I managed one perfect score last week along with four correct outcomes and five incorrect. It meant I moved up to eighth in my predictions league which is a slight improvement at least. Here's a look at how my Predictions League stands.
Pos. Player. Week. Total
1. Paul Kingston 80 600
2. Kildare Gunner 100 550
3. Sulabh 85 520
4. Wayne Hubbard 20 500
5. Abu K 140 475
6. Karl-Yngve Lund 70 400
7. goonerdhanesh 5 355
8. Michael Sheehy 50 285
9. Gaurav Ahuja 50 265
10. TheDognash 5 245
Saturday October 19
Newcastle United v Liverpool
12.45pm BST, St. James' Park, Newcastle
Newcastle are a hard team to figure out as their performances can differ so greatly from one game to another or even one half of a game to another. At their best they can be a good side but their defence can be very vulnerable at times. They will think they are capable of beating Liverpool, but it won't be an easy task for them to get anything out of the game.
Loric Remy is in fantastic form at the moment with five goals in his last three games and by far the best fantasy option in the Newcastle team.
Liverpool have had a very good start to the season and are only being kept off the top because Arsenal have scored more goals than them. The partnership between Daniel Sturridge and Luis Suarez looks to be blossoming and it could be very important for them. A trip to Newcastle can be a tricky game, but their front two have the ability to win the game all on their own.
Sturridge and Suarez are the stand out fantasy performers in the Liverpool team with Simon Mignolet and Jose Enrique good options too.
I think Newcastle might just have enough at home to take a point off Liverpool.
Prediction: 1-1
Arsenal v Norwich City
3pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London
Arsenal went into the international break on top of the table and they will be glad to have a home game against a struggling team to come back to. Since losing on the opening day at home to Villa they have been unbeaten in all competitions and won all of their home games too. Only City have scored more league goals than Arsenal so far and they will be strong favourites to win this game.
Aaron Ramsey, Mesut Ozil and Olivier Giroud are all in fine form for fantasy managers and well worth having in any team.
Norwich have only scored one goal in three away games but that was good enough for them to beat Stoke in their last away game. They're struggling to score goals again this season with only Stoke scoring less goals than them so far. They're just about in the relegation zone and look like they will have a long hard fight to stay in the Premier League.
There aren't really any Norwich players setting the world of fantasy football alight at the moment.
I can't see anything other than an Arsenal win in this game, but Norwich won't go down without a fight.
Prediction: 2-0
Chelsea v Cardiff City
3pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea have won all three of their home games so far and will relish the prospect of a game against a newly promoted team. They still haven't found their best form this season but they certainly have the players to challenge for the league. Only City have more home goals than Chelsea and no other team has conceded less goals at home.
John Terry and Emboaba Oscar are the stand out players for Chelsea so far with Branislav Ivanovic, Ashley Cole and Peter Cech worth considering too.
Cardiff have done well since their promotion and look well equipped to win the fight to stay in the Premier League. They are not an easy team to beat as they showed when they won against City early on. They will have to be at their very best to have any hope of getting anything from this game.
I can't see any outstanding Cardiff players for fantasy managers although Peter Whittingham might just prove me wrong.
Chelsea should have too much for Cardiff and should win by a couple of goals.
Prediction: 2-0
Everton v Hull City
3pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton have started slowly in recent seasons but have done much better this time around. They have taken seven points in their three home games and look like they might have a good chance of challenging for a top four finish. If they are going to do so these are the type of games they have to win and they will feel they should win.
Everton have the one Chelsea player who could possibly make a real difference if he hadn't been loaned out and Romelu Lukaku looks a very good fantasy choice along with Ross Barkley and probably Leighton Baines too.
Hull are doing very well to be in eighth place considering they have had to play away to both City and Chelsea. They have made themselves very hard to beat and Robbie Brady has been the player to create at the other end, but he's injured for the next few weeks. If they continue to defend as well as they have being doing up to now they will have a very good chance of avoiding relegation.
With Brady injured Allan McGregor is the Hull player most likely to succeed for fantasy managers.
I think Everton will have more than enough to see off a Hull team who could find things a little tougher without Brady.
Prediction: 2-0
Manchester United v Southampton
3pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester
United haven't had a great start to their season and find themselves six points off the top of the table after six games. They have only beaten newly promoted Palace at home so far with a draw with Chelsea and a defeat against West Brom too. If they are going to retain their title they will have to improve at home and tighten up in defence too.
Wayne Rooney is probably the best fantasy choice in the United team at the moment, but you have to think Robin van Persie will be back among the goals soon. If he gets the chance to play Adnan Januzaj showed in their last game that he might just have a lot to offer too.
