| Rank | Player | Res | Cls | Exa | Slm | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 - |  | 53 | 139.5 | 108 | 31 | 331.5 |
2 - |  | 53 | 133.5 | 99 | 27 | 312.5 |
3 - |  | 60 | 127.5 | 93 | 26 | 306.5 |
4 - |  | 53 | 136.5 | 78 | 27 | 294.5 |
5 - |  | 70 | 126 | 69 | 29 | 294.0 |
There are seven teams playing twice this week, but Spurs don’t play at all so there are a lot of permutations for fantasy managers to consider. I had considered using my free hit last week to set my team up for a bench boost this week, but I opted not to do so in the end. I had a good week though and I climbed to my highest overall position of the season so far with more to come hopefully.
My choice of Erling Haaland as my captain paid off and his points were added to by Bernd Leno, Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon. I still haven’t decided on my captain for this week, but it’s difficult to look past Mohamed Salah as he plays twice. Other options could be Matheus Cunha or Eberechi Eze as they both have two home games and Bukayo Saka can’t be ignored either.
Saturday April 20
Luton Town v Brentford
3pm BST, Kenilworth Road, Luton
Luton lost 5-1 away to City last week, but they’re still only one point from safety with five games left to play. They have taken four points from their last two home games after losing the previous three and three of their last five games are at home to teams in the bottom half of the table. They have only won once in their last 12 games, but they could move out of the bottom three if they can take the three points in this game.
Ross Barkley is probably the most consistent of the Luton players for fantasy managers.
Brentford won 2-0 at home to Sheffield United last week and that win moved them seven points clear of the relegation zone. They have only taken one point from their last five away games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with only Sheffield United losing more games on the road. The win last week was their first win in 10 games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.
Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are probably the best of the Brentford players for fantasy managers at the moment with Ivan Toney to be considered if he’s fit to play.
I think Luton might just be able to take the three points in a game they really need to win.
Prediction: 2-1
Sheffield United v Burnley
3pm BST, Bramall Lane, Sheffield
United lost 2-0 away to Brentford last week and they could be relegated by the time this gameweek is over. They have drawn their last two home games and they scored five goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals on their own patch and only Everton scoring less. They have only won once in their last 16 games, but they play three of the other relegation contenders in their last six games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals
With two games this week Gustavo Hamer, Ben Brereton Diaz and even Ollie McBurnie might just be of interest to fantasy managers.
Burnley drew 1-1 at home to Brighton last week and they’re still six points from safety with only five games left to play. They have only taken two points from their last five away games with only Sheffield United scoring less goals on their travels. They have only won once in their last 15 games with only two other teams scoring less and conceding more goals.
David Dotra Fofana could be a possibility for fantasy managers this week considering who Burnley are playing.
I think Burnley will give their survival hopes a boost by taking the three points in this game.
Prediction: 1-3
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal
7.30pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton
Wolves drew 2-2 away to Forest last week, buy they’re still only one point off the top half of the table. They have lost three of their last five home games and four of their last six games are on their own ground. They haven’t won in four games and they conceded seven goals in those games and they still have to play all of the top three.
With Matheus Cunha back from injury and playing twice this week he looks like a very good option for fantasy managers while Rayan Ait-Nouri should be considered too if he’s fit to play.
Arsenal lost 2-0 at home to Villa last week and that defeat cost them their place at the top of the table. They have taken 16 points from their last six away games and they only conceded one goal in those games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals on the road. They had taken 31 points from 11 games before losing to Villa and they have to win both of their games this week to keep their title hopes alive.
Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard are still looking good for fantasy managers along with the Arsenal defenders and keeper.
I think Wolves will make Arsenal work for it, but the chances are Arsenal will take all three points.
Prediction: 1-2
Sunday April 21
Everton v Nottingham Forest
1.30pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton lost 6-0 away to Chelsea last week and they’re still only two points above the bottom three. They have only won once in their last six home games with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch, but only the top three conceding less. They have only won once in their last 15 games with only Sheffield United scoring less goals, but four of their last six games are against other teams struggling at the wrong end of the table.
Even with two games this week I’m not sure there are any of their players to recommend to fantasy managers.
