Thursday 23 April 2015

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 34

It's that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. Last week wasn't a good week for me with no correct scorelines, two correct outcomes and five incorrect. It means I've fallen even further behind the leader in my predictions league and I'm looking more likely to drop back to third than catch him as you can see from the table below.

There are extra games for four teams this week with Chelsea, Liverpool, Leicester and Hull all playing twice which makes their players all the better for fantasy managers. It's hard to look beyond Eden Hazard as captain for this week even if Chelsea are away from home in both games. Despite having two games this week I still think Hull players should be avoided.


PositionPlayer NamePTSTWBB
NC 1 (1)Rutland Gooner1790-150
NC 2 (2)Michael Sheehy1695-350
NC 3 (3)sodobo1610+10020
NC 4 (4)goonerdhanesh1490+200
NC 5 (5)Wayne Hubbard1445+50


Saturday April 25

Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur

12.45pm BST, St. Mary's Stadium, Southampton 

Southampton were beaten away to Stoke last week after leading and will need to get something from this game to have a realistic chance of finishing in the top six. They have only won four of their last 11 games and have only scored eight goals in those 11 games. Only the top four have taken more points and scored more goals at home than Southampton and only Chelsea have a better defensive record at home.

Southampton's defenders are still a good bet for fantasy managers with Kelvin Davis a good price in goal.

Spurs got their Europa League hopes back on track last week with a win away to Newcastle, but they cannot afford to be beaten by the team directly below them. That was only their fourth win in nine games and they're seven points outside the top four with only five games to play. Only the top two have won more away games than Spurs, but they have let in an awful lot of goals on the road for a team so high in the table.

Harry Kane is still by far the best fantasy option in the Spurs team even if he has only scored once in his last three games.

This looks like it will be a close game which could go either way and a draw is probably the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

Burnley v Leicester City

3pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley

Burnley were beaten away to Everton last week and they're running out of games to save themselves, but a win over one of the other teams in the bottom three could be just what they need. They have only won once in their last 12 games and have failed to score in six of their last seven. They have only won four of their 17 home games and no other team has scored less goals at home.

I can't see any Burnley players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.

Leicester got a very good win at home to Swansea last week and they could move out of the relegation zone with all three points in this game. They have won their last three games and scored 10 in their last four and are only in the bottom three on goal difference. They have lost 12 of their 17 away games with only QPR losing more and conceding more goals on the road.

Leicester play twice this week which makes their players more valuable for fantasy managers with Esteban Cambiasso, Andy King and Jamie Vardy possibly the most likely to do well.

I think this will be another very close game, but Leicester's ability to score goals will edge it for them.

Prediction: 1-2

Crystal Palace v Hull City

3pm BST, Selhurst Park, London

Palace were on a roll but that came to an end when they lost at home to West Brom last week. They had won four in a row before that and eight of their previous 13 to leave them safe from any relegation worries. They have only won five of their 16 home games and have taken six points more away from home than they have at home.

Glenn Murray and Yannick Bolasie still look like good fantasy options while Wilfried Zaha should be considered too. 

Hull didn't play last week but they play twice this week and they need to get something from those games or they will drop into the bottom three. They have lost their last three games and only taken two points from their last six games. They have only won two of their 17 away games with only Villa, West Brom and Leicester scoring less goals on the road.

I can't see any Hull players who might make a difference for fantasy managers even with two games this week.

I think Palace will bounce back from last week and win this game by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 2-0

Newcastle United v Swansea City

3pm BST, St. James's Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle lost at home to Spurs last week and they're still not safe from relegation if they continue their current desperate run. They have lost their last six games and failed to score in four of them, but they are still seven points above the drop zone. They have only won once in their last seven home games with only West Brom and Sunderland conceding more goals at home.

I can't see any Newcastle fans to remotely interest fantasy managers at the moment.

Swansea lost away to Leicester last week and that was their first defeat to any of the teams in the bottom six. Their form has been up and down recently, but they will fancy their chances against a Newcastle team devoid of confidence. They have only won five of their 16 away games and they're the lowest scorers away from home in the top half of the table.

Ki Sung-Yueng and Jonjo Shelvey have been the best of the Swansea players for fantasy managers recently.

