Match Predictions for Round 3 (22/08/2009 to 24/08/2009) 21 August, 2009

Arsenal - Portsmouth
Prediction: 2 - 0
Arsenal are too strong for Portsmouth (who look like they could be in for a long hard season). However, those looking forward to a goal feast may want to adjust their expectations; Everton were simply woeful in defence that day.

Birmingham City - Stoke City
Prediction: 2 - 1
A match between two equally-matched teams. I fancy the home team to narrowly take the three points.

Hull City - Bolton Wanderers
Prediction: 1 - 1
On paper probably the least exciting match of the round. They should cancel each other out.

Sunderland - Blackburn Rovers
Prediction: 1 - 1
There will not be many goals in this match, and yet, I can't see either team keeping a clean sheet as well.

Manchester City - Wolverhampton Wanderers
Prediction: 2 - 0
I can't see how City are going to rotate their five first team forwards this season and keep all of them happy. Scoring two and keeping a clean sheet against a team still finding their feet in the league should not be a problem though.

Wigan Athletic - Manchester United
Prediction: 1 - 1
Most of United's first choice defenders are in the treatment room, and their forwards are struggling to score. A good chance for Wigan to finally get some joy in this fixture.

West Ham United - Tottenham Hotspur
Prediction: 2 - 1
Spurs are sitting pretty at the top of the table, but I fancy West Ham to take all three points in this one.

Burnley - Everton
Prediction: 0 - 1
Everton are about to lose their defensive lynchpin. But yet, I can just about see David Moyes getting a clean sheet out of them. That, and the awful performance against Arsenal would have given them plenty to work on for the past week.

Fulham - Chelsea
Prediction: 1 - 2
Fulham under Roy Hodgson have improved tremendously, and will be no pushovers. Chelsea under Carlo Ancelotti are also starting to show that they are able to grind out wins whatever it takes. I take Chelsea to score another late goal here.

Liverpool - Aston Villa
Prediction: 2 - 0
Villa looked worryingly clueless against Wigan on the opening day of the season. The way they played seemed to be screaming out mid-table mediocrity, and with Manchester City, Fulham and even Sunderland improving, that might just be where they will end up. Liverpool should carry forward the momentum that they built up in the match against Stoke.