But this column is simply about trying \u2014 and largely failing \u2014 to predict the future. In this case, it\u2019s about trying to work out whether, having underestimated the depth of Liverpool\u2019s malaise, we should chase those lost points by belatedly jumping on the Anfield crisis bandwagon or put our faith in the law of averages and tip them to bounce back at home to Aston Villa on Saturday night.<\/p>\n
Each week, four of us \u2014\u00a0a guest subscriber, six-year-old Wilfred, the algorithm and me \u2014 are predicting the Premier League results with varying degrees of success.<\/p>\n
We\u2019re awarding three points for a correct scoreline and one point for a correct result. There\u2019s also a bonus for any correct \u201cunique\u201d prediction, so as well as nine points for his three correct scorelines last week, Wilf got a bonus point for being the only one to tip Bournemouth to beat Nottingham Forest 2-0. Clever boy.<\/p>\n
But nobody predicted Brentford to inflict Liverpool\u2019s fourth consecutive defeat. In fact, looking back, not one of us saw any of those four defeats coming \u2014\u00a0although the algorithm went for them to draw the last three while the rest of us were tipping them to win.<\/p>\n
I sensed vulnerability in Slot\u2019s team at the start of the season, predicting they would lose against Arsenal and Newcastle United because I felt such a major turnover of players would cause teething problems. But they won those first five games, albeit not entirely convincingly, so their slump caught us all by surprise.<\/p>\n
It is timely that a Liverpool supporter, Hari, a 34-year-old from south London, is this week\u2019s guest subscriber. He will be looking to build on a fine effort last week by Leeds United fan Andrew, whose eight points (combined with Wilf\u2019s brilliant 10) shook up the table, taking the subscribers back up to second place and leaving me looking nervously over my shoulder after a torrid couple of weeks.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Anyway, over to you, Hari.<\/p>\n
Our subscriber\u2019s match of the week<\/strong>Liverpool vs Aston Villa, Saturday, 8pm UK\/4pm ET<\/strong><\/p>\n Hari says:<\/strong> “Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea has all the ingredients to be a really fun, chaotic contest, but given the pressure that will be on Slot this week and the fact he rested nearly his entire first team in midweek, it\u2019s hard to look past Saturday night\u2019s game between Liverpool and Villa at Anfield. Heart over head \u2014 I\u2019m going with 2-1 to LFC.”<\/p>\n Liverpool 2-1 Aston Villa<\/p>\n Oli says:<\/strong> “On the evening of September 20, Liverpool had 15 points from five games and Villa had two points from four games. Going into this weekend, they are level on points: a 13-point swing over five weeks. Looking back, I kept backing Villa throughout their slump on the simplistic basis that they were stronger than most of the teams they were facing. That\u2019s pretty much where I am with Liverpool. Slot has serious issues to address \u2014 structural, tactical, physical and, not least of all, psychological \u2014 but I would at least expect a battling performance against Villa and possibly a very tight win.<\/p>\n Liverpool 2-1 Aston Villa<\/p>\n \n Arne Slot is coming under pressure at Liverpool (Peter Byrne\/PA Images via Getty Images)<\/p>\n The rest of Oli\u2019s predictionsCrystal Palace vs Brentford<\/strong><\/p>\n Oli says: <\/strong>As a spectacle, this could be the defining game of the Premier League season. Brentford and Palace are the two teams at the top of the long throw-in table<\/a> (both for the number attempted and the number of shots arising from them) and only Burnley have a lower pass completion rate. It\u2019s been working very well for both \u2014 Brentford have won four of their last five in all competitions \u2014 but I wonder if it might be less effective against each other than it was against Liverpool, for example. Palace to shade a war of attrition.<\/p>\n Crystal Palace 1-0 Brentford<\/p>\n Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United<\/strong><\/p>\n United have won three in a row, but here\u2019s something interesting. In their two games against Forest last season, they had 71 per cent and 68 per cent possession \u2014 the highest shares in their first 36 Premier League games under Ruben Amorim \u2014 and they lost both. Forest have changed their manager twice since then, but it\u2019s safe to say Sean Dyche will be happy to follow the sit-deep-and-hit-them-on-the-break formula that worked for Nuno Espirito Santo last season. It will make an interesting test for United, who, as Amorim has said, still have room for improvement<\/a> when it comes to controlling games.<\/p>\n Nottingham Forest 1-1 Manchester United<\/p>\n Burnley vs Arsenal<\/strong><\/p>\n Opta\u2019s prediction model<\/a> puts Arsenal\u2019s chances of winning the Premier League at 66.9 per cent. I would be inclined to go even higher. It\u2019s not that they are playing brilliantly, but more that their performances have demonstrated a far greater maturity, resilience and focus than anyone else looks capable of. I can see Arsenal extending their lead at the top between now and the November international break. Burnley away is a test, but one I would firmly expect the leaders to take in their stride.<\/p>\n Burnley 0-2 Arsenal<\/p>\n Brighton & Hove Albion vs Leeds United<\/strong><\/p>\n Hallelujah. I\u2019ve just realised I finally got a Brighton result last week, having predicted them to lose at Manchester United. But I still look at their next five games \u2014 Leeds (H), Crystal Palace (A), Brentford (H), Forest (A), Villa (H) \u2014 and think they could win or lose any of them. They\u2019re uniquely unpredictable<\/a>, so it is with great uncertainty that I predict them to beat a decent Leeds team.<\/p>\n Brighton 2-1 Leeds<\/p>\n Fulham vs Wolverhampton Wanderers<\/strong><\/p>\n Fulham have lost their last four, leaving them one place above the relegation zone, but they have a relatively gentle run of games between now and the end of the year \u2014 and they don\u2019t come much gentler right now than Wolves at home. This one has a Raul Jimenez respectful non-celebration written all over it. Where that would leave Wolves, other than in big trouble<\/a>, I don\u2019t know.<\/p>\n Fulham 2-0 Wolves<\/p>\n Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea<\/strong><\/p>\n Chelsea\u2019s record against Tottenham is remarkable. Between 1989 and 2006, they were unbeaten in 32 league matches against their London rivals. Even in more recent years, they’ve won 13 of their last 17 clashes in all competitions, scoring four on each of their past two visits. They won\u2019t score four on Saturday evening, but they might have the tools to stretch a Spurs defence that has looked decent<\/a>. I won\u2019t be playing the high-scoring-draw card very often this season, but this could be one.<\/p>\n Tottenham 2-2 Chelsea<\/p>\n West Ham United vs Newcastle <\/strong>United<\/strong><\/p>\n Even if I close my eyes and try to get my imagination working, I can\u2019t work out what a West Ham home win looks like at the moment. Their last one came in February against a doomed Leicester City. Since then, it\u2019s no wins, three draws and six defeats in the last nine at London Stadium. How is that one-paced midfield going to cope with the formidable Newcastle trio of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton? I don\u2019t think it will. Away win, with empty seats and a lot of agitation at the final whistle.<\/p>\n West Ham 0-2 Newcastle<\/p>\n Manchester City vs Bournemouth<\/strong><\/p>\n There are times when Pep Guardiola seems to lay it on a little too thick when praising opposition coaches, but his respect for the \u201cincredible\u201d Andoni Iraola<\/a> is entirely genuine. City have won 17 of their 18 meetings with Bournemouth in all competitions, but that one defeat<\/a>, at the Vitality Stadium this time last year, made a real impression on Guardiola. I fancy City, purely for the Erling Haaland factor<\/a>, but it looks like an intriguing match-up.<\/p>\n Manchester City 3-1 Bournemouth<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/GettyImages-2243511344-e1761809683188.jpg\")
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