EPL Week 9: Bleacher Report Writers Make Their Expert Picks

The English Premier League is starting to get some momentum—as are the Bleacher Report writers in their expert predictions for the week.

Who is bound for victory this week, and who will come up just short? Oh, and I was talking about the writers, not the teams.

Read on to see all of the Bleacher Report expert picks this week in the EPL.

Leaderboard

For 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, and 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 weeks of the competition. 

Mohamed Al-Hendy	World Football Featured Columnist	71 points
Mike Cummings	World Football Lead Blogger and Writer	60 points
Joe Tansey	English Premier League Featured Columnist	52 points
Karl Matchett	World Football Featured Columnist	49 points
Dan Talintyre	World Football Featured Columnist	48 points
Will Tidey	World Football Lead Writer and Editor	43 points
Sam Tighe	World Football Featured Columnist	36 points

Aston Villa vs. Norwich City

Saturday, Oct. 27, 7:45 a.m. ET, Villa Park

We kick off the Premier League action this week with Aston Villa and Norwich City—both of whom have only won one match so far this season.

For the Canaries, that win came last week against Arsenal—a result that nobody predicted and expected to take place. They perhaps weren't all that brilliant against the North London club, but they scored the goal and defended the lead.

Villa come into this one with an interesting form line: no wins in their last four matches. They were competitive in their last few, though, especially against West Brom, Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham.

Martin Jol's men took 84 minutes to find the winning goal last week—a testament to Villa's defense—and Villa will take plenty of confidence from that into their home match against fellow Premier League battlers Norwich City.

Dan Talintyre	Aston Villa win 1-0
Joe Tansey	Aston Villa win 2-0
Karl Matchett	Aston Villa win 2-1
Mike Cummings	Aston Villa win 1-0
Mohamed Al-Hendy	Aston Villa win 1-0
Sam Tighe	Aston Villa win 2-0
Will Tidey	Aston Villa win 2-0

Arsenal vs. Queens Park Rangers

Saturday, Oct. 27, 10 a.m. ET, Emirates Stadium

It hasn't been the best week for Arsenal, who lost last weekend away to Norwich City before losing again to Schalke in the Champions League.

Fortunately for them, they play lowly Queens Park Rangers this week, who are yet to win a match in the Premier League this season and look certain to be in a relegation fight all season.

Mark Hughes will have a tough ask on his hands this week, especially with a potential sacking coming his way around Christmas time if he does not start performing.

QPR haven't really had a bad match since their 5-0 drubbing at home by Swansea City in the opening round of the competition, but they haven't really had a good match all season either. That surely looks set to continue in this one.

Dan Talintyre	Arsenal win 3-0
Joe Tansey	Arsenal win 3-0
Karl Matchett	Arsenal win 2-1
Mike Cummings	Draw, 1-1
Mohamed Al-Hendy	Arsenal win 2-1
Sam Tighe	Arsenal win 3-0
Will Tidey	Arsenal win 3-0

Reading vs. Fulham

Saturday, Oct. 27, 10 a.m. ET, Madejski Stadium

Another of the Premier League's winless teams do battle here as Reading search for their first win since being promoted to the top flight at the start of the season.

They have watched leads disappear in several matches this year—Chelsea, Swansea City, Newcastle United—and have been simply unable to finish off as they would have liked.

Fulham have been relatively under the radar since Moussa Dembele and Clint Dempsey left for Tottenham Hotspur over the summer transfer window, but were it not for late goals by Edin Dzeko and Jose Fonte, we'd likely be talking about the Cottagers' incredible five-game streak without a loss.

Martin Jol's men are a significantly worse team away from home this year, particularly in terms of defense, which will no doubt prove this one to be a fascinating matchup as the Royals search for their first win of the Premier League season.

