Liverpool and Chelsea have both started the season strongly under new managers, but who will come out on top when they meet at Anfield on Sunday?
“I did not expect Liverpool to be top but Chelsea have surprised me too, also in a positive way,” said BBC Sport’s football expert Chris Sutton.
“Chelsea fans must be very happy with their side’s performances as well as their results, but Anfield will be a true test of where they are at – in the same way this game will tell us more about Arne Slot’s Liverpool side too.”
Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.
For week eight, he takes on legendary boxing manager Kellie Maloney.
Do you agree with their forecasts? You can make your own predictions below.
The most popular scoreline selected for each game is used in the scoreboards and tables at the bottom of this page.
Maloney tells her story in ‘Knock Out Blonde – the authorised documentary of Kellie Maloney’, which is available to stream now on digital platforms.
She is a lifelong Millwall fan but is also a season ticket holder with Portuguese side SC Farense, who are based near her home in Portugal.
“I follow two teams,” Maloney told BBC Sport. “Millwall, because they’ve been my team since I was three years old, and Farense because I spend a lot of time at my house on the Algarve.
“Unfortunately Farense are bottom of the league at the moment, although we did get our first win of the season before the international break – the winner came with the last kick of the game and it was like winning the World Cup.
“We don’t win many games, but we do have probably the second-best goalkeeper in the Portuguese league, Ricardo Velho, who was in the latest Portugal squad. He was only on the bench because Diogo Costa of Porto is their number one, but it was the first time in the club’s 114-year history that a player at Farense had ever been called up by Portugal.
“And everyone should watch out for our former players like Mohamed Belloumi, who left to join Hull for 5.5m euros in August. It’s the highest fee Farense have ever got for a player, and he scored a couple of goals against Cardiff recently.
“Before he left, I sent a message to Mark Bright, who is an ambassador at Crystal Palace, and also to Millwall saying that they should come and have a look at this kid, because he has only just turned 22 and he is going to be worth a fortune soon.”
Kellie has not had much to celebrate while watching Millwall either – the Lions are 18th in the Championship with one win in their past five games.
“I just don’t seem to follow a team that enjoys much glory,” she laughed. “But it is the passion I love.
“I fell in love with the atmosphere at Millwall the first time I went, and I still see every minute of every game – we can watch all their games over here in Portugal.
“It is very tough for a club our size to make it to the Premier League, but it is possible – Luton did it for a season, Bournemouth have managed to stay up there too, and Brentford are a great example of a club that got promoted and are doing really well.
“All we need is a bit of investment. When Amanda Staveley left Newcastle in the summer I sent her an email saying she should look at Millwall next – we have got a great fanbase, we have got a new 999-year lease on our ground and have big plans for developing the land around it, and we are the nearest club to the City of London. Nobody ever mentions that.”
Chris Sutton and Kellie Maloney were speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.
Saturday, 19 October
West Ham got the win they needed against Ipswich before the international break, but it was a very different story for Tottenham against Brighton.
It is typical, really, because everyone had been singing Ange Postecoglou’s praises following Spurs’ win at Manchester United the previous week, talking about how he had built a team with an identity… but then they fell apart in the second half against the Seagulls.
I don’t think Spurs’ defeat was down to his style of football, though. It was because of shocking defending, and the way they lost duels all over the pitch.
I am expecting them to bounce back here, helped by the fact that Son Heung-min is in contention after a few weeks out.
I’ve been saying it for a while now, but Tottenham are going to give someone an absolute hiding sooner or later. I don’t think it will happen against the Hammers, but I do think they will win this one easily enough.
Sutton’s prediction: 3-1
Kellie’s prediction: Tottenham will be too strong. 3-1
Your prediction: 2-1 (this was the most popular scoreline, with 29% of the vote)
I always fancy Fulham at home, but they have actually been decent everywhere they’ve played this season – they gave Manchester City a really good game at Etihad Stadium last time out.
A lot will depend on which Aston Villa players are back from injury. The likes of Ezri Konsa and Amadou Onana are doubts, and Villa have got next week’s Champions League tie against Bologna to think about too.
The obvious prediction to go for is a draw – that’s what Kellie will go for, I’m sure, and I am going to sit on the fence too.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
Kellie’s prediction: This is going to be a close one. 1-1
Your prediction: 1-2 (this was the most popular scoreline, with 27% of the vote)
This one is very hard to call. Ipswich are still winless but, performance-wise, they might still be strangely happy because they have shown they can compete in the Premier League.
Everton have some reasons to be cheerful too. They are only a point and a place above Ipswich in the table but their results have picked up recently, and they are unbeaten in three league games now.
So, I have been scratching my head here about what to go for… and I am going to go against all my instincts and say Ipswich are going to get their first win of the season.
Kieran McKenna’s side deserve a break, and maybe they will get it here.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
Kellie’s prediction: I like the way Ipswich play and I think this is when they get their first win. 2-0
Your prediction: 1-1 (this was the most popular scoreline, with 25% of the vote)
Manchester United 2-1 Brentford
I was at this game last season and Brentford scored early, but Scott McTominay found the net twice in stoppage time to nick a win for Manchester United when they did not deserve anything from the game.
This time? Well, Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag needs a win, with his side 14th in the table and the joint-second lowest scorers with five goals from seven league games.
Logic tells me that, while Brentford are yet to pick up an away point so far, they are the better team, and have been the better team all season.
