Premier League predictions: Chris Sutton faces rapper and Arsenal fan AntsLive

Manchester United have not won at Anfield since 2016 but could Erik ten Hag’s side continue their recent revival by beating one of their biggest rivals in their own backyard on Sunday?

“This could be the game where Liverpool really get their season up and running again, but I don’t see that happening. United really are streets ahead of them right now.”

For this weekend’s fixtures, he is up against rapper and Arsenal fan, AntsLive.

AntsLive has his first headline show at London Omeara on 15 March. His debut mixtape, Just A Matter of Time, is out now.

Unlike Sutton, AntsLive is hoping that some of his predictions turn out to be wrong when it comes to who will prevail in the title race.

He told BBC Sport: “My brother and I went through every game for Arsenal and Manchester City to predict how all their remaining results would go, and it worked out that City were champions by one point.

“City seem to have an easier run-in, while we still have to go to Etihad Stadium and Anfield.

“It might not even be those games that decide it, though. When you get to the end of the season you never know what the teams at the bottom will be fighting for – and I still think Manchester United have a chance too.

“There’s a lot to factor in, but it’s great that we are in the position we are in and, whatever happens from here, it is going to be a really exciting end to the season – I just hope we find a way of getting over the line first, because we are definitely good enough.”

AntsLive grew up as an Arsenal fanatic in north London but he played in Chelsea’s academy before turning his focus to making music.

“I started at Chelsea when I was six or seven, and I was there for a couple of years,” he explained. “I kept playing too, in Sunday League and tried to do bits in semi-pro when I got to 16, but then my priorities changed.

“I still play now, a bit of seven-a-side mainly. I was always a winger when I was growing up but I prefer it in the middle of the park these days.

“Thierry Henry was always the stand-out player when I was younger but I was a big fan of people like Cesc Fabregas and Theo Walcott too.

“Our team at the start of the Emirates era didn’t win as much as the Arsenal sides that came before them but that was when I fell in love with it all, and I was playing a lot then too.

“To be honest though, what we are seeing now is the best football I have witnessed as an Arsenal fan.

“What I love about Mikel Arteta is how it is the little details that make the difference. You never see Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli pick the ball up when they are out wide on the touchline, because they can only go backwards from there.

“Being more central gives them more options when they get the ball, and it is like that right through the team – basically Arteta makes it easy for all our players, and you can tell he is an incredible coach.”

When?	Result	Sutton	AntsLive
SATURDAY, 4 MARCH
Man City v Newcastle	x-x	3-1	2-0
Arsenal v Bournemouth	x-x	3-0	3-0
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace	x-x	2-0	2-1
Brighton v West Ham	x-x	2-1	2-2
Chelsea v Leeds	x-x	1-0	0-0
Wolves v Tottenham	x-x	1-1	0-2
Southampton v Leicester	x-x	1-1	1-2
SUNDAY, 5 MARCH
Nott’m Forest v Everton	x-x	1-1	1-0
Liverpool v Man Utd	x-x	1-2	1-2
MONDAY, 6 MARCH
Brentford v Fulham	x-x	2-1	1-2

A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points. The exact score earns 40 points.

SUTTON’S PREDICTIONS

Games kick off at 15:00 GMT unless otherwise stated

SATURDAY, 4 MARCH

Man City v Newcastle (12:30 GMT)

I wouldn’t quite go as far a saying Newcastle are running out of steam, but they are flagging a little bit.

They weren’t outplayed by Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final, but I thought Erik ten Hag’s side won pretty comfortably.

I do like the way Magpies boss Eddie Howe sets his team up and they will be awkward opposition at Etihad Stadium, especially with Nick Pope back in goal, but I still think Manchester City will win.

City have to win, really. The pressure is on them now, especially after Arsenal’s victory in midweek, and the champions are getting to the stage where they know they can’t slip up.

It’s definitely a boost for Pep Guardiola’s side that Phil Foden is back in the team and playing so well.

For whatever reason, he wasn’t the only City player who hadn’t really kicked on since the World Cup and if they are going to push Arsenal, they need to be at their best. Foden coming back, and being at such a high level is really good news for them.

Sutton’s prediction: 3-1

AntsLive’s prediction: Newcastle don’t always look like scoring but they don’t concede many either. I think City will have enough to unlock them though, especially at the Etihad. 2-0

Arsenal v Bournemouth

Arsenal have been brilliant since they lost to Manchester City, winning three out of three. They are relentless and, the way the Gunners are playing, you have to fancy them strongly to win this one too.

