Manchester United are chasing a fourth straight Premier League win when they visit struggling Luton on Sunday, but is talk of a resurgence by Erik ten Hag’s side premature?
“United had something about them in their win against Aston Villa last week, so good on them,” said ` Sport football expert Chris Sutton.
Burnley 0-5 Arsenal
I am at Turf Moor for this one and I don’t think it will be as straightforward for Arsenal as some people might think.
As ridiculous as it might sound, I was very impressed by Burnley when I watched them in their defeat against Liverpool. They started well, were well organised, and created chances, big chances… they just couldn’t take them.
In the end, they paid the price for a couple of individual errors which get heightened when they happen in a close game like that one. They cannot afford many more of those if they want to stay in the Premier League.
Also, and I said this during my co-commentary at Anfield, the Clarets are not in a position to pinpoint certain games as being winnable. They have won three league games all season and they need to win at least three more just to get out of the relegation zone, so they need to approach every game as being ‘must-win’, including this one.
We know the importance of it for Arsenal at the other end of the table too. The Gunners blew West Ham away last week and they will need to keep their focus here because their title hopes rely on a very small margin of error, the same as Liverpool’s do.
Mikel Arteta’s side have just beaten Liverpool and West Ham, so this might seem as if it is the easiest of their current run. But despite four straight wins, which also includes Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace, it is still a dangerous fixture because Burnley are scrapping for their lives.
I do think Arsenal will win though. Last season, the Gunners started well and fell away. This season, I think it’s fair to say their early performances were not quite at that breathtaking or exhilarating level, but maybe this is their time to get going this time. It’s probably a better way to do it, if they can.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-2
Songer’s prediction: Weirdly enough, I was actually at Arsenal’s game against West Ham last week. My old man is a Hammers fan and I was sat with a load of Arsenal fans, so I was right in the middle. I can’t say I am Arsenal’s biggest fan, so I wasn’t too pleased with the result either. They did look good though, and Burnley look a bit shaky, so after winning 6-0 away I am going for another comfortable Arsenal win. 0-3
Fulham 1-2 Aston Villa
Boubacar Kamara’s injury is a serious setback for Aston Villa and, with Fulham usually strong at home, this is a difficult game for Unai Emery’s side.
It feels like Villa have to win this, with Tottenham and Manchester United both hitting form in the race for the top four.
But Fulham have started scoring again, with Rodrigo Muniz getting two goals in their win over Bournemouth last week, and I feel like they will get something here as well.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
Songer’s prediction: Villa played well against Manchester United last week, after Chelsea had given them a bit of a beating in the FA Cup a few days earlier. I love Unai Emery and Villa are a class team, so I am going to back them here. 1-2
Newcastle 2-2 Bournemouth
Newcastle’s results have picked up a bit recently but now there is a lot of talk about their sporting director Dan Ashworth going to Manchester United.
Bournemouth have already beaten them once this season, which was when it all kicked off afterwards as Magpies captain Kieran Trippier had an altercation with his side’s fans.
I just can’t back against Newcastle at home, though. Their manager Eddie Howe is also facing his old club and he cannot afford to lose to them on his own patch.
Anthony Gordon is fit for the Magpies, and he will be a threat, while Bournemouth’s form has dropped off a bit this year after they ended 2023 so well.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
Songer’s prediction: I’m not sold on Newcastle at all this season and I actually think Howe is in a bit of trouble, even though I don’t think he should be, because they might be thinking about their next manager now he has built them up. I can see them dropping points here, too. 1-1
Nottingham Forest 2-0 West Ham
It’s fair to say that both these teams need a victory – neither side has managed one in the league in 2024 – and this is a hard one to call.
The usual way of thinking with West Ham would be to ask if they are going to bounce back from their 6-0 home defeat by Arsenal.
I am going to say they won’t. We know David Moyes’ teams have been resilient in the past but I can’t back anyone who has been beaten that heavily the previous week – it is not just a case of clicking your fingers and turning it around.
The Hammers surely can’t be lax as they were against Arsenal, but I am going with Nottingham Forest to find a way through.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
Songer’s prediction: Oof, this is definitely not one for the neutral! I mean the West Ham fans were furious when I watched them the other day, and you could feel it, so I am not sure if the players are going to have much motivation. 0-0
Tottenham 1-2 Wolves
Wolves won the reverse of this fixture in November with two goals in stoppage time but I can see Tottenham getting their revenge here.
I was right last week with my hunch that Spurs were going to beat Brighton, although my guest – the actor Stephen Moyer – did even better and got the 2-1 scoreline spot on.
Spurs just find a way, don’t they, with ‘Ange-ball’? They never stop coming forward, which is why they keep scoring goals.
Son Heung-min is back from the Asian Cup and he will start this week. Tottenham will concede, even with Wolves forward Matheus Cunha out injured, but they are just relentless in attack, and they are going to give someone such a hiding soon.
Sutton’s prediction: 3-1
Songer’s prediction: I don’t feel like Tottenham have any chance of competing for the title and I also hope they don’t make the top four. I always have a bet about the top four before the season starts and I stuck Villa at fourth, which meant I got odds of 150-1 for the order I went with. So, I am hoping Spurs drop points here… but I am thinking they will come out on top. I can see it being 1-1 for a long time and Spurs scraping something at the end. 2-1
Man City 1-1 Chelsea
Cole Palmer is back at Etihad Stadium with Chelsea but it might be asking too much for him to have the same impact against his old club as when they drew 4-4 with Manchester City at Stamford Bridge and he stuck away an injury-time penalty.
I think Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola made a mistake letting Palmer leave, but this game is only going to end one way – a Chelsea defeat.
