Thursday 2 February 2017

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 24

It's that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn't do too well last week, but the two perfect scorelines I got meant I actually moved closer to the top of my predictions league despite dropping to third place as you can see from the table below.

NameBadgesThis WeekPTS
 1 (3)  Rutland Gooner 5+501315
 2 (1)  Karl-Yngve Lund 3-751300
 3 (2)  Michael Sheehy 501275
 4 (4)  Wayne Hubbard 1-601185
 5 (5)  @ iWelloo 20860


 
Saturday February 4

Chelsea v Arsenal

12.30pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London

Chelsea drew at Liverpool on Tuesday night and that was enough to see them extend their lead at the top of the table to nine points. They have won 10 of their 11 home games and no other team has taken more points or scored more goals at home. They have won 18 of their 23 games with only Liverpool and Arsenal scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.

The Chelsea defenders are all doing really well for fantasy managers with Eden Hazaed and Diego Costa well worth having too.

Arsenal missed the chance to move six points behind Chelsea when they lost 2-1 at home to Watford on Tuesday night. They have only lost two of their 11 away games and no other team has scored more goals away from home with only Chelsea and Spurs conceding less. Only Liverpool have scored more goals than Arsenal, but their problems have come in defence where they have conceded nine more goals than Chelsea.

Alexis Sanchez is still the Arsenal player to have for fantasy managers with Mesut Ozil or Alex Iwobi maybe worth a shout too.

A win for Chelsea in this game would move them a step closer to winning the league, but my blind belief in Arsenal makes me think try will get a narrow victory.

Prediction: 1-2

Crystal Palace v Sunderland

3pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London

Palace won away to Bournemouth on Tuesday night to get their first win under Sam Allardyce, but it didn't move them out of the relegation zone. They have lost eight of their 11 home games and no other team has taken less points at home with only Boro and West Ham scoring less on their own patch. Only the top seven teams have scored more goals than Palace, but their midweek win was their first one in nine games.

I still don't see any Palace players doing well enough on a consistent basis for fantasy managers.

Sunderland got a good point at home to Spurs on Tuesday night, but they're still rooted to the foot of the table. They have lost nine of their 11 away games with only Burnley scoring less goals away from home. They have lost 15 of their 23 games and have only taken two points from their last six games.

Jermain Defoe is still the only Sunderland player for fantasy managers to consider.

This is a real relegation six pointer and I think the confidence Palace got from their win at Bournemouth might just give them the edge.

Prediction: 2-1

Everton v Bournemouth 

3pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool 

Everton came from behind to get a point at Stoke on Wednesday night and they're almost as close to sixth placed United as United are to the top four. They have only lost one of their 11 home games and only the top two have conceded less goals at home. They have taken 14 points from their last six games and they kept a clean sheet in four of those games.

Everton defenders have done very well recently with Seamus Coleman and Leighton Baines the best of them while Tom Davies, Kevin Mirallas and Romelu Lukaku haven't done too badly either.

Bournemouth lost at home to Palace on Tuesday night and they have started slipping towards the wrong end of the table. They have lost seven of their 11 away games and have conceded 12 goals in their last five away games. They have only won once in their last seven games, but only the top seven have scored more goals than Bournemouth.

Bournemouth players aren't exactly setting the fantasy world alight at the moment.

It's hard to see anything other than an Everton win in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Hull City v Liverpool

3pm GMT, KCOM Stadium, Hull

Hull got a very good point away to United on Wednesday night and they look like they are going to give themselves a chance of beating the drop. They have only lost five of their 11 home games and have only lost one of the last six on their own ground. No other team has won less games than Hull with only Boro scoring less goals and only Swansea conceding more.

If you're looking for a fantasy bargain then Hull's goalkeeper Eldin Jakupovic is certainly worth considering.

Liverpool came from behind to draw at home to Chelsea on Tuesday night, but they really needed a win to keep their title hopes alive. They have only lost two of their 12 away games with only Chelsea and City taking more more points on the road. They haven't won in their last four games, but they are the top scorers in the league.

With Sadio Mane back from international duty he could be the Liverpool player to have for fantasy managers while Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Frimino and Adam Lallana must surely regain some form soon.

I think this will be a very close game, but Liverpool might just get the better of things by the odd goal.

Prediction: 1–2

Southampton v West Ham United

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

Southampton lost away to Swansea on Tuesday night to bring an end to a very busy month which has seen them book a place in the EFL Cup final. They have lost two of their last three home games with only Boro and West Ham scoring less goals at home. They have lost five of their last six games and only three other teams have scored less goals so far.

I still think Southampton will regain their league form soon after such a busy schedule recently and their defenders could be good to have when that happens.

West Ham were well beaten at home to City on Wednesday night and dropped back into the bottom half of the table as a result. They have lost six of their 11 away games, but they have scored more goals on their travels than they have at home. Despite the heavy defeat against City they have won five of their last eight games, but only five other teams have conceded more goals than them.

