Predictions For Premier League Gameweek Four

It’s that time of the week when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did reasonably well last week with no perfect predictions, five correct outcomes and five incorrect outcomes which saw me move up to third 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    12     9    2      28
2. Gunnerdapper           8     9      6    2      25
3. JamrockRover           7    12     3    3      25
4. Derek                         5     9      9    1      24
5. poirot                         5     9      9    1      24

I had another poor week with my fantasy team and this season has gotten off to a very bad start after my fantastic performance last season. Trevoh Chalobah, Joao Pedro and Ilian Ndiaye were the only players to do anything for me and some major squad reshaping might be in order. With that in mind I will probably use my wildcard this week with a view to using my bench boost next week to hopefully move me in the right direction.

I will be keeping Mohamed Salah, Chalobah, Joao Pedro, Ndiaye, Antoine Semenyo, Martin Dubravka and Tijjani Reijnders, but the rest of the squad will go. There’s a lot of work to be done deciding which players to bring in, but I will definitely change most of my defenders and strikers with my midfield not needing quite so many adjustments.

Saturday September 13

Arsenal v Nottingham Forest

12.30pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London

Arsenal lost 1-0 to Liverpool last time out to put and end to their 100% record and drop to third in the table. They won their opening home game 5-0 against Leeds and they need to win this game after losing their table topping game against Liverpool. No other team has conceded less goals so far with only Liverpool and Chelsea scoring more.

The Arsenal defenders and keeper are very good choices for fantasy managers with Viktor Gyokeres worth considering too.

Forest lost 3-0 at home to West Ham last week and they parted ways with their manager this week after his relationship with the owner deteriorated. They drew their first away game at Palace, but they will find Arsenal a much tougher proposition. They play two of the promoted teams in their next two games after this one, but only three other teams have conceded more goals.

Chris Woods is the Forest player to have for fantasy managers with Dan Ndoye a possibility too.

I think Arsenal should make home advantage count to take the three points in this game even with Forest’s new manager bounce.

Prediction: 3-1

Bournemouth v Brighton And Hove Albion

3pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth

Bournemouth won 1-0 away to Spurs in their last game to make it two wins from their first three games. They won their first home game and three of their next four games are on their own ground. Since losing their opening game 4-2 to Liverpool they have won their next two games without conceding a goal and they have a good run of fixtures coming up.

Antoine Semenyo and Evanilson are the Bournemouth players to look at for fantasy managers with their defenders and keeper looking good too.

Brighton came from behind to win 2-1 at home to City last week to record their first win of the season. They lost their first away game against Everton and this will be a difficult game for them too. They haven’t kept a clean sheet so far and they have a tough run of games coming up.

Kaoru Mitoma is probably the best of the Brighton players for fantasy managers.

I think Bournemouth will more than likely get the better of a tight game to take the three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Crystal Palace v Sunderland

3pm BST, Selhurst Park, London

Palace won 3-0 away to Villa last time out and they’re one of three teams still unbeaten. They drew their first home game 1-1 against Forest and they will be confident of getting their first home win in this game. They have only conceded one goal in their first three games and they have some good fixtures coming up.

Ismaila Sarr (if he’s fit to play) and Jean-Philippe Mateta are good choices for fantasy managers with the Palace defenders and keeper good options too.

Sunderland scored two late goals to win 2-1 at home to Brentford in their last game which saw them move up to fifth in the table. They lost their opening away game 2-0 at Burnley and this will be a harder game for them. They have done the best of the three promoted teams so far with two wins from three games, but those wins were both at home.

I’m not sure which Sunderland players to recommend to fantasy managers just yet, but Reinildo Mandava is worth considering as a budget priced defender.

I think Palace will continue their unbeaten start to the season with a win in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Everton v Aston Villa

3pm BST, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool

Everton won 3-2 away to Wolves last time out to make it two wins from their first three games. They won their first home game 2-0 against Brighton and they will fancy their chances against a struggling Villa side. They will want to take all three points ahead of a huge game for them against bitter rivals Liverpool next week.

Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish are the Everton players to have for fantasy managers with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall a possibility too.

Villa lost 3-0 at home to Palace in their last game to leave them one place off the foot of the table. They lost their opening away game against Brentford and they really need to get something from this game. They are the only team without a goal in their first three games, but they do have a good run of fixtures coming up.

I can’t see any Villa players doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment, but that could change over the next few weeks.

