Premier League Predictions: Matchweek 7

FRIDAY:

BOURNEMOUTH V FULHAM

Bournemouth showed resilience to come from behind and nick a point against Leeds last weekend and it was a point they had to work for.

They may have to work hard for a result in this one as well as Fulham are also a resilient side who are not easy to play against.

Fulham are yet to win away from home this season and have picked up just one point on the road all season which came on the opening day at Brighton.

But Marco Silva's side will still be content with their start to the season as they currently lie in mid-table and have picked up points against the sides they were probably expected to get points against.

This game will definitely be close ands there will definitely be goals as they're both resilient and both have goals in them.

But I don't see there being a winner from either side as I think they'll cancel each other out.

PREDICTION: 2-2

SATURDAY:

LEEDS V TOTTENHAM

Leeds have been more competitive than I thought they would be this season and it looks like Daniel Farke might be learning from the mistakes he made from his previous two stints in the top flight with Norwich.

His Norwich teams were very easy to play against and lacked Premier League quality whereas his Leeds team are tougher to play against and are using the Elland Road crowd to their advantage.

They're yet to lose at home since their promotion and if they can keep up that home record and their good performances, they have a good chance of staying up.

Spurs have shown themselves to be a different kind of team under Thomas Frank in that they're resilient and have character, two traits they probably didn't have under previous managers.

They've showed both traits in recent games including their game against Bodo/Glimt in midweek where they came from 2-0 down to snatch a 2-2 draw as well as their draws with Brighton and Wolves.

Leeds won't make it easy for them in this one as they'll have the home crowd on their side to make it difficult for the opposition.

But I do think Spurs will find a way to win as they have the quality to do so.

PREDICTION: 1-2

ARSENAL V WEST HAM

A lot has been made about Arsenal's squad depth this season which looks much improved this season as they now have more options.

A lot of people are saying that their squad is the strongest in the league and they have a point as they're able to rest players and bring in players who are caable of stepping up.

They had Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze on their bench against Olympiacos in midweek which shows how strong their squad actually is.

West Ham picked up a good point against Everton on Monday in Nuno Espirito Santo's first game in charge which he will have no doubt taken given that he didn't have a lot of time to work with his new players.

They looked more organised in that game in that their closing down was better and were more difficult to beat.

But they will be disappointed to have conceded yet another goal from a set piece and they'll be up against an Arsenal side in this one who are the masters of scoring goals from set pieces.

Because of the Gunners incredible record from dead-all situations, I can see them exploit the Hammers' set piece weakness and win this game fairly comfortably.

I do see them scoring from open play as well, but I think they'll get at least one or two goals from set pieces.

PREDICTION: 3-0

MAN UNITED V SUNDERLAND

Ruben Amorim will surely be sacked if Man United lose this one because I simply do not see thing get any better for them.

I wrote in my key points of the weekend post that he's on thin ice and I'm sticking by that point because of the pressure he's under and his team showing no signs of improvement.

Wayne Rooney said on his podcast The Wayne Rooney Show that he doesn't recognise his former club and I completely agree with him because I have no idea what they are anymore.

Sunderland have made the best start of any newly-promoted team in a long time and they'll surely be feeling confident of getting a win from this game.

Regis Le Bris' side were a lot of people's favourites to go down during pre-season and he's proving those doubters wrong by making the Black Cats difficult to beat and competitive.

They have a clear identity in how they play unlike United and because of that, I'm backing the Black Cats to win this one.

PREDICTION: 0-1

CHELSEA V LIVERPOOL

Chelsea needed that win against Benfica in midweek to ease the pressure on Enzo Maresca not that there was on him in the first place.

His side may not have started the season as well as they hoped, but he's still done a decent enough job in winning the Europa Conference League and qualifying for the Champions League last season.

In this game they need to at keep 11 men on the pitch after having a man sent off in three of their last four games in all competitions including their league games against Man United and Brighton.

The results might've been different had they kept 11 men on the pitch in both of those games but we'll never know for sure.

The reaction to Liverpool's back-to-back defeats to Palace and Galatasaray was over the top in my opinion as they're still top of the league and those two games were the only games they've lost so far this season.

Their performances are worrying and especially defensively as they're looking all over the place at the moment in that department.

But I wouldn't say that they're in crisis unlike some people think as it's too early to say that about them and especially after losing just two games.

Both sides come into this game not in the best of form and with problems defensively.

