Sutton's predictions v The Zutons frontman Dave McCabe

Manchester United held out for a battling 0-0 draw the last time they went to Anfield, but can Ruben Amorim's struggling side stop Premier League leaders Liverpool this time?

"If you are United, you are praying for a narrow defeat," said BBC Sport football expert Chris Sutton.

"There is not a single United fan who thinks they will get anything from this game, and you fear for what this Liverpool team could do to them."

Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

For week 20, he takes on The Zutons frontman Dave McCabe, who supports Liverpool.

The Zutons' cover version of Amy Winehouse's track Back to Black is out now, and the band tour the UK in April.

Do you agree with their scores? You can choose your own below.

The most popular scoreline selected for each game is used in the scoreboards and tables at the bottom of this page.

The Zutons' latest album, The Big Decider, was a top 10 hit in 2024. Their version of Back to Black originated during a special Radio 1 Live Lounge show honouring Amy Winehouse's cover of the band's 2006 hit Valerie, which was recently voted the greatest Live Lounge performance of all time

McCabe is a lifelong Liverpool fan who says he is surprised by how well the Reds are doing under Arne Slot this season.

"It's been unbelievable, we can't really ask for much more," he told BBC Sport. "We've only lost one game out of 27 in all competitions so far.

"I don't know what it is about Arne but to me it seems like he doesn't put up with any nonsense. I reckon if anyone questions him he just stares them blank in the face as if to say 'just get on with it, and do what I am telling you'.

"That's the vibe I get off him anyway, and it seems to be working.

"I went to Anfield earlier this season, for our win against Aston Villa in November. Darwin Nunez scored, so it was a weird game to be at, and it was a really good goal as well.

"When Nunez plays out wide he always seems to score from an angle, because he can bend them in. It is when you put him in the middle, directly in front of goal, that he just cannot finish. I don't know why - maybe his feet are shaped like 50 pence pieces?"

Liverpool are six points clear of second-placed Arsenal with a game in hand, but McCabe feels their lead is a fragile one.

"We are only halfway through the season and I have got to be honest, I cannot get excited about it too much," he added. "I did that at the start of December, and we drew two games [against Newcastle and Fulham].

"Although we were still five points clear, all of a sudden it felt like it would only take one more draw and the teams below us would be right back in it.

"My ma said to me that we would have to lose three games now to let our lead slip and I said no we don't - we only have to draw a couple more for the gap to come right down again and for a bit of doubt to set in.

"We are at the top but right now there is less pressure on us than Arsenal, and I think they are feeling it more than us.

"Everyone I listened to was predicting they would win the title this time after coming close the past couple of years, while we were not even seen as being nailed-on for the top four because Jurgen Klopp had left.

"That is something I am confident about now - I am not going to say we will definitely win the title from here, no matter how good we look, but there is no way we are going to miss out on fourth!"

Chris Sutton and Dave McCabe were speaking to BBC Sport's Chris Bevan.

Saturday, 4 January

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 12:30 GMT

Newcastle's form is incredible, with five wins on the spin in all competitions. They have scored 16 goals in those games, with only one conceded.

Tottenham, in contrast, are on a poor run of results - although they did not perform badly in their defeat by Nottingham Forest or in their draw with Wolves last time out.

This is going to be a great game and, while I think Spurs will score, I just can't go against Newcastle at the moment.

Eddie Howe's side have got goals in them and it is not just Alexander Isak who is a threat - Jacob Murphy is playing really well and their midfield of Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton looks very strong.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Dave's prediction: Newcastle are too good for Tottenham. The way Spurs are under Ange Postecoglou, even if they turn up and play well, if they score four goals then the other team would score five. I don't think he is a bad manager but you'd need to have Virgil van Dijk and Marcel Desailly at the back for his approach to work. 1-2

Match report: Tottenham 1-2 Newcastle

Vitality Stadium, 15:00

Everton have only managed 15 Premier League goals this season. Southampton are the only team to have scored fewer, and finding the net is clearly an issue for Sean Dyche's side.

Everton capitulated against Bournemouth at Goodison Park in August, losing 3-2 after leading 2-0 with three minutes to go, but it is hard to make a case for them this time because of their lack of firepower.

