Predictions for Premier League Gameweek 21

It's that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did quite well again last week and continued to move up in my predictions league. I managed four perfect scorelines, two correct outcomes and four incorrect outcomes to move up to sixth place. Here's a look at how the top 10 in my predictions league stands.

Pos.    Player.                        Week.    Total

1.         Wayne Hubbard           5           1435

2.         KildareGunner             10          1300

3.         Paul Kingston              25          1225

4.         Abu K                          20           1190

5.         MickTheGooner          20           1165

6.         Michael Sheehy         100          1135

7.         Karl-Yngve Lund         40           1110

8.         goonerdhanesh           45           1025

9.         Sulabh                        -35            975

10.       Gaurav Ahuja             -15           790

Saturday January 11

Hull City v Chelsea

12.45pm GMT, KC Stadium, Hull

Hull are a tough team to beat at home and have only lost twice in their 10 home games. No other team has conceded less goals at home than Hull and their mid table position is thanks to their home form. They have taken 18 of their 23 points at home and will think they have a chance of getting something from this game.

Allan McGregor has done well in Hull's home games and isn't a bad choice at all for fantasy managers.

Chelsea are only two points behind the league leaders and have taken 13 points in their last five games. They have struggled away from home at times though and have only won four of their 10 away games. If they want to improve their chances of winning the league they might have to sign a striker in the transfer window. 

Eden Hazard continues to be the best fantasy choice in the Chelsea team by a fair margin with John Terry doing quite well too.

I think this is going to be a very close game and could easily end in a draw, but Chelsea will probably just shade it.

Prediction: 0-1

Cardiff City v West Ham United

3pm GMT, Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff

Cardiff have only won once in their last 10 games and are only a point above the relegation zone. They're not an easy team to beat at home but will need to pick up more points on their own ground to avoid the drop. Goal scoring has been a real problem with only Palace scoring less goals but maybe Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can give them a few pointers.

David Marshall, Steven Caulker and Peter Whittingham are worth considering when Cardiff play at home at least.

West Ham have been drubbed twice in the last week in two different cup competitions and they're in the relegation zone to boot. If they can't turn things around soon the knives will be out for Sam Allderdyce, but he's struggled with injury problems affecting his team all season long. They have only taken seven points in their last 15 games and haven't won any of their last seven.

Jussi Jaaskelainen is probably the best fantasy choice in the West Ham team and that's mostly because he has been so overworked.

This is a very big game for both clubs and I think home advantage will prove crucial in a Cardiff win.

Prediction: 2-1

Everton v Norwich

3pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool

Everton play at home against a team from the bottom half of the table and it's a chance for them to make up ground with all of the teams above them playing away from home. Only Arsenal have conceded less goals than Everton, but they haven't kept a clean sheet in their last six games. They have lost less games than any other team but need to turn some of their draws into wins with only West Brom drawing more games than them.

Seamus Coleman is a must for fantasy managers with Romelu Lukaku, Tim Howard, Leighton Baines, Kevin Mirallas and Ross Barkley all worth considering too.

Norwich haven't won any of their last five games and have slipped back to within three points of the relegation zone. They have only won two of their 10 away games and only Fulham and Stoke have conceded more goals away from home. Despite not winning in five games they have only conceded five goals in their last six games.

Gary Hooper is probably the Norwich player most likely to succeed with Leroy Fer suspended.

This game has a home win written all over it.

Prediction: 2-0

Fulham v Sunderland 

3pm GMT, Craven Cottage,London

Fulham sandwiched a 6-0 defeat at Hull in between vital 2-1 wins against Norwich and West Ham and that sums them up. Those two wins have taken them two points clear of the relegation zone, but they have lost six of their 10 home games. They have the worst defensive record at home too and they cannot afford to lose at home to the bottom team in the table.

It's still not easy to pick any individual Fulham players excelling for fantasy managers.

Sunderland have kept clean sheets in three of their last four away games and are unbeaten in those games. They have only won once away from home though and no other team has scored less goals away from home. They're four points away from safety and could really do with a win against one of the teams they're trying to catch.

Sunderland have been quite tight in defence recently with Vito Mannone excelling. It could be worth considering Wes Brown, John O'Shea, Phil Bardsley and maybe even Adam Johnson too.

This is a game neither team can afford to lose and that might just see it end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1 

Southampton v West Bromwich Albion

3pm GMT, St. Mary's Stadium, Southampton 

Southampton had a great start to the season but that's well and truly behind them now with only one win in their last nine games. They still play good football though and will give any team a hard time at home in particular. They will fancy their chances of getting back to winning ways against a struggling West Brom team. 

Adam Lallana is by far the best fantasy choice in the Southampton team with Jay Rodriguez worth considering too.

West Brom won for the first time in 10 games in their last game and it was a much needed victory. It gave them some breathing space at the wrong end of the table, but they need to appoint a new manager soon. They have only won once in 10 away games, but they have managed to draw six of those games. 

