This week sees the start of week ten of the Premier League fixtures. Technically after these games played we will have completed a quarter of the season and the table starts to take shape.
I have been looking at my predictions compared to that of the professionals over in England. Paul Merson predicts for Sky Sports and Mark Lawrenson predicts for the BBC website. Both provide analysis for their various employers and both are ex footballers. Merson for Arsenal and Lawrenson played for Liverpool.
Not to blow my own trumpet but if we were to use the BBC’s rules of 3pts for a correct score (eg 2-1 prediction ending 2-1 to the correct team) and 1pt for a correct result (eg same 2-1 prediction but finishing 1-0, 3-1 etc). Going into week 10, I am only three points behind Sky Sports and thirteen behind Lawrenson. From now on I will update the prediction results table at various times. To the games now and with one eye on European games midweek here we go for week ten.
SATURDAY:
All kick off times are 3pm BST/ 11am ET unless stated
Newcastle v Chelsea (12:45 BST/ 8:45 ET)
Newcastle were eliminated from the Capital One cup midweek and lost the Tyne-Wear derby last weekend. Against City midweek they played quite well but were let down in the final third with poor finishing.
Meanwhile Chelsea put out a somewhat reserve squad for their game against Arsenal, still had eleven internationals on the field and got the win. For that reason I think Chelsea will win this game, although I do not think Newcastle will make it easy for them.
Prediction: 1-3
Fulham v Manchester United:
Both bosses are under pressure but for different reasons. If Fulham were in Manchester United’s current League position then I doubt Fulham fans would be anything but happy. Two points above the relegation zone and having only scored nine goals is simply not good enough for a team with the players Fulham have.
Meanwhile the United situation is more frustrating to their fans, not only because they are already eight points behind the top spot but more in the manner of the play on the field. Make no mistake how big the come from behind win was last week against Stoke City. Had that stayed at 2-1 to the home side I think combined with the letting go of a win late on against Southampton and the defeat by West Brom then United could have found themselves as low as tenth. The Moyes style of football seems to be on the cautious side where you feel the United players are more used to being let off the leash. Trust needs to be established between the players and new Manager, he needs to trust them to play their game and they need to trust him because he is a different style to Fergie.
Prediction: 1-1
Hull v Sunderland:
Steve Bruce is stirring it up before the game against his old club, stating that it was ‘probably a mistake’ to take the Sunderland job back in 2009. He is also in trouble after comments he made about the penalty given to Tottenham last weekend in the League then losing out on penalties to the same side in the Capital One Cup.
Hull are looking good though and you cannot argue with their current tenth position. It will certainly not be easy though after the visitors on a high with a massive result against local rivals Newcastle.
Gus Poyet did well to get the win against Newcastle, get the first win in the League and move them closer to the teams above them. The question is can they continue that intensity for the next few games and get more points together or was lat weekends game just a one off.
Prediction: 2-1
Manchester City v Norwich City:
Manchester City have been really inconsistent to say the least this season and find themselves six points away from the top spot and have already racked up a number of embarrassing mistakes and results. A rush of blood to the beautifully shampooed head of Joe Hart gave Chelsea all three points rather than sharing one each.
Will Pellegrini go with his head or Hart for Saturdays game? The question is still up in the air but with his midweeks performance and previous cup appearances I hope Big Pants gets his Premiership debut.
As for the visitors the problems are a little more dire. Heavy investments were made pre season with the expectation was on an improvement on their mid table finish last season. Although it has to be said that after nine games last season Norwich only had 7 points, so technically the eight they have now is an improvement. Not sure anyone else sees it that way.
Prediction: 4-0
Stoke v Southampton:
For the last few weeks we have been talking about Mark Hughes 100th Premiership victory. Well this weekend we could see that happen this weekend, or maybe not. It would have been fantastic had the ex United hero’s team held on last weekend at Old Trafford, but wasn’t meant to be. Stoke have been poor this season so far with only two wins and the way Southampton are going it may not increase this weekend.
