| Rank | Player | Res | Cls | Exa | Slm | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 - |  | 34 | 43.5 | 60 | 11 | 148.5 |
2 1 |  | 28 | 46.5 | 60 | 10 | 144.5 |
3 1 |  | 25 | 69 | 39 | 11 | 144.0 |
4 2 |  | 30 | 52.5 | 45 | 11 | 138.5 |
5 1 |  | 27 | 57 | 42 | 11 | 137.0 |
My fantasy team didn’t have the greatest week last week, but I moved up in the overall standings as it was a fairly low scoring week all round. Mohamed Salah got me some points as always at the moment and he was assisted by David Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes and Matheus Cunha. I have a few players underperforming at the moment, but I will have to leave any transfers until late with Cunha facing an FA charge.
My choice of Salah as my captain paid off to some degree last week as he managed an assist and his main rivals for the armband did little to write home about. I will be going with him again this week as I think Liverpool can get some joy away to Spurs. Otherwise both Enzo Fernandez and Amad Diallo are looking like very good cut price options for fantasy managers looking to save some money for bigger purchases.
Saturday December 21
Aston Villa v Manchester City
12.30pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa lost 2-1 to a very late goal away to Forest last week after leading 1-0, but they are still only three points off the top four. They are unbeaten in their last seven home games and three of their next four games are on their own ground. They have only won twice in their last eight games with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.
Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers are still the best of the bunch in the Villa team for fantasy managers.
City conceded two late goals to lose 2-1 at home to United last week and that defeat saw them drop out of the top four. They have only taken one point from their last four away games and they conceded eight goals in those games. They have only taken four points from their last seven games and they conceded 14 goals in those games, but they have a very good run of games coming up.
It’s difficult to justify the price of Erling Haaland for fantasy managers, but he could do well over the next few weeks along with Kevin de Bruyne and Josko Gvardiol.
I think this will be a very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Brentford v Nottingham Forest
3pm GMT, Gtech Community Stadium, London
Brentford lost 2-1 away to Chelsea last week and that defeat saw them drop into the bottom half of the table. No other team has taken more points or scored more goals on their own patch, but only three other teams have conceded more goals at home. Brentford’s up and down form has continued as the contrast between their home and away results are so vast, but only three other teams have scored more goals.
Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are the Brentford players to have for fantasy managers with Nathan Collins performing well at home too.
Forest came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Villa last week and that win moved them back into the top four. Only two other teams have taken more points away from home despite Forest conceding more goals than they have scored on their travels. They have taken 18 points from their last nine games, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.
Chris Wood is the Forest player to have for fantasy managers with their defenders and keeper possibilities too.
I think Brentford will continue their fine home record with another win in this game.
Prediction: 3-2
Ipswich Town v Newcastle United
3pm GMT, Portman Road, Ipswich
Ipswich got their second away win of the season last week when they beat fellow strugglers Wolves 2-1, but it wasn’t enough to get them out of the relegation zone. They’re the only team without a home win with no other team drawing more games or scoring less goals on their own ground. They have a tough run of games coming up and only two other teams have scored less goals.
I can’t see any Ipswich players doing enough on a consistent basis to recommend them to fantasy managers.
Newcastle won 4-0 at home to Leicester last week and they’re only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They have only won once in their last six away games, but three of their next four games on the road are against teams in the bottom half of the table. The win against Leicester was their first win in five games and they have a very good run of fixtures coming up.
Alexander Isak is the Newcastle player to have for fantasy managers with Anthony Gordon doing well recently too.
I think Ipswich will make it difficult for Newcastle, but the points will go to the away team.
Prediction: 1-2
West Ham United v Brighton And Hove Albion
3pm GMT. London Stadium, London
West Ham drew 1-1 away to Bournemouth last week and they’re now seven points above the bottom three and within four points of the top half of the table. They have taken 10 points from their last five home games, but only the bottom two have conceded more goals on their own patch. They have only won twice in their last seven games with only four other teams conceding more goals and they have some very difficult games coming up.
Jarrod Bowen is the West Ham player who can make a difference for fantasy managers.
Brighton lost 3-1 at home to Palace last week and they’re now only one point above the bottom half of the table. They have only won once in their last four away games with only three other teams scoring more goals on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last four games and they conceded nine goals in those games with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.
Joao Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma are both good choices for fantasy managers, but their points have dried up in recent weeks.
This is a tough game to call and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Crystal Palace v Arsenal
5.30pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London
Palace won 3-1 away to Brighton last week and that win moved them four points clear of the bottom three. They have only won once at home, but no other team has drawn more games or scored less goals on their own ground. They’re unbeaten in five games, but they drew four of them with no other team drawing more games.
Daniel Munoz is suspended for this game, but he could be the Palace player for fantasy managers to consider going forward.