Southampton are in the top four after losing only one of their first seven games and winning two of their three away games. They have the tightest defence in the league so far with only two goals conceded and managed to win at Liverpool a few weeks ago. They will think they have a real chance of getting something from this game and will give United a real run for their money.
Artur Boric, Jose Fonte and Dejan Lovren are all doing very well for fantasy managers but they will have their work cut out to keep a clean sheet against United.
Despite their poor start and Southampton's good start United will still be strong favourites and should win this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Stoke City v West Bromwich Albion
3pm BST, Britannia Stadium, Stoke
Stoke have lost their last three games and are only outside the relegation zone on goal difference. They are the lowest scorers in the league and the Britannia Stadium no longer looks like a fortress. If they can't find a way to score some goals it could be a long hard season for them.
Usually the Stoke defenders can be depended upon to do well for fantasy managers, but not so at the moment.
West Brom had a very poor start to their season, but they have come back with a bang in their last four games by taking eight points. They drew at home to Arsenal last time out and won away to United the week before that. Their confidence will be up after those results and they will feel they can get a result in this game.
Morgan Amalfitano has been very impressive since he joined on loan from Marseille and looks like a real fantasy bargain.
I think West Brom might just about have enough to take all three points in this game.
Prediction: 0-1
Swansea City v Sunderland
3pm BST, Liberty Stadium, Swansea
Swansea have only taken one point in their first three home games and conceded eight goals in the process. Those games were against United, Liverpool and Arsenal though and they will hope to do better against the bottom club. It's not easy for them coping with European football on a Thursday night and in the league at the weekend and they need to find the right balance.
Miguel Michu is still the Swansea player most likely to perform with Ben Davies a possibility too.
Sunderland are rock bottom of the table with only one point from seven games, but at least they have appointed a new manager in Gus Poyet. He has a tough job ahead of him and at this stage Premier League survival has to be his main aim. They need to put a few points on the board very soon and won't find it easy to do so against Swansea.
Emanuele Giaccherini would seem to be the only Sunderland player even worth considering for fantasy managers at the moment.
I think Poyet's influence on Sunderland might just be enough to help them earn a point.
Prediction: 1-1
West Ham United v Manchester City
5.30pm BST, Upton Park, London
West Ham ended a run of five league games without a win by winning 3-0 away to Spurs in their last game. They have lost their last two home games though and usually Upton Park is a tough place to go. They will look to impose their own particular style on City and if they can be as effective as they were against Spurs they have a chance of getting a result.
Winston Reid looks to be the best fantasy choice among the West Ham defenders with Ravel Morrison looking good in recent weeks too.
City have a fantastic home record so far, but they have only taken one point in three away games. If they are going to challenge for the title they will have to do an awful lot better away from home especially considering the teams they have dropped the points against. Manuel Pellagrini has an awful lot to learn about English football still and West Ham are sure to show him a thing or two about their particular style.
Yaya Toure is excelling for City at the moment with David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Alvaro Negrado all worth considering too.
I think West Ham will give City a really rough ride and might just do enough to get a point.
Prediction: 1-1
Sunday October 20
Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur
4pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa have a better record away from home so far and have had some very tough games to start their season. Spurs will be the fifth team among the current top six they have played and they have done well to take 10 points so far. I thought they would struggle with Christian Benteke injured but they are unbeaten since he picked up his injury.
If Benteke is fit to return he is by far the best fantasy choice in the Villa team.
Spurs had looked very good until they lost their last game 3-0 at home to West Ham. It was a big blow for them and they need to bounce back straight away if their confidence isn't going to be dented. They have struggled to score goals so far with only six in seven games and that has to improve if they are to have a good season.
Gylfi Sigurdsson, Jan Vertonghen, Kyle Walker and Hugo Lloris have all done well for Spurs so far and are worth considering for fantasy managers.
This could be a very close game and it's hard to call, but I think it could end in a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Monday October 21
Crystal Palace v Fulham
8pm BST, Selhurst Park, London
Palace don't look good enough to stay up to me, but if they are to have any chance this is exactly the type of game they have to get a result in. Only Stoke have scored less goals than them and only Sunderland have conceded more. Their only points so far came against the only team below them who were down to 10 men when Palace scored the decisive goals.
I can't see any Palace players to recommend at the moment or possibly for the rest of the season either.
Fulham got a badly needed win in their last game but they're only out of the relegation because of alphabetical order. They don't tend to travel too well and their home form isn't good at the moment either, but they will see this as an ideal chance to get back to back wins. If Fulham don't win this game there will be real pressure on Martin Jol again.
Sascha Riether is doing well for Fulham at the moment but it's always a risk to pick Fulham defenders.
I think Fulham have enough quality to overcome a Palace team that lack it.
Prediction: 1-2
That's it for this week.
See you next week.
nice predictions...I hope Arsenal will get 3 points.
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