EPL Week 8: Bleacher Report Writers Make Their Expert Picks
After a two-week hiatus, the English Premier League is back for another week of fascinating matchups and what is bound to be another week of unpredictable encounters.
Which teams will triumph in Week 8 of the EPL, and which will fall? Perhaps more importantly, which Bleacher Report writer is going to get it right, and who's going to wish they had their time to mull over their picks again?
Take a look at all our experts' predictions for the weekend's action.
Leaderboard
1 of 11For those not familiar with the way this works, each writer has to pick a team and a score for every match in the Premier League that week.
A correct pick (i.e. Chelsea win) will earn them one point whilst a correct score (i.e. Chelsea win 3-0) sees them earn three points.
Let's take a look at our Bleacher Report experts and how their predictions have fared through the opening seven weeks of the competition.
| Mohamed Al-Hendy | World Football Featured Columnist | 55 points |
| Joe Tansey | English Premier League Featured Columnist | 46 points |
| Mike Cummings | World Football Lead Writer | 46 points |
| Ed Wyman | World Football Featured Columnist | 45 points |
| Dan Talintyre | World Football Featured Columnist | 41 points |
| Karl Matchett | World Football Featured Columnist | 37 points |
| Will Tidey | World Football Lead Writer and Editor | 35 points |
| Sam Tighe | World Football Featured Columnist | 30 points |
Tottenham Hotspur vs. Chelsea
2 of 11Saturday, October 20, 7:45 a.m. ET at White Hart Lane
The first match of the Premier League this weekend is an all-London affair, with the North London Tottenham Hotspur taking on the West London Chelsea—who are yet to lose a match so far in the Premier League this season.
Roberto Di Matteo's men have been superb in attack and clinical in defense and will likely enter this match as the favorites to win it, despite playing away from home.
The Blues' last away match saw them take down Arsenal at the Emirates, and if they repeat that performance, they could well exit White Hart Lane with all three points again.
But don't rule out Spurs just yet, who have won their last four matches and haven't been beaten since going down 2-1 away to Newcastle United in the opening week of the competition.
Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey have this team firing throughout midfield, and with Andre Villas-Boas facing his former club for the first time since he was fired from the Blues last season, there's bound to be plenty of feeling in this match.
| Dan Talintyre | Chelsea win 2-1 |
| Ed Wyman | Tottenham win 2-0 |
| Joe Tansey | Tottenham win 2-1 |
| Karl Matchett | Tottenham win 2-1 |
| Mike Cummings | Draw, 2-2 |
| Mohamed Al-Hendy | Tottenham win 2-1 |
| Sam Tighe | Tottenham win 2-1 |
| Will Tidey | Draw, 1-1 |
Fulham vs. Aston Villa
3 of 11Saturday, October 20, 10:00 a.m. ET at Craven Cottage
Both sides enter this fixture with hard-to-read form guides, but the home side will be the widely held favorites given the sheer class difference between the two sides.
They might have lost the likes of Dembele and Dempey over the summer transfer window, but the signing of Dimitar Berbatov from Manchester United has proven to be a huge addition to their squad and has given them another dimension.
And whilst they were completely terrible in the first half against Southampton last week, the way that they put that behind them to come within a minute of walking away with all three points showed pure determination—a quality that should hold them in good stead for the season ahead.
The same, however, cannot be said for Aston Villa, who have just one win from six matches and are in danger of slipping into the relegation zone with a loss to the Cottagers. They weren't terrible in their last match against Tottenham Hotspur, but they were simply outclassed by a better side and look to face a similar fate again this week against Martin Jol's men.
The signs aren't good for Villa—who have conceded twice as many and scored twice as few goals away from home as they have done when playing at Villa Park. Will another road trip turn up nothing, or is this the week that they turn it around?
| Dan Talintyre | Fulham win 2-1 |
| Ed Wyman | Fulham win 2-0 |
| Joe Tansey | Draw, 1-1 |
| Karl Matchett | Fulham win 1-0 |
| Mike Cummings | Fulham win 2-1 |
| Mohamed Al-Hendy | Fulham win 2-1 |
| Sam Tighe | Aston Villa win 2-0 |
| Will Tidey | Fulham win 2-0 |
Liverpool vs. Reading
4 of 11Saturday, October 20, 10:00 a.m. ET at Anfield
One can only begin to wonder what a loss would do this week to the morale of Liverpool fans and to the confidence of Brendan Rodgers and his supporters.
The Reds boss has been forced to endure a horror start to the Premier League season with just one win from six matches, and simply cannot find the back of the net—or the points—that his side probably has deserved at several points this year.
The Merseyside club will welcome league-newcomers Reading to Anfield, who have yet to win this season but have only been held scoreless in one match so far this year. The Royals were more than competitive against Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United, and it won't be an easy-beat for Liverpool—not that any match is this season.
