Chris Sutton‘s Premier League score predictions for this weekend have been revealed and as always he’s joined by a guest.
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.
For this week, he takes on Bath and England rugby player Ollie Lawrence, who supports Chelsea. AI predictions are also generated using Microsoft Copilot Chat.
TOTTENHAM v MAN UTD
It’s hard to know how to view Tottenham at the moment, especially at home where they have been pretty underwhelming in the Premier League so far.
Spurs have taken only one point from their past four league games in their own stadium since beating Burnley on the opening weekend of the season, including last week’s defeat by Chelsea when a couple of their players gave Thomas Frank the cold shoulder afterwards.
They did beat Copenhagen comfortably there in the Champions League on Tuesday, but it is still hard to make a case for them to overcome Manchester United because I am not really sure where their goals are going to come from.
Mind you, I am still not convinced by United either. There is no doubt they have shown strong signs of improvement but I still don’t fully trust them to turn up, especially on the road.
Tottenham beat United four times last season, including in the Europa League final. This time? If I had to pick a winner I would actually back United, but I don’t – so I am going for a draw.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
Ollie’s prediction: Spurs will take this one. 3-1
AI’s prediction: 2-2
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EVERTON v FULHAM
Everton were superb in the first half hour against Sunderland and, had Thierno Barry not ballooned his shot over the bar from close range at 1-0, they would have gone on to win that game.
Instead it was another reminder they are missing a top-class centre-forward. I feel sorry for Toffees boss David Moyes because Beto has also missed so many wonderful opportunities that his side have created this season.
Fulham’s win over bottom side Wolves last week ended a run of four straight league defeats but it’s hard to really gauge their form off that – it was only Wolves they beat.
That makes this a really tough game to predict. I don’t think there are going to be loads of goals in it, and I can see it ending up in another draw.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
Ollie’s prediction: Everton have been playing quite well, but Fulham are a good team. 2-2
AI’s prediction: 1-1
WEST HAM v BURNLEY
If they rock up and play in the manner they did when they beat Newcastle here last week then there is only one winner, but will we see Nuno Espirito Santo’s side play with that same intensity?
I thought Freddie Potts did well on his first senior start against the Magpies, Lucas Paqueta was at his mercurial best and Jarrod Bowen impressed me with his strong running.
But the problem here is that this is exactly the kind of game where you expect West Ham to win, and they will mess it up.
Burnley are awkward opponents and they have got a bit about them. They are nothing like the open and expansive side under Vincent Kompany a few years back.
There was a softness about that Clarets side, which simply isn’t there any more.
So, West Ham are going to have to work hard to win this and maybe Callum Wilson holds the key.
He was a nuisance for the Hammers last time out. It meant Bowen did not have to carry the team, and Wilson could make the difference this time too.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
Ollie’s prediction: West Ham to edge it. 1-0
AI’s prediction: 2-0
SUNDERLAND v ARSENAL
Sunderland improved a lot as their game went on against Everton, but they got a real good going-over in the early stages.
They cannot afford to start like that against Arsenal, who have superior players and are such a threat from set-pieces too.
The Gunners don’t have to play well to win, they just grind away until they find a way through.
Mikel Arteta’s side weren’t pretty when they beat Slavia Prague in the Champions League but they don’t care, and why should they?
Some of the football they play might get people asking whether that is the way you’d want to win a title, but do you think the Arsenal players will be bothered when they are popping open the champagne?
It is about knowing how to do it, not how you do it.
There is a lot of the old ‘1-0 to the Arsenal’ in this current Gunners team, although I do expect them to take more goals off other teams at times.
It is at the back where they are so strong.
Can Sunderland cause them problems? Absolutely, but I think this latest Arsenal win will come off the back of another Arsenal clean sheet.
Sutton’s prediction: 0-2
Ollie’s prediction: This should be quite comfortable for Arsenal. 0-3
AI’s prediction: 0-3
CHELSEA v WOLVES
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said after Wednesday’s draw with Qarabag that he is rotating his team so much because the Club World Cup is taking its toll on his squad.
That must be a factor in their inconsistency, but I don’t think it will matter here because Wolves have been such a rabble recently.
He has gone now but after last weekend’s 3-0 defeat by Fulham, their former boss Vitor Pereira said that technically, tactically and physically they were not at the required level, and I don’t expect anything to change at Stamford Bridge.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-0
Ollie on Chelsea’s prospects: Hopefully we are making a turn for the better now. We just need to be a bit more consistent, so having a few defenders stay fit would be great and getting Cole Palmer back from injury would definitely help too.
