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My choice of James Maddison for my captain didn’t go too well last week despite him playing two games and I’ll be going back to my old reliable choice of Mohamed Salah this week. Both Chelsea and United play twice this week and it’s probably the Chelsea players who could make a real difference for fantasy managers. There are plenty of teams with extra games to play over the last five weeks of the season and their players could be the ones to make a difference over such a short space of time with the season ending in 30 days.
Saturday April 23
Arsenal v Manchester United
12.30pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London
Arsenal lost 1-0 away to Southampton before winning 4-2 away to Chelsea last week and they’re only outside the top four on goal difference. They have lost their last two home games, but only the top two have taken more points and conceded less goals at home. They have lost four of their last six games and they failed to score in three of those games.
Bukayo Saka is still the Arsenal player most likely to make a difference for fantasy managers.
United won 3-2 at home to Norwich before losing 4-0 away to Liverpool last week and they’re now three points off the top four having played a game more. They have lost their last three away games and they conceded nine goals in those games while Leicester are the only team in the top half of the table to have conceded more goals on the road. They have only won two of their last seven games and they play two of the teams above them this week.
If he’s ready to return Cristiano Ronaldo could be the United player to have for fantasy managers with two games this week while Bruno Fernandes should be considered too.
I think this will be a close game with Arsenal probably taking the three points.
Prediction: 2-1
Leicester City v Aston Villa
3pm BST, King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester lost 2-1 away to Newcastle and drew 1-1 away to Everton last week, but they managed to hold on to their place in the top half of the table. They have won their last three home games by one goal and their remaining four home games are all against teams below them in the table. They have only won once in their last four games and their minds might just be on their midweek European semi final.
Both James Maddison and Harvey Barnes look like they can impress for fantasy managers as long as they play.
Villa didn’t play last week, but they lost 4-0 away to Spurs in their last game and they’re now four points off the top half of the table. They have lost their last two away games with only Everton and Norwich losing more games on their travels. They have lost their last four games and it was five defeats in a row which got Dean Smith sacked earlier in the season, but I don’t think Steven Gerrard will suffer the same fate even if they lose this game.
With plenty of extra games to play Phillippe Coutinho and Ollie Watkins could be the Villa players to own for fantasy managers.
I’m not sure which way this game will go, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Leicester take the three points.
Prediction: 2-1
Manchester City v Watford
3pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City won 3-0 at home to Brighton last week to maintain their one point lead at the top of the table. They have only taken seven points from their last four games which would be fairly good if they weren’t in a battle to win the league and no other team has scored more goals on their own ground. None of the teams they are playing in their last six games are higher than seventh in the league and they will probably have to win them all if they’re going to win it.
Kevin de Bruyne is still the most likely attacking player in the City team to return points for fantasy managers while all of their defenders and keeper are good choices too.
Watford lost 2-1 at home to Brentford last week and they’re now seven points from safety with only six games left to play. They have only lost two of their last seven away games and their last nine points have all come away from home. They have lost five of their last six games and they conceded 15 goals in those games with only Leeds and Norwich conceding more goals.
I can’t see any Watford players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
I can’t see anything other than a comfortable City victory in this game.
Prediction: 4-0
Norwich City v Newcastle United
3pm BST, Carrow Road, Norwich
Norwich lost 3-2 away to United last week and they’re now eight points from safety with only six games left to play. They won their last home game after losing the previous three and they conceded 10 goals in those defeats with only Watford taking less points and conceding more goals on their own ground. They have lost seven of their last nine games with no other team scoring less goals and only Leeds conceding more.
Despite Norwich being at the foot of the table Teemu Pukki has done well recently for fantasy managers.
Newcastle won 2-1 at home to Leicester and 1-0 at home to Palace last week and they’re now only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They have lost their last three away games with only three other teams taking less points away from home and only Norwich scoring less goals. They have only lost three of their last 15 games and a win in this game could move them into the top half of the table.
Bruno Guimaraes has done very well recently for fantasy managers and he’s certainly worth considering.
I think this will be a close game with Newcastle probably winning by a single goal.
Prediction: 1-2
Brentford v Tottenham Hotspur
5.30pm BST, Brentford Community Stadium, London
Brentford won 2-1 away to Watford last week and they’re now only one point off the top half of the table. They have won their last two home games without conceding a goal after failing to win the previous four and only four other teams have scored less goals at home. They have won five of their last six games and they scored 14 goals in those games with the magical 40 point mark only one point away.
Ivan Toney and Bryan Mbeumo are the Brentford players who can do well for fantasy managers for the rest of the season.
Spurs lost 1-0 at home to Brighton last week, but they managed to keep their hold on fourth place on goal difference. They have won four of their last six away games and they scored 15 goals in those games with only the top three taking more points and scoring more goals on the road. They have won six of their last eight games and they scored 25 goals in those games with only the three teams above them scoring more goals.
