Chris Sutton backs Aston Villa and Arsenal as Manchester United face a defining weekend

United under pressure before Fulham test

Manchester United face Fulham on Sunday with manager Michael Carrick under growing pressure, according to BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton. With a three-week international break approaching, Sutton believes the result could shape the mood around the club.

“For teams who have had a bad start to the season, United being one of them, it could be a horrible few weeks,” Sutton said. “Any negativity is going to just fester, really. There will be speculation about his future, along with all the talk about whether this is a good time to replace your manager.”

Sutton added that United are not alone in struggling, but said the weekend is particularly important for a club facing intense scrutiny.

Chris Sutton and Johnny Marr feature in BBC Sport Premier League predictions

Marr praises City’s perfect start

Manchester City supporter and guitarist Johnny Marr said the club’s 100% start under new manager Enzo Maresca had exceeded expectations. Marr singled out City’s derby victory at Old Trafford, despite Phil Foden being sent off early in the match.

“I think that derby will be remembered by City fans for a long time,” Marr told BBC Sport. “We all feared the worst when Phil Foden was sent off so early, because you don’t know what could happen. It should have been a yellow card for him and Bruno Fernandes anyway.”

Marr said the team’s resilience was especially encouraging during a period of transition, with a new manager and several new players. “No-one expected Maresca to win his first four games... but then again, why not?” he said. “He’s shown that he’s his own man with his own philosophy. I like him.”

Sutton’s key predictions

Sutton sees Brentford and Chelsea sharing the points in a 2-2 draw. He believes Chelsea’s attack is dangerous but says their defensive balance remains a major concern, while Brentford’s counter-attacking threat could expose them.

At Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Sutton predicts Aston Villa to beat Tottenham 2-1. He argues that Roberto de Zerbi’s Spurs have not yet shown enough improvement despite significant spending, while Villa appear capable of finding goals even though they are still waiting for their first league win.

Sutton also backs Arsenal to overcome Brighton 2-1. He admires Brighton’s aggressive pressing and attacking approach but believes Arsenal possess the defensive maturity and quality to exploit any spaces left by Fabian Hurzeler’s side.

Everton are Sutton’s pick to beat Ipswich 1-0. Ipswich have exceeded his pre-season expectations under Gary O’Neil, but Sutton expects David Moyes’ unbeaten Everton to prove too organised and resilient.

Predictions at a glance

Brentford 2-2 Chelsea: Sutton; Johnny Marr and AI predict 1-2.
Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa: Sutton; Marr and AI predict 2-1.
Brighton 1-2 Arsenal: Sutton, Marr and AI all select the same score.
Everton 1-0 Ipswich: Sutton; Marr predicts 2-0 and AI predicts 2-1.

BBC Sport’s prediction contest awards 10 points for correctly selecting a result and 40 points for an exact scoreline. Marr’s new album, The Age of Everything, is due for release on 2 October.