Arsenal tipped to recover as Opta backs United in a tense Premier League weekend

Prediction calls split as Premier League returns

Arsenal are expected to respond to their defeat by Brighton when they host unbeaten Leeds United, but the size of that response is disputed. Chris Sutton predicts a 2-0 home win, BBC guest James Walsh goes for a 1-1 draw, and the AI forecast is 3-1 to Arsenal. Opta’s model also makes the Gunners the strongest pick of the matchday, assigning them a 68.9% chance of victory.

The other Saturday forecasts point to a competitive round after the international break. Sutton and Walsh both predict Aston Villa to beat Brentford 2-1, while the AI calls a 2-2 draw. Opta gives Villa a 47.8% win probability and Brentford 26.2%, despite Brentford’s unbeaten start.

Anfield takes centre stage

Manchester City’s visit to Liverpool is the weekend’s headline fixture. The BBC preview says attention will fall on how City respond after being found guilty of breaching most of the 115 financial rules they were accused of breaking, and on what the case could mean for the club this season. City are described by FotMob as the league’s only side with a 100% record, while Liverpool are among the unbeaten teams. The supplied previews do not include a score prediction for the Anfield match.

Contrasting calls elsewhere

Chelsea are favoured against Bournemouth by all three BBC predictors, although their scorelines differ: Sutton predicts 3-1, Walsh 2-0 and the AI 2-0. Opta gives Chelsea a 51.8% chance of winning. The model notes that Chelsea’s first five league games under Xabi Alonso have produced 22 goals, with 10 scored and 12 conceded. Bournemouth, meanwhile, are without injured midfielder Alex Scott, according to the BBC preview.

Ipswich-Fulham is less clear-cut. Sutton and the AI predict a 1-1 draw, while Walsh backs Fulham to win 2-1. Opta makes Ipswich favourites at 44.8%, with a draw at 26.9% and a Fulham victory at 28.3%.

Sutton expects Sunderland and Brighton to share the points in a 1-1 draw; Walsh predicts 2-2, while the AI picks a 2-1 Brighton win. Opta also favours Brighton, giving them a 41.3% chance of victory against Sunderland’s 33.1%.

United and Tottenham under pressure

Manchester United’s meeting with Tottenham is framed as a test for both sides after difficult starts. The BBC preview describes United manager Michael Carrick as under pressure and Tottenham as bottom of the table. Opta assigns United a 54.1% chance of winning at Old Trafford, compared with 22.3% for Tottenham. The BBC excerpt supplied here does not include Sutton, Walsh or the AI’s score predictions for the fixture.

The predictions are part of BBC Sport’s weekly contest, in which a correct result earns 10 points and an exact score earns 40. The article also notes that Walsh, the Starsailor frontman and Liverpool supporter, hopes his club can win silverware under new manager Andoni Iraola, while cautioning that new signings Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz need time to establish themselves.