| Rank | Player | Res | Cls | Exa | Slm | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 - |  | 29 | 85.5 | 69 | 17 | 200.5 |
2 - |  | 29 | 82.5 | 69 | 18 | 198.5 |
3 - |  | 30 | 82.5 | 63 | 14 | 189.5 |
4 - |  | 32 | 82.5 | 57 | 17 | 188.5 |
5 - |  | 31 | 81 | 54 | 16 | 182.0 |
My choice of Mohamed Salah as my captain paid off and he helped me climb in the rankings for the fifth time in the last six weeks. He was helped by returns from Bukayo Saka, Hwang Hee-Chan, Anthony Gordon, Ollie Watkins and Matheus Cunha, but my defence was of no use to me yet again. I still have a lot of ground to make up and the next few weeks will be challenging for a few reasons.
With some of the best choices for captain off playing for their countries for the next few weeks it’s not easy to know who to choose. If Erling Haaland is fit to play he’s the obvious choice while Ollie Watkins has to be considered too.
I’m still not sure who I’ll choose at this stage, but hopefully I can get it right.
Friday January 12
Burnley v Luton Town
7.45pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley
Burnley lost 3-2 away to Villa last week to leave them one place and two points off the foot of the table. They have lost nine of their 10 home games and no other team has scored less or conceded more goals on their own ground. They play three of the top four in their next five games with only Sheffield United scoring less and conceding more goals.
I can’t see any Burnley players doing enough to recommend them to fantasy managers at the moment.
Luton lost 3-2 at home to Chelsea last week and they’re only one place above Burnley going into this game. They won their last away game after losing the previous three, but only three other teams have won less games on the road. They have won two of their last three games and they play the two teams below them in their next four games, but only those two teams have conceded more goals.
Alfie Doughty and Elijah Adebayo are the Luton players who might just interest fantasy managers.
This is a huge game for these two teams and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them share the points.
Prediction: 1-1
Saturday January 13
Chelsea v Fulham
12.30pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea held on to win 3-2 away to Luton last week and that win was enough to keep them in the top half of the table on goal difference. They have won their last three home games and they scored seven goals in those games. They have won three of their last four games and they scored eight goals in those games, but Brighton are the only team in the top half of the table to have conceded more goals.
Cole Palmer is the Chelsea player who can make a difference for fantasy managers and he’s still available at a very good price.
Fulham came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Arsenal last week and they’re only four points behind Chelsea going into this game. They have lost their last four away games and they conceded 13 goals in those games with only Sheffield United conceding more goals on their travels. They had lost three games in a row before beating Arsenal and they conceded eight goals in those defeats without scoring themselves.
With a good run of fixtures coming up Raul Jiminez could be the Fulham player to interest fantasy managers.
I think this could be a close game with home advantage probably being the deciding factor for Chelsea.
Prediction: 2-1
Newcastle v Manchester City
5.30pm GMT, St. James’ Park, Newcastle
Newcastle lost 4-2 away to Liverpool last week and they were lucky it wasn’t a bigger defeat. They have won eight of their 10 home games and no other team has conceded less goals on their own ground. They have lost five of their last six games and they conceded 15 goals in those games.
Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak are the Newcastle players most likely to do well for fantasy managers, but maybe not in this game.
City won 2-0 at home to Sheffield United last week and they’re only five points off the top of the table with a game in hand. They have won their last two away games and no other team has taken more points on the road with only Spurs scoring more goals. They have taken 10 points from their last four games after failing to win the previous four with no other team scoring more goals.
If Erling Haaland is back from injury he’s the City player to have for fantasy managers with Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva good choices too.
I think Newcastle’s woes will continue in this game with City winning by a couple of goals.
Prediction: 1-3
Sunday January 14
Everton v Aston Villa
2pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton lost 3-0 away to Wolves last week to leave them one point and one place above the relegation zone. They lost their last home game after winning the previous three and only two other teams have scored less goals on their own patch. They have lost their last three games after winning the previous four and three of their next four opponents are in the top five.
I’m not sure there are any Everton players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
Villa got a very late penalty to win 3-2 at home to Burnley last week and that win moved them up to second place. They have only won two of their last six away games, but they have a good run of games on the road coming up. They hadn’t won their two games before defeating Burnley, but five of their next seven games are against teams in the bottom half of the table.
Ollie Watkins is the Villa player to have for fantasy managers with Douglas Luiz and Leon Bailey good options too.
I think Everton might just be able to get a badly needed point in this game.
Prediction: 1-1
Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur
4.30pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester
United lost 2-1 away to Forest last week and they are now nine points off the top four. They have won three of their last four games, but they have conceded more goals than they have scored on their own ground. They have only won once in their last five games with only the bottom two scoring less goals.
Alejandro Garnacho is probably the in form United player for fantasy managers at the moment.
