Paul Merson predicts Chelsea vs Arsenal and other Premier League GW11 fixtures
The Premier League is back with its final set of fixtures before the last international break of the calendar year. What I've noticed this season is the fact that a lot of players are getting injured. I have a strange feeling that certain clubs could go off the rails from now until the turn of the year, if these injury troubles persist.
If Chelsea or Aston Villa had won last weekend, you could've argued that these teams may have an outside chance in the title race. I know they did not win and it really is a stretch to imagine them challenging Manchester City, Liverpool or Arsenal right now. But those points could've been massive considering how Arsenal and City lost last weekend.
It could come down to which of these teams can stay free from injuries. The more players you have fit, greater the chance of winning the title. Rest assured, it is safe to say there will be plenty of twists and turns over the course of the next few months.
Without further ado, let's dive straight into my predictions for Premier League gameweek 11:
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Southampton
Wolves are struggling at the moment, rooted to the bottom of the table. But I don't think they are as bad as people think. I believe they play good football, it's just that they also shoot themselves on the foot at times. This is a massive game for Gary O'Neill because it's the international break coming up. If he loses at home to Southampton, that would be a big problem.
I think even a draw would put O'Neill in trouble. This is quite simply a must-win game for Wolves. If they fail to get three points, that's 11 games without a win! When the fixtures came out, Wolves would've been expecting to win this clash and that has now become an absolute necessity for them.
Southampton got a big result last weekend, when they beat Everton. I didn't see that coming if I'm being honest. I doubt they can use that rare win as a springboard to get another result at Molineux on Saturday though. They could struggle to deal with Wolves' attack and may even get suffocated by the hosts.
Wolves need just a little bit of luck here and there to get back on track and I'm backing them to get their first win of the season against Southampton.
Prediction: Wolves 3-0 Southampton
West Ham United vs Everton
Everton were going along nicely and then they got beat by Southampton. They aren't in trouble at the moment, but it's a lot of unnecessary drama. If Everton won, they could've gone to 12 points. Instead, they are now just four points away from the drop zone and I don't expect them to beat West Ham either.
Julen Lopetegui is under pressure to deliver at West Ham. The problem with them is the inconsistency. They're one of them teams who could win a couple of games and then go lose a few on the trot. And when they get beat, they get capitulated, like they did last weekend against Nottingham Forest, when they were beaten 3-0!
I always go back to this with West Ham, be careful what you wish for. David Moyes is a good manager and they won a European trophy under him. Don't forget that this was a West Ham that did nothing for many years. Sometimes people can get caught up in the total football philosophy and overlook the fact that it's always about winning games.
I still doubt Lopetegui knows his best XI. However, I expect West Ham to win here. Everton could now be dragged back into the relegation battle.
Prediction: West Ham 2-0 Everton
Brentford vs Bournemouth
I couldn't believe what I was watching the other day with both teams. Bournemouth were incredible against Manchester City, they absolutely dominated the first 20 minutes. Even though they slowed down a bit after that, they still got the second goal and held on for a memorable win.
Brentford, on the other hand, were absolutely destroyed by Fulham. They got smashed if I'm being honest. Fulham may have only got their two goals in second half stoppage time, but they dominated that game despite Brentford taking the lead. Thomas Frank's men are in desperate need of a reaction against Bournemouth now.
That performance from Bryan Mbeumo against Fulham might be a concern for Brentford. He never touched the ball in that game, he was completely anonymous on the pitch! I know he's been linked with a few top clubs, but that's not something you can afford to do if you're playing for one of the big boys in this league.
Bournemouth lost four of their last six games, including the final three in the Premier League last season. Credit to the club for sticking with Andoni Iraola through that rough patch. They showed great faith in him and are now being rewarded. If things go to plan, they may even be safe from relegation by the end of December and that's huge when you think of where they were a year ago!
We spoke about Mbeumo earlier and it reminded me of Antoine Semenyo. I want to see more consistency from Semenyo. He's done alright, but still a bit up and down in terms of consistency. Semenyo has talent, but if you want to play for one of the top six clubs in this division, consistency is the missing ingredient.