But I think Liverpool will be the side that come out on top as Chelsea will again be without Cole Palmer who makes them a better team.

PREDICTION: 1-2

SUNDAY:

ASTON VILLA V BURNLEY

Villa finally got off the mark last weekend against Fulham where things actually clicked for them in the final third.

Emi Buendia's impact off the bench made a massive difference as he was the one who made their attack look more together as a team by being at the heart of everything Villa did going forward in the second half.

Burnley have lost every game on the road so far this season and were taught a harsh lesson about Premier League football last weekend against Man City.

They have in all fairness been given a tough run of away games to start the season with having played against Spurs and Man United on the road as well.

They'll make it difficult for Villa in this game as they're a competitive and well drilled side who are difficult to play against.

But I think Villa will find a way to win now they have some much needed confidence on board following their recent results.

PREDICTION: 2-0

EVERTON V CRYSTAL PALACE

Everton will probably be kicking themselves for not taking their chances against West Ham on Monday as they had a lot of them but didn't take them.

Their lack of a goal scorer doesn't really surprise me as they've lacked one for the last few seasons and I'd even say since Romelu Lukaku left.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin did have that one prolific season in the Ancelotti season but other than that, I don't think they've ever replaced Romelu Lukaku since he left.

Palace are absolutely flying at the moment and I even asked the question in my key points of the weekend post if they could do a Leicester.

They're carrying the momentum gained from the previous season like Leicester did when they won the league in 2016, but the only difference between the two is that Palace have the distraction of European football.

Oliver Glasner's side come into this game off the back of playing in the Europa Conference League on Thursday and this game could tell us if they have the depth to compete on both fronts.

They might feel a bit tired coming into this game as a result of them playing in Europe during the week and because of this and Everton having a strong home record so far but a lack of cutting edge in front of goal, I think the points will be shared.

PREDICTION: 1-1

NEWCASTLE V NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Scoring goals didn't seem to be a problem for Newcastle midweek after they put four past Union SG in the Champions League in midweek.

Goals have been hard to come by for the Magpies this season as they have scored the joint-lowest amount of goals in the league this season with four alongside Villa and Wolves.

They'll definitely get a lot of chances in this one because of how open Forest play and the gaps they're likely to leave in behind their defence.

Forest are still without a win under Ange Postecoglou and I'm not sure he's the right man for them as the players don't suit his style of play.

Under Nuno they were a side who would defend with what they had before hitting the opposition on the counter and they suit that way better than Ange's front footed style of play.

Both sides come into this game off the back of playing in during during the week and because of Forest having less time to prepare and still adjusting to Postecoglou's style of play, I'm backing Newcastle to win this one and comfortably.

PREDICTION: 3-0

WOLVES V BRIGHTON

Wolves got a well earned point last weekend against Spurs which should give them something to build on heading into this game.

They do have some winnable games coming up which will give them the opportunity to get more points on the board and climb up the the table and points are what they need right now.

Brighton got their first win on the road last weekend against Chelsea where they were helped out by Chelsea going down to ten men which turned the game on it's head.

The Seagulls have won this fixture in each of the last four seasons and I'm backing them to make it five straight wins in this one as they're in better form and will have enough quality in them to come away with the points.

PREDICTION: 0-2

BRENTFORD V MAN CITY

Brentford were outstanding against Man United last weekend and it's about time we give Keith Andrews some credit for the job he's done so far.

A lot of people tipped Brentford to struggle at the start of the season after losing some of their best players as well as manager Thomas Frank, but Andrews has come in and is getting a tune out of the players he has at his disposal.

He's also kept up the Bees' strong record at home as all their points so far have come from their games at home including their win at United last weekend and their draw with Chelsea a few weeks ago.

Man City have shown glimpses of their old selves in recent games but there are still questions hanging over them in defence and in centre midfield.

Rodri has suffered another set back in his return to full fitness after such a long time out and although they are unbeaten in their last six games, two of those games were draws where they conceded late goals including their game against Monaco in midweek.

But on the plus side, it's good to see Phil Foden back to his best and I knew he would be after impressing during the Club World Cup in the summer.

But despite his return to form, he was left out of Thomas Tuchel's latest England squad and he'll no doubt want to put in a good performance in this game to show Tuchel why he shouldn't have left him out.

Brentford won't make it easy for City in this one and especially as they're at home where they have a good record.

But with Foden and Erling Haaland in top form, I think City will find a way to win the game.

PREDICTION: 1-2