It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did reasonably well last week with no perfect predictions, five correct outcomes and three incorrect outcomes which meant I stayed in fifth place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.
| Rank | Player | Res | Cls | Exa | Slm | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 - |  | 43 | 109.5 | 81 | 23 | 256.5 |
2 - |  | 43 | 108 | 81 | 24 | 256.0 |
3 - |  | 48 | 100.5 | 78 | 20 | 246.5 |
4 - |  | 44 | 108 | 69 | 22 | 243.0 |
5 - |  | 47 | 100.5 | 72 | 22 | 241.5 |
My choice of Erling Haaland as my captain just about paid off last week, but my team lost some ground again for the second week in a row. He’s more than likely going to be my captain again this week, but I am sorely tempted to pick Bukayo Saka who plays away to Sheffield United. Ollie Watkins and Son Heung-Min could be good options too, but it’s always difficult not to choose Haaland.
Besides his points my team was helped by Saka and Phil Foden, but none of my other players did anything to write home about. I’ve got to look closely at my team this week and I might even have to consider using my wild card. If Mohamed Salah is fit to play he has to be a serious consideration while Watkins and Dominic Solanke are good options too.
Saturday March 2
Brentford v Chelsea
3pm GMT, Gtech Community Stadium, London
Brentford lost 4-2 away to West Ham last week and they’re starting to drift dangerously close to the relegation zone. They have lost four of their last five home games and they conceded 15 goals in those games with only the bottom two teams conceding more goals on their own ground. They have lost 10 of their last 12 games and they conceded 29 goals in those games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.
Ivan Toney and Neal Maupay are both capable of doing well for fantasy managers.
Chelsea didn’t play last week as they were busy losing the Carabao Cup Final to Liverpool. They have only taken seven points from their last eight away games, but two of their next three games on the road are against teams struggling at the wrong end of the table. They have only won once in their last four games after winning four of the previous five, but no other team in the bottom half of the table have scored more goals.
Cole Palmer is the Chelsea player who can make a real difference for fantasy managers at the moment.
I think Brentford’s woes will continue with Chelsea narrowly winning this game.
Prediction: 1-2
Everton v West Ham United
3pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton drew 1-1 away to Brighton last week, but they managed to climb up to 15th place after they got back four of the 10 points they were deducted. They have only taken three points from their last four home games with only three other teams scoring less goals on their own patch, but only three other teams conceding less too. They haven’t won in nine games, but they drew five of them with only the bottom two scoring less goals and only the top three conceding less.
With Abdoulaye Dacoure back from injury he’s probably the Everton player most likely to do well for fantasy managers.
West Ham won 4-2 at home to Brentford last week and that win moved them back up to eighth place. They have only won once in their last five away games and they conceded 12 goals in those games. The win against Brentford put an end to a run of six games without a win and they conceded 14 goals in those games with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.
Jarrod Bowen showed exactly how good he can be for fantasy managers with his three goals against Brentford and Mohammed Kudus could be worth considering too if West Ham have found some form again.
I think this will be a close game with Everton probably building on their returned points to take the three points and climb further up the table.
Prediction: 1-0
Fulham v Brighton And Hove Albion
3pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London
Fulham won 2-1 away to United last week to keep themselves comfortably in mid-table. They have taken 16 points from their last eight home games and they scored 19 goals in those games, but they have some tough home games between now and the end of the season. They have only lost one of their last five games after losing four of the previous five.
Rodrigo Muniz has been the Fulham player most likely to do well for fantasy managers recently.
Brighton drew 1-1 at home to Everton last week despite have to play much of the game with 10 men and that point was enough to keep them in seventh place. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous six and they have a pretty good run of away games coming up. They have taken seven points from their last four games after only taking seven points in the previous seven games and West Ham are the only team in the top half of the table to have conceded more goals.
Pascal Gross continues to impress for fantasy managers while Simon Adingra is a possibility too.
This is another game which could go either way and the chances are it will end all square.
Prediction: 1-1
Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers
3pm GMT, St. James’ Park, Newcastle
Newcastle lost 4-1 away to Arsenal last week and that defeat saw them drop to 10th place. They have only taken two points from their last four home games and they conceded 12 goals in those games, but only three other teams have scored more goals on their own ground. They have only won two of their last nine games, but only the top four have scored more goals.
Anthony Gordon is the Newcastle player most likely to return points for fantasy managers.
Wolves won 1-0 at home to Sheffield United last week and that win moved them into the top half of the table. They have taken 10 points and scored 10 goals in their last four away games and they included victories at Spurs and Chelsea. They have taken 19 points and scored 19 goals in their last nine games and they’re starting to be considered for finishing high enough to qualify for European football for next season.
Pedro Neto and Hwang Hee-Chan are the Wolves players looking good for fantasy managers at the moment.
I think we could see a few goals in this game and Newcastle should just about get the better of Wolves.
Prediction: 3-2
Nottingham Forest v Liverpool
3pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham
Forest lost 4-2 away to Villa last week and they’re now only one place above the bottom three. They have won two of their last four home games after losing the previous four. They have only taken four points from their last six games and they conceded 13 goals in those games with only the three teams below them conceding more goals.