I think Everton will make it three wins in a row in this game by a narrow margin.

Prediction: 2-1

Fulham v Leeds United

3pm BST, Craven Cottage, London

Fulham lost 2-0 away to Chelsea in their last game to leave themselves without a win in their first three games. They drew their opening home game against United and their next two games are at home to teams they have every chance of beating. Only two other teams have scored less goals in their first three games, but they will be hopeful of adding to their tally in this game.

Josh King is available at a very good price for fantasy managers even if it’s just to sit on the bench.

Leeds drew 0-0 at home to Newcastle last time out to leave themselves on four points from three games. They lost their first away game 5-0 against Arsenal with only Burnley conceding more goals on their travels. They have kept clean sheets in two of their three games, but both of those games were at home.

The Leeds defenders and keeper could be worth keeping an eye on for fantasy managers when they’re at home at least.

I think Fulham will get their first win of the season with a couple of goals to spare in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers

3pm BST, St. James’s Park, Newcastle

Newcastle drew 0-0 away to Leeds in their last game to leave them on two points from their first three games. They lost their only home game 3-2 against Liverpool, but Wolves are nowhere near the level of the champions. They have failed to score in two of their three games, but they should find scoring a little easier in this game.

Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa might prove to be good purchases for fantasy managers in the weeks to come, but it’s the Newcastle defenders and keeper who should be interesting fantasy managers at the moment.

Wolves lost 3-2 at home to Everton last time out to stay rooted to the foot of the table with no points from their first three games. They lost their opening away game against Bournemouth and they will find it difficult to get anything from this game too. They’re the only team without a point and no other team have conceded more goals, but they have a good run of games after this one.

I’m not sure there are any Wolves players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Newcastle will get their first win of the season with a few goals to spare in this game.

Prediction: 3-0

West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur

5.30pm BST, London Stadium, London

West Ham won 3-0 away to Forest in their last game to record their first win of the season and get themselves off the foot of the table. They lost their first home game 5-1 against Chelsea and Spurs will be another tough task for them. No other team has conceded more goals so far, but the result against Forest suggests things might be improving for them.

Lucas Paqueta, Jarrod Bowen and El Hadji Malick Diouf could all do quite well for fantasy managers.

Spurs lost 1-0 at home to Bournemouth last time out to put an end to their perfect start to the season. They won their opening away game against City and they have a fairly good run of away games coming up. No other team has conceded less goals so far and they don’t play any of the other big six teams in their next six games.

Mohammed Kudus, Brennan Johnson and Richarlison have been the Spurs players to impress for fantasy managers so far along with their defenders and keeper, but Johnson and Richarlison might get limited game time quite soon.

This game could go either way and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Brentford v Chelsea

8pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London

Brentford lost 2-1 away to Sunderland last time out despite going ahead and they have lost two of their first three games. The only game they won so far was at home though and they won’t make it easy for Chelsea in this game. They have a tough run of games coming up and they could find things difficult with all the changes in their squad and management.

Dango Ouattara and Igor Thiago are the Brentford players to look at for fantasy managers.

Chelsea won 2-0 at home to Fulham in their last game after some very controversial decisions went in their favour and that win moved them up to second place. They won their first away game 5-1 against West Ham with no other team scoring more goals on the road. They’re one of three teams still unbeaten and they have a good run of games coming up.

Joao Pedro, Enzo Fernandez and the Chelsea defenders and keeper are all doing very well for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Chelsea will keep their momentum going with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Sunday September 14

Burnley v Liverpool

2pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley

Burnley conceded a very late goal to lose 3-2 away to United in their last game. They won their opening home game against Sunderland, but the reigning champions will prove to be a much tougher prospect. The three points they got against Sunderland could be the only ones they get for a while as they have some difficult games coming up.

Josh Cullen and Jaidon Anthony have both started the season well for fantasy managers, but it’s a risk to own Burnley players.

Liverpool won 1-0 at home to Arsenal last time out to maintain their 100% record and move to the top of the table. They left it late to win their first away game against Newcastle, but they will be confident of closing this game out with a lot more ease. They’re the only team left with a 100% record and no other team has scored more goals.

Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike have been the Liverpool players to have so far for fantasy managers, but that could change with the arrival of Alexander Isak.

I can’t see anything other than a comfortable Liverpool win in this game.