Liverpool need a win to restore some confidence back in their ability to get the job done when they need to—especially at home, where they have yet to win this year. They have a good side and an excellent manager, but without the results, both of those could get lost this season.
The Reds should get the job done in this one, but we've all said that and been proven wrong so far this year. Interesting to see how the cards fall this time around.
| Dan Talintyre | Liverpool win 3-2 |
| Ed Wyman | Liverpool win 2-0 |
| Joe Tansey | Liverpool win 2-0 |
| Karl Matchett | Liverpool win 3-1 |
| Mike Cummings | Liverpool win 2-1 |
| Mohamed Al-Hendy | |
| Sam Tighe | Draw, 1-1 |
| Will Tidey | Liverpool win 2-0 |
Manchester United vs. Stoke City
5 of 11Saturday, October 20, 10:00 a.m. at Old Trafford
Manchester United proved themselves as genuine title contenders two weeks ago with a huge victory on the road against Newcastle United—casting away any doubts about their ability to perform away from Old Trafford and the frailties of their defensive unit.
The Red Devils are definitely banged up in defense, with Nemanja Vidic, Phil Jones and perhaps even Chris Smalling unavailable due to injury, and face a difficult Stoke City side who will apply great pressure to them right across the pitch.
The Potters have held Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool to draws this year, and almost managed the same result against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge four weeks back. They are tough to break down defensively, hard to attack through the middle and simply do not turn in bad performances for their opponents to make the most of.
United have one of the most potent attacks in the Premier League with Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, Shinji Kagawa and Antonio Valencia, but they'll certainly have their work cut out in this one—even though they're playing in front of the Old Trafford faithful.
Will they be able to get the job done here and continue their title chase, or will the Potters take points of another one of the Premier League heavyweights?
| Dan Talintyre | Manchester United win 1-0 |
| Ed Wyman | Manchester United win 2-0 |
| Joe Tansey | Manchester United win 2-1 |
| Karl Matchett | Manchester United win 2-1 |
| Mike Cummings | Manchester United win 2-0 |
| Mohamed Al-Hendy | Manchester United win 3-0 |
| Sam Tighe | Manchester United win 3-0 |
| Will Tidey | Manchester United win 2-0 |
Swansea City vs. Wigan Athletic
6 of 11Saturday, October 20, 10:00 a.m. ET at Liberty Stadium
It was only two months ago that Swansea City were lighting up the English Premier League and had us believing that they could be a surprise package this season.
Yet the only surprise, it seems, has been how quickly their meteoric rise to success has been made with inadequate performances and a slip back down the Premier League ladder. After leading at one stage, the Swans now find themselves in the bottom half of the table.
They'll welcome Wigan Athletic to Liberty Stadium—a side that, despite losing their best attacking option to Chelsea over the summer transfer window and barely avoiding relegation last season, is managing to pick up points when they most need it.
The Lactics were impressive last week against Everton, particularly on the counter-attack, and whilst their lead was eventually gunned down by one of the most powerful attacks in the league, they did themselves no shame in picking up a 2-2 draw at home.
But can they get the job done on the road—a place where they haven't scored a goal since August and have just two goals to speak of for the season?
| Dan Talintyre | Draw, 1-1 |
| Ed Wyman | Swansea win 2-0 |
| Joe Tansey | Draw, 1-1 |
| Karl Matchett | Draw, 2-2 |
| Mike Cummings | Swansea win 1-0 |
| Mohamed Al-Hendy | Swansea win 2-1 |
| Sam Tighe | Draw, 2-2 |
| Will Tidey | Swansea win 1-0 |
West Bromwich Albion vs. Manchester City
7 of 11Saturday, October 20, 10:00 a.m. at The Hawthorns
This could well turn out to be one of the best matches of the Premier League this weekend as the in-form West Bromwich Albion welcome the defending champions Manchester City to the Etihad.
The Baggies have been superb through the opening six weeks, particularly in defense, and one thinks that they'll need to be against an attack that boasts the likes of Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez, Edin Dzeko and Yaya Toure.
Perhaps the biggest thing in the home side's favor is that—the fact they are the home side and City are the away side. Roberto Mancini's men simply aren't anywhere near as good away from the Etihad—they've proved that time and time again—and will likely face a tough test this week also.
But do West Brom have enough to hand City their first loss for the season? One thing is for certain: Ben Foster is in for another big day in goals for the Baggies.
| Dan Talintyre | Draw, 1-1 |
| Ed Wyman | West Brom win 2-0 |
| Joe Tansey | West Brom win 2-1 |
| Karl Matchett | Manchester City win 2-1 |
| Mike Cummings | Manchester City win 2-1 |
| Mohamed Al-Hendy | Manchester City win 2-1 |
| Sam Tighe | Manchester City win 2-1 |
| Will Tidey | Manchester City win 2-1 |
West Ham vs. Southampton
8 of 11Saturday, October 20, 10:00 a.m. ET at Upton Park
Two of the Premier League's newcomers meet this week when Southampton travel to West Ham to take on Sam Allardyce's side, who have only been beaten once at Upton Park this season.
