| NAME | THIS WEEK | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (1) |  |  |  | Wild Things |
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 | 250 | |||||
| 2 (6) | |  |  | betojohn ioannis papanikos |
2
| 240 | |||||
| 3 (3) | |  | | Dr_AFHMK |
1
| 230 | |||||
| 4 (6) | | |  | Welloo @ iWelloo |
1
| 225 | |||||
| 5 (4) | | | David Luiz |
1
| 215 | ||||||
Saturday September 9
Manchester City v Liverpool
12.30pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City left it late in their last game, but their added time winner at Bournemouth kept them two points behind United at the top of the table. Their home record hampered their title challenge last season and they have already drawn their first home game against Everton. This will be a real big test for them and a win would give them some belief that they might have a real chance of winning the league.
It's not easy to choose between Sergio Aguero and Gabriel de Jesus and it seems Pep Guardiola feels the same way, but I think David Silva might be the City player to have for fantasy managers.
Liverpool thrashed Arsenal in their last game to move up to second with only United ahead of them. They won more than half of their away games last season and they had a great record against the rest of the top six. They passed their first big test against Arsenal with flying colours, but City might not be so easy to beat.
There are plenty of Liverpool players to choose from for fantasy managers with Sadio Mane and Roberto Frimino probably the best of them while Mohamed Salah is close behind them and maybe Phillippe Coutinho too now that they managed to hold on to him.
I think this will be a very close game and the chances are it will end in a draw.
Prediction: 2-2
Arsenal v Bournemouth
3pm BST, Emirates Stadium, Arsenal
Arsenal were well beaten in their last game at Liverpool and they have lost two of their first three games to sit 16th in the table. Only the top two had a better home record than Arsenal last season with only Spurs and United conceding less goals at home. They have had an awful start to their season and they need to turn things around quickly starting in this game.
Alexander Lacazette still looks like a good fantasy choice once he can get a game while Alexis Sanchez might be worth looking at now he's staying at Arsenal until at least January.
Bournemouth have lost their first three games and they have only scored one goal in those games. They only won three of their 19 away games last season and only two other teams conceded more goals away from home. They need to get their first points of the season very soon and to start scoring goals like they did last season too.
I can't see any Bournemouth players who might make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.
I think Arsenal should get back on track for the moment at least with a good win in this game.
Prediction: 3-1
Brighton & Hove Albion v West Bromwich Albion
3pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton
Brighton got their first Premier League point away to 10 man Watford in their last game, but they still haven't managed a goal. They will need to find some of their home form from the Championship last season if they are going to have a chance of staying up. They might have a better chance of getting something from this home game than their previous one against City.
Some of the Brighton defenders might look like reasonable fantasy options at the moment, but I'm not so sure they will do well.
West Brom dropped their first points and conceded their first goal in a 1-1 draw at home to Stoke in their last game. They only won three away games last season, but they have already won their first away game this season. They haven't had the toughest games to start their season and that will more or less continue for the next few weeks.
Ben Foster, Ahmed Hegazi and Allan-Romeo Nyom have all started very well for fantasy managers while Chris Brunt looks like he mightn't do too badly either.
I can't see too many goals in this game, but the chances are West Brom will get any that are going.
Prediction: 0-1
Everton v Tottenham Hotspur
3pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton lost their last game 2-0 at Chelsea and they're finding goals tough to come by at the moment. They won 13 of their home games last season with only Spurs and United conceding less goals at home. They're in the middle of a very tough run of games, but things will get a little easier for them after next week.
Wayne Rooney has got all of Everton's goals so far and looks like the best fantasy option in their team while Dominic Calvert-Lewin has done well at a good price and it's hard to ignore new addition Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Spurs have only won once in their first three games as they continue to struggle at Wembley. They won less than half of their away games last season, but only City scored more away goals and only Chelsea conceded less. They have a good run of fixtures coming up even if most of them are away from home.
Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli look like the best fantasy choices in the Spurs team with their defenders all worth considering too while Harry Kane is surely going to come good very soon.
I think Everton will make a game of it, but their lack of goals could cost them in the end.
Prediction: 1-2
Leicester City v Chelsea
3pm BST, King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester have lost two of their first three games and fixture list has been pretty tough for them at the start of the season. Despite their poor defence of their title last season they still did quite well at home and they will hope to continue that home form this season. Only West Ham and Arsenal have conceded more goals so far and Chelsea will give Leicester a tough test.
Jamie Vardy is still the Leicester player most likely to succeed for fantasy managers with Riyad Mahrez following closely behind.
Chelsea have bounced back from their opening day defeat to win their last two games. They took more points away from home than any other team last season and they had the best defensive record away from home too. They have some tough games coming up and their chances of defending their title might be a lot clearer by the next international break.
Alvaro Morata has started very well for fantasy managers while Marcus Alonso, David Luiz and Cesc Fabregas all look pretty good too as will Eden Hazard when he returns from injury which should be very soon.