City are just too good. They have got so many good players, and more to come off the bench. Jack Grealish’s injury against FC Copenhagen was a blow but they had Jeremy Doku to come on, who is a nightmare to play against.
Chelsea gave it a real go in that draw in November, but the defending champions have gone up a notch or two since then, while Mauricio Pochettino’s side keep going up and down.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-0
Songer’s prediction: There will be goals, although not as many as last time. The past couple of years at Chelsea it has felt like we make it hard for ourselves against the smaller teams but, against the bigger teams, we are actually not too bad. So, we will be up for it. I am not delusional, but I will be positive and I am going to say we will get a draw. For a wildcard, I reckon there is going to be a red card in the game as well. 2-2
Songer on which players have impressed him for Chelsea this season: Palmer and Enzo Fernandez are a given. I love Enzo and he is the player that I have zero worries about – he will turn into one of the best midfielders in the world, if he isn’t one already, but it is hard playing in such a chaotic side at the moment. I am a big fan of Noni Madueke too, because he is bold and he takes risks. It doesn’t always work out. but he is a gambler and I like that.
Conor Gallagher is a must-keep too, especially with not all of our signings working out. If we sold him, I think there would be a really negative reaction from the fans. He’s come through from the youth team, which is important, but he is also exactly the type of player we need at the moment. If we sold him, all that would happen is we’d have to buy another player like him, only one not as good. Gallagher is flying at the moment but even if he doesn’t have the best game, he never stops trying. You can see he cares, and I think it would be carnage if we let him leave – I would be gutted.
SUNDAY, 18 FEBRUARY
Sheff Utd 0-5 Brighton
Sheffield United showed they have still got a bit of fight left in them with their win over Luton, but they really need to follow that up by beating Brighton too.
The Blades won’t lack any effort but I just feel like the Seagulls will have too much quality for them, like they did when they beat them 5-2 at Bramall Lane in the FA Cup a few weeks ago.
Beating the Hatters gave Chris Wilder’s side a tiny glimmer of hope of avoiding the drop but, after this result, I am expecting them to feel as flat as a leftover pancake from Shrove Tuesday.
Sutton’s prediction: 0-2
Songer’s prediction: Brighton don’t seem to be quite the same team they were last season. I can see Sheffield United getting something here. 1-1
Luton 1-2 Man Utd
This is big for Luton because I don’t think anyone saw their defeat by bottom side Sheffield United coming.
With Everton losing to Manchester City earlier on Saturday, it was a big chance for them to open up a gap on the bottom three, but they couldn’t take it.
I just wonder if that will trigger a little bit of doubt, but their performances at home have been been very good against the bigger teams and I have a feeling we will see more of the same on Sunday.
Manchester United only beat Luton narrowly at Old Trafford in November, and this time I expect it to be even closer.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-2
Songer’s prediction: United are difficult to predict, because they’ve been getting good results without always playing that well. I don’t know if this is out of hope, but I am going to go with Luton here. 2-1
MONDAY, 19 FEBRUARY
Everton v Crystal Palace (20:00)
There has been something of a malaise around Crystal Palace recently, but they were actually very spirited in their defeat against Chelsea on Monday.
The Eagles have missed their big guns, though. Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze have not played enough for them this season.
I looked into it for the Monday Night Club and Olise has made only eight Premier League starts in 2023-24. Eze has 13, but together they have only made four. They are the go-to guys for them in an attacking sense and they haven’t been available.
Everton will see this as an incredible opportunity to end their long wait for three points and I bet Sean Dyche has them fired up.
They need a win anyway, but it will be especially important if the teams around them pick up points earlier in the weekend.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-0
Songer’s prediction: Palace fans are unhappy enough as it is, even before they threw the lead away against us on Monday. I think the Eagles’ players heads will be down whereas Everton always seem to pull something out of the bag when it matters most. 1-0
How did Sutton do last time?
The unbeaten run is over – for the first time since week 14, Sutton has lost.
He got six correct results from 10 games in week 24, with no exact scores, for a total of 60 points.
His guest, Sexy Beast actor Stephen Moyer, got four correct results but with one exact score, leaving him with 70 points.
| Anthony Joshua | 150 |
| Eddie Hearn | 130 |
| CBeebies presenter Rhys Stephenson | 120 |
| Barry Can’t Swim | 110 |
| Anish Kumar | 100 |
| Fabian Edwards, Joelah from 1Xtra, KSI, Midas the Jagaban | 90 |
| Chris Sutton | 84 (average after 24 weeks) |
| ‘Hollywood’ Chris Dobey, David Earl, Keke from 1Xtra, Jazzie Zonzolo, Stephen Moyer | 70 |
| Tommy Fury, Joe from Nothing But Thieves | 60 |
| Gabe of Jamie Johnson FC, Ed Leigh, Tash from The Football Academy, Matthew Vaughn, Rick Witter | 50 |
| AEW wrestler Claudio Castagnoli. Tom Ogden and Joe Donovan from Blossoms, Declan McKenna, JayO | 40 |
| Vigil star Dougray Scott | 30 |
| Willie J Healey, Felix White | 20 |
| Suggs, Future Islands frontman Samuel T Herring | 10 |
| Chris Sutton | 2,020 |
| Guests | 1,590 |
How did you get on?
It is fair to say that almost no-one saw Sheffield United’s win at Luton coming. Chris and Stephen both got it wrong and just 4% of you backed the Blades to pick up three points.
Not many of you thought Manchester United would win at Aston Villa, either. Only 27% of you got that one right.
| =1. Chris | 6/10 |
| =1. You | 6/10 |
| 3. Guest | 4/10 |
*Win, draw, loss prediction based on highest % of vote for each match.
| 1. You | 131/238 |
| 2. Chris | 127/238 |
| 3. Guests | 112/238 |
Comments are closed.