Premier League Predictions, Week 8

Welcome back to your Premier League predictions! For the third straight week, we've had some fun midweek action in the Champions League to bridge the gap from last weekend in English football to this one, and now we have one more weekend of fun before heading into the dreaded international break.

We here in the States are in the midst of a wild and confusing Presidential election, and the Premier League matches have already started so I'm going to be brief, both here and in my analyses. But what you do need to know is that I had one of my best prediction weeks in a while last time out! Unfortunately, that mostly speaks to how horrendous my previous weeks had been, because I still only got 2 correct last week. I made good calls on Arsenal and Southampton's upsets of Manchester United and Aston Villa, respectively, but my futility otherwise left me with just 2/5 on the week, making my season total 17/30. Yeesh.

Now, the matches are already underway and are less than 12 hours from resuming, so let's not waste any more time reflecting on personal demise. Here are your 5 for Week 8!

Everton vs. Manchester United

Two very good teams desperate for a win for very different reasons: Everton to stop a sudden downturn in form and maintain their standing in the Top 4, Manchester United to prevent a stunning tailspin of a start to the Premier League season. In the end, they split the spoils.

The Pick: Draw, 2-2

West Bromwich Albion vs. Tottenham Hotspur

West Brom's ugly start to the season was underscored by their 0-2 loss to fellow cellar-dwellars Fulham last week. Meanwhile, Tottenham has subtly rounded into very good form; Spurs win this easily.

The Pick: Tottenham, 3-0

Leicester City vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Leicester's uneven, but largely bright season has been much-publicized, but it's Wolves who have quietly made their way up near the Top 4, just like they did last season and the time before that. I seem to always predict both these teams wrong, so take this with a grain of salt, but last week's domination of Leeds seemed to show that the Foxes are back into their white-hot form.

The Pick: Leicester, 2-1

Arsenal vs. Aston Villa

As reward for making it through their brutal stretch of Manchester City-Leicester City-Manchester United, Arsenal get to play....the team that was recently atop the Premier League! Fortunately, they catch Aston Villa right when the latter has stumbled upon a sudden and somewhat confusing downturn in form; this fact, coupled with the fact that I really think Arsenal is legitimately good now, makes me go with the Gunners here.

The Pick: Arsenal, 2-1

Manchester City vs. Liverpool

I'll devote a little more time to this prediction, because it deserves it. Manchester City and Liverpool is the new Premier League Clasico, at least since 2018. From that year to present-day, no club has even come close to ruling the league the way these two have. And their quality is such a clear notch above that even in a crazy season like this, where it feels as if anybody could win the league, where both sides have suffered humiliating defeat already, where one of them is currently in 10th place, it still seems like ultimately one of the two will win this league. It won't be a typical City-Liverpool match, to be sure; in addition to the greater context discussed above, and the lack of fans, both sides have injuries to key players. Though Liverpool will be buoyed by the likely return of Joel Matip and Naby Keïta, the continued absence of Thiago and Virgil Van Dijk is never one you want to face against the attack of Manchester City. An attack, mind you, that appears poised to be missing key striker Sergio Agüero, also to injury. This has the potential to be a sloppy, exciting, free-flowing, high-stakes battle. And for that reason, I expect it will be a sluggish, tight, ugly win for Man City.

The Pick: Manchester City, 1-0