It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did pretty well last week with three perfect predictions, four correct outcomes and three incorrect outcomes which saw me move halfway up the table 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. SammyW. 5 10.5 12 4 31.5
2. hitch. 2 10.5 15 2 29.5
3. Cole. 3 7.5 15 2 27.5
4. robbing. 3 15 6 3 27
5. TOPGUN. 1 9 15 2 27
My choice of Erling Haaland as my fantasy captain paid off last week with his hat trick for City against Ipswich and that helped me to move considerably up in the overall standings. Haaland was ably assisted by Pedro Porro, Bukayo Saka, Mohamed Salah, Emile Smith Rowe and Joao Pedro as I showed faith in the team that started the season fairly well for me the previous week. I’m considering going with the same squad again and saving my free transfers until I have three to use after the international break.
There are still some good bargains out there for fantasy managers with cheap defenders such as Ben Johnson, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Kosta Nedeljkovic and Wout Faes while Morgan Rogers, Emile Snith Rowe, Tomas Soucek and Antoine Semenyo are looking good in midfield. The clubs with the best run of games coming up are probably Chelsea, Aston Villa, Fulham and Liverpool which makes their players good options too. Players such as Salah, Cole Palmer, Noni Madueke, Rogers, Smith Rowe, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota could all be in for a very good run of scoring.
Arsenal v Brighton And Hove Albion
12.30pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London
Arsenal won 2-0 away to Villa last week to maintain their 100% start to the season. They only lost two home games last season with no other team conceding less goals on their own ground. They are one of two teams who still haven’t conceded a goal with no other team conceding less goals last season and only City scoring more.
All of Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are looking very good for fantasy managers again this season along with Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz.
Brighton won 2-1 at home to United last week and they’re one of four teams to have won their opening two games. They only won four away games last season, but only Liverpool drew more and this is the first of four very tough away games in a row. No other team drew more games last season, but they have to play six of last season’s top eight in their next nine games.
Joao Pedro, Danny Welbeck, Kaoru Mitoma, Yankuba Minteh and Simon Adingra have all started the season very well for fantasy managers.
I think this will be a very close game with Arsenal probably just about making home advantage pay.
Prediction: 2-1
Brentford v Southampton
3pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London
Brentford lost 2-0 away to Liverpool last week and they will be glad to be playing a newly promoted team this week. They only won five home games last season with only the three relegated teams conceding more goals on their own patch. Only four other teams lost more games last season and they need to get something from this game because their next two games are very difficult.
Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are the Brentford players who can do well for fantasy managers.
Southampton lost 1-0 at home to Forest last week and they’re still looking for their first point and goal of the season. They lost their opening away game to Newcastle despite playing against 10 men for most of the game, but their next two away games are against teams who finished in the bottom half of the table last season starting with this one. They have a real mixed bag of fixtures with three of the big six in their next seven games, but they will have a chance of getting something from the other four games.
I’m still not sure there are any Southampton players doing enough to recommend them to fantasy managers.
I think Brentford should be good enough at home to take all the points in this game.
Prediction: 2-0
Everton v Bournemouth
3pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton lost 4-0 away to Spurs last week to leave them at the foot of the table without a point or a goal to their name. They won more home games than they lost last season with only the top three conceding less goals on their own ground. They are one of two teams who haven’t scored yet with only Wolves conceding more goals, but they don’t play any of the big six in their next 10 games.
I can’t see any Everton players who can make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.
Bournemouth drew 1-1 at home to Newcastle last week after VAR very harshly denied them a late winner and they have drawn their opening two games. They managed to take 21 points away from home last season, but only three other teams conceded more goals on their travels. They could do with getting something from this game with Chelsea and Liverpool in their next two games and only four other teams conceded more goals last season.
Antoine Semenyo is looking like a very good choice for fantasy managers at the moment and he’s still available at a good price.
I think Bournemouth will pile more pressure on Everton by taking the three points in this game.
Prediction: 1-2
Ipswich Town v Fulham
3pm BST, Portman Road, Ipswich
Ipswich lost 4-1 away to City last week after taking an early lead and they failed to take any points from two very difficult opening games. Three of their next four home games are ones they will hope to do well in and their chances of staying up might be clearer after those games. They don’t play any of the big six in their next eight games and they need to make the most of that run.
Sam Szmodics and Ben Johnson are the Ipswich players who could be of interest to fantasy managers and they’re still available at a good price.
Fulham won 2-1 at home go Leicester last week to get their first win of the season and they will fancy themselves to win this game too. They only won four away games last season and only five other teams scored less goals on the road. They only play one of the big six in their next 10 games which could see them get into a strong position in the table.
Emile Smith Rowe is looking like a very good option for fantasy managers at the moment with Antonee Robinson and Rodrigo Muniz worth considering too.
I think this will be a close game with Fulham probably winning narrowly.
Prediction: 1-2
Leicester City v Aston Villa
3pm BST, King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester lost 2-1 away to Fulham last week and they face a very tough home game this week. Their next three home games after this one are all games they have a very good chance of winning. Their next seven games after this one will all give a real chance of taking points with the exception of a trip to Arsenal.