Bournemouth denied me some prediction points with their late equaliser against Fulham on Sunday and there is a reason they are in seventh place - they create a lot of chances, and I am expecting them to edge this.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Dave's prediction: Bournemouth will win this comfortably. 3-1

Match report: Bournemouth 1-0 Everton

Villa Park, 15:00

Aston Villa will be kicking themselves after conceding a late equaliser against Brighton - that was another late goal that cost me prediction points, by the way.

I don't see Villa slipping up here though, even without suspended duo Jhon Duran and Morgan Rogers. Ollie Watkins will lead the line for them again - he has the jersey and will be looking to show why he should keep it when Duran is back from his ban.

Villa are strong at home while Leicester's away form is poor, with only one win and two draws from nine games on the road. They are in a relegation scrap and they are going to struggle to stay up.

The Foxes played pretty well against Manchester City last time out, and missed some good chances, but they still lost.

That defeat was their fourth in a row, and I am expecting Villa to make it five.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Dave's prediction: I am not sure about this one. There is a bit of a Midlands rivalry there, and I reckon Leicester might surprise a few people. 0-2

Match report: Aston Villa 2-1 Leicester City

Selhurst Park, 15:00

Chelsea are having a wobble, and the worry for manager Enzo Maresca is when will it end?

Their performance in their shock defeat at Ipswich was very flat, and although Maresca had made a few changes for that game I saw nothing to suggest they will bounce back with a win at Selhurst Park.

Crystal Palace have only lost two of their past 11 league games, and seem to have turned a corner.

This game smells of a draw to me, which will keep Palace moving away from the bottom three, but does not help Chelsea much at the top of the table.

It looks like Maresca was right when he played down his side's title chances after people like myself said before Christmas they were genuine contenders.

I thought he was just taking the pressure off his players, but he is in the building with them every day and knows them better than the rest of us.

Their past three results suggest they are not going to go the distance, and I can see them dropping more points here.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Dave's prediction: Chelsea will win this - they need to, just to make things more interesting for themselves. 0-2

Match report: Crystal Palace 1-1 Chelsea

Etihad Stadium, 15:00

Jarrod Bowen's injury is a huge blow for West Ham because he has been their best player this season. I thought the Hammers' displays were picking up, but then they got absolutely demolished by Liverpool.

So, this feels like a good time for Manchester City to play them as they look to build on their win at Leicester.

That was not a particularly pretty performance but that part does not matter for Pep Guardiola's side at the moment.

It is all about taking small steps for City as they try to find some form again, so it was important for them to see Erling Haaland back on the scoresheet against the Foxes, and to keep their first clean sheet in five games.

This game might be a similar story in that City will have to scrap a bit, but again I expect them to get the job done.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Dave's prediction: We played West Ham the other day, and they weren't very good. 3-0

Match report: Manchester City 4-1 West Ham

St Mary's Stadium, 15:00

This is a tough one to call because while Southampton are adrift at the bottom and absolutely desperate for points, Brentford are not in great form either.

Saints' new boss Ivan Juric has been quite feisty since his appointment, and his side have only been narrowly beaten in both his games in charge.

It is noticeable how often Southampton like to lump it now under Juric, compared with their possession-based style of play under Russell Martin.

However, while it is also clear they will put up a fight I don't see much changing for them results-wise.

Brentford are a battle-hardened Premier League team, so a direct approach will not faze them, and they also have goals in their side.

The Bees are yet to win on the road this season and only picked up their first away point at Brighton last time out but, this time, I see them taking all three.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Dave's prediction: Brentford all day. 1-2

Match report: Southampton 0-5 Brentford

Amex Stadium, 17:30

I was very impressed with the way Arsenal beat Brentford without any fuss on Wednesday.

The Gunners were without Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, and Declan Rice did not start, but it did not matter. They just got on with it and did not seem to panic when they went a goal down.

With Brentford's home form being so strong I thought it would be a close game but it really wasn't in the end.

It was a very mature performance which bodes well for the second half of the season, which is when Arsenal really got going last year.

I would not describe this as an easy fixture for them, especially because they need to win it - Brighton have not won any of their past seven games but have drawn five of them and are turning into the Premier League's draw specialists.

