Thursday 19 January 2017

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 22

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 last week with one perfect prediction, five correct outcomes and four incorrect outcomes. Those predictions moved me back to second in my predictions league and just within 100 points of the leader as you can see from the league table below.

NameBadgesThis WeekPTS
 1 (1)  Karl-Yngve Lund 3+401345
 2 (3)  Michael Sheehy 5+801250
 3 (4)  Rutland Gooner 4+1001220
 4 (2)  Wayne Hubbard 1+201200
 5 (5)  @ iWelloo 20860


 
Saturday January 21

Liverpool v Swansea City

12.30pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool

Liverpool led away to United last week, but they had to settle for a point in the end and dropped back to seven points behind Chelsea in third place. They're one of only two teams unbeaten at home with only Spurs scoring more home goals and only Spurs and Chelsea conceding less at home. They have only lost two of their 21 games and are unbeaten in their last seven as well as being the top scorers in the league.

Adam Lallana, Roberto Frimino and Phillippe Coutinho all look good for fantasy managers with the Liverpool defenders doing well in recent weeks too.

Swansea were well beaten at home by Arsenal last week and dropped to the foot of the table again. They have lost seven of their 10 away games with only Palace and Hull conceding more goals on their travels. They have lost five of their last six games and conceded 18 goals in the process as well as having the worst defensive record in the league.

Gylfi Sigurdsson is by far the best of the bunch in the Swansa team for fantasy managers even if he hasn't been quite so prolific in recent weeks.

Despite their current hectic schedule I can't see anything other than a comprehensive Liverpool victory in this game.

Prediction: 4-0

Bournemouth v Watford

3pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth led 1-0 away to struggling Hull last week, but yet again they conceded three goals and ended up losing 3-1. They have won half of their 10 home games with only five other teams scoring more goals at home and only five other teams conceding more at home too. They have taken 10 points in their last nine games, but they conceded three goals in seven of those games and only four other teams have conceded more goals.

Charlie Daniels has done well for fantasy managers despite Bournemouth's defensive problems and Junior Stanislas does well when he gets to play.

Watford drew 0-0 at home to Boro last week, but they needed a win to stop their slide down the table. They have only won two of their 10 away games with only three other teams scoring less goals on their travels. They have only taken two points and scored two goals in their last six games.

I can't see any Watford players to make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think this will be a close game, but Bournemouth will get the better of it.

Prediction: 2-1

Crystal Palace v Everton

3pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London

Palace lost 3-0 away to West Ham last week and they're only out of the relegation zone on goal difference now. They have taken less points at home than any other team and have lost six of their last seven games at home. They have only taken two points in their last seven games and they failed to score in three of their last five.

I can't see any Palace players who might make a real difference for fantasy managers.

Everton had a great 4-0 win at home to City last week and they certainly seem to have rediscovered their early season form. They have only won three of their 10 away games and have conceded more than they have scored on the road. They have taken 10 points from their last four games and kept clean sheets in three of those games.

Leighton Baines looks to be the best of the Everton players at the moment for fantasy managers with Seamus Coleman, Kevin Mirallas, Romelu Lukaku and maybe even Tom Davies worth considering too.

I think Everton will take advantage of Palace's poor form and narrowly take the three points.

Prediction: 1-2

Middlesbrough v West Ham United

3pm GMT, Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough 

Boro drew 0-0 away to Watford last week, but they're still only two places and four points above the relegation zone. Only two teams have taken less points at home and no other team has scored less goals on their own patch with only five other teams having a better defensive record at home. They are the lowest scorers in the league, but only three other teams have a better defensive record and they have kept four clean sheets in their last eight games.

Boro defenders have done well for fantasy managers with Ben Gibson and Victor Valdes probably the best of them.

West Ham won 3-0 at home to Palace last week to move well clear of the bottom three despite the absence of want away Demitri Payet. They have only won two of their 10 away games, but they did manage draws away to both United and Liverpool. They have won four of their last six games and kept a clean sheet in three of those games too.

With Payet unavailable Michail Antonio and Winston Reid are the best fantasy choices in the West Ham team with Andy Carroll and Darren Randolph outside bets.

I think this will be another very close game and the chances are it will end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Stoke City v Manchester United

3pm GMT, Bet365 Arena, Stoke

Stoke won 3-1 away to Sunderland last week, but a game against United will be a much tougher task. They have only won four of their 10 home games and have conceded as many goals as they have scored at home, but they have only lost one of their last eight at home. They have won their last two games after failing to win the previous five and they have conceded more goals than any other team in the top half of the table.

Peter Crouch has had a new lease of life in recent weeks and his low price could make him a different option for fantasy managers looking to save some money.

United came from behind to get a point at home to Liverpool last week and they're still sixth despite their long unbeaten run. They have only lost two of their 10 away games with only Chelsea and Spurs conceding less away goals. They are unbeaten in 12 league games and had won six in a row before drawing with Liverpool last week, but they're a lot less prolific in front of goal than any of the five teams above them.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic looks like a must have for fantasy managers at the moment while Paul Pogba has done well too with the noteable exception of last week.

