| Rank | Player | Res | Cls | Exa | Slm | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 - |  | 38 | 63 | 69 | 14 | 184.0 |
2 - |  | 34 | 82.5 | 48 | 14 | 178.5 |
3 - |  | 36 | 72 | 51 | 14 | 173.0 |
4 1 |  | 31 | 60 | 72 | 10 | 173.0 |
5 1 |  | 41 | 55.5 | 63 | 13 | 172.5 |
My fantasy team improved in the overall rankings yet again last week with another solid if not spectacular performance. My choice of Mohamed Salah as my captain paid off as always, but it was Bryan Mbuemo who was the real star of the week for me. He was assisted by Salah, Cole Palmer, Alexander Isak and Ola Aina, but six of my team still offered virtually nothing for the week.
I will be sticking with Salah as my captain this week despite Liverpool’s difficult trip to Forest as I just can’t see a better option despite Isak playing at home to Wolves. I didn’t make any transfers last week which means I can make two this week and I plan to bring in Chris Wood and Amad Diallo despite Wood having a difficult fixture. The players to lose out will be Gabriel Jesus and Dejan Kulusevski which should also leave me with some money in the bank to tinker with my defence over the next few weeks.
Tuesday January 14
Brentford v Manchester City
7.30pm GMT, Gtech Community Stadium, London
Brentford won 5-0 away to Southampton last week and they’re now only one point off the top half of the table. Only Liverpool have taken more points on their own ground and no other team has scored more goals at home, but only four other teams have conceded more. They had only taken one point from four games before beating Southampton with only four other teams scoring more goals, but their next two games are very difficult starting with this one.
Bryan Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa can both do very well for fantasy managers in home games in particular.
City won 4-1 at home to West Ham last week and they’re now only two points off the top four. They won their last away game after only taking one point from the previous five and they have a tough run of away games coming up. They have won their last two games after only winning one of the previous nine and we will know how well they have recovered over the next six or seven games as they are far from easy.
Erling Haaland seems to be back in form for fantasy managers with Josko Gvardiol, Phil Foden and Savio all looking like possibilities at the moment too.
I think Brentford will give City a really tough test and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the points shared.
Prediction: 2-2
Chelsea v Bournemouth
7.30pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea drew 1-1 away to Palace last week and they’re now 10 points off the top of the table having played a game more than Liverpool. They have taken 10 points from their last five home games and two of their next three games are on their own patch. They have only taken two points and scored two goals in their last four games with only Liverpool and Spurs scoring more goals.
Cole Palmer is the outstanding Chelsea player for fantasy managers, but the rest of their team aren’t doing much at the moment.
Bournemouth won 1-0 at home to Everton last week and they’re only three points behind Chelsea going into this game. They have taken 10 points from their last four away games, but this is the first of two very hard games on the road in five days. They are unbeaten in eight games and they kept clean sheets in four of them with only four other teams conceding less goals.
Milos Kerkez and Antoine Semenyo are the best of the Bournemouth players for fantasy managers, but maybe not in their next two games.
I think Bournemouth will make things very difficult for Chelsea and I wouldn’t be surprised if they got a point from this game.
Prediction: 1-1
West Ham United v Fulham
7.30pm GMT, London Stadium, London
West Ham lost 4-1 away to City last week to drop to 14th in the table and that defeat saw them part ways with Julen Lopetegui. They have only won once in their last five home games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with only three other teams conceding more goals on their own ground. They have only won once in their last five games and they conceded nine goals in their last two games with only three other teams conceding more goals.
With Jarrod Bowen injured and a new manager in charge it’s not easy to know what West Ham players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
Fulham drew 2-2 at home to Ipswich last week to leave them six points off the top four. They’re unbeaten in their last five away games with only one other team conceding less goals on the road. They’re unbeaten in eight games, but they drew six of them with only Brighton drawing more.
Raul Jiminez has been in good form for fantasy managers in recent weeks while Antonee Robinson could be a good option too.
I don’t think there will be too much between these two teams and I think a share of the spoils is the most likely option.
Prediction: 1-1
Nottingham Forest v Liverpool
8pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham
Forest won 3-0 away to Wolves last week to move within six points of Liverpool at the top of the table, but they have played an extra game. They have won their last three home games and they only conceded one goal in those games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They have won their last six games and they haven’t conceded a goal in their last four with only Arsenal conceding less goals.
Chris Woods, Anthony Elanga and Morgan Gibbs-White are all very good choices for fantasy managers along with the Forest keeper and defenders.
Liverpool drew 2-2 at home to United last week to maintain their six point lead at the top of the table and they have a game in hand on the teams chasing them. They’re the only team unbeaten away from home with no other team scoring more goals on their travels. They’re unbeaten in 15 games with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.
Mohamed Salah is an absolute must have for fantasy managers with Cody Gakpo in good form and all of Liverpool’s defenders plus their keeper good options too.
This will be a huge test for Forest and I think they might just manage a draw from it.
Prediction: 1-1
Wednesday January 15
Everton v Aston Villa
7.30pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton lost 1-0 away to Bournemouth last week and they dropped to only one point above the relegation zone which cost Sean Dyche his job. They have only won once in their last six home games and they failed to score in four of those games with only two other teams scoring less goals on their own ground. They have only won once in their last 11 games and they failed to score in eight of those games with only Southampton scoring less goals.
