| Rank | Player | Res | Cls | Exa | Slm | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 - |  | 27 | 81 | 66 | 16 | 190.0 |
2 - |  | 27 | 78 | 66 | 17 | 188.0 |
3 - |  | 26 | 81 | 60 | 13 | 180.0 |
4 - |  | 30 | 79.5 | 54 | 16 | 179.5 |
5 1 |  | 29 | 78 | 54 | 16 | 177.0 |
My choice of Mohamed Salah as my captain didn’t pay off last week, but thanks to Hwang Hee-Chan, Marcos Senesi, Matheus Cunha and Dominic Solanke I gained more ground overall and I have moved up in the rankings in four of the last five weeks. Salah will probably be my captain again this week with a home game against a Newcastle team who are conceding a lot of goals at the moment.
The big decision this week is whether to bring Erling Haaland back or not as it’s still unclear when he will be back from injury. With Salah and Son Heung-Min both heading off on international duty after this week a lot of teams are going to need to make big changes.
Saturday December 30
Luton Town v Chelsea
12.30pm GMT, Kenilworth Road, Luton
Luton led early on away to Sheffield United last week, but they ended up having to come from behind to win 3-2 and that win has brought them within three points of the three teams directly above the relegation zone. They have taken six points from their last four home games with the two losses in those games being by a single goal to Arsenal and City. They have won their last two games, but only the two teams below them have conceded more goals.
Alfie Doughty and Andros Townsend are the Luton players who should be of interest to fantasy managers at the moment.
Chelsea got a much needed 2-1 win at home to Palace last week and it was enough to keep them in the top half of the table on goal difference. They have lost their last four away games and they conceded 10 goals in those games, but they will still fancy their chances in this game. They have lost more games than they have won and their chances of securing European football for next season seem to get slimmer with each game.
With Cole Palmer and Raheem Sterling back from injury they could be the Chelsea players to have for fantasy managers while Christopher Nkunku is a possibility too.
This isn’t an easy game to call, but I think Chelsea might just get the better of Luton in a very close game.
Prediction: 1-2
Aston Villa v Burnley
3pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa led 2-0 away to United last week, but they ended up losing 3-2 to drop back to three points behind Liverpool at the top of the table. They are one of three teams still unbeaten at home and no other team has scored more goals on their own ground. They have only taken one point from their last two games after taking 16 in the previous six with only City scoring more goals.
Ollie Watkins, Douglas Luiz and Leon Bailey could all do very well for fantasy managers in this game.
Burnley lost 2-0 at home to Liverpool last week and they’re still only one place and two points off the foot of the table. They have taken four points from their last two away games and eight of their 11 points have come on the road, but only Sheffield United have scored less goals on their travels. They have taken seven points from their last six games after losing the previous six, but only Sheffield United have scored less and conceded more goals.
I’m not sure there are any Burnley players doing enough to recommend them to fantasy managers at the moment.
I can’t see anything other than a comfortable Villa victory in this game.
Prediction: 3-0
Crystal Palace v Brentford
3pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London
Palace conceded a very late penalty to lose 2-1 away to Chelsea last week and they’re now only three points above the relegation zone. They haven’t won in their last seven home games and no other team has scored less on their own patch. They haven’t won in their last eight games, but they drew three of them and no other team has drawn more games.
I can’t see any Palace players who would make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.
Brentford lost 4-1 at home to Wolves last week and they’re only one point ahead of Palace going into this game. They have lost their last three away games and they failed to score in two of them with only Sheffield United scoring less goals away from home, but only Arsenal and United conceding less. They have lost six of their last seven games and they failed to score in three of them.
I can’t see any Brentford players for fantasy managers to consider at the moment.
I think this will be a very close game and the chances are the points will be shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Manchester City v Sheffield United
3pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Sheffield
City came from behind to win 3-1 away to Everton last week and they’re only five points off the top of the table with a game in hand. They’re one of three teams still unbeaten at home, but they have drawn their last three games on their own ground. They have only won two of their last seven games, but they drew four of them and no other team has scored more goals.
If Erling Haaland is fit to play he’s the City player to have for fantasy managers with Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva very good choices too.
United led 2-1 at home to Luton last week, but they ended up losing 3-2 to leave them rooted to the foot of the table. They have taken six points from their last five games after only taking one in the previous five and no other team has conceded more goals on their own patch. They have only taken one point from their last three games and no other team has scored less or conceded more goals.
I can’t see any United players who can do enough to interest fantasy managers.
I can’t see anything other than a comprehensive City victory in this game.
Prediction: 4-0
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton
3pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton
Wolves won 4-1 away to Brentford last week and that win left them outside the top half of the table on goal difference only. They have taken 15 points from their last seven home games and they have scored in every home game they have played so far. They have won their last two games and they scored six goals in those games.
