Alan Smith’s Expert Analysis: Premier League GW7 Predictions & Analysis

Ekitike and Isak’s Liverpool Starts

Ekitike, goals-wise, has started really well. Five already, coming into a different, better league. He’s adjusted well. So you can’t knock that. When he took his shirt off and got sent off, I think that was maybe a reflection of his frustration that all of a sudden, he’s second choice behind Isak. I’m sure when he signed, he didn’t realise they were going to sign Isak as well, but he’s done well.

Isak, I think he’s still trying to find full match fitness and sharpness, but he’s getting there. Isak got a good portion of the game at Palace. He’s a quality player, isn’t he? He’s got a goal too. He’ll do fine for them.

Fitting Three Strikers into Best XI

I don’t think he does, to be honest. When you say best Liverpool XI, Wirtz, in truth, wouldn’t be in it at the moment, the way he’s playing. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets dropped for the Chelsea game. He’s having problems adjusting to the league and the way Slot wants him to play. He could play Ekitike as a number 10, but having all three of them might be a stretch as things stand.

Szoboszlai is doing really well. He played the other day. So it’ll all even itself out. In the long term, it’s going to be either Ekitike or Isak. I don’t think it’ll be too many times when they’ll start together.

Prediction

Liverpool coming off another defeat. Chelsea a bit uninspiring, but they’re at home. Maybe Cole Palmer will play. I’ll go 1-1.

Chelsea 1 – 1 Liverpool

Eze and Ødegaard Playing Together

I think they can work together. I think it’s something they would have to work on on the training ground in order not to get in each other’s way and to get the best out of both. But if you ask Eze, I’m sure he’d probably want to start in the middle and there’ll be plenty of times when he will. But coming in off the left, I think it can work.

It’s just one of those things you’ve got to work on, but it’s fantastic to have two such creative players to get them in the same team.

Arsenal’s Title Challenge

I could see Arsenal top by the end of November. There’s problems at Liverpool that Slot’s got to look at and try and fix. I don’t know if he’s got a quick fix there, because at the back, they look shaky with Konaté, not too many options. Arsenal winning at Newcastle would have done them the world of good, and I can see them now going on a good run. So every chance they might just overtake Liverpool.

Nuno at West Ham

He was never going to turn it down, a Premier League club. A big one as well. You don’t get those offers too often. Whether in the long term he’s going to be the right man, I don’t know. I think he’ll settle, steady the ship and there were signs of that at Everton. Make them a little bit more solid and dependable. Not quite so flaky as they have been.

I don’t think he’s going to be able to replicate what he did at Forest in terms of that counter-attacking football because he hasn’t really got the pace. I don’t know whether it’s going to be a happy marriage long term, whether West Ham fans will just start moaning about the style of football, as they have done in the past. But short term, I think he’ll settle things down.

Prediction

I think Arsenal will be too much. 3-0.

Arsenal 3 – 0 West Ham

Defensive Changes Impact

It’s difficult to say whether the back three is the problem. I think he started with the same back three quite a lot but it’s what he does in game. You don’t see it often where they’re changing that back three and doing it consistently, and you’re struggling to find a reason for it.

I did the game against Chelsea a few weeks back when it took off Maguire while they were comfortable, put on Yoro and then they conceded a goal, the ball floated over Yoro’s head. You’re wondering what the logic is behind that.

The only ending I can see to all this is Amorim handed his cards at some point and not too far in the future because it’s just not happening. When you look at De Ligt and Maguire and De Ligt at Brentford the other day, he got into such an awkward position for one of the goals; nobody’s playing to their potential.

Amorim’s Position

There’s a lot of talk about a certain date when they haven’t got to pay him a huge payoff fee, so I don’t know whether that’s going to play a part, but it would be a heavy blow to lose to a promoted team. Sunderland have got a bite to them at the moment, so it could be a dangerous one.

