Premier League Predictions: Matchweek 9

SATURDAY:

CHELSEA V MAN UNITED

Chelsea will have Cole Palmer back for this game after being suspended for their Carabao Cup exit to Liverpool in midweek following his red card against Spurs.

But they will still be without Joao Pedro who is out for another month and his absence will give Danny Welbeck the chance to lead the attack agaiunst his former club.

Welbeck himself will surely want to start not just because he'll want to play against his former club, but because he'll want to prove a point to his manager after being left out of the starting line up against Spurs, which was a decision that backfired as the blues struggled without a focal point up top.

Michael Carrick was given a stay of execution by the Man United hierarchy after many people were expecting him to lose his job.

His side have a tough run of games coming up including this one which could decide his fate depending on much they lose by and on how poorly they play.

I said after the Bournemouth game that he's on thin ice and I can see that ice beginning to crack in this game because I'm backing Chelsea to come out on top here.

I can see them win this game fairly comfortably because of the quality they have in attack and United having literally no confindeice on board.

PREDICTION: 3-1

BOURNEMOUTH V LEEDS

Things are finally coming together for Bournemouth under Marco Rose following four wins in a row in all competitions which came off the back of a slow start to the season.

I was beginning to worry for them earlier in the season when they weren't winning games, but now they have momentum and are side full of confidence due to the form they're in.

Leeds had James Trafford to thank for against Sunderland last weekend as his saves were what kept them in the game.

Daniel Farke's side have been draw specialists this season as they have the joint most draws in the league this season with four of them coming in their last seven games.

Bournemouth may be a side turning a corner at the moment, but I think Leeds will nick yet another draw in this one because they're a resilient side who fight for every point.

PREDICTION: 1-1

BRENTFORD V NOTTINGHAM FOREST

Brentford will have been kicking themselves for not taking their chances against Sunderland in midweek and especially early on as they had a host of good opportunities that they weren't able to take.

Taking chances has been Forest's achilles heal this season and especially in recent games as they've created more than enough chances but they haven't been able to take them.

Because of Forest being wasteful in front of goal, I've got to back Brentford here and especially as they're at home.

They did waste a lot of chances in midweek and have picked up a lot of draws this season, but they are strong at home and it's for that reason I can see them coming away with the win here.

PREDICTION: 2-0

COVENTRY V SUNDERLAND

It might still be very early in the season, but you could call this game a relegation six-pointer as both teams currently occupy the bottom two positions in the table.

Coventry appeared to be looking up not that ago but back-to-back defeats off the back of those two straight wins they picked up have pulled them back into the thick of it.

Sunderland picked up a much needed point against Leeds last weekend which will give them something ot build on heading into this game.

I'm not expecting there to be many goals in this one because both teams have the joint lowest amount of goals in the league this season along with Forest.

But I do see there being a winner though and I think Coventry will be the side that wins it because they're at home and Sunderland aren't as good away.

PREDICTION: 1-0

HULL V IPSWICH

Both teams were heavily tipped for relegation at the start of the season but have so far done a lot better than most people thougth they would.

Hull were written off by pretty much everyone during pre season and have proven their doubters wrong ever since by being competitive and tough to beat.

Ipswich have also been competitive and tough to beat this season and doing so has given them a better chance of staying up than they had last time.

Gary O'Neil's side did the double over the Tigers in the Championship last season and they'll be feeling confident of doing the same again this season.

But as Hull are unbeaten at home where they make it difficult for teams, I fancy them to edge this one and get their first win since August.

PREDICTION: 1-0

MAN CITY V BRIGHTON

These two sides played out an entertaining game in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday and the neutrals will be hoping for another kind of game in this one.

City needed penalties to win the Carabao Cup tie in midweek where they made wholesale changes which was something new as we've been used to them fielding strong teams in cup games.

Erling Haaland was surprisingly one of the players who was rested and they should have him back up top for this one because of him being rested.