We also know the Bees still love an early goal, so they will probably take the lead again… but I just have a gut feeling that United will edge this one again, somehow.
I can’t really tell you why, other than they have to, and also because Statman Dave said this would be 2-1 to Manchester United, so I am taking his advice. Hopefully he is better with his predictions than he is with his stats.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
Kellie’s prediction: I love what Brentford are doing. Thomas Frank is an excellent manager, who loves the club, but I think eventually he will get a bigger job. 1-3
Your prediction: 2-1 (this was the most popular scoreline, with 19% of the vote)
A few people out there thought Newcastle boss Eddie Howe would end up being the next England manager, but clearly that has not been the case.
Howe is doing a great job for Newcastle, though, and what a cracking game this should be. We know the way Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler plays too – like Howe, he really goes for it.
This is seventh in the table versus sixth, so these teams should be pretty well-matched, but If Alexander Isak is fit enough to feature up front for Newcastle after almost a month out, then he might just make the difference.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
Kellie’s prediction: This is going to be a good game. I like watching Newcastle, because I’m a big fan of Howe. 3-2
Your prediction: 2-1 (this was the most popular scoreline, with 24% of the vote)
A win would be massive for both teams, given they are both in the bottom six, but especially for Southampton boss Russell Martin.
So much has been made of his brand of football that, despite him doing so well to get them promoted, their fans will eventually start to turn against him unless he gets some points on the board – at the moment they only have one.
Leicester, meanwhile, did get their first victory of the campaign last time out. It was a good win over Bournemouth, but I wonder if that will count for as much because all their players jetted off afterwards. The Foxes probably did not want the international break.
Leicester won 9-0 here in October 2019, but this time it is going to be a lot tighter. A draw is not much good to Foxes manager Steve Cooper either, but that is what I am going with.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
Kellie’s prediction: Southampton need a win but I think Leicester will take this one. 0-1
Your prediction: 1-1 (this was the most popular scoreline, with 25% of the vote)
This is another game I am really looking forward to.
Arsenal have got a few injury issues to deal with, including Bukayo Saka, who limped off with a hamstring injury during England’s defeat by Greece. He is in my Fantasy team so I am hoping he will be fit, and so will all Gunners fans.
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli are also injury doubts, while Martin Odegaard is still sidelined, but we know that the Gunners can still grind out results even if they are missing some of their best attacking players.
They have an excellent defence, which is behind this habit they have of always finding a way to get a result, but this time I would not be surprised if they came unstuck.
Bournemouth always create chances, whoever they play against. The Cherries’ issue has been that they have not always taken those opportunities… but Saturday could be a different story.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
Kellie’s prediction: Bournemouth are doing well but Arsenal are going to be hard to stop. They have got a great defence, which is one of the reasons I think they will win the title this season. 0-2
Your prediction: 0-2 (this was the most popular scoreline, with 24% of the vote)
Sunday, 20 October
Wolves are bottom of the table with one point from their seven games so the last thing Gary O’Neil needs is to take on the champions.
O’Neil was pretty scathing about his players’ defending after they got walloped 5-3 by Brentford last time out, and I think they might concede a few more goals here.
Manchester City huffed and puffed before putting away Fulham and they always seem to ship a goal these days, but they have enough quality to win this very comfortably even if they can no longer keep a clean sheet.
Erling Haaland has gone two league games without scoring, which is a long time for him, but I’d be surprised if he doesn’t get a couple here.
Wolves won this game last season but, a year on, they are not the same side and I am worried about the number of times they could be carved open.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-6
Kellie’s prediction: With Haaland up front, you always have to back City. 0-3
Everyone is talking now about the tests coming up for Liverpool, who have started the season with what some people are calling gentler fixtures but, after this game, go to Emirates Stadium next weekend.
This is a tough game for them for starters. There has been a great rivalry between these two clubs in the past couple of decades and I don’t think there will be much love lost when they meet on Sunday, either.
Can Chelsea go to Anfield and dominate Liverpool? I am not so sure. Alisson’s injury is a blow for the Reds but Caoimhín Kelleher is a very capable back-up in goal.
At the other end, Arne Slot’s playing style seems to suit Mohamed Salah and I am expecting Liverpool’s attacking options to give them the edge.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
Kellie’s prediction: This is a big one. Chelsea are picking up a bit of form and Cole Palmer is a terrific player, but I am still backing Liverpool here. 2-1
Monday, 21 October
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace need the win more, that is for sure. You can tell by listening to their manager Oliver Glasner that he knows he needs a positive result quickly, just to get that spark from last season back.
Glasner wants to play this expansive brand of football but results mean a bit of doubt has crept in, and that is really evident from their performances.
This all points towards a Nottingham Forest home win, which is what I am going with, but the good news for Palace is that every time I predict one of those, they stuff it up – Forest are yet to win at the City Ground this season.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-0
Kellie’s prediction: Forest are playing well and Palace need a win. I am going with a draw. 2-2
How did Sutton do last time?
Despite his promise to Coldplay’s Will and Jonny that he would “fix you”, Chris ended up suffering another defeat before the international break. Maybe it was down to a rush of blood to the head?
Chris got seven correct results from the 10 games in week seven, but with no exact scores, giving him a total of 70 points.
That was enough to beat you lot, who got five correct results with no exact scores, for a tally of 50 points.
But it was Coldplay who were left singing a victory ‘hymn for the weekend’ after getting five correct results with one exact score, for a total of 80 points.
