| Rank | Player | Res | Cls | Exa | Slm | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 |  | 6 | 15 | 27 | 4 | 52.0 |
2 1 |  | 9 | 19.5 | 15 | 6 | 49.5 |
3 - |  | 7 | 25.5 | 9 | 5 | 46.5 |
4 1 |  | 5 | 16.5 | 21 | 4 | 46.5 |
5 1 |  | 8 | 18 | 15 | 4 | 45.0 |
My choice of Erling Haaland as my fantasy captain paid off yet again last week as his two goals helped my team to move up to just outside the top 1% in the overall standings. He was ably assisted by Lucas Digne, Gabriel Magahlaes, Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe in a week that went badly for a lot of managers, but quite well for me. I had intended making no transfers last week, but the possible absence of Joao Pedro saw me opt to use my wildcard at the last minute.
I can’t afford to use any transfers this week as I need to let them build up so I will have to make do with the squad I have. It’s a brave decision not to choose Haaland as my captain, but I think Mohamed Salah will probably get the armband this week. There are still some bargains to be had for fantasy managers, but I’m glad I had Smith Rowe from the start as his value looks set to climb considerably.
Saturday September 21
West Ham United v Chelsea
12.30pm BST, London Stadium, London
West Ham scored a very late goal to draw 1-1 away to Fulham last week, but they have only managed one win in their opening four games. They have lost their two home games so far with only Wolves and Everton conceding more goals on their own ground. Only the three relegated teams conceded more goals last season and they play three of the big six in their next five games.
Jarrod Bowen has shown yet again that he’s the best option in the West Ham team for fantasy managers.
Chelsea scored a late goal to win 1-0 away to Bournemouth last week for their second win of the season which saw them move within two points of the top four. They have won their two away games so far with no other team scoring more goals on the road. They are in the middle of a good run of games with only City scoring more goals.
Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson are still the pick of the bunch in the Chelsea team for fantasy managers.
I think this will be a very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.
Prediction: 2-2
Aston Villa v Wolverhampton Wanderers
3pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at home to Everton last week and make it three wins from their first four games. Their only defeat so far came at home to Arsenal, but they have a very good run of home games until just before Christmas. They haven’t kept a clean sheet yet, but only City and Chelsea have scored more goals.
Ollie Watkins is the best choice in the Villa team for fantasy managers, but Jhon Duran, Omadou Onana and Lucas Digne are all worth considering too.
Wolves lost 2-1 at home to Newcastle last week after leading with only 15 minutes left which left them in the bottom three with only one point to their name. That single point so far came away from home, but they will struggle to get anything from this game. Three of their next four games starting with this one are against teams who finished in the top four last season and only Everton have conceded more goals.
Mario Lamina, Jorgen Strand Larsen and Matheus Cunha could all do well for fantasy managers when their fixtures improve in a few weeks.
I think Villa should be strong enough to take the three points in this game and make it four wins from their first five games.
Prediction: 3-1
Fulham v Newcastle United
3pm BST, Craven Cottage, London
Fulham conceded a late goal to draw 1-1 at home to West Ham last week and they have only lost one of their first four games. Four of their five points have come at home, but their next two home games are very tough. They haven’t kept a clean sheet yet and they have a difficult run of games over the next few weeks.
Emile Smith Rowe is the Fulham player to have for fantasy managers with Antonee Robinson and Adama Traore worth considering too.
Newcastle came from behind to win 2-1 away to Wolves last week and they’re now in third place only two points off the top of the table. Only three other teams conceded more goals on their travels last season, but they have taken four points from their first two away games. They have scored in all of their games so far without really convincing, but they have the ability to do even better.
Alexander Isak still looks like the best bet in the Newcastle team for fantasy managers with Harvey Barnes and Anthony Gordon good options too.
This looks like being a very close game and the chances are it will end in a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Leicester City v Everton
3pm BST, King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester led 2-0 away to Palace last week, but they had to settle for a point with a 2-2 draw and they’re still without a win after four games. They have only taken one point from two very hard home games, but their next three home games are all ones they will feel they can win starting with this one. They haven’t kept a clean sheet yet, but they have also managed to score in each of their games.
Jamie Vardy has done enough to suggest he could do well for fantasy managers and he’s available at a very good price too.
Everton led 2-0 away to Villa last week, but they ended up losing 3-2 for the second week in a row to leave them rooted to the foot of the table. Only Sheffield United scored less goals away from home last season and no other team has conceded more goals on the road so far. They don’t play any of the big six in their next eight games, but no other team has conceded more goals.
Despite Everton’s poor start to the season Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Dwight McNeil have both done well for fantasy managers at a good price.
This is a big game for two teams looking for their first win at the wrong end of the table and I have a feeling Everton might just win narrowly.
Prediction: 1-2
Liverpool v Bournemouth
3pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool’s perfect start to the season came to an end last week when they lost 1-0 at home to Forest and they dropped to fourth place. No other team took more points at home last season and the defeat to Forest was a huge shock which they cannot afford to repeat if they want to challenge for the league. No other team has conceded less goals so far and they will be expected to win their next three games starting with this one.
