A Majestic Comeback for Sutton
Prediction specialist Chris Sutton claimed victory in the ongoing predictions challenge, marking his first win since early September.
This week, Sutton faces an intriguing challenge and welcomes a special guest — Ollie Lawrence, a talented rugby player from Bath and a supporter of Chelsea.
The Rugby Connection
Ollie Lawrence recently returned from an Achilles injury and is preparing for the new Premiership Rugby season. He is also part of the England squad for the upcoming Autumn Internationals, with their next match scheduled against Fiji at Twickenham.
Lawrence played football and cricket during his youth and spent time in the academies of Aston Villa and Birmingham City before choosing rugby at 16.
In a light-hearted moment, Sutton shared:
I played rugby only once for my school team. We were excited, but we lost 72-0. I never played again.
Sutton also highlighted Lawrence’s football background with a competitive tone:
While it’s fantastic that Ollie trained with Villa, I remind him I played for their first team!
Lawrence noted that both rugby and football offer useful lessons in team strategy, counterattacks, and managing the opposition.
Premier League Predictions
Saturday, 8 November
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 12:30 GMT
Tottenham’s home form has been poor, with only one point from their last four league matches. Despite a recent European win, they may struggle against Manchester United, who are slowly improving.
- Sutton’s pick: 1-1;
- Ollie’s pick: 3-1;
- AI’s pick: 2-2.
Hill Dickinson Stadium, 15:00
Everton started well against Sunderland but failed to convert their chances. Fulham are searching for stability after a recent win, making this match hard to predict.
- Sutton’s pick: 1-1;
- Ollie’s pick: 2-2;
- AI’s pick: 1-1.
London Stadium, 15:00
West Ham’s inconsistency continues. If they repeat their strong display from the Newcastle match, they should be favoured, but unpredictability remains a concern.
- Sutton’s pick: 2-1;
- Ollie’s pick: 1-0;
- AI’s pick: 2-0.
Stadium of Light, 17:30
Sunderland showed fight against Everton, but a slow start will be punished by Arsenal, who have proved they can win even without their best performance.
- Sutton’s pick: 0-2;
- Ollie’s pick: 0-3;
- AI’s pick: 0-3.
Sunday, 9 November
Villa Park, 14:00
Aston Villa aim to bounce back from a narrow defeat. Bournemouth can be dangerous and may score, but Villa are expected to come out on top.
- Sutton’s pick: 1-1;
- Ollie’s pick: 2-1;
- AI’s pick: 2-0.
Gtech Community Stadium, 14:00
Newcastle’s recent dip is worrying, and Brentford’s counter-attacking style could trouble them. A draw seems likely.
- Sutton’s pick: 0-0;
- Ollie’s pick: 1-1;
- AI’s pick: 1-3.
Selhurst Park, 14:00
Crystal Palace vs Brighton is always exciting. Given recent form and fixture pressure on Palace, Brighton might edge the match.
- Sutton’s pick: 1-1;
- Ollie’s pick: 1-2;
- AI’s pick: 1-2.
City Ground, 14:00
This match is vital for both Nottingham Forest and Leeds. Neither side is in strong form, but Leeds’ away issues may give Forest the advantage.
- Sutton’s pick: 2-0;
- Ollie’s pick: 1-0;
- AI’s pick: 2-1.
Etihad Stadium, 16:30
Liverpool look improved after their last win, but facing Manchester City will test them. A narrow home victory seems realistic.
- Sutton’s pick: 2-1;
- Ollie’s pick: 3-1;
- AI’s pick: 2-2.
Sutton’s Performance from Last Week
Chris Sutton had a strong week with eight correct match outcomes, including two exact scores. He earned 140 points, putting him ahead of other participants.
Artificial intelligence delivered a weaker performance with six correct results and 90 points. Guest predictors contributed average scores, reflected in the leaderboard below.
Weekly Wins and Points
| Player | Wins | Ties | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris | 4 | 0 | 770 |
| Guests | 2 | 1 | 640 |
| You | 2 | 0 | 910 |
| AI | 1 | 1 | 760 |