Chris Sutton’s Premier League Predictions: Aston Villa vs. Brentford

Chris Sutton is providing predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, featuring various guests. For week 14, he is joined by James Ryan, the bassist for the rock band The Slow Readers Club. Sutton’s prediction: 2-1. He acknowledges Brentford’s poor away form but notes their consistent fearlessness on the road and their capability to score goals, highlighting Kevin Schade’s “smooth operator” performance in converting chances against Leicester on Saturday. Sutton asserts that “The Bees are the last team you want to play when you are leaking goals the way Aston Villa are.” He describes Villa’s current form as “desperate,” drawing a comparison to Manchester City’s situation in needing a specific result to reverse their momentum. Sutton states there is “no pressure on boss Unai Emery whatsoever,” yet he recognizes the manager’s need for a win to guide his team in the right direction. Sutton speculates this match could be the turning point, predicting that “Ollie Watkins will come up trumps against his old team and get Villa going again.” Ryan’s prediction: 2-2. He admits to finding this prediction challenging, observing that while Villa’s performance has been underwhelming, they possess the potential for a strong showing, whereas Brentford’s form is inconsistent. Ryan anticipates that “There are going to be a few goals here whatever happens, though.” The complete predictions are available for review, and readers are invited to share their own opinions.