Liverpool have only won two of their past 11 Premier League games at Goodison Park, but can they get the better of neighbours Everton when they go back there on Wednesday?
“Everton got a massive three points on Sunday, which takes the pressure off them a little bit,” said BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton. “Now they will be absolutely desperate to derail Liverpool’s title bid.”
Sutton is making predictions for every Premier League game this season against a variety of guests.
For this week’s matches on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, he takes on actor Zack Morris, star of new thriller film Jericho Ridge.
Jericho Ridge is in UK cinemas from 25 April and available on digital download from 29 April.
Morris is a Manchester United fan and has followed them since he was a boy.
“I am 25 now, so growing up it was a golden time to be a United fan,” he told BBC Sport.
“It was the time of Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs. I was just getting into football properly and starting to take it all in, and United then were a team of superstars. I look back and I can understand why we won so much.
“That was my team, and my heroes were Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand. What a player Rio was by the way, I wish we had him back now.”
United have just reached the FA Cup final for a second successive year but have not won the Premier League since Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down as manager in 2013, and appear unlikely to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
“The excitement factor and ability to make some magic is the biggest thing were are missing now compared to those days under Ferguson,” Morris added.
“That flair, and the feeling anything can happen, has gone and so has our consistency compared to the top teams.
“That’s not down to any individual players needing to improve because we have got enough quality in our squad – it is as a team that everyone needs to do better.”
Chris Sutton and Zack Morris were speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.
When? | Result | Sutton | Zack |
TUESDAY, 23 APRIL | |||
Arsenal v Chelsea | x-x | 2-1 | 1-2 |
WEDNESDAY, 24 APRIL | |||
Wolves v Bournemouth | x-x | 1-1 | 0-2 |
Crystal Palace v Newcastle | x-x | 2-1 | 1-2 |
Everton v Liverpool | x-x | 1-2 | 0-3 |
Man Utd v Sheff Utd | x-x | 2-0 | 4-0 |
THURSDAY, 25 APRIL | |||
Brighton v Man City | x-x | 0-2 | 1-3 |
A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.
All games kick off at 20:00 BST unless otherwise stated.
Arsenal bounced back from a bad week really well against Wolves on Saturday and won comfortably, but Chelsea put in a good performance too despite losing their FA Cup semi-final to Manchester City.
This feels like a really dangerous game for the Gunners, and the rivalry between the two clubs is going to be a big factor as well.
Chelsea probably should have beaten them at Stamford Bridge in October but let a two-goal lead slip late on.
They are making progress under Mauricio Pochettino but they still have a habit of shooting themselves in the foot like they did that day.
So, I am backing Arsenal to find a way of winning this one – although again it is going to be extremely close.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
Zack’s prediction: I’ve got some family and friends who are Arsenal fans, so I am going to annoy them and say Chelsea will win. 1-2
This is a big game for Wolves manager Gary O’Neil, who again will be desperate to beat the side who sacked him in the summer.
Wolves won when they met on the south coast in October but back then Bournemouth had not got going under new boss Andoni Iraola, and were still waiting for their first league win.
This time it is Wolves who are short of form, and they have not won any of their five league games since being knocked out of the FA Cup by Coventry.
The Cherries have not won in three games either but their performances have still been pretty solid and I can see them getting something here – this game has got a draw written all over it.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-1
Zack’s prediction: It will be pretty tight but I am going to give this to Bournemouth. 0-2
Crystal Palace will be buzzing off the back of their big win over West Ham on Sunday.
Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise sparkled again alongside Jean-Philippe Mateta up front and having those two back fit has been huge for new Eagles boss Oliver Glasner in terms of increasing his side’s attacking threat.
Newcastle have found a bit of form recently too, but I fancy Palace to edge it. They look completely safe from relegation now so they can play with a bit of freedom, but Eze and Olise will make the difference.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
Zack’s prediction: I’m going with Newcastle here, solely because I watched Alexander Isak destroy Tottenham in their last game. I mentioned flair earlier, and he has got that in abundance. 1-2
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp made a lot of changes for Sunday’s win at Fulham, including leaving Mohamed Salah out, but they still won pretty comfortably.
I can see this game going the same way. Everton will give everything of course, but the two goals they scored against Nottingham Forest were both from outside the box and they are not a team that creates too much.
Liverpool have got more quality and they should have plenty of opportunities. If they take them, they will win.
This is the second in a run of three away games in a row for Klopp’s side, with a trip to West Ham to come at the weekend. It looked like a tricky run at a crucial stage of the season but at the moment they look capable of getting through it.
