The Athletic’s Premier League predictions challenge belonged to the subscribers in the end, and it was Neel from New Delhi who finished first when the season closed on the final day. Six-year-old Wilfred came second, a 51-year-old journalist finished behind him, and the data-based algorithm ended last.
The result mattered now because the contest went all the way to the final Sunday of the season, with Neel and Wilfred level on 253 points before kickoff. Neel then pulled clear by picking up four points for the subscribers as the only contestant to back Tottenham to beat Everton 1-0, a decisive edge in a competition where three points were awarded for a correct scoreline, one point for a correct result and one bonus point for a unique correct prediction.
That final-day twist also explains why Wilfred was so close to winning without actually getting there. He had led on the basis of having predicted more correct scorelines, which is exactly why the finish felt tighter than the table might suggest. But Neel handled the last round better, and that was enough to turn a dead heat into a subscribers’ victory. Both men also predicted a 1-1 draw between Burnley and Wolves and a 2-0 win for Arsenal at Crystal Palace, leaving the difference to come down to the one match that only Neel read right.
The season had run since August, with the writer joined each week by a guest subscriber, Wilfred and the algorithm in trying to forecast Premier League results. Neel’s victory was not just over one opponent, either; it stood out against the wider field of subscribers who posted strong weekly scores, including Vaageesh, Derek, Steve, Chris, Weston, Jack, Adam, Hannah and Elizabeth. The setup made the final table part competition, part running audit of judgment across a whole season.
Wilfred took the runner-up spot with the kind of candor that made the finish feel human. “I feel proud of myself for coming second, but I would have liked to come first,” he said. “Congratulations to the subscribers. Next time, I’m going to beat you.” The six-year-old’s run was good enough to push the journalist into third and leave the algorithm at the bottom, but not good enough to stop Neel from turning a level start into the winning margin.
That leaves the challenge with a clear finish and one obvious takeaway: the subscribers beat the regulars, and Neel did it by getting the final day right when it mattered most. The season is over, the table is settled, and Wilfred has already framed the rematch in the only way that matters now — next time, he wants first place. For readers following the broader football conversation, the prediction game now sits alongside other Chris Sutton-related talk, including his latest Hearts call before Celtic’s title-race showdown.