Bournemouth always show plenty of fight and I don’t think this will be a walkover, but Arsenal are in form and look full of confidence.

Mikel Arteta’s side will slip up again before the end of the season, there’s no doubt about that… but not on Saturday.

Sutton’s prediction: 3-0

AntsLive’s prediction: I think the main thing Arteta is going to say here is keep a clean sheet because we have been leaking a few goals. Our attack should take care of itself. 3-0

Aston Villa v Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace have drawn five of their past six games but they still haven’t won in 2023, and they haven’t been scoring many either. It’s hard to see things changing much for them here.

Aston Villa’s recent results have been mixed but I do feel like they are making progress under Unai Emery, and they definitely carry more of a goal threat than the Eagles do.

Sutton’s prediction: 2-0

AntsLive’s prediction: Palace really need a win but Villa are firing at the moment. 2-1

Brighton v West Ham

West Ham went with a strong team on Wednesday and gave Manchester United a scare in the FA Cup.

The Hammers’ win over Nottingham Forest last weekend was really encouraging too and Danny Ings, who was cup-tied for the trip to Old Trafford, will be back after scoring twice in that game.

So, I can see this being a close game, but I am still backing Brighton to win it because of their consistency – they always seem to play well.

Sutton’s prediction: 2-1

AntsLive’s prediction: I’ve gone for some goals here. Brighton always create chances but West Ham have looked a bit more lively too this week. 2-2

Chelsea v Leeds

This is one of those games where I honestly don’t have a clue what to expect.

Of course Chelsea should win it, but I’ve been saying that most weeks about Graham Potter’s side and I have been wrong to think they will start playing better.

There is a staggering statistic flying around that Real Madrid have scored more goals in England than Chelsea this year which sounds silly but is true – Potter’s side have only found the net four times in 11 matches in 2023, while Real hit five when they went to Anfield last month.

At the other end, Thiago Silva’s injury is a huge blow for the Blues but Leeds are not exactly free-scoring either, with only one goal in their past four games.

All of this makes me think that, whoever wins this one, one goal will be enough.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-0

AntsLive’s prediction: This is probably the game that any neutral is looking forward to the least, in my opinion anyway! I don’t see any goals here. It doesn’t make any sense why Chelsea can’t score, either, when you think about the attackers they have got. 0-0

Wolves v Tottenham

Tottenham have been so inconsistent all season that I don’t think any result for them is a huge shock, whether it be them beating Manchester City or losing to Championship side Sheffield United in the FA Cup.

You just don’t know what you are going to get from Spurs from one week to the next, which makes predicting their results almost impossible – although I did call their defeat by the Blades correctly by the way.

Spurs’ only chance of a trophy now is in the Champions League, and they are not going to win that.

I don’t see them winning at Molineux either. Wolves are still scrapping for survival and although they might not offer much going forward, they also don’t give very much away.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-1

AntsLive’s prediction: I can see Tottenham getting a result here. It’s a long time since they’ve lost at Molineux and despite going out of the FA Cup they have hit a bit of form in the league. 0-2

Southampton v Leicester (17:30 GMT)

Both of these teams had an absolute shocker in the FA Cup in midweek, losing at home to lower division sides.

Southampton’s defeat by League Two side Grimsby is the more damaging one for their manager, because Ruben Selles has only just started out.

But Leicester’s result was awful as well. They were second-best for long periods of their game against Blackburn and got what they deserved. The FA Cup could have rescued a miserable season for the Foxes, but not anymore.

So, both sets of fans will be sore after what has just happened and I don’t think they will get much to give them a lift here either.

Both teams are desperate for a win, but I’m going for a draw.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-1

AntsLive’s prediction: I wasn’t too sure about this one. If James Maddison is back for Leicester then I think they will just about have enough. Without him, it will probably be a draw. 1-2

SUNDAY, 5 MARCH

Nottingham Forest v Everton (14:00 GMT)

This is a big one – a win here would give Nottingham Forest some breathing space over the bottom three, but Everton would drag Steve Cooper’s side right back into trouble if they take the points.

On form, it’s Forest who are clear favourites – they haven’t lost at home in the league since September and are quite courageous at the City Ground, while Everton have managed only one away win all season and are often toothless too.

