Yet again just as the Premier League is getting going there's' another two week international break coming up after this weekend. Like many other fantasy managers I'll be sweating over the fitness of my players as they travel around the world playing for their countries. Here's a look at how my Predictions League stands.
Pos. Player. Week. Total.
1. Paul Kingston 145 520
2. Wayne Hubbard 140 480
3. KildareGunner 165 450
4. Sulabh 100 435
5. goonerdhanesh 00 350
6. Abu K -5 335
7. Karl-Yngve Lund -5 330
8. TheDognash 25 240
9. JamrockRover 45 235
10. JustinL01 00 215
Saturday October 5
Manchester City v Everton
12.45pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City have won their three home games so far and scored 10 goals in the process. They are the top scorers at home, but their problems have been in their away games. If they are going to challenge they will have to improve on the one point they have taken in three away games.
Yaya Toure is the outstanding City player at the moment with Pablo Zabaleta and Sergio Aguero (if fit) looking good at home in particular.
Everton are the only unbeaten team in the league but a trip to City will really put that record to the test. They did very well in the transfer window despite losing Marouane Fellaini and Romelu Lukaku looks like he could be the goalscorer they have needed. They will have to be at their very best to get anything out of this game, but they have a real chance of doing just that.
Lukaku looks a great fantasy buy along with Ross Barkley, Leighton Baines and Seamus Coleman.
Something has to give in this game with the only 100% home record against the only unbeaten record and I think City will be the ones to keep their record.
Prediction: 3-1
Cardiff City v Newcastle United
3pm BST, Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff
Cardiff had a very good and fully deserved win away to Fulham last week and have shown they are no pushover for any team. They have already beaten City at home and came very close to taking a point off Spurs. They will feel they have a chance of getting a win against a team with a poor defensive record away from home.
None of the Cardiff players are setting the fantasy world alight, but Steven Caulker, Peter Whittingham and Fraizer Campbell are all doing well and available at a good price too.
Newcastle are a bit of a Jeckyl and Hyde team and they showed both faces in their 3-2 defeat at Everyon on Monday night. After a dreadful first half performance they came back well in the second half, but couldn't do enough to get the point. They struggled defensively away from home last season and have already conceded more away goals than any other team this season.
Loric Remy is in very good form for Newcastle and Yohan Cabaye looks good at the moment too, but Hatem Ben Arfa has gone off the boil a little.
I think this could be a very close game and might well end in a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Fulham v Stoke City
3pm BST, Craven Cottage, London
Fulham have only taken one point from their three home games so far and are looking like they could have a real struggle this season. If things don't change quickly Martin Jol could find himself looking for a new club. They need to find the home form that has been the hallmark of their long stay in the top flight.
There are no Fulham players impressing for fantasy managers at the moment.
Stoke have lost their last two games to slip down the table and the loss at home to Norwich last week was a particularly bad one. They are trying to change their style of play under Mark Hughes but their biggest problem is still their lack of goals. Their strikers are just not scoring and they need to find somebody who can put the ball in the net.
Asmir Begovic has done quite well for fantasy managers so far and all of the Stoke defenders are doing well enough too.
I can't see this being a thrill a minute game and I have a feeling it will end all square.
Prediction: 0-0
Hull City v Aston Villa
3pm BST, KC Stadium, Hull
Hull have done very well since their promotion and have taken seven of the nine points available to them at home. They have only conceded one goal at home and are proving to be a tough opponent for any team. Robbie Brady has been their star player so far, but they will have to cope without him for the next month.
With Brady missing Allan McGregor is probably the best fantasy choice in the Hull team.
Villa are set up to play on the break and have won two of their three away games with only Chelsea getting the better of them on the road. They will be without Christian Benteke and possibly Gabriel Agbonlahor too, but they won at home to City last week without them. Only the top two have scored more away goals than Villa and they will fancy their chances in this game too.
With Benteke missing maybe new boy Leandro Bacuna could be a possible target for fantasy managers.
I think this will be a close game and could end all square.
Prediction: 1-1
Liverpool v Crystal Palace
3pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool had a good win away to Sunderland last week to move up to second in the table. Both Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge looked very good in that game and seem like they could be a lethal partnership. Liverpool have struggled to score at home though with only two goals in three games and will be hoping the Suarez and Sturridge partnership can change that.
