Who wins the Premier League title? Ian Ladyman gives his predictions on It’s All Kicking off… while Chris Sutton leaves his co-host lost for words with his scientific title race calculation

Chris Sutton has left Ian Ladyman lost for words with his rather confusing Premier League winner prediction, after former Aston Villa striker takes a scientific approach to calculating who will win the 2022-23 title. 

Things are looking tight at the top of the table, with Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal only separated by two points. 

With 11 games to go, the title race is still wide open, with City travelling to play league leaders Liverpool at Anfield this weekend in what is set to be a monumental clash that could have huge ramifications in the title race.

Plenty of drama has also been bubbling away ahead of the match, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Erling Haaland both being involved in a war of words this week that has added an extra edge to this clash. 

Meanwhile, Mail Sport’s Ladyman and Sutton have been giving their predictions on who will win the league title this season on It’s All Kicking Off.   

Ian Ladyman (left) and Chris Sutton (right) have given their predictions for who will win the Premier League title

It comes as Liverpool host Manchester City in a huge Premier League crunch match on Sunday

Arsenal, meanwhile, have risen back to within touching distance of the title, and at the top of the table after beating Brentford on Saturday

‘Let’s have a prediction on who’s gonna win the Premier League,’ Ladyman said. ‘I’ve had a look and I asked you to do the same for Liverpool’s fixtures, City’s fixtures, Arsenal’s fixtures.’

‘Did you look scientifically? Like I did,’ Sutton interrupted. 

But Ladyman continued: ‘I have worked out which games each will win, which they won’t and how many points they’ll get.  

‘So for my totals… In third place, I have Arsenal with 87 points. Valiant runners up once again to Manchester City’s threshing machine are Liverpool with 89 points. But champions, yet again, is Manchester City with 91 points.’ 

Despite that, data released by the Premier League indicates that Arsenal might have the easiest set of fixtures remaining, with four of their 11 games coming against clubs in the bottom half of the table. 

They have collectively won an average of 38.72 points, while Liverpool’s upcoming opponents have won an average of 39.18 points. City, meanwhile, have a slightly tougher route to their fourth consecutive league title, with their upcoming opponents having amassed 41.36 points.

‘What about you?’ Ladyman asked Sutton. ‘You want to do yours after the season?’

‘Can we do it after the weekend this and then we’ll have a better measure?’ Sutton said, reluctant to give his predictions. 

Ladyman stated that he believes Manchester City will win retain their title for the fourth time

He predicted City will win the league with 91 points with Liverpool coming second on 89

Despite that, he would eventually provide his picks, with Sutton taking a much different approach to Ladyman, seeming to confuse his co-host by asking him: ‘Did you take the the reverse fixtures into account? 

‘So if I told you how many points would they have got from the reverse fixtures against the teams which they are still to play… ‘

‘I don’t even know what that means,’ Ladyman said, perplexed by his co-hosts take. 

‘They’ve played them once this season already. How many points in the reverse fixtures do you think Liverpool would have had? I just want you to have a guess. I want you to have a guess because you’re an educated guy.’  

‘Oh, if you applied those fixtures, that doesn’t make any sense. But no, I didn’t do that,’ Ladyman responded. 

Baffled by the former Aston Villa striker’s logic, he added: ‘Chris, there are so many holes in that philosophy. Ask me the question again?’ 

‘How many points do you think they would have got in their remaining 11 fixtures?,’ Sutton responded. 

‘Okay,’ Ladyman responded, ‘Liverpool, I think 25.’

Arsenal are the form team at the moment, having gone unbeaten in February while claiming some big results, including a 4-1 win vs Newcastle last week

Jurgen Klopp’s side have some big games coming up too. They’ll take on Manchester City on Sunday, before travelling to Old Trafford to face Man United in early April. They’ll also host Tottenham at Anfield, before travelling to Villa Park in their penultimate game of the season.  

Sutton replied: ’24, good guess. What about Manchester City?’

‘Well, they’re coming strong in this off season, so 23,’ Ladyman said, with Pep Guardiola’s side still to play against Arsenal and Tottenham before the end of the season.  

‘They got 18 points,’ Sutton said. ‘So there’s one for you. Register that. Wow, that team from Manchester didn’t do well. And Arsenal? What do you think?’

‘Right. The last will be awful, about 15 points,’ Ladyman said. 

‘No.’ Sutton replied. ‘In the corresponding fixtures, I got 26 points. You’re wrong. You are so wrong. So who wins the league? I’ve got Liverpool winning the league. 

‘I’ve got two different theories which I’ve put into my super scientific computer. I’ve got Liverpool winning it.’

‘Chris, I’m losing the will to live here,’ Ladyman said exasperated by Sutton. ‘How many points?’

Arsenal still have to play Chelsea, Man City, their London rivals Tottenham and Man United

Sutton delivered a rather complex calculation on his predictions but stated that Liverpool would win the title

Sutton said: ‘On goal difference against Arsenal on one of my predictions. And the other one Liverpool by two points clear of Manchester City. 

‘Have I? Yeah,’ he said, sounding confused himself.

But Ladyman responded: ‘Do you know sometimes when you have a conversation at home and you just wish you hadn’t gone there – you wish you hadn’t started it because it escalates into an argument or something.

‘I just wish I hadn’t thought of this. It was such a simple concept. Such a simple concept.’

‘That’s essentially what you’re asking me to do. I scratched beneath the surface, went into a bit of detail, reverse fixtures,’ Sutton replied.

Growing increasingly frustrated, Ladyman said: ‘You’ve ruined it. Chris, you’ve ruined it. You’ve just ruined my game.’

For Sutton though City will only prove good enough for a third place finish, falling short of a fourth successive Premier League crown

But his co-host finally settled on his prediction stating: ‘Liverpool, Arsenal and City third on goal difference. Who’s going to win it? Liverpool or Arsenal? Liverpool.’ 

‘I’m lost. I think I’m done with this. I’m done with this for today. I was really enjoying myself until five minutes ago and you’ve ruined it,’ Ladyman finished.