Brighton also made a lot of changes for the cup game in midweek but still fielded a relatively strong team and gave City a good game.

Their approach for this one will be the same as it was in midweek because they play that way most weeks but they'll be up against a stronger City side in this one as they'll be bringing back all the players they rested.

Because City will have Haaland back to lead their attack, I think they'll be the side that will come out on top here.

I still think both teams will play out another entertaining game like they did in midweek, but I think City having Haaland back will be difference here.

PREDICTION: 3-2

TOTTENHAM V CRYSTAL PALACE

Spurs might be starting to turn a corner following back-to-back wins against Coventry and Chelsea which will do their confidence the world of good.

Their performances before those wins were showing some encouraging signs but they just weren't able to get the results they deserved.

It now looks like they're getting both and things finally appear to be looking up for them.

Palace got a much needed win against Fulham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday where they also kept a rare clean sheet.

Clean sheets have been hard to come by in the Premier League this season because they've looked vulnerable defensively all season.

Despite them getting the win in midweek, the pressure is still on Pierre Sage who is yet to convince since taking over in the summer.

I can only see the pressure on him increase here as I'm backing Spurs to win this game and comfortably because of how easy Palace are to play against.

PREDICTION: 3-1

ASTON VILLA V FULHAM

Villa have certainly turned a corner over the past month following three wins from their last four games off the back of another slow start.

Their good form has coincided with their new signings settling in including Nicolas Jackson, whose recent form has been key to their upturn in form.

Fulham also appear to be turning corner following back-to-back wins over Hull and Coventry which have moved them out of the relegation zone.

Both games were ones they needed to win given that they were againast newly promoted teams and fellow potential relegation rivals and winning both will give them a great deal of confidence moving forward.

Because of Villa being in the form they're in, I have to back them here and I'm backing Nicolas Jackson to bag yet another goal with the form he;s in right now.

PREDICTION: 3-1

SUNDAY:

LIVERPOOL V ARSENAL

Liverpool are beginning to look like an Andoni Iraola team as they're playing more on the front foot and at a higher intensity.

This was evident against Brighton as they started the game on the front foot and pressed the Seagulls high up the pitch.

Getting that first home win of the season was crucial for both the reds and Iraola and hopefully it will give them the confidence to turn Anfield into a fortress again.

Arsenal paid the price for making wholesale changes against Fleetwood in the Carabao Cup in midweek but I can understand why they did it because they wanted to rest their big hitters ahead of this one.

The Gunners have a poor record at Anfield with their last win there coming all the way back in 2012 and they will no doubt want to put an end to that hoodoo in this one.

Had this game taken place a few weeks ago I probably would've gone for an Arsenal win as Liverpool were yet to get going.

But with Liverpool beginning to show signs of improvement, I think they can get something here and especially as they're at home.

But I also think Arsenal will get something as they're strong defensively which should be enough for them to earn at least a point.

PREDICTION: 1-1

MONDAY:

NEWCASTLE V EVERTON

These two sides met in the Carabao Cup last night at the Hill Dickinson Stadium which Everton went on to win 3-1 despite the game being closer than the scoreline suggested.

Newcastle had some decent chances in the game last night and ended up having the most shots. But they weren't able to take their chances and Everton puinshed them for it.

The Magpies have lost both of their games on a Monday this season and both 4-1 to Leeds and Coventry respectively.

If they lose this one, I'm going to post a GIF on X of Puss in Boots saying the line "I hate Mondays" from Shrek 2.

Everton left Jack Grealish out of their squad for the game last night due to a disciplinary issue and it will be interesting to see if he's brought back into the team for this one.

His absence didn't effect them one bit as they won the game and they deserved to as they were more clinical and were the better team despite having fewer shots.

Whether Grealish plays or not, I still see the outcome of this game being the same as the one in midweek because Newcastle are very open defensively and I can see Everton exploit this weakness because they're a dangerous team on the counter attack.

PREDICTION: 1-2