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There’s a lot going on off the pitch this week, with the Friedkin Group looking to sell Everton after less than two years and the mood at Old Trafford getting worse by the game. Manchester United’s trip to Elland Road has the makings of a difficult afternoon, while at the other end of the scale Coventry are off the mark and Hull are making themselves a nuisance.
I’ve been through the full round of fixtures with a prediction for every one.
Everton vs Chelsea
Prediction
Everton–Chelsea, I’m going to go 3-1 to Chelsea. Great win against Bournemouth, so I’m going 3-1 to the visitors.
Leeds vs Man United
Leeds Will Still Be Buoyant, and That’s a Real Test for United
They’ve been in good form, Leeds and probably go into this as favourites. Obviously they lost at Arsenal, but for a good hour they played well and made it difficult for the champions. So in front of their fans again, they’ll still be buoyant. So that’s going to be a real test for Manchester United.
Carrick Has Three Away Games Coming, and United Have to Scrap
I’m sure the Leeds fans would love to be the reason another Utd manager got sacked. Whether it’s a bit early for talking about Carrick getting the tin tack, I don’t know. They’ve got Como away next week, midweek as well. So that’s three away games on the trot. But they’re going to have to be prepared for a battle. Carrick will know that. He’ll try and get the message across to his players. And if they don’t scrap, they could be on the end of another defeat. So yeah, they’ve got to be up for it.
Prediction
I think it might just be a draw, 1-1.
Nottingham Forest vs Arsenal
It Won’t Be Long Before We See the Rice–Guimarães Partnership
Bruno G has been bought for big money, and you’d assume that long term he’s going to be as close to first choice as you can get it in today’s game. Arteta’s just bedding him in, it looks like, doesn’t it? He played him last night from the start, but he’s been coming off the bench and doing really well, as he did against Leeds. But it won’t be too long until we see that Rice – Guimarães partnership developing.
Prediction
Forest–Arsenal, I’m going to go 1-0 to Arsenal.
Spurs vs Coventry
Prediction
Well, Spurs are looking better, with a better team, against Manchester United. I think they’ll get the first win, 2-1 to Spurs.
Bournemouth vs Sunderland
Prediction
Yeah, Bournemouth got a whacking off Chelsea, didn’t they, but I think they’re going to bounce back. 3-1 to Bournemouth.
Brighton vs Crystal Palace
Verbruggen Is One of the Top Keepers
Verbruggen has certainly got that consistency to his game. And this season especially, with the way Brighton have started, he’s getting good protection from that defence, from that team as a whole. So he’ll always be appreciative of that. So yeah, he’s one of the top keepers in the league. He’ll be attracting interest from other clubs. Brighton are brilliant at recruiting and selling at a vast profit, but as things stand now, I wouldn’t imagine they’d want to lose him.
Prediction
Palace are going to find it hard this season. I’m going 2-0 to Brighton.
Brentford vs Liverpool
Those Yellows for Gravenberch Drive Me Mad
The bookings were harsh. I think if the ref looks back on it, he’ll think, oh, maybe I made a mistake. The first one especially. It does drive me mad, really, when you see refs producing the yellow for these kinds of taps. The game’s so quick these days, you can be a microsecond out. Just give a foul. Don’t always think you’ve got to produce the yellow. And that left him in a bit of a corner for the second, but he didn’t have to book him, because it’s always a higher bar for the second yellow. So that was a shame for Gravenberch and Liverpool.
Liverpool Overpaid for Barcola but We Shouldn’t Rush to Judgement
I think we do judge earlier and earlier these days. The thing is, he’s been bought for big, big money. I think Liverpool overpaid for Barcola. People in France were quite amazed about the money that they splashed on him. But he’s a talented boy, still young. He can play in a few positions. So we shouldn’t rush to judgment too quickly. And Rio Ngumoha, he’s only 18, and he’s still developing. So it’s not like you’re hurting his career. He’ll still get his minutes.
Prediction
Quite a good game, this. I’m going to go 2-2.
Fulham vs Hull
Hull Are Making It Awkward and Fair Play to Them
I think Hull are making it awkward for the opposition, and they’ve got to do that, haven’t they? They’ve got to try and close the gap in quality and class, and they’re doing that pretty well at the moment. So fair play to them. None of us expected them to stay up, I don’t think, and they might not stay up. But they’re having to put their foot in, and with that comes the odd booking. The manager will want to keep it going.
Prediction
Fulham–Hull. I think Fulham might go down this year, the way they’re playing. They badly need a result. I might go for 0-0 for this one.
Newcastle vs Aston Villa
The Way Newcastle Collapsed at Coventry Will Worry Jaissle
They should be concerned about the number of goals conceded. To concede four against Coventry in the manner they did the other night, that would hurt them and worry the manager. At 2-1 it looked like they were going to go on and get the equaliser and win it, and then it just flipped, and they lost heavily. So the way they kind of collapsed a little bit will worry Matthias Jaissle. Yeah, they need to bounce back. And it’s not like them to be disorganised and loose defensively. So he’s got a bit of work on that front to do.
Prediction
1-1.
Man City vs Ipswich
Prediction
I’m going to go 3-1 to that lot. We won’t name them.
Closing Thoughts
So a weekend where a few clubs badly need a result, Fulham and Manchester United among them, and where Coventry get the chance to get another win. It’s a strange season already, with plenty being decided in the boardrooms as much as on the pitch, and Everton’s new owners may end up being one of the bigger stories of the year. I’ll be back next week to go through how it all panned out.
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