Matchday 11

We’re a little over a quarter of the way through the 22/23 Premier League season, and it’s been a wild one so far. Erling Haaland of Manchester City has scored more goals than over half of the teams in the league. Teams like Arsenal and Bighton and Hove Albion are exceeding expectations, while teams like Liverpool are surprisingly underperforming. With so many plot twists it has been difficult to predict how teams will perform week in week out, but it sure makes for an eventful season.

This week we have two defensive minded sides in Tottenham and Everton going at it on Saturday, Manchester United and Newcastle fighting for a spot in the top 4 on Sunday, and two managerial masterminds, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, guiding their teams from the sidelines in the matchup of the week.

So, with that being said, let’s take a look at our Matchweek 11 fixtures.

Tottenham Hotspur (3rd) vs Everton (12th) 

Date: Saturday, 10/15/2022 at 12:30 PM EST

Pitch: Tottenham Hotspur – Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, England

Odds: | HOME: -210 | TIE: +340 | AWAY: +600 |

Current Form: | Tottenham Hotspur (WDLWL) | Everton (LWWDD) |

Head to Head: 

The Word: 

In the grand scheme of things Frank Lampard and Everton are having a decent start to the season. Even though they lost to Manchester United last weekend, they didn’t play bad. But they are in for another tough one this Saturday against Harry Kane and Tottenham Hotspur.

Harry Kane has scored 8 goals thus far, which is just as many as the entire Everton team. I don’t want to necessarily jump to conclusions based on that though. Everton have only allowed an average of 1 goal per game this season (tied for the league lead with Manchester City) and have a key shutout against a Liverpool side that ranks 3rd in goals per game. Their midfield is solid and their defense is stingy.

Tottenham are currently sitting 3rd in the Premier League table and are still within reach of Arsenal and Manchester City. If they want to remain in that position, dropping any points against Everton would be a failure. Which is why I think Tottenham will grind out a victory and Everton will continue to concede an average of 1 goal.

PREDICTION: Tottenham Hotspur 1 – 0 Everton

Manchester United (5th) vs Newcastle United (6th) 

Date: Sunday, 10/16/2022 at 09:00 AM EST

Pitch: Manchester United – Old Trafford, Manchester, England

Odds: | HOME: -105 | TIE: +270 | AWAY: +270 |

Current Form: | Manchester United (WWLWL) | Newcastle United (WWDDL) |

Head to Head:

The Word: 

Manchester United had a solid win away at Everton last weekend, but it was not as solid as Newcastle’s 9 goals in it’s last two Premier League matches. The money is starting to show at Newcastle and they now rank 4th in the league, scoring an average of nearly 2 goals per game. With only one loss (last second goal against Liverpool in the 90th minute), Newcastle appears to be a team that has the potential to cause teams a lot of problems this year. 

The home field adavantage and the likelihood of the Casemiro/Ronaldo duo to start the game may give Manchester United the slight edge. But look for Bruno Guimaraes and Allan Saint-Maximin to be licking their chops against a Manchester United team team that is currently allowing an average of 2 goals per game. 

The numbers are backing a draw but Manchester United have yet to draw this season. I expect that trend to continue. 

PREDICTION: Manchester United 1 – 2 Newcastle United

Leeds United (14th) vs Arsenal (1st)

Date: Sunday, 10/16/2022 at 09:00 AM EST

Pitch: Leeds United – Elland Road, Leeds, England

Odds: | HOME: +500 | TIE: +330 | AWAY: -185 |

Current Form: | Leeds United (LDLDL) | Arsenal (WWWWW) |

Head to Head: 

The Word: 

Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United started out well this season, but have seen that fire dwindle in recent weeks. Leeds United haven’t won a game in their last 5 Premier League matches. To make things worse, Leeds United have fallen to Arsenal 4 straight times at Elland Road and haven’t beaten Arsenal since May of 2003.

Expect Arsenal to dominate posession with wingers Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka to give Pascal Struijk and the Leeds United defense a tough time. With Manchester City nipping at their heels, if Arsenal want to remain at the top of the table then they will have to continue their winning ways – which I thoroughly expect them to do.

PREDICTION: Leeds United 1 – 3 Arsenal 

Aston Villa (16th) vs Chelsea (4th)

GET IN THERE, CP10 🐯

pic.twitter.com/aK8gUKFFGT

— U.S. Men's National Soccer Team (@USMNT) October 8, 2022

Video By: Twitter (@USMNT)

Date: Sunday, 10/16/2022 at 09:00 AM EST

Pitch: Aston Villa – Villa Park, Birmingham, England

Odds: | HOME: +370 | TIE: +270 | AWAY: -130 |

Current Form: | Aston Villa (DDWDL) | Chelsea (WWWDL) |

Head to Head:

The Word: 

Chelsea look to be back to their winning ways and are without a loss under their new manager Graham Potter. Aston Villa are not a bad team and have shown signs of potential success, but their inability to string together any consistency have them sitting on the fence of the relegation zone. Despite having home field advantage, I sriously doubt they will be able to do very much against an in-form Chelsea team. Sorry Stevie G…I still love you.

PREDICTION: Aston Villa 0 – Chelsea 2

Liverpool (10th) vs Manchester City (2nd)

Date: Sunday, 10/16/2022 at 11:30 AM EST

Pitch: Liverpool – Anfield, Liverpool, England

Odds: | HOME: +300 | TIE: +300 | AWAY: -125 |

Current Form: | Liverpool (LWDWL) | Manchester City (WWWWW) |

Head to Head:

The Word: 

We typically always look forward to this fixture, but with the two teams in completely different form and being separated by 13 points in just 9 matches…I can’t imagine this game being too exciting…especially if you’re a Liverpool fan. I’m predicting a lopsided victory with Manchester City having a field day on Liverpool’s half of the pitch.. Here’s the stats to show why. 

Manchester City score an average of almost 4 goals per game and with Liverpool conceding 13 goals in its’ last 5 matches I can’t imagine this stat changing very much. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are both injured and are likely to be ruled out for Sunday’s matchup – which leaves  Konstantinos Tsimikas and Virgil Van Dijk alongside either Ibrahima Konate or Joe Gomez to defend the leagues leading attacking trio of Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, and Erling Haaland. 

Liverpool do however rank 3rd in goals scored per game (the injury to Luis Diaz last week will surely effect this) and have only been shutout once this season. So with the game being at Anfield I do expect Liverpool to score a goal. But it won’t be enough and Manchester City should remain the only unbeaten team in the Premier League.

PREDICTION: Liverpool 1 – Manchester City 3