It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I had a very bad week last week with just one perfect prediction, one correct outcome and eight incorrect outcomes which saw me drop a couple of places 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. SeniorBurger 25 97.5 69 14 205.5
2. Gooners 30 81 81 12 204
3. Sam 25 84 81 13 203
4. Murray1886 32 82.5 75 13 202.5
5. andy 28 96 63 12 199
My fantasy team didn’t have a good week either, but Harry Wilson came off the bench to rescue it to a degree with Marc Guehi and Bruno Fernandes adding some points too. My choice of Erling Haaland as my captain didn’t pay off yet again and I will have to seriously consider putting the armband elsewhere this week. The chances are I will still go with Haaland as City have every chance of doing very well away to a Spurs team who just can’t win on their own ground.
I will be looking to bring Antoine Semenyo in too if I can and Enzo Fernandez is looking like a very good option at the moment. I only have one free transfer though so the chances are Semenyo will be the one for me.
Saturday January 31
Brighton And Hove Albion v Everton
3pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton
Brighton conceded a late goal to lose 2-1 away to Fulham last week, but they remained in 12th place and they’re only three points off the top half of the table. They have only won once in their last five home games, but they drew three of them with only Palace drawing more games on their own ground. They have only won once in their last 10 games, but no other team has drawn more games.
I’m not sure there are any Brighton players doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment.
Everton drew 1-1 at home to Leeds last week and that point was enough to move them into the top half of the table. They have taken 13 points from their last six away games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on the road, but only Wolves and Sunderland scoring less. They have only lost one of their last six games, but they drew three of them with only four other teams scoring less and conceding less goals.
James Tarkowski, Jordan Pickford and Michael Keane are all good options for fantasy managers while James Garner, Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are possibilities too.
I think this will be a close game with a draw being the most likely outcome.
Prediction: 1-1
Leeds United v Arsenal
3pm GMT, Elland Road, Leeds
Leeds drew 1-1 away to Everton last week to put themselves two places and six points above the relegation zone. They have taken 11 points from their last five home games and those games included three of the big six. They have only lost once in their last 10 games, but they drew six of them and four of their next five opponents are in the top five starting with this game.
Given their upcoming fixtures it’s difficult to see any Leeds players that might make a real impression for fantasy managers.
Arsenal lost 3-2 at home to United last week and that defeat saw their lead at the top of the table cut to four points. They have only won two of their last six away games with no other team conceding less goals on their travels. They haven’t won in three games after winning the previous five with no other team conceding less goals and only City scoring more.
Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are still very good options for fantasy managers with Declan Rice a good choice too.
I think this will be a very close game with Arsenal probably just managing to take the three points.
Prediction: 1-2
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Bournemouth
3pm GMT, Molineux, Wolverhampton
Wolves lost 2-0 away to City last week to leave themselves seven points adrift at the foot of the table and 17 points from safety with just 15 games to go. They have taken four points from their last two home games after only taking one in the previous nine with no other team scoring less goals on their own ground and only West Ham conceding more. They were unbeaten for four games before losing to City with no other team scoring less goals and only West Ham and Burnley conceding more.
Mateus Mane is the only Wolves player for fantasy managers to look at and that’s mainly because of his price.
Bournemouth scored a last gasp goal to win 3-2 at home to Liverpool last week and that win moved them within three points of the top half of the table. They haven’t won in their last nine away games with no other team conceding more goals on the road and only three other teams scoring more. They have taken seven points from their last three games after only taking five in the previous 11 with no other team drawing more games and only two other teams conceding more goals.
With Marcus Tavernier injured the best bets in the Bournemouth team for fantasy managers are probably Evanilson and Kroupi Junior.
I think Wolves will go close in this game, but Bournemouth will win.
Prediction: 1-2
Chelsea v West Ham United
5.30pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea won 3-1 away to Palace last week and those three points moved them up to fifth place and within one point of the top four. They have only lost once in their last six home games and their next three games on their own patch are all against teams in the bottom five. They have won their last two games after failing to win the previous five with only three other teams scoring more goals and their next four games are all against teams in the bottom five.
Trevoh Chalobah, Reece James, Enzo Fernandez and Joao Pedro are the Chelsea players who can do really well for fantasy managers over the next few weeks.
West Ham won 3-1 at home to Sunderland last week, but they’re still in the bottom three and five points from safety. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous eight and they have some very difficult games on their travels coming up with the exception of their trip to Burnley next week. They have won their last two games after failing to win the previous 10 with no other team conceding more goals.
Jarrod Bowen remains the one West Ham asset of interest to fantasy managers.
I think Chelsea will continue their good run of results with another victory in this game.
Prediction: 3-1
Liverpool v Newcastle United
8pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool conceded a very late goal to lose 3-2 away to Bournemouth last week and that defeat saw them fall to sixth place. They are unbeaten in their last five home games, but they drew three of them and this is the first of two difficult home games in a row. They haven’t won in five games, but they drew four of them with only one other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.
