Premier League Predictions, Week 32

© Micah Veldkamp, 2026

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Welcome back to the weekly predictions, everyone! We had a brief blip in the middle of the week for European action, but I think we can all agree nobody cares about the "Champions League," am I right? It's time to get back to what's really at stake here: a Top 5 finish, in order to qualify for next year's Champions League. Thank God the Premier League is back!

And I was starting to wonder if I would ever feel that way again, longing for the Premier League weekend rather than international break or European action. such is the funny old life of the Liverpool fan this year, but last weekend, and long last, I saw my team win, all fellow Top 5 competitors stumble, and Arsenal lose at home to inject some serious energy into this title race. Granted, I predicted absolutely none of those things happening, so my personal record took a beating. My one saving grace was getting the Arsenal-Bournemouth scoreline right, but the dame was done: my 0.5/5 week brought me down to 79/140 on the season, inching dangerously outwards that .500 line.

But, the matches are kicking back off in less than 12 hours, so let's not waste any more time putting lipstick on a pig. Here are your 5 for Week 32!

Tottenham Hotspur vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

With 6 of the top 7 playing each other this weekend, all eyes will undoubtedly be on the ramifications for the title race and Champions League qualification. But there's an almighty battle going on at the other end of the table, too, with just 6 points separating 15th place from the relegation zone. Shockingly, Tottenham Hotspur are in the thick of this struggle, currently sitting in the dreaded 18th place. Could the famous London club, the reigning Europa League champions and recent Champions League quarterfinalists actually be relegated?! It's looking more feasible than ever, and if Spurs are going to avoid the humiliation they need to turn it around fast under brand new manager Roberto De Zerbi, their third boss of the season. The good news is he's awfully familiar with his first opponent, given his 4-year stint as manager at Brighton. There's no question the Gulls are the better-- at least more healthy and consistent --side at the moment, and perhaps there will be a level of motivation from players and their new boss alike to get one over on their old one. But I still sort of won't believe Tottenham is actually going down until I see it, and I think timing a new manager bounce with this last push of the season will prove to make a difference.

The Pick: Tottenham, 3-1

Chelsea vs. Manchester United

These are two historic clubs, and thus it will always be a significant meeting between the two, but this clash takes on a different importance than usual: a struggle to finish in the Top 5 between two sides on either side of the cut line, Manchester United in 3rd and Chelsea in 6th. Their positioning may be different but their form is not dissimilar: these are two teams experiencing downturn under their midseason-appointed managers, both having won just 1 of their last 4 league matches. Chelsea's form has been worse for longer, and, sitting 4 points behind Liverpool who they still play at Anfield, they need this win badly. i think that extra motivation might come in handy, though; that plus the home crowd plus Manchester United’s defender injury crisis makes me think the Blues will notch a crucial 3 points.

The Pick: Chelsea, 3-2

Aston Villa vs. Sunderland

4th and 5th place play simultaneously on Sunday morning, a couple hours that could have a significant impact in the race for European football next season. Aston Villa's few months of title ambitions are long gone, but they still sit solidly in the Top 4, having ended their 4-match losing streak with a win over West Ham before the break and a draw at Nottingham Forest last weekend. Of course, there's a very real chance Villa don't need to worry about the Premier League table: they could wind their way into next year's Champions League by winning the Europa League, and just yesterday they dusted off an emphatic victory over Bologna to book their spot in the semifinals, where they'll face a familiar foe-- Nottingham Forest. Still, Unai Emery and co. would undoubtedly prefer to not put all their eggs in that basket, and with the rest of the Top 7 all locked in head-to-head clashes with each other, this weekend could be an opportunity to take a significant step forward towards solidifying it. I think the Lions will make it count, against a tricky but somewhat backsliding Sunderland side.

The Pick: Aston Villa, 2-0

Everton vs. Liverpool

Liverpool were hoping they could build on a strong win over Fulham last weekend and launch a Champions League miracle, and they gave it a good go... but ultimately crashed out against Paris Saint-Germain for the second consecutive year. So, officially no trophies at stake any more for the reigning league champions, and the sole focus for the remainder of the year turns to preserving their spot in the Top 5 and being able to play in the Champions League again next season. They finally got a little bit of breathing room over Chelsea, and with last week's opponents playing 3rd place Manchester United, this weekend presents a real opportunity for the Reds to further solidify their positioning...but not if Everton have something to say about. The other Liverpool club actually aren't out of the Top 5 race themselves, sitting in a tie at 7th place, just 5 points back. Even if nothing were at stake, they would love to beat their crosstown rivals at home; with this much at stake, it would probably set volume records for the newly-built Hill Dickinson Stadium, set to host its first Merseyside Derby.  Even the best Liverpool teams (like the league champions last year) struggle to win this fixture; I can't see this team, in this iteration being the one to break with recent norms and get just their second away win in this fixture in the last decade. Fulham win notwithstanding, vibes are far too bad for me to feel good about this matchup.

The Pick: Everton, 2-0

Manchester City vs. Arsenal

Here it is, folks, the fixture that's been circled on everyone's calendar for months now. It's the clash between two of the three teams that have contested for the title in each of the last 4 seasons, it's 1st place vs. 2nd place, and somehow, it's taken on even more importance over the course of the last week. That's because with Arsenal's shock home loss to Bournemouth and Manchester City's ensuing domination of Chelsea last weekend, the gap between the two is down to 6 points, and City have two matches in hand. If the Blues were slightly closer on points currently, this might function as the de facto "Premier League Final," but even in the event of a City win, there would be plenty of work left to do to leapfrog Arsenal and clinch their 7th title in 9 years. Still, Pep Guardiola's side technically control their own destiny at this point, and history shows us that City and Guardiola being in control of their own destiny in April-May is a dangerous thing for the rest of the league. All signs-- history, head-to-head records, current form, home advantage --point to a City victory at the Etihad on Sunday...but that's exactly why I sort of think it won't happen. Arsenal are horrible frontrunners, but they have often been at their best under Mikel Arteta when people are counting them out, and they are built to give City an absolutely terrible time with their ball-controlling midfield and staunch defense. The unfriendly confines and lack of a consistently potent attacking threat make me hesitant to go all the way and pick a Gunners victory, but I do think they'll escape Manchester with a vital point, which will feel like a win.

The Pick: Draw, 1-1