Chris Sutton's Premier League predictions
2025-01-03
Category: sports

Manchester United held out for a battling 0-0 draw the last time they went to Anfield but can Ruben Amorim's struggling side stop Premier League leaders Liverpool this time?"If you are United, you are praying for a narrow defeat," said BBC Sport's football expert Chris Sutton."There is not a single United fan who thinks they will get anything from this game, and you fear for what this Liverpool team could do to them."Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.His guest for week 20 will be announced on Friday.Do you agree with Sutton's scores? You can make your own below.The most popular scoreline selected for each game is used in the scoreboards and tables at the bottom of this page.Chris Sutton was speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
Saturday, 4 January
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 12:30 GMTNewcastle's form is incredible, with five wins on the spin in all competitions. They have scored 16 goals in those games, with only one conceded.Tottenham, in contrast, are on a poor run of results - although they did not perform badly in their defeat by Nottingham Forest or in their draw with Wolves last time out.This is going to be a great game and, while I think Spurs will score, I just can't go against Newcastle at the moment.Eddie Howe's side have got goals in them and it is not just Alexander Isak who is a threat - Jacob Murphy is playing really well and their midfield of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton looks very strong.Sutton's prediction: 1-2
Vitality Stadium, 15:00 GMTEverton have only managed 15 Premier League goals this season. Southampton are the only team to have scored fewer, and finding the net is clearly an issue for Sean Dyche's side.Everton capitulated against Bournemouth at Goodison Park in August, losing 3-2 after leading 2-0 with three minutes to go, but it is hard to make a case for them this time because of their lack of firepower.Bournemouth denied me some prediction points with their late equaliser against Fulham on Sunday and there is a reason they are in seventh place - they create a lot of chances, and I am expecting them to edge this.Sutton's prediction: 1-0
Villa Park, 15:00 GMTAston Villa will be kicking themselves after conceding a late equaliser against Brighton - that was another late goal that cost me prediction points by the way.I don't see Villa slipping up here, though, even without suspended duo Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers. Ollie Watkins will lead the line for them again - he has the jersey and will be looking to show why he should keep it when Duran is back from his ban.Villa are strong at home while Leicester's away form is poor, with only one win and two draws from nine games on the road. They are in a relegation scrap and they are going to struggle to stay up.The Foxes played pretty well against Manchester City last time out, and missed some good chances, but they still lost,That defeat was their fourth in a row, and I am expecting Villa to make it five.Sutton's prediction: 2-0
Selhurst Park, 15:00 GMTChelsea are having a wobble, and the worry for manager Enzo Maresca is when will it end?Their performance in their shock defeat by Ipswich was very flat and although Maresca had made a few changes for that game, I saw nothing to suggest they will bounce back with a win at Selhurst Park.Crystal Palace have only lost two of their past 11 league games, and they seem to have turned a corner. This game smells of a draw to me, which will keep Palace moving away from the bottom three, but does not help Chelsea much at the top of the table.It looks like Maresca was right when he played down his side's title chances after people like myself said before Christmas that they were genuine contenders. I thought he was just taking the pressure off his players but he is in the building with them every day and he knows them better than the rest of us. Their past three results suggest they are not going to go the distance, and I can see them dropping more points here.Sutton's prediction: 1-1
Etihad Stadium, 15:00 GMTJarrod Bowen's injury is a huge blow for West Ham because he has been their best player this season. I thought the Hammers' displays were picking up, but then they got absolutely demolished by Liverpool.So, this feels like a good time for Manchester City to play them as they look to build on their win at Leicester.That was not a particularly pretty performance but that part does not matter for Pep Guardiola's side at the moment.It is all about taking small steps for City as they try to find some form again, so it was important for them to see Erling Haaland back on the scoresheet against the Foxes, and to keep their first clean sheet in five games.This game might be a similar story in that City will have to scrap a bit, but again I expect them to get the job done.Sutton's prediction: 2-0
