Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 37

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 good week last week with no perfect predictions, three correct outcomes and seven incorrect outcomes, but I managed to hold on to the lead in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Rank	Player	Res	Cls	Exa	Slm	Pts
1 -	JamrockRover	58	142.5	102	26	328.5
2 -	Gooners	66	127.5	102	26	321.5
3 -	nzbuddy	51	127.5	120	22	320.5
4 1	TeeBee	61	127.5	105	24	317.5
5 1	Cole	64	114	111	24	313.0

My fantasy team did reasonably well last week with virtually no change in my overall rank which remains very high. My choice of Bryan Mbeumo as my captain paid off, but I had hoped for more from him. The other players to perform for me were Ederson, Josko Gvardiol, Morgan Rogers, Daniel Munoz and Jarrod Bowen.

I’m not sure who will be my captain this week, but Mbuemo is definitely a front runner or I might have to bring Ollie Watkins in to do job. With Spurs and United playing the Europa League Final on Wednesday night it could be a good idea to opt for players up against them this week.

Friday May 16

Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur 

7.30pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa won 1-0 away to Bournemouth last week to leave themselves only outside the Champions League places on goal difference. They have won their last five home games and they scored 13 goals in those games. They have won seven of their last eight games and they need to win their last two games to have a chance of making those Champions League places.

Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers are the Villa players that can make a difference for fantasy managers over the last two weeks of the season.

Spurs lost 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace last week as they rested players after their Europa League semi final victory. They have only taken one point from their last five away games and they conceded 13 goals in those games, but no other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals. They have only won once in their last 10 games and they look unlikely to take any more points this season.

I can’t see any Spurs players to recommend to fantasy managers for the rest of the season.

I think Villa should win this game by at least a couple of goals.

Prediction: 3-1

Chelsea v Manchester United 

8.15pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea lost 2-0 away to Newcastle last week after playing most of the game with 10 men and they need to win their last two games to be certain of Champions League football next season. They have taken 22 points from their last eight home games and they kept clean sheets in four of those games. They had won three games in a row before losing to Newcastle and they will qualify for the Champions League if they win their last two games.

With the need to win so high I think Cole Palmer could be the Chelsea player of interest for fantasy managers.

United lost 2-0 at home to West Ham last week as they rested players after winning through to the Europa League final and they dropped to 16th in the table. They have only taken one point in their last four away games and they conceded 10 goals in those games with only three other teams scoring less goals on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last seven games and they conceded 13 goals in those games.

I can’t see any United players who can make an impression for fantasy managers.

I think Chelsea will get the win they need with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 2-0

Sunday May 18

Everton v Southampton 

12pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool 

Everton came from behind to win 3-1 away to Fulham last week and that win moved them up to 13th, but that is the highest they can finish. They haven’t won in their last six home games, but they drew five of them with no other team drawing more games on their own ground. The win against Fulham was only the second one in 11 games, but they drew six of them and no other has drawn more games.

A home game against the worst team in the league could make Beto plus the Everton defenders and keeper look like good choices for fantasy managers.

Southampton drew 0-0 at home to City last week to make sure they won’t go down as the worst team in the Premier League era, but they will still finish at the foot of the table. They have only taken one point from their last five away games and they conceded 13 goals in those games with no other team scoring less goals on the road. They have only taken three points from their last 12 games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.

I can’t see any Southampton players to recommend to fantasy managers.

I think Everton will rise to the occasion of their final game at Goodison Park and take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

West Ham United v Nottingham Forest 

2.15pm BST, London Stadium, London 

West Ham won 2-0 away to United last week and that win moved them up to 15th place with 13th still within their sights. They have only won once in their last seven home games with only the bottom three conceding more goals on their own patch. The win against United was their first win in nine games and they will do well to make it back to back wins in this game.

Jarrod Bowen is by far the best of the West Ham players for fantasy managers.

Forest conceded a late goal to draw 2-2 at home to Leicester last week and those dropped points put a huge dent in their Champions League ambitions. They have taken seven points from their last four away games and they scored eight goals in those games. They have only won once in their last six games and they conceded nine goals in those games, but they cannot afford to drop any more points.

Anthony Elanga, Chris Woods and Morgan Gibbs-White are the Forest players who could shine in their last two games.

I think this game will end in a draw despite Forest’s need for a victory.

Prediction: 1-1

Brentford v Fulham 

3pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford won 1-0 away to Ipswich last week and that win moved them up to eighth place with European football next season now a very real possibility. They have won their last two home games and they scored eight goals in those games with only three other teams scoring more goals on their own ground. They have won their last four games while scoring 11 goals in those games and they will definitely finish eighth if they win their last two games.

Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are both very good options for fantasy managers with Kevin Schade a possibility too.

Fulham lost 3-1 at home to Everton last week and their chances of European football next season are virtually gone now. They have lost four of their last five away games with the only victory in that run against Southampton. They have lost four of their last five games and they have to win this game to keep their slim chances of European football next season alive.

Raul Jiminez, Alex Iwobi and Ryan Sessegnon are the Fulham players most likely to perform for fantasy managers, but maybe not in their last two games.

I think Brentford will get the win they need in a close game.

Prediction: 2-1

Leicester City v Ipswich Town

3pm BST, King Power Stadium, Leicester 

Leicester got a late goal to draw 2-2 away to Forest last week and they can still move above Ipswich to finish third last. They won their last home game after losing the previous nine without scoring with only

Southampton scoring less goals on the road. They have only lost two of their last five games after losing the previous eight, but only Southampton have scored less and conceded more goals.

Maybe Jamie Vardy can do well for fantasy managers in this game considering the opposition, the occasion and the lure of his 200th goal for them.

Ipswich lost 1-0 at home to Brentford last week and they’re only ahead of Leicester on goal difference going into this game. They have taken five points from their last four away games, but only the two teams below them have conceded more goals on their travels. They have only won once in their last 17 games with only Leicester and Southampton conceding more and scoring less goals.

Liam Delap has the possibility to do well for fantasy managers in this game.

I think this will be a close game with Ipswich most likely winning narrowly.

Prediction: 1-2

Arsenal v Newcastle United 

4.30pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 away to Liverpool last week and a victory in this game should guarantee second place. They have only taken two points from their last three home games after leading in each of those games and they conceded five goals in those three games, but only Liverpool and Forest have conceded less goals on their own ground. They have only won three of their last 11 games, but they drew six of them with only Everton drawing more.

Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli plus the Arsenal defenders and keeper could be good choices for fantasy managers to finish the season.

Newcastle won 2-0 at home to Chelsea last week and they will move above Arsenal into second place if they win this game. They have taken seven points from their last four away games, but this will be a tough game for them. They have taken 22 points from their last nine games with only Liverpool scoring more goals.

Alexander Isak is still the best bet in the Newcastle team for fantasy managers with Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes worth a look too.

I think this will be a very close game with Arsenal just about having enough to take the three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Monday May 19

Brighton And Hove Albion v Liverpool 

8pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton won 2-0 away to Wolves last week to keep themselves very much in the running for European football next season. They have taken 14 points from their last seven home games, but this could be their toughest game on their own patch if Liverpool are up for it. They have taken seven points from their last three games after failing to win the previous five, but no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.

If he’s fit to play from the start Kaoru Mitoma is the Brighton player to have for fantasy managers with Danny Welbeck an option too.

Liverpool led 2-0 at home to Arsenal last week, but they had to settle for a 2-2 draw to stay 15 points clear at the top of the table with the trophy sitting proudly in their trophy room. They have lost two of their last three away games and they conceded six goals in those games, but no other team has scored more goals on their travels with only Arsenal conceding less. They haven’t won in two games since clinching the title, but no other has scored more goals and only Arsenal have conceded less.

Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz are the Liverpool players to have for the rest of the season for fantasy managers.

This is a game which could go either way and the chances are the spoils will be shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Tuesday May 20

Crystal Palace v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

8pm BST, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace won 2-0 away to a weakened Spurs team last week, but they’re highly unlikely to make it into the top half of the table even if they win their last two games. They have taken 11 points from their last five home games with only the bottom three scoring less goals on their own ground. The win against Spurs was their first win in six games and their chances in this game could depend on how the Cup Final goes for them on Saturday.

Eberechi Eze is the form Palace player for fantasy managers at the moment with Daniel Munoz and Jean-Philippe Mateta good choices too.

Wolves lost 2-0 at home to Brighton last week and that defeat saw them drop one place to 14th in the table. They lost their last away game at City after winning the previous three, but only the bottom three have conceded more goals on the road. They lost their last two games after winning the previous six and only the three relegated teams have conceded more goals.

Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen are the Wolves players who can return points for fantasy managers.

I think Palace will make home advantage pay with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Manchester City v Bournemouth 

8pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City could only draw 0-0 away to already relegated Southampton last week, but they’re still in a very strong position to qualify for Champions League football next season. They have won their last four home games and they scored 10 goals in those games with only Liverpool scoring more goals on their own patch. They are unbeaten in eight games and they kept clean sheets in five of those games with only Liverpool and Newcastle scoring more goals.

