to start this one. Jonathan Woodgate and Mido have both been passed fit and are likely to take their places in the starting eleven.

My verdict: Boro have been especially poor on the road. And another poor performance can be expected. Everton to steamroll Boro. 2-0 with goals from Yakubu and Osman on either sides of the lemon break.

Both Manchester City and Newcastle United are among the top 5 clubs as the league enters into its eighth matchday. City are third in the table with Newcastle close on their heels at five.

In midweek, forgotten Greek striker Georgios Samaras marked his first appearance of the season with a finely taken goal as City beat Norwich by a solitary goal to progress in the league Cup. But with Mpenza leading the line on his own, Samaras would most likely find a place on the bench. Summer signing Rolando Bianchi has a groin strain and will miss the game. Hamann, Johnson, Petrov, Richards, Corluka will all be restored in the first team lineup after missing out in midweek. Valeri Bojinov is out till December.

Like a host of established teams, Newcastle are out of the league Cup after being beaten by an outstanding Arsenal side. Newcastle are a bit thin up front as they lack choices in attack. Michael Owen, who was a summer target for Manchester City, is injured for three weeks. Shola Ameobi also has a groin problem. Martins and Viduka will play upfront. City boy Joey Barton is not fit enough to play against his former club while Butt and Geremi are sure to feature in midfield. Duff, Ramage, Carr, Babayaro are all injured.

My pick: My pick is no pick. Its a really toughie. I go for a safe 1-1 draw. City haven’t scored much at home. All games have ended in 1-0 wins. A 1-1 this time around.

Real Madrid are still leading the La Liga one week more, in spite of playing a brand of bland football which the fans do not like paying to watch. They beat an unlucky Betis side by two goals to nil in the last midweek match and you have to wonder how long they can keep winning while playing this boring kind of football. Betis, after a horrifying first ten minutes, slowly got back into the game and hit the post three times. Raul scored a penalty which wasn’t and ex Arsenal loan Baptista came on in the second half and scored another six minutes later. Bernd Schuster wasn’t just contracted to bring more silverware to the Bernabeu; he was contracted to bring good football back to Madrid after a year with Capello. He getting the results but the good football still hasn’t arrived. Now they have to go to Getafe, which isn’t too far from Madrid, and show they do mean business. It will also bring Schuster back to his old club just a couple of months after leaving, and not in the most amicable of circumstances.

Getafe are languishing second from the bottom of La Liga with just two points from a possible fifteen. What’s more they have only scored three goals in five league matches. Not too optimistic figures if you’re a Getafe fan going to watch them play Real Madrid. However, other statistics aren’t so depressing. Real Madrid don’t have good times when they visit the Coliseum stadium. In fact, the best result they have recorded since Getafe has been back in the top flight of Spanish football was a one-one draw two seasons ago. Last year they lost by one goal to nil and on the other occasion in 2005, they lost by the same score line. So Getafe might have recent history on their side, but will that be enough?

Michael Laudrup is showing signs that he is starting to get into the routine of being a manager, even though they haven’t won a league game yet. The UEFA competition returns next week and I think players, coach and directors alike will have their minds on that than on Madrid. I expect Real Madrid to win here, but if it ended in a draw I would not fall off the sofa in shock. The Meringues have a squad that could go all the way in all three competitions this year, but only if they start believing it.

Prediction: Away win (1-2)

From the look of things, it seems that Athletico Madrid have finally kicked off their season and more importantly, have finally shaken off the loss of Fernando Torres to Liverpool. Coach Javier Aguirre has been under quite a bit of pressure recently, which is unfair as overall he has been doing a pretty good job. They qualified for the UEFA cup for the first time in seven years via the Intertoto, and have yet to lose a game this season. In fact, they have scored ten goals in the last three games, which is something almost unheard of for Athletico recently. Strange then, how the fans are still not too happy. Well actually it’s too difficult. Athletico’s game hasn’t improved much since last season. They are still making the same mistakes but at least now they are scoring. This is largely owing to Argentinean striker ‘El Kun’ Agüero, who is having a extraordinary start to the season. He is now on four goals in three games and joint top scorer of the league along side Lionel Messi. When the Argentinean really starts to link well with Uruguayan Diego Forlan, Athletico will be in a position to fight for a Champions league spot. In midweek they beat Athletic Bilbao away from home –which isn’t an easy task- and last weekend thumped four goals past a weak Racing de Santander without conceding any. They go into this game with optimism, but not without knowing everything could go horribly wrong.

