It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did reasonably well last week with one perfect prediction, six correct outcomes and three incorrect outcomes. That meant I moved up a little in my predictions league, but I’m still not in the top five which isn’t too bad considering my league is currently ranked second out of over 2,600 leagues. Here’s a look at how that top five in my league stands.
| NAME | THIS WEEK | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (2) |  |  |  | ArssenaL14 | 480 | ||||||
| 2 (6) | |  |  | David96 | 475 | ||||||
| 2 (4) | |  | | HeliusM | 475 | ||||||
| 4 (7) | | | | BrewersArmy | 455 | ||||||
| 5 (15) | |  |  | Kshatriya | 445 | ||||||
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool
12.30pm BST, Wembley Stadium, London
Spurs led 1-0 away to Watford in their last game and looked to be heading for four wins out of four, but they ended up losing 2-1. They have only played one home game so far due to the ongoing delays in building their new stadium, but they only lost two home games at Wembley last season. Only the two Manchester clubs conceded less goals last season, but they have only kept one clean sheet in their first four games.
Harry Kane, Lucas Moura and Kieran Trippier look like the best options in the Spurs team at the moment for fantasy managers.
Liverpool held on to win 2-1 at Leicester in their last game and kept their 100% record intact after four games. They took less points and conceded more goals than the rest of the top five away from home last season. Only City and Chelsea have scored more goals so far this season and no other team has conceded less.
Sadio Mane and Andrew Robertson are the stand out players for fantasy managers in the Liverpool team at the moment with Mohamed Salah and all of their defenders and keeper doing very well too.
I think this will be a very close game and the chances are it will end in a draw.
Prediction: 2-2
Bournemouth v Leicester City
3pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
Bournemouth lost 2-0 away to Chelsea in their last game to put an end to their unbeaten start to the season. Only one team conceded more goals at home last season, but they have taken four points from their first two home games this season. They only finished outside the top half of the table on goal difference last season and they have started this season strongly enough to suggest they will fare just as well this time around.
Both Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson have started the season very well for fantasy managers and they’re available at a good price too.
Leicester lost 2-1 at home to Liverpool in their last game and they have won two and lost two of their first four games. Only six teams took more points away from home last season, but only one team conceded more goals on the road. It’s only been two seasons since they won the league and they will want to try to at least put some pressure on the top six this season.
James Maddison and Ricardo Pereira are worth considering for fantasy managers and they have a good run of fixtures coming up too.
This looks like it will be another very close game and a draw is probably the most likely outcome too.
Prediction: 1-1
Chelsea v Cardiff City
3pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea won 2-0 at home to Bournemouth in their last game and they’re one of three teams with four wins from four games. They lost four home games last season and they need to improve on that if they’re going to regain a top four place. Only City have scored more goals and only Liverpool have conceded less in the first four games this season.
Marcos Alonso and Eden Hazard are the Chelsea players to have for fantasy managers at the moment while Pedro isn’t a bad choice either if he can get a game.
Cardiff twice came from behind in their last game at home to Arsenal, but they ended up losing 3-2. They’re one of only two teams without an away goal, but they did draw one of their two away games. No other team has scored less goals, but they have kept two clean sheets in their four games.
I can’t see any Cardiff players to recommend to fantasy managers although Neil Etheridge has had a very good start to the season despite Cardiff’s inability to win a game so far.
I can’t see anything other than a comfortable Chelsea win in this game.
Prediction: 3-0
Huddersfield Town v Crystal Palace
3pm BST, John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield
Huddersfield got a very good 1-1 draw at Everton in their last game to move them out of the bottom three. No other team scored less goals at home last season and they have failed to score in their two home games so far this season. They were the lowest scorers last season and they’re the lowest scorers so far this season as well as conceding the most goals so far.
I still can’t see any Huddersfield players to interest fantasy managers.
Palace lost 2-0 at home to Southampton last time out to make it three defeats in a row for them. They did quite well away from home in the second half of last season and they need that away form to hold up considering they have lost both of their home games this season. They have conceded six goals and scored only one in losing their last three games.
If he’s passed fit Wilfried Zaha is the Palace player to have for fantasy managers and their defenders can do well too, but only when Zaha plays.
I think Palace should be strong enough to bounce back and take thr three points in this game, but only if Zaha plays.
Prediction: 0-2
Manchester City v Fulham
3pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City didn’t exactly set the world alight in their last game, but they managed a 2-1 win at home to Newcastle to stay two points behind the early pacesetters. They had the best home record last season and have won their first two home games and scored more home goals than any other team already this season. At one stage last season they looked like they might go the whole season unbeaten and that might not be beyond them this season.
It looks like Benjamin Mendy is a must have for fantasy managers while Sergio Aguero isn’t far off it, but it’s hard to know when the rest of their players will play due to their rotation policy with the possible exception of David Silva.
