Premier League predictions: Chris Sutton v Ella and Jake from Jamie Johnson FC - & AI (original) (raw)

Manchester City have beaten Everton at Goodison Park in each of the past eight seasons, but can they repeat that result on their first visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday?

"This is a huge test for City's title bid, and probably the toughest of their remaining fixtures," said BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton.

Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against AI, BBC Sport readers and a variety of guests.

For week 35, he takes on two stars of CBBC football drama Jamie Johnson FC (JJFC), which is set in the world of an elite academy at fictional Premier League club Hawx United.

Jake Quickenden's character, Richie, leads a storyline that explores conversations around male role models and boys' mental health. His co-star Ella plays Charlie, who is affected by his behaviour.

"The show has always tackled serious and topical issues off the pitch," Jake told BBC Sport. "With this storyline, we examine the modern pressures that boys face and the exploitative nature of some online communities.

"We see that kind of behaviour from Richie who, as Hawx first-team captain, is a role model for some of the club's younger players.

"Richie is very false. He is all smiles for the cameras but, when they aren't running, he is actually a very manipulative and narcissistic, horrible human being. He affects Ella's character, Charlie, because of the way he influences some of the boys who are her team-mates.

"They begin to look at the girls as if they are not worthy, because that is Richie's agenda - to make the guys think they are much better, and that the girls don't belong in football.

"It's important to reflect that this kind of thing is happening in real life, but what is also important is the way the other characters react when they realise what Richie is doing, and how they deal with it together."

Series four of Jamie Johnson features cameo appearances by Sam Allardyce, Ollie Watkins and Mary Earps. It starts on CBBC and BBC iPlayer on Wednesday, 6 May and new episodes will be released every Wednesday.

Away from Jamie Johnson FC, Ella captains her age-group team at Manchester United, but still has to occasionally deal with some of the treatment Charlie has to handle on the show.

"I've had a few little comments from boys, saying how if they were a girl it would be easier to get in at an academy - stuff like that," she told BBC Sport.

"But mostly it is just accepted now that girls play football too, which is the way it should be.

"I started playing when I was five, for a girls' team called Rammy Rockets, and then joined my dad's team, Walshaw Warriors, where I played with my twin brother Josh for a couple of seasons.

"I've been at United for six years now and we have always played in a boys' league. Playing boys has given us a challenge and it has improved us.

"We have just made history by winning a league title, which was amazing. I am so proud of all my team, and now we are going to try to win the cup too."

Despite playing for United, Ella is a City fan like her mum and grandad - her dad and brother support United though.

Actor, TV presenter and former Scunthorpe United youth-team player Jake is also a United fan, who remembers his dad crying when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored the winner in the 1999 Champions League final.

"Football has always been a huge part of my life," he explained. "That is why it was brilliant to come into Jamie Johnson FC and see all these players who are at academies in real life, and at the beginning of their careers.

"They are all wonderful footballers, and I just had to say to them that hard work gets you so much further than talent - so make sure you are putting in the hard work."

Chris Sutton, Jake and Ella were speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

The AI predictions were generated using Microsoft Copilot Chat - we simply asked the tool to 'predict this weekend's Premier League scores'.

I was at Arsenal's game against Atletico for Radio 5 Live in midweek, and they were mugged in Madrid by referee Danny Makkelie.

Some dodgy Dutch decisions have cost them, and let's hope they don't pay the penalty in next week's second leg of their Champions League semi-final because they should really be taking a lead back to Emirates Stadium.

Before then, Mikel Arteta's side have to switch their focus to the Premier League title race and nothing less than a win will do for them here.

Arsenal are not a free-scoring side at the moment, which is a worry - they are just not clicking in the final third.

But, with what is on the line here, I am still backing them to get the job done with a clean sheet and a goal - or maybe even two.

Fulham have had an excellent season under Marco Silva and they are in the race for the European spots too, but Arsenal have the best defence in Europe and their strength at the back will help to get them over the line here.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Ella's prediction: If Arsenal want to win the title, this is a must-win game for them. They will have to go for it a bit too because they need to beat City on goal difference. 3-0

Jake's prediction: This should be comfortable for Arsenal but I still think they will end up drawing one of their remaining games, and that will probably be what loses the title for them. 4-1

AI's prediction: 3-0

Apart from the future of both managers, it doesn't feel like many people are talking much about either club here, which feels odd before such a grudge match between two old rivals.

It's impossible to predict how this one will turn out. Manchester United were lucky to edge past Brentford on Monday, while Liverpool got a good win over Crystal Palace to take a bit of heat off Arne Slot.

Bruno Fernandes has had an outstanding season for United, and Liverpool will need to stop the Portuguese Pied Piper from leading them a merry dance.

It looks like no Mohamed Salah for Liverpool after he went off injured against the Eagles, but Alexander Isak scoring in that game felt big for him and Liverpool after he has had such a stop-start campaign.

It could be that an individual - either Bruno or Isak - steps up again to win the game for their team, but I am going for an entertaining draw.

Sutton's prediction: 2-2

Ella's prediction: United are doing quite well at the minute and Liverpool haven't had a great season. 2-0

Jake's prediction: We are going to win this, and I'd really like Michael Carrick to stay as manager next season too. He has brought some passion back - the players seem to trust him and he has got them playing well - plus we can't keep sacking people all the time. 2-0

AI's prediction: 1-2

The 10 Premier League games in week 34 were played across seven days because of the FA Cup semi-finals, starting with Brighton's win over Chelsea on Tuesday, 21 April, and finishing with Manchester United's victory over Brentford on Monday, 27 April.

Chris and his guest, Race Across the World podcast's Alfie Watts, both got four correct results including one exact score, for a total of 70 points.

The collective efforts of the BBC readers saw them get six correct results with one exact score, and they ended up on 90 points.

But the weekly win went to AI. It got seven correct results with one exact score, for a tally of 100 points.

There were also predictions made for the semi-finals, but they did not count towards any weekly scores or the leaderboards below.

Everyone was right about Manchester City's win over Southampton, but only Alfie and AI correctly predicted Chelsea would progress too.

Overall, Chris has been correct about 37 of the 62 ties from round three onwards.

His guests are on 36, AI is on 43 but, with only the final remaining, the BBC readers are still ahead with 44.