Forest drew 2-2 at home to Wolves last week and that draw kept them one point above the relegation zone. They have only taken two points from their last six away games and they conceded 13 goals in those games plus they play three of the other teams in the bottom five in their last three away games. They have only won once in their last eight games with only the three teams below them conceding more goals.
Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White are the in form Forest players who can do well for fantasy managers at the moment.
This is a huge game for two teams looking to overcome points deductions and move clear of the relegation zone and I think Everton might just make home advantage pay.
Prediction: 2-1
Aston Villa v Bournemouth
3pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa won 2-0 away to Arsenal last week and that win moved them three points ahead of Spurs in the race for fourth place. They have only won two of their last six home games and they conceded 14 goals in those games, but three of their next four games are on their own ground. The win against Arsenal was only their second win in six games and they conceded 12 goals in those games.
Ollie Watkins is the must have Villa player for fantasy managers with Leon Bailey looking good too.
Bournemouth drew 2-2 at home to United last week and they’re still only two points off the top half of the table. They have only won once in their last six away games and they conceded 11 goals in those games. They have only lost once in their last seven games, but they have a tough run of games to finish their season.
Dominic Solanke is the Bournemouth player of choice for fantasy managers.
I think Villa will continue their quest for a top four finish by taking all three points in this game.
Prediction: 3-1
Crystal Palace v West Ham United
3pm BST, Selhurst Park, London
Palace won 1-0 away to Liverpool last week and that win has surely ended any lingering relegation worries. They have taken 10 points from their last six home games and they scored 13 goals in those games, but only three other teams have scored less goals on their own patch. The win against Liverpool was only their second win in 10 games and only three other teams have scored less goals.
With two games this week Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta are good options for fantasy managers and Michael Olise could be considered too.
West Ham lost 2-0 at home to Fulham last week and that defeat put a big dent in their hopes of a top six finish. They have won two of their last three away games, but only three other teams have conceded more goals on their travels. They have only won three of their last 14 games and they haven’t kept a clean sheet in 13 games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.
If he’s fit to play Jarrod Bowen is the best of the West Ham players for fantasy managers.
I think Palace will be able to do enough in this game to take all the points on offer.
Prediction: 2-1
Fulham v Liverpool
4.30pm BST, Craven Cottage, London
Fulham won 2-0 away to West Ham last week and they’re one of a few teams with ambitions of finishing in the top half of the table which is now only two points above them. They have taken 13 points from their last seven home games and they scored 12 goals in those games with only the top three conceding less goals on their own ground. The win against West Ham was their first win in four games and they still have to play two of the three teams chasing for the title.
I recommended Andreas Pereira to fantasy managers last week and I wish I had taken my own advice and he could be a good option this week too.
Liverpool lost 1-0 at home to Palace last week and that defeat saw them drop to third place in the table. They have only won two of their last four away games and their next three games are all on the road. They have only won two of their last five games with only City and Arsenal scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.
If Liverpool are going to keep their challenge up then Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz could all do well for fantasy managers.
I think this will be a very close game with Liverpool probably winning by one goal.
Prediction: 1-2
Tuesday April 23
Arsenal v Chelsea
8pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London
Arsenal play their second game of the week and neither of them are going to be easy games. They had won five home games in a row and scored 16 goals in those games before losing to Villa. After their Champions League exit in midweek their season is hanging by a thread, but only City have scored more goals and no other team has conceded less.
The Arsenal players I mentioned already all have the possibility to do well for fantasy managers this week if Arsenal can regain their mojo.
Chelsea won 6-0 at home to Everton last week and they have managed to get right back in the fight for a top six finish. They have only won two of their last 10 away games and four of their next six games are on the road. They are unbeaten in eight games and they took 16 points from those games while scoring 23 goals.
Cole Palmer is an absolute must have for fantasy managers, but I’m still not sure about any of the other Chelsea players.
I think Chelsea will come close to getting something from this game, but Arsenal will manage a victory.
Prediction: 2-1
Wednesday April 24
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Bournemouth
7.45pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton
Wolves play their second home game of the week and they can get right in the fight for European football for next season if they can win both games. A home game against Bournemouth shouldn’t be as difficult as a game against Arsenal, but Wolves will fancy their chances in both games. Their next three games are all at home and they could rapidly move up the table with the right results in those games.
