It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn’t have a great week yet again last week with one perfect prediction, three correct outcomes and six incorrect outcomes, but I managed to move up in my predictions league as others didn’t do well either. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.
Pos Player Res Cls Exa Slm Pts
1. SeniorBurger 22 82.5 63 13 180.5
2. Murray1886 29 70.5 63 13 175.5
3. Gooners 27 66 69 10 172
4. andy 26 78 54 11 169
5. robbieg 29 78 48 13 168
I had a very bad week with my fantasy team as Hugo Ekitike failed to deliver with the armband and the only player to get me any points was Bruno Guimaraes. I had to make a last minute change after hearing Declan Rice was injured which means I only have one transfer to make this week. With so many players not performing it’s going to take a while to make up my mind on who should be bought and sold.
I think the captaincy has to go back to Erling Haaland this week as he is so good at home in particular and Chelsea might struggle given their current turmoil. I had planned to bring Gabriel Magahlaes in this week, but I have obviously left it too late after his display last week and I no longer have the funds to do so because of my late transfer last week. Such are the trials and tribulations of trying to manage a fantasy team and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Saturday January 3
Aston Villa v Nottingham Forest
12.30pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa lost 4-1 away to Arsenal on Tuesday night and that defeat saw them stay in third place, but they’re now six points off the top of the table. They have won their last seven home games and they will be confident of making it eight in a row in this game. They had won 12 of their previous 13 games before losing to Arsenal and they don’t play any of the big six teams in their next nine games.
Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins are the Villa players to have for fantasy managers.
Forest lost 2-0 at home to Everton in midweek and they’re now only four points above the relegation zone. They have lost their last two away games after winning the previous two with only two other teams scoring less goals on the road. They have lost their last three games and they failed to score in two of them with only Wolves scoring less goals.
I’m not sure there are any Forest players showing enough consistency to interest fantasy managers.
I think Villa will get their title challenge back on course with a narrow victory in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Brighton And Hove Albion v Burnley
3pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton
Brighton twice came from behind to draw 2-2 away to West Ham on Tuesday night, but they dropped to 14th place in the table. They haven’t won in their last three home games with only Palace drawing more games on their own patch. They haven’t won in six games, but they drew three of them with only Bournemouth and Sunderland drawing more games.
If he’s fit to play Yankuba Minteh is the best bet in the Brighton team for fantasy managers with the fit again Danny Welbeck worth considering too.
Burnley lost 3-1 at home to Newcastle in midweek and they’re still one place off the foot of the table with six points to make up on 17th place. They have only taken one point from their last four away games with only Wolves taking less points on their travels and only Bournemouth conceding more goals. They have only taken two points from their last 10 games with only two other teams scoring less and conceding more goals.
I can’t see any Burnley players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
I think Brighton will be good enough to win this game with a couple of goals to spare.
Prediction: 2-0
Wolverhampton Wanderers v West Ham United
3pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton
Wolves came from behind to draw 1-1 away to United on Tuesday night, but 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 had lost 11 games in a row before drawing with United with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.
I can’t see any Wolves players who would be of interest to fantasy managers.
West Ham twice led at home to Brighton in midweek, but they had to settle for a 2-2 draw to remain in the bottom three and they’re now four points from safety. They haven’t won in their last seven away games, but they drew four of them with no other team drawing more games on the road. They haven’t won in eight games, but they drew four of them with only Wolves conceding more goals.
Jarrod Bowen is the only West Ham player doing enough to turn the heads of fantasy managers.
This is a big game for two teams in the relegation zone and I think West Ham might just manage three badly needed points.
Prediction: 1-2
Bournemouth v Arsenal
5.30pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
Bournemouth drew 2-2 away to Chelsea on Tuesday night and they’re still only four points off the top half of the table despite being on a very bad run. They haven’t won in their last four home games, but they drew three of them with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They haven’t won in 10 games, but they drew five of them with no other team drawing more games and no other team in the bottom half of the table scoring more goals.
If he’s still a Bournemouth player for this game Antoine Semenyo is a very good choice for fantasy managers.
Arsenal won 4-1 at home to Villa in midweek and that victory increased their lead at the top of the table to four points. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous three with no other team conceding less goals on their travels and only Spurs taking more points. They have won their last four games with no other team conceding less goals and only City scoring more.
Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are very good choices for fantasy managers along with Bukayo Saka and Leandro Trossard with Declan Rice a good option too if he’s fit to play.
I think Arsenal will retain their position at the top of the table with another win in this game.
Prediction: 1-3
Sunday January 4
Leeds United v Manchester United
12.30pm GMT, Elland Road, Leeds
Leeds got a very good point in a 0-0 draw away to Liverpool on Thursday night to keep a seven point gap above the bottom three. They have taken seven points from their last three home games and they scored 10 goals in those games with no other team in the bottom half of the table scoring more goals on their own ground. They are unbeaten in six games, but they drew four of them and this is a game they want to win more than any other one.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the Leeds player to have for fantasy managers with Anton Stach a consideration too.
