Premier League 2024/25 Matchday 2 - Preview & Predictions

After an intriguing opening matchday of Premier League action, here's my predictions for matchday two of the 2024/25 campaign.

Each matchday I’ll be focusing on a couple of Premier League matches from an in-depth perspective - with the help of Opta data - and then giving score predictions for the rest. At the bottom of each article will be a running count of how many winning results and correct score lines I mange to pick out throughout the season.

The pick of the bunch

Brighton vs Manchester United

New Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler could have hardly dreamed of a better start to life as the Seagulls boss after his side convincingly beat Everton 3-0 on the opening day of the season at Goodison Park.

Helped by an Ashley Young red card for the home side, Brighton made easy work of the Toffees with a number of their new signings making impressive debuts during the season opener. The pick of the bunch was Yankuba Minteh as he recorded a lovely assist before he was forced to leave the field of play due to a head injury.

Despite that, he’s likely to recover in time for this next fixture versus Manchester United as Brighton look to make it two wins from two matches in the Premier League. Their recent form against the Red Devils makes for good reading in their effort to achieve that feat too, as they’ve won four of their last five matches against this opposition.

That said, having lost four of their last five home league matches at the AMEX Stadium overall, Brighton will have to be wary of Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United who arrive here in confidence and with their own objective to achieve in terms of trying to make it two wins from two outings.

Like Brighton, they won on the opening matchday of the 2024/25 campaign against Fulham. Granted, the Red Devils weren’t at their best and they were made to work hard by the London side in an eventual 1-0 victory at Old Trafford, but the fact that new signing Joshua Zirkzee recorded his first goal for the club to win the match will have United fans excited about his future.

The Dutch forward changed the game for the Red Devils who again operated from the off without a recognised forward on the pitch, just as they did in the Community Shield the weekend prior in which they lost on penalties to rivals Manchester City. Expect Ten Hag to remedy that for this match as a result and play with Zirkzee from the off, but even with his influence from the start, this will prove to be a very tough game for the visitors.

Both sides will find the back of the net here, and with plenty of talent on display across both squads, this could turn out to be a bit of a goal fest on the South coast.

Prediction: Brighton 2-2 Manchester United

Aston Villa vs Arsenal

After a massive summer of change for Aston Villa, many fans would have expected Unai Emery’s new squad to take time to gel but instead, they produced a fantastic display on matchday one to win 2-1 away to West Ham.

With the Hammers looking likely to be a top seven side this campaign thanks to their own impressive transfer business, it proved to be a perfect start for Villa as Jhon Duran came off the bench to net a late winner at the London Stadium.

Not only did that rub salt in the wounds for West Ham as Duran was due to move to the club this summer, but in the process he took his goal average to one every 103 minutes. Amongst players to have scored 5+ Premier League goals in history, only Erling Haaland (85) has averaged a better minutes to goals rate for good measure.

Duran’s strike also highlighted Villa’s strength in depth that has only improved further this summer after they secured their top four spot and Champions League qualification in 2023/24. One of their last games of the season saw them defeat Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium and now, they welcome the Gunners to Villa Park this weekend.

Mikel Arteta’s side enjoyed an easy win over Wolves to open up their account for the campaign and they’ll target swiftly turning their attentions to getting one over on former manager Emery in this latest clash. The visitors were defeated in both of their matches against Villa last season, though before that they had won each of their prior four Premier League head-to-head fixtures which will give them renewed confidence heading into this weekend.

It was Bukayo Saka who again proved to be their brightest star versus Wolves. As well as scoring the Gunners second goal of the clash and grabbing the assist on Havertz’ opener, the 22-year-old was involved in ten shots overall – the most of any Premier League player during matchday one. His 15 touches in the opposition’s box were also the highest in the competition during the opening weekend of action.

Expect him to be at the forefront of Arsenal’s attack again this Sunday, especially as he’s scored twice across his last three visits to Villa Park, though I’m expecting the home side to stand firm and take at least a point off of the title hopefuls.

Prediction: Aston Villa 1-1 Arsenal

Manchester City vs Ipswich Town

Erling Haaland and Mateo Kovacic did the damage on matchday one as Manchester City travelled to Stamford Bridge and beat Chelsea 2-0 with clinical efficiency.

In truth, the reigning four-time champions never really looked in too much danger of conceding – apart from a Nicolas Jackson close range strike – and controlled much of the play throughout as they got their title defence up and running in the perfect way.

Haaland gave them the lead halfway through the first half before a strike from outside the box from Kovacic put the icing on the cake for Pep Guardiola’s side. There was also a highly anticipated debut from new singing Savinho, which didn’t disappoint. Before he was forced off through injury at the break, the young Brazilian winger had created more chances and recorded more successful dribbles than any other player on the pitch and his first half cameo left City fans and neutrals alike wanting more.

That could come this weekend as Ipswich Town arrive at the Etihad Stadium on the back of losing 2-0 to Liverpool in their opening fixture of the season and their first Premier League outing in over 20 years.

Few expected the Tractor Boys to grab a positive result at Portman Road on Saturday in the face of very difficult opposition, and although they eventual fell to Arne Slot’s side, they impressed overall. In the first half in particular they did well to get to grips with the Anfield side from a defensive perspective and although they eventually conceded midway through the second half, they look like they’re going to prove a real handful for opponents this campaign.

That said, that’s unlikely to be the case in this second outing of the season for Ipswich, especially as Manchester City have won 17 of their last 18 matches against newly promoted opposition. Guardiola’s side are also 30 matches unbeaten on home soil in the Premier League and as such, should have way too much quality for their opposition to deal with on this occasion.

Prediction: Manchester City 4-0 Ipswich Town

Predictions for the rest of the matchday

Tottenham 2-0 Everton

Crystal Palace 1-1 West Ham United

Southampton 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Fulham 1-0 Leicester City

Bournemouth 0-1 Newcastle United

Wolves 1-2 Chelsea

Liverpool 2-0 Brentford

Predictions outcome so far this season