FUTBOL CITIZENS

18-08-2023 (FRIDAY) 

🎄 NOTT. FOREST VS SHEFFIELD UTD ⚔ (19:45 WAT) 

Both teams lost their opening fixture and will be eager to make a mark here. Kudos to Sheffield Utd’s manager, Paul Heckingbuttom for setting his team not to concede many goals last time out against Crystal Palace as he knows his team have injury concerns. I think the Blades will do the same assignment here and look for a way to nick it if possible because I don’t know where their goals will come from. This makes it difficult to make a case for them here and also, they are playing away from home. Nott. Forest, on the other hand, are at home and they are always competitive at the City Ground. This time, I expect Taiwo Awoniyi to start this game and I believe they will get something out of this game. 

PREDICTION: 1X 

TIP: NFO 1-0 SHU 

RESULT: NFO 2-1 SHU

19-08-2023 (SATURDAY) 

⚪ FULHAM VS BRENTFORD 🐝 (15:00 WAT) 

These two teams love to score on a good day. Brentford are now relying on Mbeumo majorly and also Yoane Wissa as the subordinate for their goals in the absence of Toney. They had a great outing against Spurs last time out and I think it will get better here because they will be more accustomed to one another going into this one. Mitrovic came on for Fulham to replace Raúl Jiménez last time out against Everton but can he lead the line here? Fulham had a good game at Goodison Park and I believe they will play better at the Craven Cottage in front of their home fans. It is somehow difficult to back a side but I’m quite sure that there will be goals. 

PREDICTION: Over 1.5 

TIP: FUL 1-1 BRE 

RESULT: FUL 0-3 BRE

🔴 LIVERPOOL VS BOURNEMOUTH 🍒 (15:00 WAT) 

Bournemouth manager, Andoni Iraola should take caution and not concede many goals. Coming up against Liverpool at Anfield who have just drawn their opening fixture is not good enough for him. Liverpool are looking like a hungry lion looking for an animal to eat to survive as they are currently without a defensive midfielder, so they will be going all out, as in, the best way to defend is to attack. Bournemouth are going to do a lot of defensive duty here but can they keep the Reds out for 90 minutes? I see a Liverpool victory written all over this fixture. 

PREDICTION: 1 

TIP: LIV 4-0 BOU 

RESULT: LIV 3-1 BOU

👒 LUTON TOWN VS BURNLEY 📛 (POSTPONED) 

🐺 WOLVES VS BRIGHTON 🐦 (15:00 WAT) 

I was surprised to see Wolves put up a good fight against Man Utd last time out because they’ve got a depleted squad. They narrowed down the Red Devil’s threats and went toe-to-toe with them but were unlucky to have lost the game via Varane’s close-range header. I wonder what Gary O’Neil instilled in them. They will definitely want to do the same here and get in the face of the Seagulls. Brighton, on the other hand, got a comfortable win against Luton Town last time out – they just went out and flexed some muscles. I think they will get a similar outcome here too but they will have to find a way through this pack of Wolves. 

PREDICTION: 2X 

TIP: WOL 1-2 BHA 

RESULT: WOL 1-4 BHA

⚪ TOTTENHAM VS MAN UTD 👹 (17:30 WAT) 

Both teams didn’t play up to expectations in their opening game but they will both be aiming to make up for that here. This has got to be a promising game and I will like to see goals. I can see that the problem for Tottenham still remains there for Ange Postecoglou to solve as they can’t stop conceding goals. Heung-min Son, the new Spurs captain, is missing his partner, Harry Kane – it reflected in his last game. It looked like he is in a new team as he used to be surrounded by players like Hojbjerg (adjacent), Perisic (behind), and Harry Kane (ahead) but last week, he got Bissouma (adjacent) and his performance reminded me of how good Bissouma could be on his good days, Destiny Udogie (behind), and Richarlison (ahead). I think the Spurs will do better in this one. Man Utd, on the other hand, will also have to do better here. Last time out against Wolves, they went off in the attack but they were lucky to have defenders combined a goal (Wan-Bissaka with the assist and Varane with the goal) which sealed the three points. I’m sure Erik ten Hag will be asking more from his players and I believe they will get something out of this game. 

