Week three of The Athletic’s Premier League predictions challenge delivered more late drama and tight leaderboard moves as Liverpool’s 3-2 win at St James’ Park stole the show from a tense weekend of predictions.
The match that produced the weekend’s talking point saw 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha grab a stoppage-time winner for Liverpool, sealing a comeback victory over Newcastle United. It wasn’t just a personal triumph for Ngumoha; the moment extended the subscriber pool’s lead in the predictions table, not least for Derek, a Sunderland supporter from Rhode Island who celebrated in frustration as his own club fell to their arch-rivals.
Derek’s performance this week highlighted the competition’s format: three points for a correct scoreline, one point for getting the result right, and a bonus point for any correct “unique” prediction. By calling Liverpool’s victory in Newcastle as a unique pick, he earned an extra bonus, helping him to a nine-point haul—the same total achieved by Vaageesh in week one—and leaving the subscribers three points clear at the top after two rounds. There were two additional bonus points awarded last weekend: one for Oli Kay for predicting Burnley’s win over Sunderland, and one for the algorithm for a perfect scoreline in Fulham 1-1 Manchester United.
Wilf, the youngest predictor in the group, came agonisingly close to a four-point week, but Ngumoha’s late strike denied him a perfect score. His father says Wilf was gutted but remains upbeat about the experience and the learning curve involved in the live predictions.
This week’s subscriber is Katherine, a 43-year-old Chelsea fan from London, who now shoulders the task of keeping the momentum going after Vaageesh’s and Derek’s earlier exploits. Katherine’s match of the week is Chelsea versus Fulham.
Katherine’s match of the week
Chelsea vs Fulham, Saturday, 12.30pm UK/7.30am ET
Katherine says: “The feeling of optimism going into this season has been through the roof and scoring five goals without Cole Palmer last weekend only adds fuel to that fire. Fulham are a solid team and are difficult to beat, but I’m confident we’ll have too much for them.”
Oli Kay’s predictions for Chelsea vs Fulham
Chelsea 3-1 Fulham
Oli’s view on the weekend’s fixtures
– Chelsea 2-1 Fulham
– Manchester United vs Burnley: United 2-0 Burnley
– Sunderland vs Brentford: Sunderland 1-1 Brentford
– Tottenham Hotspur vs Bournemouth: Tottenham 2-1 Bournemouth
– Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Everton: Wolves 0-1 Everton
– Leeds United vs Newcastle United: Leeds 1-2 Newcastle
– Brighton & Hove Albion vs Manchester City: Brighton 1-2 City
– Nottingham Forest vs West Ham United: Forest 3-0 West Ham
– Liverpool vs Arsenal: Liverpool 1-2 Arsenal
– Aston Villa vs Crystal Palace: Villa 2-1 Palace
A closer look at the week’s context
– The dramatic Ngumoha winner underlined how finely balanced this season’s matches are becoming and how late twists can redefine predictions and standings.
– The competition continues to reward not just correct results, but the nuance of scorelines and “unique” calls, which can swing momentum in a high-stakes race.
– With Katherine now in the spotlight as the week’s subscriber, anticipation builds for how the London-based Chelsea fan will manage expectations after a promising start to the campaign.
Bottom line
The momentum in The Athletic’s Premier League predictions challenge remains unusually tight, with a mix of young talent on the pitch and seasoned fans in the prediction chair. As the league moves toward its first international break, expectations are high for renewed form from the traditional powerhouses and a fresh wave of optimism from fans like Katherine. If the current trend holds, fans can expect more dramatic late twists and spirited rivalries to define the race to the top.
Summary
– Liverpool upset Newcastle thanks to a stoppage-time Ngumoha goal, boosting a subscriber-led competition.
– Derek strengthened the lead with a strong all-round performance, aided by a unique prediction.
– Katherine, a Chelsea supporter, is the week’s highlighted subscriber, backing Chelsea to beat Fulham.
– Oli Kay provided a comprehensive set of predictions for the weekend’s fixtures.
– The overall mood is hopeful and competitive, with the season’s early drama fueling ongoing engagement among subscribers.