Premier League Predictions, Week 8
Welcome back to the weekly predictions, Premier League fans! Week 2 of European action kept us entertained during the midweek, but Premier League games are back upon us.
One week after crowing about a near-flawless week, much like my favorite team Liverpool, I had my worst day yet this season. Newcastle's defeat of Burnley got me off to a winning start, but on a day filled with upsets, I missed on Wolves' and Aston Villa's wins over Manchester City and Brighton, respectively, and the one upset that didn't happen (Bournemouth getting points off Arsenal) was the one I actually predicted. And then there was Tottenham-Liverpool. Was my prediction of a draw technically correct? No. Does it make me feel better that it was only rendered incorrect because of the single worst and most one-sided officiated match I have perhaps ever seen? As a Liverpool fan, no. But fortunately, unlike the Premier League, I rectify others' mistakes here. And if you factor in Luis Díaz's goal that was legitimately scored and illegitimately chalked off, the actual (kind of) legitimate final score of the match was 2-2, which was exactly what I predicted 😎. My little brother gave me permission to count it, so I;m counting it. It's still just a 2.5-point week, which drops my season total to an 11/15 mark.
Now, the matches are less than 24 hours from kicking off, so let's not waste any more time with righteous indignation. Here are your 5 for Week 8!
Luton Town vs. Tottenham Hotspur
Last weekend's fiasco wasn't Tottenham's fault. They were just playing within the rules the officials set for them, after all, and weren't playing dirty. The good news is, they got 3 points out of the deal, and they shouldn't need some of the most dastardly VAR and officating you'll ever see to knock off Luton Town.
The Pick: Tottenham, 3-0
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Aston Villa
Wolves' languid season got the best possible jolt of energy last weekend: stunning Manchester City by handing the 3-time champions their first loss of the season. No De Bruyne and no Rodri for City certainly hurt, but take nothing from Wolverhampton, who fully deserved all three points. It may not have commanded quite as much attention, but Aston Villa's win was nearly as impressive, routing Brighton 6-1 and supplanting them as the Top 4 spoiler candidate in the process. I still think Unai Emery's Villa men are the more proven quantity, but it's a second straight home match for Wolves, who have had enough flashes of quality this season to make me think they'll come away with at least something on Sunday morning.
The Pick: Draw, 1-1
West Ham United vs. Newcastle United
Last season's Top 4 party-crashers and the previous season's near-party crashers have both righted the ship into a very solid start to this season, currently sitting in a close 7th and 8th place. West Ham bounced back from back-to-back losses to Manchester City and Liverpool with 3 straight wins in all competitions, while Newcastle's victory over Burnley marked their third consecutive league win. The Magpies have the higher ceiling of the two sides, and their stunning blowout of Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday spoke to that; I think they're the more likely candidate to keep the good mojo rolling.
The Pick: Newcastle, 2-1
Brighton and Hove Albion vs. Liverpool
When these two meet, it always seems to be fireworks, and I wouldn't expect Sunday's match to be any different. Both suffered losses that hamper their Top 4 status; Brighton has fallen out altogether with just 1 win in their last 5 matches in al all competitions, while the Reds now sit in 4th after last Saturday's highway robbery of a match. I still think Liverpool are a top team in for a top season, and are the better side on paper, but they also haven't beaten the Gulls in their last four attempts, and the home side will be more desperate for a result, I think. Throw in the lack of Diogo Jota, Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones, and Thiago, and it's difficult for me to see them making it out the South Coast with all 3 points.
The Pick: Draw, 2-2
Arsenal vs. Manchester City
The first showdown of last year's top two coincidentally also features the current top two in the league, as despite their shock loss, Manchester City still sits atop the table. Arsenal led the league for the majority of the season in 2022-23, but lost their grip on the trophy in their two matches against City late in the season, both of which were fairly comprehensively dominated by the evenetual champions. I expect the Gunners to play much better in this matchup, especially at home. But if Bukayo Saka isn't good to go, that's a huge loss, and regardless, I just can't think of the last time Manchester City dropped points in back-to-back games, especially when the game is one of this magnitude.
The Pick: Man City, 2-1
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