Anthony Elanga and Taiwo Awoniyi are the best of the Forest players for fantasy managers with Morgan Gibbs-White a good choice too.
Liverpool didn’t play last week as they were busy beating Chelsea to win the Carabao Cup final, but they held on to their place at the top of the table. They have won five of their last six away games and they scored 15 goals in those games with only Arsenal and City scoring more goals on the road. They have won seven of their last eight games and they scored 26 goals in those games with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.
If he’s fit to play Mohamed Salah is the Liverpool player to have for fantasy managers, but it’s hard to know who else to pick with all of their injuries.
Despite their injury problems I think Liverpool will win this game with a couple of goals to spare.
Prediction: 1-3
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace
3pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs didn’t play last week and they’re now five points off the top four, but they do have a game in hand. They lost their last home game after winning the previous five and they scored 16 goals in those six games. They have taken 20 points from their last 10 games and they scored 23 goals in those games.
Son Heung-Min and Richarlison are the best bets in the Spurs team for fantasy managers while James Maddison can do well for them too.
Palace won 3-0 at home to Burnley last week and that win gave them an eight point gap over the relegation zone. They haven’t won in seven away games and they conceded 17 goals in those games with only the bottom two conceding more goals on their travels. They have taken 10 points from their last seven games, but they conceded 16 goals in those games and only three other teams have scored less goals.
With their best players injured it’s not easy to see any Palace players who can make a difference for fantasy managers.
I think Spurs will continue their pursuit of a top four finish by winning this game by a couple of goals.
Prediction: 3-1
Luton Town v Aston Villa
5.30pm GMT, Kenilworth Road, Luton
Luton didn’t play last week which meant they stayed in the bottom three and they now find themselves four points adrift of safety. They have lost five of their last seven home games and they conceded 14 goals in those games, but they scored 13 goals. They have only taken one point from their last four games and they conceded 13 goals in those games with only the two teams below them conceding more goals.
Carlton Morris is in good form for fantasy managers while Elijah Adebayo could be worth considering too if he’s fit to play.
Villa won 4-2 at home to Forest last week and that win strengthened their grip on fourth place. They have won their last two away games and they scored seven goals in those games, but they have some very tough away games coming up. They have won three of their last four games and they scored 12 goals in those games with only the three teams above them scoring more goals.
Ollie Watkins is almost a must have for fantasy managers at the moment with Leon Bailey and Douglas Luiz very good options too.
I think Villa will be strong enough to win this game and continue their quest for Champions League football.
Prediction: 1-3
Sunday March 3
Burnley v Bournemouth
1pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley
Burnley lost 3-0 away to Palace last week and they’re still only off the foot of the table on goal difference with games running out quickly. They have only taken two points from their last five home games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch and only Sheffield United conceding more. They have only taken two points from their last eight games and they conceded 22 goals in those games with only Sheffield United scoring less and conceding more goals.
I can’t see any Burnley players doing enough consistently to recommend to fantasy managers.
Bournemouth lost 1-0 at home to City last week, but they’re still eight points clear of the bottom three. They have only taken two points from their last four away games and they conceded nine goals in those games with only Sheffield United conceding more goals on the road. They haven’t won in seven games after winning six of the previous seven with only four other teams scoring less goals.
Dominic Solanke is the stand out Bournemouth player for fantasy managers and they play twice next week.
I think Bournemouth will pile more woe on Burnley by taking all three points in this game.
Prediction: 1-3
Manchester City v Manchester United
3.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City won 1-0 away to Bournemouth last week and they’re only one point behind Liverpool at the top of the table. They are one of two teams still unbeaten at home with no other team conceding less goals on their own ground. They have taken 29 points from their last 11 games with only Arsenal and Liverpool scoring more and conceding less goals.
Erling Haaland is the City player to have for fantasy managers particularly after his five cup goals in midweek while it’s impossible to ignore Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden too.
United lost 2-1 at home to Fulham last week and that defeat put a huge dent in their hopes of a top four finish. They have won their last three away games and they scored eight goals in those games with only the top three taking more points on their travels. They lost their last game after winning the previous four and they scored 12 goals in those games, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.
If he’s fit to play Rasmus Hojlund is the United player most likely to impress for fantasy managers at the moment.
I can’t see anything other than a City victory in this game and it could be by a lot more than I have predicted.
Prediction: 3-1
Monday March 4
Sheffield United v Arsenal
8pm GMT, Bramall Lane, Sheffield
United lost 1-0 away to Wolves last week to leave them rooted to the foot of the table and I can’t see any way they can avoid relegation at this stage. They have only taken one point from their last four home games and they conceded 15 goals in those games with no other team conceding more or scoring less goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last 10 games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.
I can’t see any United players who can perform regularly enough to interest fantasy managers.
Arsenal won 4-1 at home to Newcastle last week to move within two points of Liverpool at the top of the table. They have won their last three away games and they scored 13 goals in those games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals on road. They have won their last six games and they scored 25 goals in those games with only Liverpool scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.
Bukayo Saka is the must have Arsenal player for fantasy managers with their defenders and keeper good choices too.
I can’t see anything other than a comfortable Arsenal win in this game.
Prediction: 0-3
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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