BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton has tipped Arsenal to beat Chelsea when the two unbeaten sides clash at Emirates Stadium on Sunday, in the latest instalment of his weekly Premier League predictions series, which this week pits him against Kasabian frontman and Leicester City supporter Serge Pizzorno.
Both Arsenal and Chelsea have made perfect starts to the campaign, but Sutton expects Mikel Arteta's side to prevail 3-1, pointing to Arsenal's tactical flexibility as the deciding factor. "Arsenal are so powerful and the only question mark around them is if they are a forward or two short," Sutton said, adding that the Gunners' ability to switch styles - from the free-flowing football that dismantled Manchester City in the Community Shield to the more pragmatic approach used to grind out a win at Aston Villa - makes them difficult to stop.
Sutton also raised concerns about Chelsea's defensive frailties under new manager Xabi Alonso, despite praising the attacking talents of Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers and Joao Pedro. He noted Chelsea's surprisingly low possession figures in their opening two league matches - just 38% against Fulham and 25% against Brighton - suggesting the Blues may look to counter-attack quickly at the Emirates rather than dominate the ball. Pizzorno also sided with the hosts, predicting a 2-1 Arsenal win, while the AI model used in the series forecast a 2-2 draw.
Elsewhere in the round of predictions, Sutton tipped Liverpool to edge past Ipswich Town 2-1 at Portman Road on Friday, despite acknowledging defensive concerns for Andoni Iraola's side. Newcastle United, who have impressed under new boss Matthias Jaissle, were tipped to beat Bournemouth 2-1, with Sutton praising the form of Anthony Elanga and Yoane Wissa.
Manchester City, fresh from a big win over Crystal Palace and further strengthened by the signing of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea, were predicted to thrash struggling Coventry City 3-0. Sutton praised Erling Haaland's new haircut as well as City's rebuilt midfield, which now features Fernandez, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Elliot Anderson.
Tottenham Hotspur, who remain both pointless and goalless this season under Roberto de Zerbi, were tipped to draw 1-1 with Nottingham Forest, with Sutton expressing disappointment at Spurs' underwhelming performances so far. "We still don't know what his Spurs team are about, even though they have spent an absolute fortune on players," Sutton said.
Other predictions included a 1-1 draw between Brentford and Sunderland, a narrow 2-1 win for Brighton over Leeds, a stalemate between Fulham and Crystal Palace, a 1-1 draw between Everton and Manchester United, and a 2-0 win for Aston Villa away at Hull City.
On the subject of Leicester City, currently playing in League One after a third relegation in recent seasons, Pizzorno expressed hope that Russell Martin's young side can secure an immediate return to the Championship via the play-offs. "I love the play-offs, so a win at Wembley would do me," he said, while also urging patience as the club looks to bounce back following their opening-day win over Plymouth.
Sutton enjoyed a strong week two, correctly predicting seven results including three exact scores, for a total of 160 points - enough to see off competition from BBC readers and the AI model, which each managed seven and six correct results respectively. "It's not how you start the weekend, it's how you finish it," Sutton said of his rebound. "I am burying AI at the moment, which is a lovely feeling."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.