Alan Smith’s Expert Analysis: Premier League GW23 Predictions & Analysis

Class of 92 Pundit Criticism

I think if you’re going to be a pundit, if you’re going to be asked about things, you’ve got to be honest. And there’s a lot to criticise about Manchester United. So, I wouldn’t have a go at Scholes and Butt.

Maybe what they said about Martinez was a little bit personal, perhaps, with Haaland picking him up. But it’s all in the game, isn’t it? And I do think today’s footballers are more fragile, more sensitive to that kind of public criticism. You’ve just got to brush it off, especially if you’re a club like United, where there’s always going to be comments.

Arsenal’s Next Five Games

Not an easy run. Who knows? They’re well capable of getting full points. Chances are, they might draw one or possibly two. I’d still fancy them to beat Spurs. Leeds might be a tricky one.

Looking at City, they’ve got Liverpool away, Newcastle at home. So, the kind of form they’re in, they might drop points as well. So, the gap’s seven at the moment. I’ll say it’d go up to eight, possibly.

Ethan Nwaneri Loan to Marseille

I’m sure Arsenal would think carefully about where to send him, so they clearly feel that De Zerbi’s a good coach to have, to look after him. His career’s kind of stood still, hasn’t it, gone backwards. Listen, he’s only young, but there have been times where he’s not even made the bench, nevermind about making the bench and not getting on.

So he needs to be playing regular football, I think, to develop his game. I wouldn’t want to see him sold. Hopefully Arsenal don’t. But if he can get some more experience and game time at Marseille, good. By the same token, you’re thinking, well, why don’t we keep him for the run-in? But as I say, he’s not been involved, so it could be to Arsenal’s benefit to loan him out.

Lewis-Skelly Future

He is just not good enough defensively. He’s been brought up as a midfielder, and when he’s had 1v1s, he has struggled, for example, when Frimpong was up against him in the Liverpool game, because he’s not the quickest either, and he’s not a natural defender.

He’s got three players in front of him who can all defend better. So, looking forward to the summer, I think it might be a case of selling him, for PSR and all that, being a youth team player, it’s pure profit. So, unfortunately, I think he might have to leave the club.

Prediction

Good game, but I think the Gunners will win 2-1.

Arsenal 2 – 1 Manchester United

Thierno Barry Form

It’s been a slow adaptation. He still looks raw. He still looks a little raw. He’s got to knock off some rough edges, but there’s nothing like goals to kick you on, and the look on his face when he does score, it lights up the stadium. But I thought the Villa goal, actually, was probably one of his best, because it needed a subtle finish.

So, that’s encouraging if he’s not just relying on power. That was a really nice take. So, Everton need that, don’t they? Beto’s kind of off the bench and in and out. So, if he can carry on like that, Barry, it’ll be great news for Everton.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin Revenge

His confidence is as high as it’s been for a number of years, I would imagine. But I’m not surprised he didn’t get a bigger club than Leeds. He’d been injured so often. It’s like, can we depend on this player?

When he was coming back for Everton, obviously it was difficult because he wasn’t up to speed so he wasn’t showing his best form but at Leeds he’s been fortunate in that he’s been able to stay fit and we’ve seen the dividends of that but he’s a threat and he’d obviously love to get one over on his old team I’m sure.

Everton’s Away Form

Maybe that, the away challenge is sit in, dig in and nick a goal if you can, maybe suits that team. So you’ve got to be a bit more expansive at home. They’ll hope that changes. They haven’t had too many good results there lately.

It may be a place that visitors like, it’s a lovely stadium, great atmosphere. It’s the kind of place that, as a visiting player, you’d probably enjoy going to. But they need to improve that. It’s still early days, but they’re in a great position, aren’t they, Everton?

Everton’s European Chances

Currently, they are four points behind Liverpool in fourth place. The table’s like that at the moment, isn’t it? I can’t remember a time when it’s been quite so condensed. I don’t know how many European places there are going to be.

It’d be a hell of an effort if they did. I don’t think they will qualify for Europe. I think maybe they’re just a little bit short of that.

Jørgen Strand Larsen to Leeds

I think Wolves, they’re down, aren’t they, really? And they’ll be making plans for life in the Championship. And obviously, players’ wages, the finances play a big part in that.

It might be that Strand Larsen is for sale, since he is probably their most saleable asset. I do like him. I think he could do a job somewhere in the Premier League, in a team that’s faring a bit better than Wolves have been. So, that would be an interesting one because I think there’s more to come from Strand Larsen in the Premier League.

Prediction

I think it’ll be a tight game. Not many goals. But I’m going to go 1-0 to Everton.