Ollie’s prediction: I’d back us to win this, it is just whether we can keep a clean sheet. It’s either 3-1 or 3-0 so I am going to be confident and say we will keep them out. 3-0
AI’s prediction: 3-1
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ASTON VILLA v BOURNEMOUTH
Aston Villa were on a really good run until they lost at Liverpool last weekend, and they were quite unlucky at Anfield too.
Even so, I find it very difficult to write Bournemouth off in games like this. They can cause any team problems and I always feel like they will score.
I admire Villa boss Unai Emery for sticking to his guns tactically. He has his principles and even with people talking about teams having success by going direct this season, he hasn’t changed his approach.
That might have given Liverpool a bit of encouragement, however, and it may give Bournemouth some encouragement too.
Playing in the Europa League on Thursday won’t help Villa either, and that toll of games could catch up with them at some point.
The Cherries rescued a point with a 96th-minute goal in this fixture last season and I have a feeling it will end up all square this time too.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
Ollie’s prediction: Bournemouth are going to score because Antoine Semenyo is on fire, but I am going with Villa to win. 2-1
AI’s prediction: 2-0
BRENTFORD v NEWCASTLE
I didn’t recognise Newcastle when I watched them lose at West Ham last weekend.
They were better when they beat Athletic Club at St James’ Park in the Champions League in midweek, but their away form – or lack of it – must be a concern for boss Eddie Howe.
They are still solid defensively most of the time but scoring goals seems a particular problem for them when they are on the road. I can see why from watching that West Ham game because they just did not work the goalkeeper enough.
The way Brentford play under Keith Andrews, he is happy to set them up to play on the counter-attack even when they are at home, and I can see Newcastle struggling to break them down too.
I know I have gone for a few draws already this week, but this game smells of another one to me.
Sutton’s prediction: 0-0
Ollie’s prediction: This will end up in a draw. 1-1
AI’s prediction: 1-3
CRYSTAL PALACE v BRIGHTON
The M23 derby is one of my favourite games.
Crystal Palace won it home and away last season but it’s so hard to call this time.
The two teams are next to each other in mid-table, with Palace ninth, one place above Brighton.
Both teams won comfortably last week too, but Palace have got the Uefa Conference League on Thursday and that is going to affect them.
Without Europe, I probably would have gone for the Eagles to win but the more I think about it, the more I think the Seagulls will get something.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
Ollie’s prediction: I am backing Brighton to nick this. 1-2
AI’s prediction: 1-2
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NOTTINGHAM FOREST v LEEDS
This is a big game for both teams because they could both really do with a positive result going into the international break.
Nottingham Forest nearly got over the line against Manchester United last week and they had a bit of spirit about the way they played, but Sean Dyche is still waiting for his first Premier League win with them and he will want to get that monkey off his back.
Leeds have done pretty well at Elland Road but, so far, the only time they have picked up any points or even scored a goal away from home was when they beat bottom side Wolves in September.
Their fragility on the road means this is a great opportunity for Forest, even though they play away in Europe on Thursday.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-0
Ollie’s prediction: Neither side is doing too well at the moment but I feel like Forest’s luck has to turn after last season. 1-0
AI’s prediction: 2-1
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MAN CITY v LIVERPOOL
Did Liverpool turn a corner with their great win over Real Madrid in midweek? Maybe, but this will show us where they are really at.
I feel like a lot of the time these two teams have cancelled each other out when they have met in recent years, but this time it feels like a game they both have to try to win – and it is City I am backing to come out on top.
The big call for all Fantasy Premier League managers is whether to triple-captain Erling Haaland. I am not going to do that, but I do think he will score – seriously, how can you go into any game at the moment and think he won’t?
Whoever wins this, I feel like both teams are fighting for second place anyway, because I don’t see anyone catching Arsenal now.
People sometimes get angry when I say things like that but I do think they will win the title from here and I have changed my prediction from before the season started, when I went for Liverpool.
I don’t often do that so early, but I don’t think Liverpool can win it any more – we’ve already seen in the first 10 games how, defensively, they are too vulnerable, and then you look at how good Arsenal are at the back.
It is a similar story with City. I feel they will need Rodri at his very best to push the Gunners, but his injury problems don’t appear to be over.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
Ollie’s prediction: I can see this being a game where City go 2-0 up, Liverpool get back into it and then City score another one at the end. 3-1
AI’s prediction: 2-2
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