Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 17

​it’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I had yet another bad week last week with no perfect predictions, four correct outcomes and six incorrect outcomes which saw me slide even further down the table in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Pos  Player                 Res    Cls    Exa   Slm   Pts

1.     Senior Burger     20      69      51      11     151

2.     andy                    22      69      48      10    149

3.     Derek                  28      64.5   39      13    144.5

4.     Gooners              22      57      57       8     144

5.     Murray1886        27      57      48      11    143

I didn’t have the greatest week with my fantasy team in what was a very high scoring week for most managers and I slipped to just outside the top 1% overall. It could have been a lot worse, but I was rescued by my captain on Monday night when Bruno Fernandes showed why he’s an essential pick at the moment. The other players to return points for me were Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Trevoh Chalobah and Piero Hincapie.

I still have three free transfers to use and I’m looking at Bukayo Saka, Jarrod Bowen, Harry Wilson and maybe an Everton defender. I can’t see anyone better than Haaland for the armband this week, but I suppose Phil Foden, Antoine Semenyo and Hugo Ekitike could all do very well too.

Saturday December 20

Newcastle United v Chelsea 

12.30pm GMT, Stadium. James’s Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle lost 1-0 away to fierce rivals Sunderland last week and that defeat left them in the bottom half of the table. They have taken 13 points from their last five home games and they scored 10 goals in those games. They had taken 10 points from four games before losing to Sunderland and they have a good run of games coming up in a couple of weeks.

Bruno Guimaraes is the Newcastle player to have for fantasy managers at the moment with Anthony Gordon worth considering too.

Chelsea won 2-0 at home to Everton last week and that victory moved them back into the top four. They have only taken one point from their last two away games, but only Palace have taken more points on the road and no other team has scored more goals. The win against Everton was their first win in four games and they have to play two of the teams above them in their next four games.

Trevoh Chalobah and Pedro Neto are the best of the Chelsea players for fantasy managers while their keeper, the rest of their defenders and Cole Palmer are good options too.

I think this will be a very close game and Newcastle might just make home advantage pay.

Prediction: 2-1

Bournemouth v Burnley 

3pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth came from behind and led at various times in a crazy 4-4 draw away to United last week and that point meant they stayed in the bottom half of the table. They haven’t won in their last three home games, but only Arsenal have conceded less goals on their own patch. They haven’t won in seven games and they conceded 17 goals in those games with only the bottom four conceding more goals.

Antoine Semenyo and Marcus Tavernier are the Bournemouth players of interest to fantasy managers.

Burnley lost 3-2 at home to Fulham last week and that defeat left them one place off the foot of the table as well as six points from safety. They have lost seven of their eight away games with only Wolves taking less points on their travels and no other team conceding more goals. They have lost their last seven games and they conceded 16 goals in those games with only Wolves conceding more goals.

I’m not sure there are any Burnley players doing enough to recommend them to fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Bournemouth will get a badly needed win in this game with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 2-0

Brighton And Hove Albion v Sunderland 

3pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton lost 2-0 away to Liverpool last week, but they managed to just about stay in the top half of the table. They have only taken one point from their last two home games after being unbeaten in the previous six with only four other teams conceding more goals on their own ground. They have only taken one point from their last three games after taking 10 in the previous four.

Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck have been the best performing players in the Brighton team for fantasy managers, but neither have them have done much in the last few weeks.

Sunderland won 1-0 at home to Newcastle last week and that win saw them move to within two points of the top four. They have only taken one point from their last three away games with only Wolves scoring less goals on the road. They have only won twice in their last seven games and Everton are the only team in the top half of the table to have scored less goals.

Sunderland’s defenders and keeper are doing very well for fantasy managers along with Granit Xhaka.

I don’t think there will be too much between these two teams, but Brighton might just shade it.

Prediction: 2-1

Manchester City v West Ham United 

3pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City won 3-0 away to Palace last week to remain two points behind Arsenal at the top of the table. They have won their last seven home games and they scored 22 goals in those games with no other team scoring more goals on their own patch and only Arsenal taking more points. They have won their last four games and they scored 14 goals in those games with no other team scoring more goals.

Erling Haaland and Phil Foden are must haves for fantasy managers at the moment with all of their defenders and Rayan Cherki good choices too.

West Ham lost 3-2 at home to Villa last week despite leading twice and they remain in the relegation zone with a three point gap to the safety of 17th place. They have only lost two of their last seven away games, but they drew four of them with no other team drawing more games on their travels. They haven’t won in five games with only the two teams below them conceding more goals.

Despite West Ham’s lowly position Jarrod Bowen is still a good option for fantasy managers.

