| Rank | Player | Res | Cls | Exa | Slm | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 - |  | 6 | 27 | 12 | 6 | 51.0 |
2 - |  | 9 | 24 | 6 | 5 | 44.0 |
3 - |  | 8 | 22.5 | 9 | 4 | 43.5 |
4 1 |  | 8 | 19.5 | 12 | 4 | 43.5 |
5 1 |  | 7 | 22.5 | 9 | 5 | 43.5 |
My captaincy choice paid off last week with Erling Haaland scoring a hat trick as City beat Fulham 5-1, but just about everyone else had him as their captain too. Kaoru Mitoma, Bukayo Saka, Bryan Mbeumo and Phil Foden were the only other players to return points for me and I need to seriously consider using my first wildcard this week. I lost any ground I had gained over the last two Gameweeks and a little more besides so hopefully I can turn things around quickly.
It has to be remembered that both Luton and Burnley play twice in Gameweek seven which could make one or two of their players attractive over the next few weeks. There are still a few bargains to be had for fantasy managers with Destiny Udogie, Bryan Mbeumo, Pape Matar Sarr, Cameron Archer and Carlton Morris all worth considering.
Saturday 16 September
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool
12.30pm BST, Molineux Stadium
Wolves lost 3-2 away to Palace in their last game to leave them with three defeats in their first four games. They have lost their only home game so far, but three of their next four games are on their own patch and all against teams who finished in the top seven last season. They struggled to score goals last season and only the bottom three have scored less already this season.
Pedro Neto could be the only Wolves player to interest fantasy managers and he’s available at a good price too.
Liverpool won 3-0 at home to Villa last time out to make it 10 points from their first four games and put them in third place. They have taken four points from trips to Newcastle and Chelsea and they will be strong favourites to take another three in this game. They don’t play any of last season’s top five in their next eight games which could put them in a very strong position.
Mohamed Salah is the most consistent of the Liverpool players for fantasy managers while Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez could be worth watching too.
I think Liverpool should be good enough on current form to take all the points in this game.
Prediction: 1-3
Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
3pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa lost 3-0 away to Liverpool in their last game to put an end to their recovery after their opening day demolition by Newcastle. They won their only home game so far and four of their next six games are on their own ground. They only play one team that finished above them in their next 10 games which should give them the opportunity to take a lot of points in those games.
Mousss Diaby and Matty Cash would look to be the best bets for fantasy managers in the Villa team while Ollie Watkins must surely add some goals to his three assists very soon.
Palace won 3-2 at home to Wolves in their last game to give themselves a healthy seven points from their first four games. They have taken four points from their two away games and they only conceded one goal in those games. They have started the season fairly well and if their last game is anything to go by they might just have put their goalscoring issues of last season behind them.
In the long term Eberechi Eze has to be the best bet in the Palace team for fantasy managers, but Odsonne Edouard and Joachim Andersen are the ones in form at the moment.
I think Villa will bounce back from their defeat against Liverpool to narrowly win this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Fulham v Luton Town
3pm BST, Craven Cottage, London
Fulham lost 5-1 away to City last time out and they will welcome the break from playing last season’s top two back to back. They lost their only home game so far and they’re one of only two teams not to have scored on their own patch yet. They have done well to get four points from a tough start to the season, but only Burnley have conceded more goals.
Bernd Leno is the best of the Fulham players for fantasy managers at the moment as he is having to save so many shots while Andreas Pereira is worth keeping an eye on too.
Luton lost 2-1 at home to West Ham in their last game to make it three defeats in their opening three games and they’re only off the foot of the table on goal difference. They lost their first two away games and they conceded seven goals in those games with only Villa conceding more goals on their travels. They’re one of two teams without a point, but their next four games must offer them a chance of changing that statistic.
Carlton Morris is probably the only Luton player who can make an impression for fantasy managers.
I think Fulham will be too strong for Luton and should win by at least a couple of goals.
Prediction: 3-1
Manchester United v Brighton And Hove Albion
3pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester
United lost 3-1 away to Arsenal in their last game and they need to win this game so they don’t lose touch with the pace setters. They had a very good home record last season and they have won their two home games so far, but Brighton did win at Old Trafford last season. They have a good run of games coming up and they need to put a run together so they don’t lose touch with the pacesetters.
It’s difficult to look past Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford as the best of the United players for fantasy managers, but new boy Rasmus Hojlund might be worth considering now that he’s fully fit.
Brighton won 3-1 at home to Newcastle last time out to make it three wins in their first four games. They have won their only away game so far, but this is the first of three very tough away games in a row. They have scored more goals than any other team so far, but they face three of last season’s top five in their next five games starting with this one.
There are so many Brighton players for fantasy managers to choose from with Kaoru Mitoma, Pervis Estupinan and Solly March probably the best of them and Evan Ferguson a good choice too as long as he plays.
I think this will be a very close game with a draw the most likely outcome.
Prediction: 1-1
Tottenham Hotspur v Sheffield United
3pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs came from behind to win 5-2 away to Burnley in their last game and that win moved them up to second place. They won their only home game so far without conceding and they will be looking to do the same in this game. Only Brighton have scored more goals, but their next two games are both very difficult ones.
There are a lot of Spurs players impressing for fantasy managers at the moment with James Maddison, Destiny Udogie, Cristian Romero and Son Heung-Min all good options.
