Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 10

 It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn’t do too well last week with one perfect prediction, three correct outcomes and six incorrect outcomes which saw me drop to sixth place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Pos.   Player                      Res    Cls    Exa    Slm    Pts

1. andy                               7      46.5    30       6     89.5
2. Always a Gooner           8      37.5    33       5     83.5
3. Derek.                           14      34.5   27       6     81.5
4. SeniorBurger                 11      34.5   30       6     81.5
5. Orlando Pirates             18      34.5   18       8     78.5

My fantasy team didn’t have a great week thanks mainly to not owning Micky van de Ven. Going into the last game of Sunday I was looking good, but his 23 point haul hit me badly. I didn’t get any points from my captain either, but Erling Haaland will still retain the armband for this week.

The players who did score for me were David Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes, Marcos Senesi, Igor Thiago and Jarrod Bowen. I don’t think I will make any changes this week as I am pretty happy with my current squad and I will look to build up my transfers for a mini wildcard when needed.

Saturday November 1

Brighton And Hove Albion v Leeds United

3pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton lost 4-2 away to United last week and that defeat saw them drop into the bottom half of the table. They’re one of five teams still unbeaten at home and they will be favourites to continue that streak in this game. They were unbeaten in four games before losing to United, but only four other teams have conceded more goals.

Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck are the Brighton players most likely to do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

Leeds won 2-1 at home to West Ham last week and that victory left them six points above the relegation zone. They have lost three of their four away games with only three other teams scoring less goals on the road. The win against West Ham was their first win in four games with only three other teams scoring less goals.

Joe Rodon is the Leeds player most likely to do well for fantasy managers, but he’s at his best in home games.

I think Brighton should be good enough to take the three points on their own ground.

Prediction: 2-1

Burnley v Arsenal

3pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley 

Burnley scored very late to win 3-2 away to Wolves last week and that win moved them five points above the bottom three. They have only lost one of their four home games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They have won their last two games and they scored five goals in those games, but only the bottom two have conceded more goals.

Jaidon Anthony and Josh Cullen are both available at a very good price and they can do well for fantasy managers.

Arsenal won 1-0 at home to Palace last week and that win increased their lead at the top of the table to four points. They have won three of their four away games with no other team conceding less goals on their travels. They have won their last four games and kept clean sheets in the last three with no other team conceding less goals.

Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are great choices for fantasy managers while Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze can do well too.

I think Arsenal will keep up the pressure on the teams chasing them with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 0-2

Crystal Palace v Brentford

3pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace lost 1-0 away to Arsenal last week and they only held on to their place in the top half of the goal difference. They’re one of five teams still unbeaten at home, but they have drawn three of their games on their own ground with no other team drawing more. They have only taken one point from their last three games and no other team has drawn more games.

Marc Guehi, Daniel Munoz, Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta are all good options for fantasy managers.

Brentford had a very good 3-2 win at home to Liverpool last week and they’re only behind Palace on goal difference going into this game. They won their last away game after losing the previous three and they have some difficult games on the road coming up. They have won three of their last four games with no other team in the bottom half of the table scoring more goals.

Igor Thiago is the Brentford player to have for fantasy managers.

I think Palace will bounce back with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers

3pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London

Fulham lost 2-1 away to Newcastle last week to a last minute goal and they’re now only one place above the relegation zone. Their only home defeat so far came against league leaders Arsenal with only four other teams conceding less goals on their own patch. They have lost their last four games and they conceded nine goals in those games.

I’m not sure there are any Fulham players doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment.

Wolves lost 3-2 at home to Burnley last week to a very late goal too and that defeat left them rooted to the foot of the table. No other team has taken less points or scored less goals away from home and three of their next four games are on their travels. They’re the only team without a win with only Forest scoring less goals and only West Ham conceding more.

I can’t see any Wolves players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Fulham will get a much needed win in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Nottingham Forest v Manchester United

3pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest lost 2-0 away to Bournemouth last week and that defeat meant they stayed in the bottom three. They have lost their last three home games and they conceded seven goals in those games without scoring themselves. They have only taken two points from their last eight games with only West Ham and Wolves conceding more goals and no other team scoring less.

I’m not sure there are any Forest players to look at for fantasy managers just now, but that could change over the next few weeks.

United won 4-2 at home to Brighton last week and that victory moved them up to sixth place. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous three and three of their next four games are on the road. They have won their last three games and they scored eight goals in those games, but no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.

Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes are the United players doing the best for fantasy managers at the moment, but Matheus Cunha is a real possibility too.