Prediction: 0-3

Manchester City v Manchester United

4.30pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester

City lost 2-1 away to Brighton in their last game after leading 1-0 and they have lost two of their first three games. They lost their first home game against Spurs and they really need to win this game. They looked so good in their opening game, but they have lost their last two games and they play Arsenal next week.

Erling Haaland is still the outstanding City player for fantasy managers with Tijjani Reijnders a possibility too.

United scored very late on to get their first win of the season in a 3-2 victory at home to Burnley last time out. They drew their first away game against Fulham and they have a very tough run of games on the road starting with this one. With only the Premier League to contend with between now and the end of the year they should be in good stead, but they have a tough run of games at the moment.

Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and maybe Benjamin Sesko could all do well for fantasy managers.

I think home advantage should be enough for City to take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek Three

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn’t have the best week last week with one perfect prediction, four correct outcomes and five incorrect outcomes which kept me in fifth 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    4      9      6       2       21
2. Gunnerdapper         7      6      3       2       18
3. Derek                      5      6      6       1       18
4. Faroukh                   5    10.5   0       2     17.5
5. JamrockRover         5     7.5    3       2     17.5

I didn’t have a great week with my fantasy team either as my last minute decision to use my free hit didn’t pay off. I would actually have fared better if I had stuck to my guns and gone with the same team that did average at best for me the previous week. I will be back to that team this week and I will have to think carefully about the one free transfer I have available.

Ollie Watkins, Cole Palmer and Florian Wirtz all cost too much to be underperforming for me and I think I will have to move them all on very soon. The chances are I will bring Antoine Semenyo in and maybe Chris Wood too if I decide to take a four point hit. At the moment I’ll probably opt for Mohamed Salah as my captain with Joao Pedro being an option too.

Saturday August 30

Chelsea v Fulham

12.30pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London

Chelsea came from behind to win 5-1 away to West Ham last week and that win leaves them in fourth place after two games. They drew their opening home game 0-0 against Palace, but after beating West Ham last week they will be more confident of winning this game. They’re in the middle of a good run of games which should see them keep that place near the top of the table.

If Cole Palmer is still injured then Joao Pedro is the best bet for fantasy managers in the Chelsea team with their defenders and keeper worth considering too.

Fulham came from behind to draw 1-1 at home to United last week to make two draws in their first two games. They scored very late to draw their first away game at Brighton and they will find it difficult to get anything from this game. They have shown great resilience to come from behind in both of their games and they have a couple of good games after this one.

I’m not sure which Fulham players will perform best for fantasy managers this season, but we might get a better idea over the next few weeks.

I think Fulham will make things difficult for Chelsea, but the home team should take the three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Manchester United v Burnley

3pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester

United led 1-0 away to Fulham last week, but they couldn’t hold to get their first win of the season and they had to settle for a 1-1 draw. Their home record was far from impressive last season and this game gives them the ideal chance to get their first home win of the season. They have two very difficult games after this one which means nothing less than three points will suffice.

Burnley got their first win of the season last week with a 2-0 victory at home to Sunderland. Their away games to start the season are far from easy and they will need to take points at home to make up for it. Like all the other promoted teams survival in the top flight is their main objective and that will probably be determined by their results against the so called lesser teams.

Burnley’s defenders and keeper can all be had at very god prices for fantasy managers and their fixtures improve in a few weeks.

I think United will get their much needed first win of the season in this game with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 2-0

Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth

3pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

Spurs had a very impressive 2-0 win away to City last week to maintain their 100% start to the season. They won their opening home game 3-0 against Burnley and they will be confident of winning this game too. They’re one of three teams to win their first two games and one of only two teams yet to concede a goal.

Brennan Johnson, Richarlison and Mohammed Kudus are looking good for fantasy managers at the moment with the Spurs defenders and keeper impressing too.

Bournemouth got their first points of the season last week with a 1-0 win at home to Wolves after losing their opening game at Liverpool. They have had a couple of tough games to get their away schedule going and they will do well to get anything out of this game. They have a reasonably good run of games after this one and any points from this game would be a welcome bonus.

Antoine Semenyo and Marcus Tavernier are the Bournemouth players to have at the moment for fantasy managers with Evanilson and the returning Justin Kluivert possibilities too.

I think Spurs will continue their impressive start to the season with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Sunderland v Brentford

3pm BST, Stadium of Light, Sunderland

Sunderland lost 2-0 away to Burnley last week, but at least they won their opening game. They won their opening home game against West Ham and they have a very good chance of getting something from this game too. They have a fairly good run of games coming up, but no games are easy for newly promoted teams.

