Premier League Predictions: Week One
Raj Ramanathan
Welcome to the Premier League by the week. Come here every week to understand and get an in-depth analysis of this week's games. For those who don’t know, the Premier League is a soccer league based in the UK. This league is the biggest throughout all 250 and has the best players throughout the world. I’m Raj Ramanathan, your favorite Premier League sports writer. Let's get into it.
Throughout the past 10 weeks, many teams have met the challenge while some have been lackluster, to say the least. The Premier League is the most-watched league throughout soccer, with teams from all around the UK participating. Let's look at this week's matchups and judge these teams from the comfort of our own homes.
The Game of the Week
Manchester City(7-2-0) v Liverpool (2-4-2)
Manchester City: As a Liverpool fan it pains me to see this, but I see Manchester City winning this game. The sheer skill and pace of Manchester City are unmatched, with future hall-of-fame players in their starting 11 players. I see no reason why Liverpool will touch the back of the net in this game. The defense for City is strong and the same can be said for Liverpool; however, the attack force is not as sharp as it once was. With the signing of Nunez for Liverpool came hope and faith, but this is yet to pan out and only time will tell. At this moment in time, I see success for Manchester City.
Brentford (2-4-3) v Brighton (4-2-2)
Brighton: Brighton has been on the rise ever since the sale of Marc Cucurella for a price exceeding 60 million euros. Thanks to Trossard and Mac Allister putting in a combined total of 9 goals. Coming off a tough loss to Tottenham I expect Brighton to fight back and put in the work, perhaps a proper “tussle” for the ball. Brentford lack experience and with time Brentford will be a contender. However, this week I believe Brighton will win against Brentford.
Wolverhampton (1-3-5) v Nottingham Forest (1-2-6)
Wolves: The Wolves are a team of class with an interesting squad that has not had the chance to gel completely. However, Nottm Forest is a recently relegated team that is not used to the fast pace of the Premier League. I believe that Traore and Podence will make an impact for the Wolves side; Podence is the leading scorer and the pace of Traore will help assist Podence. This game will not be pretty, rather a scrap fest and a race away from the bottom. This game could go either way but as a result of past seasons, I choose the Wolves.
Tottenham (6-2-1) v Everton (2-4-3)
Tottenham: Tottenham has made an astonishing comeback from last season all thanks to Harry Kane who put in 8 goals, which is more than double anyone on the team. I expect this game to be a somewhat simple win for Tottenham. Especially after Everton sold Richarlison, their game has gone into the gutter. The now successful Richarlison is a Tottenham Hotspur to the core and is an asset to their team. Overall, they have strong attackers and a well-built defense. I believe that Tottenham will be successful yet again.
Manchester United (5-0-3) v Newcastle (3-5-1)
Manchester United: The Red Devils have shaped up very well in the last 5 games, with 4 wins out of 5 games. Especially after benching Maguire, fans have started to regain trust in Ten Hag and his plans. I see this game as a defensive battle if United's defense continues to perform, the game will be simple. However, Newcastle has young and prominent youngsters who, if given the chance, will make United pay. In my mind, the game will be won by Manchester United.
Aston Villa (2-3-4) v Chelsea (5-1-2)
Chelsea: Chelsea has sacked their manager and brought in a promising coach by the name of Graham Potter. Chelsea has continuously racked up points in terms of the standings, but they also have gained the respect of fellow clubs. A side that has lost Jack Grealish has not found a replacement quite yet, but Coutinho comes with promise. The Chelsea defense wins championships, while Raheem Sterling scores goals in large sums. He was a key signing in the summer and continues to show his class. I see this as a quick put-away game for Chelsea.
Leicester City (1-1-7) v Crystal Palace (2-3-3)
Crystal Palace: Leicester City has a team that is ridden with injuries to up-and-coming players. Ndidi and Perrara are players that are key in the game plan for Leicester and with them both being out they are left defenseless. This is a setback and one that Crystal Palace can capitalize on with a young and fast attacking trio. I see this being a close game until the end with Crystal pulling out victories.
Bournemouth (3-3-3) v Fulham (3-2-4)
Fulham: I see this game being an upset but not a pretty game. Both teams have been recently put in the spotlight after a small amount of time in the lower leagues. They both consist of young teams, but they are teams that have not established an identity. This game is a battle of experience which I believe Fulham has more of. This game is fifty-fifty and this time I will be going with Fulham.
West Ham (3-1-5) v Southampton (2-1-6)
West Ham: Both teams are promising with talented players, but as a squad both sides are inconsistent. Southampton has a young star in Ward-Prowse and West Ham has Rice, Souchek, and Paqueta. Solely based on the midfield of West Ham, I believe they will win as they check all the boxes with a defensive, attacking, and central midfielder. Southampton receives a 60% chance of winning. This is a scrap fest; I see West Ham squeaking by with a victory this week.
Arsenal (8-0-1) v Leeds (2-3-3)
Arsenal: In my mind, this game is an obvious victory for Arsenal. Arsenal has come back from the slower stages of their past and brought it together thanks to Gabriel Jesus, a former Manchester City benchwarmer who has now brought success upon Arsenal. This star-studded lineup is led by none other than Arteta off the field and Martin Odegaard on the field. This matchup is a no-brainer and should very easily be won by Arsenal.
