The Premier League returns this weekend following a two-week international break, with talking points aplenty heading into matchday five.

Manchester City have been the quickest side out of the blocks, racking up maximum points so far to establish themselves at the top of the early league standings.

It has been a poor start for champions Chelsea, meanwhile, who will be looking to get their campaign back on track when they take on Everton at Goodison Park in Saturday's early kickoff.

The showpiece fixture of the weekend comes on Sunday evening, though, when rivals Manchester United and Liverpool square off in what should be a highly-entertaining affair at Old Trafford.

Here, Sports Mole takes a closer look at the fifth round of fixtures from the Premier League, with a selection of statistics from each game taking place to whet the appetite.

Everton vs. Chelsea

On home soil, Everton have lost just two of their last seven top-flight encounters with the Blues (W4 D1), albeit with those defeats coming in the last three clashes at Goodison Park.

Chelsea have shipped a total of eight goals in their last three away Premier League games - twice as many as they conceded in the seven games on the road before that.

The Toffees have failed to score in two consecutive PL games. They last failed to score in three back in April 2006 when they ultimately went four fixtures without scoring.

Eden Hazard has failed to score in any of his last seven PL games, which is the second-longest goal drought of his career (he went nine games without a goal in September 2013).

Arsenal vs. Stoke City

The Gunners have won each of their seven home PL games against the Potters; their best 100% home record against any side in the Premier League.

Stoke are without a win in their last seven league outings on the road (D4 L3); a current winless streak only Newcastle and Southampton (both 9) can better.

Arsenal have posted a league-high 65.3% average possession figure this season (Man United are second with 59.5%).

Under Mark Hughes, Stoke have completed 77.7% of their passes and averaged a 48.6% possession figure, compared to a 66.5% passing accuracy and 39.4% possession figure under former boss Tony Pulis.

Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City

Under Alan Pardew, Palace have averaged 2.4 points away from home in the Prem but only 1.3 per game at Selhurst Park.

Man City have now won four away Premier League games in a row. They last won five away leagues games in a row in 1912.

The last four times these two sides have met in the PL at Selhurst Park, the winning team has scored exactly two goals.

City are top of the Premier League table in September for the first time ever.

Norwich City vs. Bournemouth

At Carrow Road, the Canaries haven't beaten the Cherries in the league since 1951, losing five and drawing four of the nine meetings since then.

Norwich have only registered one win in their last 11 Premier League games (D2 L8).

A league-high five of the six PL goals Bournemouth have shipped this season have come from dead-ball situations (two penalties, two from corners and one from a throw).

There were 10 yellow cards and one red shown in the two meetings between these sides in the Championship last season.

Watford vs. Swansea City

The Swans have kept only one clean sheet in their last six top-tier games on the road.

On home soil, Watford have netted exactly two goals in four of their last five league clashes with Swansea, but the Hornets have failed to direct a single shot on target in their last two Premier League games.

Bafetimbi Gomis has scored nine goals in his last 10 Premier League games for Swansea, and is aiming to score for a fifth successive game.

Only Arsenal's Santi Cazorla (16) has created more goal-scoring chances in the PL this season than Swansea's Jonjo Shelvey (14).

West Bromwich Albion vs. Southampton

Only Newcastle can equal Southampton's current run of nine Premier League away games without a win.

West Brom have lost four of their last six Premier League games at The Hawthorns (W1 D1), conceding at least three goals in each of those defeats.

The last four PL meetings between these two sides have produced a total of just three goals.

Only two of Graziano Pelle's 14 top-flight goals have come away from St Mary's.

Manchester United vs. Liverpool

United have registered just one win in their last four top-flight games at Old Trafford (D2 L1), after winning six in a row prior to that.

Liverpool have won just one of their last seven PL away games (D3 L3) after winning five of the previous six (D1).

Christian Benteke has scored in his last two Premier League appearances against Manchester United (both for Villa).

This Premier League fixture has produced 16 red cards. Only Everton v Liverpool (20) has seen more sendings-off.

Sunderland vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Under Dick Advocaat, Sunderland have averaged 1.3 points in their six PL home games (W2 D2 L2), after managing 0.64 per game in the 11 home PL games before that under Gus Poyet (W1 D4 L6)

Tottenham have failed to score in half of their last eight Premier League away games and have netted just twice in their last four.

At the Stadium of Light, the hosts are without a victory in their last five PL meetings with Spurs, (D2 L3), conceding exactly two goals in four of those games.

Harry Kane has now scored only two goals from 28 shots in his last 12 Premier League appearances. In the 12 PL games before that, he scored 14 goals from 33 shots.

Leicester City vs. Aston Villa

At home, the Foxes have suffered just one defeat in their nine Premier League games against Villa (W4 D4).

The Villans have conceded a total of 11 goals in their last four top-tier away games (W1 L3).

The two league meetings between these Midlands' sides last season produced three red cards (Matthew James for Leicester and Ciaran Clark for Villa at the King Power Stadium and the Foxes' Paul Konchesky at Villa Park).

Villa boss Tim Sherwood's Premier League managerial win-rate has now fallen below 50% for the first time in his career (48.7%).

West Ham United vs. Newcastle United

The Magpies have picked up just two points from their last nine top-tier games on the road (D2 L7), while West Ham have enjoyed just one win in their last five Premier League meetings with Newcastle (D2 L2).

West Ham have netted a total of just four goals in their last eight PL clashes with the Magpies.

The Londoners have netted three or more goals in consecutive league games for the first time since March 2011, when they did it three times in a row.

The next player to make his PL debut for Newcastle United will be the 200th to play for the club in the competition.

All stats courtesy of Opta.