Southampton also made the investment in the side the same as Norwich but have ten points more than the Norfolk side. Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert are doing well and in Pochettino they have a manager who seems to know what he wants and how to get it.
Prediction: 2-1
West Brom v Crystal Palace:
The Baggies have started to pick up results since their poor start although they did lose out to Liverpool last weekend. With the visitors they face on Saturday I don’t think you can see anything but a home win.
With Crystal Palace in mind it worries me that Holloway walked away and they currently have no manager. I am not sure Tony Pulis would be the best option for the side but at the moment it seems to be between him and Chris Coleman. Although Coleman is currently the Welsh National team coach he is an ex Palace player who was there from 1991-95 and so knows the fans and the club.
Prediction: 2-0
West Ham v Aston Villa:
Will this one be a great, high scoring Premier League classic?? Well these sides have only scored a combined seventeen goals all season so far. Six of Villa’s came in two games against Arsenal and Manchester City and three of West Hams came against Spurs a few weeks back.
Being the away side will probably suit Villa more than being the home team will suit West Ham. Villa are better when they are away from home and with home fans expecting West Ham to go for it from the off I think you have to give the advantage to the visitors.
Prediction: 1-2
Arsenal v Liverpool (Kick Off 5:30pm BST/1:30 ET)
Top against third in this match which sees two Title contenders have at it. Arsene Wenger would be looking for a reaction to his sides defeat in the Capital One Cup midweek to Chelsea. This game is really tough for me to call and smart money would go for a tie.
Suarez and Sturridge are on fire and if they both play should thrive on the potential open style of Arsenal. Arsenal will be looking for their first win at home to Liverpool in the league since the 1-0 exactly 37 months ago.
Last season was a 2-2 tie but I think there will be a victor this time around. I will put my neck on the line and go for an Arsenal win. Key will be how Suarez reacts going to the side he was rumored to be more than slightly interested in during the early part of the season.
Prediction: 2-1
SUNDAY
Everton v Tottenham: (Kick Off 13:30 BST/ 8:30 ET)
What a difference Martinez has made at Everton. Only a point away from the top four and the side looks as if they are playing with more confidence and maybe more importantly, more enjoyment under Roberto.
This will be one of the real tests though and, having already failed at Manchester City, Martinez will be looking to exploit Tottenham’s fatigue inducing extra time and penalty exploits at Goodison Park on Sunday.
Spurs were lucky last weekend with the referee awarding them the three points after giving them a penalty that never should have been. That was one of many winning penalties awarded so far this season. Hull, Swansea and Palace were all 1-0 wins for Tottenham and all thanks to penalties. Does this potentially put Spurs in a false position? Only time will tell I guess.
Prediction: 2-1
Cardiff v Swansea: (16:00 BST/ 11am ET)
Historical this game is, two Welsh teams playing each other in the English Premiership. There is a big rivalry between the sides but hopefully the Monday papers carry the news on the back pages and not the front pages.
Two points separate the sides going into the game to this first meeting in the top flight with Cardiff having the upper hand in the clashes over the years with thirteen wins to the Swansea five although overall Swansea wins number 26 to Cardiff’s 21.
The first meeting was in th old Second Division back on the 5th October, 1929. The score was 0-0 but Sundays game is a month too late to celebrate, to the day, the 84 year history of the fixture.
Probably a more significant story though would be the fixture which took place on the 2nd November 1997, held in Cardiff, which ended in a 1-0 Swansea win.
At that point both sides were in the fourth tier of English football, and not the right half either. Swansea were in 21st position and Cardiff in 17th at the start of the game with Swansea closing the gap on their Welsh rivals but neither really went on to anything that season, both finished on 50 points in 20th and 21st position.
The fact they have both come from that low of a position and are now playing each other in the top flight in sixteen years is certainly something to celebrate.
Prediction: 1-1