I think United will continue their winning run with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea

5.30pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs won 3-0 away to Everton last week and those three points moved them up to third in the table. They have only taken one point from their last three home games and they have two very tough home games in a row starting with this one. The win against Everton was only their second win in five games, but no other team has scored more goals with only Arsenal conceding less.

Micky van de Ven, Pedro Porro, Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha are the Spurs players who can perform for fantasy managers at the moment.

Chelsea lost 2-1 at home to Sunderland last week and they’re now eight points off the top of the table. Only two other teams have taken more points away from home with only Spurs scoring more goals on their travels. They have lost three of their last five games with no other team scoring more goals.

Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Pedro Neto are the Chelsea players to watch for fantasy managers at the moment.

This is a difficult game to predict, but the chances are the points will be shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Liverpool v Aston Villa

8pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool lost 3-2 away to Brentford last week and they’re now seven points and six places off the top of the table. They lost their last home game after winning the previous three, but they don’t play any of the other big six teams in their next eight games on their own ground. They have lost their last four games after winning the previous five and they conceded nine goals in those defeats with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

Cody Gakpo is probably the best of the bunch in the Liverpool team for fantasy managers, but it’s not easy to ignore Mohamed Salah.

Villa won 1-0 at home to City last week and that win moved them into the top half of the table for the first time this season. They have taken five points from their last three away games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on the road and only three other teams scoring less. They have won their last four games and they scored eight goals in those games, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.

Matty Cash and Morgan Rogers are probably the Villa players for fantasy managers to consider.

This is a difficult game to call given the current different trajectories of both teams, but I think it will go the way of Liverpool.

Prediction: 2-1

Sunday November 2

West Ham United v Newcastle United

2pm GMT, London Stadium, London 

West Ham lost 2-1 away to Leeds last week and they’re still only one place off the bottom of the table. They’re the only team without a point at home with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch and only Wolves conceding more. They have only taken two points from their nine games with no other team conceding more goals and only Forest scoring less.

Jarrod Bowen is the only West Ham player for fantasy managers to consider.

Newcastle scored very late to win 2-1 at home to Fulham last week and they’re now only one point off the top half of the table. They’re one of four teams without a win away from home with no other team scoring less or conceding less goals on their travels. They have won two of their last three games after only winning once in the previous six with only three other teams scoring less goals.

Nick Woltemade and Bruno Guimaraes are best bets in the Newcastle team for fantasy managers with their keeper and defenders possibilities too.

This isn’t an easy game to call, but I think Newcastle will add to West Ham’s home woes by taking all three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Manchester City v Bournemouth

4.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City lost 1-0 away to Villa last week and that defeat saw them drop out of the top four. They have won three of their four home games with only Arsenal and United scoring more goals on their own ground. They had taken 13 points from five games before losing to Villa with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

Despite not scoring last week Erling Haaland is still a must have for fantasy managers.

Bournemouth won 2-0 at home to Forest last week which saw them move up to second place. They have taken five points from their last three away games with only two other teams scoring more goals on the road and only three other teams conceding more. They are unbeaten in eight games with only three other teams scoring more goals, but this is the first of two very tough games in a row.

Antoine Semenyo, Marcus Tavernier and Eli Junior Kroupi are very good options for fantasy managers with the Bournemouth defenders good choices too, but maybe not this week.

I think this will be a very close game with City probably making home advantage pay.

Prediction: 2-1

Monday November 3

Sunderland v Everton

8pm GMT, Stadium of Light, Sunderland 

Sunderland came from behind to win 2-1 away to Chelsea last week and that win moved them up into the top four. They’re one of five teams still unbeaten at home with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They have won three of their last four games with only Arsenal conceding less goals, but they have some very difficult games coming up after this one.

Wilson Isidor, Granit Xhaka and the Sunderland defenders and keeper are all looking pretty good for fantasy managers at the moment.

Everton lost 3-0 at home to Spurs last week and that defeat saw them drop to 14th in the table. They have lost three of their four away games and their next three games on their travels are all against teams in the top six starting with this one. They have only won once in their last six games and they haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last five.

Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish are the Everton players most likely to do well for fantasy managers.

