🌥 Friday Forecast: Ole vs Frank, Liverpool's fury, Moyes to stun Pep

The Champions League returned this week and the games are coming thick and fast, with another mouth-watering round of Premier League fixtures heading our way this weekend.

Here are our predictions.

It’s the battle of two managers constantly struggling to keep their heads above water.

After last weekend’s 3-3 draw with Southampton, the narrative surrounding Chelsea boss Frank Lampard was all about his side’s horrific defending.

But the well-timed returns of Thiago Silva and Eduoard Mendy saw the Blues keep a clean sheet against Sevilla in mid-week and the (mostly justified) criticism of Lampard’s defensive coaching has quietened down for the time being.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in the same boat. The United boss was a dead man walking after that 6-1 defeat to Tottenham but good wins against Newcastle and Paris Saint-Germain have bought the Norwegian some valuable time.

The winner of this match can breathe another big sigh of relief, while the loser will likely have more pundits saying they’re out of their depth.

This is football.

🔮 Our prediction: Chelsea 3-2 Manchester United

Even the most experienced managers get told they don’t know what they’re doing.

David Moyes’ disastrous tenure at Manchester United means many have forgotten he was once considered one of the best managers in the business and his side’s recent results have been a nice reminder that he isn’t totally clueless after all.

While after Manchester City’s 5-2 defeat to Leicester a few weeks back, there were many suggestions Pep Guardiola had lost his mojo completely.

Since then, City have picked up some decent results and looked solid defensively, thanks in large part to new signing Ruben Dias.

But for no other reason than this is the most unpredictable season in living memory, we’re tipping the Hammers to spring a surprise in Saturday’s early kick-off.

🔮 Our prediction: West Ham 2-1 Manchester City

But you know who almost certainly won’t be springing a surprise this weekend? Sheffield United.

Are the Blades suffering from Second Season Syndrome or have they just made a slow start to the new campaign?

It’s hard to say for sure at the moment but they’re still winless, they’ve only scored two goals, and they were a bit lucky to rescue a draw against Fulham last week.

A trip to Anfield is far from the ideal fixture for Chris Wilder’s side at this moment in time, especially as the champions will be powered by the fury following Virgil van Dijk’s cruel injury blow.

We’re expecting a whitewash here.

🔮 Our prediction: Liverpool 3-0 Sheffield United

Is Brendan Rodgers a genius or a fraud?

Like many of the managers already mentioned here, the Leicester boss polarises opinion.

After beating Manchester City he was a genius but defeats to West Ham and Aston Villa since then have planted Brendan firmly back in the fraud camp.

All it would take is a win against Arsenal this weekend for him to be considered Northern Ireland’s answer to Rinus Michels again, however.

Mikel Arteta, meanwhile, could really do with a result this weekend.

The Gunners have beaten Fulham, West Ham and Sheffield United so far this season, but came up short against Liverpool and Manchester City.

Arteta needs a statement victory soon because if he’s not careful, the “Spanish George Graham” is gonna have people calling him a fraud soon enough.

🔮 Our prediction: Arsenal 2-2 Leicester

He racked up his 100th goal for Liverpool last weekend and the Egyptian is playing like a man possessed. We would not fancy being a Sheffield United defender this weekend.