| Rank | Player | Res | Cls | Exa | Slm | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 - |  | 36 | 103.5 | 75 | 20 | 234.5 |
2 - |  | 36 | 102 | 72 | 21 | 231.0 |
3 1 |  | 39 | 99 | 69 | 21 | 228.0 |
4 1 |  | 39 | 96 | 72 | 17 | 224.0 |
5 2 | | 42 | 93 | 69 | 19 | 223.0 |
My choice of Diogo Jota as my fantasy captain paid off as he scored against Burnley, but I would have fared even better if I had gone with Erling Haaland. Bringing Haaland in helped me to climb in the overall rankings yet again though as he was assisted by Jota, William Saliba, Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer. I can’t see a better option than Haaland again this week with City playing playing two home games.
Besides City playing twice there are three other teams with extra games this week which should make Liverpool, Luton and Brentford players very attractive to fantasy managers. It has to be remembered that Liverpool and Luton don’t play next week though and they are joined by both Spurs and Chelsea. Other players who could be of real interest to fantasy managers are Ivan Toney, Phil Foden, Kevin de Bruyne, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, Carlton Morris and Elijah Adebayo.
Saturday February 17
Brentford v Liverpool
12.30pm GMT, Gtech Community Stadium, Brentford
Brentford won 2-0 away to Wolves last week and that win moved them six points clear of the relegation zone. They have lost three of their last four home games and they conceded 11 goals in those games with only two other teams conceding more goals on their own ground. They have won two of their last four games after losing seven of the previous eight and they have a very tough run of games coming up.
With two games this week Ivan Toney and Neal Maupay have to be of real interest to fantasy managers.
Liverpool won 3-1 at home to Burnley last week and that win was enough to maintain their two point lead at the top of the table. They lost their last away game against Arsenal, buy they had won four away games in a row before that defeat. Their next three games are all against teams at the wrong end of the table, but they don’t play next week thanks to their League Cup final against Chelsea.
With two games this week Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all looking really good for fantasy managers and there’s a possibility Mohamed Salah could be back from injury too.
I think Brentford will give it a go, but Liverpool will keep their place at the top of the table with a narrow victory.
Prediction: 1-2
Burnley v Arsenal
3pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley
Burnley lost 3-1 away to Liverpool last week and they’re now only off the foot of the table on goal difference. They have only taken two points from their last four home games with no other team taking less points on their own patch and only Sheffield United scoring less and conceding more goals. They have only taken two points from their last six games with only Sheffield United scoring less and conceding more goals and time is running out quickly in their bid to beat the drop.
David Datro Fofana could possibly do well for fantasy managers, but it’s probably best to avoid Burnley players.
Arsenal won 6-0 away to West Ham last week to stay within two points of Liverpool at the top of the table and they did their goal difference an awful lot of good too. They have won their last two away games and they scored eight goals in those games with no other team conceding less goals on their travels. They have won their last four games and they scored 16 goals in those games with only the top two scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.
Bukayo Saka is the Arsenal player to have for fantasy managers with all of their defenders and keeper looking good too.
I can’t see anything other than a comfortable Arsenal victory in this game.
Prediction: 0-3
Fulham v Aston Villa
3pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London
Fulham won 3-1 at home to Bournemouth last week and that win left them comfortably in mid table. They have taken 16 points from their last seven home games with only three other teams conceding less goals on their own ground. They have only lost one of their last five games after losing the previous three, but they have a difficult run of games coming up.
Rodrigo Muniz and Bobby De Cordova-Reid have looked good in recent weeks for fantasy managers, but it’s still a little risky to pick Fulham players.
Villa lost 2-1 at home to United last week and that defeat meant they dropped out of the top four. They have taken 11 points from their last six away games and they have kept clean sheets in their last two games on the road. They have only won two of their last seven games, but their next three games should give them a very good chance to get back into the top four.
Ollie Watkins is still the best of the Villa players for fantasy managers with Douglas Luiz and Leon Bailey good options too.
I think Fulham will make a game of it, but Villa will more than likely take all the points on offer.