The fans haven’t really turned on him in any big way, but we’re heading towards that point and the defeat to Sunderland maybe would tip them over the edge so it would be interesting to see whether the hierarchy then decide to do something.

Prediction

Under the circumstances, they’ve still got good players. Šeško’s got off the mark whether he’s going to kick on now we’ll see but with Mbeumo and Cunha going forward, Fernandes, they’ll have a bit too much. 2-1. I think it’d be fairly close, but 2-1 to United.

Manchester United 2 – 1 Sunderland

Anthony Elanga’s Impact

I’m sure Postecoglou would be wishing they had him because they haven’t been doing too well. He’s been used as a sub lately, Anthony Elanga. Jacob Murphy’s been on that right-hand side. Maybe Eddie Howe at the moment just wants to lean on players that understand what he wants, that have been there a while. He had a really good game against Barcelona in the first half, particularly in the Champions League. He’s going to be a real asset to them.

Prediction

I’m going to go 2-0 to Newcastle. Big Ange’s misery continues.

Newcastle 2 – 0 Nottingham Forest

Glasner Linked to United

Palace would do all in their power to keep him, given how he’s been performing and his team have. Listen, if he heard off his agent that United were very interested, it’s hard for your head not to be turned by that. It’s only human for that to happen. He’s one of the managers, coaches we’re all talking about at the moment. As to who United would go for if Amorim went, who knows? Because their decision-making has been all over the place. But the more he does for Palace, the more he’s going to be sought after by the big clubs. So watch this space.

David Moyes’ United Tenure in Retrospect

It was a bit of a poison chalice, wasn’t it, following Sir Alex Ferguson. Fergie left the team and won the league, but they needed rebuilding. So maybe it wasn’t the right fit, maybe wrong time for Moyes. Maybe to manage that size of club, whether his style suits it, I don’t know.

But he’s a fine manager, he’s whipping Everton into shape, getting more out of them. Obviously, he’ll look back at that time and have regrets and would have hoped it had gone better, but he certainly bounced back.

Prediction

Palace have got a midweek game, got to go away to Ukraine on Thursday, so that might play a part. I’ll go 1-1.

Everton 1 – 1 Crystal Palace

Rating Both Managers

Really talented coaches. When I look at Iraola, I think we all wondered what would happen with Ouattara, Kerkez and Huijsen leaving. But we haven’t really seen the drop. They’ve still been the same side, energetic, dangerous. So, he’s done ever so well.

And Marco Silva, likewise. When you look at that team, Jiménez, Wilson, Iwobi in attack and Lukic and Berge in midfield. You’re thinking, well, that’s fairly ordinary, really, by Premier League standards. But he gets more out of it than the sum of its parts. He’s another good coach. And I think they’re two well-matched teams, to be honest.

Prediction

Because they are well-matched, 2-2.

Bournemouth 2 – 2 Fulham

Leeds vs Tottenham

Spurs trying to find their way after a couple of lacklustre performances and Leeds have found the shooting boots scoring a few goals but I’m gonna go 1-1.

Leeds 1 – 1 Tottenham

Aston Villa vs Burnley

Villa found the net finally. Ollie Watkins scored and that will liven him up. Jaidon Anthony is doing well consistently for Burnley but Villa probably at home, they’ll win that 2-0.

Aston Villa 2 – 0 Burnley

Manchester City vs Brentford

It’s still difficult to pigeonhole City as to what kind of season they’re going to have. It looks like Haaland’s going to get about 40 goals. But Brentford just beaten United, but I don’t see them beating City. I think they’ll lose 3-1 City win.

Manchester City 3 – 1 Brentford

Wolves vs Brighton

I did the Spurs-Wolves game the other night and they’ll be encouraged by that and gutted by only drawing in the end, but they’ll be hoping to build on that performance. Pereira feels the season’s just started. Brighton, dangerous side, Minteh’s flying and did well against Chelsea again the other day, but maybe a few goals, 2-2.

Wolves 2 – 2 Brighton