Some of Sunderland’s defenders are available at a good price and Eliezer Mayenda is worth a look too.

Brentford won 1-0 at home to Villa last week after being well beaten in their opening game away to Forest. They have a far better chance of getting something from this game though. They have a very tough run of games coming up so they probably need to get something from this game.

Dango Ouattara and Igor Thiago might be worth considering for fantasy managers.

I think this will be a close game with a draw being the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton

3pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton

Wolves lost 1-0 away to Bournemouth last week to leave them pointless and goalless after their first two games. They lost their opening home game 4-0 against City, but Everton should not prove as difficult an opponent. They’re only one place off the foot of the table and they’re one of two teams yet to score.

Jorgen Strand Larsen is the best of the Wolves players for fantasy managers, but they might not be able to hold on to him.

Everton got life in their new stadium off to a great start with a 2-0 win at home to Brighton last week. That put the disappointment of the defeat against Leeds in their opening away game behind them. They have a fairly good run of games coming up and they will feel they have a good chance of getting something from this game.

Iliman Ndiaye is the Everton player most likely to perform for fantasy managers while Jack Grealish, James Tarkowski and Jordan Pickford could do well too.

I think Wolves poor start to the season will continue as Everton win a close game.

Prediction: 1-2

Leeds United v Newcastle United

5.30pm BST, Elland Road, Leeds

Leeds lost 5-0 away to Arsenal last week, but they at least managed to win their opening game. They will be hoping for the home crowd to get behind them like they did in their opening home game against Everton as that home form will be crucial in their efforts to stay up. They only play one of the big six in their next 10 games and they need to make that run of games count.

I’m still not sure which Leeds players to recommend to fantasy managers.

Newcastle conceded very late to lose 3-2 at home to Liverpool last week to leave themselves with only one point from their first two games. They drew their first away game 0-0 against Villa and they will be hoping to get their first away win in this game. They have a good run of games coming up, but they need to find a striker as soon as possible to try to keep pace with the leaders.

With Anthony Gordon suspended and Alexander Isak wanting a transfer it’s probably a good idea for fantasy managers to hold off on Newcastle players for a few weeks.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared in this game.

Prediction: 1-1

Sunday August 31

Brighton And Hove Albion v Manchester City

2pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton

Brighton lost 2-0 away to Everton last week, but they had plenty of chances to get something from the game and they also missed a penalty. They drew their opening home game against Fulham after conceding a very late goal and this will be a difficult home game for them. They play three of the big six in their next four games starting with this one which is a very tough run of games.

Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter are the Brighton players to consider for fantasy managers, but maybe not for the next few weeks.

City lost 2-0 at home to Spurs last week to put their impressive opening win against Wolves in a different light. They won that away game 4-0 against Wolves, but they showed their deficiencies last week. If they’re going to challenge for the title this season they need to show more consistency and they play United and Arsenal in their next two games after this one.

Tijjani Reijnders and Erling Haaland are the City players to own for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think this will be a close game, but City should have the firepower to take the three points.

Prediction: 1-2

Nottingham Forest v West Ham United

2pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham

Forest came from behind to draw 1-1 away to Palace last week to make it four points from their first two games. They won their first home game 3-1 against Brentford and they will be expected to make it two home wins out of two in this game. They have a good run of games to start the season with the exception of their trip to Arsenal in their next game.

Chris Wood looks like the Forest player to have again for fantasy managers with Dan Ndoye a possibility too.

West Ham led at home to Chelsea last week, but they ended up losing 5-1 which left at the foot of the table. They lost their opening away game 3-0 against newly promoted Sunderland and they will struggle to get anything from this game. They have conceded eight goals in their first two games and they need to tighten up at the back or it will be a long hard season for them.

Despite their awful start to the season Jarrod Bowen should still come good for fantasy managers.

I think Forest will continue their impressive start to the season with a victory in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Liverpool v Arsenal

4.30pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool

Liverpool led 2-0 away to Newcastle last week, but they needed a last gasp goal to win 3-2 and make it six points from their first two games. They won their first home game 4-2 against Bournemouth with two late goals and it was their home form which won them the title last season. They are the highest scorers already, but only three other teams have conceded more goals and that’s an issue they have to resolve.

Hugo Ekitike, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo are all looking very good for fantasy managers at the moment.