Besides the Wolves players I mentioned already Hwang Hee-Chan could be one to own for fantasy managers now that he’s returned from injury.
Bournemouth play their second away game of the week and they start the week only one point behind Wolves. Four of their last six games are away from home and they’re all against teams above them in the table. It’s been a very good season for them so far and a top half finish would be an incredible end to it.
With two games this week Norberto Neto, Marcos Senesi and Justin Kluivert might do well for fantasy managers too.
I think Wolves should have enough at home to take the three points in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Crystal Palace v Newcastle United
8pm BST, Selhurst Park, London
Palace play their second home game of the week and they will put any chances of relegation to bed if they can win one of these games. The two teams they are playing are both pushing for a top six finish and Palace could put a dent in both of their hopes. All the teams they have left to play are above them in the table, but they showed against Liverpool that they can take on any team when they have their best players available.
The Palace players I mentioned already could all possibly have a very good week for fantasy managers.
Newcastle won 4-0 at home to Spurs last week and that win moved them up to sixth place. They have lost seven of their last 10 away games and they conceded 24 goals in those games with only five other teams conceding more goals on their travels. They have taken 10 points and scored 10 goals in their last four games with only the top three scoring more goals.
Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak are the must have Newcastle players for fantasy managers while Fabian Schar is looking very good too.
I think this is a game which could go either way and the chances are the points will be shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Everton v Liverpool
8pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton play their second home game of the week and they desperately need to get something from those games in their bid to stay out of the bottom three. If Everton can beat Forest on Sunday there will be less pressure on them at home to their local rivals, but their lack of goals on their own ground has to be a big concern. They could still move clear of the relegation zone if they regain any points through their appeal against the points deduction, but their chances of doing so don’t look good.
As I mentioned already Everton players don’t exactly look appealing to fantasy managers at the moment despite playing twice this week.
Liverpool play their second away game of the week and they can’t afford to get anything other than six points from those two games. On the face of it a trip to a struggling team shouldn’t be too difficult a task for them, but local rivalry and their dip in form make it just the opposite. If they can finish the chances they make I have no doubt they will win this game, but that’s no certainty at the moment.
The Liverpool players I mentioned already have to be serious considerations for fantasy managers and Diogo Jota is a possibility too now that he’s back from injury.
It’s never easy to call a Merseyside derby, but I think Everton might just do themselves a favour and Liverpool some damage by getting a point in this game.
Prediction: 1-1
Manchester United v Sheffield United
8pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester
United drew 2-2 away to Bournemouth last week and their chances of a top four finish must now be over. They have only won two of their last five home games with only four other teams scoring less goals on their own patch, but their next two home games are against teams in the bottom three. They have only won once in their last seven games and they have still conceded more goals than they have scored.
With four of their last six games at home and the next two against Sheffield United and Burnley both Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho could be good choices for fantasy managers.
Sheffield United play their second game of the week and the chances are they will be as good as relegated by the time both games are played. They have lost their last two away games after taking four points from the previous two and no other team has scored less goals on their travels with only Luton conceding more. If they’re going into this game on the back of a defeat to Burnley on Saturday it could be the game that finally confirms their relegation, but either way it’s surely inevitable at this stage.
The Sheffield United players I mentioned already could be possibilities for fantasy managers, but really it’s best to avoid them.
I can’t see anything other than a comprehensive United victory in this game.
Prediction: 3-0
Thursday April 25
Brighton And Hove Albion v Manchester City
8pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton
Brighton drew 1-1 away to Burnley last week and that point was enough to keep them in the top half of the table. They were unbeaten for 12 home games before losing their last home game against Arsenal and four of their last six games are on their own ground. They have only won once in their last seven games though and they only scored four goals in those games.
I’m not sure there are any Brighton players who will do enough in this game to interest fantasy managers.
City won 5-1 at home to Luton last week and that win put them on top of the table after both Arsenal and Liverpool were beaten. They have taken 19 points from their last seven away games and they scored 17 goals in those games with only Arsenal scoring more goals on the road. They are unbeaten in 17 games and they won 13 of those games with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal and Liverpool conceding less.
If he’s fit to play Erling Haaland is still a very good choice for fantasy managers while both Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne are great options too once they avoid rotation.
I think City will get another win on their march towards yet another title.
Prediction: 1-3
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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