Premier League Predictions: Man City vs Tottenham, Newcastle vs Liverpool and the rest of Matchday 2

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Welcome to week two of The Athletic’s Premier League predictions challenge, which I’m already starting to regret after seeing the subscribers fly out of the blocks to take an early lead.

For that, you can thank Vaageesh, a Manchester United fan from Chennai, India, who set an impressive standard, leaving the rest of us — a data algorithm, six-year-old Wilfred and me — trailing in the subscribers’ wake.

We’re awarding three points for a correct scoreline and one point for a correct result. There’s also a bonus point for any correct “unique” prediction. Vaageesh got one correct scoreline and another five results correct, with his inspired prediction of a 0-0 draw between Aston Villa and Newcastle United landing a bonus point, bringing a total of nine points.

I got six results correct but no correct scoreline, which leaves me on seven, including a bonus point for predicting Leeds’ victory over Everton — albeit not with the correct scoreline. Wilfred got five results correct but was unlucky to miss out on a bonus point despite correctly predicting four goals for Manchester City and three for Nottingham Forest.

In my opinion, the data algorithm should be docked a point for wildly underestimating Sunderland (or was it overestimating West Ham United?). But annoyingly, it scraped a four-pointer thanks to Rodrigo Muniz’s stoppage-time equaliser for Fulham at Brighton & Hove Albion. Mind you, if it weren’t for that Fulham equaliser, Vaageesh would have taken the subscribers further ahead, so maybe I should be thankful for small mercies.

Anyway, we go to matchday two — and let’s meet this week’s subscriber, Derek, 36, who, unlikely as it might sound, is a Sunderland supporter from Cranston, Rhode Island.

Our subscriber’s match of the week

Burnley vs Sunderland, Saturday 3pm BST/10am ET

Derek says: “Sunderland’s recipe for success in the Championship — willingly cede position, stay organized, and strike on the counter — worked a treat against West Ham.

“The combination of Regis Le Bris’ in-game flexibility and the quality of the summer signings, especially the midfield of Granit Xhaka, Habib Diarra, and Noah Sadiki, will see them over the line against Burnley. The heady days that started with the memorable playoff run won’t last forever, but I’m optimistic that they aren’t ending quite yet.”

Burnley 1-2 Sunderland

Oli says: Leeds and Sunderland both made home advantage count on their return to the top flight last weekend, so the pressure is on Burnley to do likewise on Saturday. They were unbeaten in 23 Championship games last season at Turf Moor, with only eight goals conceded. Clean sheets will be much harder to come by in the Premier League, as will goals at the other end, but I fancy them here. Sorry Derek.

Burnley 1-0 Sunderland

Xhaka and Sunderland made a winning start on the opening weekend (Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Oli’s other predictions

West Ham vs Chelsea

Oli says: West Ham away at London Stadium always seems far less daunting than it did at the more atmospheric Upton Park, but it’s still one of those fixtures you would prefer to play on a Saturday lunchtime rather than a Friday night. A raucous crowd can bring more out of the home team — particularly against a team like Chelsea. Unlike at Sunderland, West Ham will be up for the fight. But Chelsea might just shade it.

West Ham 1-2 Chelsea

Man City vs Tottenham

Oli says: Remember Tottenham’s 4-0 win at the Etihad last season? How mad was that? That was the moment I really started to think there was something wrong with Manchester City. They recovered as the season went on, but they need to rebuild that aura. Last weekend’s emphatic 4-0 win at Wolves helped in that regard. So would victory over Spurs.

Manchester City 2-0 Tottenham

Bournemouth vs Wolves

Oli says: I was impressed by Bournemouth at Anfield last week, when they fought back twice and looked like holding on for a precious point until the inevitable happened. By contrast, Wolves’ defeat by Manchester City came with some troubling signs. Vitor Pereira did an excellent job last season, but that squad looks short.

Bournemouth 2-1 Wolves

Brentford vs Aston Villa

Oli says: I fancied Villa against Newcastle last week, but they let me down. Even before Ezri Konsa’s red card, they were second-best. But this is a good opportunity against a Brentford team who have had a difficult start to life after Thomas Frank. The ease with which Nottingham Forest cut through Brentford should have Ollie Watkins and co rubbing their hands with anticipation.

Brentford 1-2 Aston Villa

Arsenal vs Leeds

Oli says: After a triumphant return to the top flight against Everton, this feels like a game that will see Leeds brought down to earth with a bump and a stark illustration of the set-up in quality. Arsenal’s forward line looked blunt in their opening game at Old Trafford, but they — and new striker Victor Gyokeres — should be sharper here.

Arsenal 3-0 Leeds

Crystal Palace vs Nottingham Forest

Oli says: A run-of-the-mill mid-table Premier League fixture? Not this season, with Palace’s owners furious at the sequence of events that led to their place in the Europa League being taken by Forest. It threatens to be very tense in the boardroom, but on the pitch, it looks like a nice game between two very decent and well-matched teams.

Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Everton vs Brighton

Oli says: Still struggling to get my head around the idea of Everton playing anywhere other than Goodison Park, never mind somewhere called Hill Dickinson Stadium — attractive though it is. For all the sense of new-era excitement, it’s going to take some getting used to. Mind you, Brighton seemed to enjoy playing at Goodison more than Everton did over the final few seasons, so perhaps that works both ways.

Everton 1-1 Brighton

Fulham vs Man Utd

Oli says: This one often ends with a dramatic late winner for Manchester United: Bruno Fernandes, Alejandro Garnacho, Lisandro Martinez… even Cristiano Ronaldo back in 2007. Fulham haven’t even claimed a point in this fixture since 2010. I wasn’t as high on United’s opening-weekend performance against Arsenal as some were, but there were clear signs of improvement. They need wins. They might get one here.

Fulham 1-2 Manchester United

Newcastle vs Liverpool

Oli says: You know what I said about West Ham being a tougher place to go on a Friday night? Well, St James’ Park threatens to be another level entirely for Liverpool’s visit: a Bank Holiday Monday, under the floodlights, with Newcastle and their fans seething with indignation about Alexander Isak’s behaviour and Liverpool’s pursuit of him. Eddie Howe’s players will be fired up and the fans will be baying for blood. It’s a huge test of Liverpool’s resolve. Is this new-look team ready for that?

Newcastle 2-1 Liverpool

(Top photo: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images; design: Demetrius Robinson)