PREDICTION: 2X 

TIP: TOT 1-2 MUN 

RESULT: TOT 2-0 MUN

💎 MAN CITY VS NEWCASTLE ⚫ (20:00 WAT) 

This has to be a cracker as these two sides are beautiful to watch and I expect them to go toe-to-toe, as in, an intense game. Man City got a smooth sailing against Burnley last time out in a 0-3 victory at Turf Moor while Newcastle got an emphatic win as they put 5 goals past Aston Villa last time out at Saint James’ Park. There will be goals here but for the fact that it is Etihad Stadium, Man City are going to have the home advantage. Even though Kevin De Bruyne is out injured for the rest of 2023 which is a huge blow for Man City, I do not see them losing here. They will move on without him as usual and the manager always find a way around it. In the meantime, Kovacic and Bernardo Silva will have to step up to the task and make sure Haaland gets the ball at the right time. 

PREDICTION: 1X 

TIP: MCI 2-1 NEW 

RESULT: MCI 1-0 NEW

20-08-2023 (SUNDAY) 

🦁 ASTON VILLA VS EVERTON 🔵 (14:00 WAT) 

Everton lost narrowly to Fulham at home last time out. Neal Maupay was a blunder in that one as he couldn’t bury the chances created which, of course, is enough for anyone to get mad at him as he showed no quality of a Premier League striker. I won’t be surprised if he doesn’t start this game because he has called the attention of Sean Dyche to the need of Calvert-Lewin or someone else promptly. What will be their fate playing away from home against the Villans at Villa Park if they can’t score? But I will not forget that a typical Sean Dyche team does not concede many goals. Aston Villa were ripped apart by Newcastle last time out as they conceded 5 goals away from home. They are currently at the bottom of the table and they will be eager to table a win here. The Lions must be hungry and desperate to prey on whatever comes. I am sure they will have fire in their belly and consider this one a must-win. Also, Unai Emery would be asking his men for more even though they have injury concerns. Come what may, I expect them to win this one convincingly because they have more than enough quality in the team which I consider as squad depth. 

PREDICTION: 1 

TIP: ASV 2-0 EVE 

RESULT: ASV 4-0 EVE

⚒️ WEST HAM VS CHELSEA 🔵 (16:30 WAT) 

West Ham are not a team I expect to compete with others as of now even though they’ve signed Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse. They got a draw against Bournemouth last time out which was impressive but I do not expect them to get anything out of this game unless the Blues snooze, especially now that their captain, Reece James is out injured again. Chelsea just need to avoid committing fouls around the 18-yard box because of the presence of James Ward-Prowse, the set-piece wizard. The goals are still hard to come by for Chelsea as the team is still trying to synchronize. Nevertheless, I expect a Chelsea win here. 

PREDICTION: 2X 

TIP: WHU 1-2 CHE 

RESULT: WHU 3-1 CHE

21-08-2023 (MONDAY) 

🦅 CRYSTAL PALACE VS ARSENAL 🔴 (20:00 WAT) 

Crystal Palace are having injury concerns and I didn’t see them play as I expected when they were in action against Sheffield Utd last time out. They haven’t done well in the transfer market after losing Zaha to Galatasaray and I think it is affecting them and they need Michael Olise back as soon as possible from injury. I don’t know how they can drag Arsenal down here but I believe Roy Hodgson will set up his team to be difficult to beat and not concede many goals to avoid damage to goal difference because their goals are now hard to come by. Arsenal, in their last game against Nott. Forest did very well in the first half and then dropped tempo and performance in the second half. If this problem catches up with them here, they could be punished and forced to settle for a draw. I believe they will get the job done even if they have to hang on till the end just like they did last time out. 

PREDICTION: 2X 

TIP: CRY 1-2 ARS 

RESULT: CRY 0-1 ARS

Dapo Olajuwon’s EPL prediction stats 

Total Prediction: 10 

Correct Outcome: 10 

Correct Score: 2 📌