I think Brentford will make a real game of it and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Sunday April 24
Brighton And Hove Albion v Southampton
2pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton
Brighton won 1-0 away to Spurs and lost 3-0 away to City last week and they just about managed to stay in the top half of the table on goal difference. They have only taken one point from their last five home games and they failed to score in each of those games with only Watford and Norwich taking less points on their own patch. They have won two of their last three games after only taking one point from their previous seven games with only Norwich and Burnley scoring less goals.
I can’t see any Brighton players to make a difference for fantasy managers for the rest of the season.
Southampton won 1-0 at home to Arsenal and then lost 2-0 away to Burnley last week and they’re only one point behind Brighton going into this game. They have only taken two points from their last four away games with only four other teams taking less points away from home. They have lost five of their last seven games and they conceded 17 goals in those games.
James Ward-Prowse is the Southampton player who can make the best impression for fantasy managers.
I don’t think we’ll see too many goals in this game, but the chances are Brighton will win narrowly.
Prediction: 1-0
Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers
2pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley
Burnley drew 1-1 away to West Ham last week before winning 2-0 at home to Southampton and they’re now only one point below seventeenth placed Everton. They have won their last two home games after losing the previous three with only Brighton and Norwich scoring less goals on their own ground. They have taken seven points from their last four games after taking no points and failing to score in the previous four with only Norwich scoring less goals.
I can’t see any Burnley players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
Wolves didn’t play last week, but they lost 1-0 away to Newcastle the previous week and their hopes of a top four finish are almost gone. They have lost three of their last four away games, but only the top two have conceded less goals away from home. They have lost five of their last eight games and they still have to play the top three teams in their last six games.
I’m not sure there are any Wolves players doing enough at the moment to interest fantasy managers.
This is a tough game to call, but I think a draw is probably the most likely outcome.
Prediction: 1-1
Chelsea v West Ham United
2pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea lost 4-2 at home to Arsenal last week, but they still looked nailed on to finish in third place. They have lost their last two home games and they conceded eight goals in those two games, but only the top two have scored more goals at home. They have won six of their last eight games and they kept clean sheets in five of those games with only the top two scoring more and conceding less goals.
With two games this week Mason Mount, Kai Havertz and the Chelsea defenders and keeper are all good options for fantasy managers.
West Ham drew 1-1 at home to Burnley last week and their hopes of a top four finish are pretty much over. They have only taken one point from their last five away games and they will do well to get anything from this game. Their home form has held up as they have progressed in Europe, but they have suffered away from home.
Jarrod Bowen is again the West Ham player to have for fantasy managers.
I think Chelsea will bounce back with a narrow victory in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Liverpool v Everton
4.30pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool won 4-0 at home to United last week to stay one point behind City at the top of the table. They have won their last 11 home games and they only conceded two goals in those games with no other team taking more points or conceding less goals on their own ground. They have won 11 of their last 12 games with their draw at City their only slip and no other team has scored more goals.
Mohamed Salah is the Liverpool player to have for fantasy managers while Sadio Mane, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and all of the Liverpool defenders and keeper are all very good choices too.
Everton drew 1-1 at home to Leicester last week and that point was just enough to keep them out of the bottom three. They have only taken one point from their last 11 away games with no other team taking less points on the road. They have taken seven points from their last five games, but all of those points were at home and they have to play Chelsea in their next game.
Richarlison is the Everton player who can make an impression for fantasy managers if they are going to avoid the drop.
I can’t see anything other than a comprehensive Liverpool victory in this game.
Prediction: 3-0
Monday April 25
Crystal Palace v Leeds United
8pm BST, Selhurst Park, London
Palace lost 1-0 away to Newcastle last week and they’re now three points off the top half of the table. They have only won once in their last six home games, but no other team has drawn more games on their own patch. They have lost their last two games after going unbeaten in the previous five, but they have a good run of games to finish the season starting with this one.
Wilfried Zaha, Conor Gallagher and Jean-Philippe Mateta could all do well for fantasy managers in this game.
Leeds didn’t play last week, buy they won 3-0 away to Watford the previous week to give themselves a five point cushion above the relegation zone. They have won their last two away games and they scored six goals in those two games, but no other team has conceded more goals away from home. They have taken 10 points from their last four games and they scored nine goals in those games, but no other team has conceded more goals.
Raphinha is the Leeds player most likely to make a difference for fantasy managers.
I think Palace should just about get the better of Leeds in a close game.
Prediction: 2-1
Thursday April 28
Manchester United v Chelsea
7.45pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester
United play their second game of the week and they’re both against teams above them in the table. They are unbeaten in seven home games, but they will do well to continue that run considering their form and their opponents in this game. If they lose to both Arsenal and Chelsea this week they will be out of the race for a top four finish.
The United players I mentioned above are all worth considering for fantasy managers if they can find some form.
Chelsea play their second game of the week too and they’re both against teams only a few places below them in the table. They have won their last four away games and they scored 14 goals in those games while only conceding one with only City taking more points on their travels.
The Chelsea players I mentioned above are good choices too and they’re probably more likely to do well for fantasy managers than United players this week.
I think Chelsea will get their second win of the week in what looks like being a very close game.
Prediction: 1-2
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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