Good Christ, it’s already the end of October. It feels like yesterday we were trapped in the dregs of summer, with cooler days and Premier League football on the weekends nothing but a daydream—but here we are. A week packed full of European ties preceded MW9—which will kick off this evening when Forest travel to Leicester to take on the Foxes. MW8 provided sufficient entertainment; with Arsenal being battered on the South Coast and City crushing hopes and dreams across the country at the death on Sunday afternoon. Liverpool remained top of the league, following a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Anfield—but the Reds will need to do it again this weekend at the Emirates if they wish to remain top of the pile. With that, put your feet up, grab a pint, and settle in, it’s matchweek 9.
Leicester City vs. Nottingham Forest
20:00, Friday, October 25th, King Power Stadium
The Foxes welcome Nuno’s Frisky Flora to the KP on Friday evening. Both sides are coming off rather impressive victories in MW8—both through performances of their own and utter incompetence of their opposition. Leicester found themselves 2 behind to the likes of the utterly woeful Southampton late on, before finding 3 goals in the final 15 minutes to rescue all 3 points at St. Mary’s. Forest found their winner in an evenly contested game with Palace at the City Ground through Dean Henderson and the gaping hole in his palms. Neither victory was aesthetically appealing but ask them how much they care. Leicester’s performances at the KP have been admirable thus far this season, while Forest’s steadfast and consistent march does not show signs of slowing any time soon. I easily could go with the Tricky Trees to edge this one, but given Leicester’s recent form at home, I don’t see much between the two sides.
Prediction: 1-1
First Goal Scorer: Anthony Elanga
Anytime Goal Scorer: Jamie Vardy
Aston Villa vs. Bournemouth
15:00, Saturday, October 26th, Villa Park
Villa play host to the high-flying Cherries on Saturday afternoon at Villa Park. Both teams come into the match in fine form, with Villa netting 3 in a win over Fulham at the weekend, before following this up with a 2-nil victory over Bologna on Tuesday evening in the Champions League. Bournemouth look to continue their success following the 2-nil emasculation of Arteta’s Arsenal last weekend. The Villans have proven to be a difficult side to bet on, as some days they look like world-beaters against superior opposition, and others they appear to not get out of the starting blocks against inferior opposition. I believe that this very well could be one of those afternoons for Villa—and I could see the visitors taking an early lead. I do, however, believe that Villa’s powers of recovery may be too strong for the Cherries.
Prediction: 2-1 Villa
First Goal Scorer: Justin Kluivert
Anytime Goal Scorers: Ollie Watkins, Youri Tielemans
Brentford vs. Ipswich Town
15:00, Saturday, October 26th, GTech Community Stadium
Both Brentford and Ipswich come into this match following disappointing results at the weekend. The Bees found themselves 1-nil up at half at Old Trafford thanks to an Ethan Pinnock opener, before capitulating in the second half to fall to United 2-1. Ipswich will arguably be the more discouraged of the two sides following a lifeless 2-nil defeat to Everton at Portman Road—a damning result when viewed through the lens of survival. On paper, the game appears straightforward for the Bees, who have proven their worth in the division over the last four seasons. While I’m confident that Kieran McKenna’s side will not make it straightforward for Brentford come Saturday, the Bees will do what is necessary to grind out the three points—more than likely in the form of a set piece or two.
Prediction: 2-0 Brentford
First Goal Scorer: Yoanne Wissa
Anytime Goal Scorer: Vitaly Janelt
Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers
15:00, Saturday, October 26th, Amex Stadium
Gary O’Neil’s seat will certainly be warming as Wolves remain on one point into late October. While losing at home to City at the death is certainly nothing to be ashamed of, taking one point from your first 8 played is. Given Brighton’s recent form—and the Seagulls’ impressive performance at Saint James’ Park over the weekend, the one point earned thus far from O’Neil’s side is likely to extend into November. Apart from a mad 45 minutes at Stamford Bridge, Brighton have played consistently mature football thus far this season, and while Fabian Hurzeler may have been ridiculed for his age at the beginning of the year, the quips and banter aimed at the youthful German have quickly faded. He’s turned Danny Welbeck into a tan Benjamin Button and surrounded him with a host of exciting young talent. Brighton punishes Wolves on Saturday, and the pressure on Gary O’Neil ramps even further.
Prediction: 3-1 Brighton
First Goal Scorer: Danny Welbeck (x2)
Anytime Goal Scorers: Kaoru Mitoma, Mattheus Cunha
Manchester City vs. Southampton
15:00, Saturday, October 26th, The Etihad
If this match was not a part of the 3pm blackout, it would come with viewer warnings of extreme violence, gore, and possible nudity. I genuinely feel for Saints as they make the journey from the South Coast, which must feel akin to the extras in “Deep Impact” waiting for the meteor to destroy earth as they watch—unable to bend fate in the face of a colossal force void of emotion or compassion. City struggled last weekend; they won’t this weekend. Shield your eyes (unless you’re into that kind of thing).
Prediction: 5-0 City
First Goal Scorer: Erling Haaland
Anytime Goal Scorers: Does it even matter?