Fulham led 2-0 at Brighton in their last game, but they had to settle for a point after a strong comeback from Brighton. Only Huddersfield and West Ham have conceded more away goals, but at least they have taken one point from their two road trips. Only the same two teams have conceded more overall goals too, but they don’t seem to be having too many problems scoring goals.
Aleksandar Mitrovic is looking to be a very good buy for fantasy managers at the moment while Jean Michael Seri and Andre Schurrle are pretty good too, but maybe not for this match.
I think City should be too strong for what looks like a somewhat dodgy Fulham defence.
Prediction: 4-1
Newcastle United v Arsenal
3pm BST, St. James’s Park, Newcastle
Newcastle lost 2-1 at City in their last game and they have had some really tough games to start their season. They have lost both of their home games, but they were against Spurs and Chelsea and they only lost each game by one goal. They have had a very hard start to the season and this will be their fourth game against one of the “top six” in their opening five games.
I can’t see any Newcastle players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
Arsenal just about held on to win 3-2 at Cardiff in their last game to make it two wins in a row after losing their first two games. Their away form cost them dearly last season, but they did manage an away win in their last game and only Spurs have scored more away goals. They conceded an awful lot of goals last season and they have already conceded eight goals in their first four games this season and haven’t kept a clean sheet.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be the Arsenal player to have for fantasy managers, but Alexandre Lacazette has looked very good despite not starting a game yet.
I think this will be another very close game with Arsenal probably just about getting the better of proceedings.
Prediction: 1-2
Watford v Manchester United
5.30pm BST, Vicarage Road, Watford
Watford came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Spurs and maintain their 100% start to the season in their last game. They conceded more home goals than any other team last season, but only City have scored more goals at home so far this season. Only two teams conceded more goals last season, but only Liverpool have conceded less goals so far this season.
Jose Holebas, Roberto Pereyra and Troy Deeney have all started the season very well for fantasy managers and certainly all of them are worth considering.
United won 2-0 away to Burnley in their last game to ease the pressure on Jose Mourinho just a little. Only City took more points and conceded less goals away from home last season. The win against Burnley was their first clean sheet this season, but it was their defensive abilities which saw them finish second last season.
Paul Pogba and Romelu Lukaku are the United players who might make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.
Despite their perfect start to the season I think Watford will struggle in this game and United will take the three points.
Prediction: 1-2
Sunday September 16
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Burnley
1.30pm BST, Molineux, Wolverhampton
Wolves won 1-0 away to West Ham in their last game to get their first win of the season. They have drawn their two home games so far and one of them was against City, but they will be anxious to get that all important first home win. They have only lost one game so far and they were unlucky to lose that game and they look like they will be a handful for any team.
Ruben Neves has been the best Wolves player so far for fantasy managers while their keeper and defenders could be worth considering too as they’re all available at a good price.
Burnley lost 2-0 at home to United last time out and they’re only one point off the foot of the table. Only five teams took more points away from home last season and their only point so far this season has come on the road too. They had a good defensive record last season, but only two teams have conceded more goals so far this season.
I can’t see any Burnley players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment even though Joe Hart and James Tarkowski have done well despite all the goals they have conceded.
I think Wolves will get that all important first home win in this game, but by a narrow margin.
Prediction: 2-1
Everton v West Ham United
4pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton could only draw 1-1 at home to Huddersfield in their last game and they have drawn three of their four games so far. Only the top six took more points at home than Everton last season and that home form could help them to a higher finish this season. They have scored in each of their games so far, but they haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of those games either.
With Richarlison suspended and Theo Walcott possibly injured it’s hard to see which Everton players will impress for fantasy managers.
West Ham lost 1-0 at home to Wolves in their last game to stay rooted to the foot of the table without a point to their names. They conceded more away goals than any other team last season and they hold the same record already this season. No other team has scored less or conceded more goals so far and they need to get some points on the board quickly.
I can’t see any West Ham players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
I think Everton will still be unbeaten after this game and West Ham will still be looking for their first point of the season.
Prediction: 2-1
Monday September 17
Southampton v Brighton And Hove Albion
8pm BST, St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton
Southampton won 2-0 away to Palace in their last game to get their first win of the season. Only West Brom took less points at home last season and they haven’t won at home yet this season. They only finished one place and three points above the bottom three last season and they need to score more goals if they’re going to steer clear of trouble this season.
Danny Ings might just be the cut price striker fantasy managers are looking for while both Cedric Soares and Alex McCarthy could be worth considering too.
Brighton came from 2-0 down to get a draw at home to Fulham last time out and keep themselves well clear of the bottom three. They took less points away from home than any other team last season and they have lost their first two away games already this season. If they can improve away from home they can beat the drop again, but it could be a long hard struggle for them.
Glenn Murray is the in form Brighton player for fantasy managers, but he does his best work at home like the rest of the Brighton team.
I think Southampton might just get the better of a close affair mainly due to Brighton’s abysmal away form.
Prediction: 1-0
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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