I think Stoke will make a game of it, but United will get the better of a close affair.

Prediction: 1-2

West Bromwich Albion v Sunderland

3pm GMT, The Hawthorns, Birmingham 

West Brom were well beaten away to Spurs last week and they have a very poor record against the top six this season, but Sunderland certainly aren't one of them. They have won half of their 10 home games and only five other teams have scored more goals at home. They have taken 19 points from their last seven games against teams below them in the league and Sunderland fit nicely into that category.

Matt Phillips looks the like West Brom player most likely to succeed for fantasy managers with Chris Brunt, Ben Foster and Gareth McAuley worth considering too.

Sunderland lost 3-1 at home to Stoke last week and they just can't seem to get out of the bottom three. They have lost eight of their 10 away games with only Burnley scoring less goals away from home. They have only taken one point from their last four games and they conceded 12 goals in those games.

Jermain Defoe is still the only Sunderland player worth having for fantasy managers.

I think West Brom should have enough to get the better of Sunderland with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 2-0

Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur

5.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City were thrashed 4-0 at Everton last week and find themselves out of the top four and 10 points behind the leaders Chelsea. They have won six of their 10 home games and they have won their last three on their own patch. They have won four and lost four of their last eight games and they have conceded more goals than the rest of the top six.

Surely Sergio Aguero, Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva will all do well for fantasy managers in the long term.

Spurs won easily against West Brom last week and moved up to second in the table seven points behind Chelsea. They have only won four of their 10 away games, but no other team has conceded less goals away from home. They have won their last six games and scored 19 goals in the process while only conceding three and they have the best defensive record in the league.

Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane and all of the Spurs defenders are all performing really well for fantasy managers.

This is a game both teams need to win and neither can afford to lose, but I think it will end with the honours even.

Prediction: 1-1

Sunday January 22

Southampton v Leicester City

12.00pm GMT, St. Mary's Stadium, Southampton 

Southampton lost away to Burnley last week and their cup exploits seem to be affecting their league form at the moment. They have only won four of their 10 home games with only Boro scoring less goals at home. They have lost their last four games and conceded 10 goals in the process with only Boro scoring less goals so far.

None of the Southampton players are doing too well at the moment for fantasy managers, but that should change when their schedule becomes a little less hectic.

Leicester were well beaten at home to Chelsea last week and they still can't put a comfortable space between them and the bottom three. They still haven't won a game away from home and only Burnley have taken less points on the road. They have only won once in their last six games and they failed to score in four of those games.

I can't see any Leicester players setting the fantasy world alight at the moment.

I think this will be another very close game and the chances are it will end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Arsenal v Burnley

2.15pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London

Arsenal won 4-0 away to Swansea last week to move back into the top four, but they're still eight points behind Chelsea. They haven't lost at home since their first game of the season and only the three teams above them have scored more goals on their own ground. They have taken 10 points from their last four games and kept a clean sheet in three of those games with only Liverpool scoring more goals so far.

Alexis Sanchez is a must have for fantasy managers with Olivier Giroud and Mesut Ozil doing quite well too and their defenders have done well in recent weeks.

Burnley won 1-0 at home to Southampton last week and they're still managing to hold on to a place in the top half of the table. They have only taken one point from their nine away games and have only managed three goals in those games. They have won three of their last four games, but they were all at home and they're the lowest scorers in the top half of the league.

Burnley's defenders have done well for fantasy managers, but only when they play at home.

I think Arsenal should be good enough to win this game with a few goals to spare.

Prediction: 3-0

Chelsea v Hull City

4.30pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London

Chelsea bounced back from their defeat against Spurs with a very good 3-0 win at Leicester last week. They have won nine of their 10 home games and their last seven in a row and they are the highest scorers at home too. They have won 14 of their last 15 league games and kept a clean sheet in 11 of those games with only Spurs conceding less goals.

If Diego Costa is back he's a very good choice for fantasy managers as is Eden Hazard while every fantasy team should have at least one Chelsea defender.

Hull came from behind to win 3-1 at home to Bournemouth last week and moved off the foot of the table in Marco Silva's first game in charge. They have lost eight of their 10 away games and only Palace have conceded more away goals with only Burnley scoring less on their travels. Their win last week was their first one in 10 games and only Swansea have conceded more goals with only Boro and Southampton scoring less.

Robert Snodgrass is the Hull player who can make a difference for fantasy managers.

I think Chelsea should be far too good for Hull and should win comfortably.

Prediction: 3-0

That's it for this week.

See you next week.


1 comment:

  1. It's about time Mournio gets beaten or draw. As for Spurs ,I hope Guardiola will
    modify his passing game and go direct and beat Spurs. You can't be winning 7 to 15 games in
    a row .A blip has to happen at some time.
    MC will be smarting from the heavy loss and could redeem themselves.As for Wenger
    if he were to play Spurs/MU/Everton now,he will lose because we know/everybody knows except the fm,like Guardiola his game plane needs time and space.
    If you shut up shop,his attack will get nowhere in spite of the pretty patterns.
    We shall wait and see.
    g

    ReplyDelete