Premier League Predictions, Weeks 21-22

© Micah Veldkamp, 2025

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Welcome back to the weekly predictions, Premier League fans! When I sat down to write this, I realized it felt like it had been a while since I had written my last piece, and then remembered there was a reason for that: last week held domestic cup action, the League Cup semifinals in the midweek and FA Cup action over the weekend. But, back to Premier League action it is! And to make up for a weekend without it, we've got another supersized week, with "Week 21" running tomorrow through Thursday, and then "Week 22" from Saturday through Monday.

If you don't remember my first outing of the year 2025...well, I really don't want to remind you of it. But it's my job as an overly self-serious amateur football pundit to be transparent with you. I uhhhhh did not do well. In fact, I did bad. Really bad. As bad as one can do.

What I'm trying to say is, I went 0 for 5. Yep. The two draws I predicted did not play out that way, with Newcastle and Nottingham Forest both winning on the road, and my prediction that the trio of title contenders in Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea would all win was way off, as each one ended up sharing points in surprising fashion. My o-fer brings my season total to an ugly 38/80 mark, sinking me below .500 for the first time all season.

But! The matches are less than 24 hours away from kicking back off, so let's not waste any more time starting 2025 on the wrong foot. Here are your 7 for Weeks 21 and 22!

Nottingham Forest vs. Liverpool

When Nottingham Forest upset Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield back in September, it was one of the most stunning results of the young season, but with hindsight, it turns out the result was less unexpected than the state of affairs for both teams currently. Some 4 months on, that result remains Liverpool's only loss in the Premier League to date (and 1 of just 2 losses in all competitions), and the return fixture is a legitimate title tilt. Nottingham have carried their torrid form into the new year: the last weeks of November held blowout defeats at the hands of Newcastle, Arsenal and Manchester City, but since then they are on a 7-match winning streak, and tied for second in the league at just 6 points behind Liverpool. For Liverpool, meanwhile, as the Reds recovered from that loss with win after win after win, the joke grew among fans that this team and its new manager would win every trophy there is to win and yet still be haunted by that Nottingham loss. In actuality, though, the leaders come into this game in the midst of a little wobble, perhaps their first of the season. They are yet to pick up a win in 2025, settling for a disappointing, often frustrating draw against rivals Manchester United before suffering just their second loss (again by a 1-0 scorelines) in any competition in the first leg of the League Cup semifinal at Tottenham. I never would have expected a season sweep at the hands of Nottingham, but the vibes are just down enough for Liverpool at the moment, and their hosts in too good of form; I've got this sinking feeling this might be the start of the screws tightening in this title race.

The Pick: Nottingham, 2-1

Newcastle United vs. Wolverhampton Wanderers

After a disappointing '23-'24 season, and frustrating first half of this season, Newcastle finally look like the Top 4 contenders they expected to be year-in and year-out under their new Saudi ownership. The Magpies are enjoying an 8-match winning streak in all competitions, have one foot in the League Cup Final, and have worked their way up to being just 1 point outside the Top 4. Can they keep it up this week? Well, the streak will come to an end at some point, but I highly doubt it's going to come at home with a relegation-threatened side.

The Pick: Newcastle, 3-0

Everton vs. Aston Villa

It's not uncommon for a club mired in a relegation battle to make a managerial change, but it's safe to say Everton's dismissal of Sean Dyche was widely unexpected. The Toffees aren't having a great season by any means, but are actually doing better than they were at this point the last two seasons, and the famed stodgy manager has made his bread and butter in his career off of doing just enough to keep overmatched clubs alive in the Premier League. They're pinning their hopes now on their old manager David Moyes, who returns to the league since being dismissed against West Ham. Aston Villa, reigning 4th place finishers and current Champions League Top 5 players, are far from the easiest first match back for the old Scot, but they are in just poor enough form at the moment that I think the home crowd and new manager bounce will be enough for Everton to steal a precious point.

The Pick: Draw, 1-1

Arsenal vs. Tottenham Hotspur

It's been an extremely frustrating couple weeks for title hopefuls Arsenal, who have lost star player Bukayo Saka to a serious injury, gone 0-2 down in their League Cup semifinal tie, and over the weekend, crashed out of the FA Cup at home. What's more, while they remain the most obvious competitor to Liverpool's title hopes, their draw at Brighton last time out meant that they couldn't fully celebrate the Reds' shock draw with Manchester United as they made up no ground. This clash of the North London Derby looms large for both teams then, as rivals Tottenham will come to the Emirates desperate for a result to celebrate. Spurs did stun Liverpool 5 days ago in the first semifinal leg of the League Cup, but that is the sole glimmer amidst a four-match winless streak in the league and Saturday's near-humiliation at 5th-division Tamworth in the FA Cup. In rivalry matches like this, anything can happen, especially when both teams are desperate for a result, but I have to imagine the cream will rise to the top in this one and the better team will win at home.

The Pick: Arsenal, 3-1

Brentford vs. Liverpool

Often times when I'm projecting two gameweeks in one piece, I hedge my bets on the second set of matches, explaining an outcome might be affected by what happens in their previous match that week. That is not the case with this one. Regardless of what happens on the trip to Nottingham, I expect Liverpool to pick up their first league win of 2025 this week, and in fact, if the Reds do stumble in tomorrow's match, it makes me all the more confident they won't leave London without a win against Brentford. The Bees have been a troublesome side in recent seasons, but look a far cry from those high-flying sides of years past; Bryan Mbuemo is a guarantee to give Liverpool's suddenly thin back line a trouble, but the team as a whole rarely has since their first season in the top flight.

The Pick: Liverpool, 3-1

Ipswich Town vs. Manchester City

 

Minnows Ipswich Town knew coming into the season that simply staying alive in the Premier League and avoiding relegation would be a tall task, and yes, as it stands, they remain in the relegation zone. Still, the Tractors might have their first good streak all season going, as they built on their shocking win over Chelsea with a road draw against red-hot Fulham. Unfortunately for the underdogs, a brutal week awaits, with a trip to plucky Brighton followed by a short turnaround playing host to the four-time reigning champions Manchester City. It hasn't been the season City could have imagined, but for the first time all year, they're gaining a head of steam: in the midst of a 4-match winning streak in all competitions, fresh off an 8-0 victory in the FA Cup, it's hard for me to foresee a scenario in which they don't leave Ipswich with all 3 points.

The Pick: Man City, 3-1

Arsenal vs. Aston Villa

 

It's far too early and still too close a competition to declare that "this will be a defining week in the title race"...but it will be a significant one. Liverpool will be comfortable favorites at Brentford, as will Nottingham at Southampton, but the other 3 matches this week between the Top 3 are the furthest thing from a gimme. Amidst a downturn in form and some noteworthy injuries, Arsenal certainly would have preferred two different opponents from their crosstown rivals on Wednesday, and then a Sunday match against the lone side that swept them last season, and essentially dealt them the knockout blow for their title dreams last April. Still, the good news for the Gunners is two-fold: both matches are in the friendly confines of their own stadium, and neither Tottenham nor Villa is coming to town in sterling form themselves. I think they will rise to the challenge once again this weekend.

The Pick: Arsenal, 2-1