Premier League Predictions, Week 10

Welcome back to the weekly predictions, Premier League fans! We've reached November, somehow, which means we're closer to the midway point in the season than the start of it. After some domestic cup action in the last couple days, we're back for some more league play.

I mentioned last week that I needed to get back to winning ways, to improve on my season average and snap my streak of only getting two out of the five matches right. In that regard...mission accomplished? Kinda? I once again only got two results correct, missing on Bournemouth's and Liverpool's draws with Aston Villa and Arsenal, respectively, as well as West Ham's win over Manchester United. I did, however, get both Manchester City's and Chelsea's victories right, and in the case of the latter, nailed their 2-1 scoreline over Newcastle. That's right, I made the massive leap from 2/5 to...2.5/5! That wild improvement brings my season total to 21/40, a notch above .500.

Now, the matches are less than 12 hours from kicking off, so let's not waste any more time minimizing my accomplishments. Here are your 5 for Week 10!

Newcastle United vs. Arsenal

The weekend starts with the wealthiest club in the Premier League hosting one of the odds-on title favorites. Few would have expected that both teams would come into this matchup looking for their first win in at least 3 weeks; in Newcastle's case, it's been since mid-September that they found the win column. The Toons have had a stunning six-match slide in the league, which has managed to drop the Top 4 hopefuls to 13th place, but they will be hopeful that a home crowd and a big midweek win vs. Chelsea in the League Cup will lift their spirits. Arsenal, however, will likely be on the warpath; for the second time this season, the Gunners missed an enormous opportunity to notch a huge win against a fellow title favorite as they allowed a late equalizer, this time from Liverpool's Mo Salah, to settle for a 2-2 draw. On paper, not a ton separates these teams, especially with Arsenal's injury bug in defense... but the reality is the Gunners are a significantly better team right now, and I think have more to lose by not winning.

The Pick: Arsenal, 2-1

Bournemouth vs. Manchester City

Arsenal and Liverpool's draw served to most benefit Manchester City, who have now assumed the all-too-familiar position of league leaders. The four-time reigning champions haven't been great this season, especially amidst the injury absence of newly crowned Ballon d'Or winner Rodri. But that doesn't change the fact that, by and large, they continue to grind out wins, and now sit alone atop the table. Bournemouth, an exciting and well-coached side, very well could be another tricky test for the champions; just ask Arsenal, who capitulated in this stadium a couple weeks ago. But as fun as they often are to watch, I can't see lightning striking twice in quick succession for these Cherries.

The Pick: Man City, 3-1

Liverpool vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

It's hard to say which team might have been left more disappointed by last Sunday's 2-2 draw; it was, on the surface, certainly a better result for Liverpool than for Arsenal, but the Reds were comprehensively outplayed (at least in the 1st half) by a team that was missing two of their most crucial starters and until recent seasons lagged behind them in quality. Regardless, a draw is not a loss, and Arne Slot's men responded nicely in the midweek with a thrilling League Cup victory over.... Brighton! That's right, just three days after their Cup battle on the south coast, both squads will now travel to the northern shores to rematch in a Premier League match at Anfield. Liverpool played what amounted to a B, arguably even B- eleven at Brighton, so that they got the 3-2 victory would seemingly bode very well for the quick rematch, presumably to be played with their A-team. And yet....Brighton is a good team, and it's very hard to beat a good team twice in a matter of days. Then there's the small matter of how-- regardless of location --the first league fixture of the season between these two teams has been a draw for each of the last four season. If there is going to be a winner tomorrow, I think it will be Liverpool, but historical precedent makes me a little reticent to predict an outright win.

The Pick: Draw, 2-2

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Aston Villa

The month of October pretty perfectly summed up the Tottenham experience: collapsing a 2-goal lead to lose at Brighton, then coming back to wax West Ham the following week. Then, last Sunday, gifting cellar-dwellars Crystal Palace their first win of the season, only to turn around and stun Manchester City in the League Cup a few days later. Aston Villa, meanwhile, might be disappointed with settling for a home draw vs. Bournemouth on Saturday, but haven't lost in the league since Week 2 against Arsenal, and oh by the way, still lead the Champions League mega-table. While many expected the Villains' great '23-'24 campaign to be a one-off, Unai Emery has his team looking like the picture of consistency. I do think, based on a season and a half's worth of evidence, Aston Villa isn't just better-managed, but straight up just might be the better team at this point. But they're not Manchester City, and I think Spurs' midweek conquest will give them enough confidence to show up to this big game prepared to take home at least something.

The Pick: Draw, 2-2

Manchester United vs. Chelsea

It was one of the hottest seats in the Premier League coming into the season, and in the wake of another disappointing loss-- this time West Ham being the offenders --Erik ten Hag's seat finally burnt up, as Manchester United made the Dutch manager the first major firing of the year. Just this morning, United named a perceived rising star, Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim, their new manager, but it's unclear whether he'll be in the dugout for Sunday's clash, or if responsibilities will be left for caretaker manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, who oversaw an impressive debut as United lashed Leicester City 5-2 in the League Cup on Wednesday. Chelsea, who bounced back well from their frustrating loss at Liverpool with a solid win over Newcastle, is far from the easiest opponent for a new or a caretaker manager to make their debut against, but neither are the Blues unbeatable. They're absolutely better than this iteration of Man United, but I expect a spirited team and a spirited crowd at Old Trafford Sunday morning, and that might prove enough for the Devils to come away with at least a point.

The Pick: Draw, 1-1