| 1 (1) |  |  |  | Dr_AFHMK |
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| 2 (2) | |  | | betojohn ioannis papanikos |
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| 1600 | |||||
| 3 (3) | | | | Midotamimi |
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| 1550 | |||||
| 4 (7) | |  |  | immycader Imran Cader |
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| 5 (4) | | | | Rutland Gooner |
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| 1445 |
Saturday February 3
Burnley v Manchester City
12.30pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley
Burnley came from behind to get a 1-1 draw at Newcastle on Wednesday night and they moved above Leicester into seventh place. They have lost their last three home games and only scored one goal in those games with no other team scoring less goals at home, but only United and Liverpool conceding less. They haven’t won in eight games and they failed to score in five of those games.
I can’t see any Burnley players who could be of real interest to fantasy managers at the moment.
City won yet again on Wednesday night when they beat West Brom 3-0 to increase their lead at the top of the table to 15 points. They have won 10 of their 12 away games, but they haven’t won in their last two on the road with no other team scoring more or conceding less away goals. They have won 22 of their 25 games and have scored more goals than any other team with no other team conceding less either.
Sergio Aguero, Kevin de Bruyne and Raheem Sterling are the best fantasy options in the City team at the moment with their defenders doing quite well too.
I think City will be too good for Burnley and should win by a couple of goals at least.
Prediction: 0-2
Bournemouth v Stoke City
3pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
Bournemouth had a great 3-0 win at Chelsea on Wednesday night and those three points moved them into the top half of the table. They are unbeaten in seven home games and they scored seven goals in those games. They are unbeaten in six games and they scored 13 goals in those games to move five points clear of the bottom three.
Callum Wilson is in a good vein of form at the moment and is a very real possibility for fantasy managers.
Stoke could only manage a 0-0 draw at home to Watford on Wednesday night, but that point moved them one point above the relegation zone. They have only taken two points in their last seven away games and no other team has taken less points or conceded more goals away from home. They have taken four points in their last two games and they kept clean sheets in both games too, but no other team has conceded more goals than Stoke.
Stoke have improved defensively since Paul Lambert took the reins and their defenders could be worth a punt for fantasy managers.
I think Bournemouth’s recent good run will continue with a narrow victory in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Brighton And Hove Albion v West Ham United
3pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton
Brighton led at Southampton on Wednesday night, but they had to settle for a 1-1 draw. They have only won once in their last nine home games, but they did at least draw six of those games. They have only won once in 14 games and they failed to score in nine of those games with no other team scoring less goals.
I can’t see any Brighton players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
West Ham came from behind to get a 1-1 draw at home to Palace on Tuesday night, but they’re still four points above the drop zone. They are unbeaten in four away games and they scored 11 goals in those games, but only Stoke have conceded more goals. They are unbeaten in six games and they scored 12 goals in those games, but only three teams have conceded more goals.
I can’t see any West Ham players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment either.
I think this will be another very close game and the chances are it will end in a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Leicester City v Swansea City
3pm GMT, King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester went down 2-1 at Everton on Wednesday night and they had to play without star man Riyad Mahrez after he handed in a transfer request to try to force a move to City. They have taken 13 points from their last six home games and they kept clean sheets in three of them. Before losing to Everton they had kept three clean sheets in a row and they still have every chance of finishing as high as seventh.
If Mahrez plays he’s a very good choice for fantasy managers, but it’s difficult to know if his head will be in the right place.
Swansea came from1-0 down to win 3-1 at home to Arsenal on Tuesday night and they’re only a point away from safety. They have only won two of their 12 away games with only Brighton and West Brom scoring less goals away from home. They have taken 10 points in their last five games and they look like they might just avoid the drop.
Jordan Ayew has done well for fantasy managers in recent weeks and he’s a very reasonably priced alternative.
I think Leicester will just about get the better of a very close game.
Prediction: 1-0
Manchester United v Huddersfield Town
3pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester
United lost 2-0 at Spurs on Wednesday night and they’re now 15 points behind City at the top of the table. Only City have taken more points at home than United and no other team has conceded less goals at home. The defeat against Spurs was their first defeat in nine games and no other team has conceded less goals.
United’s defenders have been the best bets in their team for fantasy managers this season, but Paul Pogba isn’t a bad choice either.
Huddersfield lost 3-0 at home to Liverpool on Tuesday night and they’re now only one point above the relegation zone. They have lost eight of their 12 away games with only two teams scoring less away goals and only two teams conceding more. They haven’t won in seven games and they haven’t scored in four of their last five games with only Stoke conceding more goals.
I can’t see any Huddersfield players to remotely interest fantasy managers at the moment.