I think Swansea will have enough to beat a Newcastle team who could find themselves in a lot of trouble if they can't halt their slide.

Prediction: 1-2

Queens Park Rangers v West Ham United

3pm BST, Loftus Road, London

QPR didn't play last week and they dropped to second last after Leicester beat Swansea. They have only taken four points in their last eight games, but those points did all come in their last three games. They have won more home games than the rest of the bottom six and have scored more goals at home than the rest of them too.

Charlie Austin and Matt Phillips are both in good form and well worth considering for fantasy managers.

West Ham were beaten away to City last week to continue their downward spiral. They have only won twice in their last 16 games and look to be heading to the bottom half of the table. They have only won three of their 16 away games and only four other teams have conceded more goals on the road.

I can't see any West Ham players to recommend to fantasy managers right now.

QPR need to get something from this game and I think they will just about manage to win.

Prediction: 2-1

Stoke City v Sunderland 

3pm BST, Britannia Stadium, Stoke

Stoke came from behind to win at home to Southampton last week and put an end to their recent dip. Despite recently losing three games in a row they have still managed 13 points in their last eight games. They have won eight of their 16 home games, but they're the lowest scorers at home I n the top half of the table.

Charlie Adam has done well for fantasy managers in recent weeks, but it's always a risk picking Stoke players.

Sunderland didn't play last week which is probably just as well for them considering their recent form. They have only won once in their last nine games and they failed to score in five of those games. They have only won two of their 15 away games and only Villa have scored less goals on the road.

I don't think there are any Sunderland players worth considering for fantasy managers for the rest of the season.

Sunderland need to get something from this game, but I don't think they will.

Prediction: 2-0

West Bromwich Albion v Liverpool

3pm BST, The Hawthorns, Birmingham 

West Brom got a very important win away to Palace last week and are as good as safe from relegation. That win halted a run of three defeats, but they had only lost one of the previous six and they are eight points clear of the bottom three. No other team has lost more home games or conceded more home goals than West Brom.

West Brom's defenders had been doing well for fantasy managers until recently, but it's hard to see them getting anything in this game.

Liverpool play twice this week and they need to take all six points if they're going to keep up their pursuit of the top four. Despite their recent defeats to United and Arsenal they have still taken 35 points from their last 15 games and more of that form is just what is needed. Only the top two have won more away games than Liverpool, but they have lost six of their 15 away games and struggled for goals on the road.

Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Phillippe Coutinho look like the best fantasy choices in the Liverpool team with their defenders worth  considering too.

I think Liverpool will get over their cup disappointment of last week and take the three points.

Prediction: 1-2

Manchester City v Aston Villa

5.30pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City got a much needed win at home to West Ham last week and they need more of the same in this game. City have lost four of their last seven games to drop to fourth in the table, but none of those defeats were at home. They have won their last four home games scoring 12 goals and conceding none with only Chelsea and United scoring more goals at home.

Sergio Aguero and David Silva (if he's recovered from his injury) are the City players fantasy managers should be looking at.

Villa won their cup semi final against Liverpool last week, but they're still only four points above the drop zone. They have taken 10 points from their last six games and scored in five of those games which is a very good for a team who have found goals so hard to come by all season long. They have taken more points on the road than at home though even though they're the lowest scorers away from home.

Christian Benteke has been in very good form recently and has to be considered by fantasy managers.

I think City should be good enough at home to take all three points.

Prediction: 3-1

Sunday April 26

Everton v Manchester United

1.30pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool 

Everton could only beat 10 man Burnley 1-0 last week and they're still struggling to score goals. They have taken 13 points from their last five games and kept clean sheets in three of them. They have only lost three of their 16 home games and are unbeaten in seven at home with clean sheets in five of them.

Everton's defenders have done well for a while now and are worth considering for fantasy managers, but maybe not in this game.

United played well away to Chelsea last week, but their 1-0 defeat ended any slim title hopes they might have held. Before that defeat to Chelsea they had won six games in a row and they will want to get back to winning ways to try to finish in second place. They have only won five of their 16 away games and they're the lowest scorers away from home in the top seven.