Prediction: 1-2
Newcastle United v Bournemouth
3pm GMT, St. James’s Park, Newcastle
Newcastle won 3-2 away to Forest last week to move up to seventh place, but they still have a massive 11 points to make up on the top four. They have only taken one point from their last three home games after winning the previous seven, but their next four home games are all against teams below them in the table. They have taken seven points and scored 10 goals in their last three games after losing the previous four with only the top three scoring more goals.
Kieran Trippier, Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes are the Newcastle players who look like they can do well for fantasy managers at the moment.
Bournemouth lost 3-1 away to Fulham last week, but they’re still eight points clear of the bottom three. They have only taken one point from their last three away games and they conceded seven goals in those games with only Sheffield United conceding more goals on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last five games and only three other teams have conceded more goals.
Dominic Solanke is the Bournemouth player who can make a difference for fantasy managers.
I think Newcastle will get their home form back on track with a couple of goals to spare in this game.
Prediction: 3-1
Nottingham Forest v West Ham United
3pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham
Forest lost 3-2 at home to Newcastle last week and they’re only two points above the relegation zone. They have lost six of their last seven home games and they conceded 15 goals in those games. They have only taken one point from their last four games and they conceded nine goals in those games with only three other teams conceding more goals.
Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga are the Forest players who should be of interest to fantasy managers at the moment.
West Ham lost 6-0 at home to Arsenal last week and they have now dropped to eighth place in the table. They have won as many games as they have lost away from home, but only three other teams have conceded more goals on the road. They haven’t won in five games and they failed to score in their last two games while conceding nine goals.
Jarrod Bowen is the West Ham player most likely to do well for fantasy managers at the moment.
I think this is a game which could go either way with Forest most likely winning by a narrow margin.
Prediction: 2-1
Tottenham Hotspur v Wolverhampton Wanderers
3pm GMT. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs came back from behind to win 2-1 at home to Brighton last week and that win moved them back into the top four. They have won their last five home games and they scored 14 goals in those games while their next two games are both at home to teams in the bottom half of the table. They have taken 20 points from their last nine games and they haven’t failed to score in any of their games so far.
Son Heung-Min, Richarlison, James Maddison and Pedro Porro are the Spurs players who should be turning the heads of fantasy managers.
Wolves lost 3-1 at home to Brentford last week and that defeat saw them drop back into the bottom half of the table. They have taken seven points from their last three away games and they scored eight goals in those games. They have taken 13 points from their last seven games and they scored 16 goals in those games, but they have conceded nine goals in their last three games.
Pedro Neto is the Wolves player who can do very well for fantasy managers while Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan are worth considering too if they’re fit to play.
I think Spurs impressive run of home results will continue with another three points in this game.
Prediction: 3-1
Manchester City v Chelsea
5.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City won 2-0 at home to Everton last week and that win left them two points behind Liverpool at the top of the table with a game in hand. They’re one of two teams still unbeaten at home and they have won their last two home games with no other team conceding less goals on their own ground. They have won their last six games and they scored 16 goals in those games with no other team scoring more goals.
Erling Haaland has to be a must have for fantasy managers this week with two home games while Phil Foden, Kevin de Bruyne and Julian Alvarez are very good choices too.
Chelsea came from behind to win 3-1 away to Palace last week and that win moved them back into the top half of the table. They have won two of their last three away games and they scored seven goals in those games, but they could struggle to get anything from this game. They have won four of their last six games, but they conceded 12 goals in those games which doesn’t bode well against the best attack in the league.
Cole Palmer is by far the best of the Chelsea players for fantasy managers.
I think City will win this game, but Chelsea might give them a little bit of a scare.
Prediction: 3-1
Sunday February 18
Sheffield United v Brighton And Hove Albion
2pm GMT, Bramall Lane, Sheffield
United won 3-1 away to Luton last week and they’re only on the bottom of the table by goal difference now. They have only taken one point from their last three home games and they conceded 10 goals in those games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals on their own patch. They had only taken two points from the previous seven games before beating Luton and no other team has scored less or conceded more goals.
James McAtee and Ben Brenton Diaz (if he’s fit to play) are both available at a very good price and could do well for fantasy managers, but it’s a risk to pick any United players.
