Friday, 14 December 2018

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 17

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 five correct outcomes and five incorrect outcomes which meant I lost a little more ground on the leaders in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

POSITIONPLAYER NAMETHIS WEEKPOINTS
 1 (4) jplancer 1335
 1 (1) L'OM 1335
 3 (7) whitgooner
frank merrick
1325
 4 (6) micky b 1320
 5 (2) David96 1290

Saturday December 15

Manchester City v Everton 

12.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester

City lost their first league game of the season when they went down 2-0 at Chelsea last week and they dropped to second in the league as a result. They have won all of their home games and no team has scored more goals at home with only Liverpool conceding less. Despite losing last week they’re only one point behind Liverpool and they have scored 10 more goals than the next best scorers.

If he’s fit Sergio Aguero is the City player to have for fantasy managers while both Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling are in good form at the moment too.

Everton led at home to Watford last week, but they needed a last minute goal to get a point and they dropped back to seventh place in the table. They have only won one of their seven away games and only four other teams have scored less goals on the road. They have only won once in their last five games and they only scored four goals in those games.

Richarlison is probably the most impressive of the Everton players for fantasy managers with Gylfi Sigurdsson doing very well too.

I think City should put last week’s disappointment behind them and take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Crystal Palace v Leicester City

3pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace led at West Ham last week, but they ended up losing 3-2 and they’re only two points above the relegation zone. No other team has taken less points at home and only Huddersfield have scored less home goals with only four teams conceding less goals at home. They have only one once in their last 11 games and only Huddersfield have scored less goals.

Palace’s defenders have done reasonably well for fantasy managers at a good price.

Leicester lost 2-0 at home to Spurs last week, but they’re still just about in the top half of the table. They have won as many away games as they have lost and they have taken as many points on the road as they have at home. Their defeat last week was their first defeat in seven games and they kept clean sheets in three of those games.

James Maddison is the Leicester player to have for fantasy managers at the moment with Jamie Vardy worth considering too if he’s fit to play.

I think this will be a very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Huddersfield Town v Newcastle United 

3pm GMT, John Smith’s Stadium, Huddersfield 

Huddersfield lost 1-0 away to Arsenal last week to drop back into the bottom three. No other team has taken less points or scored less goals at home. They have lost their last three games and no other team has scored less goals with only three other teams conceding more.

I can’t see any Huddersfield players to interest fantasy managers at the moment.

Newcastle lost to a last minute goal at home to Wolves last week, but they’re still three points above the drop zone. They have taken more points away from home than at home with only Cardiff scoring less goals on the road and only three other teams conceding less. They have only taken one point from their last three games after winning the previous three and only Huddersfield have scored less goals. 

Solomon Rondon has done well in recent weeks for fantasy managers and is possibly worth considering.

I think this will be another very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Tottenham Hotspur v Burnley 

3pm GMT, Wembley Stadium, London 

Spurs won 2-0 away to Leicester last week to move to within six points of the league leaders. They have played fewer home games than any other team and they have lost two of those six home games. They have won five of their last six games and they scored 10 goals in their last four games.

Harry Kane is still the Spurs player most likely to succeed for fantasy managers while Heung-Min Son, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen are all doing very well too.

Burnley got a much needed 1-0 win at home to Brighton last week to move out of the relegation zone. They have only won once in eight away games and only Cardiff have scored less goals away from home with only Fulham and Southampton conceding more. Their win last week was their first win in nine games and only Fulham have conceded more goals.

I can’t see any Burnley players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Spurs should have more than enough to see them win by at least a couple of goals in this game.

Prediction: 3-0

Watford v Cardiff City

3pm GMT, Vicarage Road, Watford 

Watford could only draw 2-2 away to Everton last week after they conceded a last minute goal and that result saw them drop into the bottom half of the table. They have won four and lost four of their eight home games, but they have lost four of their last five at home. They haven’t won in six games as they continue to slide slowly towards the wrong end of the table.

Roberto Pereyra is still the Watford player most likely to impress for fantasy managers.

Cardiff won 1-0 at home to Southampton last week to move four points clear of the bottom three. They’re one of two teams who haven’t won away from home yet and no other team has scored less goals away from home. They have won four of their last eight games, but only two other teams have conceded more goals.