I think Sunderland will continue their good home form with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek Nine

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I managed one perfect prediction, four correct outcomes and five incorrect outcomes last week which wasn’t fantastic, but it moved me up one place to fourth in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Pos.  Player                       Res  Cls    Exa  Slm  Pts

1. andy                                5    40.5   27     5     77.5
2. Always a Gooner            7    33      30     4     75
3. Cole                                11   24     33     5      73
4. JamrockRover                13   27     24     7      71
5. Orlando Pirates              15   33     15      7      70

I had a pretty good week with my fantasy team last week as I moved up to my highest overall position so far this season which is still just outside the top 1% of teams. Erling Haaland excelled as my captain yet again with David Raya, Trevoh Chalobah, Gabriel Magalhaes, Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and Igor Thiago adding points to make it a good week. I can’t see any other choice for captain at the moment than Haaland and it looks like he will be keeping the armband for a long time.

I eventually made the decision to sell Mohamed Salah last week as his return didn’t justify his price and with three other free transfers I had the bones of a mini wildcard. The players I brought in didn’t set the world alight, but I think I have a stronger team going forward. I will probably bring Bukayo Saka in for Tijjani Reijnders this week as Reijnders isn’t doing enough on a consistent basis despite his very good price.

Friday October 24

Leeds United v West Ham United

8pm BST, Elland Road, Leeds

Leeds lost 2-0 away to Burnley last week and that defeat saw them drop to 16th in the table. They haven’t won in their last three home games with only West Ham and Forest scoring less goals on their own ground. They have only won once in their last seven games with only the bottom three scoring less goals.

I’m not sure there are any Leeds players doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment.

West Ham lost 2-0 at home to Brentford last week and they’re only two points and one place off the bottom of the table. All of their points so far have come away from home and their next two games on the road are against newly promoted teams starting with this one. They have only taken one point from their last five games and they conceded 10 goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals and only Forest and Wolves scoring less.

Despite West Ham’s position in the table Jarrod Bowen still looks like a good choice for fantasy managers.

I think Leeds will make home advantage count and win this game by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 2-0

Saturday October 25

Chelsea v Sunderland

3pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London

Chelsea won 3-0 away to Forest last week and that win moved them up to fifth in the table. They have only won two of their four home games, but their next two games on their own patch are very favourable ones. They have won their last two games after failing to win the previous three with only City scoring more goals.

Chelsea’s defenders and keeper are all looking good for fantasy managers at the moment along with Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.

Sunderland won 2-0 at home to Wolves last week and they’re only behind Chelsea on goal difference going into this game. They have taken four points from their four away games, but they only scored one goal in those games with no other team scoring less goals on their travels. They have only lost once in their last six games, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals with only Arsenal conceding less.

Sunderland’s defenders and keeper are very good options for fantasy managers in home games in particular with Granit Xhaka a consideration too.

I think Chelsea should be good enough at home to take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Newcastle United v Fulham

3pm BST, St. James’s Park, Newcastle

Newcastle lost 2-1 away to Brighton last week and they’re still in the bottom half of the table. They have lost two of their four home games, but they were against last season’s top two. They have only won once in their last four games with only the bottom three scoring less goals.

Nick Woltemade is the Newcastle player to have for fantasy managers with their defenders and keeper good options too.

Fulham lost 1-0 at home to Arsenal last week and they’re one point and one place behind Newcastle going into this game. They have only taken one point away from home with only Burnley taking less points and conceding more goals on the road. They have lost their last three games and they conceded seven goals in those games.

I’m not sure there are any Fulham players doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Newcastle will bounce back with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Manchester United v Brighton And Hove Albion

5.30pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester

United won 2-1 away to Liverpool last week and they’re now only three points off second place. They have won their last three home games and they scored seven goals in those games. They have won three of their last four games, but no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.

Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo are the United players to look at for fantasy managers while Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko are possibilities too.

Brighton won 2-1 at home to Newcastle last week and that win moved them into the top half of the table. They have taken four points from their last two away games after losing the previous two. They have taken eight points from their last four games and they scored eight goals in those games.

Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck are the Brighton players looking good for fantasy managers at the moment.

This isn’t an easy game to call and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Brentford v Liverpool

8pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London

Brentford won 2-0 away to West Ham last week and that win moved them up to 13th place and well clear of the relegation zone. They have taken seven points from their four home games and they have had some very tough home games to start their season. They have won two of their last three games to climb the table, but their next three games are all very difficult.

Igor Thiago is the best of the Brentford players for fantasy managers.

Liverpool lost 2-1 at home to United last week and that defeat meant they dropped to third place. They have lost their last two away games, but they have a good run of games on the road coming up with the exception of City in a couple of weeks. They have lost their last three games after winning the previous five with only three other teams scoring more goals.

Cody Gakpo is probably the player offering most value to fantasy managers in the Liverpool team.

I think Liverpool will get a much needed win in this game, but it will be close.

