Friday 27 February 2015

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 27

It's that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn't do too well last week, but the two perfect scores I got helped me to keep my lead at the top of my predictions league. Besides those two perfect scores I only managed two correct outcomes and six incorrect ones. You can see from the table below that I'm still on top of that predictions league as I have been all season so far and hopefully I can continue to stay there.

There are four teams who don't play this week thanks to the Capital One Cup final on Sunday and fantasy   managers need to be aware of them when choosing their teams. Chelsea and Leicester don't get to play their postponed game until Gameweek 34, but the QPR and Spurs game has been rescheduled for the next Gameweek when both teams will play twice. It might not be a bad idea to hold on to QPR and Spurs players if it's possible with that double Gameweek coming up so soon.


NC 1 (1)Michael Sheehy1285+300
NC 2 (2)Rutland Gooner1190+300
Up 3 (5)goonerdhanesh1070-150
NC 3 (3)Wayne Hubbard1070-400
Down 5 (4)sodobo995-1000

Saturday February 28

West Ham United v Crystal Palace 

12.45pm GMT, Upton Park, London

West Ham got a very good point away to Spurs last week, but they really should have taken all three points with a two goal lead inside the last 10 minutes. They have dropped back to eighth in the league after winning only once in their last nine games. They have only lost three of their 13 home games though and only three other teams have a better defensive record at home.

Diafra Sakho looks like he might be the West Ham player to have for fantasy managers while Cheikhou Kouayate is in good form right now and Stewart Downing has dried up just a little. 

Palace ran Arsenal very close last Saturday and were more than a little unlucky to come away from the game with no points. It was only their second defeat in eight games and they're now five points above the relegation zone. They have only lost four of their 13 away games and no other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more away goals.

Despite their recent improvement there are no Palace players standing out for fantasy managers right now.

I think this will be a very close game and could go either way, but West Ham will just edge it.

Prediction: 2-1

Burnley v Swansea City

3pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley

Burnley got a very good point away to Chelsea last week, but they're in the bottom three on goal difference. They have only won once in their last 10 games and haven't kept a clean sheet in any of them. They have only won three of their 13 home games and only Villa and Sunderland have scored less goals at home while only Palace have conceded more goals at home.

Danny Ings continues to be the most likely Burnley player to impress for fantasy managers.

Swansea came from behind to beat United last week and do the double over them for the first time. It was only their second win in eight games, but it moved them within two points of eighth placed West Ham. They have only won three of their 12 away games and are the lowest scorers away from home in the top half of the table.

Gylfi Sigurdsson has to be considered by fantasy managers now that he's back from suspension while Jonjo Shelvey has looked good in recent weeks.

This game could go either way, but I have a feeling Śwansea will win by the odd goal.

Prediction: 1-2

Manchester United v Sunderland 

3pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United were beaten away to Swansea last week and dropped back to fourth place as a result. They have only won four of their last 10 league games and have only kept clean sheets in two of those 10 games. Only Chelsea have taken more points at home than United and they are the only team with a better defensive record at home too while no other team has scored more home goals than them.

United players haven't exactly set the world of fantasy football alight, but I think Angel di Maria is still worth a punt.

Sunderland got a dour draw at home to West Brom in their last game to edge that little bit further away from the relegation zone. They have only taken six points from their last nine games and failed to score in four of those games. They have drawn half of their 12 away games, but they have only won two and have struggled to score goals at home and away.

Costel Pantilimon is still a very good fantasy option while Anthony Reveillere has done well in recent weeks too.

United need to win to get back on track and I think they should have enough firepower to win this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Newcastle United v Aston Villa

3pm GMT, St. James Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle were well beaten away to City last week and were probably lucky not to lose by more than five goals. They have only won once in their last seven games and are rooted firmly in the middle of the table. They have won five of their 12 home games, but only one of their last five at home.

As I've said before Papiss Cisse could be a good fantasy choice, but he seems to lack a little consistency.