Callum Patterson is probably the only Cardiff player that fantasy managers should consider at the moment.

I think Watford should be good enough to take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Bournemouth 

3pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves got a last minute goal to win 2-1 away to Newcastle last week and move back into the top half of the table. They have lost three of their last four home games, but they did beat Chelsea in the only home win in that run. They have won their last two games after failing to win any of their previous six.

Matt Doherty continues to impress for fantasy managers while Raul Jiminez has done pretty well too.

Bournemouth were well beaten away to Liverpool last week, but they’re still eighth in the league. They have lost their last two away games and they conceded five goals in those games. They have lost five of their last six games and they conceded 14 in those games with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

If he’s fit to return Callum Wilson is the Bournemouth player to have for fantasy managers with Ryan Fraser doing very well too.

I think this will be another very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end all square.

Prediction: 1-1

Fulham v West Ham United 

5.30pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham were well beaten away to United last week and they’re still rooted to the foot of the table. They have taken four points from their last two home games after failing to win the previous three and no other team has conceded more goals at home. They have only taken six points from their last 13 games and they’re the only team without a clean sheet with no other team conceding more goals.

Aleksandar Mitrovic and Andree Schurrle could be worth considering for fantasy managers, but it’s a risk to pick players from the bottom club.

West Ham came from behind to win 3-2 at home to Palace last week and they’re only one point off the top half of the table. They’re unbeaten in their last three away games and no other team in the bottom half of the table has more goals on the road. They have won their last three games and scored nine goals in the process after only winning once in the previous six.

With Marco Arnautovic injured Felipe Anderson is the best of the West Ham players for fantasy managers.

This isn’t an easy game to call and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.

Prediction: 2-2

Sunday December 16

Brighton And Hove Albion v Chelsea 

1.30pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton lost 1-0 away to Burnley last week, but they’re still only one point off the top half of the table. They have only lost one of their seven home games and they have 10 points in their last four home games. They have taken 16 points in their last nine games and they only conceded nine goals in those games.

With Brighton at home Glenn Murray is a good choice for fantasy managers while Solomon March has looked good recently too.

Chelsea won 2-0 at home to City last week to put an end to City’s unbeaten start to the season and stay ahead of Arsenal in fourth place. They have lost their last two away games, but only City and Liverpool have conceded less goals away from home. They have only won twice in their last five games and only the top two have conceded less goals.

Eden Hazard and Marcos Alonso are still the Chelsea players to recommend to fantasy managers.

Despite Brighton’s good home record I think Chelsea might just take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Southampton v Arsenal 

1.30pm GMT, St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton 

Southampton lost 1-0 away to Cardiff last week and they’re only off the foot of the table on goal difference. No other team has taken less points at home and they’re the only team without a home win, but they have drawn more home games than any other team. They have won less games than any other team team and they haven’t won in 12 games with only Fulham and Burnley conceding more goals.

I can’t see any Southampton players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment, but that could change when the new manager settles in.

Arsenal just about scraped a 1-0 win at home to Huddersfield last week, to keep hot on the heels of the top four. Only Spurs have scored more away goals and they’re unbeaten in six games away from home. They’re unbeaten in 14 league games and 22 in all competitions with only City scoring more goals.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still the Arsenal player most likely to make a difference for fantasy managers while Lucas Torreira has done well recently and he’s available at a very good price.

I think Southampton will do all they can to win their first home, but Arsenal will win narrowly.

Prediction: 1-2

Liverpool v Manchester United 

4pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool won 4-0 away to Bournemouth last week to move above City at the top of the table. They have won six of their seven home games with no other team conceding less goals at home and they have six clean sheets in those games. They’re the only team still unbeaten after City lost last week and they have conceded less goals than any other team.

Mohamed Salah is back to his best and becoming a must have for fantasy managers while the Liverpool defenders and keeper are the best defensive options too.

United won 4-1 at home to Fulham last week and those three points moved them back into the top six. They have only won three of their eight away games and no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more away goals. The win last week was their first win in five games and they have only managed two clean sheets in their 16 games so far.

Anthony Martial is still the best option in the United team for fantasy managers while Marcus Rashford has looked good recently too.

I think Liverpool will be too good for United and will win by at least a couple of goals. 

Prediction: 3-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

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