United drew 2-2 at home to Everton last time out to take their first point of the season and it was enough to keep them out of the bottom three on goal difference. They lost their only away game so far and three of their next four games are on the road starting with this one. Each of their three defeats have been by a single goal, but that might be about to change in this game.
The only United player for fantasy managers to keep an eye on is Cameron Archer who is available at a very good price.
I think current form suggests Spurs should win this game with a few goals to spare.
Prediction: 3-1
West Ham United v Manchester City
3pm BST, London Stadium, London
West Ham won 2-1 away to Luton in their last game to leave them on 10 points from their first four games and as one of six teams still unbeaten. They won their only home game so far against Chelsea, but City will be an awful lot harder to beat. They have had a great start to the season, but they play four of last season’s top seven in their next five games.
Jarrod Bowen has found some real form again for fantasy managers with Alphonse Areola and James Ward-Prowse looking pretty good too.
City won 5-1 at home to Fulham last time out to remain on top of the table and they’re the only team with a 100% record left. They have won both of their away games so far and they only conceded one goal in those games, but Sheffield United ran them very close in their last away game. They haven’t even found their stride yet, but the signs are ominous and they will be expected to win their next three games before they come up against some of the other contenders.
Erling Haaland is an absolute must have for fantasy managers while Julian Alvarez, Phil Foden and Rodrigo Hernandez are all very good options too.
I think this looks like it could be a very close game with City probably winning by a single goal.
Prediction: 1-2
Newcastle United v Brentford
5.30pm BST, St. James’ Park, Newcastle
Newcastle lost 3-1 away to Brighton last time out to make it three defeats in a row for them. Their only win so far was at home on the opening day when they put five goals past Villa and they will be hoping to recreate that form in this game. They need to put a good run together quickly and none of their next five opponents after this game finished in the top half of the table last season.
Newcastle players haven’t exactly set the world alight for fantasy managers so far, but Alexander Isak, Callum Wilson and Harvey Barnes are all capable of doing very well.
Brentford drew 2-2 at home to Bournemouth in their last game to remain unbeaten, but they have only won once in their four games. They have won their only away game so far and they kept a clean sheet in that game, but Newcastle will be a much tougher opponent than Fulham were. They have drawn more games than any other team and if I’m not mistaken that was the case last season too.
Bryan Mbeumo is the Brentford player fantasy managers need to have while Yoane Wissa is a possibility too.
I think Newcastle will get a much needed victory in this game, but only just.
Prediction: 2-1
Sunday September 17
Bournemouth v Chelsea
2pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
Bournemouth drew 2-2 away to Brentford in their last game to get their second point of the season. They have only managed one point and one goal from their two home games so far and they face Chelsea and Arsenal in their next two home games starting with this one. They are only one point above the relegation zone and they will do very well to get anything from their next three games.
Dominic Solanke is the only Bournemouth player for fantasy managers to even consider at the moment.
Chelsea lost 1-0 at home to Forest last time out to make it only one win in their opening four games. They lost their only away game so far, but their next three away games are all good ones starting with this game. Last season was a disaster for them and they need to put a very good run together soon or they could do nearly as badly this season.
Chelsea have so many good players and a good run of games coming up which makes Ben Chilwell, Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson look very good for fantasy managers, but the game against Forest showed us you still have to be wary of them.
I think Chelsea will bounce back from their defeat against Forest to win this game with a couple of goals to spare
Prediction: 1-3
Everton v Arsenal
4.30pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton drew 2-2 away to Sheffield United last time out to secure their first point of the season, but it wasn’t enough to move them out of the relegation zone. They have lost both of their home games without scoring and they will have their work cut out to get anything from this game. No other team has scored less goals, but they have made plenty of chances and they will hope their new additions might be able to take some of those chances.
I can’t see any Everton players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment, but that could change as their new players settle in.
Arsenal left it late in their last game, but they won 3-1 at home to United to move on to 10 points from their first four games. They won their only away game so far without conceding a goal and no other team had a better away record last season. They play three of the other big six teams in their next four games after this one.
Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli are probably the best options in the Arsenal team for fantasy managers with Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah possibilities too depending on who plays.
I think this will end up very close, but the chances are Arsenal will take the three points.
Prediction: 1-2
Monday September 18
Nottingham Forest v Burnley
7.45pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham
Forest won 1-0 away to Chelsea in their last game to make it two wins from their first four games. They won their only home game so far and three of their next five games are on their own patch starting with this one. They have done very well to get six points from a very difficult start to the season and they ran both Arsenal and United very close in the games they lost.
Taiwo Awoniyi is the stand out Forest player for fantasy managers with Morgan Gibbs-White a very good option too.
Burnley lost 5-2 at home to Spurs last time out to drop to the foot of the table. This is the first away game of the season, but five of their next seven games are on the road starting with this one. Despite playing a game less and playing all their games at home no other team has conceded more goals and they need to improve quickly if they’re to live up to their billing as the newly promoted team most likely to avoid relegation.
Lyle Foster has done very well in his last two games and he’s probably the only Burnley player for fantasy managers to consider at the moment.
I think Forest will have enough to win this game and keep Burnley pointless.
Prediction: 2-1
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
almost there
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