The Hammers were outclassed last week by Arsenal, with several defensive lapses costing them against an organized and efficient attacking unit. And whilst that might not be the phrase that you would to describe Southampton, the away side is definitely a real chance at toppling their hosts in this one.
Rickie Lambert is in excellent form and whilst they will be without star transfer Gaston Ramirez due to injury, the Saints have the ability to hurt West Ham on the counterattack, driving the ball through the middle of the pitch with great success.
They've conceded more goals than any other team this season, but they've also been able to find the back of themselves with relative ease—scoring more goals than teams like Liverpool and Newcastle United have done so far this year.
The goals appear bound to reign at Upton Park; the question now becomes as to who will emerge on top from this free-flowing encounter?
| Dan Talintyre | Southampton win 3-1 |
| Ed Wyman | West Ham win 2-0 |
| Joe Tansey | West Ham win 1-0 |
| Karl Matchett | West Ham win 2-0 |
| Mike Cummings | West Ham win 2-1 |
| Mohamed Al-Hendy | West Ham win 2-0 |
| Sam Tighe | West Ham win 2-0 |
| Will Tidey | West Ham win 2-0 |
Norwich City vs. Arsenal
9 of 11Saturday, October 20, 12:30 p.m. ET at Carrow Road
After being held scoreless in their opening two Premier League matches, Arsenal have finally got their attack going this season—scoring 13 goals in their last five fixtures and moving up to seventh on the EPL ladder
Santi Cazorla has been without a doubt their best attacking weapon, and with the international break bringing players like Jack Wilshere closer to their return to the starting side, you get the feeling that the Gunners are priming themselves for a big run this season.
Their opponents too could use a big run, or perhaps they could do with their first win for the season. Norwich are yet to record victory and have lost their last three matches—albeit against quality opposition in Newcastle United, Chelsea and Liverpool.
The Canaries face another tough test here, but with the home crowd behind them at Carrow Road and a two-break under the belt, could provide a tougher test for the North London club than many expect.
| Dan Talintyre | Arsenal win 1-0 |
| Ed Wyman | Norwich win 2-0 |
| Joe Tansey | Arsenal win 2-0 |
| Karl Matchett | Arsenal win 3-1 |
| Mike Cummings | Arsenal win 3-1 |
| Mohamed Al-Hendy | Arsenal win 3-1 |
| Sam Tighe | Arsenal win 3-1 |
| Will Tidey | Arsenal win 3-1 |
Sunderland vs. Newcastle United
10 of 11Sunday, October 21, 8:30 a.m. ET at Stadium of Light
Looking for the strangest match of the Premier League this week? Look no further than Sunderland vs. Newcastle then.
The home side have lost less matches than their opponents and have only had one fixture this year than they didn't pick up points from, yet they find themselves well below the Magpies on the Premier League ladder, who themselves suffered a big 3-0 defeat at home last week to Manchester United.
Newcastle have yet to win on the road this year, with two draws and a loss to speak of, which could set the home side in good stead for this one. The Stadium of Light is one of the toughest places to play at in the English Premier League, but will it buck the trend as Newcastle take all three points in this one?
| Dan Talintyre | Draw, 1-1 |
| Ed Wyman | Sunderland win 2-0 |
| Joe Tansey | Draw, 1-1 |
| Karl Matchett | Sunderland win 3-2 |
| Mike Cummings | Draw, 1-1 |
| Mohamed Al-Hendy | Draw, 1-1 |
| Sam Tighe | Draw, 0-0 |
| Will Tidey | Draw, 0-0 |
Queens Park Rangers vs. Everton
11 of 11Sunday, October 21, 11:00 a.m. ET at Loftus Road Stadium
Our final match of the week sees Queens Park Rangers—currently bottom of the table—up against an Everton side that is in the top four at the moment and holding bold aspirations for the season ahead.
David Moyes' men have been superb in attack and with so many options to go to—Nikica Jelavic, Kevin Mirallas, Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar—it seems that the Rangers could be in for a long afternoon of football if they are not switched on defensively.
Other than a late 90th minute goal by Edin Dzeko, all of QPR's last six matches have been within a goal—either to win or to draw—which could provide a glimmer of hope for the home side.
But it would be tough to back against the Toffees in this one, who look set to continue QPR's woeful start to the Premier League season.
| Dan Talintyre | Everton win 1-0 |
| Ed Wyman | QPR win 2-0 |
| Joe Tansey | Everton win 3-0 |
| Karl Matchett | Draw, 1-1 |
| Mike Cummings | Draw, 1-1 |
| Mohamed Al-Hendy | Draw, 1-1 |
| Sam Tighe | Everton win 2-0 |
| Will Tidey | Draw, 2-2 |
