Predictions for the 4th round of the Premier League, September 13-14
Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest
Nottingham parted ways with Nuno Espírito Santo, so the team will be led to London by a new manager – Ange Postecoglou. The Australian didn’t stay unemployed for long after being dismissed from Tottenham. He is a dogmatic coach, so it will be interesting to see if he immediately starts to dismantle the playing principles established by his predecessor. However, whatever decision Postecoglou makes, it is unlikely to affect the final result. The "Foresters" consistently lose to the "Gunners" away – their last four visits to the "Emirates" ended with a total score of 1:15! We strongly doubt that there will be a change in this trend.
Match Prediction for Arsenal vs Nottingham Forest: Arsenal to win with a handicap (-1)
Bournemouth vs Brighton
The surprise teams of the last round face off. Bournemouth and Brighton upset the favorites before the international break, so they approach this head-to-head meeting in great spirits. Their squad situations are also similar – no critical losses. This means that two bright, pressing teams should deliver a high-scoring game. This has been the case in the last four meetings between them, where the total went over.
Match Prediction for Bournemouth vs Brighton: total over 2.5 goals
Crystal Palace vs Sunderland
Oliver Glasner's teams are known for delivering strong season finishes, but this time they have started off quite well, at least in terms of results. The "Eagles" won the English Super Cup and boast a six-match unbeaten streak, going into the break after thrashing Aston Villa (3:0). Sunderland is also in good spirits, considering their comeback win against Brentford (2:1). Six points in the first three rounds is a phenomenal result for a Premier League newcomer, but we don't think the "Black Cats" will surprise the hosts at "Selhurst Park". We expect the first home win for the "Glaziers" in the new Premier League season.
Match Prediction for Crystal Palace vs Sunderland: Crystal Palace to win
Everton vs Aston Villa
After a poor start in the first round, the significantly strengthened Everton has gathered momentum and started picking up points. It's especially pleasing to see Jack Grealish thriving in his new team, leading the assist race with four assists. Meanwhile, Aston Villa has been dreadful. They are the only team with zero goals scored. Unai Emery is certainly a notable figure, having taken the Birmingham side to a new level, but he might be close to being dismissed. The "Lions" need to start playing football. We don't believe they will go a fourth consecutive match without scoring, so we are betting on both teams to score.
Match Prediction for Everton vs Aston Villa: both teams to score (yes)
Fulham vs Leeds
The meeting of teams that in the 21st century have more frequently crossed paths in the Championship rather than the Premier League. But now they will meet in the elite. In terms of points gained, Fulham started worse, but they had a tough schedule with two away games, and in terms of gameplay quality, Marco Silva's guys certainly do not fall short of their opponent. For instance, they could and should have pressed Manchester United at home. It didn't work out, but the next United team to visit Craven Cottage will clearly give the hosts more chances. Leeds does not yet look like a formidable force and will most likely be fighting desperately for survival. Considering that the last three head-to-head meetings ended in favor of the "Cottagers," we will choose them.
Match Prediction Fulham vs Leeds: Fulham to win
Newcastle vs Wolverhampton
Newcastle and Wolverhampton made headlines with the purchase of forwards in the last days of the transfer window. Nick Woltemade and Tolu Arokodare have impressive physiques, but that's about all they have in common. The transfer of the German national team player cost more than three times as much, which somewhat indicates the ambitions of the teams. The fate of the "Wolves" is to fight for Premier League survival, while the "Magpies" are likely to contend for European competitions. Eddie Howe's squad had an uneven start to the season, but they must defeat such an opponent at home. There have been no wins since May, and it's important to correct this before the game against Barcelona in the Champions League.
Match Prediction Newcastle vs Wolverhampton: Newcastle to win
West Ham vs Tottenham
A London derby, with participants entering the international break in diametrically opposite moods. West Ham broke a streak of failures with a big win over Nottingham (3:0), while Tottenham unexpectedly failed their home game against Bournemouth (0:1). But the "Spurs" intend to quickly get back on the winning track. An already decent roster has been bolstered by Randal Kolo Muani and Xavi Simons, whom Thomas Frank will gradually integrate into the team. The attacking potential of the "Spurs" is very impressive, which cannot be said about the defense of the "Hammers," who conceded 11 goals in the first four matches of the season.
Match Prediction for West Ham vs Tottenham: Tottenham total goals over 1.5
Brentford vs Chelsea
The outcome of this match will largely depend on which players Enzo Maresca decides to field. Next week, the "Blues" will start in the Champions League, and playing with a second squad, as in the Conference League, will not be an option, especially in Munich against Bayern. This significantly increases Brentford's already considerable chances for a positive result. The fact is that the "Bees" have taken points from the "Pensioners" in 6 of the last 7 meetings. Only one victory for the favorite in this stretch – that's what a truly inconvenient opponent means.
Match Prediction for Brentford vs Chelsea: Brentford to win with a handicap (+1)
Burnley vs Liverpool
Liverpool has had a perfect start in the Premier League. Not in terms of gameplay quality, but in results, having built a series of three victories, the latest being over a direct competitor, Arsenal (1-0). The "Reds" achieve results despite how the game unfolds. This is the hallmark of a championship-winning team. As for Burnley, the "Clarets" are trying to compete at an elite level, but so far, it's not going well – they have only earned points in the game against Sunderland (2-0). Scott Parker's attack doesn't look convincing, even despite two goals against Manchester United (which is not a quality indicator at the moment). Liverpool loves to beat Burnley and often does so with a clean sheet (in 4 of the last 5 meetings), which we are counting on again now.
Match Prediction for the Burnley vs Liverpool: both teams to score (no)
Manchester City vs Manchester United
The central match is scheduled for the end of the round. We are in for the Manchester derby at the "Etihad"! Usually, in such cases, the favorite is obvious, but how are things now? City started the season even worse than United, suffering defeats in the last couple of rounds. It seems the crisis is not over yet. The "Red Devils" are also shaky: they get knocked out of the cup by a League 2 team, then barely manage to handle Burnley (3-2) at home. Ruben Amorim is already on edge. But we know how United can gear up for such games. It's no coincidence that the "Citizens" have only one win in the last five derbies, with Pep's team losing twice to their principal rival at home. Considering the above, a logical betting option seems to be both teams to score, which has occurred in 8 of the last 10 head-to-head encounters. We expect an end-to-end football match with an unpredictable outcome.
