Premier League Predictions Week 5: Robbie Savage takes on F365 as domestic football returns
The international break is over, which means the Premier League is back. We couldn’t be happier if we tried. Let’s do this…
There are no title deciders or relegation six-pointers, but we are absolutely buzzing to have domestic football back on our screens and the Premier League restarts with Wolves at home to Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
Including, Manchester United vs Brighton, there are five 15:00 kick-offs on Saturday before Newcastle United against Brentford.
Sunday gives us Bournemouth at home to Chelsea (it turns out there is a relegation six-pointer after all) and Arsenal at Everton before Nottingham Forest host Burnley on Monday evening.
Robbie Savage picked up eight points last week, meaning he is now leading on 33. F365 and Tipstrr are both on 27 points, while TEAMtalk is bottom with 23 points.
Well, here we go again…
Wolves vs Liverpool
F365: Liverpool’s defence is there for the taking but Wolves are not the team to cause them any damage. 2-0 away win.
Robbie: Liverpool are in fine form, and will win again. You know Jurgen Klopp’s team is in a transitional period, they’ve integrated young dynamic midfielders and they look really good. Szoboszlai is a fantastic signing and I think he’ll get a goal in an away win for Liverpool. I’m going with 2-0.
TEAMtalk: Wolves 0-2 Liverpool.
Tipstrr: Wolves 0-3 Liverpool.
Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace
F365: This should be a tight game with Palace hard to beat under Roy Hodgson. Aston Villa 2-1 Crystal Palace.
Robbie: Villa being at home, the Anfield result was a little bit of a blip for Unai Emery’s side. They’ve got a European week coming up, so with this game it’s imperative that they can get on that momentum again.
Palace will be a great threat on the counter attack and will score but I think Villa are scoring goals for fun this season and will get more. I’m going Aston Villa 2 Crystal Palace 1.
TEAMtalk: Aston Villa 3-1 Crystal Palace.
Tipstrr: Aston Villa 2-0 Crystal Palace.
Fulham vs Luton Town
F365: We actually fancy Luton to get their first point of the season here. 2-2 draw.
Robbie: We won’t see a repeat of the 7-0 scoreline when these two teams met last time, but I think we’ll see a repeat of the result. I think Fulham will win and get goals.
But, these are the games that if Luton had any chance of staying up whatsoever, they’ve at least got to try and get a draw. When they played the top teams in the league people will say they’ve got no chance of winning those games. So these are the games which Rob Edwards would have identified to try and get points out of. He’ll try and get points out of every game, but these games in particular, he’d be looking to get points. But I don’t think they will. So Fulham at home and I’m going 3-0.
TEAMtalk: Fulham 3-0 Luton.
Tipstrr: Fulham 2-1 Luton.
Manchester United vs Brighton
F365: Could go either way, this. Man Utd 1-1 Brighton.
Robbie: Let’s not forget last year Brighton did the double over Manchester United and I think they’ll win this one at Old Trafford too. Manchester United aren’t playing well at all. Okay, they’ve got six points on the board. But you know, realistically they’re lucky to have six points on the board.
I think this Brighton side away from home will play in transition. Remember Mitoma’s goal at Wolves, it was fantastic from that left hand side. I think Mitoma will be on the scoresheet and I’m gonna go with Brighton away win. 2-1
TEAMtalk: Man Utd 2-3 Brighton.
Tipstrr: Man Utd 2-2 Brighton.
Tottenham vs Sheffield United
F365: Given their strong start to the season, it would be characteristically Spursy of Tottenham to drop points against Sheffield United. We will decide not to back that hunch and say a 3-0 win for Ange Postecoglou’s men.
Robbie: Let’s not forget in the FA Cup Sheffield United beat Spurs 1-0. But Angeball is doing really really well with Richarlison, Kulusevski and Son. Maddison is in fine form for Spurs playing on that left hand side of the midfield three, but I think that suits him. In his time at Leicester he played on the right and drifted in. Big Ange has just changed slightly with Maddison on the left hand side. I think he’s in fine form.
I’m going to go with a Spurs win. Let’s not forget they beat Sheffield United 4-0 back in the Premier League in May 2021. I think they’ll win this game and win this game to nil. Maddison to score in a 2-0 Spurs win.
