Premier League Predictions, Week 8/9

Welcome back to the weekly predictions, Premier League fans! After an exciting midweek interim that saw the return of Champions League matches and some high-quality women's matches, attention turns back to the Premier League, with an ever-intriguing season unfolding before us.

By ever-intriguing, maybe I should really say ever-confounding. Because just when I thought I was finally getting a handle on this season, I spat out my worst prediction performance yet. The week started well for me, as I accurately predicted Arsenal's rivalry victory over Tottenham, but quickly went south. Liverpool did not in fact beat Brighton, but settled for a wild draw, and the three draws I DID predict (for Newcastle, Chelsea and most notably, Manchester City) did not come to fruition, with those three teams winning comfortably instead. That means my slide downward continued with a 1/5 week, bringing my season total to 12.5/25.

I went from a comfortable winning record to exactly 500. awfully fast. . . but hey, the games are only 12 hours from kicking back off, so no time for doomscrolling. Here are your 5 for Week 8 for some, Week 9 for others!

Manchester City vs. Southampton

Manchester City might not be in 1st place (yet), and Southampton may not be in the relegation zone (yet), but this plays like a matchup between the league's best and worst teams. We all know how this will go. Erling Haaland with a hat trick, City by a million.

The Pick: Man City, 6-1

Newcastle United vs. Brentford

This matchup is a story of two exciting Top 10 clubs who are struggling to find their identity. The difference between them is that one is an underdog punching above his weight, the other is an imminent frontrunner not playing to level of their talent. That said, it's Newcastle that seem to be rounding into more consistent form: even with a red card involved, they secured a big win over Fulham on the road last week, one that feels like it could be the turning point from which they turn into Top 4 contenders.

The Pick: Newcastle, 4-2

Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Brighton's continued torment of Liverpool-- the Gulls' pulsating 3-3 draw ensured they would, for the third consecutive season, not be beaten at Anfield) proved their form isn't just based off Graham Potter. They can hang with the big boys. Now, can they repeat it for a second straight week? Tottenham might be eager to rebound from their disappointing loss to Arsenal. Or, they might be too downtrodden from that one still . I'm going to guess they come out sharp, but I'm also going to work on the assumption that Brighton is legitimately good enough to get points until proven otherwise.

The Pick: Draw, 2-2

Arsenal vs. Liverpool

Given the trajectories of these clubs over the last several years, it still feels like cognitive dissonance to say that Arsenal will, or even could, beat Liverpool. But nothing about the seasons the two clubs are having makes me think that Liverpool is going to come away with 3 points from a rejuvenated, resurgent Emirates Stadium.

The Pick: Arsenal, 2-1

Everton vs. Manchester United

Everton have sneakily been playing much better as of late. After barely avoiding relegation last season, they began this one in a similar zone, but are now knocking on the door of the Top 10 behind a 5-match unbeaten streak. Manchester United, meanwhile, seemed to have turned the corner, but last weekend's demolition in the Manchester Derby was a cold dose of reality. The question now is, how much will the City loss set them back emotionally? Everton certainly aren't the hardest opponent to rebound against, but I just fear this United side are still too mentally fragile, and won't respond well on the road.

The Pick: Everton, 2-1