Prediction: 1-2

Sunday October 26

Arsenal v Crystal Palace

2pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London

Arsenal won 1-0 away to Fulham last week to extend their lead at the top of the table to three points. They have taken 10 points from their four home games with no other team taking more points or scoring more goals on their own patch. They have kept clean sheets in five of their eight games with no other team conceding less goals and only City and Chelsea scoring more.

Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are great choices for fantasy managers with Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice worth considering too.

Palace came back from 2-0 down to draw 3-3 at home to Bournemouth last week which left them in ninth place. Their only defeat so far came away from home, but only two other teams have taken more points on their travels. They have drawn four of their eight games with no other team drawing more games.

Palace’s defenders are all doing well for fantasy managers along with Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta.

This looks like being a very close game and the chances are Arsenal will take the three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Aston Villa v Manchester City

2pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham

Villa won 2-1 away to Spurs last week and they’re only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They have won their last two home games and they scored five goals in those two games after failing to score in their first two games on their own ground. They have won their last three games after failing to win in the previous five, but this is the first of two very tough games in a row.

Morgan Rogers has found form in the last few weeks and he’s probably the best of the bunch in the Villa team for fantasy managers.

City won 2-0 at home to Everton last week and that victory moved them up to second place. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous two with only Arsenal and Newcastle conceding less goals on the road. They have taken 13 points from their last five games and they scored 12 goals in those games while keeping three clean sheets.

Erling Haaland is an absolute must have for fantasy managers while their defenders and keeper are looking good in recent weeks too.

I think City will have too much firepower for Villa and should win narrowly.

Prediction: 1-2

Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest

2pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth

Bournemouth led 2-0 away to Palace last week, but they had to settle for a 3-3 draw to leave them in fourth place. They’re one of six teams still unbeaten at home with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They’re unbeaten in seven games, but they have drawn three of their last four with only three other teams scoring more goals.

Antoine Semenyo is another must have for fantasy managers with Marcos Senesi a very good choice too and Krupp.jr worth considering at a great price.

Forest lost 3-0 at home to Chelsea last week and that defeat saw them drop into the relegation zone and part ways with their second manager of the season. They have only taken two points from their four away games with only Wolves and Newcastle scoring less goals on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last seven games with no other team scoring less goals and only West Ham and Wolves conceding more.

I can’t see any Forest players doing enough at the moment to interest fantasy managers.

I think Bournemouth’s impressive run will continue with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Burnley

2pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton

Wolves lost 2-0 away to Sunderland last week to remain rooted to the foot of the table without a win to their name. They have only taken one point from their four home games with only West Ham taking less points and conceding more goals on their own ground. They’re the only team without a win with only West Ham conceding more goals and no other team scoring less.

I can’t see any Wolves players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.

Burnley won 2-0 at home to Leeds last week to move themselves out of the bottom three. They’re the only team without a point away from home with no other conceding more goals on the road. Their home results are keeping them afloat at the moment, but they will hope to get something away to one of the three teams below them in the table.

Despite Burnley’s low position both Jaidon Anthony and Josh Cullen are doing very well for fantasy managers at a great price.

I think Wolves might just be able to get their first win of the season in a very tight game.

Prediction: 2-1

Everton v Tottenham Hotspur

4.30pm GMT, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool

Everton lost 2-0 away to City last week and that defeat saw them drop into the bottom half of the table. They’re one of six teams still unbeaten at home with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last five games and they won’t find it easy to take three points in this game either.

Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish are both doing very well for fantasy managers while Jordan Pickford and James Tarkowski do pretty well in home games.

Spurs lost 2-1 at home to Villa last week to leave them five points off the top of the table. They’re the only team still unbeaten away from home with no other team taking more points on their travels and only Chelsea scoring more goals. They have only won once in their last four games and they face three of the other big six teams in their next three games after this one.

Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha are the Spurs players who can do the best for fantasy managers.

This isn’t an easy game to predict, but I think it will most likely end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek Eight

 It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I got one perfect prediction, four correct outcomes and five correct outcomes last week which saw me drop to fifth place in my predictions league, but I’m no further behind first place than I was last week. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Pos     Player                  Res  Cls     Exa   Slm   Pts

1. Cole                           11    19.5     30      5     65.5
2. andy                            5     34.5     21     4      64.5
3. Orlando Pirates          12    30       15     6      63
4. Always a Gooner        6     27       27     3      63
5. JamrockRover            11   24        21     6      62

I did fairly well with my fantasy team too, but I lost a little ground in the overall rankings to remain just outside the top 1%. My choice of Erling Haaland as my captain paid off again and he was ably assisted by David Raya, Gabriel Magahlaes, Antoine Semenyo and Jack Grealish. The chances are Haaland will be my captain again this week as it’s impossible to ignore the form he’s currently in.

