Thursday 3 March 2016

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 reasonably well in the midweek games with five correct outcomes and five incorrect which kept me clear at the top of my predictions league as you can see from the table below.

NameBadgesThis WeekPTS
 1 (1)  Michael Sheehy 4+60910
 2 (3)  Malcs 4+55730
 3 (5)  Rutland Gooner 6+145695
 3 (4)  Wayne Hubbard 5+100695
 3 (2) sensisoccerworld 3-75695



Fantasy managers need to be aware that there are a lot less games next week thanks to the FA Cup quarter finals and a glance at next week's fixtures might not be a bad idea before picking your team this week.

Saturday March 5

Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal 

12.45pm GMT, White Hart Lane, London

Spurs were beaten away to West Ham on Wednesday night and that defeat cost them the chance to go to the top of the table. Only Leicester have taken more home points than Spurs and only United have conceded less goals at home. They won their previous six games before losing to West Ham and they haven't conceded more than one goal in any of their last 12 games.

Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli have all been very good for fantasy managers this season, but their points have slowed down in the last few weeks as have those of the Spurs defenders.

Arsenal were beaten at home by relegation threatened Swansea on Wednesday night and look to be going nowhere in the title race. Only the two teams above Arsenal have taken more away points than them with only Leicester scoring more goals on the road. They have only won two of their last eight league games though and nothing less than a win will do in this game.

Mesut Ozil is still the outstanding Arsenal player for fantasy managers.

Both teams need the three points in this game and Spurs have to be favourites to take them, but blind optimism (or stupidity) makes me plump for Arsenal.

Prediction: 1-2

Chelsea v Stoke City

3pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London

Chelsea just about managed a win away to Norwich on Tuesday night and moved into the top half of the table. They have only won five of their 13 home games, but only City and Everton have scored more goals at home. They have won their last three league games and are unbeaten in their last 12.

Diego Costa continues to do the business for fantasy managers while Branislav Ivanovic has looked good recently too.

Stoke won 1-0 at home to Newcastle on Wednesday night and moved up to eighth place as a result. Stoke have won as many games as they have lost on the road and only five of the teams in the bottom six have conceded more goals on their travels. They have won their last three games, but the clean sheet they kept on Wednesday was their first in six games.

Marco Arnautovic has been the most consistent fantasy performer in the Stoke team so far this season.

Surely Chelsea have left it too late to finish in the top four, but I think they will take another step in that direction in this game by taking all three points on offer.

Prediction: 2-0

Everton v West Ham United

3pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool

Everton won 3-1 away to bottom club Villa on Tuesday night, but they're still just in the bottom half of the table. Only Palace and Villa have lost more home games than Everton, but only City have scored more goals at home. They have won three of their last four league games and they have scored three goals in four of their last six games.

Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley have been the star performers in the Everton team for fantasy managers while Aaron Lennon has done very well in recent weeks.

West Ham got a very good win at home to Spurs on Wednesday night to move within one point of fourth place. They have only lost four of their 13 away games, but they have only won once in their last nine on the road. They have only lost twice in their last 15 league games, but they have drawn seven of those games.

Dimitri Payet and Michail Antonio are the West Ham players to have for fantasy managers at the moment.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Manchester City v Aston Villa

3pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City were well beaten away to Liverpool in midweek and have United and West Ham closing in quickly behind them. They have won more home games and scored more home goals than any other team, but they have lost four of their home games too. They have lost their last three league games and conceded eight goals in the process.

Sergio Aguero still has to be considered a good choice for fantasy managers and this could be an ideal game for him.

Villa were well beaten at home to Everton on Tuesday night and relegation seems inevitable for them. They have only won once in 14 away games and only Newcastle have scored less goals away from home. They have lost their last three league games and conceded 11 goals in the process.

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

Despite their recent poor results I think City will win this game with ease.

Prediction: 3-0

Newcastle United v Bournemouth 

3pm GMT, St. James' Park, Newcastle

Newcastle lost away to Stoke on Wednesday night and slipped back into the relegation zone. They have only lost four of their 13 home games and have scored more goals at home than two of the top five. They have lost four of their last five league games though and they have only scored three goals in those five games.

Georginio Wijnaldum has done really well for Newcastle in home games in particular and could be a good choice for this week.

Bournemouth got a very important win at home to Southampton on Tuesday night to move eight points above the bottom three. They have taken half of their 32 points away from home and haven't lost in their last four on the road. They have only lost two of their last seven league games and have kept clean sheets in their last two.

