Chris Sutton’s Premier League score predictions

Chris Sutton has revealed his Premier League score predictions ahead of this weekend’s round of fixtures.

The BBC pundit replaced Mark Lawrenson in trying to correctly pick the correct scores for every game against a variety of guests.

Nottingham born Chris Sutton played as a striker for the likes of Norwich, Blackburn, Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham, Aston Villa, Wroxham and England, before managing Lincoln City.

This week, he takes on takes on guitarist Johnny Marr, click HERE to see what they and AI predicted, or keep scrolling through this article to check out the scores Chris Sutton gone for…

BRENTFORD v CHELSEA

Chris Sutton said: Chelsea are free-scoring and their front-line is so dynamic – but they are leaking goals left, right and centre and they are a bit of a rabble at the back.

I do think Chelsea will stop conceding eventually, but finding the right balance between defence and attack is Xabi Alonso’s big problem at the moment because it is far too easy to create chances against his side.

Brentford boss Keith Andrews has got that balance in his team. They are very dangerous on the counter-attack, so you have to think they will hurt Chelsea too.

This fixture finished in a 2-2 draw in September last year, and I can see it going the same way this time.

Sutton’s prediction: 2-2

TOTTENHAM v ASTON VILLA

Chris Sutton said: Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi has this reputation of being a great coach, and we saw what a good job he did at Brighton.

But we have not seen any improvement from Spurs yet, despite the big money they have spent, and he is surely going to come under pressure soon if their poor results continue.

They are not the only ones to revamp their squad but if you listen to De Zerbi, after about five years they might come good.

He keeps saying they need time, but he has had long enough for their results to be much better already. Other clubs, like Hull and Ipswich, have brought plenty of players in and are doing well enough – so why aren’t Spurs?

I think De Zerbi has to come under scrutiny, but it is different with Unai Emery at Aston Villa.

They are also without a league win, but they look more likely to score goals, as they showed against Coventry in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

I am expecting Villa to improve the same way they did after not winning any of their first five games last season, and I can see them edging this.

Do I give Spurs their first league goal of the season? Yes, but only one. They are due a deflection, or Villa will score an own goal.

Something will go for them, but not the result.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-2

BRIGHTON v ARSENAL

Chris Sutton said: There might be a bit of an edge to this one after Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler had a pop at Arsenal over their time-wasting when they beat the Seagulls near the end of last season.

I love the way Brighton play and I was at Old Trafford to watch their comeback to beat Manchester United in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.

It doesn’t seem to matter who they are missing from their team, Brighton are just bold as brass with the way they press and get men forward.

Luka Vuskovic, who they got from Spurs for £46m in the summer, is only 19 but he strolled through the game against United. What a player he looks.

The issue I have with Brighton in this game, however, is that Arsenal are not Manchester United. They are a cut above that.

Arsenal are the real deal and I don’t see any weaknesses in their team, as their impressive win at Sunderland underlined. They are brave going forward, but they are also street-wise defensively and can see out a game when they have to, time-wasting or not.

They have that steel about them but I also think they could expose Brighton if Hurzeler’s side go toe-to-toe with them, which is what I am expecting.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-2

EVERTON v IPSWICH

Chris Sutton said: I nearly went for an Ipswich draw last week but changed my mind and went for Crystal Palace to win.

That meant I’d predicted Ipswich would lose their first four league games and they are joint-bottom of the table based on my predictions (see bottom of page).

Gary O’Neil’s side have obviously done much better than that in reality – I know Palace went down to 10 men last week but, even so, well done to the Tractor Boys for finding a way to win that game.

Fair play to them, I like the ambition the club’s owners have shown in the transfer market, and I really like the way O’Neil sets his team up. They are not just there to sit in in games, and they have got their reward.

I still fancy Everton to win this, though. They have made a great start to the season to stay unbeaten so far and, under David Moyes, they are a battle-hardened, resolute and well-organised outfit.

As a former Norwich striker I often get accused of being biased against Ipswich, but I am not being overly negative about them here.

I just see it being a tough afternoon for them, without getting a goal, and then a long trip home for Ipswich fans on the A14 – hopefully they don’t close any of the major roads on Saturday so it is not an even more miserable journey back for them.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-0

NEWCASTLE v HULL

Chris Sutton said: I can see this being a frustrating afternoon for Newcastle because they are going to come up against a Hull team who are brilliant at defending the box but are also brave with the way they throw people forward.

They are a threat from set-plays too but they have got the bit between their teeth and their whole attitude seems to be ‘attack the Premier League’ after getting promoted, which I really admire.

Along with Ipswich, Hull are the only other team I’ve predicted to lose all their games so far.

I am going to tip them not to lose this time… so you know what is probably going to happen. Apologies in advance to Tigers fans, because this happened with me and Sunderland last season.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-1

NOTTINGHAM FOREST v COVENTRY

Chris Sutton said: Coventry were served up a couple of shockers by getting Arsenal and Manchester City as their first two away fixtures and this trip is far from easy for them either.

