Arsenal drew 0-0 at Etihad Stadium last season with a resolute defensive display but will they adopt the same approach when they play Manchester City again on Sunday?
“If I was smart, I would say it will be another 0-0,” said BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton. “But I don’t want to sit on the fence when it comes to the big games.”
Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.
For week five, he takes on singer-songwriter and West Ham fan James Smith, whose debut album, Common People, is out now.
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.
James was born in Upton Park, close to West Ham’s former home, and is a lifelong Hammers fan.
“My dad had a market stall in Queen’s Market, right next to the ground,” he told BBC Sport. “That was where I grew up – I worked on the stall myself and used to sing to draw the customers in.
“We ended up moving to Barking, which is also a big West Ham area… and then we moved out to Essex and it is still all West Ham around here, so the Hammers have just followed me around everywhere.
“From the block of flats where we lived in Upton Park you could see the stadium, but the block that my dad grew up in was the one right next to the ground. We used to climb to the top sometimes and try to look in from there.
“Upton Park was a proper ground, and I was gutted when we left although I understood why. The London Stadium is getting there now, though. It feels like the old spirit is back and it is a really exciting time for the club.”
Jarrod Bowen is James’s current favourite player but growing up he idolised long-serving former captain Mark Noble, who played for the club for 18 years between 2004 and 2022.
“He was Mr West Ham for me,” he explained. “I was a big Noble fan, because he was from the East Ham area too. Some of my family and friends knew his family, so we always loved Mark.
“I grew up in the Carlos Tevez era too and was a big fan – signing him in 2006 was huge for us – but Noble was always my hero and it was sad when he stopped playing for us.
“You look at the team now and Bowen is definitely our best player, plus he always gives it everything. It feels like he lives and breathes West Ham, like Noble did.
“It probably helps that [actor and West Ham fan] Danny Dyer is about to become his father-in-law, but you can tell he really loves the club.”
Chris Sutton and James Smith were speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.
Saturday, 21 September
London Stadium, 12:30 BST
West Ham supposedly replaced David Moyes because they wanted to play ‘the West Ham way’, and the Hammers’ technical director Tim Steidten was reportedly flying managers in for talks when Moyes was still in charge.
In his wisdom, Steidten decided to go for Julen Lopetegui, a manager with similar traits to Moyes in terms of how he is a pragmatist.
They spent a lot of money in the summer, about £130m on new players, but are they going to do better than last season under Moyes, when they finished ninth? I am not sure they will.
This is a very difficult game to call because West Ham have not been playing particularly well and I am not convinced by Chelsea either. They were very fortunate to beat Bournemouth last time out.
I really do not have a clue how this one will go, so I suppose the sensible thing for me to go for is a draw,
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
James’s prediction: We always do well against Chelsea, especially at home. I don’t think they have been amazing so far this season and, although we haven’t either, I do reckon we will beat them. I’d love to say there will be loads of goals but I don’t mind what the score is, as long as we win. 2-1
James on West Ham’s prospects this season: It feels like the club is giving it a go to try to break into the top six, although I don’t think we’ll make it – we will probably be lucky to get back in the Europa Conference League so at best eighth place and probably ninth. I am still not sure about the new manager to be honest because it feels like he is still using Moyes’ approach, and even picking the same players. Even though we have got all these exciting new signings, we are not starting many of them, and I’d like him to be a bit more bold. At the moment, he still has a lot to prove.
Villa Park, 15:00
I have got more of a clue about this game, or at least I think I do.
There were some strange results that cost me last week – I was nailed on to get the exact score of Wolves versus Newcastle until Harvey Barnes smashed in Newcastle’s winner late on.
Wolves hit the post too when they were 1-0 up and although they have only picked up one point from their first four games, they have not had much luck and I still think they will end up being fine this season, even though I don’t expect them to get anything here.
Villa boss Unai Emery has to find a balancing act with their Champions League campaign and any chopping and changing to his team, which is a much bigger ask than when they reached the Europa Conference League semi-finals last season.
I didn’t captain Ollie Watkins in my Fantasy team last week, when he scored a double against Everton, but Jhon Duran coming on to score Villa’s winner in that game shows the depth in their squad to cope.
So, I don’t feel they will be affected by their win over Young Boys in Switzerland on Tuesday. It will be interesting to see how much Emery rotates his players, but I can only see a Villa win.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-0
James’s prediction: I feel like Villa are going to have another really good season. 2-1
Craven Cottage, 15:00
Fulham won nine and lost eight of their 19 home Premier League games last season, but I always fancied them to win at Craven Cottage.