I have 4 free transfers at my disposal this week and it looks like I will be parting ways with Mohamed Salah. I will use the funds from his sale to strengthen my team with players like Mark Guehi, Ismaila Sarr, Mohammed Kudus, Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres all on my radar.

Saturday 18 October

Nottingham Forest v Chelsea

12.30pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham

Forest lost 2-0 away to Newcastle in their last game to leave them one place and one point above the relegation zone. They have lost their last two home games and they conceded four goals in those games with only the bottom two taking less points on their own ground. They have only taken two points from their last six games and only the three teams below them have conceded more goals.

I’m not sure there are any Forest players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment, but Chris Woods is a possibility.

Chelsea scored very late to win 2-1 at home to Liverpool last time out and that win left them five points off the top of the table in seventh place. They have only taken one point from their last two away games and they conceded four goals in those games, but only Spurs have scored more goals on the road. The win against Liverpool was their first win in four games with only City and Arsenal scoring more goals.

Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo are the best bets in the Chelsea team for fantasy managers with Joao Pedro and Trevoh Chalobah worth watching too.

I think Chelsea will put more pressure on Forest with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Brighton And Hove Albion v Newcastle United

3pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton

Brighton drew 1-1 away to Wolves in their last game to leave them one point off the top half of the table. They are unbeaten in their three home games despite having some difficult games on their own patch to start the season, but their fixtures get easier after this one. They have yet to keep a clean sheet, but they have every chance of doing so against a Newcastle team who haven’t scored an away goal so far.

Yankuba Minteh is the Brighton player for fantasy managers to have at the moment.

Newcastle won 2-0 at home to Forest last time out and they’re only ahead of Brighton on goal difference going into this game. They have drawn their three away games by the same 0-0 score and they’re the only team not to score or concede away from home. They have taken seven points from their last four games after only taking two in their first three with only Arsenal conceding less goals, but only Forest and Wolves scoring less.

Newcastle’s defenders and keeper are all doing very well for fantasy managers at the moment as is Nick Woltemade.

I don’t think there will be too much between these two teams and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this game end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Burnley v Leeds United

3pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley

Burnley lost 2-1 away to Villa in their last game and that defeat meant they stayed in the bottom three. All of their four points so far have come at home, but only West Ham have scored less goals on their own ground. They have only taken one point from their last four games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with only West Ham conceding more goals.

If he’s fit to play Jaidon Anthony is in great form for fantasy managers and Josh Cullen isn’t doing too badly either.

Leeds lost 2-1 at home to Spurs last time out and they’re now only three places above the drop zone. They won their last away game after losing their first two on the road, but only three other teams have conceded more goals away from home. They have only won once in their last six games, but their next two games are against teams in the bottom three starting with this one.

Anton Stach and Joe Rodon can both do fairly well for fantasy managers at a very good price.

This is a huge game for both teams and the chances are the spoils will be shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Crystal Palace v Bournemouth

3pm BST, Selhurst Park, London

Palace conceded very late on to lose 2-1 away to Everton in their last game and so ended the last unbeaten start to the season. They are still unbeaten at home, but they have drawn two of their three games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They lost their first game against Everton, but no other team has drawn more games and only Arsenal have conceded less goals.

Ismaila Sarr, Daniel Munoz and Marc Guehi are all looking very good for fantasy managers at the moment.

Bournemouth came from behind to win 3-1 at home to Fulham last time out and that win moved them up to fourth place. They have taken four points from their last two away games and only lost away to Liverpool, but they have some tough games coming up on their travels. They are unbeaten in six games and they won four of them with only five other teams scoring more goals.

Antoine Semenyo and Marcos Senesi are the Bournemouth players to have for fantasy managers at the moment.

This is a tough game to call and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Manchester City v Everton

3pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester

City won 1-0 away to Brentford in their last game and that win moved them up to fifth in the table. They have won their last two home games and they scored eight goals in those two games with only Arsenal scoring more goals on their own ground. They have taken 10 points from their last four games and no other team has scored more goals.

Erling Haaland is an absolute must have for fantasy managers with Josko Gvardiol and Tijjani Reijnders possibilities too.

Everton came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Palace last time out and that win moved them up to eighth place. They have lost two of their three away games and this will be one of their toughest road trips of the season. They hadn’t won in three games before beating Palace and their next two games are against teams in the top five starting with this one.

