Former England international predicts Man Utd will lose heavily to Tottenham.

Commentator and former England player Chris Sutton predicts Tottenham will win 3-1 at Manchester United in the 21st round of the Premier League.

Man Utd vs Tottenham : 11:30 PM Sunday, January 14th

The interesting thing about this year's Premier League is that many teams are inconsistent. Manchester United is one of them. They won their last home game against Aston Villa but then lost the next one against Nottingham Forest. Old Trafford is no longer an impenetrable fortress for the "Red Devils," and with 22 goals after 20 rounds, only the bottom two teams, Sheffield United and Burnley, have scored fewer goals than Man Utd.

Scoring goals isn't a problem for Tottenham. They've scored 20 more than Man Utd. But the loss of captain Son Heung-min, who returned to play for South Korea in the Asian Cup, could cause problems. Tottenham recently signed former Chelsea striker Timo Werner and hope he can add quality to their attack. Werner often troubles opponents with his speed, but the German striker's ability to capitalize on chances remains questionable and needs time to be proven.

Forward Richarlison dribbles past Victor Lindelof and Aaron Wan-Bissaka during the 2-2 draw between Man Utd and Tottenham on April 27, 2023. Photo: Reuters

I still think Tottenham will win even without Son. Spurs haven't beaten Man Utd both home and away in a single season since 1989-1990, but I think it will happen this season. We know Tottenham will attack. They do that against every opponent and will create plenty of chances.

But that approach could be an opportunity for Man Utd to capitalize on their counter-attacking strengths. Recently, Alejandro Garnacho seems to be playing with more confidence each week. The Argentinian striker will be a formidable attacking threat, but that will depend on how his teammates perform.

Prediction : 1-3

Statistics : In the last 17 matches between Man Utd and Tottenham at Old Trafford, there has been no draw. The "Red Devils" won 13 of those games. Tottenham have scored in all 32 of their last Premier League matches. This could foreshadow a high-scoring game.

Chelsea vs. Fulham : 7:30 PM, Saturday, January 13th

Chelsea had won three consecutive games in all competitions and showed a bit of consistency until they lost to Middlesbrough in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final on Tuesday. I think Chelsea have improved, but that's largely due to their poor season last year – scoring only 38 goals and getting 44 points.

This season, Chelsea have scored 34 goals, raising their average points per game from 1.15 to 1.4. But that's not enough to satisfy the fans. I've put my faith in Mauricio Pochettino's team many times since the beginning of the season, but I've been wrong. However, there aren't many reasons to bet on Fulham in this match. Of course, they had an impressive win against Arsenal last round, but that was at their home ground, Craven Cottage.

Pochettino was disappointed after Chelsea lost to Middlesbrough in the League Cup on September 1st. Photo: Reuters

Fulham haven't been too bad away from home. Proof of this is their leading position and near-surprise victory in their 2-1 defeat to Liverpool midweek in the League Cup semi-final. However, statistics show that Marco Silva's side have only won one of their last 10 away games.

Conversely, despite their instability, Chelsea are on a five-game winning streak at home in all competitions. 21-year-old midfielder Cole Palmer will be the most dangerous attacking threat for the home side. But if they don't capitalize on their chances, Chelsea could pay the price. Fulham have shown they possess sharp attacking moves, and in this reunion with his former club, the soon-to-be 36-year-old midfielder Willian could cause Chelsea heartbreak. In his last five starts, the Brazilian has scored four goals. Last season, Willian opened the scoring, helping Fulham beat Chelsea 2-1.

Prediction : 2-1

Statistics : Chelsea are unbeaten in their last 18 home matches against Fulham, winning 11 and drawing 7. Their last home defeat against Fulham was in October 1979, a 0-2 loss.

Newcastle vs. Man City : 00:30 Sunday, January 14th

Unfortunately for Newcastle, this isn't a good time to face Man City. Pep Guardiola's side have played well in the first half of the season, but haven't really shown their true potential. Now, they welcome Kevin De Bruyne back. With a new hairstyle, the Belgian midfielder promises to breathe new life into Man City's game.

Newcastle have lost three consecutive Premier League matches, but I think the most important game for them was their recent FA Cup victory against Sunderland. That result significantly relieved pressure on manager Eddie Howe. Because even though they play in the Championship, Sunderland are rivals from the Tyneside region with Newcastle.

Guardiola gave instructions to Kevin De Bruyne before bringing the midfielder on as a substitute in the match against Huddersfield Town on January 7th. Photo: Reuters

Newcastle play relatively openly, so I think there will be plenty of goals in this match. However, Man City will score more and win. The problem for Guardiola's team is how they will cope with the pressure at St James' Park, especially since their main striker Erling Haaland is still unavailable due to a foot injury.

Prediction : 1-3

Statistics : Newcastle have won only one of their last 32 Premier League matches against Man City (five draws, 26 losses). The Magpies did beat them 2-1 in January 2019. In their last 30 Premier League encounters, Man City have always scored against Newcastle. However, when the two teams met in the League Cup earlier this season, Newcastle won 1-0 at St James' Park.

Everton vs Aston Villa : 9 PM, Sunday, January 14th

Everton endured a dismal Christmas period with three consecutive defeats, while Aston Villa are flying high in second place. But I don't think this will be a typical clash between a strong team and a weak team. We know Villa are well-organized, but their performances haven't been truly convincing. That was evident in their draw against Sheffield United, or their thrilling win against Burnley.

Meanwhile, Everton are desperate for points. Their recent poor run of form has left them just one point above the relegation zone. After Luton drew with Burnley in the early game, the gap has even narrowed, and Everton are now only in 17th place thanks to a better goal difference.

Defender Matty Cash celebrates after scoring for Villa in their FA Cup win against Middlesbrough on January 6th. Photo: Reuters

I believe Everton will rediscover their form under Sean Dyche's leadership. The only question is when they will be playing well again. And Everton won't be easy to play against when that happens. I scored my last career goal against Everton for Villa at Goodison Park in 2006 and I wouldn't underestimate Everton in their current circumstances.

Prediction : 1-1

Statistics : Everton have lost their last three home games against Villa. Since returning to the Premier League in 2019, Villa have not lost a single game in nine encounters with Everton (seven wins, two draws).

Vinh San (according to BBC )

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