United could only draw 1-1 at home to bottom club Wolves on Tuesday night to remain in sixth place just three points off the top four. They lost their last away game after taking 11 points from their previous five, but no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals on the road. They have only won three of their last 10 games, but they drew five of them with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.
With Bruno Fernandes out it’s difficult to see any United players worth having for fantasy managers at the moment.
I think Leeds will continue their good run at home with another win in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Everton v Brentford
3pm GMT, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool
Everton won 2-0 away to Forest on Tuesday night and that win moved them back up to eighth place. They have lost two of their last three home games with only three other teams scoring less goals on their own patch. They had only taken one point from three games before beating Forest with only two other teams scoring less goals.
Everton’s defenders and keeper are all looking like good options for fantasy managers at the moment.
Brentford drew 0-0 at home to Spurs on Thursday night and that point was enough to keep them in the top half of the table on goal difference. They won their last away game after losing seven of the previous eight with only three other teams scoring less goals on their travels. They have taken eight points from their last four games, but four of their next six games are away from home.
Igor Thiago remains the best choice in the Brentford team for fantasy managers despite his recent dip in returns.
I think Everton will have the edge on home territory in a close game.
Prediction: 2-1
Fulham v Liverpool
3pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London
Fulham drew 1-1 away to Palace on Thursday night and they’re only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They won their last home game after losing the previous three and this is the first of two very difficult games in a row. They have taken 10 points from their last four games, but five of their next nine games are against big six teams.
Harry Wilson and Raul Jiminez are the in form Fulham players for fantasy managers to consider.
Liverpool could only draw 0-0 at home to Leeds in midweek and they’re now 12 points behind Arsenal at the top of the table, but they’re still in the top four. They have taken seven points from their last three away games after losing the previous four with only one other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals on the road. They are unbeaten in seven games, but only one other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.
Hugo Ekitike is the Liverpool player most likely to make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.
I think this will be a very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the points shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Newcastle United v Crystal Palace
3pm GMT, St. James’s Park, Newcastle
Newcastle won 3-1 away to Burnley on Tuesday night and they’re now only one point off the top half of the table. They have taken 14 points from their last six home games and they have a good run of games on their own patch coming up. The win against Burnley was their first win in four games and their next three games are all ones they will think they can win.
Bruno Guimaraes and Anthony Gordon are the Newcastle players most likely to do well for fantasy managers at the moment.
Palace drew 1-1 at home to Fulham on Thursday night and that point just about kept them in the top half of the table on goal difference. They lost their last away game after winning the previous three with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their travels. They have only taken one point from their last four games and they conceded nine goals in those games, but they have a tough run of games coming up starting with this one.
I’m not sure there are any Palace players doing enough to make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.
I think Newcastle will get the three points they need to move into the top half of the table in this game.
Prediction: 3-1
Tottenham Hotspur v Sunderland
3pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs drew 0-0 away to Brentford on Thursday night and they’re now within one point of the top half of the table. They have only won once in their last eight home games with only two other teams taking less points on their own ground and only three other teams scoring less goals. They have only won two of their last 10 games and they need to change that soon or there could be managerial repercussions.
Spurs recent defensive record suggests their defenders and keeper could be good options for fantasy managers.
Sunderland got a very good point in a 0-0 draw at home to City in midweek, but they will fall behind Spurs on goal difference if they lose this game. They haven’t won in their last four away games with no other team scoring less goals on the road. They have only won once in their last six games, but they drew four of them with no other team drawing more games.
Sunderland’s defenders and keeper are all good choices for fantasy managers along with Granit Xhaka.
I think Spurs might just make home advantage pay in a tight game.
Prediction: 2-1
Manchester City v Chelsea
5.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City drew 0-0 away to Sunderland on Thursday night to leave themselves four points behind Arsenal at the top of the table. They have won their last eight home games with only Arsenal scoring more and conceding less goals on their own patch. They had won six games in a row before drawing with Sunderland with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.
Erling Haaland remains the best choice in the City team for fantasy managers, but all of their defenders and keeper are looking good at the moment too along with Rayan Cherki and Phil Foden.
Chelsea drew 2-2 at home to Bournemouth on Tuesday night to leave them in fifth place and they parted ways with their manager on Thursday. They have only taken two points from their last three away games with only two other teams conceding less goals on their travels. They have only won once in their last seven games with only three other teams scoring more goals.
Pedro Neto looks like the best bet in the Chelsea team for fantasy managers at the moment with Joao Pedro impressing too.
I think City will be too good at home and should win this game by a couple of goals.
Prediction: 3-1
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
No comments:
Post a Comment