A new chapter in the ongoing Premier League prediction battle unfolds, as artificial intelligence recently achieved its first outright triumph against human expertise. Despite this milestone for AI, BBC Sport's seasoned expert, Chris Sutton, currently holds the top position in the overall league standings for the season. This week's contest introduces an innovative twist, pitting Sutton not only against AI but also against an unexpected high-tech challenger: Football Manager 26, the latest installment in the renowned management simulation series.

For the upcoming weekend's fixtures, the advanced game engine of Football Manager 26 has meticulously played out all the matches, generating its own set of results, including specific goalscorers and even potential red cards. Adding further depth to this unique competition, Miles Jacobson, the studio director of Sports Interactive – the company responsible for developing Football Manager – has also contributed his predictions to the fray.

The competition operates on a clear scoring system designed to reward predictive accuracy. Participants earn 10 points for correctly predicting the outcome of a match (a win, draw, or defeat). A significantly higher reward of 40 points is granted for precisely forecasting the exact scoreline of a game. Enthusiasts are encouraged to join in by submitting their own predictions, with the most frequently chosen scoreline for each match being utilized in the collective scoreboards and tables presented.