Arsenal drew 0-0 at home to Everton last week and they failed to make up ground on Liverpool at the top of the table for the second game in a row. They have won once in their last six away games with only three other teams conceding less goals on the road. They are unbeaten in six games, but they drew three of them with only Liverpool conceding less goals.
Bukayo Saka is the Arsenal player to have for fantasy managers with their defenders and keeper very good choices too.
I think Palace will make things difficult for Arsenal, but the away team should triumph.
Prediction: 1-2
Sunday December 22
Everton v Chelsea
2pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton drew 0-0 away to Arsenal last week, but they’re now only three points above the relegation zone. They have taken eight points from their last five home games and they kept clean sheets in three of those games, but only three other teams have scored less goals on their own patch. They have only lost two of their last 11 games, but they drew six of them with only Southampton scoring less goals.
Everton’s defenders and keeper are doing very well for fantasy managers at the moment despite having a difficult run of games.
Chelsea won 2-1 at home to Brentford last week to move within two points of Liverpool at the the top of the table, but they have played an extra game. No other team has taken more points or scored more goals away from home and their next three games on their travels are all against teams in the bottom six. They have won their last five games and they scored 15 goals in those games with no other team scoring more goals and only Liverpool and Arsenal conceding less.
Cole Palmer is the Chelsea player fantasy managers can’t do without while Nicolas Jackson and Enzo Fernandez are well worth having too.
I think Chelsea will continue their winning run with a narrow victory in this game.
Prediction: 1-2
Fulham v Southampton
2pm GMT. Craven Cottage, London
Fulham twice led away to 10 man Liverpool last week, but they had settle for a 2-2 draw which leaves them four points off the top four. Two of their next three home games are against teams in the bottom three which could help them to climb even further up the table. They have only lost once in their last eight games and they have a very good run of fixtures coming up.
Antonee Robinson is the Fulham player who should be of interest to fantasy managers at the moment with Alex Iwobi a possibility too.
Southampton lost 5-0 at home to Spurs last week to leave them firmly rooted to the foot of the table and that result cost Russel Martin his job. They’re one of two teams without an away win with no other team scoring less goals on the road. They have lost their last three games and they conceded 11 goals in those games with no other team scoring less goals and only Wolves conceding more.
I can’t see any Southampton players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
I think Southampton’s woes will continue with Fulham winning this game by a few goals.
Prediction: 3-0
Leicester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers
2pm GMT, King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester lost 4-0 away to Newcastle last week and they’re now only two points above the relegation zone. They have taken four points from their last two home games and they scored five goals in those games. They have only won once in their last eight games with only the bottom two conceding more goals.
Jamie Vardy is the only Leicester player for fantasy managers to even consider picking.
Wolves lost 2-1 at home to Ipswich last week and that result left them one place off the bottom of the table and it saw Gary O’Neill lose his job too. They have lost their last two away games and they conceded six goals in those games with only Leicester conceding more goals on their travels. They have lost their last four games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals.
With Matheus Cunha likely to suffer a ban it looks like Jorgen Strand Larsen could be the best option in the Wolves team for fantasy managers.
This is a huge game for two teams at the wrong end of the table and I think Leicester will make home advantage pay.
Prediction: 3-2
Manchester United v Bournemouth
2pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester
United came from behind to win 2-1 away to City last week and they’re now only one point off the top half of the table. They have taken 10 points from their last five home games and they scored 12 goals in those games. They had lost two games in a row before beating City, but they have a good run of games coming up with only Liverpool and Arsenal conceding less goals.
Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo are looking like very good options for fantasy managers at the moment with the United defenders and keeper worth keeping an eye on too.
Bournemouth drew 1-1 at home to West Ham last week and they’re only three points off the top four. They have won their last two away games and they scored six goals in those games, but they have a tough run of away games coming up. They have taken 10 points from their last four games and they will fancy their chances of getting something from this game too.
There are a few Bournemouth players who have done well for fantasy managers, but none of them are consistent enough to make a real difference.
I think this will be a very close game and the chances are the points will be shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool
4.30pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs cruised to a 5-0 victory away to Southampton last week and that win moved them back into the top half of the table on goal difference. They have only taken one point from their last three home games and they conceded seven goals in those games, but only Brentford have scored more goals on their own patch. The win against Southampton was their first win in four games, but only Chelsea have scored more goals.
Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-Min can all do very well for fantasy managers.
Liverpool twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at home to Fulham last week after playing most of the game with 10 men and their lead at the top of the table has now been cut to two points. They’re the only team still unbeaten away from home with only Chelsea taking more points and scoring more goals on their travels. They have stayed on top of the table through a difficult run of games, but they have a good run after this game and no other team has conceded less goals.
Mohamed Salah is an absolute must have for fantasy managers with Diogo Jota plus their defenders and keeper well worth having too.
I think Liverpool should have too much in attack for Spurs and should win by a couple of goals.
Prediction: 1-3
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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