I don't see Bournemouth losing this game and I expect a reaction from Brentford too. I'll go for an entertaining draw in this one, should be fun to watch.
Prediction: Brentford 2-2 Bournemouth
Crystal Palace vs Fulham
I was so impressed with Fulham last weekend. I though they were brilliant in that win over Brentford, a proper team. Even in that defeat to Manchester City, they were excellent. It seems as if all their signings have worked out quite well, especially the likes of Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe.
But this is a tough time to be playing Crystal Palace in my opinion. Oliver Glasner's men are finally starting to click and come into this game on the back of a few good results. All of them key players like Jean-Philippe Mateta, Eberechi Eze and Eddie Nketiah have now found some form.
I believe that Palace will be safe, they won't get relegated. But they have not lived up to the promise they showed towards the end of last season. This could be a huge win if they can beat Fulham at home, even though I doubt it will happen.
If Fulham win this you wouldn't be shocked and the same applies if Palace end up winning. That's the beauty of the Premier League, anything can happen in these games. I'm going to sit on the fence here and call a draw.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-1 Fulham
Brighton & Hove Albion vs Manchester City
The scrutiny is on Manchester City now after that massive 4-1 Champions League defeat to Ruben Amorim's Sporting. Everybody is on them now and there's no hiding from it. That defeat was their third in a row in all competitions - first time they've lost three on the bounce under Pep Guardiola since 2018!
I've always said that Rodri's absence is huge. When you take a player that knits everything together and protects the back four at the same time out of your team, you will suffer.
It's easy to go against Manchester City in this game and I'm tempted to do it. But I'm still going to back them to bounce back with a win over Brighton. I'm only predicting this result because they are City and I just can't contemplate them losing four games in a row.
I do agree that Julian Alvarez is a big miss for Manchester City, but you can never turn down £80 million for him. That was absolutely crazy money and City could not help but sell him, it's understandable. If Erling Haaland picks up an injury, it'll start to look even worse and that's something they'll have to live with.
Bernardo Silva said City are in a dark place right now. I wonder if it's the same as when I was manager at Walsall! City are not just used to losing so many games and I still think they are the team to beat. Whoever finishes above City will win the league in my opinion.
Prediction: Brighton & Hove Albion 1-2 Manchester City
Liverpool vs Aston Villa
Aston Villa are on a bit of a sticky patch now after three straight defeats in all competitions. This is a big game for both clubs. I saw Brighton against Liverpool and they were actually better than Arne Slot's men for the majority of that game. Brighton simply failed to pick the right pass, they were excellent otherwise. Ultimately, Liverpool got the three points which they always do.
I just don't think Liverpool are playing well enough to get a win in this game. If they give Villa the kind of chances they gave Brighton, the likes of Jhon Duran and Ollie Watkins will punish them. Liverpool were really fortunate to come away with a win in the last game, but I doubt they'll have that kind of luck here.
Villa may have conceded four goals against Tottenham, but that can happen when you play a team like Spurs. If Tottenham are in the mood, they can move the ball quickly and score goals in quick succession. So I'm not reading too much into that scoreline and I really think Villa can cause Liverpool problems in this game.
Although Luis Diaz netted a hat-trick in the Champions League, I believe Darwin Nunez will return to the starting line-up for this game. I didn't think the first half against Leverkusen was great. That's the problem for Liverpool now, they only play well in patches. They're not firing on all cylinders or playing mind-blowing football, they are just getting the job done.
Curtis Jones has improved a lot. But I'm not sure if he can start ahead of Dominik Szoboszlai in this game. Both of them are good players. However, as a manager, I think you look at Jones and get the feeling that he can make more of an impact when coming off the bench. Still a top player, I don't see any reason why he won't be considered for an England call-up.
Prediction: Liverpool 2-2 Aston Villa
Manchester United vs Leicester City
I watch Manchester United and I really think Ruben Amorim has his work cut out at Old Trafford. You could say he probably has an advantage because we aren't expecting much. But I watch all the other big teams and all of them have a plan in place, Manchester United don't.