Mohamed Salah is the best of the Liverpool players for fantasy managers with Luis Diaz impressing too.
Bournemouth played very well at home to Chelsea last week, but they failed to take their chances including a missed penalty and ended up losing 1-0. They have taken four points from their first two away games, but games on the road don’t get much more difficult than this one. The defeat against Chelsea was their first defeat of the season and they play all of last season’s top four in their next six games.
Antoine Semenyo is the Bournemouth player to have at the moment for fantasy managers.
I think Liverpool will bounce back from their setback last week to win this game with a couple of goals to spare.
Prediction: 2-0
Southampton v Ipswich Town
3pm BST, St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton
Southampton missed a penalty at home to United last week when the scores were still level and they ended up losing 3-0 to leave them just off the foot of the table on goal difference. They are the only team who haven’t scored at home so far, but their next three home games are against the two other promoted teams and the only team below them in the table. They’re one of two teams without a point with only Everton and Wolves conceding more goals and no other team scoring less.
I can’t see any Southampton players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
Ipswich held on for a very good point in a 0-0 draw away to Brighton last week and that point was enough to keep them out of the relegation zone. They will be hoping to get something from this game following last week’s excellent point and they have a chance of getting something from their next two games on their travels too. They have done well to get two draws so far, but only Southampton have scored less goals and they won’t stay up if they can’t find the net more often.
For fantasy managers looking for a cut price striker Liam Delap might just fit the bill.
This is a huge game for two newly promoted teams struggling at the wrong end of the table and I think Ipswich have shown enough so far to suggest they will take the three points.
Prediction: 1-2
Tottenham Hotspur v Brentford
3pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs lost 1-0 at home to bitter rivals Arsenal last week and they have only won once in their opening four games. They were the only team not to draw at home last season and their next five home games are all ones they will be favourites to win. They have lost their last two games, but they have a very good schedule until late in November.
Son Heung-Min and Pedro Porto are the Spurs players most likely to turn the heads of fantasy managers.
Brentford lost 2-1 away to City last week after taking an early lead to make it two wins and two defeats to start the season. They have lost their two away games so far with no other team scoring less goals on the road. After this game they have a very good run of games for the next couple of months.
With Yoane Wissa out for a while Bryan Mbeumo is the Brentford player who should be of most interest to fantasy managers.
I think Brentford will make Spurs work very hard and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them get a point.
Prediction: 1-1
Crystal Palace v Manchester United
5.30pm BST, Selhurst Park, London
Palace came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at home to Leicester last week, but they only have two points as they still wait for their first win. Their next three home games are against big six teams and they could find themselves struggling for points in those games. Only Brighton drew more games last season and only the bottom three have conceded more goals so far.
Eberechi Eze is the pick of the bunch in the Palace team for fantasy managers while Jean-Philippe Mateta showed last week that he could be worth having too.
United won 3-0 away to Southampton last week after Andre Onana saved a penalty when the scores were still level to make it two wins from their first four games. They lost as many away games as they won last season and they conceded more goals on the road than they scored. Their next two games after this one are against teams who finished in the top five last season and we might have an idea of how good they are after those games.
None of the United players have been outstanding so far for fantasy managers, but Diogo Dalot and Noussair Mazraoui are worth watching at a good price with Alejandro Garnacho, Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo all possibilities too.
This is another game which could be very close and the chances are the points will be shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Sunday September 22
Brighton And Hove Albion v Nottingham Forest
2pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Brighton could only draw 0-0 at home to lowly Ipswich last week, but they’re still unbeaten with eight points from their first four games. They have a mixed bag of home games coming up and they could do with taking the three points in this game after failing to do so against Ipswich last week. They play five of last season’s top seven in their next six games after this game and they will do well to be near the top of the table after those games.
Joao Pedro (if he’s fit to play), Danny Welbeck and Kaoru Mitoma are all good options for fantasy managers.
Forest had a fantastic 1-0 win away to Liverpool last week to remain unbeaten with eight points from their first four games too. They have won their two away games without conceding a goal and they will fancy their chances after seeing Ipswich take a point off Brighton last week. They only play one of the big six in their next seven games with only Arsenal and Liverpool conceding less goals.
Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White and Ola Aina are all looking like good choices for fantasy managers at the moment.
I think Brighton will make home advantage count with a narrow victory in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Manchester City v Arsenal
4.30pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Brentford last week and that win kept them at the top of the table with four wins from four games. They were the only team unbeaten at home last season with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals on their own ground. They have only kept one clean sheet in their first four games, but they have scored 11 goals in those games with Erling Haaland bagging nine of them.
Haaland is an absolute must have for fantasy managers, but none of the other City players are setting the world alight at the moment.
Arsenal won 1-0 away to Spurs last week to move up to second place two points behind City. They have won their opening two away games without conceding a goal and no other team conceded less goals on the road last season. They have had some very difficult games to start the season and this will be the toughest of all, but their next two games after this one are against newly promoted teams.
Bukayo Saka continues to deliver game after game for fantasy managers with Kai Havertz and all of Arsenal’s defenders and keeper very good options too.
This looks like being a really close game between the top two in the league and I think the points will probably be shared.
Prediction: 1-1
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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