But, when I think about both sides and what’s at stake, I don’t think there will be much in it. This will be a real battle – it could get pretty jittery, and there won’t be many goals.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-1

AntsLive’s prediction: I am backing Forest here, because they are at home. 1-0

Liverpool v Man Utd (16:30 GMT)

Manchester United were finding it tough against West Ham in the FA Cup on Wednesday but they changed the game when they brought on Casemiro and Marcus Rashford, and went up through the gears.

Liverpool don’t seem able to do that at the moment and the turnaround – for different reasons, good and bad – for both teams since the start of season has been unbelievable really.

Jurgen Klopp’s side have kept a couple of clean sheets in a row now, against Crystal Palace and Wolves, which was important for them but it’s really not that big a deal because neither of those teams offer much in attack, do they?

Liverpool did the same last month when they beat Everton and 10-man Newcastle without conceding, but then they got hammered at home by Real Madrid.

Put it this way, I don’t think it means Liverpool will keep Rashford out on Sunday. They get dominated in midfield and are vulnerable at the back, and United will take advantage of that.

Sutton’s prediction: 1-2

AntsLive’s prediction: As I expected, Liverpool beat Wolves on Wednesday and that makes things a bit more interesting. United are just so clinical in front of goal, though, and Rashford could be the difference. Right now, I just see him scoring every time he plays. It hurts me to see United back and playing well again, but it is good for the Premier League. 1-2

MONDAY, 6 MARCH

Brentford v Fulham (20:00 GMT)

Both of these sides are in the top 10 for a reason – they don’t lie down, whoever they play, and they are fluid going forward.

Fulham nicked the points right at the end of a thrilling game when they met in August and I am expecting another close one this time, just with the roles reversed.

Sutton’s prediction: 2-1

AntsLive’s prediction: I thought about this one a lot – Brentford are really good at home and Fulham are decent away. I went with the Bees at first, but there is always at least one wildcard so I am going to switch that around and go with Fulham to edge it. 1-2

Chris Sutton and AntsLive were speaking to BBC Sport’s Chris Bevan.

How did Sutton do in the FA Cup?

Sutton correctly backed six of the eight teams who progressed to the quarter-finals, one more than you lot managed with your predictions.

He also beat Adele Nicoll and Paul Olima from BBC Three reality show Go Hard or Go Home – Nicoll was right about five of the ties, while Olima correctly called three of them.

In the FA Cup third round, Sutton correctly predicted the winners of 19 of the 32 ties, and in the fourth round he managed 12 from 16, meaning he has a 66% success rate from the 56 games played so far.

How did Sutton do in the midweek Premier League games?

Sutton picked up 10 points from Arsenal’s rearranged win over Everton but wrongly thought Liverpool would draw with Wolves.

That means he falls further behind Asking Alexandria guitarist Ben Bruce, who also correctly called the Gunners’ victory but was spot on with his scoreline at Anfield when he said the Reds would win 2-0.

With five of the 10 matches from week seven still to be played, Bruce now leads 100-20.

Gaz Coombes	120
Ali Bruce-Ball, Modernlove drummer Cian McCluskey	110
Ben Bruce, Liam Fray of The Courteeners	100
Chris Sutton (average after 24 weeks)	70
Ian Broudie, GK from Bad Boy Chiller Crew, Corey Deshon, Kasabian’s Serge Pizzorno, Editors bassist Russell Leetch, Aaron Moorhead, Phoenix singer Thomas Mars	70
Ross MacDonald from The 1975, Ryan Porteous	60
Justin Benson, Al Greenwood from Sports Team, Dapz on the Map, Chesney Hawkes, Ronnie Huxford from Those Damn Crows, Maulo	50
Blake Bowman, Tom from Dry Cleaning	40
Jessica McHale, Olivia Chomczuk, Casper van Dien, Oli Shasha from FEET	30
Juice Menace, DJ Schak, Patrick Whelan	20

Chris Sutton	1,670
Guests	1,600

How did you get on?

You scored two out of two in midweek, with 80% of you backing Arsenal to win, and 50% predicting a Liverpool victory.

1. You	124/241 (51%)
2. Chris	114/241 (47%)
3. Guests	113/241 (47%)

*Win, draw, loss prediction based on highest % of vote for each match.