Arsenal won 5-0 at home to Leeds last week to put themselves on top of the table after their first two games. They won their first away game 1-0 against United, but this will be a much tougher task. Only Liverpool have scored more goals so far and they’re one of two teams still to concede, but that could change in this game.

Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are very good options for fantasy managers, but maybe not in this game while Declan Rice and Viktor Gyokeres are worth having too.

This is a game which could go either way, but a draw is probably the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 2-2

Aston Villa v Crystal Palace

7pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham

Villa lost 1-0 away to Brentford last week to leave themselves with only one point and no goals from their first two games. They drew their opening game 0-0 at home to Villa and had a man sent off too, but they created very little in that game. They have really struggled to create chances so far, but they are in the middle of a very good run of games.

If Villa can get their form together then Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins can do well for fantasy managers.

Palace led at home to Forest last week, but they had to settle for a 1-1 draw to make it two points from their first two games. They drew their first away game 0-0 at Chelsea and they will fancy their chances in this game too. They have a mixed bag of games at the moment, but they will feel confident of getting something from any game after winning two trophies.

With Eberechi Eze now an Arsenal player Jean-Philippe Mateta, Ismaila Sarr and Daniel Munoz are the Palace players to have for fantasy managers.

This is a difficult game to call, but I have a feeling Palace might just edge it.

Prediction: 1-2

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek Two

 It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did reasonably well last week with no perfect predictions, six correct outcomes and four incorrect outcomes which leaves me in fifth 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.     Derek                  3       4.5     3       1       11.5

2.     TOPGUN            2       4.5     3       1      10.5

3.      Poirot                 3         6      0       1       10

4.      Gunnerdapper    5         0      3        1       9

5.      JamrockRover   2         6       0        1      9

I didn’t have a great start to the season with my fantasy team though as a few of my highly priced players failed to perform. Micky van de Ven, Trevoh Chalobah, Tijjani Reijnders and Mohamed Salah were the only players to prove their worth and I have some ground to make up already. It’s still early days though and I’m hoping to climb the rankings gradually over the next few weeks.

Salah was my captain last week and the chances are he will be again this week. I will probably hold off on making any transfers as I look to build them up and use them together next week or the week after.

Friday August 22

West Ham United v Chelsea

8pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London

West Ham lost 3-0 away to newly promoted Sunderland last week and they need to perform an awful lot better if they going to stay clear of the wrong end of the table. They will be looking to get something from their first home game of the season, but they won’t find Chelsea an easy opponent.

Jarrod Bowen is the best of the Chelsea players for fantasy managers while El Hadji Malick Diouf is worth considering too.

Chelsea could only draw 0-0 at home to Palace last week as it looked like their exertions at the Club World Cup have taken their toll. They have a good run of games to start their season though and they will feel confident of getting something from this game after West Ham’s result last week.

Chelsea’s defenders and keeper are all good choices for fantasy managers while Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro can do well too.

I think Chelsea might just have enough to narrowly win this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Saturday August 23

Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur

12.30pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester

City strolled to a 4-0 win away to Wolves last week to put them on top of the table early on, but they won’t find Spurs such a pushover. If they’re going to challenge for the title this season this is a game they need to win to show they are contenders.

Erling Haaland and Tijjani Reijnders are both looking like very good options for fantasy managers at the moment with the City defenders and keeper looking good too.

Spurs won 3-0 at home to newly promoted Burnley last week to get their season off to a very good start. This is a very tough game for them, but they have a great run of fixtures after it.

Mohammed Kudus looks like a good choice for fantasy managers with the Spurs defenders possibilities after this game too.

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

Prediction: 3-1

Bournemouth v Wolverhampton Wanderers

3pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth

Bournemouth conceded two late goals to lose 4-2 away to Liverpool last week and they will be hoping to fare a lot better in this game. They were strong defensively for most of last season, but their new look defence might take a while to gel.

Antoine Semenyo showed just how good he can be for fantasy managers against Liverpool last week and Evanilson is worth watching too.

Wolves lost 4-0 at home to City last week to leave at the foot of the table early on. They will be hoping to improve on that result quickly and they might have a chance of getting something from this game against that new look Bournemouth defence.

Jorgen Strand Larsen is the Wolves player of most interest to fantasy managers at the moment and there could be others to consider over the next few weeks.

