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 one perfect prediction, six correct outcomes and seven incorrect outcomes to move up to sixth in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands with me desperately trying to make it into that top five as the games run out.
| Pos | Player | Week | Total |
| 1 (1) | whitgooner | 30 | 2755 |
| 2 (3) | mbbeth | 10 | 2695 |
| 3 (4) | stevew3ok | -5 | 2665 |
| 4 (2) | David96 | -65 | 2650 |
| 5 (5) | JediKnut | -15 | 2645 |
Liverpool v Huddersfield Town
8pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool won 2-0 away to Cardiff last week, but they dropped back to second place when City won their game in hand. They’re the only team unbeaten at home with only City taking more points and scoring more goals at home and no other team conceding less goals on their own patch. They have won their last six games and kept clean sheets in their last two with only City scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.
Both Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah could do very well for fantasy managers this week while the Liverpool defenders and keeper look like good choices too.
Huddersfield lost 2-1 at home to Watford last week and they’re going to finish bottom of the league. They have lost their last six away games and they failed to score in five of those games with no other team scoring less goals away from home and only Fulham conceding more. They have lost their last seven games and they failed to score in five of those games with no other team scoring less goals and only Fulham conceding more.
I can’t see any Huddersfield players to recommend to fantasy managers.
I can’t see anything other than a comprehensive Liverpool victory in this game.
Prediction: 4-0
Saturday April 27
Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United
12.30pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs followed up their 1-0 defeat at City last weekend with a 1-0 win at home to Brighton on Tuesday night to make themselves clear favourites to finish third. They have won their last three home games without conceding a goal, but they have lost four of their 17 home games. They have won three of their last four games and they kept clean sheets in each of those games, but they failed to win in their previous five games.
Heung-Min Son and Christian Eriksen still look like the Spurs players most likely to perform for fantasy managers once they’re not rested ahead of their Champions League semi final.
West Ham drew 2-2 at home to Leicester last week and they look destined to finish in the bottom half of the table. They have only taken one point from their last eight away games and they failed to score in six of those games. They have only taken one point from their last four games and they have only kept one clean sheet in their last 13 games.
I can’t see any West Ham players doing too well for fantasy managers this week.
I think Spurs should have more than enough to win this game with a couple of goals to spare.
Prediction: 3-1
Crystal Palace v Everton
3pm BST, Selhurst Park, London
Palace won 3-2 away to Arsenal last week to finally dispel any lingering fears of relegation. Only Huddersfield have taken less points and scored less goals at home and they have only won once in their last five at home. They have taken 19 points from their last 11 games and they have a fairly good run of games to finish the season.
Wilfried Zaha and Luka Milivojevic continue to impress for fantasy managers and they’re both certainly worth considering.
Everton cruised to a 4-0 win at home to United last week and they’re still in with a good shout of finishing seventh. They have won three of their last six away games and only five other teams have conceded less goals away from home. They have won four of their last five games and they have kept clean sheets in six of their last eight.
Gylfi Siggurdson has been the Everton player to have recently while their defence and goalkeeper have done well too.
I think this will be a close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Fulham v Cardiff City
3pm BST, Craven Cottage, London
Fulham won 1-0 away to Bournemouth last week, but relegation was confirmed for them weeks ago. They won their last home game after losing the previous four, but only Cardiff have conceded more goals at home. They have won their last two games without conceding a goal after losing the previous nine, but no other team has conceded more goals.
With a home game against a team who concede a lot of goals maybe Ryan Babel and Aleksandar Mitrovic might do well for fantasy managers this week.
Cardiff lost 2-0 at home to Liverpool last week and they’re three points from safety with three games to go as well as vastly inferior goal difference. They have won three of their last eight away games, but no other team has scored less goals away from home. They have lost seven of their last nine games with only Huddersfield scoring less goals and they will probably have to win two of their last three to have a chance of staying up.
Victor Camarasa is probably the Cardiff player most likely to make an impression for fantasy managers.
I think Cardiff’s need for a win might just give them the edge in a very close game.
Prediction: 1-2
Southampton v Bournemouth
3pm BST, St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton
Southampton lost 3-1 away to Newcastle last week and then drew at Watford on Tuesday night to virtually guarantee their Premier League survival for another season. They have won three of their last four home games, but no other team has drawn more games at home and two of their last three games are at home. They have taken 13 points from their last eight games which has been just about enough to keep them up.
Southampton have a good run of games to finish the season which could make Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse attractive to fantasy managers.
Bournemouth lost 1-0 at home to Fulham last week as their inconsistent end to the season continued. They have lost 10 of their last 12 away games with only Fulham and Huddersfield conceding more goals away from home. They have only won two of their last 11 games, but staying in the Premier League is a real accomplishment for a team with such a small stadium.
Despite their result last week Ryan Fraser and Callum Wilson could still be good choices for fantasy managers.
I think this will be another close game with Southampton probably taking the three points they need to finally confirm their Premier League status for another season.
