Sutton's predictions v Royal Blood drummer Ben Thatcher

Retold by Oddsrama · 27 August 2026

Chris Sutton is backing Arsenal to demolish Aston Villa in Monday's Premier League clash, and the BBC Sport predictor isn't holding back. After a strong opener against Coventry, the Gunners face a Villa side that's lost several key players over the summer—and Sutton reckons that spells trouble for Unai Emery's men. The football expert is unequivocal: Arsenal will dominate. He's tipping them to improve as the season progresses and warning that other teams should be worried. For bettors, this is worth noting—in-form Arsenal at odds on to win could be a solid play, especially if Villa continue to look disjointed.

This week, Sutton is pitting his predictions against Royal Blood drummer Ben Thatcher in the BBC's ongoing game where readers, AI, and celebrity guests all make their calls. Thatcher is a lifelong Brighton supporter, and despite losing striker Danny Welbeck and defender Jan Paul van Hecke to other clubs, he remains confident in the Seagulls' system. He trusts owner Tony Bloom's ability to replace departing talent—something the club has done repeatedly. His only concern is keeping Brighton in the top half while they juggle their newly added Europa Conference League campaign. That's a reasonable ceiling given their summer departures.

Thatcher made his predictions while sat at his drum kit, even scribbling them on his drums, which is far more entertaining than staring at a spreadsheet. His picks include a 1-3 loss for Crystal Palace against Manchester City and various other weekend fixtures. The game awards 10 points for correctly predicting the outcome and 40 for nailing the exact scoreline—a format that makes every fixture matter, not just the headline games.

Based on original reporting by BBC Football. Read the original at bbc.co.uk →

#Arsenal#Aston Villa#Brighton#Premier League

Sutton's predictions v Royal Blood drummer Ben Thatcher

Related stories