Friday 13 March 2015

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 29

It's that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did fairly well last week with one perfect scoreline, five correct outcomes and five incorrect. It wasn't enough to keep me on my own on the top of my predictions league as I'm now tied for first place as you can see from the table below.


Up 1 (2)Rutland Gooner1465+2750
NC 1 (1)Michael Sheehy1465+1800
NC 3 (3)Wayne Hubbard1330+2600
Down 4 (3)goonerdhanesh1225+1550
NC 5 (5)sodobo1195+2000


Saturday March 14

Crystal Palace v Queens Park Rangers

12.45pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London

Palace were narrowly beaten away to Southampton in their last game, but they still have an eight point cushion between them and the bottom three. They have taken 15 points in their last 10 league games to more or less dispell any relegation worries they might have had. They have only won three of their 13 home games though and have lost more home games then any other team.

I think Jason Puncheon has looked good since the return of Alan Pardew and is worth a punt for fantasy managers.

QPR lost twice last week with both Arsenal and Spurs going to Loftus Road and taking all three points by the same 2-1 scoreline. They have lost seven of their last eight games and have to play six of their last 10 away from home. They have lost 12 of their 13 away games and they have conceded more goals away from home than any other team with only Villa scoring less away goals.

Charlie Austin still looks like the QPR player most likely to make an impression for fantasy managers.

I think this will be a close game, but Palace's new found confidence under Pardew should see them shade it.

Prediction: 2-1

Arsenal v West Ham United

3pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London

Arsenal just about won 2-1 away to QPR in their last league game and followed that with an impressive win away to United in the cup. They have won seven of their last eight league games to climb up to third in the table. Only Chelsea and United have won more home games than Arsenal and no other team has scored more goals at home. 

There are so many attacking options for Arsenal at the moment, but Mesut Ozil, Santi Cazorla and Olivier Giroud are probably the most likely to run up fantasy points.

West Ham ran Chelsea very close in their last game, but ended up losing yet again and have now dropped back to tenth. They have only won once in their last 11 games and haven't won away since early December. They have only won three of their 13 away games, but only four teams have scored more goals away from home.

Stewart Downing has been the most consistent fantasy performer in the West Ham team and I still like the look of Diafra Sakho too.

Arsenal look almost unstoppable at home in the league at the moment and I think they will get another three points in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Leicester City v Hull City

3pm GMT, King Power Stadium, Leicester

Leicester were unlucky to lose their last game away to City, but they did lose and they're still rooted to the foot of the table seven points from safety. They have only taken one point in their last six games despite playing well and have failed to score in three of them. They have taken less points at home them any other team with only Villa and Sunderland scoring less goals at home.

It's not easy to see what Leicester players might make a difference for fantasy managers, but with seven of their remaining 11 games at home there is a chance for some of them to shine.

Hull led Sunderland in their last game, but they were pegged back and only took a point. They have taken eight points from their last five games to move five points clear of the relegation zone. They have only won two of their 14 away games and only the bottom three have taken less points on the road.

Dame N'Doye has done well since joining Hull in January, but he has only got a real chance in their home games.

I think Leicester are good enough to stay up and could start to climb the table by winning this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Sunderland v Aston Villa

3pm GMT, Stadium of Light, Sunderland 

Sunderland did well to get yet another draw after trailing at Hull in their last game. They have only won once in their last 11 league games and have failed to score in three of their last four. No other team has won less or drawn more home games than Sunderland and only Villa have scored less goals at home.

Costel Pantilimon is still a good fantasy option although the clean sheets have dried up for Sunderland recently.

Villa won their last game at home to West Brom and climbed out of the relegation zone as a result. They had only taken three points in their previous 12 games though and they failed to score in nine of them. Villa are by far the lowest scorers away from home with only four goals in 14 games, but those four goals have won them 11 points.

I still can't see any Villa players to recommend to fantasy managers.

This is a real relegation six pointer and I think Sunderland will get the better of a very tight game.

Prediction: 1-0

West Bromwich Albion v Stoke City

3pm GMT, The Hawthorns, Birmingham 

West Brom were beaten by Villa in the league last week and then they lost to them in the cup at the weekend too. They have only lost twice in their last nine league games though and are now eight points clear of the bottom three. They have won five of their 14 home games and Newcastle are the only team in the bottom half of the table to have won more at home.

Saido Berahino has come back into form in recent games and is worth considering for fantasy managers.

Stoke beat Everton last time out and the three points saw them climb to eighth in the table. They have taken 15 points from their last seven games and kept clean sheets in three of those games too. They have won as many away games as they have lost and only four teams have conceded less goals away from home.

The fantasy points have been shared out among the Stoke players this season, but Victor Moses has looked good in recent games.

