Paul Merson and Chris Sutton make Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham predictions as 'on trial' claim made
A look at the pundit predictions for the Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham fixtures this weekend.
The sixth round of Premier League fixtures is upon us, and we have some interesting fixtures taking place this weekend. The most interesting is perhaps Sunday’s clash between Arsenal and Newcastle United, which has been a feisty encounter over recent times.
Elsewhere, Tottenham face winless Wolves, and Chelsea are at Brighton in what will be a difficult home game. Here we round up the pundit predictions from SportsKeeda’s Paul Merson and BBC Sport’s Chris Sutton for those fixtures.
Chelsea vs Brighton
Chris Sutton
“This is quite a big game for Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca after his side lost to Bayern Munich and Manchester United. I was at their Carabao Cup tie with Lincoln City in midweek and they were expected to win that tie, which they did, but the Imps caused them all sorts of problems and Chelsea are just not very convincing at the moment.
“It hardly helps that Cole Palmer must be a big doubt to play after he came off injured against United, and they will miss him badly if he is ruled out. When I think of Brighton, I always think they will score goals but they can be quite inconsistent. There are that many of their former players at Chelsea, this is like Brighton versus Brighton Old Boys - and I don't think either side will do enough to win it Prediction: 1-1.”
Chelsea vs Brighton & Hove Albion
“Big game for all the Brighton players because they are on trial. If they have a good game, they can join Chelsea! I remember this game last season, Cole Palmer scored four goals and it was an incredible first half to watch. But honestly, I'm not expecting anything similar this weekend.
“Chelsea haven't started well this season. This is a club that is used to winning the big trophies and they must get back to where they belong. It's a must win game for Chelsea if you ask me and if they don't get all three points, the manager will be under pressure.
“I was flabbergasted by what Enzo Maresca did after Robert Sanchez got sent off against Manchester United. The first thing he has to do is bring on a goalkeeper and I get it. But Pedro Neto should be the last player coming off after that! He's the quickest player on the pitch, so you put him up top and let him occupy the two defenders. If you can do that, it is 9 v 9 on the rest of the pitch! This is one of the best managers in the country and he's making decisions like this, I was shocked.
“Palmer looks to be injured and Chelsea need to rest him. But the reality is that they can't do it! You look at Arsenal, if they have Bukayo Saka injured and Noni Madueke comes in and performs well. Now that Madueke is injured, Saka just comes back in. My point is, whoever plays there, it does not weaken Arsenal. Look at all the money Chelsea have spent and still, if Palmer gets injured, they are in trouble. Palmer is being forced to rush back into the line-up because Chelsea don't have anyone else who can do what he does for them!
“And for all the money they spent, I can't believe they did not go out and get a goalkeeper. Can you tell me about a team that won major trophies without a good goalkeeper? You won't find anybody. This is a tough game for Chelsea and as a fan, I'm worried. But I'm still going to back them only because I don't think this Brighton team is as good as the ones we've seen in recent years. Prediction: Chelsea 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion.”
Tottenham vs Wolves
Chris Sutton
“Things are getting desperate for Wolves after five straight defeats in the league, but it is hard to make a case for them getting anything here. Tottenham showed great resilience to come back late on to rescue a point at Brighton last week. They have got that side to them now where you feel they can get something from games, even when things go wrong for them.
“I was at their Champions League win over Villarreal when they huffed and puffed but still got the job done. This game might not be entirely straightforward for them either, but I am expecting the same outcome. Prediction: 1-0.”
Paul Merson
“I couldn't believe how Wolves lost last weekend. When they went 1-0 up, I thought the game was done and dusted but they got absolutely destroyed by Leeds! So in all honesty, I can't see anything but a Tottenham win here. You take away that loss to Bournemouth and Spurs have been good. As long as they turn up and play the way Thomas Frank wants them to play, there should only be one winner here.
“I would say a top five finish would be great for Tottenham this season. They are truly capable of achieving it too. Liverpool and Arsenal can take care of themselves, so there are three more spots left. I won't put Manchester United in that race, Aston Villa won't be able to catch up unless they really get going.
Newcastle? Maybe, but they have to be more consistent. If Spurs play their cards right, they can finish in the top five. Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 Wolves.”
Newcastle United vs Chelsea
Chris Sutton
“This has become a bit of a grudge match since Newcastle's controversial win at St James' Park in 2023. Arsenal have lost on their past three visits but even a draw might not help them much this time, because they cannot afford to fall any further behind Liverpool at the top of the table.
“So, Mikel Arteta really needs a win, but how will he approach this? Does he regard Newcastle as a top side and, if so, will he play his robust midfield trio again in the middle of the park? He seems to be quite negative and defensive in games like this, and I think it is a legitimate question to ask if Arsenal can win the Premier League by being that cautious.
“Arteta really needs to go for it more. I am finding Newcastle difficult to predict because they do not score many goals, but they are still hard to beat. There are a few reasons why I am backing Arsenal - Bukayo Saka is fit again and, if Eze starts as well, they will carry a real threat. They have got Gabriel Martinelli too - but what happens here is really down to Arteta. Prediction: 1-2.”
Paul Merson
“Newcastle always turn up against Arsenal. The fans at St James' Park are always good, but they just get a bit more electric in this fixture! Arsenal have lost their last three games there, so this a tricky game for them. If Liverpool are held to a draw at Crystal Palace, Arsenal wouldn't mind walking away with a point here. But if the league leaders get another three points, this game automatically falls into the must-win category.
“When you look at Arsenal, they would have faced all of Liverpool, Manchester City and Newcastle after this weekend. Imagine spending big and not beating any of these three teams that finished in the top five last season? Where is the progress then? Arsenal have a good run of fixtures coming up after this game. But if you don't beat Newcastle, you are basically entering that run with an eight-point lead to chase down.
“If you're a team in the title race, you don't want to be playing catch up when the easy fixtures come along, you want to use them to get away from other contenders and kick on instead! Arsenal must not sit back in this game, if they do that, Newcastle will score. I'd play Saka, Eze and Viktor Gyokeres as the front-three here but I don't think Arteta will do that if I'm being honest. I have a feeling Gabriel Martinelli will start instead of Eze. He's a disciplined player and can be useful with his pace. But Eze is the X-factor, he can unlock defences like he showed it against City.
“We saw how Newcastle gave Liverpool a strong fight with just 10 men at St James' Park earlier this season. Liverpool were very fortunate to come away with a win in that game. If you're Arsenal, you want to match what Liverpool did here, but I don't think they can do it. Prediction: Newcastle United 1-1 Arsenal.”