Catch three games live on Sky Sports: Burnley vs Liverpool (Saturday, 5.30pm), Everton vs Wolves (Sunday, 2pm) and Arsenal vs Tottenham (Sunday, 4.30pm)
Saturday 31 August 2019 07:12, UK
Charlie's back with his latest predictions on a big weekend for the Premier League, including a big north London derby...
Will Liverpool keep up their perfect start? Who will emerge victorious in the first north London derby of the season? Former Arsenal and Scotland striker Charlie Nicholas is back with his predictions for this week's games...
Liverpool were very good going forward but I did see problems at the back against Arsenal. I don't think Adrian is reliable. We saw mistakes at West Ham and we have recently too. Ashley Barnes is in form at the moment and Sean Dyche may play Chris Wood for his height.
They will squeeze Liverpool and drop off when they have it at the back, squeezing the midfield too. They need to stop the full-backs and the service to the front men. If it is rolled out from Liverpool they could even squeeze from the front. Liverpool will take risks and were exposed sometimes against Arsenal. The front three will be nice and fresh, with Mohamed Salah coming into this off the back of a brace, so I expect a Liverpool win.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 1-3 (10/1 with Sky Bet)
Wolves have started well. They lost a lot of silly points last year against teams which they shouldn't have. I expected them to beat Burnley but they managed to get a draw at the very end.
What is Everton's shape? They had to tidy the defence up - they needed to. You saw them last week and thought, what is the belief in this team? I did not see anything that told me this team would threaten the top six. I did not see this materialise.
It is an awkward one, but I am going to go with Wolves. The only thing that tells me otherwise is their Europa League match on Thursday. I am hanging on to a Wolves win here.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 1-2 (11/1 with Sky Bet)
I cannot say I expected any more from the Liverpool game last week. Arsenal played alright - David Luiz cost us with stupid mistakes, which is what he does at times. Arsenal did not deserve anything but they could have threatened.
Unai Emery didn't play Alexandre Lacazette and Dani Ceballos should have played further forward. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe had chances and I did not come away feeling overly disappointed. I do not feel like we got embarrassed.
Emery does not trust his players enough. He always tends to leave Lacazette out and go with pace. Joe Willock did okay, but didn't get on the ball much. You need to go into these games with the best attackers.
I would always play Lacazette through the middle, Pepe on the right and Aubameyang on the left. Tottenham are nervous at the moment and mistakes always come from these matches. Ceballos needs to be closer to the front three too.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 4-2 (50/1 with Sky Bet)
I had the Manchester United game last week. Everyone was saying it was a terrible result. When you first see them at the start of the season, you have to ask who they are keeping. They always have the talented Marcus Rashford, the energy of Jesse Lingard, alongside Anthony Martial too. I don't know whether Martial will be fit as he was carrying a knock in the last 10 minutes.
With that, they are down to the bare bones, especially with Romelu Lukaku out of the door. Not one of those forward players played well last week. You cannot get a rhythm with Paul Pogba and Scott McTominay in midfield. McTominay is a throwback to Darren Fletcher, who was a much better passer of the ball. He is young and rash, but his physical presence has got him there, which is not a bad thing and where I see the balance.
Pogba has started playing deep again and forgotten where he wants to play. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is allowing him to do that and he says that he will be the main player if he does. He will have his good days and will have his bad ones. He gives the ball away cheaply.
The balance at the back is unusual. Harry Maguire never covered Victor Lindelof for the first goal last week. Is he the type to do that? The full-backs are worrying and they could always have faith in David de Gea in the past. Now they don't have that reliability.
They could be too hot to trot one weekend and then poor the next two. Southampton have the energy, belief and confidence after their win at Brighton, and will get at Pogba and McTominay and see if they can hurt their defence. It will be an open game which may suit Southampton. This will be an entertaining and expansive match.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 2-2 (12/1 with Sky Bet)
Aston Villa got a big lift against Everton. Douglas Luiz, John McGinn and Jack Grealish can pull the strings. McGinn doesn't need to hold as he has an abundance of energy. Luiz is technically decent, but I would want him to adjust to the English way and understand how his fellow midfielders play. Grealish needs to play higher up the pitch. Wesley is up and running now, so those are promising signs for them.