The meeting of Tony Pulis's current and former teams promises anything but thrilling football and I think it has a draw written all over it.

Prediction: 1-1

Burnley v Manchester City

5.30pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley

Burnley were beaten by Liverpool in their last game and are now three points from safety in the bottom three. Despite playing well they have only taken two points in their last seven games and relegation is looking more likely by the game. They have taken 14 of their 22 points at home, but only Villa and Sunderland have scored less goals at home.

Danny Ings still looks like the only Burnley player worth considering for fantasy managers with George Boyd as a possible outside option.

City just about beat Leicester last time out and don't look like they have what it takes to overhaul Chelsea at the top of the table. They have only won three of their last nine league games and it looks like their season could end without a trophy. No other team has taken more points away from home than City and they're the top scorers on the road too.

Sergio Aguero and David Silva are the mainstays for fantasy managers in the City team while Yaya Toure should be considered too.

Despite City being far from their best I think they will win this game by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 1-3

Sunday March 15

Chelsea v Southampton 

1.30pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London

Chelsea scraped through away to West Ham last time out and kept their five point lead at the top of the table with a game in hand too. They were knocked out of the Champions League by PSG on Wednesday night though and have looked vulnerable in recent weeks. They have taken 35 points out of 39 at home though and have the best defensive record at home too.

There are so many fantasy options in the Chelsea team with Eden Hazard, Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa and all of their defenders and goalkeeper all worth having for any fantasy manager.

Southampton won at home to Palace in their last game to keep their slim hopes of a top four finish alive. They have only won two of their last six league games and have only scored two goals in those six games. They have won seven of their 13 away games though and have the best defensive record away from home too.

Southampton's defenders have performed very well for fantasy managers and Sadio Mane doesn't look too bad either.

Despite Southampton's good defensive record I think they will lose this game by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 2-0

Everton v Newcastle United

4pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool

Everton were beaten yet again on their last league game when they went down 2-0 away to Stoke. They have only won once in their last 12 league games and have failed to score in eight of those games. They have only won three of their 13 home games in the league, but they did manage a 2-1 win at home to Dynamo Kiev in the Europa League on Thursday night.

I still can't see any Everton players to write home about for fantasy managers.

Newcastle were unlucky to lose at home to United in their last game. They have only won three of their last 13 league games and have failed to score in two of the last three. They have only lost four of their 14 home games and have taken more points at home than any other team in the bottom half of the table.

With Papiss Cisse suspended for seven games it's not easy to see any Newcastle players who might make a difference for fantasy managers.

Everton need a win to end any chance of them dropping nearer to the relegation zone and I think they will just about take the three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur

4pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester

United got a last minute winner against Newcastle in their last game, but they then lost at home to Arsenal in the cup on Monday night. They have taken 16 points from their last seven games and are only a pont behind third placed Arsenal. Only Chelsea have taken more home points than United and no other team has scored more goals at home, but they have a very tough run of games coming up.

If he continues to play up front Wayne Rooney could be the best fantasy option in the United team while David de Gea has done well too.

Spurs played twice last week and beat both Swansea and QPR to keep pace with the teams above them. They have taken 16 points from their last seven league games and have bounced back from their Capital One Cup final defeat to stay within three points of the top four. Only the top two have won more away games than Spurs and only the top three have scored more away goals, but they have conceded a lot of goals on the road.

Harry Kane is a must have for fantasy managers with Christian Eriksen well worth having too and maybe even Nacir Chadli.

I think this game could be a very close one and could quite easily end up with the spoils shared.

Prediction: 2-2

Monday March 16

Swansea City v Liverpool

8pm GMT, Liberty Stadium, Swansea

Swansea were beaten away to Spurs in their last game, but they ran them very close. They have taken 10 points from their last six league games to move up to ninth in the table. They have won seven of their 14 home games and can be a tough proposition at home as both Arsenal and United found it. 

Ki Sung-Yueng has been the best fantasy performer in the Swansea team in recent weeks, but Gylfi Sigurdsson still has a lot to offer and Lukasz Fabianski hasn't done too badly either.

Liverpool won at home to Burnley in their last game and they look like the in form team in the league. They have taken 30 points from their last 12 games and have kept clean sheets in six of their last eight league games. Only the top two have won more away games than Liverpool and only four other teams have scored more away goals.

Raheem Sterling continues to be the best of the bunch in the Liverpool team for fantasy managers while Phillippe Coutinho, Jordan Henderson and all of their defenders have looked good recently too.

Swansea aren't an easy team to beat at home and I think they might just be able to take a point off Liverpool.

Prediction: 1-1

That's it for this week.

See you next week.

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