Chris Knows: Everton vs Man Utd Prediction & More

Everton VS Manchester United

Manchester United continue their Premier League campaign with an away trip to Merseyside on Sunday afternoon. The Hill Dickinson Stadium will welcome the Reds as Everton look to put a disastrous transfer deadline day behind them.

Victory over Ipswich handed Manchester United some degree of positivity, but how poor the team looked in the first half has to be a concern. Is the team undercooked?

We won’t see a debut for Carlos Baleba, who continues to battle a knee injury picked up last season, whilst Amad Diallo and Mason Mount remain absent.

Everton’s attacking options look bleak after Beto’s exit and Folarin Balogun’s failed deadline-day move, which should be a comfort to United’s brittle defence.

The smart money may be on a score draw here, especially with United’s poor record on Merseyside taken into account.

• Chris’ pick: Everton 1-1 Manchester United

Arsenal VS Chelsea

Arsenal host Chelsea on Sunday afternoon in what is the biggest game of the season to this point. The Gunners have looked strong in their two opening matches, winning both, and the rest of the league does look some way behind them.

Xabi Alonso’s Chelsea side is a work in progress, and Enzo Fernandez’s British Record move to Manchester City has left them short in midfield.

Ironically, this is the position where Arsenal are the strongest in terms of quality and depth. This is a chance for them to lay a marker down to the rest of the league.

Viktor Gyokeres will likely come in for his appearance of the season, whilst Chelsea’s defence has already conceded the second-highest number of goals this season. That should set alarm bells ringing in Alonso’s mind ahead of kick-off.

Despite Chelsea’s recruitment, I think they’ll be outclassed here.

• Chris’ pick: Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea

Brentford VS Sunderland

Brentford have impressed in their opening two Premier League matches. Mamadou Sangare appears to be one of the steals of the summer, and he has completely run things from midfield for the Bees.

On Saturday afternoon, they have a home match against Sunderland, which actually brings together two of the most forward-thinking teams in the Premier League.

Both clubs are admired for their brave recruitment strategy, and Sunderland may well have pulled off another masterstroke in signing Malick Fofana from Lyon on deadline day. The Belgian-born forward was electric in Lyon’s Europa League quarter-final against Manchester United in 2025, and Sunderland fans will be hoping he can take their team’s attack to the next level.

How he links up with Brian Brobbey will be pivotal to how the Black Cats attack this season. However, they will have to find a way through Sangare this weekend.

I like this game from an entertainment perspective. Both teams are likely to score; however, I give Brentford the edge as they have slightly more individual quality. Mikkel Damsgaard to assist or score at any time is something to watch this weekend.

• Chris’ pick: Brentford 2-1 Sunderland

Nottingham Forest VS Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur have spent an awful lot of money rebuilding their team over the summer… yet two abject performances to start the campaign have left fans fearing that they are watching the same old Spurs.

Roberto De Zerbi was able to secure the loan signing of Mykhailo Mudryk before the deadline arrived, but that has hardly left fans excited given the fact that the Ukrainian has been out of the sport for almost two years.

Next up for Spurs is a trip to Nottingham to face Forest at the City Ground. Oliver Glasner got a much-needed victory last weekend, and his team are going to hope to put together a string of results.

On paper, this is a game the visitors should win, but confidence has really taken a knock after defeats to Brentford and Newcastle. I worry for Spurs and can see Forest taking the points in a close contest.

• Chris’ pick: Nottingham Forest 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur