Alan Smith’s Expert Analysis: Premier League GW11 Predictions & Analysis

City’s Title Challenge

I definitely think they’re capable of going on a good run. They are kind of gearing up a bit now, aren’t they? Obviously Haaland, they’ve been dependent on his goals. But the players behind him now – Foden the other night was excellent in the Champions League and at the weekend.

Doku is playing better than he ever has in a City shirt. Cherki played well at the weekend. So you can feel them really getting to grips with the challenge. At the other end, they tend to give away more opportunities to the opposition than maybe they used to. They’re a big threat, I think. Big threat.

Liverpool’s Midweek Victory

It wasn’t just a win, it was fairly comfortable, wasn’t it? Real Madrid hardly created a chance, which is some going. So I think defensively, Van Dijk and Co will be pleased about that because they’ve been leaky up until now.

They’ll want to kick on. If they end up losing to City, they’re not back to square one, but they’re taking one step forward and two steps back. Arne Slot will be looking at that and hoping that now they can become themselves a little bit more.

Title Race Implications

If City were to win 3-0 then you’re looking at Liverpool thinking, have you got it in you this year? So, possibly. It could be a very tight game, 1-0, 2-1, whatever, and then you can’t really draw any form conclusions. But if one of them has a comprehensive win, then you start to draw conclusions a bit more.

Prediction

I think it’ll be a good one. With Liverpool feeling a bit more confident, I think it might be 2-2.

Manchester City 2 – 2 Liverpool

Arsenal’s January Transfer Plans

They’ve done all the work now, I think, in terms of getting cover in every position. They’ve had so many injuries to attacking players, and still, they’re able to get by. Mikel Merino chips in with a couple of goals midweek.

So, never mind about wanting to get people in – probably financially, PSR, they wouldn’t be able to. I would imagine they’d spent all the cash. I don’t see them having to do much business at all in January.

Granit Xhaka’s Impact

He’s looking like an inspired signing. He looks like he’s enjoying his football. You saw that on Monday night. For a time, he was on the wrong side of the Arsenal supporters, and we won’t forget when he got booed off when he got substituted in that game six years ago under Unai Emery. But that was the low point for him, then he came back and he won the fans back and left on really good terms.

They appreciated him. So he had a dip, but Arsenal fans know that he’s a very good player.

Prediction

I just don’t think Sunderland will have enough against the Arsenal defence. 2-0 to the visitors.

Sunderland 0 – 2 Arsenal

Man Utd Front Three

They’ve bought Šeško for 60-plus million, and you want him at the focal point of your attack. Because Mbeumo doesn’t quite give you that, and Cunha doesn’t. So, I would imagine Thomas Frank would want to have a go at United and United likewise. Because Spurs have obviously got this dreadful home record, and United will be well aware of that.

So, perhaps he will play Šeško and have Mbeumo and Cunha behind, which is – if Šeško’s doing it, that’s going to be a really good attack.

Manchester United’s Depth

Well, they’re not short on cover in terms of the names. Mainoo obviously has dropped a long way from where he was in terms of the manager’s thinking. Ugarte has not been inspiring, I don’t think, his time at United recently. I’d love to see Kobbie Mainoo get back in there and show us his ability because he’s got plenty of it.

So you’d want to keep him involved. Casemiro’s got a couple of goals lately, and Bruno Fernandes is as consistent as you like. They’ve got choices, so they’re not short in that area.

Prediction

I’m going to go 1-1.

Tottenham 1 – 1 Manchester United

Anthony Gordon’s Form

It’s a strange one because he’s got competition for his place now, hasn’t he? Obviously, Harvey Barnes is there, Anthony Elanga’s come in, Elanga prefers it probably on the right, but he can do it on the left. Jacob Ramsey could do it on that side.

I don’t see it as a major problem. I think he’ll be okay, but beforehand he was kind of – if he’s fit, he plays. Maybe Eddie Howe is not thinking that way these days, which for any manager is a good thing. So Anthony Gordon’s got to get back to that position where he becomes the first choice.