I think Bournemouth showed enough against Liverpool last week to suggest they will win this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Brentford v Aston Villa

3pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London

Brentford lost 3-1 away to Forest last week and the signs post Thomas Frank aren’t too good for them early on. They could be about to lose Yoane Wissa after already losing Bryan Mbeumo and Cristian Norgaard which will put them on the back foot early on.

Igor Thiago looks like the Brentford player who could do well for fantasy managers.

Villa drew 0-0 at home to Newcastle last week and they were fairly lucky to get that point. They had a very good season last season, but fell just short of qualifying for the Champions League and maintaining that progress could prove difficult for them.

Despite not doing much last week Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers still look like good options for fantasy managers.

I think Villa will probably just about get the better of a very close game.

Prediction: 1-2

Burnley v Sunderland

3pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley

Burnley lost 3-0 away to Spurs last week as they found their return to the top flight difficult. A game against one of the other newly promoted clubs might suit them better though and they will be anxious to take the three points.

I’m still not sure if there are any Burnley players to really interest fantasy managers, but they have a lot of cheap defenders and a cheap keeper too who could warm the bench of those looking for value.

Sunderland celebrated their return to the Premier League with a 3-0 win at home to West Ham last week. This game offers them the opportunity to make it two wins out of two and put some real space between them and the wrong end of the table.

Reinildo Mandava, Simon Adingra and Eliezer Mayenda could all potentially do a good job for fantasy managers at the right price.

After last week’s performance I think Sunderland are the more likely to take three very important points in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Arsenal v Leeds United

5.30pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal won 1-0 away to United last week despite being far from their best. They should relish a game against a newly promoted team as their first home game of the season and it should give them the opportunity to show how good they can be.

Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyokeres, Declan Rice and the Arsenal defenders and keeper all look like very good choices for fantasy managers.

Leeds returned to the top flight in style last week with a 1-0 win at home to Everton. A trip to Arsenal will be a much tougher proposition for them though and anything they can get from this game would be a huge boost.

Joe Rodon could be a good cut price defender for fantasy managers to consider.

I can’t see anything other than an Arsenal victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Sunday August 24

Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest

2pm BST, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace drew 0-0 away to Chelsea last week and they would have won the game if VAR hadn’t ruled out Eberechi Eze’s free kick goal. Their biggest problem could be keeping the players they have with Eze and Marc Guehi both possibly moving before the window closes.

Jean-Philippe Mateta and Daniel Munoz are good options for fantasy managers along with Eze and Guehi.

Forest won 3-1 at home to Brentford last week to get their season off to a very good start. A trip to Palace will be a tougher challenge for them though and they conceded a lot of goals away from home late on last season.

Chris Wood showed last week that he can still perform for fantasy managers while Elliot Anderson and the Forest defenders are possibilities too.

I think Palace will make home advantage pay with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Everton v Brighton And Hove Albion

2pm BST, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool 

Everton lost 1-0 away to newly promoted Leeds last week and they had very little to offer in that game. Their first game in their new stadium should be a different proposition though and the atmosphere promises to be electric.

James Tarkowski, Iliman Ndiaye and Jordan Pickford could all be worth considering for fantasy managers.

Brighton conceded a goal right at the death to draw 1-1 at home to Fulham last week. They showed enough in that game to suggest they will do well this season, but they probably need to sign a striker soon.

Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter are both good options for fantasy managers while Maxim de Cuyper is a possibility too.

I think this will be a close game with a draw being the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

Fulham v Manchester United

4.30pm BST, Craven Cottage, London

Fulham scored a very late goal to rescue a point in a 1-1 draw away to Brighton last week. They will have to perform a lot better to get anything out of this game though.

Harry Wilson looks like he just might do well for fantasy managers and he’s available at a good price too.

United lost 1-0 at home to Arsenal last week, but they put in a very good performance at least. They need to turn that performance into points though and they have every chance to do so in this game.

Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha are both looking like they could do well for fantasy managers with Leny Yoro worth considering too.

I think Fulham will make United work hard and might just take a point off them.

Prediction: 1-1

Monday August 25

Newcastle United v Liverpool

8pm BST, St. James’s Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle drew 0-0 away to Villa last week and they probably would have won if Alexander Isak hadn’t refused to play. Liverpool will offer them a much tougher test though and they could struggle without Isak again.

I’m not sure there are any Newcastle players to recommend to fantasy managers in this game, but their fixtures improve after this game which should make Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga good options along with whoever might be their striker at that point.

