There’s a dangerous point every Thursday when I start looking at the weekend’s Premier League fixtures and convince myself I’ve got football completely figured out.

By Friday, I’ve usually talked myself into five selections that seemed perfectly reasonable individually, but look increasingly questionable once they’re all on the same betting slip.

And by Saturday afternoon, I’m arguing with the television because a professional footballer apparently needs six touches to control a five-yard pass.

Still, that’s half the fun.

This weekend’s fixtures have thrown up a few interesting opportunities. We’ve got teams beginning to find their feet, others who couldn’t buy a win at the moment, and a couple of matches where the league table doesn’t tell the full story.

There are some selections I feel pretty comfortable with. Others might have me questioning my own judgement before we’ve even reached half-time.

But I’ve made my mind up, and I’m sticking with them.

Brentford to beat Nottingham Forest

Brentford have been one of the more awkward teams to face this season.

Keith Andrews has lost just once in eight Premier League matches, which is impressive. The slightly less impressive part is that they’ve drawn five of them.

There’s being difficult to beat, and then there’s developing a personal attachment to one point.

Still, the Bees sit sixth in the table and have generally looked a decent side.

Nottingham Forest, meanwhile, are 18th and have managed just one league victory all season.

Oliver Glasner hasn’t had much to celebrate, and Forest’s attacking record isn’t helping. They’ve scored six goals in eight matches, the joint-lowest total in the division.

Brentford haven’t exactly been flying recently either. Sunday’s draw at Hull was another frustrating result, and they’ve struggled to turn decent performances into three points.

But this is precisely the sort of fixture they should be winning if they’re serious about challenging for Europe.

Home advantage, a stronger start to the season and an opponent struggling for confidence.

If Brentford can’t turn that into three points, perhaps we should just accept they’re going to draw every match until Christmas.

Pick: Brentford to win

Sunderland to beat Coventry City

Right, I’m doing it.

After backing Leeds to beat Sunderland last weekend, I’ve decided to put my faith back in the Black Cats.

The 0-0 draw with Leeds wasn’t particularly inspiring, but at least Sunderland managed to stop losing.

Four consecutive Premier League defeats had left Régis Le Bris under pressure, and a point was better than another afternoon spent wondering where everything had gone wrong.

The problem is that Sunderland still aren’t scoring enough goals.

Six goals in eight league matches is a pretty miserable return, particularly for a side with ambitions of establishing itself in the Premier League.

However, they did just put three past Brentford in the cup.

Coventry haven’t been much better.

Frank Lampard’s side have also scored just six league goals, and their return to the top flight has been difficult.

They did, however, beat Newcastle 4-1 earlier this month.

As a Sunderland supporter, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t enjoyed that one.

Unfortunately, it also proves Coventry are capable of producing a performance when everything clicks.

This isn’t a straightforward away victory. Not even close.

But Sunderland have enough individual quality to beat Coventry, and there’s a limit to how long I can keep convincing myself the goals will eventually come without actually backing them to score some.

Maybe Brian Brobbey finally gets the service he needs. Maybe Enzo Le Fée produces something special.

Maybe I’ll be staring at another 0-0 at half-time, wondering why I ever thought this was a good idea.

Whatever happens, I’m backing Sunderland.

Pick: Sunderland to win

Hull City to beat Ipswich Town

Hull have become a rather frustrating team to follow.

They started the season by beating Manchester United and Coventry, immediately giving everyone the impression they might make a mockery of the relegation predictions.

Then they stopped winning.

Sergej Jakirović’s side haven’t picked up three Premier League points since August, although they’ve remained competitive in most of their matches.

Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Brentford was another example.

Hull took the lead through Oli McBurnie but couldn’t hold on, leaving them with another point when they could really have done with three.

Their home record is encouraging, though.

The Tigers are unbeaten in four league matches at the MKM Stadium, and they’ve made life difficult for visiting sides.

Ipswich have been unpredictable themselves.

Gary O’Neil’s side have beaten Sunderland, Crystal Palace and Fulham, but they’ve struggled to put together consecutive positive results.