With Jack Grealish unable to play against his parent club Iliman Ndiaye and James Tarkowski are the Everton players to have for fantasy managers.

I think City will make home advantage pay to take all the points in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Sunderland v Wolverhampton Wanderers

3pm BST, Stadium of Light, Sunderland

Sunderland lost 2-0 away to United in their last game, but they held on to their place in the top half of the table. They have taken seven points from their three home games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own pitch. They have only won once in their last four games and no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.

Granit Xhaka, Wilson Isidor, Omar Alderete and Robin Roefs can all do very well for fantasy managers at a good price.

Wolves conceded a late goal to draw 1-1 at home to Brighton in their last game to leave them at the foot of the table. They drew their last away game after losing the previous two with only Newcastle scoring less goals on their travels. They’re the only team without a win with no other team scoring less goals and only West Ham and Burnley conceding more.

I’m still not sure there are any Wolves players who can make a difference for fantasy managers.

I think Sunderland’s impressive start to the season will continue with another victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Fulham v Arsenal

5.30pm BST, Craven Cottage, London

Fulham lost 3-1 away to Bournemouth in their last game and that defeat saw them drop to 14th place. They’re still unbeaten at home with seven of their eight points coming on their own ground and only Arsenal conceding less goals at home. They lost their last two games and they conceded six goals in those games, but they were both away from home.

I don’t think any of the Fulham players are showing enough consistency to interest fantasy managers.

Arsenal won 2-0 at home to West Ham last time out and that victory moved them to the top of the table. They have won two of their three away games with only Newcastle conceding less goals on the road. They have taken 10 points from their last four games with only City scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.

The Arsenal defenders and keeper are great choices for fantasy managers at the moment with Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka worth considering too.

I think Fulham will put it up to Arsenal, but the away team should take all the points.

Prediction: 1-2

Sunday 19 October

Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa

2pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

Spurs won 2-1 away to Leeds in their last game and that win moved them up to third in the table. They have only taken four of their 14 points at home and they have some tough games coming up on their own patch. They are unbeaten in four games with only City and Arsenal scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

Mohammed Kudus is the best of the Spurs players for fantasy managers with their defenders and keeper looking good too.

Villa won 2-1 at home to Burnley last time out and that win moved them within one point of the top half of the table. They haven’t won away from home yet, but they drew two of their three games with only Newcastle scoring less and conceding less goals on their travels. They have won their last two games after failing to win the previous five with only Forest and Wolves scoring less goals.

I’m still not sure there are any Villa players doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment.

I don’t think there will be too much between these two teams and I wouldn’t be surprised if neither of them came out on top.

Prediction: 1-1

Liverpool v Manchester United

4.30pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool

Liverpool conceded a very late goal to lose 2-1 away to Chelsea in their last game and that defeat cost them their place at the top of the table. They’re the only team still with a 100% record at home and they have a very good run of games coming up on their own ground. They have lost their last two games after winning the previous five, but they have a very good run of fixtures coming up with only City and Arsenal scoring more goals.

Despite not being at his best so far this season Mohamed Salah is still a good option for fantasy managers with Cody Gakpo a consideration too.

United won 2-0 at home to Sunderland last time out and that win was enough to move them into the top half of the table. They have only taken one point away from home so far with only three other teams conceding more goals on the road. They have won as many games as they have lost and no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.

Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko are the United players looking most likely to do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Liverpool will be too good at home for United and should win by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 3-1

Monday 20 October

West Ham United v Brentford

8pm BST, London Stadium, London

West Ham lost 2-0 away to Arsenal last week to leave them one place above the bottom of the table. They’re the only team without a point at home with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch and only Wolves conceding more. They have only taken one point from their last four games with no other team conceding more goals and only Wolves and Forest scoring less.

Jarrod Bowen is the West Ham player to have for fantasy managers with El Hadji Malick Diouf a possibility too.

Brentford lost 1-0 at home to City last week and they’re only two points above the relegation zone. They’re one of two teams without a point away from home with only two other teams conceding more goals on their travels. They have lost three of their last five games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

Igor Thiago is the Brentford player who can do well for fantasy managers.

