- Published
The pressure is growing on Manchester United boss Michael Carrick, but can his side sign off for the three-week international break by beating Fulham on Sunday?
asserted
side → publish → Sunday
"For teams who have had a bad start to the season, United being one of them, it could be a horrible few weeks," said BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton.
uncertain
Sutton → have → them
"Any negativity is going to just fester, really.
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negativity → go → ?
There will be speculation about his future, along with all the talk about whether this is a good time to replace your manager.
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this → replace → manager
"United are not the only team to have made a bad start, but there is a lot to ponder on for them at the moment.
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United → make → moment
It makes this weekend even more important."
Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against AI, BBC Sport readers and a variety of guests.
For week four, he takes on legendary guitarist and Manchester City fan, Johnny Marr.
Marr's new album, The Age Of Everything, is out on 2 October.
Do you agree with their scores?
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you → make → scores
You can pick your own below.
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You → pick → own
The most popular scoreline selected for each game is used in the scoreboards and tables at the bottom of this page.
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scoreline → select → page
A correct result (picking a win, draw or defeat) is worth 10 points.
asserted
result → pick → win
The exact score earns 40 points.
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score → earn → points
You can play BBC Sport's new Match of the Day predictor game every week, featuring six fixtures from domestic and European competitions.
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You → play → competitions
Marr has enjoyed City's 100% start to the new Premier League season, with Sunday's win at Old Trafford continuing their impressive start under new boss Enzo Maresca.
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win → enjoy → Maresca
"I think that derby will be remembered by City fans for a long time," Marr told BBC Sport.
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Marr → think → Sport
"We all feared the worst when Phil Foden was sent off so early, because you don't know what could happen.
uncertain
what → fear → worst
"It's all a bit of a learning curve for the fans and the club with a new manager and so many new players, so to see how the team dug in and won was so great for City fans.
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team → see → fans
"No-one expected Maresca to win his first four games... but then again, why not?
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Maresca → expect → games
He's shown that he's his own man with his own philosophy.
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he → show → philosophy
I like him."
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I → like → him
Chris Sutton and Johnny Marr were speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.
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Sutton → speak → Bevan
The AI predictions were generated using Microsoft Copilot Chat - we simply asked the tool to 'predict this weekend's Premier League scores'.
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we → generate → scores
Premier League predictions
Friday, 18 September
Gtech Community Stadium, 20:00 BST
Chelsea are free-scoring and their front-line is so dynamic - but they are leaking goals left, right and centre and they are a bit of a rabble at the back.
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they → score → back
I do think Chelsea will stop conceding eventually, but finding the right balance between defence and attack is Xabi Alonso's big problem at the moment because it is far too easy to create chances against his side.
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it → think → side
Brentford boss Keith Andrews has got that balance in his team.
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Andrews → get → team
They are very dangerous on the counter-attack, so you have to think they will hurt Chelsea too.
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they → have → Chelsea
This fixture finished in a 2-2 draw in September last year, and I can see it going the same way this time.
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it → finish → September
Sutton's prediction: 2-2
Johnny's prediction: 1-2
AI's prediction: 1-2
Saturday, 19 September
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 12:30
Tottenham boss Roberto de Zerbi has this reputation of being a great coach, and we saw what a good job he did at Brighton.
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he → have → Brighton
But we have not seen any improvement from Spurs yet, despite the big money they have spent, and he is surely going to come under pressure soon if their poor results continue.
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results → see → pressure
They are not the only ones to revamp their squad but if you listen to De Zerbi, after about five years they might come good.
uncertain
they → revamp → years
He keeps saying they need time, but he has had long enough for their results to be much better already.
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results → keep → time
Other clubs, like Hull and Ipswich, have brought plenty of players in and are doing well enough - so why aren't Spurs?
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Spurs → bring → players
I think De Zerbi has to come under scrutiny, but it is different with Unai Emery at Aston Villa.
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it → think → Villa
They are also without a league win, but they look more likely to score goals, as they showed against Coventry in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
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they → look → Wednesday
I am expecting Villa to improve the same way they did after not winning any of their first five games last season, and I can see them edging this.
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them → expect → this
Do I give Spurs their first league goal of the season?
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I → give → season
They are due a deflection, or Villa will score an own goal.
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Villa → score → goal
Something will go for them, but not the result.
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Something → go → them
Sutton's prediction: 1-2
Johnny's prediction: 2-1
AI's prediction: 2-1
Amex Stadium, 15:00
There might be a bit of an edge to this one after Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler had a pop at Arsenal over their time-wasting when they beat the Seagulls near the end of last season.
uncertain
they → have → season
I love the way Brighton play and I was at Old Trafford to watch their comeback to beat Manchester United in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday.
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I → love → Wednesday
It doesn't seem to matter who they are missing from their team, Brighton are just bold as brass with the way they press and get men forward.
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they → seem → men
Luka Vuskovic, who they got from Spurs for £46m in the summer, is only 19 but he strolled through the game against United.
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he → get → United
…and 62 more, not listed.
The Aporia
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