Premier League Predictions, Week 6

Welcome back to the weekly predictions, Premier League fans! We may not have had European football this week, nor an international break to distract us, but we did have the sweet, glorious chaos of League Cup action to tide us over. Now it's back to the big show!

Last week out was a weird one for me. With each prediction, I was either bang-on, or insanely off. There was no in-between. For example, I predicted Manchester City would obliterate Southampton, when in fact they settled for a 0-0 draw. The two matches I did predict as draws ended in 3-0 blowouts by Aston Villa and Chelsea. But conversely, my prediction of Manchester United beating West Ham 2-1 with a last-minute winner was inch-perfect, and my prediction of Liverpool besting Crystal Palace with a hard-fought 2-0 win WOULD have been inch-perfect were it not for a last-minute Naby Keïta banger. All in all, it was good enough to salvage a 3/5 week, which is fine, but continues my slight downward trajectory on the year, and drops me to 14/20 on the season.

But, the matches are less than 24 hours away from kicking back off, so let's not waste time panicking prematurely. Here are your 5 for Week 6!

Chelsea vs. Manchester City

This Premier League weekend kicks off with the undisputed biggest match first. A rematch of this year's Champions League Final, a showdown between the two odds-on favorites for the Premier League, a clash of two disgustingly wealthy clubs with world-class managers....and it all kicks off on 7:30 in the morning! It may seem difficult to comprehend, because we've gotten so used to City's brilliance, but it's not a stretch in the least to say that Chelsea is genuinely the better team right now, just as it wasn't a stretch to say that in the lead-up to Chelsea's Champions League triumph. Arguably no team has looked the part of champion in this young season more than the Blues; though Liverpool have matched them step-by-step with identical results (no, really) in each match, given the objectively more difficult schedule Chelsea have played thus far, you have to consider them frontrunners. That said, I think Manchester City's disappointing draw vs. Southampton last weekend might be a boon here. It's hard for me to imagine the Citizens following that disappointment up with a loss, even on the road at Chelsea. I expect a hard-fought draw, which will provide frayed nerves and drama to the very end..

The Pick: Draw, 1-1

Manchester United vs. Aston Villa

I feel confident in saying I finally figured enigmatic United out, after nailing that 'last-minute winner' prediction last weekend. That said, I haven't exactly figured this Aston Villa side out. They have shown bursts of the high-ceiling team they can be, notably in last weekend's romp over Everton, but they also haven't been able to capture the early-season magic of 2020, as evidenced by losing to Watford and getting demolished by Chelsea. That sounds like the epitome of a mid-table team, and though they're capable of causing Manchester United all types of problems, chances are-- especially at Old Trafford --they won't.

The Pick: Manchester United, 2-0

Brentford vs. Liverpool

In the last weekend of September 2019, I flew down south to attend a North Carolina football game. That same day, I watched Liverpool struggle to win on the road against a newly promoted side, wearing red and white, who unlike their fellow promotees had an established identity that they were putting into practice very effectively. This weekend, I am flying down south to attend a North Carolina football game. That same day, Liverpool will play on the road against a newly promoted side, wearing red and white, who unlike their fellow promotees have an established identity that they, so far, are putting into practice very effectively. The team may be Brentford, not Sheffield United, and they may play a very different style than the Blades did, but the parallels are eerie. I'm going to ride with history repeating. Liverpool wins, but late and after much turmoil.

The Pick: Liverpool, 2-1

Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur

The North London Derby, even all the way up to last year, used to be can't-miss television. This season, not so much. The first edition of this derby has lower stakes than usual, with neither team in Top 4 contention at the moment. That said, intriguing storylines abound in this fixture still, especially because it features two teams with opposite trajectories already. Arsenal began their Premier League season with three resounding losses, starting the calls early for Mikel Arteta's firing. Since the international break, though, they've bounced back admirably, winning 3 straight matches in all competitions without conceding a single goal. Tottenham, meanwhile, have taken the opposite approach. Since opening their account with 3 straight wins, it's been all disaster since the international break, losing both Premier League matches by a score of 3-0 and fighting to 2-2 draws in both the Europa League and League Cup despite being favored in both matchups. Momentum and home support would surely favor Arsenal here... yet I can't bring myself to do it. I've been burned too often the last couple seasons. Until the Gunners prove themselves in a big matchup against a big club again, I'm going to sadly assume the worst for them.

The Pick: Tottenham, 1-0

Crystal Palace vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

Lest you thought North London was hosting the rivalry match this weekend, don't forget about this Monday contest of one of the more quirky (but very serious) rivalries in the league! The rivalry between these two dates back to the late 70s, and it's dead even, with both sides owning 40 wins over the other. Brighton comes into this one as the visitors, but also perhaps the favorites; the Gulls have opened the season in brilliant form, notching 12 points from their first 5 matches and slotting in at 4th place currently. They were oh-so-close to good results in so many matches last season, and thus far this season, Graham Potter's crew has found a way to take that final step and finish the job. Palace, meanwhile, have had a much more choppy start to the season, but seem to perhaps be rounding a corner. The Eagles came into last weekend riding a 3-match unbeaten streak (including a rout of Tottenham) and though they ultimately fell 3-0 to Liverpool, they gave their favored hosts some serious what-for, Jürgen Klopp going as far as to say postmatch it was the "most difficult 3-0 victory he'd ever been a part of." I think Brighton is the better side at this moment, but Palace's notable uptick in form and home support in this derby make me think spoils will be shared this time.

The Pick: Draw, 2-2