Premier League predictions: Gameweek 7
The seventh weekend of the nascent 2023/24 Premier League season gets underway with a Saturday schedule that will please the purists.
Eight of the weekend’s ten fixtures have been shoehorned onto the first day of the weekend to avoid any major clashes with the climax of the Ryder Cup – the international golf tournament that is also broadcast by Sky Sports. Half a dozen of Saturday’s matches will be played under the veil of the 3pm UK TV blackout.
With live football limited for those not lucky enough to have a ticket, phones will be furiously buzzing with score updates up and down the country. Here’s 90min’s predictions for those scrutinised final results.
Aston Villa emerged as victors from their previous meeting with Brighton – on the final day of last season – but both clubs were riding high at the final whistle, fresh from European qualification. Each side lost the opening game of their respective continental campaigns and return to UEFA action this Thursday after what could be another match with some success for both parties.
Forged in the same Basque youth team, Andoni Iraola and Mikel Arteta go head-to-head for the first time as managers when Bournemouth host Arsenal in one of six Saturday games at 15:00 (BST).
Much like the Cherries, the newly promoted duo of Luton Town and Sheffield United are still searching for their first wins of the new Premier League season.
While the Hatters are up against an Everton team fresh from a rare burst of consecutive victories, Paul Heckingbottom has the unenviable task of inspiring a reaction out of the Blades after an 8-0 demolition at home to Newcastle United last weekend. West Ham United are the side hoping to compound Sheffield United’s misery this Saturday.
Manchester United face Crystal Palace at Old Trafford four days after a comfortable 3-0 stroll against the same opposition at the same ground in the third round of the Carabao Cup. This fixture glitch may not produce the exact same scoreline, but a similar result is expected.
Any whispers of discontent that may have emerged during a three-game losing streak at the start of the season have been emphatically silenced by Newcastle United’s recent run. The Magpies welcome Burnley to St. James‘ Park after backing up their record Premier League win by knocking Manchester City out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
|
Date |
Kick-off Time (BST) |
Fixture |
Prediction |
|---|---|---|---|
|
30/09/23 |
12:30 |
Aston Villa vs Brighton |
1-1 |
|
30/09/23 |
15:00 |
Bournemouth vs Arsenal |
0-3 |
|
30/09/23 |
15:00 |
Everton vs Luton |
1-0 |
|
30/09/23 |
15:00 |
Man Utd vs Crystal Palace |
2-1 |
|
30/09/23 |
15:00 |
Newcastle vs Burnley |
3-0 |
|
30/09/23 |
15:00 |
West Ham vs Sheff Utd |
2-0 |
|
30/09/23 |
15:00 |
Wolves vs Man City |
0-4 |
|
30/09/23 |
17:30 |
Tottenham vs Liverpool |
2-2 |
|
01/10/23 |
14:00 |
Nottingham Forest vs Brentford |
2-2 |
|
02/10/23 |
20:00 |
Fulham vs Chelsea |
1-1 |
Pep Guardiola had never previously lost a third-round cup tie as Manchester City manager, winning all 14. The Catalan has twice been beaten by Wolverhampton Wanderers – City’s upcoming hosts on Saturday – although, the champions have won the previous six iterations of this matchup.
Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool face off in north London on Saturday evening in the weekend’s headline fixture. Both clubs have made impressive starts to the new campaign with renewed intensity underpinning each unbeaten run. Spurs have won just one of their last 21 top-flight meetings with Liverpool but fans have been given the permission and plenty of reason to dream by Ange Postecoglou.
Two decades ago, Nottingham Forest’s legendary manager Brian Clough was adamant that far too much football was already being broadcast. „I adore roast beef and Yorkshire pudding but you don’t want it every night and twice on a Sunday do you?“ Clough argued.
Ironically, Nottingham Forest are one of the few teams that will be subject to a live broadcast in Britain when Brentford travel to the City Ground for the only top-flight match on Sunday.
Gameweek seven concludes with a west London derby between Fulham and Chelsea at Craven Cottage on Monday night. Marco Silva’s side finished above the Blues last season and have already opened up a three-point gap above their flailing neighbours this term.