I’m not sure which Leicester players might make a good impression for fantasy managers just yet.
Villa lost 2-0 at home to Arsenal last week, but they missed enough good chances to have at least taken a point from the game. Only the top three took more points away from home last season, but they did concede more goals than they scored on their travels. They have a really good run of games coming up, but they will have to contend with Champions League games too.
Morgan Rogers looks like he could be a good option for fantasy managers at a good price while Ollie Watkins must surely come good soon and Kosta Nedeljkovic might be a good cheap defender for the next few weeks.
I think Villa will bounce back from the defeat against Arsenal to win this game with a couple of goals to spare.
Prediction: 0-2
Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers
3pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham
Forest won 1-0 away to Southampton last week and they have taken four points from their first two games. Only the three relegated clubs took less points at home last season and they don’t play any of the big six on their own ground until after Christmas. Only the three relegated teams lost more games last season with only four other teams conceding more goals.
Morgan Giibs-White, Chris Wood and Callum Hudson-Odoi are the Forest players for fantasy managers to keep an eye on.
Wolves lost 6-2 at home to Chelsea last week and they’re only off the foot of the table on goal difference. They don’t play any of the big six away from home until the end of the year, but they only won five games on the road last season. They play four of last season’s top seven in their next six games which could be difficult for them after their showing against Chelsea.
Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen are the Wolves players who look like they could do well for fantasy managers this season.
I think this will be a fairly close game with Forest most likely winning by the odd goal.
Prediction: 2-1
West Ham United v Manchester City
5.30pm BST, London Stadium, London
West Ham won 2-0 away to Palace last week to get their first points of the season. No other team drew more home games last season and no other team in the top half of the table conceded more goals on their own patch. Only the three relegated teams conceded more goals last season and they play four of the big six in their next seven games.
Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek are looking good for fantasy managers at the moment while Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta are options too.
City won 4-1 at home to Ipswich last week to put themselves on top of the table on goal difference. No other team took more points or scored more goals away from home last season and it was that form on the road which ultimately won them the title. They scored more goals than any other team last season and they only play one of the other big six teams in their next nine games.
Erling Haaland is a must have for fantasy managers with Kevin de Bruyne, Savinho and Josko Gvardiol all looking pretty good too.
I think City should be good enough to win this game by at least two goals.
Prediction: 1-3
Sunday September 1
Chelsea v Crystal Palace
1.30pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea won 6-2 away to Wolves last week and they will be looking to build on that first victory in this game. They lost their opening home game against City, but they will be firm favourites to win the next four games on their own ground. Their next five games are all ones they have a great chance of winning if they can put in attacking displays like the one against Wolves.
Cole Palmer is still the best of the Chelsea players for fantasy managers with Noni Madueke and Nicolas Jackson both very impressive last week too.
Palace lost 2-0 at home to West Ham last week and they have no points and only one goal from their first two games. They only won five away games last season and only two other teams scored less goals on their travels. Four of their next seven games are against big six teams and they could find themselves struggling at the wrong end of the table for a while.
Eberechi Eze has been very unlucky in his first two games and he still looks like a good choice for fantasy managers.
I think Chelsea will build on their impressive win against Wolves by winning this game too.
Prediction: 3-1
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
1.30pm BST, St. James’ Park, Newcastle
Newcastle were more than a little fortunate to get a 1-1 draw away to Bournemouth last week and they haven’t found much form yet. Only the top three took more points at home last season with only City scoring more goals on their own patch. I’m not sure how they have managed to stay unbeaten in their first two games and they will do well to remain that way after this game.
Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon are still the best options in the Newcastle team for fantasy managers while Harvey Barnes could do well if he can get a start.
Spurs won 4-0 at home to Everton last week and like Newcastle they have four points from their first two games. They only won seven away games last season, but only Liverpool drew more and their next two away games are very difficult starting with this one. Three of their next four games are very difficult and they could find themselves playing catch up after those games.
Son Heung-Min showed how good he can be for fantasy managers last week with James Maddison and Pedro Porro looking good too.
I think this will be a very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Manchester United v Liverpool
4pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester
United conceded in the fifth added minute to lose 2-1 away to Brighton last week. They lost six home games last season and three of their next four home games are
against other big six teams. No other team in the top half of the table scored less goals last season and they actually conceded more goals than they scored.
Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes are the United players who look most likely to succeed for fantasy managers while Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui are both doing well at a good price at the moment.
Liverpool won 2-0 at home to Brentford last week to make it two wins and two clean sheets to start the season. They only lost three away games last season, but no other team drew more games on the road. Their next four games after this one are all games they will be expected to win and a win in this game could see them get their season off to a great start.
Mohamed Salah, Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Trent Alexander Arnold are all looking like very good choices for fantasy managers.
I think Liverpool will continue their winning ways in this game, but United will at least push them.
Prediction: 1-2
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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