Pressure on Eddie Howe

I think if they’re mid-table at Christmas, then you’re thinking, where are we going here? I don’t think they will be. I think they’ve got more than enough to get better results, climb up the table. Obviously, they’ve got to address that away form, which is really poor.

At the moment, I think Eddie Howe’s stock is high. They’re in the Champions League, but they’ve spent money. They’ve got to climb the table fairly quickly.

Wissa Return

He’s obviously a lot different to Woltemade, which is good for a manager. You’ve got that contrast in styles, and he’s somebody who’s going to run behind. He’s pacey. So they’ll be glad to have him – spent a fair bit of money to get him.

So it’ll be interesting, going forward, whether he uses them both together, Wissa and Woltemade, because Wissa can play on one of the flanks as well. So that’s another choice, isn’t it? Woltemade has done ever so well, so Wissa for the short term will be used off the bench, I would imagine.

Aaron Ramsdale Situation

Pope’s having a bit of a shaky time, isn’t he? He let that goal in at the near post at West Ham, and it’s not like him. You’d expect him to come back, bounce back. Pope’s still ahead of Ramsdale.

I do feel sorry for Aaron Ramsdale. He deserved better, with all due respect, than Southampton when he left Arsenal. He’s a better keeper than that, and now he finds himself as a number two. When he left Arsenal, there wasn’t really a club that needed a first-choice keeper, so that’s been unlucky on his part.

He’s still fairly young, so I think he’ll find a home. Whether it’s at Newcastle, I’m not so sure, but I’m sure he’d like to be first choice pretty soon.

Prediction

1-1.

Brentford 1 – 1 Newcastle

Top Five Predictions

I can name the top three. I think most people probably could, but then those other two positions – there’s so much competition there. You’re not entirely sure about Aston Villa, because I think they’re short up front.

Newcastle – are they going to mount a challenge? Chelsea have been up and down. So it might be one of those years where the likes of Bournemouth could squeeze in. They’re such a good team, if they can keep it going. It’d be a brilliant story if they could. Nottingham Forest last season nearly went the distance, didn’t they?

So, after Arsenal, City and Liverpool, I would go Newcastle and Chelsea.

Prediction

2-2.

Aston Villa 2 – 2 Bournemouth

Burnley’s Relegation Battle

I wondered about West Ham, whether they’d be able to pick things up. And of course it’s only one win against Newcastle, but I do think they’ve got enough to just clamber out of that danger zone.

That obviously makes life difficult for the likes of Burnley and Forest. Likewise, the way they played against Man United last week shows you that Sean Dyche has got enough there not to see his team relegated.

So Burnley realise that they’ve got to try and pick up as many points as possible but it’s not going to be easy.

Prediction

2-1 to West Ham.

West Ham 2 – 1 Burnley

Relegation Predictions

I think Wolves will go. They’re eight points adrift, haven’t got a manager. Don’t think that squad is good enough to win the points that they need now. And I think Leeds and Burnley will join them.

Leeds’ Away Form

Away from home, they’ve really struggled to score. Four goalless matches, four blanks. They’ve got to find a way of being more potent going forward. I don’t think defensively that they are good enough to sit there and keep Forest out.

So they’ve got to try and find a goal or two from somewhere. It’s a good chance for Dyche, isn’t it, against Leeds in the early stages of his managerial career at Forest. A really good chance for three points.

Prediction

I’m going to go 3-0 to Forest.

Nottingham Forest 3 – 0 Leeds

Chelsea vs Wolves

Chelsea, as I said, up and down, but had that shock home defeat to Sunderland. I think they’ll be fine here against a Wolves team that’s rudderless at the moment. 3-1 to Chelsea.

Chelsea 3 – 1 Wolves

Crystal Palace vs Brighton

Always a difficult one this, but I think it’ll be close. I think it’ll be 1-1.

Crystal Palace 1 – 1 Brighton

Everton vs Fulham

Everton looked really flat in the second half at Sunderland on Monday, but N’Diaye – they’ve got a bit of brilliance from him. Fulham are fairly poor away from home, but I think they’ve got enough to get a 1-1 draw.

Everton 1 – 1 Fulham