Prediction: 2-1
Watford v Wolverhampton Wanderers
3pm BST, Vicarage Road, Watford
Watford won away to Huddersfield last week and then drew at home to Southampton in midweek to stay hot on the heels of seventh placed Wolves. They have only lost once in their last seven home games, but they have scored more goals away from home than at home. If they’re going to clinch seventh place ahead of their FA Cup Final with City this is a game they will need to win.
Gerard Deulofeu is probably the Watford player most likely to make a difference for fantasy managers.
Wolves drew 0-0 at home to Brighton last week and then won 3-1 at home to Arsenal on Wednesday night to just about keep a hold on seventh place with three games to go. They haven’t won in their last five away games, but only the top two have conceded less goals away from home. Like Watford they will want to finish seventh and avoiding defeat in this game world certainly help that cause.
Diogo Jota and Matt Doherty are the Wolves players to currently interest fantasy managers.
This is s big game for two teams looking to finish seventh and I think it will probably end all square.
Prediction: 2-2
Brighton And Hove Albion v Newcastle United
5.30pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton
Brighton drew 0-0 away to Wolves last week and then lost 1-0 to a very late goal at Spurs on Tuesday night to move three points clear of the relegation zone. They have lost their last three home games without scoring with only Huddersfield and Palace scoring less goals at home. They have only taken one point and scored no goals in their last six games with only Huddersfield and Cardiff scoring less goals.
I can’t see any Brighton players to interest fantasy managers for the remaining three games, but their defenders could do well in this game.
Newcastle won 3-1 at home to Southampton last week and those three points guaranteed their place in the Premier League for next season. They have only one once in their last nine away games, but that was their last away game at Leicester while only the top two teams have conceded less goals away from home. They have won their last two games to move away from trouble and only five other teams have conceded less goals.
Matt Richie has been the most impressive Newcastle player for fantasy managers recently with the exception of Ayoze Perez’s hat trick last week.
I think this game will probably end in a draw and that might be just enough to keep Brighton up for another season.
Prediction: 1-1
Sunday April 28
Leicester City v Arsenal
12.00pm BST, King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester drew 2-2 away to West Ham last week and they’re now three points off seventh place with three tough games to finish their season. They lost their last home game after winning the previous three and they have lost more home games than they have won. They have taken 13 points from their last six games, but moving up the table could be beyond them considering the opposition in their last three games.
Jamie Vardy and Youri Tielemans are the Leicester players who could do well for fantasy managers for their last three games.
Arsenal lost 3-2 at home to Palace last week and then 3-1 away to Wolves on Wednesday night to drop back to fifth in the table. They have only won two of their last 11 away games and they have lost more games than they have won on their travels. They have lost three of their last four games to leave their top four hopes in real doubt, but only the top two teams have scored more goals.
Alexandre Lacazette is probably the Arsenal player most likely to do well for fantasy managers from here in.
I think this is a game which could go either way, but Arsenal will just about get the win they desperately need.
Prediction: 1-2
Burnley v Manchester City
2.05pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley
Burnley drew 2-2 away to Chelsea last week and that point has to be enough to insure their survival even if they’re not mathematically safe yet. They have taken 16 points from their last eight home games, but they have lost more home games than they have won. They have taken 10 points from their last four games to save their Premier League place, but only the bottom three clubs have conceded more goals.
Chris Wood is the Burnley player to have at the moment for fantasy managers, but they do have a difficult run of games to finish their season.
City won 1-0 at home to Spurs last week and then 2-0 away to United in midweek to go to the top of the table with only three games to go. They have won their last five away games and they kept clean sheets in four of those games with only Liverpool taking more points on the road and no other team scoring more goals or conceding less. They have won their last 11 games and they kept clean sheets in eight of those games with no other team scoring more goals and only Liverpool conceding less.
Surely City will play their strongest team which should mean Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, the two Silvas and all of their defenders and keeper are well worth having for fantasy managers.
I think City will be too strong and continue their pursuit of retaining their title by at least a couple of goals.
Prediction: 1-3
Manchester United v Chelsea
4.30pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester
United lost 4-0 at Everton last week and 2-0 at home to City on Wednesday night to leave themselves in sixth place with their hopes of a top four place fading fast. They have won seven of their last 10 home games, but they have conceded a lot more home goals than the rest of the top six. They have lost four of their last six games and they conceded 12 goals in those games, but three wins in their last three games might just be enough to secure a top four finish.
I’m not sure any of the United players are good choices for fantasy managers at the moment, but they have some favourable games to finish the season which could make Marcus Rashford or Paul Pogba possibilities.
Chelsea could only draw 2-2 at home to Burnley last week, but other results meant they stayed in the top four. They have lost five of their last seven away games and they conceded 18 goals in those games. They have taken 10 points from their last five games and anything other than a defeat in this game will make them favourites to finish in the top four.
Eden Hazard has to be the Chelsea player of choice for fantasy managers.
I think United will put an end to their bad run of results with a narrow victory in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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