Thursday 20 April 2017

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 34

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 with only one perfect prediction, four correct outcomes and five incorrect outcomes. It means I have dropped to fourth in my predictions league as you can see from the table below and winning the league is now definitely beyond me.

There are three teams with double gameweeks this week and their players will be a premium for fantasy managers, but West Brom don't play at all. Picking the right captain from United, Palace and Boro isn't easy, but putting the right one in and using the "triple captain" chip this week might just pay off. 

BadgesThis WeekPTS
 1 (1)  Karl-Yngve Lund 4+1052190
 2 (2)  Rutland Gooner 5+1051970
 3 (4)  Wayne Hubbard 2+401850
 4 (3)  Michael Sheehy 7+251845



Saturday April 22

Bournemouth v Middlesbrough 

3pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth were well beaten by Spurs last week, but they still have eight points to spare over the bottom three with only five games to go. They have only won twice in their last nine games at home, but only five other teams have scored more goals at home and only three teams have conceded more. They haven't won in four games and only Swansea and Hull have conceded more goals, but three points in this game will surely guarantee their survival for another season.

Josh King is still the Bournemouth player of choice for fantasy managers with 10 goals and an assist in his last 12 games.

Boro lost 2-1 at home to Arsenal on Monday night and games are running out in their quest to avoid the drop, but they do play twice this week. They have drawn more away games than any other team, but only Hull have scored less goals on the road while only three other teams have conceded less. They haven't won in 15 games while they have won less games and scored less goals than any other team, but only five other teams have conceded less goals.

Even with two games this week it's difficult to recommend any Boro players to fantasy managers, but maybe Alvaro Negredo and their defenders could do well.

Boro quite simply have to win this game, but I think Bournemouth will beat them and more or less secure their top flight status for another season.

Prediction: 2-1

Hull City v Watford

3pm BST, KCOM Stadium, Hull

Hull lost 3-1 away to Stoke last week, but they're still two points above the drop zone and a win in this game would be a huge boost to their chances of staying up. They are unbeaten in seven games at home with 16 goals in those games and that home form might be just enough to keep them up. Only Swansea have conceded more goals with only three other teams scoring less goals and they haven't kept a clean sheet in nine games, but their home form is the key to survival. 

I still think Kamil Grosicki is available at a good price and can do well for fantasy managers when he plays at home at least.

Watford won 1-0 at home to Swansea last week and those three points moved them into the top half of the table. They have lost nine of their 15 away games and have lost the last three on the road without scoring in any of them. They have won three of their last four games and kept clean sheets in those three games, but those three games were all at home and they have conceded more goals than any other team in the top half of the table.

Watford's defenders have done well recently, but only when they have played at home while Troy Deeney has fallen off a little in recent weeks after a pretty good run.

This is a game Hull need to win and I think they will just get the better of Watford.

Prediction: 2-1

Swansea City v Stoke City

3pm BST, Liberty Stadium, Swansea

Swansea lost 1-0 away to Watford last week and they need to start winning games now or they will be relegated. They have taken 10 points from their last five home games, but they have only won five of their 16 home games and no other team has conceded more goals at home. They have only taken one point and scored two goals in their last six games and they have conceded more goals than any other team.

None of the Swansea players have done much recently for fantasy managers, but if they manage to stay up them Gylfi Sigurdsson is the most likely player to benefit.

Stoke won 3-1 at home to Hull last week to put an end to a bad run of results and move within a point of the top half of the table. They have only taken one point in their last five away games and they failed to score in each of those games. Their win last week was their first win in six games and they failed to score in three of those games with only four other teams scoring less goals.

I still can't see any Stoke players who might make a difference for fantasy managers for the rest of the season.

As badly as Swansea need the three points in this game I think they will have to settle for a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

West Ham United v Everton

3pm BST, London Stadium, London

West Ham drew away to Sunderland last week and they must surely be safe as they're nine points above the relegation zone with five games to play. Only four other teams have won less home games than West Ham with only Swansea and Sunderland conceding more goals at home. They have only won once in their last nine games and have only one clean sheet in their last 12 games with only three other teams conceding more goals.

Robert Snodgrass has found some form for fantasy managers in his last couple of games and Andy Carroll has done reasonably well when he has played in recent weeks too.

Everton won 3-1 at home to Burnley last week to briefly move into fifth place and victory in this game would move them ahead of Arsenal and United again before both of those clubs play. They have only won four of their 16 away games and haven't won in the last five on the road. They have taken 34 points from their last 16 games and they only failed to score in one of those games.

Romelu Lukaku has been the outstanding Everton player for fantasy managers, but he does his best work at home while Phil Jagielka has done very well in recent weeks.

West Ham have struggled at home to good teams and I think Everton will get the better of them in this game.

Prediction: 1-3

Sunday April 23

Burnley v Manchester United

2.15pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley

Burnley lost 3-1 at Everton last week, but their eight point gap over the bottom three and three remaining home games should mean they will avoid the drop. They have taken 32 of their 36 points at home with only five other teams taking more points at home. They have only won once in their last 10 games and only the bottom two have scored less goals.

Burnley's defenders have done very well at home, but I'm not so sure they will do so in this game.

United beat the league leaders last week and they still have hopes of a top four finish despite their hectic schedule. They have lost less games away from home than any other team and no other team has conceded less goals away from home. They are unbeaten in 22 league games, but they have drawn 10 of those games and they have kept clean sheets in three of their last four with only Spurs conceding less goals so far.

With two games this week United players could be at a premium for fantasy managers and Zlatan Ibrahimovic (if he's fit) and their defenders could be the best options as long as they play both games.

I think United's away form will just about manage to get the better of Burnley's home record unless their tough schedule gets the better of them.