Both Suarez and Sturridge are looking like must have players at the moment with Simon Mignolet and Luis Enrique good bets too.
Palace just don't look good enough for me and I think relegation awaits them unless something changes drastically. They have lost all of their away games so far and have found goals hard to come by too. They have been thrashed on this ground in the past and will need to be defensively strong to avoid another bad defeat.
I can't see any Palace players to recommend at the moment.
Liverpool should have far too much for Palace and run out easy winners.
Prediction: 3-0
Sunderland v Manchester United
5.30pm BST, Stadium of Light, Sunderland
Sunderland are rooted to the bottom of the table with only one point from six games and are looking for a new manager. They have lost all of their home games and no other team has scored less goals than them at home. They have a very tough fixture list at the moment and need to turn things around quickly before their season is as good as over,
I can't see any Sundeland players to recommend for the moment at least.
United have had their worst start to a league season in over 20 years and are in the bottom half of the table. They have lost their last two away games to Liverpool and City and are already eight points off the pace in the league. An away game at the bottom club is an ideal game for them to start playing catch up.
Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie still have to be considered good fantasy purchases although van Persie costs an awful lot.
I think Sunderland's woes will continue and United will get back to winning ways.
Prediction: 1-3
Sunday October 6
Norwich City v Chelsea
1.30pm BST, Carrow Road, Norwich
Norwich had a very good win at Stoke last week to ease some of the pressure on them at the wrong end of the table. Their home form has kept them in the Premier League for the past two seasons and they need to stay strong at home. They will have their work cut out to get anything out of Chelsea though.
I still think given the chance Gary Hooper could have something to offer for fantasy managers, but maybe not in this game.
Chelsea are feeling a bit of pressure too as they struggle to find any consistency. They haven't won away from home yet and have only scored one goal in three away games. They will fancy their chances away to Norwich and have to be favourites to win.
John Terry looks a good buy right now, but otherwise it's not easy to know which Chelsea players will be playing from week to week.
I think Chelsea should be strong enough to get a narrow victory.
Prediction: 0-1
Southampton v Swansea City
1.30pm BST, St. Mary's Stadium, Southampton
Southampton have slowly progressed this season and find themselves in a very good position. They have kept clean sheets in their last three games and have only conceded two goals so far. A win in this game could see them possibly go as high as second place.
Artur Boric, Dejan Lovren and Jose Fonte are looking good for Southampton at the moment and Rickie Lambert could be the man they need yo get some goals.
Swansea are burning the candle at both ends with Europa League football on Thursday nights. They have won two of their three away games and have only conceded one goal in the process. They have had some very tough games to start their season and have a good points return from those games.
Ben Davies could be a good outside bet in the Swansea team with Miguel Michu looking good again too.
I think Swansea are good enough away from home to hold on for a point.
Prediction: 1-1
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
4pm BST, White Hart Lane, London
Spurs have had a good start to the season and have improved their defensive record substantially. They have been a little shy when it has come to scoring though and need to find a little more going forward. With all of their investment last summer they will be hoping for a top four finish and they need to capitalise while others are currently dropping points if they're going to have a chance.
Spurs defenders look a good bet at the moment along with Gilfy Sigurdsson and Christian Eriksen.
West Ham had started well but their inability to score goals has seen them fall down the table. They haven't scored at all in their three away games and Andy Carroll can't get back from injury quickly enough for them. They will have to score to get something out of this game as I can't see them keeping a clean sheet.
I can't see any West Ham players to recommend for the moment at least.
I think Spurs should have enough to get a narrow victory.
Prediction: 1-0
West Bromwich Albion v Arsenal
4pm BST, The Hawthorns, Birmingham
West Brom had a great win away to United and it will have been a huge boost for them. They hadn't scored at all in their first three games but showed some genuine quality in that win. They have lost two of their three home games so far though.
It's still not easy to see which West Brom players to recommend to fantasy managers.
Arsenal have won their last five league games in a row and are top of the table. Their away form is excellent with eight away league wins in a row stretching back to last season and they're the top scorers away from home too. They're playing some very good football at the moment and they look like they might be a genuine force this season.
Aaron Ramsey is on fire at the moment and Mesut Ozil is another must have for fantasy managers too with Olivier Giroud a good choice too.
Despite their win at United last week Albion will do well to get anything out of this game and I can't see them doing so.
Prediction: 1-2
That's it for this week.
See you next week.
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