Dan Talintyre	Draw, 1-1
Joe Tansey	Draw, 1-1
Karl Matchett	Draw, 1-1
Mike Cummings	Fulham win 1-0
Mohamed Al-Hendy	Draw, 1-1
Sam Tighe	Fulham win 2-1
Will Tidey	Draw, 1-1

Stoke City vs. Sunderland

Saturday, Oct. 27, 10 a.m. ET, Britannia Stadium

Stoke City might sit in 13th position on the Premier League ladder through their opening eight games, but the fact remains that at home, they are one of the toughest teams to beat in the league.

They are yet to be beaten, despite playing the likes of Arsenal, Swansea City and Manchester City. They look to extend their unbeaten streak at home to four matches when they take on Martin O'Neill's Black Cats this weekend.

Sunderland have only had one loss so far this season, but they've also only had one win to match that.

They recorded their fifth draw in eight matches with a 1-1 draw against Newcastle United. Considering that they played the majority of the match with a man advantage, they will feel like they missed an opportunity to get all three points.

Will they take the three this week, or will Stoke continue their dominance at the Britannia?

Dan Talintyre	Stoke win 2-0
Joe Tansey	Draw, 1-1
Karl Matchett	Stoke win 2-0
Mike Cummings	Draw, 1-1
Mohamed Al-Hendy	Draw, 1-1
Sam Tighe	Draw, 0-0
Will Tidey	Draw, 0-0

Wigan Athletic vs. West Ham United

Saturday, Oct. 27, 10 a.m. ET, DW Stadium

Wigan Athletic haven't won a match in the Premier League since late August when they defeated lowly Southampton (their sole win of the season so far).

Granted, they've played some tough teams this year, including three of the Top Four, but they have slipped all the way to 16th position on the league table. They desperately need a win to stay out of the relegation zone.

They'll be at home to welcome West Ham to the DW Stadium this week—a team that is traveling well in the Premier League so far following their promotion to the top class.

The Hammers are yet to face a genuine contender this season, having played no team higher than eighth this year. Still, they are winning football games and scoring goals to keep their strong start to the year going.

Don't read too much into the gap on the competition ladder; this one genuinely could go either way.

Dan Talintyre	Wigan win 2-0
Joe Tansey	West Ham win 2-1
Karl Matchett	Wigan win 1-0
Mike Cummings	Draw, 1-1
Mohamed Al-Hendy	Draw, 1-1
Sam Tighe	Wigan win 2-1
Will Tidey	West Ham win 2-1

Manchester City vs. Swansea City

Saturday, Oct. 27, 12:30 p.m. ET, Etihad Stadium

This is probably not the week you want to be playing the reigning Premier League champions at their home ground.

Manchester City were humbled in the week by Ajax in the Champions League—potentially ending their chances at qualifying for the knockout round of the tournament—and will look to bounce back this week with a strong performance at home.

They were fortunate to get a result last week against West Bromwich Albion, but that was away from home, where City's struggles have been well documented. This week they're at home, in their comfort zone, and look to be a tough side to take down.

Swansea come to town this week with no away form to speak of. The fact that they lost their manager, their star striker and their midfield general all in the summer transfer window might finally be starting to show.

Dan Talintyre	Manchester City win 4-1
Joe Tansey	Manchester City win 4-1
Karl Matchett	Manchester City win 5-0
Mike Cummings	Manchester City win 3-1
Mohamed Al-Hendy	Manchester City win 3-1
Sam Tighe	Manchester City win 3-1
Will Tidey	Manchester City win 2-0

Everton vs. Liverpool

Sunday, Oct. 28, 8:30 a.m. ET, Goodison Park

Arguably the best match of the week sees the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park where Everton will take on archrivals Liverpool for the ultimate bragging rights.

Liverpool won both fixtures against the Toffees last year, but Everton have been the much stronger team this year. With the home-ground advantage, Everton will enter this match as the clear favorites to topple the Reds for the first time this year.

Having said that, this is a rivalry match, and you can throw the form guide out the window when it comes to these type of matches.

