It's that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcome of this weekend's Premier League matches. I'm not doing too well with my predictions at the moment and I only managed to get four correct outcomes last week with six incorrect. It means that I've lost even more ground to the leader of my predictions league but I am still hopeful catching him very soon.Here's a look at the league table as it stands.
Bolton v Tottenham
Bolton's good run ended with a late defeat to Liverpool last week and they can probably count themselves a little unlucky to have lost. They are very difficult to beat at home and they will set themselves up not to be beaten while trying to play football as much as any team with Kevin Davies and Paul Robinson in it can.
The Spuds had a fantastic result on Tuesday night when they beat Champions League holders Inter Milan. Apparently Gareth Bale tore Maicon to pieces yet again but strangely enough he is only ranked 17th in the Fantasy Premier League midfielders. The clever money for fantasy points would be to buy Rafael Van Der Vaart although I find it hard to have any Spuds players in my team. The Spuds will find it hard going to Bolton after their midweek exploits and I think they will lose a little more ground in the league by drawing.
Prediction: 1-1
Birmingham v West Ham
Birmingham managed a good 0-0 draw away to Aston Villa last week after beating Blackpool the week before. They will feel that things are looking up for them and a home game against bottom club West Ham is the ideal opportunity for them to continue that.
West Ham put up an admirable defensive performance away to Arsenal last week before losing at the very end but they will hope that it has lifted their season. They are still rooted to the bottom of the table and if they don't get a few good results very soon they will find it hard to catch the teams above them. Some more of the effort they put in last week will give them a chance of winning at least one of those points in this game but I don't see it happening.
Prediction: 1-0
Blackburn v Wigan
Blackburn are in the relegation zone and they haven't been as strong at home so far this season as they usually are. Two of their home defeats were against Chelsea and Arsenal though and they will see this game as an ideal opportunity to make some progress up the table. Their style may not be pretty but it's usually effective at home.
Wigan try to play good football but it's very difficult to know where their season is going. They had an awful start but they recovered well, only to find themselves just outside the relegation zone again. If Charles N'Zogbia plays well they could get something from this game but I fancy Blackburn to take all three points.
Prediction: 1-0
Blackpool v Everton
Blackpool just about beat nine man West Brom 2-1 last Monday night and they gave up a lot of chances late on considering that they were playing against nine men for so long. However, they did make a lot of chances themselves and they have had a great start to life in the Premier League.
Everton are now up to eighth in the league after recovering from their now traditional poor start earlier than usual this season. They are very solid at the back and their defenders are not a bad bet for Fantasy teams at the moment. I did suggest Sunderland defenders last week so I think we can expect Everton to let in five goals this week. I think Blackpool will find things very difficult in this game and I expect Everton to win.
Prediction: 0-2
Fulham v Aston Villa
Fulham eventually got their second win of the season against Wigan last week with Clint Dempsey bagging both goals. They will see this game as an opportunity to move away from their habit of drawing too many games this season.
Aston Villa have slipped to the lower half of a very congested league table and they need to get a few good results to restart their season under their new manager. Emile Heskey is injured for them but personally I think that is a good thing as I don't rate him at all. A defeat for Villa would leave them very close to the relegation zone but I think that will manage a draw in this game.
Prediction: 1-1
Man Utd v Wolves
"Manure" are on a pretty good run at the moment and along with Arsenal they look the most likely to challenge Chelsea. They have a few injury problems this weekend and if Nani doesn't play they will lose their most potent weapon with "Shrek" out for another three weeks at least. On the face of it they should win easily against second from bottom Wolves but it takes hard work to beat any team in the Premier League.
Wolves fielded a reserve team in the corresponding fixture last season and were well beaten but I doubt if they will do it this season. They put up a very good performance in losing to Chelsea two weeks ago and beat Man City last week so confidence should be high, despite their lowly league position. I think they will run "Manure" close but lose by the odd goal.
Prediction: 2-1
Sunderland v Stoke
Sunderland were thrashed 5-1 by their fiercest rivals last week and that will have hurt their fans and their manager too. We will see in this game if it hurt the players too. They are good enough to beat Stoke RFC at home but if they play like last week they certainly won't.
Stoke were going through a great run in September but they have had a very poor run recently and find themselves only one point above the drop zone. They have some good players but it's difficult for some of them to express themselves as the ball constantly sails over their heads. I think Sunderland will bounce back with a win and put Stoke RFC into the relegation zone, where I hope they will stay for the rest of the season.
Prediction: 2-1
Arsenal v Newcastle
Arsenal had a little bit of a blip in midweek when a weakened team lost to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. The feeling was that their manager was saving players for three league games in a week and the players had better be up to the task agaianst Newcastle. In their last two home league games Arsenal have struggled badly and it seems that complacency has crept into their game a little. They have a long injury list but even so they have some great players and play a beautiful brand of football.
Newcastle should be in great spirits after thrashing Sunderland last week in a local derby that means so much to their fans. This game will be a whole lot harder for them and they will spend a lot of time defending as Arsenal pour forward. The recent 4-0 Carling Cup victory by Arsenal over them should have no bearing as both clubs fielded weakened teams that night. I think Arsenal will have too much for Newcastle and that they will get the win they need to maintain second place in the league.