I think West Ham might just be able to get a badly needed win in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek Seven

 It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I had a very bad week last week with one perfect prediction, one correct outcome and eight incorrect outcomes, but thankfully others didn’t do too well either and I only dropped to second place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Pos     Player              Res  Cls    Exa  Slm  Pts

1. Always a Gooner   5     22.5   27     3     57.5
2. JamrockRover        9     21      18     5     53
3. Cole                       10    16.5   21     4     51.5
4. SeniorBurger          8      21     18     4     51
5. Gunnerdapper        11    15      21     3     50

I had a very good week with my fantasy team as my decision to use my triple captain chip on Erling Haaland paid handsome dividends. He was supported by Gabriel Magahlaes, Marcos Senesi, Antoine Semenyo and Igor Thiago as I climbed to just outside the top 1% overall. I was outside the top 50% only three weeks ago, but I got the best out of the chips I used.

I have three free transfers to use this week if I want to and I am severely tempted to sell Mohamed Salah. My only problem is who to bring in instead, but it’s difficult to justify Salah’s price given his current points return. I might just let the transfers ride for a mini wildcard after the next international break.

Friday October 3

Bournemouth v Fulham

8pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth

Bournemouth drew 2-2 away to Leeds last week, but that draw saw them drop to sixth place. They have taken seven points from their three home games and no other has conceded less goals on their own ground. They are unbeaten in five games and they have a good run of games coming up.

Antoine Semenyo and Marcos Senesi are the Bournemouth players to have for fantasy managers with Evanilson worth considering too.

Fulham led early on, but they ended up losing 3-1 away to Villa last week and they dropped into the bottom half of the table on goal difference as a result. They have only taken one point from their three away games with only four other teams conceding less goals on the road. They had won two games in a row before losing to Villa, but this is the first of three difficult games in a row.

I’m not sure there are any Fulham players who can make a real difference for fantasy managers, but Alex Iwobi and Joachim Andersen are capable of doing so.

I think Bournemouth’s impressive run will continue with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Saturday October 4

Leeds United v Tottenham Hotspur

12.30pm BST, Elland Road, Leeds

Leeds drew 2-2 at home to high flying Bournemouth last week and that point means they’re only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They are still unbeaten at home, but they drew two of their three games on their own patch with only West Ham scoring less goals at home. They have had a good start to life back in the top flight and they have a good run of games coming up.

Anton Stach and Joe Rodon are both doing well for fantasy managers at a good price while Dominic Calvert-Lewin is worth a look too.

Spurs scored very late to draw 1-1 at home to bottom club Wolves last week and that point left them in fourth place. They have taken seven points from their three away games with no other team taking more points on their travels and only Chelsea scoring more goals. They have only won once in their last four games, but only three other teams have scored more goals and only two other teams have conceded less.

Mohamed Kudus and Richarlison are looking good for fantasy managers along with the Spurs defenders and keeper.

I think Leeds will make things difficult for Spurs and I wouldn’t be surprised if the points were shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Arsenal v West Ham United

3pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London

Arsenal scored two late goals to win 2-1 away to Newcastle last week and that win moved them within two points of Liverpool at the top of the table. They have taken seven points from their three home games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals on their own ground. Only Liverpool have taken more points with only City scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.

Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are very good choices for fantasy managers with Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Viktor Gyokeres worth considering too.

West Ham drew 1-1 away to Everton last week, but they’re still only one point off the foot of the table. All four of their points have come away from home, but this will be a tougher game on the road than any of their others so far. They have only won once in their first six games, but they have a good run of games coming up and no other team has conceded more goals.

Jarrod Bowen and El Hadji Malick Diouf are the West Ham players to have for fantasy managers.

I think Arsenal will make home advantage pay to win this game with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 3-1

Manchester United v Sunderland

3pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester

United lost 3-1 away to Brentford last week and that defeat saw them drop to 14th place in the table. They have won their last two home games and they scored five goals in those wins. They have lost two of their last three games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

Bruno Fernandes remains the best choice in the United team for fantasy managers despite missing two penalties already this season.

Sunderland won 1-0 away to Forest last week and that win moved them up to fifth place. They have taken four points from their two away games, but only Newcastle have scored less goals on their travels. They’re unbeaten in four games with only Arsenal and Palace conceding less goals.

Omar Alderete, Granit Xhaka and Wilson Isidor can all do very well for fantasy managers at a very good price.

I think Sunderland will make things very difficult for United and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this game end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Chelsea v Liverpool

5.30pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London

Chelsea led at home to Brighton last week, but they ended up losing 3-1 after having a man sent off for the second game in a row. They have only won once in their three home games, but they kept clean sheets in two of those games. They have lost their last two games and they need to get something from this game to try to keep pace with the early leaders.

Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Joao Pedro and Trevoh Chalobah (when he’s back from suspension) are all very good options for fantasy managers.

