BBC Sport pundit Chris Sutton is predicting a Manchester United defeat to Newcastle this weekend.
The doubters can’t wait to weigh in. It seems like there is desperation for Erik ten Hag‘s side to fail.
Chris Sutton has joined Paul Merson by tipping Manchester United for a 2-1 defeat to Newcastle in his weekly predictions column.
He told BBC Sport: “It would still not surprise me at all if Erik ten Hag’s side went to St James’ Park and won but this is an enormous game in the fight for the top four and I am expecting Newcastle United to rise to the occasion.”
If Chris Sutton’s weekly predictions were true…
Fortunately, as Sutton notes, “I’ve been wrong about Manchester United a few times this season.”
He certainly has. BBC Sport has been keeping track of his predictions across the entire 2022/23 campaign, and compiled a league table.
Manchester United are four places worse off, had Sutton’s predictions been correct.
Instead of third place, United would rank in seventh place, below Liverpool and Brighton and Hove Albion.
Thankfully Sutton has frequently been wrong, and instead of fighting for a Europa League spot like last season, Manchester United are battling to secure a Champions League place.
United are currently eight points ahead of Liverpool, rather than trailing Jurgen Klopp’s side. In fact, after the freak defeat at Anfield, United have actually extended the advantage by a point.
Very few would have predicted Manchester United for a top four spot before the season with confidence, even fans.
But where Sutton has got it wrong, is his failure to adjust to how well United have performed under Erik ten Hag, constantly expecting the wheels to come off.
Amid a big game against Newcastle this weekend, where the Red Devils are being tipped to come unstuck, the team have a real chance to prove their doubters wrong, again.
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