Everton 1 – 0 Leeds

Arne Slot and Xabi Alonso

He’s hovering, isn’t he? A Liverpool legend like that out of work. We can almost ignore the Real Madrid stint and look at what he did at Leverkusen. Because managing Real Madrid is a totally different job to anywhere else, I think, with the egos and what have you.

So, there will be question marks about Arne Slot because things are still not right there, far from right. I think Spurs had a little look at Alonso as to whether they could get him, but I’m not sure he fancies it. But that will be an ongoing thing, won’t it, with Liverpool fans about Xabi Alonso being available.

Liverpool’s Boring Football

You can understand fans saying they are boring this season. They are a shadow of the team from last year. Just can’t click, just can’t get any momentum. Drawing games, left, right and centre, things are just going against them. I think Arne Slot said that.

I did the Fulham game when Harrison Reed got that blinding goal right at the end, and that seems to be how things are at the moment for Liverpool. But, testing times for Slot and for the fans as well, obviously, after winning the title, they’re expecting a lot more.

Liverpool’s Season Targets

At this point, you’re just looking at making sure they get back in the Champions League. I think that’s as high as they can aim. Well, they can still win a trophy in the FA Cup. Whether they’re equipped to win that, I don’t know. But to just make sure they’re back in the Champions League again next season is the goal, I think.

Prediction

I did Bournemouth on Monday, and it might be a good time to meet them. They’re low on gas, and they’ve got a lot of injuries. Tavernier looks like he’s going to be out again. So maybe Liverpool wins 2-1 and I think they might just win down there.

Bournemouth 1 – 2 Liverpool

Unai Emery’s Comments

It’s one thing to say we’re not title contenders, and now it’s the top five, isn’t it? I think everybody would have raised their eyebrows, and I don’t think he believes that for one second. He’s just trying to take the pressure off his team, perhaps. But I don’t know. I’ve never heard a manager speak like that before. He’s obviously in a strange old mood at the moment. But they are contenders.

They’re contenders for second place at the moment. And, mathematically, they’re not out of the title race. But if they didn’t finish in the top five, that would be some fall from grace in the second half of the season.

Eddie Howe at Newcastle

They’re not kicked on in the way that I’m sure the owners would have wanted, but they’ve been restricted with the finances, as a lot of clubs are. I like Eddie Howe, I think he’s a very good manager. Hopefully, an England manager one day, he’s the strong character for that job.

So we’ll see, I don’t know, who knows how the hierarchy is thinking, but they’ve got to do that, talking about finishing in a Champions League place. They’ve got to do that. Otherwise, you’re looking at it thinking we’re not getting anywhere at all. So they need to be in that top tier of European football.

Prediction

Good game, I think. 2-1 to Villa.

Newcastle 1 – 2 Aston Villa

Marc Guehi vs Antoine Semenyo Impact

I think Guehi, if he settles in, could have the bigger impact. You look at that back four the other day, and it’s far from being the kind of back four we’ve been used to seeing for City. So Guehi’s experience and his pace in the middle of the park there, in the middle of the defence, will be a big help.

Obviously, Semenyo is a brilliant player, but you’d fancy him normally to score goals with Haaland, Doku and Foden and the like. Liverpool will be a bit gutted about that. They nearly got him in the summer, but I think he’ll be a very good signing for City.

Prediction

Wolves have had a bit of an upturn, but I think City will kind of move away from this bad patch they’re in. I don’t think long-term they will. I think it will be up and down, but I think against Wolves it will be 3-0 to the home team.

Manchester City 3 – 0 Wolves

Marcus Edwards Threat

He’s come into the side. He’s had a lot of substitute appearances, hasn’t he, this season, as well as injuries. But really good goal at Anfield. They’ve got Jaidon Anthony and Flemming as well, who have a few goals. Everybody within the club probably knows they’re going down, but they’re not going to say that publicly, so they’ll just try and give it a go.

But Marcus Edwards, when he started off at Spurs, you thought there was a lot of talk of him becoming a top, top player. Did okay at Sporting Lisbon, didn’t he, for a few years? He’d be anxious to prove himself in the Premier League.

Prediction

Prediction, who knows with Spurs, but I think it might be a 1-1.

Burnley 1 – 1 Tottenham

West Ham vs Sunderland

That might not be for the purists. West Ham got a good win against Spurs, but I’m going 0-0 for that one.

West Ham 0 – 0 Sunderland

Fulham vs Brighton

Fulham Brighton, another draw, 1-1.

Fulham 1 – 1 Brighton

Brentford vs Nottingham Forest

Brentford have been strong at home. Forest shut out Arsenal, so it might be hard to score against them, but I’ll go 1-0 to Brentford.

Brentford 1 – 0 Nottingham Forest

Crystal Palace vs Chelsea

2-1 to Chelsea.

Crystal Palace 1 – 2 Chelsea