Prediction: 1-2

Liverpool v Crystal Palace

4.30pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool

Liverpool won 1-0 away to West Brom last week to increase their chances of that all important top four finish. They have only lost one of their 16 home games and only Spurs have scored more goals at home. They have taken 17 points from their last seven games and they have scored more goals than any other team.

With Sadio Mane out the best fantasy choices in the Liverpool team have to be Phillippe Coutinho and Roberto Frimino.

Palace came from 2-0 down to get a 2-2 draw at home to Leicester last week and moved seven points above the bottom three. They have lost half of their 16 away games and have won three of their last five on the road with only seven other teams scoring more goals away from home. They have taken 16 points from their last seven games with clean sheets in four of those games.

Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke could be the best of the Palace players for fantasy managers this week with two games to play.

Despite Palace's recent upturn I think Liverpool will keep their top four hopes in their own hands with a win by a couple of goals at least.

Prediction: 3-1

Tuesday April 25

Chelsea v Southampton 

7.45pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London

Chelsea lost 2-0 away to United last week and their lead at the top of the table has been cut to just four points by Spurs. They have won 13 of their 15 home games and only Spurs have conceded less goals at home. They have lost two of their last four games and haven't kept a clean sheet in 10, but they have won more games than any other team and their ability to grind out wins makes them favourites to win the title.

Eden Hazard is still the best fantasy choice in the Chelsea team, but none of their other players have done too much in recent weeks.

Southampton lost 3-0 at home to City last week, but they're still in the top half of the table with a chance of finishing as high as eighth. They have lost half of their 16 away games, but they have won three of their last four on the road and scored 10 goals in those games. They have taken 13 points from their last seven games, but they're the lowest scorers in the top half of the table with only four teams scoring less goals.

Manolo Gabbiadini started his Southampton career well and he could be worth a shout for fantasy managers now that he has returned from injury.

I think Chelsea should bounce back from last week's disappointment and take the three points to move a step closer to the title.

Prediction: 2-0

Wednesday April 26

Arsenal v Leicester City

7.45pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London

Arsenal got a much needed 2-1 win away to Boro on Monday night, but they cannot afford any more slip ups if they're going to have any chance of finishing in the top four. Despite their current poor run they have won seven of their last nine games at home and only four other teams have scored more goals at home. They have lost five of their last nine games, but they have only failed to score once in their last 22 games.

Alexis Sanchez has been the Arsenal player to have for fantasy managers this season, but Mesut Ozil has been in good form in recent games.

Leicester had to settle for a 2-2 draw after leading 2-0 at Palace last week and they went out of the Champions League in midweek. They have only taken seven points from their 16 away games with only Hull and Bournemouth conceding more goals away from home. They have taken 16 points from their last six games and they scored 17 goals in those games.

Jamie Vardy has been in very good form with six goals and three assists in his last seven games and looks like a very good choice for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Leicester will make an out of form Arsenal work hard for it, but Arsenal will just about take the three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Middlesbrough v Sunderland 

7.45pm BST, Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough 

Boro will hope to have taken at least a point at Bournemouth on Saturday before going into this game which is an absolute must win game for them. No other team has taken less points at home than Boro and they have scored less goals at home than any other team too. They will fancy their chances against the only team in the league below them though despite not winning in 15 games.

As I said above there's a chance Negredo and the Boro defenders might just be worth having for fantasy managers this week.

Sunderland got a point and two goals at home to West Ham last week, but they're nine points adrift of safety with only six games left to play. They have lost 12 of their 15 away games with only Hull scoring less goals away from home. They have only taken two points from their last eight games and they failed to score for seven games in a row before scoring last week.

I can't see any Sunderland players to remotely interest fantasy managers.

This is a real relegation six pointer and I think Boro will narrowly win it, but the chances are both clubs will go down.

Prediction: 1-0

Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur

8pm BST, Selhurst Park, London

Palace have a tough week with a trip to Liverpool and this game against in form second placed Spurs, but their recent form probably means they will be safe regardless of how they do in these two games. They have taken 10 points from their last four home games and they kept clean sheets in three of those four games too. A home game against the Premier League's form side is a tough task for them, but they have beaten both Chelsea and Arsenal in recent weeks.

As I said above Zaha and Benteke might possibly do well for fantasy managers this week, but it's probably best to avoid the Palace defenders as they're playing the two top scoring sides in the league.

Spurs won easily at home to Bournemouth last week and they closed the gap to Chelsea at the top of the table to only four points with six games to play. They have only won six of their 15 away games with only United conceding less goals away from home. They have won their last seven games and scored 22 goals in the process while keeping clean sheets in four of those games.

There are so many Spurs players to choose from for fantasy managers with Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen, Heung-Min Son and all of their defenders worth having right now.

I think this will be a very close game, but Spurs will just about get the better of proceedings.

Prediction: 1-2

Thursday April 27

Manchester City v Manchester United

8pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City won 3-0 away to Southampton last week to stay in the top four with only six games left to play. They have only won eight of their 15 home games and have only won two of their last five on their own patch. They won their last two games after failing to win in the previous four with only the three teams above them scoring more goals while only the top two have conceded less.

Sergio Aguero is still the in form City player for fantasy managers with David Silva and Leroy Sane doing well in recent weeks while Vincent Kompany could be a possibility if he is over his injury worries.

United looked good in beating Chelsea 2-0 last week, but the extra time they had against Anderlecht could take it's toll. This is their second away league game of the week, but they have as many points away from home as at home and from less games and they have scored more goals away from home too. They need to keep pushing for a top four spot if possible just in case they don't win the Europa League.

The chances are United will rotate their players because of their fixture congestion and it's difficult to pick the players who will play both games this week, but Marcus Rashord could just be the player to have.

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

Prediction: 1-1

That's it for this week.

See you next week.

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