Spurs won 3-1 at home to Bournemouth last week and they moved to within one point of the top four. They have only won once in their last four away games and they conceded nine goals in those games, but no other team has scored more goals on their travels. They have won four of their last five games and they scored 13 goals in those games with only the top three scoring more goals.
With Son Heung-Min on international duty Richarlison, Pedro Porto and Dejan Kulusevski are the Spurs players who can make a difference for fantasy managers.
I think this will be a very close game and the chances are Spurs will take the three points.
Prediction: 1-2
Saturday January 20
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
12.30pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London
Arsenal lost 2-1 away to Fulham last week after leading early on and that defeat saw them drop to fourth place. They lost their last home game after winning the previous five and only three other teams have taken more points on their own patch. They have only won once in their last five games, but only Liverpool have conceded less goals.
Bukayo Saka continues to be the Arsenal player of choice for fantasy managers.
Palace won 3-1 at home to Brentford last week and that win has given them a six point gap over the bottom three. They have only taken two points from their last four away games, but they have taken more points on the road than they have at home. The win against Brentford was their first win in nine games with only the bottom two scoring less goals.
With Eberechi Eze available again he’s probably the Palace player who can do well for fantasy managers.
I think Arsenal should be strong enough at home to get a badly needed win in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Brentford v Nottingham Forest
5.30pm GMT, Gtech Community Stadium, London
Brentford lost 3-1 away to Palace last week and they’re now only two places and four points above the relegation zone. They have lost their last two home games and they conceded six goals in those games. They have lost their last five games and they conceded 12 goals in those games and they play three of the top five in their next four games after this one.
With Ivan Toney available after his eight month ban he could be the Brentford player to watch for fantasy managers.
Forest won 2-1 at home to United last week and that win moved them one point and one place above Brentford going into this game. They won their last away game against Newcastle after failing to win the previous six, but only four other teams have conceded more goals on their travels. They have won their last two games after only taking one point in the previous seven, but only the bottom three have conceded more goals.
Anthony Elanga, Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Woods have all done very well recently for fantasy managers.
I don’t think there will be too much between these two teams and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the game end all square.
Prediction: 1-1
Sunday January 21
Sheffield United v West Ham United
2pm GMT, Bramall Lane, Sheffield
United lost 2-0 away to City last week to leave them rooted to the foot of the table. Only Burnley have taken less points at home and no other team has scored less or conceded more goals on their own ground. They have only taken four points from their last eight games and no other team has scored less or conceded more goals.
I can’t see any United players who might make a difference for fantasy managers.
West Ham drew 0-0 at home to Brighton last week, buy they are still in sixth place with six points to make up on the top four. They have won three of their last four away games with only four other teams taking more points on the road. They have taken 10 points from their last four games and they kept clean sheets in each of those games.
With their current injuries and players on international duty I’m not sure there are any West Ham players to recommend to fantasy managers.
Despite all the players they have missing I still think West Ham will win this game.
Prediction: 1-2
Bournemouth v Liverpool
4.30pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
Bournemouth lost 3-1 away to Spurs last week to put an end to an impressive run of results, buy they’re still only three points off the top half of the table. They have taken 10 points from their last four home games and they scored nine goals in those games, but only Sheffield United and Burnley have scored less goals on their own patch. They had taken 19 points from seven games before losing to Spurs, but only the bottom three have conceded more goals.
Dominic Solanke is the Bournemouth player who can do the most for fantasy managers.
Liverpool won 4-2 at home to Newcastle last week to move three points clear at the top of the table. They have won their last three away games and they scored six goals in those games with no other team taking more points or conceding less points on their travels. They are unbeaten in 13 games, but they drew five of them with no other team conceding less goals and only City scoring more.
With Mohamed Salah on international duty Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez could do very well for fantasy managers while Trent Alexander-Arnold is always a good option.
I think Liverpool will cope without their talisman and have enough to take all three points.
Prediction: 1-3
Monday January 22
Brighton And Hove Albion v Wolverhampton Wanderers
7.45pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton
Brighton drew 0-0 away to West Ham last week and they could move up to sixth place with a win in this game if West Ham lose their game. They are unbeaten in eight home games and they scored 17 goals in those games, but no other team has drawn more games on their own ground. They have only lost two of their last 11 games, but they drew six of them and no other team has drawn more games.
With Pervis Estupinan back from injury he has to be a consideration for fantasy managers while Joao Pedro and Pascal Gross are worth mentioning too.
Wolves won 3-0 at home to Everton last week and they’re only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They won the last away game after losing the previous four, but they have a tough run of away games coming up. They have won their last three games and they scored nine goals in those games and they have only failed to score once in their last 19 games.
With Hwang Hee-Chan on international duty Matheus Cunha and the fit again Pedro Neto could do very well for fantasy managers.
I think this will be a close game with a draw being the most obvious outcome.
Prediction: 2-2
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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