Wayne Rooney, Ashley Young, Marouane Fellaini and Ander Herrera have all done well for fantasy managers in recent weeks.

I think this will be a very close affair and a draw is probably the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

Arsenal v Chelsea

4pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London

Arsenal beat Reading to advance to the cup final for the second season in a row last week, but their slim title hopes ended at the same time when Chelsea beat United to open up a 10 point lead. They have won their last eight league games though which is the best winning streak of any team so far this season. They have won their last nine home league games and only United have scored more goals at home.

Olivier Giroud, Mesut Ozil, Alexis Sanchez, Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla have all been in fine form for Arsenal and are all worth considering for fantasy managers.

Chelsea beat United 1-0 last week and only need three wins from their last six games to claim the title. They have taken 30 points from their last 12 games and kept clean sheets in six of those games. They have more wins and more points away from home than any other team and no other team has scored more goals on the road.

Eden Hazard has made himself a must have for fantasy managers while Cesc Fabregas and all of the Chelsea defenders should be considered too and they do play twice this week.

Chelsea will more than likely park the bus and be happy with a draw, but I think Arsenal can do enough to open up their defence and win this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Tuesday April 28

Hull City v Liverpool

7.45pm BST, KC Stadium, Hull

Hull will be in the bottom three before this game is played if they don't get at least a point away to Palace. They have only won four of their 15 home games and only three teams have scored less goals at home. Four of their last six games are against teams in the top six and relegation has to be a very real possibility for them now.

As I said above I think fantasy managers should avoid Hull players this week even though they play twice.

Liverpool play their second away game of the week and they have the chance to make up some of the ground they lost on the teams above them. If they can take six points from those two games they will be four points off the top four at worst and still in with a chance of Champions League qualification. 

As I said above Sterling, Henderson, Coutinho and the Liverpool defence are all viable options for fantasy managers this week in particular.

I think Liverpool will add to Hull's woes by taking the three points in this game.

Prediction: 0-2

Wednesday April 29

Leicester City v Chelsea

7.45pm BST, King Power Stadium, Leicester

Leicester have the chance to move clear of the bottom three this week with two games, but this will be a very tough game for them to get anything from. They have only won four of their 15 home games, but no other team in the bottom half of the table has conceded less goals at home. Four of their last six games are at home and I think they might just get enough points to keep themselves up.

As I said above Cambiasso, Vardy and King all look good for fantasy managers this week.

Chelsea could win the title in this game if they get a win at Arsenal on Sunday. They might not have been at their best for a while now, but they keep getting the results and inching towards the title. Only City have scored more goals than them and only Southampton have conceded less and they have only lost two league games out of 32 so far.

Again as I said previously Hazard, Fabregas and the Chelsea defenders all look like good fantasy options this week.

I don't think Chelsea will have it all their own way in this game and Leicester might just manage to get a point.

Prediction: 1-1

That's it for this week.

See you next week. I'm 

2 comments:

  1. Nothing is cast in stone and all good things must to an end.Mourino 's unbeaten record stretches 12 games. This is the 13th game.It could be lucky/unlucky for either bosses.
    It's about time Wenger beat the Portuguese.To do this he must not play like in previous games against MC/MU/Pool and Chelsea.Then the gunners were playing a cat and mouse game in front of the opponents goal mouth. Sad to say they invariably lost.
    The lack of speed is amajor factor.and until this is rectified.dont be surprised the gunners will lose.
    This is especially if Chelsea park the bus/cruise ship and play on the counter. Chelsea surprised many by opting to go on the attack against red faceless MU.Though they had less possession,they were the more potent side.I hope Arsenal have less possession but score more goals.

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  2. The reason why Mourno has the measure of the fm is he is a pragmatic guy.He has a balance between defence and attack.In contrast Wenger is too attack minded and likes to indulge in endless passing though of late there has been a change.
    The defence is much better compared to last and previous seasons.And in Snachez the gunners have a clinical finisher.I would be satisfied if Arsenal were to win 1-0. Arsenal must score first to win.In all games involving Chelsea and MU,when the gunners were a goal down,caution is thrown to the heavens. Hopefully Wenger has mellowed.

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