Charlie Daniels continues to rack up points for fantasy managers while Benik Afobe hasn't done too badly since joining in January either.

Newcastle need to get something from this game, but I think they will have to settle for a point.

Prediction: 1-1

Southampton v Sunderland

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

Southampton were poor on Tuesday night when they lost 2-0 away to Bournemouth. Only the top four have won more home games than Southampton and only four other teams have scored more home goals. They have lost their last two games after taking 16 points and conceding no goals in their previous six.

Southampton's defenders had being doing very well until a couple of games ago and they could still be a good choice for fantasy managers.

Sunderland just about managed to get a point at home to Palace on Tuesday night and that was enough to move them out of the bottom three. They have lost 10 of their 14 away games and no other team has conceded more goals on the road. They have only lost one of their last four games, but they haven't kept a clean sheet in their last 14.

I'm not so sure Sunderland players are an ideal choice for fantasy managers at the moment, but I still think Wahbi Khazri could be a good bet.

I think Southampton will get back to winning ways with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 2-0

Swansea City v Norwich City

3pm GMT, Liberty Stadium, Swansea

Swansea got a great win away to Arsenal in midweek to move six points clear of the relegation zone. Only Villa have won less home games than Swansea and only Villa have scored less goals at home too. They have taken 11 points from their last seven games and they only conceded seven goals in those games.

Gylfi Sigurdsson looks like the Swansea player most likely to succeed for fantasy managers at the moment.

Norwich came close to getting something from their home game with Chelsea on Tuesday night, but they could only pull back one of the two goals they trailed by. They have lost 10 of their 14 away games with only Sunderland and Newcastle conceding more goals on their travels. They have only taken one point in their last eight games and they conceded 21 goals in those games.

I don't think there are any Norwich players who might make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.

A win for Swansea would probably see them safe in the Premier League for another season and I think they will just about manage it.

Prediction: 2-1

Watford v Leicester City

5.30pm GMT, Vicarage Road, Watford

Watford played very well away to United on Wednesday night, but they paid the price for not taking their chances. They have lost as many games as they have won at home with only Villa scoring less goals at home. They have lost six of their last 10 league games and they failed to score in six of their last eight.

I can't see any Watford players to recommend to fantasy managers on current form.

Leicester could only draw at home to West Brom on Tuesday night, but that point increased their lead at the top of the table as the next three teams all lost. They have won more games, taken more points and scored more goals away from home than any other team. They have only lost one of their last 10 league games and they kept clean sheets in six of those games too. 

Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy are still the Leicester players to have for fantasy managers and their defenders can't be discounted either.

Watford are no pushover and I think they might just manage to get a point off Leicester.

Prediction: 1-1

Sunday March 6

Crystal Palace v Liverpool 

1.30pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London

Palace came from behind at Sunderland in midweek to lead 2-1, but they had to settle for a 2-2 draw in the end. No other team has lost more home games than Palace and they have lost their last four games at home. They haven't won in their last 11 league games and they haven't kept a clean sheet in their last nine. 

Conor Wickham has four goals in two games, but it would still be a big risk for fantasy managers to choose a Palace striker.

Liverpool quickly recovered from their Capital One Cup defeat against City to beat them 3-0 in the league on Wednesday night. Only the top three have won more away games than Liverpool and only those top three have scored more away goals too. They have taken 10 points from their last five league games and scored 16 goals in those five games.

Phillippe Coutinho and Roberto Friminio look like the Liverpool players most likely to make an impression for fantasy managers.

I think Liverpool might just manage to get the better of things in this game.

Prediction: 1-3

West Bromwich Albion v Manchester United

4pm GMT, The Hawthorns, Birmingham

West Brom got a very good point away to Leicester on Tuesday night and they're safely in mid table with 10 games to go. They have won as many games as they have lost at home and they are unbeaten in their last five on their home patch. They have only lost two of their last 10 league games and have scored as many goals as they have conceded in those 10 games.

I don't think there are any West Brom players to interest fantasy managers.

United didn't play well at home to Watord on Wednesday night, but they just about managed to take the three points. They have won as many games as they have lost on the road and have conceded more goals than they have scored in those games. They have taken 10 points from their last five league games and are only outside the top four on goal difference.

With Anthony Martial back from injury he could be the United player to have for fantasy managers while Juan Mata is still their most consistent point scorer.

I think this will be a very close game and it will probably end with the honours even.

Prediction: 1-1

That's it for this week.

See you next week.

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