Liverpool scored two late goals to get their title defence off to a good start in a 4-2 win at home to Bournemouth last week. They have some defensive issues to sort out, but it looks like they will score plenty of goals and that total will only increase if they sign Isak.

Mohamed Salah is still the best choice in the Liverpool team for fantasy managers with Cody Gakpo and Hugo Ekitike very good options too.

I think Newcastle will make a game of it, but Liverpool’s strength up front will prove decisive.

Prediction: 1-2

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek One

 It’s that time of the season again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I had a good season with my predictions last season, but a late drop in form saw me finish in second place in my predictions league. I’ll be hoping to go one better this season.

I had a very good season with my fantasy team too as I finished inside the top 25,000 out of well over 11 million players. I hope to do even better this time out and getting off to a good start can be of enormous benefit towards that goal. I’ll be going with a few of the old reliables again this season as well as a few cut price options to make sure I can have as many premium assets in my squad as possible.

The extra bench boost, triple captain and free hit chips that need to be used before the turn of the year could be very interesting and I will have to think a lot about how and when to use them. I had considered bench boosting in week one to get a good start to the season, but I can’t be sure of who will start for certain just yet so I’ll hold off on it for the moment. I will be going with Mohamed Salah as my captain though and hoping he does as well for me as he did last season.

Friday August 15

Liverpool v Bournemouth 

8pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool will be looking to defend the title that they won last season and they have invested heavily to strengthen an already very strong squad. It was their strength at home which proved decisive last season and they will be looking to get off to a good start at home this season too.

Mohamed Salah, Florian Wirtz, Cody Gakpo, Hugo Ekitike and the Liverpool defenders and keeper are all looking like very good options for fantasy managers.

Bournemouth have sold most of their defence from last season and it could take them a while to gel together this season. They did very well to finish in the top half of the table last season and that will probably be their goal again this season.

Antoine Semenyo, Justin Kluivert (if he’s fit to play) and Evanilson can all do well for fantasy managers.

I can’t see anything other than a Liverpool victory in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Saturday August 16

Aston Villa v Newcastle United 

12.30pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa just missed out on the Champions League places last season and they will be looking to go one better this season. They have a good run of fixtures to start the season which should make their players very attractive to fantasy managers. 

Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers (if he’s fit to play) are the Villa players to have for fantasy managers with Ezri Konsa and Ian Maatsen good value options in defence too.

Newcastle have had a very bad transfer window so far and they could yet lose Alexander Isak if he gets his way. They qualified for the Champions League ahead of Villa on goal difference last season, but they could struggle to reach those heights if Isak departs.

With Isak looking like an exile for the moment at least Anthony Elanga could be the Newcastle player to watch for fantasy managers.

I think Villa will get the better of what looks like being a close game.

Prediction: 2-1 

Brighton And Hove Albion V Fulham

3pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton had a pretty good season last season when they managed to finish in eighth place, but matching that will probably be the best they can hope for this time. The loss of Joao Pedro could hit them badly and it doesn’t look like they have replaced him yet, but you never know with Brighton’s fantastic recruitment policy.

Danny Welbeck could be the player to profit from Joao Pedro’s sale with Kaoru Mitoma and Maxim de Cuyper worth considering for fantasy managers too.

Fulham finished on top of the bottom half of the table last season and it doesn’t look like they have done much to build on that squad so far. They have some difficult games to start the season and they will want to get something on the board in this game before facing United and Chelsea. 

I’m not sure there are any Fulham players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment, but that could change over the next few weeks.

I think Brighton will get their season off to a good start with a reasonably comfortable victory in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley 

3pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs made up for an extremely disappointing league campaign last season by winning the Europa League which qualified them for the Champions League. They parted ways with their manager despite that win and they are still trying to build a stronger squad with the season upon them.

Mohammed Kudus and Dominic Solanke could be the best of the Spurs players for fantasy managers while their defence is offering some value too as they have a fairly good run of games to start the season. 

Burnley came second in the Championship last season and they conceded very few goals in the process, but the Premier League is a much tougher proposition. If they are going to have any chance of staying up they will need to build on that strong defence, but scoring goals could be a real problem for them.

Martin Dubravka and Maxine Esteve could offer some real value to fantasy managers if they’re willing to take a risk on Burnley’s defensive assets.

