The second Matchday of the 2024-25 Premier League season sees title hopefuls Arsenal and Manchester United face tough assignments.
Mikel Arteta’s Gunners travel to Aston Villa for Saturday’s late kick-off, with Unai Emery’s side famously doing the double over the North Londoners last term to help Manchester City win a fourth consecutive league crown.
Erik ten Hag’s United make the trip to Brighton for the day’s earlier kick-off and the Red Devils will be looking to build on a 1-0 win over Fulham. However, the Seagulls will be buoyed by their 3-0 victory at Everton on the opening weekend.
So, ahead of Matchday 2, we asked NetBet ambassador Ray Parlour to give his scoreline predictions for those two fixtures and he has kindly provided us with two other Premier League match predictions concerning Liverpool and Chelsea’s next encounters.
And do not forget, this weekend NetBet customers can play our Correct Score Predictor. Predict the outcome of four Premier League games and be in with a chance of winning up to £5,000!
But now it is time to focus on Ray’s picks…
Parlour’s Premier League Predictions
Aston Villa vs Arsenal | Ray Picks: 1-2
Ray says: “Arsenal lost both games against Villa last year without scoring and they will be desperately looking to make a statement this weekend and maintain their 100% winning start to the season after beating Wolves 2-0 last time out.
“It will be a tough, tough game, but the Gunners have certainly got the quality to pick up all three points at Villa Park. Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz are the key players for Arsenal this weekend.”
Brighton vs Manchester United | Ray Picks: 1-1
Ray says: “This will be a tight game as Brighton opened their campaign with an impressive 3-0 away win at Everton. They were outstanding with their counterattacks and I can see them causing United’s defence many problems.
“Looking at United, they did record a clean sheet against Fulham and new signing Joshua Zirkzee was impressive on his first appearance, scoring the winning goal after coming off the bench in the second half. However, I still think this will be a draw.”
Liverpool vs Brentford | Ray Picks: 3-0
Ray says: “Liverpool were very impressive in the second half of their 2-0 win against Ipswich and created plenty of chances, with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah shining.
“The Reds looked really good going forward and I expect them to pick up another win this weekend as Arne Slot manages his first Premier League game at Anfield. This should be a convincing win for Liverpool, even after Brentford’s well-earned 2-1 win over Crystal Palace.”
Wolves vs Chelsea | Ray Picks: 1-1
Ray says: “Wolves put in a very good performance against Arsenal, despite losing 2-0. There was a second-half spell when Arsenal were 1-0 up in which Wolves were clearly on top. But without a top striker, they did not take the chances they created.
“Chelsea were beaten by the champions Manchester City on the opening weekend and it seems clear that they will need time to settle under new manager Enzo Maresca – and with a big squad at his disposal, it may also take some time for him to pick and know his best XI.
“This should be a tight game at Molineux and I can see it ending in a draw.”
Now, if you fancy using Ray’s predictions (the outcomes, not scorelines), you can head to NetBet and use them in an accumulator with great odds of 32.51! Not bad, eh?
When you choose NetBet Sport, you can enjoy a whole range of top-quality sports and markets. Whatever you choose, always remember to bet responsibly. Here at NetBet, player wellbeing is our number one priority – check out our Responsible Gambling tips and tools page for more information. When the fun stops, stop.