With Mohamed Salah available again he could be a good choice for fantasy managers along with Florian Wirtz and Virgil van Dijk.
Newcastle lost 2-0 at home to Villa last week, but they just managed to stay in the top half of the table on goal difference. They have only won two of their 11 away games with only two other teams scoring less goals on the road, but only two other teams conceding less too. They have only won three of their last eight games and this is the start of a tough run for them with only one other team in the top half of the table scoring less goals.
If Bruno Guimaraes is fit to play he’s the best bet in the Newcastle team for fantasy managers.
I think Liverpool will put the Bournemouth defeat behind them with a narrow win in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Sunday February 1
Aston Villa v Brentford
2pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa won 2-0 away to Newcastle last week to move within four points of Arsenal at the top of the table. They lost their last home game after winning the previous eight with only the top two taking more points and conceding less goals on their own patch. They have only won two of their last five games after winning 12 of the previous 13 and they don’t play any of the big six in their next five games.
Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins remains the Villa players to have for fantasy managers.
Brentford lost 2-0 at home to Forest last week, but they held on to their place in the top half of the table on goal difference. They lost their last away game after winning the previous two, but only Wolves have lost more games on their travels. They have lost their last two games without scoring after taking 14 points and scoring 14 goals in the previous six games.
Igor Thiago is still a good option for fantasy managers, but it might be best to avoid the rest of their players for the next few weeks.
I think Villa will keep their pursuit of Arsenal going with another three points in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Manchester United v Fulham
2pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester
United won 3-2 away to Arsenal last week and that victory moved them up to fourth place. They are unbeaten in five home games, but they drew three of them and their next two games are on their own ground. They are unbeaten in six games, but they drew three of them with only the top two scoring more goals and no other team in the top half of the table conceding more.
Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha are the United players for fantasy managers to own at the moment.
Fulham scored a late goal to win 2-1 at home to Brighton last week and that win moved them up to seventh place. They have taken 10 points from their last five away games, but only four other teams have lost more games on the road. They have taken 17 points from their last eight games, but three of their next five games are against big six teams.
Harry Wilson is in fantastic form for fantasy managers at the moment and he’s still available at a pretty good price.
I think United will hold on to their place in the top four with a narrow victory in a very close game.
Prediction: 2-1
Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace
2pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham
Forest won 2-0 away to Brentford last week to keep themselves one place and five points above the bottom three. They have only taken one point and scored one goal in their last three home games with only two other teams scoring less goals on their own patch. They have taken seven points from their last three games and they only conceded one goal in those games, but only Wolves have scored less goals.
Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White are the Forest players looking most likely to perform for fantasy managers at the moment.
Palace lost 3-1 at home to Chelsea last week and they’re now only three places above the relegation zone. They have lost their last three away games and they conceded eight goals in those games, but only two other teams have won more games on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last eight games and they conceded 16 goals in those games.
I can’t see any Palace players who can make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.
I think Forest should be good enough to get three very important points in their quest for survival.
Prediction: 2-0
Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City
4.30pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs scored a late goal to get a 2-2 draw away to struggling Burnley last week and they’re still closer to the top half of the table than they are to the bottom three. They have only won once in their last 10 home games with only Wolves taking less points on their own ground. They have only won twice in their last 14 games, but only one other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals.
Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are the Spurs players doing the most for fantasy managers at the moment.
City had a fairly comfortable 2-0 win at home to Wolves last week to close the gap on Arsenal at the top of the table to four points. They have only taken one point from their last two away games while failing to score in both of those games and this is the first of two very difficult away games in a row. The win against Wolves was their first win in five games, but no other team has scored more goals and only Arsenal have conceded less.
Erling Haaland is still difficult to ignore for fantasy managers despite his recent drought with Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and Matheus Nunes good options too.
I think this is a game which could go either way and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.
Prediction: 2-3
Monday February 2
Sunderland v Burnley
8pm GMT, Stadium of Light, Sunderland
Sunderland lost 3-1 away to West Ham last week and that defeat saw them drop into the bottom half of the table on goal difference. They’re the only team still unbeaten at home, but only Palace have drawn more games on their own patch and only the top two have conceded less goals. They have only won once in their last seven games, but they drew four of them with no other team drawing more games and only Wolves and Forest scoring less goals.
Sunderland’s defenders and keeper are very good choices for fantasy managers at home in particular while Brian Brobbey has looked good recently too.
Burnley conceded a last minute goal to draw 2-2 at home to Spurs last week and they’re now 10 points from safety and one place off the foot of the table. They have only taken two points from their last six away games with only Bournemouth conceding more goals on their travels. They haven’t won in 14 games, but they have drawn five of their last seven and only West Ham have conceded more goals.
I can’t see any Burnley players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
I think Sunderland will remain unbeaten at home with another win in this game.
Prediction: 2-0
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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