Premier League Predictions, Week 10

Welcome back to your Premier League predictions! And for those of you readers in America— last I checked, the overlap between my friends living abroad and Premier League fans was nonexistent, soooo…. all of you — Happy Thanksgiving Week!

I haven’t had much to be thankful for in this crazy year, but Premier League football being able to continue is certainly something. I’m especially thankful as a Liverpool fan, as the defending champion Reds (man, that never gets tiresome to say) keep finding ways to stay near the top of the table despite losing approximately half of their squad to injury. They are coming off a short week thanks to the Champions League midweek action (we don’t need to talk about that result), as are several other clubs who featured in the Champions League and Europa League Tuesday through Thursday.

One thing I am NOT thankful for this week is my season thus far in predictions. For the 6th consecutive week, I failed to get above .500 on my five predictions, my warranted confidence in Chelsea and Leeds offset by my errant lack of confidence in Tottenham, Liverpool, and Southampton. My 2/5 scoreline drops me even lower than before, with a season total of 21/40. Oof.

But, the matches are just 12 hours away from kicking off in earnest, so let’s not waste any more time souring the holiday spirit. Here are your 5 for Week 10!

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Liverpool

The preseason expectations for these two clubs were wildly different, but given how the season has transpired, it’s not ridiculous to say that Liverpool has been a bit of a surprise, while Brighton a bit of a disappointment. In the eyes of many, the Reds were, as they should have been, favorites to retain the title, but their absurd and ever-growing laundry list of injuries and COVID absences has made their current tie for the lead in the Premier League extremely impressive, exemplified in their stunningly dominant win over league leaders Leicester last Sunday. Brighton, meanwhile, finished last season on a very optimistic note in the first year under Graham Potter, with glimpses of extremely positive attacking play. The offseason signings of former Liverpudlian Adam Lallana and young dynamo Tariq Lamptey caused many to label Brighton as a potential spoiler for a number of big teams in the league season, and yet, they find themselves near the bottom of the table. In fairness to the Gulls, they got a big win over Aston Villa last weekend, and it’s certainly not outrageous to think they could give Liverpool a game at home; but Brighton is one of those sides Klopp’s Liverpool has always seemed to play well against, and with the Reds desperate to shake off the bad taste of a woeful Champions League performance this week, I have to imagine they get all 3 points.

The Pick: Liverpool, 3-1

Everton vs. Leeds United

This matchup features two teams not only known for attacking football, but also looking to shake off a brutal November that saw their bright starts to the season take a serious downturn. Leeds started off their return to the Premier League looking as if they hadn’t missed a beat, dropping just one loss in their first four matches, a competitive 3-4 fixture against champions Liverpool. Since then, though, they’ve won just one of their last five, getting blown out twice in the process, and now sit comfortably in the bottom half of the table. Everton, meanwhile, were atop the league recently thanks to winning their first four matches of the season before drawing Liverpool. However, a three-match losing streak saw them fall from grace. That said, the Toffees’ win over Fulham last week, unconvincing though it may have been, showed they are capable of digging deep and reversing momentum. At this point, I trust them more than I trust Leeds.

The Pick: Everton, 2-1

Southampton vs. Manchester United

I don’t think anybody expected Southampton to be the team close to the Top 4 by the time this fixture came around, but the Saints sit right outside the Champions League spots, in the wake of a seven-match unbeaten streak. Meanwhile, while I’m sure Manchester United fans don’t love being in 10th place, the cries of their season already being over may have been premature; their Champions League success has been astounding, and with just one Premier League loss from their last five, they’re within striking distance domestically as well. I’ve underestimated Southampton before (namely, last week), and I would love to be wrong about my estimation of them again, but I just don’t think this is the kind of match Manchester United loses; under Solskjær, they’ve popped up with big results in big matches when they were needed most, and I think that might just be the case on Sunday.

The Pick: Manchester United, 3-2

Chelsea vs. Tottenham Hotspur

The undisputed match of the weekend is one of the highest-stakes London Derbies in recent years. Four years ago, Chelsea claimed the Premier League title and Tottenham gave them a right go at the end of the season, but since then, the league has been thoroughly controlled by the duopoly of Liverpool and Manchester City. Yet, a quarter of the way through the season, Tottenham Hotspur sit atop the league, with Chelsea just two points behind them. Neither club has lost domestically since mid-September, and the two are both riding four-match winning streaks into Sunday morning’s clash. Given Manchester City’s inability to put together a consistent performance thus far, and the serious hits to Liverpool’s depth, many have started to claim these two as co-favorites for the title. So which red-hot London club wins this weekend and takes a serious step towards bringing that label into fruition? It’s anyone’s game, and certainly, the talent and depth advantage belong to Frank Lampard’s Chelsea. But Jose Mourinho has Spurs playing on another level right now; last weekend’s 2-0 win over Manchester City was a masterclass in cohesion, preparedness and counter-attacking prowess. A positive result for Chelsea is extremely feasible, but I’d feel foolish predicting anything but a Tottenham win at this point.

The Pick: Tottenham, 2-1

Leicester City vs. Fulham

It’s not even the midway point, but Leicester fans are probably already having nightmares about the finish to the 2019-20 season, wherein a seemingly insurmountable 2nd place standing at Christmas crumbled away over the course of the last 3 months, resulting in the Foxes missing out on the Top 4. After a 5-2 demolishing of Manchester City this season, Leicester led the league and looked for all intents and purposes to be a legitimate contender for not just the Top 4, but perhaps the title. Yet, they’ve stumbled to three losses out of their last six, and on Sunday were completely outclassed by a shorthanded Liverpool team. The good news for the Foxes? They’re still in the Top 4, they’re still just 3 points back from the league lead, and they have a chance to regain their mojo this weekend against a side in the relegation zone. I expect Leicester to take care of business against Fulham, in which case we can hold off on panicking about their season trajectory for now. A Fulham draw or a win, though? It might be time to sound the alarm.

The Pick: Leicester City, 2-0