Everton’s defenders and keeper can do well for fantasy managers and they have a fairly good run of games coming up.
Villa won 2-1 at home to Leicester last week and they’re now only four points off the top four. They have lost their last five away games and they conceded 14 goals in those games with only two other teams conceding more goals on the road. They have taken 13 points from their last seven games, but no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.
Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins are the best bets in the Villa team for fantasy managers with Jhon Duran a consideration too.
I think Everton might just benefit from the new manager bounce to win this game narrowly.
Prediction: 1-0
Leicester City v Crystal Palace
7.30pm GMT, King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester lost 2-1 away to Villa last week to leave them one place off the foot of the table, but they’re still only two points from safety. They have only taken one point from their last three home games and they conceded seven goals in those games, but their next two games are on their own patch. They have lost their last five games and they conceded 14 goals in those games with only Wolves conceding more goals.
Jamie Vardy is the Leicester player most likely to do well for fantasy managers while Stephy Mavididi has looked good recently too.
Palace drew 1-1 at home to Chelsea last week and they can move themselves well clear of the bottom three with a win in this game. They are unbeaten in their last five away games, but they drew three of them with no other team drawing more games on their travels. They have only lost once in their last nine games, but they drew five of them with only Brighton drawing more games.
Eberechi Eze, Daniel Munoz, Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta could all do well for fantasy managers over the next few weeks.
I think Palace should have enough to take the three points in this game.
Prediction: 1-2
Newcastle United v Wolverhampton Wanderers
7.30pm GMT, St. James’s Park, Newcastle
Newcastle won 2-1 away to Spurs last week and they’re now only one point behind fourth place. They have taken seven points from their last three home games and they scored 10 goals in those games. They have won their last five games and they scored 15 goals in those games with only the top three conceding less goals.
Alexander Isak is a must have for fantasy managers at the moment with Anthony Gordon, Jacob Murphy and Newcastle’s defenders and keeper looking very good too.
Wolves lost 3-0 at home to Forest last week and they’re only above the relegation zone on goal difference. They have taken four points from their last two away games and they scored five goals in those games, but only Leicester have conceded more goals on the road. They were unbeaten in three games before losing to Forest, but they have a very tough run of games coming up and no other team has conceded more goals.
Matheus Cunha is the Wolves player to have for fantasy managers with Jorgen Strand Larsen worth considering too.
I think Newcastle should win this game by at least a couple of goals.
Prediction: 3-1
Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur
8pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London
Arsenal drew 1-1 away to Brighton last week to leave them six points off the top of the table and they have played a game more than the leaders. They’re the only team still unbeaten at home with no other team conceding less goals on their own patch. They’re unbeaten in 10 games with no other team conceding less goals and only Liverpool and Spurs scoring more.
With Arsenal struggling to score goals at the moment and missing some of their best attacking players it’s probably just their defenders and keeper fantasy managers should be interested in.
Spurs lost 2-1 at home to Newcastle last week to leave them in the bottom half of the table and they’re actually closer to the bottom three than they are to the top four. They have lost two of their last three away games, but no other team has conceded less goals on their travels. They have only taken five points from their last eight games and they conceded 17 goals in those games, but only Liverpool have scored more goals.
Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski, James Maddison and Son Heung-Min all have something to offer fantasy managers at the moment.
I don’t think there will be too much in this game with Arsenal probably making home advantage count.
Prediction: 2-1
Thursday January 16
Ipswich Town v Brighton And Hove Albion
7.30pm GMT, Portman Road, Ipswich
Ipswich drew 2-2 away to Fulham last week and they’re now only in the relegation zone on goal difference. They won their last home game against Chelsea, but that was their first home win of the season with only Southampton scoring less goals on their own ground. They have taken seven points from their last five games, but four of their next seven games are against big six teams.
Liam Delap is the only Ipswich player who should be turning the heads of fantasy managers at the moment.
Brighton drew 1-1 at home to Arsenal last week and that point was enough to keep them in the top half of the table. They haven’t won in their last four away games, but they drew three of them and no other team has drawn more games on the road. They haven’t won in eight games, but they drew six of them and no other team has drawn more games.
If Joao Pedro is fit to play he’s the best bet in the Brighton team for fantasy managers, but Solly March could be back in the team soon.
I think Brighton should be good enough to get a much needed victory in this game.
Prediction: 1-3
Manchester United v Southampton
8pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester
United drew 2-2 away to Liverpool last week, but they’re still in the bottom half of the table and closer to the relegation zone than the top four. They have lost their last three home games and they conceded eight goals in those games. They have only taken four points from their last seven games and they conceded 15 goals in those games with only four other teams scoring less goals.
Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo are the United players who could do well for fantasy managers over the next few weeks.
Southampton lost 5-0 at home to Brentford last week to leave them rooted to the foot of the table and relegation looks like a certainty for them at this stage. They’re the only team without an away win with no other team scoring less goals on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last 10 games and they conceded 25 goals in those games with no other team scoring less goals and only Wolves conceding more.
I can’t see any Southampton players who might interest fantasy managers at the moment.
I think United should be far too good for a doomed Southampton team and should win comfortably.
Prediction: 3-0
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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