I can’t see anything other than a comfortable City victory in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brentford 

3pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves conceded a last gasp goal to lose 2-1 away to table topping Arsenal last week and they’re still rooted to the foot of the table. They’re the only team without a home win with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals on their own ground. They’re the only team without a win with no other conceding more or scoring less goals.

I can’t see any Wolves players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.

Brentford conceded a late goal to draw 1-1 at home to Leeds last week which saw them drop to 15th place, but they’re still only three points off the top half of the table. They have lost seven of their eight away games with only two other teams scoring less goals on the road. They have only taken one point from their last three games, but they have a good run of games coming up starting with this one.

Igor Thiago is the Brentford player to have for fantasy managers even if he hasn’t produced in his last three games.

I think Brentford might just manage a rare away victory in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool 

5.30pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs lost 3-0 away to Forest last week and that defeat meant they stayed in the bottom half of the table. They won their last home game after failing to win the previous six with only the bottom three taking less points on their own patch. They have only won once in their last seven games, but no other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals.

Mohammed Kudus remains the best option in the Spurs team for fantasy managers.

Liverpool won 2-0 at home to Brighton last week and that victory moved them within two points of the top four. They have taken four points from their last two away games after losing the previous four with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals on their travels. They have taken eight points from their last four games after losing six of the previous seven and seven of their next eight games are against teams in the bottom half of the table starting with this one.

Hugo Ekitike looks like he could be the Liverpool player to have for fantasy managers at the moment.

This is a difficult game to call, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Everton v Arsenal 

8pm GMT, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool 

Everton lost 2-0 away to Chelsea last week, but they’re still in the top half of the table. They have won four of their eight home games and their next four home games after this are against teams in the bottom half of the table. They have won four of their last six games and they kept clean sheets in each of those victories, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.

If he’s fit to play Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is a great choice for fantasy managers with Jordan Pickford, Michael Keane, James Tarkowski and Jack Grealish good options too.

Arsenal left it very late to score their winner in a 2-1 victory at home to Wolves last week which kept them two points clear at the top of the table. They haven’t won in their last three away games with only Palace conceding less goals on the road. They have only won three of their last six games, but no other team has conceded less goals and only City have scored more.

Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice are doing very well for fantasy managers with the Arsenal defenders and keeper good choices too.

I think this will be a very close game with Arsenal probably winning by one goal.

Prediction: 1-2

Leeds United v Crystal Palace 

8pm GMT, Elland Road, Leeds 

Leeds scored late on to draw 1-1 away to Brentford last week and that point moved them three points clear of the bottom three. They have taken seven points from their last four home games, but they have some difficult games coming up on their own patch. They have taken five points from their last three games after losing the previous four with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the in form Leeds player for fantasy managers to consider.

Palace lost 3-0 at home to City last week and that defeat saw them fall to fifth place. They have won their last three away games with no other team taking more points or conceding less goals on their travels. The loss against City was only their second defeat in seven games with only Arsenal conceding less goals.

The Palace defenders and keeper are very good options for fantasy managers.

I think Leeds might just have enough on their own ground to get a point in this game.

Prediction: 1-1

Sunday December 21

Aston Villa v Manchester United 

4.30pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa twice came from behind to win 3-2 away to Wolves last week and that win left them in third place just three points off the top of the table. They have won their last six home games and they scored 13 goals in those games with only the two teams above them taking more points on their own ground. They have won 10 of their last 11 games and their next three games will be a huge test of their title hopes starting with this one.

Morgan Rogers and Matty Cash are the Villa players most likely to do well for fantasy managers.

United drew 4-4 at home to Brentford last week in a game that swung both ways throughout and they’re only two points behind the top four. They have taken 11 points from their last five away games and their next two away games after this one are against teams in the bottom four. They have only lost one of their last 10 games with only City scoring more goals, but no other team in the top half of the table conceding more.

Bruno Fernandes is the United player who’s making himself a must have for fantasy managers.

I think Villa will continue their impressive run with a narrow victory in this game. 

Prediction: 2-1

Monday December 22

Fulham v Nottingham Forest 

8pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London

Fulham won 3-2 away to Burnley last week to move up to 14th in the table. They have lost their last two home games after only losing one of the previous six and they have two very tough home games after this one. They have won four of their last seven games and their next two games are against teams below them in the table starting with this one.

Harry Wilson is the Fulham player to have for fantasy managers at the moment.

Forest won 3-0 at home to Spurs last week and that win moved them five points clear of the relegation zone. They have won two of their last three away games after failing to win the previous five with only two other teams scoring less goals on their travels. They have won four of their last six games and they scored 10 goals in those games, but only Wolves have scored less goals.

I’m still not sure there are any Forest players doing enough on a consistent basis to interest fantasy managers.

This is a game which could go either way, but I think Fulham might just shade it.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.