When you look at the system that Amorim deploys at Sporting and you look at United, you don't really know how many players at Old Trafford can pull that off. It doesn't tick any box. Who will be the three at the back considering all their centre-backs available for selection aren't the quickest? What about the wing-backs? They don't have a proper goal-scoring no.9 like Viktor Gyokeres or two creative no.10s
If Amorim goes to Chelsea for example, you know he has the resources to become a success. Quick defenders like Reece James, Malo Gusto. Two good no.10s in the form of Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku. Nicolas Jackson has already shown he can deliver if given the right supply as well. The resources are there, unlike the situation at Old Trafford.
Don't get me wrong, I like Amorim and what he's done in Portugal deserves a lot of credit. But this looks like a really tough challenge for him and he won't become an overnight success at Old Trafford because he needs the players for his preferred system.
I also wanted to speak about Joshua Zirkzee. I don't know where he plays, what his identity is as a player. If you're always behind the eight ball at Manchester United, it's tough for you as a player. Mason Mount suffers from it, so did Anderson and many other players back in the day.
Leicester did well to rescue a point against Ipswich last weekend. A defeat in that game would've been catastrophic for them. Jamie Vardy should remain fit throughout the season, if they are to avoid relegation. I think there's only one winner in this game though, and it's not Leicester.
Prediction: Manchester United 3-1 Leicester City
Nottingham Forest vs Newcastle United
Nottingham Forest are flying, aren't they? This is a really hard game for Newcastle in my opinion. I say this every week, Forest are a much better team away from home. But they got an incredible win at home against West Ham last weekend and I have a feeling they will back it up!
If Forest do that, they will be virtually safe from relegation in my opinion. Can you believe it? It's only been 11 games and we're talking about them retaining their status in the top-flight. Twenty-two points from the first 11 games is really, really good if you're Forest.
I like when teams aim for the stars and I'm going to say they should look at European qualification as a realistic target if they can beat Newcastle. If they can remain positive and believe in their abilities, I'm sure Forest will stand a chance in making it to the Europa League or the Conference League. Like I said before, it seems like one of them seasons where a lot of the teams could suffer injuries. This opens up a unique opportunity for teams like Forest to sneak up the ladder.
A defeat would be a big disappointment for Newcastle, especially after that win over Arsenal. But I just haven't seen enough from them to think they will outplay Forest away from home on current form.
Prediction: Nottingham Forest 2-1 Newcastle United
Tottenham Hotspur vs Ipswich Town
I expect Tottenham to win this game quite comfortably. I don't know how Ipswich are going to survive. They dominated the game against Leicester last weekend but ended up shooting themselves in the foot and conceded a late equaliser. That's a big problem for them.
When you look at Spurs' fixtures so far this season, you'd have expected them to be higher up the table. They got a good win over Aston Villa and have managed to win four out of their last five games across competitions. Spurs are certainly on the right track. But let's not forget that they are also the team that drew with Leicester and lost to Crystal Palace.
You don't know what you're going to get from them. They also have a really tough game away from home to Galatasaray in the Europa Conference League coming up. But still, I expect Tottenham to get the better of Ipswich.
Prediction: Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Ipswich Town
Chelsea vs Arsenal
This is a massive football match, especially because by the time it kicks off both Manchester City and Liverpool would have already played. Liverpool could go 10 points ahead, City could open up an eight point lead, if Arsenal lose to Chelsea. Arsenal got lucky last weekend after City also slipped up against Bournemouth. But they won't expect any such favours this weekend.
It's a must-win game for Arsenal. If you are 10 and eight points behind Liverpool and City after this gameweek, you're done in the title race! I don't care if there are 27 games still left in the season, Liverpool and City are not losing that many games.
Chelsea have lost all their big games this season and they are in desperate need of a win. If Arsenal close Chelsea down quickly, the Blues could be in trouble. I think William Saliba and Gabriel will enjoy that battle with Nicolas Jackson. It won't be as easy for Jackson as it was against Newcastle in Chelsea's last home game in the league.
Arsenal win this game if Cole Palmer doesn't play, it's as simple as that. The only way Chelsea have a chance is if Palmer plays from the start. He is the heartbeat and he makes everything happen for Chelsea. I'm going for a draw here, big result for Chelsea but Arsenal will be out of the title race.
Prediction: Chelsea 2-2 Arsenal