Alan Smith’s Expert Analysis: Premier League GW5 Predictions & Analysis

Arsenal vs Liverpool Title Challenge

Luck sometimes plays a part, as Liverpool might be able to tell you with all their late goals. Injuries are also something that can come down to luck. Arsenal didn’t do well with injuries last year. Liverpool did. There might have been some method behind it for Liverpool.

I don’t know in terms of how they trained, but you want to keep your best players fit. For Arsenal, they’ve got more cover now, so it’s not as vital that the likes of Saka and Saliba stay fit. But I think it will be tight and small margins, really.

Comparing Arsenal and Liverpool’s Attacks

Liverpool have got real A-list quality in terms of Isak and Salah, haven’t they? But they’ve got fewer bodies with just Ekitike and Gakpo.

Arsenal have got a whole phalanx of them. Eze, Martinelli, Madueke, Gyökeres, Saka, Havertz, Trossard. They’ve got so many to choose from. So, from that point of view, you would say Arsenal have the edge. In a long season with a lot of games, they can rotate more.

Haaland Assessment

Haaland is different to every other striker in the world. In terms of his physique, just huge, and he’s quick as well. It’s a strange one because there are matches where you hardly see him. He’s wandering about, not having much of a touch on the ball. Some of that is down to city style as much as anything.

But once he sees the whites of the post and he starts running, it’s just impossible to shake him off. He’s so strong and so relaxed when it comes to finishing. He just relaxes that body and strokes it home like it’s in training. I would say he’s the best in the world.

Prediction

I’m again hoping Arsenal can win; it was their own luck against Liverpool. They’ve got to make their own luck here. I think they’re a better team than City. And because of that, I’m going to go 2-1 Arsenal.

Arsenal 2 – 1 Manchester City

Both Teams’ Form

Liverpool has a 100% record. You can’t knock that. So it’s been a brilliant start for them in terms of results. Everton have had a good start as well under David Moyes. The new stadium and everything have given them a lift, and Jack Grealish, particularly, has transformed that attack.

So they’re a much different team now than they were over the last few seasons, to be honest. Hopefully it’ll be a good game. It can be quite drab, this Merseyside derby, but I think Everton will find it hard to keep Liverpool at bay. Salah hasn’t quite come to life yet, and maybe this will be the time to start.

Prediction

I’m going Liverpool 2-0.

Liverpool 2 – 0 Everton

Leeds’ Goal-scoring Issues and Calvert-Lewin

They brought Calvert-Lewin in; they knew his injury record, and it was a gamble. It’s been a long time since he’s been fit and playing week in, week out and also scoring fairly regularly. He’s got to try and get back to that level.

Can he do it? I think it’s a tall order in a struggling Leeds team. Leeds can’t score. Where are the goals? We’ll see, but it would be a great boost for them if he could find some goal-scoring form and stay fit.

Prediction

Wolves are on 0 points at the moment, and I think they’re going to get off the mark with a 1-0 win here.

Wolves 1 – 0 Leeds

Ruben Amorim’s Potential Replacement

I don’t know who’s in the frame as a replacement. Who’s available? I’m not sure. And you’d wonder who they’d go for. I don’t know the thinking behind the Man United hierarchy, what they’re feeling at the moment.

This game against Chelsea, you lose at home to them, I don’t think he’s gonna get the sack for that. It’s the performances and results like Grimsby and the lesser sides in the Premier League; if they start struggling, then before Christmas, they might have to make a move.

But there are no real signs of improvement even with Cunha, Mbeumo and Šeško. Is he going to be able to make a difference? We’ll see on that one, and the clock is ticking, isn’t it? So the results have just got to improve.

Prediction

1-1.

Manchester United 1 – 1 Chelsea

Woltemade’s Debut

Seeing his goal, I was very impressed because, firstly, his movement, just sneaking in behind the defender and anticipating where the cross was going to come. Not only that, though, it was just the casual way he nodded it in. You come to a club, big money, expectation and that, and you can tense up. But he took it like a training ground goal, and that augurs well for the future.

It looks like he’s going to do well, he’s obviously a very big lad. I was impressed, you can’t replace Isak like-for-like, Woltemade looks a much different player, but it looks like he could get a good number of goals in a Newcastle team that’s got lots of creativity. So I think he’s going to enjoy this season.

Keeping Best Players

For Newcastle to keep the best players, you know, they’ve got to be successful. Isak obviously felt that Liverpool had more chance, and he would be right on that. But if you feel the club is heading in the right direction, then I think most players would be happy.

I know money comes into it, of course it does, if somebody else is offering better wages, but it’s a good place to be, Newcastle. So, the likes of Livramento, he’s in here at the beginning of his career, isn’t he? He’s doing well, and I think he’ll learn a lot under Eddie Howe. The length of contracts doesn’t always matter. For example, with Isak, it didn’t really matter, did it?

But not all players would go down that route in terms of downing tools. I think a manager wants to have his best players signed up for a good few years to achieve that stability.

Prediction

Bournemouth got a great win against Brighton last time out. But maybe that run will come to an end. I’m going for a gritty 2-1 win for Newcastle.

Bournemouth 1 – 2 Newcastle

Unai Emery’s Position

I don’t think we’re talking about him being under pressure at the moment. He’s got lots of credit in the bank. I did the game at Brentford last night when you saw their goal-scoring problems. They weren’t creating much. Watkins and Rodgers came on. I think they’ve got some quality there.

I know these boys haven’t performed yet. It’s not going to be too long until they start scoring goals. Harvey Elliott got one, didn’t he, with a goalkeeping mistake last night. It’s been a worrying start, but they’ve got enough quality to get out of this slump.

Watkins’ Form

I don’t know why he has been so poor. As I’ve said before, the team as a whole is not functioning. They’re not creating. So, that’s going to affect him. But he’ll keep going. You know, once he gets a goal, he’ll be off and running.

He’s a very good player. So his form hasn’t helped. Morgan Rodgers also did brilliantly for England, but not so well for Villa so far. So those are the two talismans that need to step up to get the team back on track.

Prediction

I’m going to predict Villa start scoring, so I’m going to go 2-1 win to Villa.

Sunderland 1 – 2 Aston Villa

Burnley vs Nottingham Forest

Burnley, they’ve been unlucky, haven’t they? Against Liverpool, a late goal, a penalty, and Man United as well. So they could have had another two points. They’ll be disappointed, but they gained some heart from those matches.

So for Scott Parker, I think it’s something to build on, at home against Forest, new manager and everything. They’ll maybe see this as a good chance, but I’m going 1-1 on this one.

Burnley 1 – 1 Nottingham Forest

Brighton vs Tottenham

Difficult one, this. I mean, Spurs aren’t conceding. Brighton, a little unlucky to lose to Bournemouth the other day, but they beat Man City in their last home game, so, I think this might be quite a good game – 2-2.

Brighton 2 – 2 Tottenham

Fulham vs Brentford

Fulham are not scoring much. They haven’t really got going on that front. Late goal against Leeds the other day. Same for Brentford, this might be a bit of a war of attrition. Draw 0-0.

Fulham 0 – 0 Brentford

West Ham vs Crystal Palace

West Ham have collapsed twice at home against Chelsea and Spurs, so alarm bells are sounding very loudly. If they lose at home to Palace, I’ve got them down to lose 2-0 here, actually, then Graham Potter would come under severe pressure, I think. I think it’s going to be a difficult one, and Palace might just snatch this 2-0.

West Ham 0 – 2 Crystal Palace