Thursday 30 March 2017

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 30

It's that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did quite well last time out with two perfect predictions, four correct outcomes and four incorrect which kept me in second place in my predictions league. I still have a lot of ground to make up on the league leader, but another week or two like the last one could just do the trick as you can see from the table below.

BadgesThis WeekPTS
 1 (1)  Karl-Yngve Lund 4+551855
 2 (2)  Michael Sheehy 6+1401675
 3 (3)  Rutland Gooner 5+1101635
 4 (4)  Wayne Hubbard 1+851565


 
Saturday April 1

Liverpool v Everton

12.30pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool

Liverpool drew at home to City last time out to remain fourth in the table, but United and Arsenal both have two games in hand on them. Only the top two have won more home games than Liverpool and they are the top scorers at home too. They have won three of their last five games after failing to win the previous five and they are the top scorers in the league.

Sadio Mane still looks like the Liverpool player most likely to impress for fantasy managers with Roberto Frimino doing well recently too.

Everton won easily at home to Hull in their last game and they're only behind sixth placed Arsenal on goal difference even if they have played two games more than them. They have only won four of their 14 away games and have only managed 17 goals in those 14 games. They have taken 26 points from their last 12 games though since losing to Liverpool and they will be keen to avenge that result.

Romelu Lukaku is the best fantasy choice in the Everton team with their defenders doing well too and Mason Holgate might be a good choice at a great price if he takes the place of the injured Seamus Coleman.

It's never easy to call local derbies, but I think Liverpool will narrowly get the better of this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur

3pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley

Burnley drew 0-0 away to Sunderland in their last game to keep themselves eight points above the drop zone with nine games to go. Only four other teams have won more home games than Burnley and they will be glad to play at home after four away games in a row. They haven't won in their last six games, but five of them were away from home and only the bottom three clubs have scored less goals.

Burnley defenders have done well at home, but they might be best avoided in this game.

Spurs just about managed to beat Southampton 2-1 in their last game to stay second in the table 10 points behind Chelsea. They have only won four of their 13 away games, but no other team has conceded less goals away from home. They have taken 32 points from their last 13 games and no other team has conceded less goals than Spurs.

Dele Alli is in great form for fantasy managers right now with Christian Eriksen and all of their defenders in good form too.

I think Burnley will make life very difficult for Spurs, but Spurs will just about take the three points.

Prediction: 1-2

Chelsea v Crystal Palace

3pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London

Chelsea left it late last time out, but their 2-1 win at Stoke kept their cushion at the top of the table with only 10 games to go. They have won 12 of their 13 home games with no other team scoring more goals or conceding less goals at home. They have won an incredible 19 of their last 22 games and look nailed on to win the title, but they have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last six games.

Diego Costa and Eden Hazard are the top performing Chelsea players for fantasy managers with Pedro doing well recently too, but their defenders have fallen off in recent weeks.

Palace got a very important 1-0 win at home to Watford in their last game to move four points clear of the relegation zone. Palace have taken more points and scored more goals away from home than they have at home and have won two of their last three on the road. They have won their last three games without conceding a goal, but they will have their work cut out to get anything from this game.

Palace defenders have done well in recent weeks, but might not be the best bet in this game while Wilfried Zaha looks like he could be good value too.

I think Chelsea will be too strong for Palace and take another three points as they close in on the title.

Prediction: 3-0

Hull City v West Ham United

3pm BST, KCOM Stadium, Hull

Hull lost 4-0 at Everton in their last game and they're still in the bottom three with three points to make up on the team directly above them. They have won as many games as they have lost at home and they have taken 11 points from their last five home games. They have only won once in their last five games and didn't keep a clean sheet in any of those games while only Boro and Sunderland have scored less goals and only Swansea have conceded more.

Despite their recent improvement there are still no Hull players making a real difference for fantasy managers.

West Ham lost 3-2 at home to Leicester in their last game, but they're still safely in mid table and nine points above the bottom three. They have lost half of their 14 away games, but have scored more goals away from home than at home. They have lost their last three games and they conceded eight goals in those games and they haven't kept a clean sheet in their last eight.

Manuel Lanzini is the best of the West Ham players for fantasy managers at the moment with Michail Antonio injured.

Hull could really do with the three points in this game, but I think West Ham will take a point off them.

Prediction: 1-1

Leicester City v Stoke City

3pm BST, King Power Stadium, Leicester 

Leicester got their first away win of the season last time out and they have now moved six points away from the bottom three. They have won half of their 14 home games and on home form alone they will probably get enough points to stave off relegation. They have won their last three games with nine goals scored in those games, but they haven't kept a clean sheet in their last eight.

With their upturn in form both Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez could be good buys for fantasy managers.

Stoke almost got a point at home to Chelsea in their last game and they're still in the top half of the table. They have only won three of their 14 away games and have failed to score in their last three games on the road. Their form has been up and down, but they have scored less goals and conceded more than any other team in the top half of the table.

None of the Stoke players have exactiy set the fantasy world alight and it's not too easy to see which ones to recommend.

Leicester's upturn in form would suggest the three points are their's for the taking in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Manchester United v West Bromwich Albion

3pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester

United won away to Boro in their last game and finally managed to move out of sixth place, but they're still not in the top four. They have only lost one of their 14 home games, but they have drawn more home games than any other team with only the top two conceding less goals at home. They're unbeaten in 18 league games, but they did draw eight of those games and no other team has drawn more games with only Chelsea and Spurs conceding less goals.