I think United should be too strong for Huddersfield and should win this game quite comfortably.
Prediction: 3-0
West Bromwich Albion v Southampton
3pm GMT, The Hawthorns, Birmingham
West Brom went down 3-0 at City on Wednesday night and they now find themselves at the bottom of the table. No other team has won less home games, but they have only lost as many at home as Chelsea. They have won less games than any other team, but they have also drawn more games than any other team along with Southampton and only two other teams have scored less goals.
Given the chance Daniel Sturridge could do well for fantasy managers, but he is so injury prone that he’s a huge risk.
Southampton came from behind to get a 1-1 draw at home to Brighton on Wednesday night, but that point wasn’t enough to move them out of the bottom three. They have only won once in 11 away games and that was back in September. They haven’t won in 12 games, but they did draw seven of those games.
I can’t see any Southampton players who might make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.
This is yet another game where a score draw is the most likely outcome.
Prediction: 1-1
Arsenal v Everton
5.30pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London
Arsenal led at Swansea on Tuesday night, but they ended up losing 3-1 and their chances of catching the top four are now very slim. Only City have taken more points and scored more goals at home and it’s only that home form that’s giving them any hope of making the top four. They have only won three of their last 11 games and they haven’t kept a clean sheet in seven games.
It would be a brave fantasy manager who would pick an Arsenal defender, but they tend to do well at home while new boy Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be a possibility too.
Everton won 2-1 at home to Leicester on Wednesday night and they have given themselves a chance of finishing as high as seventh place. They have only won once in 12 away games with only two teams scoring less away goals and only three teams conceding more. Their win against Leicester was their first win in seven games and they have conceded more goals than any other team in the top half of the table.
Theo Walcott has done very well since leaving Arsenal for Everton and he might not be the worst choice for fantasy managers.
I think Arsenal’s good home form should see them take the three points in this game.
Prediction: 3-1
Sunday February 4
Crystal Palace v Newcastle United
2.15pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London
Palace led at West Ham on Tuesday night, but they had to settle for a 1-1 draw and they’re still only three points above the bottom three. They have only lost one of their last nine home games and they kept clean sheets in their last two home games. They have only lost twice in their last 14 games and they will stay up if they continue with their current form.
There are still no Palace players who are doing enough on a consistent basis to recommend to fantasy managers.
Newcastle led at home to Burnley on Wednesday night, but they had to settle for a point too and they’re only one point above the bottom three. They have won two of their last three away games and they have only taken two more points at home than they have on the road. They have only lost twice in seven games and they failed to score in five of their last nine games.
I can’t see any Newcastle players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment, but Kenedy was impressive in his debut against Burnley.
I think Palace’s home form should be enough to see them take three very important points in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur
4.30pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool strolled to a 3-0 win at Huddersfield on Tuesday night and they’re now up to third and only three points behind second placed United. They’re one of only two teams unbeaten at home with only United conceding less goals at home, but they have drawn five of their 12 home games. They had lost their previous two games before beating Huddersfield and they could drop out of the top four if they lose this game.
Mohamed Salah continues to excel for fantasy managers while Roberto Firmino has done very well too.
Spurs won 2-0 at home to United on Wednesday night to keep pace with the teams ahead of them in the fight for a top four place. They have only won twice in their last eight away games and it’s that away form that’s keeping them out of the top four. They have taken 17 points from their last seven games and they scored 18 goals in those games.
Harry Kane is the outstanding fantasy performerer in the Spurs team with Heung-Min Son, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen all very good choices too even if they are in the middle of a tough run of games.
This is a game which could go either way, but I think Liverpool will just about take the three points.
Prediction: 3-2
Monday February 5
Watford v Chelsea
8pm GMT, Vicarage Road, Watford
Watford drew 0-0 away to Stoke on Wednesday night and that point was enough to see them drop out of the top half of the table for the first time this season. No other team has taken less points or conceded more goals at home. They have only taken six points from their last 11 games and they failed to score in their last two games.
Abdoulaye Doucoure is probably the best option in the Watford team for fantasy managers, but it’s looking like their players might be best off avoided at the moment.
Chelsea lost 3-0 at home to Bournemouth on Wednesday night and that defeat saw them drop back to fourth place. They have only lost once in their last eight away games with only City taking more points away from home and no other team conceding less goals on their travels. That defeat was their first defeat in nine games with only the two Manchester teams conceding less goals.
Chelsea defenders are still a good bet for fantasy managers despite Wednesday night’s result, but they are really struggling for goals at the moment and their attacking players aren’t doing as well as you might expect.
I think Chelsea will manage to get the better of a Watford team who have really struggled at home this season.
Prediction: 0-2
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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