Premier League Predictions, Week 9

Welcome back to your weekly Premier League predictions! We're finally back after another International Break. I used to love international football, but now I just dread these weekends. Mostly because it interrupts thrilling Premier League action (currently featuring Liverpool TOP OF THE TABLE), but also because it consists of me doing things like watching the Untied States lose to Canada. Hooray.

And speaking of losers, how about my predictions from Week 8? I don't know if you remember that far back, but let me quick catch you to speed: Tottenham lost, Liverpool won, West Ham lost, Arsenal won, and Manchester City lost. Or, put another way: all of my predictions were incorrect. So, one week after my first (of hopefully many) perfect weekend, I've batted an impressive 0 for 5. This takes me to an alarming 11.5/20 on the season.

Now, the matches are less than 12 hours away from starting, so let's not waste any time groveling. Here are your 5 for Week 9!

Chelsea vs. Newcastle

Chelsea, as you might expect of a young team with a first-year manager, has had a topsy-turvy introduction to this season. But, with 2 wins since their home loss to Liverpool, they are suddenly on the cusp of the Top 4. The Blues seem to be catching on to the way Frank Lampard would like them to play even sooner than many expected. I anticipate the positive momentum continuing this weekend against a less-than-stellar Newcastle side.

The Pick: Chelsea, 2-0

Leicester City vs. Burnley

Leicester were just minutes-- minute, even --from securing a huge draw at Anfield (a draw which I predicted. HA! I'm almost a genius!), before Sadio Mané's clever play led to a clutch James Milner penalty at the death. They'll be disheartened to make off with 0 points, but here's the thing: it's time to start viewing them as a genuine Top 4 threat. They've looked as consistently impressive as any team not named Liverpool, and they just took the current league leaders to the absolute wire on the latter's home turf. The Foxes face a tough turnaround matchup this weekend, with a resurgent Burnley team who sit in 7th place. But at home, I like Leicester to get 3 significant points.

The Pick: Leicester City, 2-1

Crystal Palace vs. Manchester City

Speaking of smaller-club surprise-successes...last week the team I especially highlighted in that role was West Ham. As if on cue, the Hammers went on to lose at home to Crystal Palace. Now it's Palace that find themselves suddenly in very good form, sitting on 14 points which is good enough for a tie for 4th place. They famously got the better of Manchester City last season, thanks to Andros Townsend's wonder goal, and they might be capable of doing it again. The defending champs, fresh off a shock loss to Wolverhampton, are abnormally weak at the back and many believe are psychologically out of sorts, tasked with trying to win the League a 3rd consecutive time. But, though I've been wrong about them multiple times this season already, I just can't see City dropping two straight, particularly with a bye week in between.

The Pick: Manchester City, 3-1

Manchester United vs. Liverpool

It's Man U vs. Liverpool. It doesn't matter that one of the clubs is already 15 points ahead of the other. It's Man U vs. Liverpool. It doesn't matter that one club is off to its worst Premier League start in what feels like an eternity. It's Man U vs. Liverpool. No matter the stakes, this is THE match to watch, and anything can happen. Yes, even this year. United are in turmoil, Liverpool have won every single match, and the former are going to be without probably their two best players. And yet: Jürgen Klopp has only beaten Manchester United in the Premier League once, and it was just last season, at home. Liverpool haven't won at Old Trafford in 5 and a half years; not even last season, when the Reds were in the midst of fighting for the Premier League title and United were without several key players due to injury. Sound familiar? Until I see the trend snapped, I'm going to assume it holds.

The Pick: Draw, 1-1

Sheffield United vs. Arsenal

Arsenal sit 6 points ahead of Sheffield United, and yet the supporters' outlooks on their teams are likely vastly different. Though the Gunners sit in 3rd place in the league, many will feel like, thanks to inexplicable draws against Watford and Tottenham, they should be in better position than where they are. Sheffield, by contrast, is back in the Premier League for the first time in over a decade, and is acclimating quite nicely. With a pair of wins, a draw against Chelsea, and a narrow, unlucky loss to Liverpool, the Blades have shown they can hang with the top tier. Arsenal, though every bit capable of winning this match, have also shown they can play down to their competition in a major way. No result from this match would surprise me, so I'll take the easy way out and split the difference.

The Pick: Draw, 1-1

Premier League Predictions, Week 9

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