| Badges | This Week | PTS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (1) |   Michael Sheehy |   4 | +95 | 1100 | |
| 2 (2) |  Wayne Hubbard | 5 | +75 | 885 | |
| 3 (5) | sensisoccerworld | 3 | +70 | 800 | |
| 4 (4) | Rutland Gooner |  6 | +20 | 755 | |
| 4 (3) |  Malcs | 4 | 0 | 755 | |
| |
Saturday April 9
West Ham United v Arsenal
12.45pm BST, Upton Park, London
West Ham looked like taking all three points at home to Palace last week until they had a man sent off and ended up drawing 2-2. Only Leicester have lost less games at home than West Ham and they are unbeaten in their last 13 home games, but they have drawn six of them. They have only lost twice in their last 18 games and they have only failed to score once in their last 14 games.
Dimitri Payet is the West Ham player to have for fantasy managers and Manuel Lanzini is looking pretty good too.
Arsenal easily disposed of Watford last week and still have the faintest hope of winning the league. Only Leicester have won more away games than Arsenal and no other team has scored more goals on the road. They have only won four of their last 11 games, but they have won their last two and kept clean sheets in both of them too.
Alexis Sanchez looks like he's found his form again and Alex Iwobi looks like a real bargain for fantasy managers right now.
This looks like it will be a really close game, but I think Arsenal might just nick a victory.
Prediction: 1-2
Aston Villa v Bournemouth
3pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa lost 4-0 at home to Chelsea last week and they could possibly be relegated after this game. They have won less home games than any other team while they have scored less goals and conceded more goals at home than any other team too. They have lost their last seven games while scoring only two goals in those games and conceding 22.
I can't see any Villa players worth considering for fantasy managers.
Bournemouth were well beaten at home to City last week, but they're still 11 points clear of the relegation zone with only a few games to go. They have taken as many points on the road as they have at home and will fancy their chances away to doomed Villa. They have lost their last two games and conceded seven goals in the process, but those games were against teams in the top four and Villa are far from that.
Bournemouth players haven't really set the fantasy world alight in recent weeks, but they might not do too badly in this game.
Villa have been so poor recently that Bournemouth have to be favourites to win this game.
Prediction: 1-2
Crystal Palace v Norwich City
3pm BST, Selhurst Park, London
Palace got a good point away to West Ham last week and they play twice this week. Only Villa have taken less points at home than Palace and they haven't won a home game in almost four months. They haven't won in their last 14 games, but a win in this game would surely put paid to any lingering relegation doubts.
Palace players haven't done much for fantasy managers recently, but they do play twice a week for the next two weeks.
Norwich got a hugely important 3-2 win at home to Newcastle last week to give them some breathing space at the wrong end of the table. Only the bottom two clubs have lost more away games than Norwich and only the three teams below them have conceded more away goals. They have taken seven points from their last three games to move four points clear of the bottom three.
None of the Norwich players have done particularly well for fantasy managers this season.
Palace need to get something from this game and so do Norwich which will probably mean it ends all square.
Prediction: 1-1
Southampton v Newcastle United
3pm BST, St. Mary's Stadium, Southampton
Southampton lost away to Leicester last week, but they're still in with a chance of making the Europa League places. Only the top five have won more home games than Southampton and only four other teams have scored more goals at home. They have only won twice in their last six games, but they have taken 23 points from their last 12 games.
Graziano Pelle has looked good in recent weeks and he might not be a bad choice for fantasy managers in this game.
Newcastle lost away to Norwich last week and they're six points from safety with seven games to go. They have lost more away games than any other team and scored less goals on their travels than any other team too. They have only taken one point from their last six games and it's very hard to see them making up the gap on the teams above them to stay up.
I can't see any Newcastle players who might make a difference for fantasy managers.
Newcastle badly need something from this game, but I think Southampton will take all three points.
Prediction: 2-1
Swansea City v Chelsea
3pm BST, Liberty Stadium, Swansea
Swansea came from 2-0 down to get a point at Stoke last week and they're now 10 points clear of the dreaded relegation zone. No other team in the bottom half of the table has won more home games than Swansea, but only Villa and Watford have scored less goals at home. They have taken 10 points from their last five games and probably have enough points already to stay up.
Gylfi Sigurdsson has been the outstanding Swansea player for fantasy managers recently and is well worth having.
Chelsea strolled to a 4-0 win away to Villa last week and they're only three points off seventh place. They have taken as many points away from home as they have at home and only four other teams have won more games on the road. They are unbeaten in 15 games, but they have drawn eight of those games.
None of the Chelsea players have exactly set the fantasy world alight this season.
I think this will be a very close game, but Chelsea will just get the better of proceedings.
Prediction: 1-2
Watord v Everton
3pm BST, Vicarage Road, Watford
Watford were well beaten by Arsenal last week, but they still have 10 points to spare over the bottom three. Only three teams have lost more games at home, but only Villa have scored less goals at home with only United, Arsenal and Spurs conceding less at home. They have lost their last four games and have failed to score in eight of their last 11.