TEAMtalk: Tottenham 4-1 Sheffield United.
Tipstrr: Tottenham 5-0 Sheffield United.
West Ham vs Manchester City
F365: The Hammers are flying but will lose 3-1 at home to the champions of everything.
Robbie: West Ham haven’t beaten City in the league since 2015 and they’ve only won two of the last 30 competitive games against Man City which is unbelievable. Remember this game was very early on at the start of last season and Haaland got two goals. I think he will get another one here. But let’s be fair, this is a kind of Super Cup in the Premier League, with the champions of Europe in the Champions League and the champions of Europe in the Europa Conference League. I’m going to go with Haaland to get on the scoresheet in a Man City win. I’m going 2-0 Man City once again.
TEAMtalk: West Ham 2-3 Manchester City.
Tipstrr: West Ham 1-3 Manchester City.
Newcastle United vs Brentford
F365: Should be entertaining, as it always is at St James’ Park. Newcastle 3-1 Brentford.
Robbie: Can Newcastle bounce back? Before the International break we know they got lots of goals scored against them against Brighton and Liverpool, with 10 men, came back from 1-0 down at St James’ Park to win 2-1. So they do need to bounce back, it’s a European week in the Champions League. What a week it is going to be for these Newcastle United fans.
Brentford are unbeaten in five this season and I think they’ll go there and get something, in transition on the counter attack as I think Newcastle will have a lot on the ball. But I think Brentford will get a goal and I’m going to go with a 1-1 draw.
TEAMtalk: Newcastle 3-1 Brentford.
Tipstrr: Newcastle 2-1 Brentford.
Bournemouth vs Chelsea
F365: Let’s go for an upset. Bournemouth 2-1 Chelsea. Actually, is backing Chelsea to lose an upset?
Robbie: You certainly think from Chelsea’s perspective it’s a must win game if they’ve got any realisation of getting Champions League football next year. They haven’t got any European football this week, Mauricio Pochettino would have had time to work with players who didn’t go on international duty. But let’s be fair, the size of the Chelsea squad there should have been lots of people away on international duty. So on the basis of no European football he can pick his strongest team for this game, not worrying about what happens in midweek. I’m gonna go with the Chelsea win, their second of the season and I’m going to go with a Chelsea 1-0 away win.
TEAMtalk: Bournemouth 2-2 Chelsea.
Tipstrr: Bournemouth 0-2 Chelsea.
Everton vs Arsenal
F365: Goodison Park has been a very tough stadium for Arsenal in recent seasons but they will face Everton at the perfect time. They will comfortably win by at least three goals. Let’s go with a 4-1 drubbing.
Robbie: There are positive signs for Everton. In the Carabao Cup they went to Doncaster and won. Beto and Danjuma looked very very lively, but this is a completely different test against an Arsenal side playing with confidence on the back of the 3-1 win against Manchester United.
Sean Dyche is going to need that Goodison Park crowd to get right behind the team like they did when he took over and they beat Arsenal last February. They are going to need all that energy, all that emotion in this game as well. But they can’t hit the target at home. They’ve created numerous chances at Goodison, and they’ve been unlucky in a few decisions. But for me Arsenal are going to be too good for Sean Dyche’s men. No more goals for Everton at Goodison in this game. I’m going for a clean sheet for Arsenal and a 2-0 win.
TEAMtalk: Everton 0-2 Arsenal.
Tipstrr: Everton 1-3 Arsenal.
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Nottingham Forest vs Burnley
F365: Burnley are desperate for points and will give Forest a good game but will ultimately lose 2-1.
Robbie: These are the games that Vincent Kompany and his staff would have identified to get points out of, no question about that. A bit like Luton against Fulham this weekend, this is a game where Burnley need to take points. It’s not been a great start for Burnley, Steve Cooper on the other hand, that win at Stamford Bridge was brilliant. They’ve got some very good players, but they’ve lost Brennan Johnson which is a huge loss in my opinion. But on the back of Forest signing lots of good players, I think they will beat Burnley and I’m going with a reverse of the scoreline in the Carabao Cup. Forest 1 Burnley 0.
TEAMtalk: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Burnley.
Tipstrr: Nottingham Forest 2-0 Burnley.