United defenders have done well in recent weeks and are certainly worth considering for fantasy managers with Antonio Valencia probably the best of them.

West Brom got a very good win at home to Arsenal in their last game and they're safely in eighth place in the table. They have only won three of their 14 away games and only five other teams have scored less goals away from home. They had lost their previous two games before beating Arsenal and they haven't kept a clean sheet in their last five.

West Brom players haven't done an awful lot for fantasy managers recently, but Gareth McAuley is always capable of scoring a goal.

I think West Brom won't make it easy for United, but the home team will take the three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Watford v Sunderland

3pm BST, Vicarage Road, Watford

Watford lost 1-0 away to Palace in their last game and they stil need a few more wins to make sure they stay clear of the relegation battle. They have lost as many games as they have won and only three other teams have conceded more goals at home. They have only taken one point from their last four games and they haven't kept a clean sheet in their last seven.

Troy Deeney has been in good form recently with five goals in seven games and is certainly worth considering for fantasy managers.

Sunderland got a 0-0 draw at home to Burnley in their last game, but they only have 10 games to go and they need to start winning games soon. They have lost 10 of their 13 away games with only Hull, Boro and Burnley scoring less goals away from home. They have only taken six points from their last 11 games and they failed to score in six of their last seven games.

I can't see any Sunderland players who might make a difference for fantasy managers right now unless their form changes drastically.

A win would nearly make Watford safe while Sunderland desperately need the three points and I think we could see a scoreless draw.

Prediction: 0-0

Southampton v Bournemouth 

5.30pm BST, St. Mary's Stadium, Southampton

Southampton lost 2-1 at Spurs in their last game, but they came close to getting something from the game and they will want a strong finish to climb above their current 10th place in the table. They have only won five of their 12 home games with only Boro scoring less goals at home, but seven of their last 11 games are at home. They have won two of their last three games, but they have lost seven of their last 10 and only four other teams have scored less goals.

If he's fit to play Manolo Gabbiadini could be a good fantasy purchase with Dusan Tadic and Nathan Redmond in good form recently too.

Bournemouth got a very important 2-0 win at home to Swansea in their last game and they now have nine points to spare over the bottom three. They have only won two of their 14 away games with only Hull and Swansea conceding more goals away from home. They have won their last two games after failing to win their previous eight with only Swansea and Hull conceding more goals overall.

Josh King has been in great form recently for fantasy managers and he's still available at a good price.

I think Southampton should be too strong at home for Bournemouth and should win with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 3-1

Sunday April 2

Swansea City v Middlesbrough 

1.30pm BST, Liberty Stadium, Swansea

Swansea lost at Bournemouth last time out and have slipped back to one place and three points above the drop zone. They have lost half of their 14 home games with no other team conceding more goals at home, but they have won their last four games on their own patch. They have lost three of their last four games and conceded nine goals in those games and they have conceded more goals than any other team.

Gylfi Sigurdsson is still the Swansea player to have for fantasy managers while Fernando Llorente and Alfie Lawson have done well recently.

Boro lost at home to United in their last game and they're now only two points off the foot of the table and five points from the relative safety of seventeenth place. They have only won once in their 14 away games, but no other team has drawn more games on the road and only Hull have scored less away goals. They have only taken four points from their last 11 games and they failed to score in seven of those games with no other team scoring less goals even if only five other teams have conceded less goals.

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

This is a real relegation six pointer and I think Swansea's firepower should see them get the three points against goal shy Boro.

Prediction: 2-0

Arsenal v Manchester City

4pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London

Arsenal lost away to West Brom in their last game and they have dropped to sixth in the table with Everton breathing heavily down their necks. They have only lost two of their 13 home games, but they have struggled for goals at home in comparison to the top three. They have lost four of their last five games and they conceded 11 goals in those five games with only Liverpool and Chelsea scoring more goals so far.

Alexis Sanchez is still the best player for fantasy managers and with a couple of extra games to play he's got to be a must have player.

City came from behind to get a point at home to Liverpool in their last game and they're only two points behind second placed Spurs. No other team has won more games or scored more goals away from home than City, but they have lost four of their 14 away games. They are unbeaten in seven games with clean sheets in four of those games and are still hopeful of finishing in second place.

Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero are the best fantasy options in the City team with Kevin de Bruyne and the City defenders worth considering too.

This is a game which could go either way and common sense should make City favourites, but as always I'm predicting an Arsenal win.

Prediction: 2-1

That's it for this week.

See you next week.

3 comments:

  1. April will be a crucial one for Wenger. Lose to MC and the pressure could grow
    worse and more intent. The heat could be intolerable and intense.Of course
    MA aint unbeatable. The way to do it is to take your chances and stop the
    overplay/overpass which many have been saying for years.
    If the gunners over play they risk a quick counter and it will be arepeat of all the games
    they have lost to anti soccer teams.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Now Wenger says the gunners don't defend well.He is to be blamed .
    Infact all these since famous 5 left,the defence aint as strong.He has condescendingly
    dismissed the post of a defence coach.
    The gunners have been beaten by big margins. Can you believe atp team letting
    in 8 goals and 4 up and allowing a team.
    to draw. This totally unacceptable.
    Its about time the gunners start winning. Failure to beat MC could trigger
    unpredictable consequences. The fm could be axed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a huge game for both teams, but a defeat would be a big blow for Arsenal and their top 4 hopes.

      Delete