I can't see any Watford players to interest fantasy managers right now.
Everton lost 1-0 away to United last week and they are one of the two teams to play twice this week. They have taken six more points away from home than they have at home and only Spurs have conceded less goals on their travels. They have lost four of their last five games and failed to score in three of those games.
With two games this week and next week Everton players should be at a premium for fantasy managers with Romelu Lukaku the best of them while Ross Barkley and Aaron Lennon are worth considering too.
I think Everton's away form should be enough to see them take the three points in this game.
Prediction: 0-2
Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion
5.30pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City won easily away to Bournemouth last week, but they're still only one point above fifth placed United. Only Leicester and City have won more games at home and no other team has scored more goals at home. They have only taken seven points from their last seven games, but they have kept clean sheets in three of their last four.
Sergio Aguero still looks like the best City player for fantasy managers even if his goals have dried up a little recently and their defenders have done well recently.
West Brom got a 0-0 draw away to Sunderland last week to reach the magical 40 point mark. They have only lost five of their 15 away games, but only Newcastle have scored less goals away from home. They have only lost twice in their last nine games and have kept clean sheets in two of their last three.
I can't see any West Brom players making a difference for fantasy managers at the moment, but Ben Foster hasn't done too badly recently.
West Brom won't make it easy for City, but I think City should win by a couple of goals.
Prediction: 2-0
Sunday April 10
Sunderland v Leicester City
1.30pm BST, Stadium of Light, Sunderland
Sunderland could only draw 0-0 at home to West Brom last week and they're four points behind seventeenth placed Norwich with a game in hand. Only Villa have won less games at home, but only five other teams have conceded less goals on their own patch. They have drawn their last four games and need some wins quickly if they're going to catch any of the teams above them.
I can't see any Sunderland players to interest fantasy managers at the moment.
Leicester won 1-0 at home to Southampton last week and they will be champions if they take 12 points from their last six games regardless of what any other team does. They have won more away games than any other team and no other team has scored more away goals. They have taken 16 points from their last six games and won five of those games by the same 1-0 scoreline.
Leicester defenders are a must have for fantasy managers at the moment while Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy have done well all season long.
Sunderland desperately need something from this game, but I think Leicester will come out on top.
Prediction: 0-1
Liverpool v Stoke City
4pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool could only draw at home to Spurs last week and a top four finish must surely be beyond them now. They have only won five of their 14 home games and have scored more goals away from home than they have at home. They have taken 10 points from their last five games and they do have two games in hand on many of the other teams, but they have struggled for consistency all season long.
Phillippe Coutinho looks like the best of the Liverpool players for fantasy managers at the moment while Roberto Frimino is worth considering too once he's fit to play.
Stoke led 2-0 at home to Swanses last week and ended up drawing 2-2, but they're still on course for their best ever Premier League finish. They have taken almost as many points away from home as they have at home, but they have struggled for goals at home and away. Despite drawing with Swansea last week they have taken 14 points from their last seven games.
Marco Arnautovic is the Stoke player most likely to make a difference for fantasy managers.
Despite their poor home form I think Liverpool will take the three points in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United
4pm BST, White Hart Lane, London
Spurs could only draw 1-1 away to Liverpool last week and they're now seven points behind Leicester with six games left to play. Only Leicester and City have won more games at home while only United and Arsenal have conceded less goals at home. They have only taken seven points from their last five games though after winning their previous six.
Harry Kane is the form player to have for fantasy managers in the Spurs team with Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen looking good too.
United got a very important 1-0 win at home to Everton last week to keep up the pressure on fourth placed City. They have won as many games as they have lost away from home and they have conceded more goals than they have scored on their travels. They have won four of their last five games and have kept clean sheets in their of their last four.
United's defenders have done well for fantasy managers in recent weeks and could be worth considering.
I think this will be a very close game and Spurs will just about get the better of it.
Prediction: 2-1
Wednesday April 13
Crystal Palace v Everton
8pm BST, Selhurst Park, London
Palace will hope to have beaten Norwich on Saturday before going into this game as they have an FA Cup semi final coming up soon and will want to have all relegation worries out of the way. After this game they will have four of their last five away from home and they really can't afford to go into those games in need of points to avoid the drop.
With two home games this week Palace players could do well for fantasy managers, but it's not easy to see which ones to choose.
Everton are still in the bottom half of the table and all their hopes are pinned on their FA Cup semi final in a couple of weeks. They have drawn half of their 14 away games and only three other teams have a better goal difference away from home than Everton.
As I said previously Lukaku looks like a good bet for the next two weeks for fantasy managers.
I think Everton's away record should see them get the better of this game narrowly.
Prediction: 1-2
That's it for this week
See you next week.
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