Liverpool conceded a very late goal to lose 2-1 away to Palace last week as the last 100% record of the season ended and their lead at the top of the table was cut to two points. They won their first two away games before losing to Palace, but they have some difficult games on the road coming up. Despite losing last week they remained at the top of the table with only City scoring more goals.

Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Cody Gakpo are all looking good for fantasy managers at the moment with a few more names to add to that list surely as the season progresses.

I think Liverpool will have enough firepower to win this game narrowly.

Prediction: 1-2

Sunday October 5

Aston Villa v Burnley

2pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham

Villa got their first win of the season when they came from behind to win 3-1 at home to Fulham last week. They have taken four of their six points at home, but only West Ham have scored less goals on their own patch. They moved out of the bottom three with that victory last week and they need to get something from this game with some very tough games coming up, but no other team has scored less goals.

Ollie Watkins eventually got off the mark for fantasy managers last week and he could do well in this game.

Burnley lost 5-1 away to City last week and that defeat saw them drop into the relegation zone. They’re one of two teams without a point away from home and no other team has conceded more goals on their travels. They have only taken one point from their last four games and they conceded 10 goals in those games with only West Ham conceding more goals.

Jaidon Anthony is the Burnley player making a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Villa will make it two wins in a row with a few goals to spare in this game.

Prediction: 3-0

Everton v Crystal Palace

2pm BST, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool

Everton drew 1-1 at home to West Ham last week and that point was enough to keep them in the top half of the table on goal difference. They’re still unbeaten at home, but they have drawn two of their three games and no other team has conceded less goals on their own ground. They have only lost once in their last five games, but they have two very tough games after this one.

Iliman Ndiaye, Jack Grealish, James Garner and the Everton defenders and keeper are all worth considering for fantasy managers.

Palace scored very late to win 2-1 at home to Liverpool last week and that result moved them up to third place. They’re one of three teams still unbeaten away from home with only Newcastle conceding less goals on the road. They’re the only team still unbeaten with no other team drawing more games or conceding less goals.

Ismaila Sarr and all of the Palace defenders and keeper are looking very good for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Palace might just be good enough to win a very tight game.

Prediction: 1-2

Newcastle United v Nottingham Forest

2pm BST, St. James’s Park, Newcastle

Newcastle conceded two late goals to lose 2-1 at home to Arsenal last week to leave them two points above the bottom three. They have lost two of their three home games, but they were against the top two teams. Their only win so far was against bottom club Wolves and no other team has scored less goals, but they have kept four clean sheets in their six games.

Newcastle’s defenders and keeper are worth watching for fantasy managers with Nick Woltemade a possibility too.

Forest lost 1-0 at home to Sunderland last week to leave them one point and one place above the relegation zone. They have drawn two of their three away games, but only four other teams have scored less goals on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last five games with only three other teams scoring less goals.

None of the Forest players are setting the world alight for fantasy managers at the moment, but Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White both have the potential to do so.

I think Newcastle should be strong enough at home to take all the points in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brighton And Hove Albion

2pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton

Wolves conceded very late to draw 1-1 away to Spurs last week which leaves them firmly rooted to the foot of the table. They’re one of two teams without a point at home and no other team has conceded more goals on their own ground. That point last week was their first point of the season with no other team scoring less goals and only West Ham conceding more.

I can’t see any Wolves players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.

Brighton came from behind to win 3-1 away to 10 man Chelsea last week and that win moved them into the top half of the table on goal difference. They had lost their previous two away games, but they will be very hopeful of making it consecutive wins on the road in this game. They only play one of the big six in their next nine games which should give them a very good opportunity to climb the table.

Yankuba Minteh and Kaoru Mitoma (if he’s fit to play) are the Brighton players to have for fantasy managers.

I think Brighton will make it two away wins in a row, but only by a tight margin.

Prediction: 1-2

Brentford v Manchester City

4.30pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London

Brentford won 3-1 at home to United last week, but a home game against City won’t be so easy. They have won two of their three home games and only three other teams have scored more goals on their own patch. Brentford have a very tough run of fixtures coming up and only three other teams have conceded more goals.

I mentioned last week that Igor Thiago might be a good bet for fantasy managers and he proved me right.

City won 5-1 at home to Burnley last week to make it 10 points from their first six games. They have taken four points from their three away games with only Chelsea and Spurs scoring more goals on their travels. They have taken seven points from their last three games after losing the previous two with no other team scoring more goals.

Erling Haaland is an absolute must have for fantasy managers at the moment with Tijjani Reijnders, Phil Foden and Jeremy Doku good options too.

I think City will have too much strength in attack for a dodgy Brentford defence and should win by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 1-3

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.