Both teams are level on 10 points, so there’s not a great deal separating them.

This is probably the fixture I’d be least enthusiastic about watching as a neutral.

Two promoted teams, neither especially prolific, both desperate to avoid a defeat.

It doesn’t exactly scream Saturday afternoon entertainment.

But Hull have been reliable at home, and at some point their performances need to turn into victories.

I’m backing that to happen here.

If it finishes 0-0, I’ll accept that I probably deserved it.

Pick: Hull City to win

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Tottenham to beat Crystal Palace

Tottenham.

Again.

I know.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side have spent much of the season looking like a team that met each other in the car park before kick-off.

There have been defensive mistakes, disappointing results and the occasional performance that makes you wonder what exactly they’ve been doing in training.

But there is talent in this squad.

Mohammed Kudus and James Maddison are capable of causing problems, while Sandro Tonali gives Spurs a bit more control in midfield.

And Crystal Palace haven’t exactly been enjoying themselves either.

The Eagles were thrashed 5-0 by Brighton before losing 2-0 at home to Newcastle last weekend.

That’s seven goals conceded without reply in two Premier League matches.

Palace also have European commitments to contend with, and their recent performances suggest they’re struggling to balance everything.

Spurs aren’t exactly a model of consistency, but this is a home fixture against a side whose confidence must be taking a battering.

If Tottenham have serious ambitions of climbing the table, they need to start winning matches like this.

Of course, that’s been said about Spurs approximately 400 times over the last decade.

And here I am, backing them again.

At least nobody can accuse me of learning from my mistakes.

Pick: Tottenham to win

Aston Villa to beat Fulham

Aston Villa have just beaten Manchester City.

That should be enough to make backing them against Fulham seem fairly sensible.

Unai Emery’s side produced an excellent performance at Villa Park last weekend, winning 2-1 against the league leaders and proving they’re capable of competing with anyone when they’re at their best.

They’ve also been picking up results in Europe, which makes their relatively modest league position feel a little misleading.

Fulham, meanwhile, have had a miserable start to the season.

Alvaro Arbeloa’s side have struggled for consistency and find themselves near the bottom of the table.

They did manage a much-needed victory against Hull recently, but one result doesn’t suddenly erase two months of disappointing performances.

Villa have better attacking options, greater confidence and home advantage.

Emery also tends to have a plan for these sorts of matches.

He’ll know exactly where Fulham are vulnerable, and Villa should have enough quality to exploit those weaknesses.

My only real concern is the schedule.

Villa have Champions League football coming up, and Emery may have to manage a few players’ minutes.

But they’ve just beaten Manchester City. Asking them to follow that up by beating Fulham at home doesn’t feel particularly unreasonable.

Then again, football has a wonderful habit of making perfectly reasonable predictions look ridiculous.

Still, Villa are one of my stronger selections this weekend.

Pick: Aston Villa to win

Premier League accumulator tips

So there we have it. Five teams, five outright wins, and a Saturday that could either go rather well or make me seriously reconsider how I spend my weekends.

Here’s our Matchweek 9 fivefold:

• Brentford to beat Nottingham Forest
• Sunderland to beat Coventry City
• Hull City to beat Ipswich Town
• Tottenham to beat Crystal Palace
• Aston Villa to beat Fulham

Brentford and Villa are the two selections I’m most comfortable with.

Forest and Fulham have both struggled, and their opponents have enough quality to take advantage.

Hull are a slightly different proposition. They’ve been difficult to beat at home, but turning draws into victories has proved a problem.

Tottenham are Tottenham. I don’t think that needs any further explanation.

And then there’s Sunderland.

Last weekend, I backed Leeds to beat the Black Cats. This weekend, I’m backing Sunderland to win away at Coventry.

You might call that inconsistent.

Besides, all five matches take place on Saturday, so at least we won’t have to spend Sunday waiting for one final team to ruin everything.

Although if we’re four from four heading into Villa’s 8 pm kick-off, I’ll probably spend the entire evening pacing around the living room anyway.

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