In fact this is another stinker of a game for Sky Blues boss Frank Lampard, because they are still struggling while Oliver Glasner seems to be getting Nottingham Forest going after a slow burner of a start.

There is a strong chance that Coventry’s confidence has been sapped already so Lampard will be trying to rally the troops and give his players some belief that they can compete at this level.

That is going to be really difficult because they must be looking at the results of the other promoted teams and not just thinking ‘where is a win coming from for us?’ – but also ‘where is a point coming from?’, and ‘where is a goal coming from?’ too.

I don’t think they will get any of those things this week, because Forest are looking pretty solid.

Well done to Forest striker Liam Delap by the way, who got his first goal for them in last week’s win at Aston Villa.

He had a tough time at Chelsea, and I know what that is like, so it is great to see him off the mark for his new club.

By the way, Delap scored one league goal for Chelsea, same as me, but his price went up by £20m, from £30m to £50m.

My value went down by almost 50% when I left Stamford Bridge – from £10m to £6m – so what has gone on there?

Seriously, though, sometimes you need a change of scene to find your form again and Delap must be feeling a bit freer now he has his first Forest goal.

Sutton’s prediction: 2-0

BOURNEMOUTH v LIVERPOOL

Chris Sutton said: I am not convinced by Liverpool at all after covering them for Radio 5 Live last week – I thought Fulham were the better side in their 0-0 draw at Anfield.

Andoni Iraola’s side did not flow in the final third, certainly not in the way his Bournemouth team did last season.

I don’t think the Reds players are quite in sync with what Iraola is asking them to do in terms of their press either, and Fulham played through them with ease at times.

Marco Rose is an attacking manager so if Liverpool don’t buck their ideas up then Bournemouth are going to do the same, and Iraola could end up losing on his return to his former club.

The one thing in Iraola’s favour is that Bournemouth seem to be finding a way to draw games that they should win, so that is the result I am going with even though though I quite fancy the Cherries to take all three points.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-1

LEEDS v CRYSTAL PALACE

Chris Sutton said: I think I am in love with Leeds boss Daniel Farke. What a guy.

We were talking about him on the Monday Night Club before Leeds walloped Newcastle and only idiots question whether he is the right man to move the club forward now.

To see them beat Newcastle, and how emphatically they did it, was massive and more proof of their progress.

In contrast, Crystal Palace are almost on the precipice after their shaky start under new manager Pierre Sage, and I just don’t see the Eagles getting anything here.

Leeds are so well organised at the back with new goalkeeper James Trafford, who is an upgrade on last season, and and a new centre-half I like too, in Tarik Muharemovic.

Apart from me, no-one else could say Muharemovic’s name on the Monday Night Club, not even the posh Rory Smith, which I quite enjoyed.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is flying up front, as well. He is fit, motivated and a real handful, which is another reason I can’t see past a Leeds victory.

Sutton’s prediction: 2-0

MAN CITY v SUNDERLAND

Chris Sutton said: Sunderland are a really good team and, on their day, they are more than a match for anyone.

The Black Cats are strong and robust, and when they get after teams and press you then they are phenomenal.

All of that makes me think this is a really hard game for Manchester City.

Their derby victory was a brilliant win and Maresca’s biggest result as their manager so far, with the way they did it.

Iliman Ndiaye showed what a good signing he is when he came on for Rayan Cherki in the second half at Old Trafford, in terms of offering a different profile.

Cherki’s more of an inside forward, as a number 10 or playing narrow, and he’s a guy where you think you couldn’t get the ball off him in a telephone box.

Ndiaye, though, will do more work going back and is also more of a ball carrier, so he was exactly what City needed when they went a man down.

United can feel hard done by because City’s winner should have been disallowed, but City were the better team with 10 men.

This will be a very different task for Maresca’s men, with the emphasis on them breaking down the Black Cats, but I don’t feel it will just be one-way traffic.

I still think City will find a way though, and they need to for the sake of the title race. They already seem to be the only team capable of keeping pace with Arsenal.

Sutton’s prediction: 2-1

FULHAM v MAN UTD

Chris Sutton said: Watching Fulham draw at Anfield last weekend changed my view on them.

I had not seen Alvaro Arbeloa’s side over 90 minutes before and, while their other results were poor, this time they were excellent.

They cut through Liverpool and had some nice patterns of play, but also defended well too. Arbeloa said afterwards that they played with more balance and I think that is a good way to describe their display.

Then I went to Manchester United’s defeat by Brighton in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, and their performance was very poor.

Carrick really needs a response with a win here to take into the international break but how can I give United a chance, after the way the Seagulls absolutely dismantled them?

Three times in the past four seasons, United have gone to Craven Cottage and nicked the win late on, but I can’t make a case for that happening.

As well as having problems up front, United are struggling defensively and I can see Fulham creating plenty of opportunities against them too.

Sutton’s prediction: 2-2

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