Predictions for the 9th round of the Premier League, October 24-26
Leeds vs West Ham
The 9th round of the best league in the world will kick off with a clash between relegation candidates. Leeds, having risen from the Championship, was initially considered as such, while West Ham surprisingly failed at the start of the season. With a comparably challenging schedule, both opponents have identical results in the last three rounds – a draw and two consecutive losses. However, the "Peacocks" look much more confident in their play – they deserved to earn points in the match against Tottenham (1:2) and in the game against Burnley (0:2), whereas the "Hammers" were defeated by Arsenal and Brentford with the same score of 0:2 without any chances. Considering that Leeds has lost only 1 of their last 11 home matches, and the anomalous scoring in their head-to-head encounters (with the total over 3.5 goals being surpassed in three consecutive matches), we believe in two goals from the hosts.
Match Prediction for Leeds vs West Ham: Leeds' individual total over 1.5 goals
Chelsea vs Sunderland
At "Stamford Bridge," direct competitors for a top-4 spot will meet. Surprisingly, by the 9th round, Sunderland can indeed be considered among them. However, we do not believe in the sensational success of the "Black Cats": neither for the season as a whole nor in the individual match against Chelsea. The Londoners have hit an excellent form, securing four consecutive victories. The away defeat of Sunderland by Manchester United (0:2), where Regis Le Bris' men were beaten without any chances, is still fresh in memory. We think something similar awaits them this coming Saturday, unless the hosts decide to play leniently and receive a red card.
Match Prediction for Chelsea vs Sunderland: Chelsea to win with a handicap (-1)
Newcastle vs Fulham
Newcastle will host Fulham at "St. James' Park." Both teams are not in the position they hoped for, but the table is tightly packed, and there is still plenty of time to rectify the situation. However, it needs to be addressed now, especially for the "Cottagers," who have lost three matches in a row. The "Magpies" lost in the last round to Brighton (1:2), but overall, October has been very successful for them, as they won the other three matches with a total score of 9:0. Last season, Fulham was stronger in both head-to-head meetings, but before that, Newcastle had total dominance with six consecutive wins. In our opinion, Eddie Howe's protégés currently look more preferable, especially considering that the opponent has only gained one point from four away matches this season.
Match Prediction for Newcastle vs Fulham: Newcastle to win
Manchester United vs Brighton
Something unimaginable happened! Manchester United, under Ruben Amorim, won two consecutive Premier League matches for the first time. Moreover, the opponents were not minor outsiders, but the main sensation of the season's start in the form of Sunderland (2:0) and Liverpool (2:1) at "Anfield." Perhaps, this is the the most emotional boost that the "Red Devils" desperately needed to find stability. However, the next opponent could be a problem—Brighton, who are on a long unbeaten streak and have been quite a challenging matchup for MU in head-to-head encounters. We believe that the "Seagulls" will definitely score at Old Trafford, so we expect both teams to find the net. This bet has won in 9 of Brighton's last 10 Premier League matches.
Match Prediction for Manchester United vs Brighton: both teams to score (yes)
Brentford vs Liverpool
How many goals will Liverpool score against Caoimhin Kelleher? Arne Slot's team ended a series of four defeats with a thrashing of Eintracht (4:1) in the Champions League, and Florian Wirtz marked his first contributions in a red shirt. Brentford, on the other hand, didn't thrash anyone but confidently defeated West Ham (2:0), securing a rare away victory. The "Bees" are especially strong at home, where they have only lost to Man City (0:1) since the start of the season. Considering Liverpool's problematic defense, the hosts will have chances, if not to grab points, then at least to score. Therefore, as in the previous match of our preview, we expect both teams to score, which has been recorded in 7 of Liverpool's last 8 games.
Match Prediction for Brentford vs Liverpool: both teams to score (yes)
Bournemouth vs Nottingham Forest
Bournemouth has slightly slowed down in accumulating points, often ending in draws. Nevertheless, Andoni Iraola's team remains in the top 4, and compared to Forest, they seem to have no issues at all. As for the "Foresters," they will be led onto the Vitality Stadium field by their third coach this season. Ange Postecoglou lasted very briefly and was shown the door after a thrashing by Chelsea (0:3) last week. He was replaced by old hand Sean Dyche, so Nottingham's football will surely become as straightforward as possible, focused solely on accumulating points. Whether Dyche can immediately achieve a positive result is highly doubtful, considering that in six head-to-head Premier League encounters, the "Reds" have not won a single match, and they lost the last one to the "Cherries" 0:5.
Match Prediction for Bournemouth vs Nottingham Forest: Bournemouth's individual total over 1.5 goals
Arsenal vs Crystal Palace
League leaders Arsenal, who have not conceded in four matches, will host the top-tier threat Crystal Palace, led by Oliver Glasner, at the Emirates. The "Eagles" have slowed down but continue to deliver one high-scoring match after another—there have been four in a row in the Premier League. Head-to-head meetings between the teams also tell a story of goals. In 5 of the last 6, not only was the "over" achieved, but at least four goals were scored. Considering that both the "Gunners" and the "Glaziers" have expended energy in European competitions, fatigue can lead to unforced errors, so our editorial team expects to see another goal-rich game.
Prediction for the Arsenal vs Crystal Palace match: total over 2.5 goals
Aston Villa vs Manchester City
Aston Villa has already put their early season setbacks behind them – before their Europa League trip to Deventer, the team had five consecutive wins. However, their position in the Premier League standings remains uncomfortable, so the "Lions" have something to strive for. Manchester City, who haven't lost since August and have climbed to second place by taking advantage of Liverpool's slump, can serve as a benchmark. It's hard to say if the visitors' successful streak will continue, as Villa under Unai Emery knows how to challenge the "Citizens," especially at home, where they've won both matches. It's also important to note that they consistently score against City, which is why the bet on both teams to score has won in 8 of the last 9 head-to-head meetings.
Prediction for the Aston Villa vs Manchester City match: both teams to score (yes)
Wolverhampton vs Burnley
The match between Wolverhampton and Burnley at "Molineux" is interesting because, by the end of the season, these teams might be direct competitors in the battle to stay in the top flight. The results of their head-to-head encounters could play a significant role in this struggle. Burnley ended their streak of failures in the last round by defeating Leeds (2-0), while Wolverhampton, on the other hand, saw their unbeaten run come to an end with a loss to Sunderland (0-2). The teams seem evenly matched, so we'll play two outcomes against one, believing in the underdog not losing. The "Clarets" have exclusively lost away games this season, but their opponents were all top teams, and the "Wolves" can't be considered as such.
Prediction for the Wolverhampton vs Burnley match: Burnley not to lose
Everton vs Tottenham
The final match of the round will take place at "Hill Dickinson" in Liverpool, where Tottenham will visit. The "Spurs" lost to Aston Villa (1-2) last weekend, and during the week barely held onto a goalless draw in their Champions League away game in Monaco (0-0). If it weren't for Vicario's heroics, they would have faced a second consecutive defeat. Thomas Frank's team is far from ideal. Everton is also inconsistent, but they are exceptionally good at their new stadium, having not lost a single match there. Crystal Palace's historic unbeaten streak ended here. In our opinion, David Moyes' team is more than justifiably the favorites.