The key will be as to whether Liverpool can get it going away from home (even if it is only a stone's throw away) and whether Everton's dynamic attack of Marouane Fellaini, Nikica Jelavic and Kevin Mirallas can find some traction against a Reds defense that has posted two clean sheets in their last two matches.

Dan Talintyre	Everton win 2-0
Joe Tansey	Everton win 2-1
Karl Matchett	Draw, 2-2
Mike Cummings	Everton win 2-1
Mohamed Al-Hendy	Everton win 2-1
Sam Tighe	Draw, 2-2
Will Tidey	Liverpool win 1-0

Newcastle United vs. West Bromwich Albion

Sunday, Oct. 28, 10 a.m. ET, St. James' Park

Despite their strong start to the Premier League season that sees them in sixth position on the league table, West Bromwich Albion are yet to post a win on the road and have only scored two goals through their three away matches.

The trip they'll take this week is one of the hardest league wide, with the journey north to St. James' Park rarely providing a result for visiting teams. Perhaps the fortress for the Magpies isn't as strong as it once was.

Manchester United have won there this season, dominating them in a 3-0 victory, whilst Aston Villa also stunned the home side when they picked up a 1-1 draw there in September.

And considering that the Magpies haven't won a Premier League match in over a month, now seems as good a time as any for the Baggies to pick up their maiden away win of the year.

Whether they can or not, well, that's an entirely different question.

Dan Talintyre	Draw, 1-1
Joe Tansey	Draw, 2-2
Karl Matchett	Newcastle win 2-1
Mike Cummings	Newcastle win 2-1
Mohamed Al-Hendy	Newcastle win 2-0
Sam Tighe	Newcastle win 2-1
Will Tidey	Newcastle win 3-2

Southampton vs. Tottenham Hotspur

Sunday, Oct. 28, 10 a.m. ET, St. Mary's Stadium

Southampton's move up to the Premier League from the Championship hasn't gone well so far, with just one win and four points to speak of from the season.

They have lost more games than any other team, but at home, they have showed more promise and potential than they have away from St. Mary's Stadium.

The Saints will be there this week to take on Tottenham Hotspur, who suffered their first defeat in over two months when they lost to Chelsea last weekend.

Spurs will take great confidence from that match. They were without some of their stars and yet still pushed the Premier League leaders, even taking the lead during the second half.

Tottenham will hold no fear playing on the road, having already won at the Madejski Stadium and Old Trafford this season. Will they pick up their third win away from home here and keep the pressure on the Premier League's Top Four?

Dan Talintyre	Tottenham win 2-1
Joe Tansey	Tottenham win 4-1
Karl Matchett	Tottenham win 1-0
Mike Cummings	Tottenham win 3-2
Mohamed Al-Hendy	Tottenham win 3-1
Sam Tighe	Tottenham win 3-1
Will Tidey	Draw, 1-1

Chelsea vs. Manchester United

Sunday, Oct. 28, 11 a.m. ET, Stamford Bridge

What a match to finish on for Week 9 of the Premier League, with two of the best clubs in world football squaring off.

Chelsea are yet to lose this season and have won every single match they've played at Stamford Bridge, although they are yet to play a top-10 side at home.

They have the best defensive record in the league, one of the most potent attacks around, and are more than capable of extending their lead atop the league table in this one.

However, Manchester Untied stand in their way. Given the rich history between the two clubs, it's fair to say that his one won't be an easy win for the Blues. 

United fought back bravely during their midweek Champions League match, though with an injury pile growing for the Red Devils with every passing week, one wonders whether or not they are healthy enough to take down the league leaders at home.

This one will no doubt be a brilliant match and one that definitely shouldn't be missed.

Dan Talintyre	Draw, 2-2
Joe Tansey	Chelsea win 2-1
Karl Matchett	Draw, 1-1
Mike Cummings	Draw, 2-2
Mohamed Al-Hendy	Chelsea win 3-2
Sam Tighe	Manchester United win 3-2
Will Tidey	Draw, 1-1