This will be a big test for both teams and I think Chelsea are the more likely team to pass that test.
Prediction: 1-2
Southampton v Watford
3pm BST, St. Mary's Stadium, Southampton
Southampton are unbeaten in their first three games, but two of those games were goalless draws. Only two teams won less games at home last season and only Sunderland scored less goals at home. The early fixtures have been quite kind to them and they will be for a while yet, but they need to find more goals if they are going to improve on last season.
Southampton's defenders and keeper look like the best options for fantasy managers while Manolo Gabbiadini, Dusan Tadic and Nathan Redmond could do well if the team can find the back of the net more often.
Watford are unbeaten in their first three games and they kept clean sheets in the last two. They only won three away games last season, but the signs so far are they could quite easily improve on that. Marco Silva nearly managed to rescue Hull last season and he might just do a lot better with his second shot at a Premier League team.
Richarlison de Andrade looks like he could be a real fantasy bargain while Watford's defenders have looked good value in the last two games too.
I think this game could go either way, but the chances are it will probably end with the spoils shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Stoke City v Manchester United
5.30pm BST, bet365 Stadium, Stoke
Stoke have taken four points from their first three games and that includes a win against Arsenal. They didn't do particularly well at home by their usual standards last season, but that win over Arsenal was promising. They have a tough run of games coming up and they have only managed to score two goals in their first three games.
I'm not overly convinced that any of the Stoke players can do anything for fantasy managers at the moment.
United have won their first three games without conceding a goal and they're sitting on top of the league. Only Chelsea and City took more points away from home last season with only Chelsea conceding less goals on the road. The fixture list continues to be kind to them until after the next international break and it offers them a chance to open up a lead at the top of the table.
There are so many United players to choose from for fantasy managers at the moment with Romelu Lukaku, Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan all looking great buys while United's defenders are must haves too.
Stoke will have to be at their very best to get anything from this game, but even if they are I think United will win by a couple of goals.
Prediction: 0-2
Sunday September 10
Burnley v Crystal Palace
1.30pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley
Burnley have taken four points from their first three games and those points were away to Chelsea and Spurs, but they lost at home to West Brom. They won 10 games at home last season and that was the main reason they stayed in the Premier League. They have a very good run of home games coming up and they will hope to rediscover that home form in those games.
Chris Wood has started well since joining Burnley while Robbie Brady is a possibility for fantasy managers too as he's on set piece duty.
Palace lost their last game 2-0 at home to Swansea and they have had a very bad start to life under Frank de Boer. No other team lost more games at home last season and they have conceded more home goals than any other team already this season. They have lost their first three games without scoring a goal and they have some very hard fixtures just around the corner.
With Wilfried Zaha injured it's not easy to see any Palace players who might make an impact for fantasy managers.
I can't see too many goals in this game, but I think Burnley might just edge it.
Prediction: 1-0
Swansea City v Newcastle United
4pm BST, Liberty Stadium, Swansea
Swansea got a very good 2-0 win at Palace in their last game and they scored their first goals of the season in that game. They lost as many games as they won at home last season and only Hull conceded more goals on their own patch. They have kept clean sheets in two of their three games so far and they have a run of games coming up where they are capable of doing pretty well.
Swansea's defenders are doing well for fantasy managers right now and Tammy Abraham could be a good reserve striker if he can get a game now that Wilfried Bony has returned.
Newcastle won 3-0 at home to West Ham in their last game to get their first points and goals since their return to the Premier League. Their home form is going to be very important if they're going to stay up, but they will need points on the road too and this game could offer them a chance of that. Like Swansea the fixture list is being fairly kind to them early on and they need to take advantage of it.
Christian Atsu looks like he could be a good fantasy choice at a very good price while Chancel Mbemba is going cheap too if he's fit to play.
Swansea look like they might just be able to manage without Gylfi Sigurdsson and I think they will do just that with a narrow win in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Monday September 11
West Ham United v Huddersfield Town
4pm BST, London Stadium, London
West Ham lost 3-0 away to Newcastle in their last game and they're propping up the rest of the table already. They lost more home games than they won last season and only three teams scored less goals at home. This is their first home game of the season and they need to get something from it after losing their first three games and conceding 10 goals in those three games.
Javier Hernandez still looks like a good fantasy option to me while Michail Antonio and Manuel Lanzini could be worth considering too now that they're fit again.
Huddersfield got a 0-0 draw at home to Southampton in their last game to continue their excellent start to the season. They have been a very hard team to beat so far and they haven't conceded a goal in their first three games. They look like they will make a game of it against any team, but we won't know for sure until they meet some of the big boys.
Huddersfield's defenders have done very well for fantasy managers so far, but the question is can they continue to do so with Aaron Mooy and Steve Mounie looking impressive to date too.
Despite all of their problems so far I think West Ham might be the first team to score against Huddersfield, but they might have to settle for a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
That's it for this week.
See you next week.
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