But there is more to come from Mikel Arteta's side and I look at them and think they will get the job done here too.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2

Dave's prediction: Arsenal are looking good. They are calm, even when they go a goal down. 1-2

Match report: Brighton 1-1 Arsenal

Sunday, 5 January

Craven Cottage, 14:00

Well done to Ipswich. I have got to give one of my daughter's teachers, Mr Fields, another mention here after the Tractor Boys beat Chelsea on Monday for their first home win of the season.

He will have had the bunting out, and the champagne too, and deservedly so.

As I've said before, I like this Ipswich team. They have got a lot about them and are giving it a real go to try to stay in the Premier League.

You cannot underestimate the importance of them getting off the mark at Portman Road, but I don't see them following it up with another success on Sunday.

Fulham let me down badly by letting their lead slip late on at home to Bournemouth on Sunday, but they are usually pretty reliable at Craven Cottage.

Antonee Robinson and Alex Iwobi form such a wonderful combination down the left for Marco Silva's side, and I think they will help them secure a narrow home win.

Sutton's prediction: 1-0

Dave's prediction: Fulham are a pain in the backside. You feel like you should beat them, but they never seem to go away in games. 2-0

Anfield, 16:30

The historic rivalry between these two clubs is intense but, on the pitch, the contest is not even close at the moment.

Manchester United boss Amorim is talking about being in a relegation battle and you can see why.

His side were torn apart in the first 30 minutes by Newcastle at Old Trafford on Monday, and why would anything be different at Anfield?

Whoever Liverpool pick, they have got goals in their team and United have no chance of keeping them out.

The scoreline won't hit double figures but anything else is possible, and that is me being nice to United. Liverpool should demolish them, and they will demolish them - it is just a question of how many goals they get.

United will play for pride, play for the badge and for the jersey and all of that, but it won't make any difference.

Liverpool are in a different stratosphere at the moment and I feel sorry for Amorim because this is going to be another painful afternoon for him.

Sutton's prediction: 5-0

Dave's prediction: I think United are going to turn up and this is going to be closer than most people think. I just spoke to our [band's] manager, who is a United fan, and he said it would be 2-0 to Liverpool - but I just have a feeling they will make a game of it. United are that bad at the moment, we could take our eye off the ball against them and that is when they will start playing, so we have to be careful and make sure we put them away. 3-2

Dave on Liverpool's style of play under Slot: Some people think we are dull to watch now, because we are not used to it - under Klopp we were full on and exciting the whole time.

Sometimes I think we bore the opposition into submission, but it is not easy to play that way because you have to be good enough to make it work. I remember watching a couple of Barcelona games a few years ago under Pep Guardiola and thinking that the way they played wasn't very good, but then you keep watching them and realise that they just keep the ball, control the game and almost suffocate teams.

We can do that now, and being boring most of the time is kind of the point of it. Liverpool actually used to do it at times when we were dominating the league in the 1980s, but it is still important to be able to turn on the style when you need to in a game, and we are doing that bit as well.

Monday, 6 January

Molineux, 20:00

This is the Nuno Espirito Santo derby, with Nuno going back to Wolves where he did such a brilliant job between 2017 and 2021.

Nuno is doing even better with Nottingham Forest at the moment, but Wolves have hit a bit of form under their new boss Vitor Pereira as well.

I saw Pereira do a little jig after his side got a late point at Tottenham. He seems a real character and his team are showing plenty of spirit too, but I am not sure they will carry the same threat now Matheus Cunha is suspended.

I was wrong when I said Forest would draw at Everton last time out, so this time I am going to back them to take all three points.

As I've mentioned before, Forest were my boyhood club so it is great to see them doing so well.

It is like the late 1970s again, with them and Liverpool fighting it out at the top of the table. After this game, their next league match sees them play each other with Forest looking to do the double after winning at Anfield in September.

Being honest, I don't see Forest staying at the top end of the table for too much longer, but most of my predictions have been so bad this season so that is probably good news for them.

Sutton's prediction: 0-1

Dave's prediction: Forest are playing well and they should win this one too. 1-2

How did Sutton do last time?

Chris got five correct results from the 10 games played between 29 December and 1 January, with no exact scores, giving him 50 points from week 19.

That saw him tie with the BBC Sport readers, who also got five correct results with no exact scores, picking up their 50 points from the same five fixtures that Chris got right.

It ended up as a runaway victory for his guest, musician Emma-Jean Thackray. She got seven correct results with two exact scores, for a tally of 130 points that puts her joint-second on the guest leaderboard.