St Mary's Stadium, 15:00 GMTThis is a tough one to call because while Southampton are adrift at the bottom and absolutely desperate for points, Brentford are not in great form either.Saints' new boss Ivan Juric has been quite feisty since his appointment, and his side have only been narrowly beaten in both his games in charge.It is noticeable how often Southampton like to lump it now under Juric, compared to their possession-based style of play under Russell Martin.However, while it is also clear they will put up a fight I don't see much changing for them results-wise.Brentford are a battle-hardened Premier League team, so a direct approach will not faze them, and they also have goals in their team.The Bees are yet to win on the road this season and only picked up their first away point against Brighton last time out but, this time, I see them taking all three. Sutton's prediction: 1-2
Amex Stadium, 17:30 GMTI was very impressed with the way Arsenal beat Brentford without any fuss on Wednesday.The Gunners were without Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, and Declan Rice did not start, but it did not matter. They just got on with it and did not seem to panic when they went a goal down. With Brentford's home form being so strong I thought it would be a close game but it really wasn't in the end.It was a very mature performance which bodes well for the second half of the season, which is when they really got going last year.I would not describe this as an easy fixture for them, especially because they need to win it - Brighton have not won any of their past seven games but they have drawn five of them and are turning into the Premier League's draw specialists.But there is more to come from Mikel Arteta's side and I look at them and think they will get the job done here too.Sutton's prediction: 1-2
Sunday, 5 January
Craven Cottage, 14:00 GMTWell done to Ipswich. I have got to give one of my daughter's teachers, Mr Fields, another mention here after the Tractor Boys beat Chelsea on Monday for their first home win of the season. He will have had the bunting out, and the champagne too, and deservedly so.As I've said before, I like this Ipswich team. They have got a lot about them and they are giving it a real go to try to stay in the Premier League.You cannot underestimate the importance of them getting off the mark at Portman Road, but I don't see them following it up with another success on Sunday. Fulham let me down badly by letting their lead slip late on at home to Bournemouth on Sunday, but they are usually pretty reliable at Craven Cottage.Antonee Robinson and Alex Iwobi form such a wonderful combination down the left for Marco Silva's side, and I think they will help them secure a narrow home win.Sutton's prediction: 1-0
Anfield, 16:30 GMTThe historic rivalry between these two clubs is intense but, on the pitch, the contest is not even close at the moment.Manchester United boss Amorim is talking about being in a relegation battle and you can see why. His side were torn apart in the first 30 minutes by Newcastle at Old Trafford on Monday, and why would anything be different at Anfield?Whoever Liverpool pick, they have got goals in their team and United have no chance of keeping them out.The scoreline won't hit double figures but anything else is possible, and that is me being nice to United. Liverpool should demolish them, and they will demolish them - it is just a question of how many goals they get.United will play for pride, play for the badge and for the jersey, and all of that, but it won't make any difference. Liverpool are in a different stratosphere at the moment and I feel sorry for Amorim because this is going to be another painful afternoon for him.Sutton's prediction: 5-0
Monday, 6 January
Molineux, 20:00 GMTThis is the Nuno EspÃ­rito Santo derby, with Nuno going back to Wolves where he did such a brilliant job between 2017 and 2021.Nuno is doing even better with Nottingham Forest at the moment, but Wolves have hit a bit of form under their new boss, Vitor Pereira, as well.I saw Pereira do a little jig after his side got a late point at Tottenham. He seems a real character and his team are showing plenty of spirit too, but I am not sure they will carry the same threat now Matheus Cunha is suspended.I was wrong when I said Forest would draw at Everton last time out so this time I am going to back them to take all three points.As I've mentioned before, Forest were my boyhood club so it is great to see them doing so well. It is like the late 1970s again, with them and Liverpool fighting it out at the top of the table. After this game, their next league match see them play each other with Forest looking to do the double after winning at Anfield in September.Being honest, I don't see Forest staying at the top end of the table for too much longer but most of my predictions have been so bad this season so that is probably good news for them.Sutton's prediction: 0-1
How did Sutton do last time?
Chris got five correct results from the 10 games played between 29 December and 1 January, with no exact scores, giving him 50 points from week 19.That saw him tie with the BBC Sport readers, who also got five correct results with no exact scores, picking up their 50 points from the same five fixtures that Chris got right.It ended up as a runaway victory for his guest, musician Emma-Jean Thackray. She got seven correct results with two exact scores, for a tally of 130 points that puts her joint-second on the guest leaderboard.