Sutton’s prediction: 1-2
Zack’s prediction: Well, my dad and my brother are both Liverpool fans so we’ve got a bit of rivalry there. I do think Liverpool are going to walk away with this one though. 0-3
I am going to predict a Manchester United win here.
There was a guy who was quite abusive to me on X so I promised him I would pick Manchester United victories for the rest of the season, after I backed Coventry to beat them in the FA Cup.
I was nearly correct about Coventry too – as manager Mark Robins put it after their defeat, I was a toenail away from getting that one right.
As much as anything, it was the way Manchester United fell apart after being 3-0 up that was the worry for them on Sunday, but they did get through in the end.
I don’t think this is a particularly good game for Erik ten Hag’s side to face next though, against the team at the bottom of the table with nothing to lose.
The Manchester United players probably won’t relish being expected to win easily again, just as they were against Coventry, but even they should be able to beat Sheffield United – surely.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-0
Zack’s prediction: Oh come on, we are going to win this one! 4-0
City are, apparently, extremely tired but I looked at their bench for their FA Cup semi-final on Saturday and it wasn’t too bad for a team that is so fatigued.
The Brighton of last season would have been very awkward opponents for Manchester City, but I am not so sure they offer the same test this year.
Still, there is no margin of error for Pep Guardiola’s side. They have the advantage in the title race at the moment but even a draw changes things completely at the top of the table, so the pressure is on.
Sutton’s prediction: 0-2
Zack’s prediction: City are going to be fine, aren’t they? They are not going to walk away with this one, but they will still get the job done. 1-3
Zack on the title race: There’s not much for me to go at as a United fan, is there? I am pretty stuffed all ways! But although I was joking about Arsenal earlier and said they would lose just to annoy my mates, I actually really hope they win the title if it has to be one of those three. They are underdogs too, because Liverpool have won far more than them recently, not just City. It is strange thinking about Arsenal like that because they are a big club, but before last year they had not been near the title for ages. So, I like the fact they are in the running and I hope they take it – even if I am not 100% convinced that they will.
Sutton got five correct results, with no exact scores, from the seven Premier League games in week 34, giving him 50 points.
His guest, singer-songwriter Sam Tompkins, got three correct results, again with no exact scores, for a total of 30 points.
It goes down as a win for Sutton for now, but the full result will be confirmed when the remaining fixtures are played.
Sam also got both FA Cup semi-final predictions correct, while Sutton wrongly backed Coventry to follow Manchester City into the final, but those games do not count towards the below tables.
Luke Littler | 170 |
Anthony Joshua | 150 |
Ross from Twin Atlantic | 140 |
Eddie Hearn | 130 |
Nathan Aspinall, CBeebies presenter Rhys Stephenson | 120 |
Barry Can’t Swim | 110 |
Anish Kumar | 100 |
UB40 drummer Jimmy Brown, Fabian Edwards, Joelah from 1Xtra, KSI, Franklin star Daniel Mays, Midas the Jagaban | 90 |
Jermain Defoe, ‘Hollywood’ Chris Dobey, Songer | 80 |
Chris Sutton | 76 (average after 34 weeks) |
David Earl, Keke from 1Xtra, Jazzie Zonzolo | 70 |
Dave from The Zutons, Tommy Fury, Joe from Nothing But Thieves, Sam from Twin Atlantic | 60 |
Gabe of Jamie Johnson FC, Ed Leigh, Tash from The Football Academy, Matthew Vaughn, Rick Witter | 50 |
Bionic, AEW wrestler Claudio Castagnoli, Tom Ogden and Joe Donovan from Blossoms, Declan McKenna, JayO | 40 |
Vigil star Dougray Scott, Felix White | 30 |
Willie J Healey, Bria Keely of Better Joy | 20 |
Suggs, Future Islands frontman Samuel T Herring, Anna Friedberg and Emily Linden from Friedberg | 10 |
Chris Sutton | 2,580 |
Guests | 2,380 |
The only game you got wrong was Brentford’s win at Luton, with 44% of you backing the Hatters.
You were correct about both FA Cup semi-finals too, with 67% going for a Manchester City win over Chelsea and 64% backing Manchester United against Coventry.
1. You | 6/10 |
2. Chris | 5/10 |
3. Guests | 3/10 |
*Win, draw, loss prediction based on highest % of vote for each match.
1. You | 183/330 |
2. Chris | 177/330 |
3. Guests | 167/330 |
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