They should have beaten West Ham there last weekend, when they had chances to go further ahead before Danny Ings’ 95th-minute equaliser for the Hammers.
Newcastle are still a bit of an unknown quantity for me because I can’t say I’ve been particularly impressed by them so far.
Eventually, Eddie Howe’s side are going to come a cropper, but at the moment they are finding a way to win games, even if they are relying on moments of brilliance by individual players rather than playing well as a team.
They are the side who are tricky to predict here because I was spot on with a 1-1 draw for Fulham last week. So, I am going for the same outcome… even though I fancy them to win this one more than I do Newcastle.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
James’s prediction: I am going for a draw here, with a few goals. 2-2
King Power Stadium, 15:00
This is a huge game for both teams and it is probably safe to say that neither of them will want to go 2-0 up after what happened when they both did it last week – Leicester were held by Crystal Palace and Everton lost at Aston Villa.
The same thing had obviously happened to Sean Dyche’s side in their previous league game too, when they lost 3-2 at home to Bournemouth.
Leicester’s draw will hurt just as much though, with Palace’s equaliser coming from a stoppage-time penalty. Letting that slip will feel like a defeat. I’ve been there, and I know the feeling in a dressing room at full-time when you have chucked a win away.
The Foxes’ collapse was not quite as extreme as Everton’s against Bournemouth and Villa, but it was still pretty bad.
So, who do I back here? Everton are still without a point and also went out of the Carabao Cup on penalties against Southampton in midweek, but I just have a feeling that this might be the day where their manager Sean Dyche catches a break.
He needs one, that’s for sure. Dyche should not be at risk of getting sacked and I want to make that absolutely clear, but you sense that a fair few of the Everton fans have turned against him now, and don’t have faith in him anymore.
Another defeat, especially against another side from down the bottom of the table, would not go down well.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-2
James’s prediction: Everton have been absolutely awful but maybe they will play it a bit safer because of what happened to them against Bournemouth and Villa when they were 2-0 up but lost each time. 1-1
Anfield, 15:00
I am back at Anfield for Radio 5 Live for this game, after watching Liverpool lose there to Nottingham Forest last week.
Arne Slot’s side responded well to win at AC Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday but this is an interesting game and I don’t think the Reds will have things all their own way.
Slot has got to marry his side’s journey in Europe with their Premier League campaign and that is not easy to navigate. Too many of their players were below their best against Forest, especially Mohamed Salah.
Liverpool’s midfield were not quite there either, and they were really wasteful with their final ball, although at the same time you have to recognise that Forest were superb.
Bournemouth are an awkward team under Andoni Iraola and have deserved more than they have got from a couple of games already this season.
I don’t think this is going to be easy for Liverpool but I am not going to base this prediction on what I saw from them last week. Instead, because their response was good in Milan, I am going to say they can’t play as badly as they did against Forest.
Therefore, I think they will create chances and I am backing them to be a bit more ruthless, and take them.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-0
James’s prediction: Liverpool have got an amazing squad, and they play great football. Manchester City are going to win the league again but I am backing Liverpool to push them really close. 3-1
St Mary’s Stadium, 15:00
These are two more teams who are both waiting for their first Premier League victory of the season, although at least Southampton have had something to celebrate after beating Everton on penalties in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.
Ipswich have picked up a couple of points already, though, including an excellent draw at Brighton last time out. To go there and nullify the Seagulls attack is no mean feat, and they also had a big chance to score when Liam Delap crashed a shot against the post.
This was a Championship fixture last season, and Ipswich did the double over Saints, including at Portman Road in April when they nicked it 3-2 with a late winner after Southampton had played really well and battered them.
This time, it smells like a draw to me. I can’t choose between either team, even though I know how much they would both give for all three points.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
James’s prediction: I am Team Ipswich’ this year, only because of Ed Sheeran! 1-2
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 15:00
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou made changes for their Carabao Cup game against Coventry and, while they won and the end justified the means, you have got to say it looked pretty dicey for them when they trailed 1-0 after 88 minutes.
A lot has been made about Postecoglou talking about always winning a trophy in his second season, but I have heard what he said and it has been taken out of context. Now, no matter what he says about it, people are going to use it as a stick to beat him with.
This is a tricky game for Spurs and no-one is surprised anymore by the organisation we saw from Brentford against Manchester City last week, or how devastating they were when they got a chance early on.