Brighton lost 2-1 away to Spurs last week and that defeat saw them drop to ninth in the table. They have only taken two points from their last six away games and they conceded 12 goals in those games, but surely that run will come to an end in this game. They have only won once in their last five games and they failed to score in three of them with West Ham being the only team in the top half of the table to have conceded more goals.
With Kaoru Mitoma back from injury he could be the Brighton player to have for fantasy managers while Pascal Gross is in very good form too.
I think Brighton will be too strong for United and should win by at least a couple of goals.
Prediction: 1-3
Luton Town v Manchester United
4.30pm GMT, Kenilworth Road, Luton
Luton lost 3-1 at home to Sheffield United last week, but they stayed out of the bottom three as Everton lost too. They have lost four of their last six home games with only two other teams taking less points on their own ground, but they scored and conceded 12 goals in those games. They have taken 11 points from their last seven games and they scored 16 goals in those games, but only the bottom two have conceded more goals.
Elijah Adebayo, Carlton Morris and Allie Doughty are all good options for fantasy managers this week with two games to play, but they are both very difficult games.
United won 2-1 away to Villa last week and that win moved them within six points of the top four. They have won their last two away games and they scored six goals in those two games, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals on the road. They have won their last three games and they scored nine goals in those games, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.
Rasmus Hojlund is the in form United player for fantasy managers while their defenders and keeper are worth considering too.
I think Luton will cause United some real problems, but the away team will grind out a narrow victory.
Prediction: 1-2
Monday February 19
Everton v Crystal Palace
8pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton lost 2-0 away to City last week and that defeat meant they stayed in the relegation zone. They have only taken two points from their last three home games with only Sheffield United scoring less goals on their own patch. They haven’t won in seven games and they failed to score in four of those games with only the two teams below them scoring less goals, but only the top three conceding less.
I can’t see any Everton players doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment.
Palace lost 3-1 at home to Chelsea last week and they’re only five points above the bottom three. They have lost their last three away games and they conceded 11 goals in those games with only the bottom two scoring less goals on their travels. They have only won two of their last 13 games and they have conceded 14 goals in their last four games, but they could do their survival chances an awful lot of good with a result in this game.
With Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze both injured it’s difficult to see any Palace players who can make a difference for fantasy managers.
I think Everton will get a badly needed win in this game and it might just be enough to get them out of the relegation zone.
Prediction: 2-0
Tuesday February 20
Manchester City v Brentford
7.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City play their second home game of the week and nothing other than two comprehensive victories in those games will do. With both of those games at home they will be expected to score a lot of goals and they could possibly see themselves on top of the table by the end of the week. As long as Pep Guardiola doesn’t rotate his team too much this could be a very good week for some of the City players.
As I said above Haaland is a must have for fantasy managers this week and he’s by far the best captaincy choice too.
Brentford play their second game of the week too and they don’t come much tougher than playing the top two in the table. They won their last away game after losing the previous five, but their chances of getting something from this game are slim. Despite playing twice this week the chances are they could be even closer to the bottom three by the time it’s over.
I suggested both Toney and Maupay could do well for fantasy managers this week, but it might not be easy for them against two very tough opponents.
I think Brentford will do their best to make a game of it, but City will take the three points.
Prediction: 3-1
Wednesday February 21
Liverpool v Luton Town,
7.30pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool play their second game of the week and they will need to win them both to keep their place at the top of the table. They have won their last three home games and they scored 11 goals in those games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals on their own ground. They don’t play next week so it’s important for them to take the six points available to them this week.
The only spanner in the works for the Liverpool players I suggested already is the potential return of Salah as his inclusion would possibly mean some of them missing out on game time.
Luton play their second game of the week and a trip to Liverpool will be even tougher than their home game against United. They have taken five points from their last three away games and they scored eight goals in those games, but only three other teams have conceded more goals on the road. Their top flight won’t be decided by their two games against big six teams this week, but they play three of the teams directly above them in the next few weeks.
As I mentioned earlier Luton players have done well recently for fantasy managers as they have managed to score a lot of goals.
Despite Luton trying their best in this game I think Liverpool will be far too strong for them and should have at least three goals to spare.
Prediction: 4-1
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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