Everton vs. Fulham
17:30, Saturday, October 26th, Goodison Park
The Toffees welcome Fulham to the Grand Old Lady for the Saturday evening kickoff. The Blues have now secured 4 positive results on the bounce following last weekend’s victory over Ipswich Town at Portman Road. For as much abuse as I gave the Ev early on—fair play to them; they’ve dusted themselves down and kicked on—and I thought their win last weekend was by far the most complete 90 minutes that they have played this season. Seeing just how poor some of the other sides in the division are *cough Southampton*, I do think that the Ev will just about escape the drop for the 4th year running—what an achievement. Fulham looked great in the opening 8 minutes last weekend against Villa, before looking exceedingly atrocious for the following 80+. This match sees two sides in contrasting form, and for the first time this season, I’m going to go with a Toffee victory—what a day.
Prediction: 2-1 Everton
First Goal Scorer: DCL
Anytime Goal Scorers: Dwight McNeil, Raul Jimenez
Crystal Palace vs. Tottenham
15:00, Sunday, October 27th, Selhurst Park
Another man whose days appear to be numbered is Palace’s Oliver Glasner. The side from South London has been one of the most disappointing clubs in the division this season and remains one of four clubs yet to notch a victory in league play thus far. They currently find themselves in 18th place, only ahead of Southampton and Wolves—a far cry from the red-hot finish to the Eagles’ campaign last May. The task will not get any easier on Sunday with Big Ange’s Spurs making the journey to Selhurst Park. Tottenham rebounded last week against West Ham, dismantling the Irons 4-1 following the collapse at Brighton prior to the international break. Spurs are a difficult team to predict, as it seems you never really know which side will turn up—it’s either really good or really bad, and very rarely in between. I think it will be the really good again this weekend.
Prediction: 3-1 Spurs
First Goal Scorer: Dominic Solanke (x2)
Anytime Goal Scorers: Eddie Nketiah, James Maddison
Chelsea vs. Newcastle
15:00, Sunday, October 27th, Stamford Bridge
Both the Blues and the Geordies will be looking to bounce back from defeats last weekend at the hands of Liverpool and Brighton respectively. Newcastle have now gone 4 league games without a victory, and while the pressure is surely not yet mounting on the Jason Tindall and Eddie Howe duumvirate—several more negative results on the spin will certainly not relieve it. Chelsea supporters seemed to be overjoyed with the performance at Anfield at the weekend despite losing, but whether that is genuine satisfaction or a coping mechanism following several years of torture at the hands of the Reds remains to be seen. The Blues have certainly played better football in recent weeks than we became accustomed to seeing last season—and their options going forward do pose significant threats. At home this weekend, I think they run riot over a struggling Newcastle.
Prediction: 3-0 Chelsea
First Goal Scorer: Noni Madueke
Anytime Goal Scorers: Pedro Neto, Reece James
West Ham United vs. Manchester United
15:00, Sunday, October 27th, London Stadium
The Irons welcome 12th-placed Manchester United to the urban concrete velodrome on Sunday afternoon. (Replacing the Boleyn Ground with the atrocity that is the London Olympic Stadium is one of the great tragedies of the 21st century, and I will not rest until I have exhausted every negative superlative that I can conjure to express my dissatisfaction.) Neither of these sides are very good. Neither of these sides have been exciting to watch this season. I will watch out of my pure disdain for Manchester United. West Ham leaks goals and United can’t score them—so I’ve genuinely got no idea what this fixture may have in store for us. I hate to say it, but this seems like the sort of fixture that Manchester United finds a way to squeak out—at which point we will be subjected to endless shouts of “we are back” and “if the Glazers hadn’t only scored 7 league goals in the first 9 played, we’d be top of the league.” Let’s pray this not to be the case.
Prediction: 1-1
First Goal Scorer: Jarrod Bowen
Anytime Goal Scorer: Rasmus Hojlund
Arsenal vs. Liverpool
17:30, Sunday, October 27th, The Emirates
Rivalling United supporters’ complete delusion over the previous 3 seasons, Arsenal comes a close second—as they’ve become accustomed. From “allez, allez, allez” to “North London Forever,” to the 12 lads who dress up in black that sit behind the clock end goal and call themselves “ultras”—little about the atmosphere is genuine. It’s become a conglomeration of cheap rip-offs taken from various corners of Europe in desperate attempts to make the Emirates intimidating. They’ve all failed—just be yourselves, lads. The list of absentees for the Gunners this weekend—to include Saliba, Ødegaard, Califiori, and potentially Saka—is extensive, and I hope that we can take advantage of this. It won’t be easy by any stretch, but I’ve got a rare, good feeling about Sunday. Will I toss, turn, and make about 35 trips to the toilet from 1-5 am Sunday morning? Absolutely, but there is an underlying good feeling in there somewhere. The Reds could go 7 clear with a win, but I would take a point all the same—here’s to wishful thinking.
Prediction: 2-1 Liverpool
First Goal Scorer: Trent Alexander-Arnold
Anytime Goal Scorers: Darwin Núñez, Leandro Trossard
PS: We’ve also passed 1000 reads- thanks, unless you support United- then you can do one.
Cheers,
Cole
Leave a Reply