But the Bees are without Yoane Wissa after his injury at Etihad Stadium, and he is a big miss for them.
My worry for Spurs at the moment is that, this season, they have not been as clinical or creative with the final pass when they get in the final third of the pitch as they have been previously under Ange.
They will have to be better at that here, but they are at home and I am backing them to get over the line.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
James’s prediction: Brentford are a decent team but I still think Tottenham will find this much easier than they did against Arsenal last weekend. 2-1
Selhurst Park, 17:30
Crystal Palace pumped Manchester United 4-0 in May, but since then they have sold Michael Olise, who scored twice in that game and makes goals as well as scores them.
Eagles boss Oliver Glasner made a huge impact when he came in last season but, so far, this campaign has not been plain sailing for him.
Glasner wants to play an attacking brand of football but I feel like that will suit Manchester United, and that Erik ten Hag’s side can hurt Palace the same way they hurt Southampton last week.
It was a big moment in the game when Andre Onana saved Cameron Archer’s penalty but, after that, United were pretty good, with Marcus Rashford looking lively.
My first instinct was that this would end in a draw but I am actually going to go with United to win it. I am still not sure about Ten Hag but I just have a sense they might be heading in the right direction, and Palace have not got going yet.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-2
James’s prediction: I can see this being quite a boring game and Manchester United will win, even though they haven’t been playing very well. 0-1
Sunday, 22 September
Amex Stadium, 14:00
It is hard to predict a defeat for Nottingham Forest now because they were so good at Liverpool and their backline of Nikola Milenkovic, Murillo, Alex Moreno and Ola Aina were just tremendous.
Forest also had James Ward-Prowse just sitting in front of their back four ticking things over and Ryan Yates alongside him getting on everyone’s nerves with his tenacity.
Their substitutes came on and impacted the game at Anfield as well and the whole team had such composure.
So, while I look at Brighton and think they are capable of scoring, based on what I saw from Forest, why would I say they will lose?
I don’t think Brighton will lose at home either, so I am really sorry, but I am going to have to go for another draw.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
James’s prediction: This is an interesting one… they have both started well, so I am going to go for another draw. 2-2
Etihad Stadium, 16:30
Arsenal got a lot of praise for the way they shut out City here for a draw last season, but they then lost the title race by two points.
Of course that left them open to anyone who wanted to be ‘Captain Hindsight’ – like I did when I turned the result around and used it to question the Gunners.
Yes, that criticism was harsh but we are talking about the fine margins between finishing first and second.
Inter Milan showed on Wednesday that you can hurt City at the same time as keeping them quiet, and they were very brave with the way they were playing out. They surprised me actually, because they beat City’s press very easily.
I don’t like to back against Arsenal because, defensively, they are so strong. They have also won all but one of their 11 away Premier League games in 2024 – the exception being that draw at the Etihad in March – and have kept nine clean sheets.
That is incredible and, if they wanted to, they could cause City problems on the counter-attack too, the same way Inter did.
I was at that game and thought City were well below their best. Erling Haaland was quiet and Kevin de Bruyne might not be fit to face the Gunners after getting injured before half-time.
Still, it is almost two years since City failed to score in two successive games – October 2022, when they drew 0-0 in Copenhagen in the Champions League and then lost at Anfield in the Premier League. I am expecting a reaction, and I don’t think they will be as flat as they were on Wednesday.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
James’s prediction: What a game this will be. It is going to be close, but you just can’t stop Haaland at the moment. He will be the difference because I just don’t think Arsenal have really got a goalscorer. 3-1
How did Sutton do last time?
Sutton got four correct results from the 10 games in week four, including one exact score, giving him a total of 70 points.
That was enough to beat both his guests, Femi and Ife from jazz band Ezra Collective.
Femi got three correct results with no exact scores, leaving him with 30 points, while Ife managed five correct results with no exact scores, for a total of 50 points – their average score of 40 points will be used in the guest totals below.
Sutton is still waiting for his first victory of the season, however, because you had another excellent week – with seven correct results, including two exact scores, for a total of 130 points.
“Trying to get the better of you lot is proving to be a bit more of a challenge,” Sutton said. “I know this is an attempt to give me a bigger test after my victories in the past two seasons, but It feels like I am taking on the whole world at the moment.
“Still, I finally beat my guests this week, so I am claiming a win for that. On that basis, the most important thing is that, unlike Ipswich, I have actually had a win this season.”