Osasuna meanwhile took great advantage of a poor Levante in midweek to beat them four goals to one and heap more pressure Levante’s coach. Walter Pandiani got two good goals, but French midfielder limped off injured and won’t play a part in this game. This was their first win of the season, and after their two first games ended in draws and the defeat at Zaragoza, very welcome. Whether they can travel to the Spanish capital and take home the three points is another thing, though

Athletico have a couple of players who are on fire at the moment, but their game as a team leaves a lot to be desired. They won’t want to risk losing a game and ending their good run, but with their fans watching can’t afford to sit back and defend. I’m going for a home win here, as the Agüero-Forlan connection will definitely stand out.

Prediction: Home win (2-1)

Spare a thought for Sevilla. Is there something definitely wrong with the Andalucian club, or are the three consecutive defeats they have suffered just a run of bad luck? Losing to Arsenal by three goals to nil in their Champions league debut seems to have effected the morale of the team, who have since gone on to lose both of their subsequent league games. You’d have to go back to last January to find them losing two matches on a run, curiously when they lost to Zaragoza at the Romareda stadium, and the last time they lost three games in a row in all competitions was when they were still a second division side almost seven years ago. They go into the Zaragoza game knowing they can’t be as bad as their recent form dictates, and apart from the absence of Italian midfielder Maresca, who will be out for another ten days due to injury, they will field a full strength squad. Zaragoza meanwhile have less to shout about than Sevilla. They have hardly had time to reflect on the four–one battering they received on Wednesday night courtesy of Lionel Messi and co. They are currently fourteenth in the league with just one win in five matches and they also lost their opening UEFA cup game. Coach Victor Fernandez knows full well that his squad has the quality to be fighting for a Champions league spot come the end of the season, but it’s an uphill task getting the players to believe it. Fabio Ayala lost his fight for fitness just before the Barcelona game and will also be doubtful against Sevilla too. One player who is definitely out is Brazilian midfielder Matuzalem, who received a rather nasty knee injury after being tackled by Barca’s Touré. This game is very difficult to judge one way or the other. Sevilla have the players and the cups to prove it, but the Arsenal defeat has shaken them to the very core. Likewise, Zaragoza have an ample quantity of quality players in their ranks but are having a hard time showing it. I’m going for a draw in this match. Zaragoza are still a bit punch drunk from the Barca game and will be reluctant to take risks. A draw then, and probably a boring one. Prediction: Draw (1-1)

Anything other than an away win in this match would be a very big surprise. Barcelona have gotten over their less than impressive start to the season, and are now on fire. Although their game is still far from what it was a couple of seasons ago, young Argentinean sensation Lionel Messi has taken the reigns of the team and is the undisputable leader. Against Zaragoza on Wednesday night he again scored two great goals, which brings his tally to four in just two games. Not bad for a player who started his Barcelona career in the youth squads and didn’t cost a thing. When you compare him to Thierry Henry, a £16 million signing who still hasn’t scored a league goal and just one in the Champions league, there really isn’t any doubt who to choose. Of course, Henry will sell more shirts. The Ronaldhino saga continues with the player still out for this match. Frank Rijkaard plans to bring him back –if fully fit- next week for the Champions league game away at Stuttgart, although whether he will start on the bench or in the line up is anyone’s guess. As for Levante, well, they are currently rock bottom of the league and they don’t seem to be moving anytime soon. Their four – one defeat at the hands of Osasuna in midweek made most people’s thoughts materialize; the players are far from match fit and we could see in this game a historic score line. They have managed just one point from a possible fifteen, and that was a goalless draw against new comers Murcia. It doesn’t take a genius to know that in this match against Barcelona, they will need nothing short of a miracle. Coach Abel Resino knows only too well that his job is on the line, and in all likelihood he will be sacked after this match. A disasterous start to the season and it’s only going to get worse. Prediction: Away win (1-3)