So far, Crystal Palace have been unpredictable. Wilfried Zaha must have accepted the reality now he is back in the team. I saw them win at Man United, but where did that come from? Jordan Ayew was so composed with the first goal, and they will always be well-drilled under Roy Hodgson.
I am amazed that Christian Benteke has been offered a new contract. Gary Cahill was solid with his position and took a yellow card rather than give away a penalty. Everything he did, he did with assurance and experience. He could be something they have been waiting for. I do not know what you will get from them coming forward, but because of the unpredictability I am going to go 1-1. I wouldn't mind watching the game, as you do not know which way it is going to go.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 1-1 (5/1 with Sky Bet)
Frank Lampard badly needed the win at Norwich, and Chelsea played well going forward - they know they have frailties at the back. Pedro looks to be relishing working with Lampard. Tammy Abraham had a lot of pressure on him but he is up and running so has done well. Lampard wants Mason Mount to play up with the strikers and he has identified this, he is so gifted and talented.
It has been a good start for Sheffield United, so they may be ready to say it is about being dogged, not just having energy. There is a feeling within Chelsea at the moment that the fans will demand a win and Lampard will demand a performance, which they will get, but not without its difficulties.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-1 (10/1 with Sky Bet)
It was a very nice result for Newcastle last weekend, may I say! The stick that was aimed at the players and Steve Bruce will be there consistently. The fans want the owner out and they will continue to strive for this. Rafael Benitez was softly going against the owner, which Steve Bruce cannot do in his situation really.
His team worked hard and Joelinton got his campaign off to a start. If they could go and win this weekend, against a team that are toiling, then this will be great. Watford have had a shocker of a start, and there is always the question as to how much time Javi Gracia is given. They got to the FA Cup final last season. Who will be the foot soldiers for Watford? Abdoulaye Doucoure has not started in great fashion. Where have Gerard Deulofeu and Roberto Pereyra been? They started like a train last season.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 1-0 (13/2 with Sky Bet)
I just hope that Graham Potter has a plan A, plan B, and plan C at the ready for this one. Do you sit in and hurt them from set-pieces? Where do they pitch? Where do they put their back five? You do not want to give them pockets of space.
Manchester City interchange, fly down the wing with pace, Kevin De Bruyne does this, David Silva does that. What formation do they play? They play football and they enjoy it, that's why you need different plans.
I don't see anything but pain here for Brighton. Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero are frightening, with De Bruyne in full swing now too. I am sure De Bruyne could be the best ever at City, better than the rest. If you want a game with lots of goals and smiles, this is your game.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 5-0 (9/1 with Sky Bet)
Norwich are really good to watch, I like what they want to do. I like the combination of Todd Cantwell and Teemu Pukki. They have strong defensive frailties though. Max Aarons and Jamal Lewis have pace to burn, and they are trying to mould them into the modern attacking wing-backs, so they will see more of the ball and create more danger.
The two youngsters are good players but this can leave their defence vulnerable. They need more quality and protection in midfield, which means they will leak a lot of goals. This will be a treat to watch.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-2 (18/1 with Sky Bet)
Nobody expected Bournemouth to get anything from their match against Manchester City but what a free kick by Harry Wilson. I did fancy Leicester at Sheffield United, but these are the games which Brendan Rodgers will like to pinpoint. He wants his sides to play like Eddie Howe likes to play.
Leicester will try to get control of the ball. Will Harvey Barnes start? I would play him. You then have James Maddison and Youri Tielemans playing with Jamie Vardy up top, and they should have won at Chelsea. Bournemouth will sit in but want to counter-attack.
CHARLIE PREDICTS: 3-1 (12/1 with Sky Bet)
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