Prediction: 3-1
West Brom v Man City
West Brom dropped to sixth after losing to Blackpool last week. They weren't helped by having two men sent off and to their credit they very nearly managed to get a point out of the game. They have being playing very well so far and fully deserve their lofty league position. Chris Brunt has got me loads of fantasy points and I hope their form continues.
Man City have now lost three games in a row, including two in the league. After this game they play "Manure" on Wednesday and they need to find some form very quickly or their title ambitions will be in ruins. No matter what they say about building a team and so on, they want to challenge for the league and if they don't then heads will roll. If Carlos Tevez doesn't play I don't think City will win, so I'm going for a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Liverpool v Chelsea
Liverpool have at last found some form but I think their confidence is still very fragile. It's not a good time for them to be playing current champions and league leaders Chelsea but I don't think they have too much to lose. In Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres they have two players who can win virtually game on their own but their problems lie with the rest of their outfield team who are pretty average in my opinion.This has a draw written all over it.
Chelsea have a five point gap to second place Arsenal and they would probably settle for a draw in this game. With a couple of home games coming in the next week they will feel that they can maintain their lead if they don't lose and possibly even increase it as Arsenal and "Manure" play some difficult games. I think both teams will be happy with a draw and that's how this game should end up.
Prediction: 1-1
That's the lot for this week but I'll have more predictions on Monday night for the midweek games.
See You Then.
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The Spuds had a fantastic result on Tuesday night when they beat Champions League holders Inter Milan. Apparently Gareth Bale tore Maicon to pieces yet again but strangely enough he is only ranked 17th in the Fantasy Premier League midfielders. The clever money for fantasy points would be to buy Rafael Van Der Vaart although I find it hard to have any Spuds players in my team. The Spuds will find it hard going to Bolton after their midweek exploits and I think they will lose a little more ground in the league by drawing.
Prediction: 1-1
Birmingham v West Ham
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West Ham put up an admirable defensive performance away to Arsenal last week before losing at the very end but they will hope that it has lifted their season. They are still rooted to the bottom of the table and if they don't get a few good results very soon they will find it hard to catch the teams above them. Some more of the effort they put in last week will give them a chance of winning at least one of those points in this game but I don't see it happening.
Prediction: 1-0
Blackburn v Wigan
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Wigan try to play good football but it's very difficult to know where their season is going. They had an awful start but they recovered well, only to find themselves just outside the relegation zone again. If Charles N'Zogbia plays well they could get something from this game but I fancy Blackburn to take all three points.
Prediction: 1-0
Blackpool v Everton
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Everton are now up to eighth in the league after recovering from their now traditional poor start earlier than usual this season. They are very solid at the back and their defenders are not a bad bet for Fantasy teams at the moment. I did suggest Sunderland defenders last week so I think we can expect Everton to let in five goals this week. I think Blackpool will find things very difficult in this game and I expect Everton to win.
Prediction: 0-2
Fulham v Aston Villa
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Aston Villa have slipped to the lower half of a very congested league table and they need to get a few good results to restart their season under their new manager. Emile Heskey is injured for them but personally I think that is a good thing as I don't rate him at all. A defeat for Villa would leave them very close to the relegation zone but I think that will manage a draw in this game.
Prediction: 1-1
Man Utd v Wolves
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Wolves fielded a reserve team in the corresponding fixture last season and were well beaten but I doubt if they will do it this season. They put up a very good performance in losing to Chelsea two weeks ago and beat Man City last week so confidence should be high, despite their lowly league position. I think they will run "Manure" close but lose by the odd goal.
Prediction: 2-1
Sunderland v Stoke
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Stoke were going through a great run in September but they have had a very poor run recently and find themselves only one point above the drop zone. They have some good players but it's difficult for some of them to express themselves as the ball constantly sails over their heads. I think Sunderland will bounce back with a win and put Stoke RFC into the relegation zone, where I hope they will stay for the rest of the season.
Prediction: 2-1
Arsenal v Newcastle
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Newcastle should be in great spirits after thrashing Sunderland last week in a local derby that means so much to their fans. This game will be a whole lot harder for them and they will spend a lot of time defending as Arsenal pour forward. The recent 4-0 Carling Cup victory by Arsenal over them should have no bearing as both clubs fielded weakened teams that night. I think Arsenal will have too much for Newcastle and that they will get the win they need to maintain second place in the league.
Prediction: 3-1
West Brom v Man City
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Man City have now lost three games in a row, including two in the league. After this game they play "Manure" on Wednesday and they need to find some form very quickly or their title ambitions will be in ruins. No matter what they say about building a team and so on, they want to challenge for the league and if they don't then heads will roll. If Carlos Tevez doesn't play I don't think City will win, so I'm going for a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Liverpool v Chelsea
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Chelsea have a five point gap to second place Arsenal and they would probably settle for a draw in this game. With a couple of home games coming in the next week they will feel that they can maintain their lead if they don't lose and possibly even increase it as Arsenal and "Manure" play some difficult games. I think both teams will be happy with a draw and that's how this game should end up.
Prediction: 1-1
That's the lot for this week but I'll have more predictions on Monday night for the midweek games.
See You Then.
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