West Brom's players haven't exactly set the fantasy football world alight and I can't see any to choose at the moment.

I think Southampton will get a much needed win at home.

Prediction: 2-1

Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace

3pm GMT, White Hart Lane, London

Spurs followed a very good league win at United with a tame exit from the FA Cup to arch rivals Arsenal. They have struggled at home this season with only four wins in 10 games and have found goals hard to come by at home too. They have taken 16 points in their last seven games despite losing 5-0 at home to Liverpool during that run.

Emmanuel Adebayor has done well in recent weeks but his attitude sometimes makes him a tough choice for fantasy managers. Christian Eriksen could be worth a punt as he may just have adjusted to his new club with a couple of good performances in recent weeks.

Palace have managed to climb out of the relegation zone since Tony Pulis took the reins and were a little unlucky to lose 1-0 at City in their last away league match. They have lost eight of their 10 away games though and are the lowest scorers away from home. They have taken 14 points in their last 10 games and that form is good enough to stay in the Premier League.

Marouane Chanakh has done well in recent weeks and so have a few of the Palace defenders.

Despite their struggles at home I think Spurs will win this game by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 2-0

Manchester United v Swansea City

5.30pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United are in crisis again after three consecutive defeats in three different competitions and one of them was at home to Swansea. They have lost four home games in the league already and have only managed 12 goals in those 10 home games. Until their league defeat against Spurs they had won four league games in a row and need to find that form again. 

If Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie are fit they are always good fantasy choices. Besides them Adnan Januzaj and Parrice Evra have scored well and Danny Welbeck is an option when the other two strikers are injured in particular.

Swansea did very well to knock United out of the FA Cup last week and are a tough team to beat away from home. They haven't won any of their last six league games and are only four points above the relegation zone as a result. Only Everton have a better defensive record away from home than Swansea despite the fact that they have lost five of their 10 away games.

Wilfred Bony has done very well in recent weeks and could be the best of the Swansea players for fantasy managers at the moment.

Despite their win at United in the FA Cup last week I think Swansea won't get anything from this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Sunday January 12

Newcastle United v Manchester City

2.05pm GMT, St. James' Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle have slipped recently with two league defeats in a row and no goals scored in those games. They have only lost two of their 10 home games but they're losing touch with the top four and a defeat in this game would be another blow for them. It's never easy playing against City, but Newcastle have already beaten Chelsea, Spurs and United this season.

Yohan Cabaye, Loric Remy and Yoan Gouffran are still the best fantasy options in the Newcastle team.

City are a goalscoring machine at home and they're looking like they might just become one away from home too. They're happy to slog it out with the highest scorer winning, but that has backfired a few times away from home. They taken taken 25 points in their last nine games and no team are in better form at the moment.

David Silva and Yaya Toure are both excellent fantasy choices with Alvaro Negredo, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Jesus Navas all good options too.

I think City will have too much firepower and win by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 1-3

Stoke City v Liveroool 

4.10pm GMT, Britannia Stadium, Stoke

Stoke have only lost once in their 10 home games and only conceded seven goals in those games. They're only five points above the relegation zone though and will want to take something from this game to keep clear of the other strugglers. It won't be easy against an attack minded Liverpool team, but City, Chelsea and Everton have all failed to win away to Stoke this season.

Stoke players haven't excelled for fantasy managers and it's not easy to see any to choose with the possible exception of Ryan Shawcross.

Liverpool bounced back from their defeats at City and Chelsea to win their last game and move back into the top four. They have had their struggles away from home with only three wins and four defeats in their 10 games. Only City have scored more goals than Liverpool and that goal scoring ability gives them a chance in any game.

Luis Suarez is still the best fantasy choice of all with Steven Gerrard, Phillippe Coutinho and Raheem Sterling possibilities too.

This will be a tough test for Liverpool and I think it could well end all square.

Prediction: 1-1

Monday January 13

Aston Villa v Arsenal

8pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa have only won two of their 10 home games and are the lowest scorers at home with seven goals in those games. They're six points above the relegation zone, but it's very tight at the bottom and they need to pick up more points at home. They got a much needed win at Sunderland in their last game and it was their first win in six games.

Villa players haven't impressed for fantasy managers this season and have offered very little at home in particular.

Arsenal will have to cope without Theo Walcott for the rest of the season and could be tempted to dip into the transfer market as a result. They have a very good record away from home with seven wins in their 10 games and they're the leading scorers away from home. The only game the failed to score in away from home was at United and that firepower will see them as clear favourites to win this game.

With Walcott's season over there could be a chance for Lukas Podolski to impress along with Per Mertesacker and Wojciech Szczesny who are both picking up loads of fantasy points.

Arsenal are a very good outfit away from home and should be too strong for Villa.

Prediction: 1-3

That's it for this week.

See you next week.