Villa looked like getting a point at home to Stoke last week, but they were undone by a last minute penalty. They have only taken three points in their last 11 games and failed to scored eight of those games. They have lost eight of their 13 away games and are by far the lowest scorers away from home with only four goals in those 13 games.

I can't see any Villa players who might make a difference for fantasy managers right now.

I think Newcastle will be able to bounce back from last week's defeat and take all three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Stoke City v Hull City

3pm GMT, Britannia Stadium, Stoke

Stoke keep going away to Villa last week and got their reward with a last minute winner from the penalty spot. They have taken 17 points from their last nine games and they're only three points off eighth place. They have lost as many games as they have won at home and have conceded more goals than they have scored at home.

I still can't see any Stoke players to interest fantasy managers at the moment.

Hull won their second game in a row at home to QPR last week to move four points clear of the relegation zone. They have taken seven points in their last three games and their two wins were against teams below them in the table. Hull have only won two of their 13 away games, but those two wins in a row might just given them some confidence.

Dame N'Doye has done well since joining Hull in January and might be worth a punt for fantasy managers.

This looks like it will be another close game, but I think Stoke will get another win under their belts.

Prediction: 1-0

West Bromwich Albion v Southampton 

3pm GMT, The Hawthorns, Birmingham

West Brom got a point away to Sunderland last week and it helped to move them further away from the bottom three. They have taken eight points from their last three games and have kept clean sheets in four of those games. They have lost six of their 13 home games and only Palace have lost more games at home.

I thought Brown Ideye might have been a good fantasy purchase, but after last week I'm not so sure.

Southampton were beaten at home by Liverpool and have dropped out of the top four for the first time in quite a while. They have only won once in their last four games and have found goals a little hard to come by recently. They have won their last four away games though and have kept clean sheets in four of their last seven games.

Southampton's defenders still look like pretty good fantasy choices with Nathaniel Clyne and Ryan Bertrand probably the best of them. 

I think this will be another very close game, but Southampton's away form might just see them take all three points. 

Prediction: 0-1

Sunday March 1

Liverpool v Manchester City

12pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool

Liverpool won away to Southampton last week, but had a tiring game on Thursday night in Turkey which went to extra time. They are unbeaten in their last 10 league games and have won seven of them and kept clean sheets in five of their last six. They have only won six of their 13 home games and have conceded more goals at home than any of the team's above them. 

Raheem Sterling, Daniel Sturridge and maybe Phillippe Coutinho are the Liverpool players to watch for fantasy managers while their defenders have been good in recent weeks too.

City had an easy win at home to Newcastle last week and cut Chelsea's lead to five points as a result. They have scored nine goals in winning their last two games, but hadn't won any of their previous four. City have won eight of their 13 away games and have taken more points and scored more goals away from home than any other team.

Sergio Aguero, David Silva and Yaya Toure are the City players to have for fantasy managers.

This is a big game for both teams and could go either way, but I think it will end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Arsenal v Everton

2.05pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London

Arsenal won away to Palace last week and that win moved them up to third with both United and Southampton losing. They have won five of their last six league games, but suffered a very bad defeat at home to Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday night. They have won their last six home league games in a row and no other team has scored more league goals at home.

Santi Cazorla and Mesut Ozil are the Arsenal players performing the best in recent weeks, but it's hard to ignore Alexis Sanchez too. 

Everton could only draw at home to bottom club Leicester last week and they're still only six points clear of the relegation zone. They have only won once in their last 10 league games and failed to score in six of those games. They have only won three and have lost seven of their 13 away games with only four other teams conceding more goals away from home.

Romelu Lukaku seems to be hitting some form in recent games and could be worth considering for fantasy managers.

This is another game which could be a very close encounter, but I think Arsenal will be good enough at home to take the three points.

Prediction: 2-1

That's it for this week.

See you next week.


No comments:

Post a Comment