Hwang Hee-Chan, Mario Lemina, Matheus Cunha and Pablo Sarabia have all looked like good value for fantasy managers recently.
Everton led at home to City last week, but they ended up losing 3-1 and they have dropped to only one point above the bottom three. They lost their last away game after winning the previous four and they kept clean sheets in three of those four wins. They have lost their last two games after winning the previous four and they would be in the top half of the table if it wasn’t for their 10 point deduction.
Everton’s defenders and keeper still look like pretty good options for fantasy managers while Dwight McNeil is worth considering too.
I think this will be a close game and the chances are Everton will take the three points.
Prediction: 1-2
Nottingham Forest v Manchester United
5.30pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham
Forest came from behind to win 3-1 away to Newcastle last week and that win kept them out of the relegation zone. They have lost their last four home games and they conceded nine goals in those games. The win against Newcastle was their first win in eight games and only the bottom two have conceded more goals.
Anthony Elanga and Chris Woods have done very well for fantasy managers in recent weeks and they’re both available at a very good price.
United came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at home to Villa last week and they’re still only six points behind the top four. They have only taken one point from their last three away games and they failed to score in each of those games with only Sheffield United scoring less goals and only Arsenal conceding less on their travels.
If he can play like he did last week Alejandro Garnacho could be a good option for fantasy managers.
I think this will be another very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Sunday December 31
Fulham v Arsenal
2pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London
Fulham lost 3-0 away to Bournemouth last week and they’re now four points off the top half of the table. They lost their last home game after winning the previous three and they have a tough run of home games coming up. They have lost their last three games without scoring and they conceded eight goals in those games with only the bottom two conceding more goals.
A couple of games ago I might have suggested Alex Iwobi and Andreas Pereira to fantasy managers, but I’m not so sure at the moment.
Arsenal lost 2-0 at home to West Ham last week and that defeat cost them their place at the top of the table. They have only taken eight points from their last six away games, but they have a good run of away games coming up. They have only won once in their last four games and they failed to score in two of them, but only Liverpool have conceded less goals.
Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard are probably the in form Arsenal players for fantasy managers while Bukayo Saka can never be discounted.
I think Fulham will make a game of it, but Arsenal will bounce back with three points in this game.
Prediction: 1-3
Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth
2pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs lost 4-2 away to Brighton last week and that defeat meant they dropped out of the top four. They have won their last two home games and they scored six goals in those games after losing the previous three and conceding eight goals in those defeats. They lost their last game after winning the previous three and they need to bounce back in this game.
Son Heung-Min, Richarlison, Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski are all worth considering for fantasy managers at the moment.
Bournemouth won 3-0 at home to Fulham last week and they’re only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They have won their last four away games and they scored 11 goals in those games, but only two other teams have conceded more goals on the road. They have taken 19 points from their last seven games and they kept clean sheets in four of them.
Dominic Solanke is in great form for fantasy managers at the moment while Marcos Senesi has being doing very well too.
I think Bournemouth will have a real go at Spurs and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them sharing the points.
Prediction: 2-2
Monday January 1
Liverpool v Newcastle United
8pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool won 2-0 away to Burnley last week and that win put them two points clear at the top of the table. They have drawn their last two home games, but they’re one of three teams still unbeaten at home and no other team has conceded more goals on their own patch. They are unbeaten in 12 games, but they drew five of them with no other team drawing more games or conceding less goals.
Mohamed Salah is the Liverpool player to have for fantasy managers with Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Newcastle lost 3-1 at home to Forest last week after taking the lead and they have now dropped to ninth place. They have lost their last four away games and they only scored two goals in those games with only Sheffield United taking less points on their travels. They have lost four of their last five games and they conceded 11 goals in those games.
I can’t see any Newcastle players to recommend to fantasy managers in this game at least
I think Liverpool will keep their place at the top of the table with another win in this game.
Prediction: 3-1
Tuesday January 2
West Ham United v Brighton And Hove Albion
7.30pm GMT, London Stadium, London
West Ham won 2-0 away to Arsenal last week and that win kept them in sixth place with only four points to make up on the top four. They have taken 10 points from their last four home games and they scored nine goals in those games. They have taken 19 points from their last eight games and they scored 15 goals in those games.
Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus are the West Ham players who can make a difference for fantasy managers.
Brighton won 4-2 at home to Spurs last week and they moved up to eighth place in the table. They have only won once in their last seven away games, but they have scored in all but one of their games on the road. They have taken 11 points from their last seven games after only taking four in the previous six and no other team has drawn more games.
With Pervis Estupinan back from injury he’s the Brighton player who can perform for fantasy managers while Joao Pedro and Pascal Gross are good options too.
I think this will be a close game and the chances are the points will go the way of the home side.
Prediction: 2-1
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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