Chris Sutton backs Manchester City to end their Aston Villa hoodoo as his predictions take on a talking dog
BBC Sport expert Chris Sutton has predicted every Premier League fixture for week eight, backing Manchester City to win 1-2 at Aston Villa despite losing on their past three visits. He is up against Waffle the Wonder Dog and owner Simon, played by actor James Merry, for the Saturday lunchtime kick-off at Villa Park and the weekend's other games.
- Headline fixture: Aston Villa vs Manchester City, Villa Park, Saturday 24 October, 12:30 BST
- Stakes: City have won their first seven league games of the season; their 100% record is on the line
- Villa context: Seven unbeaten in all competitions and have beaten City in this fixture in each of the past three years under Unai Emery
- Friday night: Ipswich Town vs Nottingham Forest, Portman Road, 20:00 BST
- Also predicted: Arsenal vs Everton and Coventry vs Fulham, both 15:00 BST on Saturday
- Scoring: A correct result is worth 10 points, the exact score 40 points
What was said
"Villa have beaten City in this fixture in each of the past three years under Unai Emery."
"They will fancy it this time too - they are seven unbeaten in all competitions, and flying at the moment."
"City are going to slip up eventually this season but the fact they have lost on their past three visits to Villa Park actually makes me think it will be different this time."
"With all the heat on the club at the moment it could just turn out to be one of those seasons where they continue on this incredible run."
"I am an enthusiastic baller. But technically my best position is right-back... on the sofa."
"My favourite player is the England captain, Harry Kane-9, and I'm a Liverpool fan so my all-time hero is Kenny Dog-leash."
"My fur is red and I am a poodle so of course I support the Reds, or Liverpoodle as I like to call them - they never walkies alone."
"I grew up in Sutton Coldfield, north Birmingham, and just about everyone is Villa there."
"My great-aunt was a season-ticket holder for about 40 years and my nan lived most of her life on Witton Road, which is just round the corner from Villa Park."
"My first job was there too - when I was 16 I worked in the catering department serving burgers on matchdays."
"We had the run of Villa Park and I was like a kid in a candy shop."
"It is going to be very tight."
"It did make me laugh when I read that Forest boss Oliver Glasner had got Chris Wood to give advice to the other strikers about finishing - why not just play Wood then?"
"Arsenal were so ugly in the way they beat Nottingham Forest last weekend, but were a lot easier on the eye in the midweek draw with Bayern Munich."
"Arsenal are just a machine at home."
The quotes frame a weekend where form, history and pure sentiment collide. Sutton's argument is that City's three straight defeats at Villa Park are precisely why this time differs — a logical inversion typical of his approach. James, a lifelong Villa fan with deep family ties, leans into emotion and predicts a barnstorming 3-2 win for his club, while Waffle's canine wordplay supplies the entertainment.
The numbers
- Manchester City have won each of their first seven Premier League games this season
- Aston Villa have beaten City at Villa Park in each of the past three years under Unai Emery
- Villa are seven unbeaten in all competitions
- Nottingham Forest have scored five goals in their first seven league games
- Ipswich already have three league wins from seven games; in 2024-25 they managed only four all season
- Sutton's predictor is running across all 380 Premier League games this season
- A correct result earns 10 points, an exact score 40 points
Injury and availability
Erling Haaland is fit for Manchester City, which Sutton describes as an obvious help to the champions at Villa Park. Arsenal will be without the injured Bukayo Saka for the visit of Everton at Emirates Stadium, though Sutton still expects the Gunners to have too much for their opponents.
Week eight predictions in full
Sutton settles on 1-1 for Ipswich vs Nottingham Forest on Friday night, noting Forest are second bottom and that Ipswich have not yet drawn a league game this season. Waffle and James both back Forest 1-2, with James citing his director Tim Hopewell as a Forest fan. The AI prediction via Microsoft Copilot Chat is 1-1.
At Villa Park, Sutton goes 1-2 for City, the AI agrees at 1-2, James calls a partisan 3-2 to Villa, and Waffle offers 2-3 with Ross BARKley and Erling HOWLand puns in his explanation. For Arsenal vs Everton, Sutton and AI both say 2-0, Waffle 3-0 and James 3-1. For Coventry vs Fulham, Sutton picks 1-2, while Waffle says 1-1.
Why Sutton trusts City to break their Villa Park run
Erling Haaland's fitness gives City a focal point that Villa's defence must handle all afternoon, and Sutton argues City are far more streetwise than the Newcastle side that lost to Villa last week after being too gung-ho. The counterweight is Villa's European momentum and the pace Emiliano Buendia's side can carry on the break through Nicolas Jackson, who has started well according to James.
James identifies Johan Manzambi as potentially pivotal for Villa this season and admits his side are weak at the back — the reason he expects goals at both ends. That combination of a shaky Villa rearguard and a fit Haaland is why even a partisan Villa fan forecasts three City goals. The tactical question is whether Villa's midfield can protect the back four long enough for their front line to test City.
At Arsenal, the absence of Bukayo Saka shifts creative responsibility elsewhere, but Sutton sees the home fixture as a straightforward assignment against an Everton side he doubts can hurt the Gunners. For Coventry vs Fulham, he backs Fulham to follow their first win of the season against Hull with another, noting Coventry's pace on the counter but vulnerability defensively.
Talking points
- Does a three-year unbeaten home run against City prove Villa can upset the champions again, or simply make it more likely City end the sequence?
- Sutton questioning Oliver Glasner's use of Chris Wood as finishing coach — should Forest simply start the striker instead?
- Can Ipswich's three wins in seven games be sustained, or does their lack of draws suggest a boom-and-bust season?
- With Saka injured, is a comfortable Arsenal home win over Everton really as certain as Sutton's 2-0 suggests?
What happens next
Villa host City at 12:30 BST on Saturday 24 October at Villa Park, with the result deciding whether City's 100% league start survives a ninth consideration of their record and whether Villa's unbeaten run in all competitions continues. Ipswich vs Forest at Portman Road on Friday, plus Arsenal vs Everton and Coventry vs Fulham on Saturday, complete Sutton's week-eight slate and update his predictor standings.
Frequently asked questions
What is Chris Sutton's prediction for Aston Villa vs Manchester City?
Sutton predicts a 1-2 away win for Manchester City, the same scoreline as the AI prediction generated using Microsoft Copilot Chat.
Is Erling Haaland fit for the Aston Villa game?
Yes, Haaland is fit for the trip to Villa Park, which Sutton says will obviously help City.
How many points is an exact score worth in Sutton's predictions?
A correct result is worth 10 points, while picking the exact score earns 40 points.
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