Andy Carroll and Michail Antonio are the best fantasy options in the West Ham team with new boy Robert Snodgrass a good choice too.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Watford v Burnley

3pm GMT, Vicarage Road, Watford

Watford got a great win away to Arsenal on Tuesday night to put an end to a very bad run and move eight points clear of the bottom three. They have only lost four of their 11 home games, but they haven't won in their last three at home. That win at Arsenal was their first win in eight games and they have only had one clean sheet in their last 13 games.

I still can't see any Watford players to interest fantasy managers although Troy Deeney hasn't done too badly recently.

Burnley won at home yet again on Tuesday night when they beat Leicester 1-0 with a very late and controversial goal. They have only taken one point and scored four goals in their 10 away games, but they have at least scored in their last three on the road. They have lost more than half of their games and have scored less goals than any other team in the top half of the table, but their fantastic home record is keeping them 10 points above the relegation zone.

Burnley defenders have done very well for fantasy managers, but only when they have played at home.

I think this will be a close game, but Burnley's away record suggests that Watford should get the better of proceedings.

Prediction: 2-1

West Bromwich Albion v Stoke City

3pm GMT, The Hawthorns, Birmingham 

West Brom drew 1-1 away to Boro on Tuesday night to stay eighth, but they're still not too far behind seventh placed Everton. They have only lost three of their 11 home games and only four other teams have scored more goals at home. They have taken 10 points from their last five games and they have a very good record against the teams below them.

Matt Phillips and Chris Brunt look like the best of the West Brom players for fantasy managers with Gareth McAuley worth a shout too.

Stoke drew at home to Everton on Wednesday night and that point just about kept them in the top half of the table. They have only won three of their 11 away games and they conceded 12 goals in their last four games on the road. They're unbeaten in their last four games, but they have conceded more goals than any other team in the top half of the table.

Peter Crouch continues to impress for fantasy managers at the moment and he's available at a very good price too.

I think this is a game which could go either way, but the chances are it will end up in a narrow win for West Brom.

Prediction: 1-0

Tottenham Hotspur v Middlesbrough

5.30pm GMT, White Hart Lane, London

Spurs could only draw 0-0 away to bottom placed Sunderland on Tuesday night, but that point moved them up to second place ahead of Arsenal on goal difference. They're the only team still unbeaten at home with only Chelsea taking more points at home and no other team conceding less goals at home. They have taken 20 points from their last eight games and they kept clean sheets in half of those games with no other team conceding less goals.

Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane are all doing very well for fantasy managers along with the Spurs defenders.

Boro drew 1-1 at home to West Brom on Tuesday night and they're now only two points above the relegation zone. They have only won once in 11 away games, but they have drawn six of those games with only three teams scoring less away goals and only Spurs and Chelsea conceding less. They have only won four of their 23 games and haven't won in their last six games as well as being the lowest scorers in the league.

Boro defenders haven't done too badly, but it's still not easy for fantasy managers to pick them.

I think Spurs will get back to winning ways in this game with at least a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 2-0

Sunday February 5

Manchester City v Swansea City

1.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City had a very good 4-0 win at West Ham on Wednesday night and they're only outside the top four on goal difference. They have only lost one of their 11 home games, but they haven't taken as many points or scored as many goals at home as the rest of the top five. They have lost four of their last 10 games and have suffered more defeats than the rest of the top six.

Raheem Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne seem to have found some form recently for fantasy managers while Gabriel Fernando de Jesus could be their saviour, but does he have to keep Sergio Aguero out of the team to do so.

Swansea won 2-1 at home to Southampton on Tuesday night to keep themselves two points above the bottom three. They have lost seven of their 11 away games, but they have won their last two away games while only Leicester, Hull and Palace have conceded more away goals. They have won three of their last four games, but they haven't kept a clean sheet in their last seven and no other team has conceded more goals.

Gylfi Sigurdsson continues to impress for fantasy managers and he's by far the best of the bunch in the Swansea team.

Despite Swannsea's recent good run I think City will be too strong for them and should win by a couple of goals at least.

Prediction: 3-1

Leicester City v Manchester United

4pm GMT, King Power Stadium, Leicester 

Leicester lost 1-0 at Burnley on Tuesday night and they're now only two points above the relegation  zone. They have only lost three of their 11 home games, but those three defeats all came in their last six at home. They have only won once in their last eight games and have failed to score in their last four.

I just can't see any Leicester players to interest fantasy managers at the moment.

United had to settle for a 0-0 draw at home to struggling Hull on Wednesday night and they just can't seem to move out of sixth place. They have only lost two of their 11 away games and have taken as many points away from home as they have at home. They're unbeaten in 14 games, but they have drawn half of those games and only the top two have conceded less goals.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is still the best fantasy choice in the United team and their defenders have done pretty well too.

I think this will be a very close game and the chances are it will end with the points shared.

Prediction: 1-1

That's it for this week.

See you next week.

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