I think Spurs should get their season off to a good start by winning this game with at least a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 2-0

Sunderland v West Ham United 

3pm BST, Stadium of Light, Sunderland 

Sunderland managed a surprise victory in the play-off final to win promotion, but holding on to that position will be a huge task for them. They have invested heavily in their squad, but whether those players will have enough to make them competitive is a difficult question to answer at the moment.

Marc Guiu is the Sunderland player to have for fantasy managers at the moment even if it’s just as a reasonably priced option to sit on the bench.

West Ham had a very disappointing season last time out and Graham Potter will have to work some magic to improve on that this season. The transfer window is still open and they probably need to avail of it quickly after losing Mohammed Kudus to Spurs.

Jarrod Bowen is the one dependable asset in the West Ham team for fantasy managers while Aaron Wan-Bissaka is very popular too given his price and performance under Potter last season while El Hadji Malick Diouf could be one to watch.

I think West Ham should have enough in Bowen to take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City 

5.30pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves only finished two places above the relegation zone last season, but they still comfortably avoided the drop. They will be hoping to do a lot better this season, but the loss of Matheus Cunha is a real blow for them.

With Cunha gone Jorgen Strand Larsen might just be the Wolves player to have for fantasy managers.

City failed to defend their title last season, but at least a strong finish to the season saw them finish in the top four. They have invested heavily in their squad since the turn of the year and expectations will be high for them to regain the title.

Erling Haaland is the City player to have for fantasy managers with Josko Gvardiol, Rayan AIT-Nouri, Omar Marmoush and Tijjani Reijnders good choices too.

I think City will get their season off to a good start by taking all the points in this game.

Prediction: 1-3

Sunday August 17

Chelsea v Crystal Palace 

2pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea managed to qualify for the Champions League last season and they then went on to win the Club World Cup. They will be hoping to make a genuine challenge for the title this season, but their players could suffer from having such a small break during the summer.

Joao Pedro seems to be the popular choice for fantasy managers in the Chelsea team with Cole Palmer plus all of their defenders and keeper good options too.

Palace might not have finished in the top half of the table last season, but they managed to win the FA Cup to make it a season to remember. They will hope to do better in the league this season, but they will need to hold on to their best players if that’s going to happen.

Jean-Philippe Mateta, Eberechi Eze, Ismaila Sarr and Daniel Munoz all look like good picks for fantasy managers.

I think Palace will make Chelsea work very hard and I think they will manage to take a point from them.

Prediction: 2-2

Nottingham Forest v Brentford 

2pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest were so close to qualifying for the Champions League last season, but they failed right at the end and they could find it difficult to match that performance this season. It’s not going to be easy for them to match that performance, but they have at least managed to hold on to most of last season’s squad.

Chris Woods, Morgan Gibbs-White and all of the Forest defenders and keeper can do very well for fantasy managers.

Brentford managed to finish in the top half of the table last season, but they have lost their top scorer and manager since then. They could struggle to finish that high this season, but I still think they’re too good to get caught up at the wrong end of the table.

Caoimhin Kelleher and Yoane Wissa (if he isn’t sold) are the Brentford players to have for fantasy managers with Thiago a possibility too.

I think this will be a close game with Forest probably making home advantage count.

Prediction: 2-1

Manchester United v Arsenal 

4.30pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United had an incredibly disappointing season last season and losing the Europa League final only made it worse. They have bought a lot of new attacking players, but they have a long way to go to make themselves contenders for a top four place.

Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Benjamin Sesko all have the ability to do well for fantasy managers if United can play well.

Arsenal finished second for the third time in a row last season and the pressure has to be on them to go one better this time out. They are another club to have invested heavily in new players and they will need those players to gel quickly if they are going to challenge Liverpool.

Bukayo Saka, Viktor Gyokeres and all of the Arsenal defenders and keeper are very good options for fantasy managers.

I think United will make things difficult, but the chances are Arsenal will win this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Monday August 18

Leeds United v Everton 

8pm BST, Elland Road, Leeds 

Leeds won promotion from the Championship last season and their only goal will be to retain their Premier League status this season. They probably need to get something from this game because their next two games are a lot more difficult.

I’m not sure there are any Leeds players to recommend to fantasy managers just yet, but that could change as the season progresses.

Everton spent a long time fighting relegation last season, but they eventually managed to finish in 13th place. With a new stadium to play in they will be hoping to improve on that and hopefully finish in the top half of the table.

Iliman Ndiaye and James Tarkowski are the Everton players most likely to perform for fantasy managers.

I think this will be a very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.

Prediction: 1-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.