City’s defenders and keeper have done very well recently for fantasy managers, but it’s not so easy to predict which attacking players will get the nod in their last two games.

Bournemouth lost 1-0 at home to Villa last week and they probably need to win their last two games to qualify for European football next season. They are unbeaten in their last four away games, but they drew three of them with only three other teams taking more points on their travels. They have only won twice in their last 11 games, but only the top two have conceded less goals.

Justin Kluivert, Antoine Semenyo, Evanilson and Milos Kerkez could all be worth having for fantasy managers next week in particular.

I think City will continue their strong finish to the season by taking all the points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 36

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did fairly well last week with one perfect prediction, four correct outcomes and five incorrect outcomes which saw me stay on top of my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Rank	Player	Res	Cls	Exa	Slm	Pts
1 -	JamrockRover	57	139.5	102	26	324.5
2 1	Gooners	66	123	102	26	317.0
3 1	nzbuddy	51	123	120	22	316.0
4 2	Cole	64	114	111	24	313.0
5 -	TeeBee	61	120	105	23	309.0

I didn’t do too badly with my fantasy team either and I just about held on to my extremely good overall rank. My decision to bring Jarrod Bowen in and make him my captain paid off and I got points from Josko Gvardiol, Bryan Mbeumo and Alexander Isak too, but too many of my players didn’t perform. My captaincy choice this week will probably be between Mohamed Salah, Mbuemo and Omar Marmoush unless I decide to bring someone else in.

The chances are I won’t make any transfers this week though to give me two to use next week or the week after. I have had a good return targeting players playing against the three relegated teams and there’s no reason that policy shouldn’t work over the last three weeks of the season. Hopefully I can move up even further in the rankings although I don’t think I can make it into the top 10,000 at this stage.

Saturday May 10

Fulham v Everton 

3pm BST, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham lost 1-0 away to Villa last week and that defeat saw them drop into the bottom half of the table, but their European ambitions are still alive. They have only won three of their last 10 home games and this is probably the easiest game they have left. They have lost three of their last four games and they will probably need to win at least two of last three games to have any chance of finishing in the top eight.

Alex Iwobi and Ryan Sessegnon are the Fulham players most likely to do well for fantasy managers at the moment. 

Everton drew 2-2 at home to Ipswich last week after leading 2-0 and that point was enough to move them up to 14th place. They have only lost two of their last seven away games, but no other team has scored less goals on the road. They have only won once in their last 10 games, but they drew six of them with no other team drawing more games.

Despite having a reasonable run of games left I can’t see any Everton players making a real impression for fantasy managers.

I think this will be a very close game with Fulham winning narrowly.

Prediction: 2-1

Ipswich Town v Brentford 

3pm BST, Portman Road, Ipswich 

Ipswich came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 away to Everton last week and that point kept them two places off the foot of the table. They have lost their last seven home games and they conceded 24 goals in those games with only Southampton taking less points, scoring less and conceding more goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last 16 games with only the two teams below them scoring less goals and only Southampton conceding more.

I can’t see any Ipswich players to recommend to fantasy managers for the rest of the season.

Brentford won 4-3 at home to United last week and that win moved them up to ninth place with European football for next season a real possibility for them now. They have only lost once in their last nine away games and they scored 18 goals in those games while keeping clean sheets in five of them. They have won their last three games and they scored 10 goals in those games with only five other teams scoring more goals.

With a good run of games and something to play for Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa look like very good options for fantasy managers.

I think Brentford will continue to push for that European spot by taking the three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-3

Southampton v Manchester City 

3pm BST, St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton 

Southampton lost 2-0 away to Leicester last week to guarantee they will finish on the bottom of the table. They have only taken one point from their last 12 home games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals on their own ground. They have only taken two points from their last 11 games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals and they still need another point to attain more points than the worst ever return in the Premier League era.

I can’t see any Southampton players who can make a difference for fantasy managers.

City won 1-0 at home to Wolves last week to give themselves a very good chance to finish as high as second place. They have only won twice in their last five away games, but this should be their easiest game on the road this season. They have won their last four games and they scored 10 goals in those games with only Liverpool scoring more goals.

Omar Marmoush, Kevin de Bruyne and Josko Gvardiol are the City players to target for fantasy managers while the fit again Erling Haaland could be one to watch too.

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

Prediction: 0-4

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brighton And Hove Albion 

3pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves lost 1-0 away to City last week to put an end to their winning streak, but they’re still in 13th place. They have won their last three home games and they scored eight goals in those games, but only four other teams have conceded more goals on their own patch. They had won six games in a row before losing to City, but only the bottom three have conceded more goals.

Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen (if he’s fit) are the Wolves players who can do well for fantasy managers.

Brighton drew 1-1 at home to Newcastle last week and their hopes of European football are still very much alive. They have only taken one point from their last three away games and they conceded eight goals in those games with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals on their travels. They have only won once in their last seven games and they conceded 16 goals in those games with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

If he’s fit to play Kaoru Mitoma is the best bet in the Brighton team for fantasy managers with Danny Welbeck worth considering too.

I think Wolves should just have enough at home to take all the points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Bournemouth v Aston Villa 

5.30pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Bournemouth came from behind to win 2-1 away to Arsenal last week and that win moved them up to eighth place and kept their European dream going. They have only won once in their last six home games and no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals on their own ground. They are unbeaten in five games, but they drew three of them and they have two very tough games in a row starting with this one.

Antoine Semenyo, Justin Kluivert, Evanilson and Milos Kerkez are the Bournemouth players to choose for fantasy managers, but they do have two tough games in a row.

Villa won 1-0 at home to Fulham last week to keep their Champions League chances alive, but they probably need to win their last three games to fulfill that ambition. They lost their last away game after winning the previous three and they play two of their last three games on the road. They have won six of their last seven games and they scored 15 goals in those games.

Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins are the Villa players to target for fantasy managers.

This is a game which could go either way and the chances are the spoils will be shared.

Prediction: 2-2

Sunday May 11

Newcastle United v Chelsea 

12.00pm BST, St. James’s Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle drew 1-1 away to Brighton last week to hold on to fourth place on goals scored from Chelsea. They have won their last five home games and they scored 18 goals in those games with only City and Liverpool scoring more goals on their own patch. They have taken 19 points from their last eight games and they scored 20 goals in those games with only Liverpool and City scoring more goals.

Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes are the Newcastle players to target for fantasy managers.

Chelsea won 3-1 at home to Liverpool last week and they’re only behind Newcastle on goals scored going into this game. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous eight and their last two games on their travels are both against other teams chasing a Champions League place. They have taken 14 points from their last six games and they kept clean sheets in three of them with only Arsenal and Liverpool conceding less goals.

Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson are the Chelsea players most likely to perform for fantasy managers for the rest of the season.

This is a huge game for both teams Champions League chances and I think it will go the way of the home team.

Prediction: 2-1

Manchester United v West Ham United 

2.15pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United lost 4-3 away to Brentford last week as they rested players ahead of the second leg of their Europa League semi final and they are now in 15th place. They have only taken two points from their last three home games and they only scored one goal in those games with only four other teams scoring less goals on their own ground. They have only taken two points from their last six games and this could be the last game they take any points from on current form.

I don’t think United players are a good option for fantasy managers as they look to prepare for the Europa League final.

West Ham drew 1-1 away to Spurs last week and they will move above United if they win this game. They have lost their last three away games with only the bottom three taking less points on the road. They haven’t won in their last eight games, but they can still finish as high as 13th if they can do well in their last three games.

Jarrod Bowen is the only West Ham player who can make a real impression for fantasy managers.

I think West Ham will have to settle for a point even if United don’t play their strongest team.

Prediction: 1-1

Nottingham Forest v Leicester City 

2.15pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest drew 1-1 away to Palace last week and their chances of Champions League football next season are hanging by a thread. They have lost their last two home games without scoring, but no other team has conceded less goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last five games and no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.

If Forest are going to finish the season strongly then Chris Wood and Anthony Elanga will be good options for fantasy managers, but I’m not sure that will happen.

Leicester won 2-0 at home to Southampton last week to put an end to a dreadful run of home results and make sure they won’t finish at the foot of the table. They have only taken one point from their last six away games and no other team has conceded more goals on their travels. They won their last game after only taking one point from their previous 11 with only Southampton scoring less and conceding more goals.

I can’t see any Leicester players who can return points for fantasy managers.

I think Forest will get the win they need to keep their Champions League dream alive.

Prediction: 3-0

Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace 

2.15pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs drew 1-1 at home to West Ham last week and that point saw them drop to 16th as their priorities lie elsewhere. They have only won once in their last four home games, but no other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals on their own ground. They have only won once in their last nine games, but no other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals.

With their Europa League final coming I’m not sure which Spurs players will play in this game so it’s difficult to recommend them to fantasy managers.

Palace drew 1-1 at home to Forest last week and their chances of finishing in the top half of the table are probably gone now. They have only taken two points from their last four away games and they conceded 13 goals in those games. They have only taken three points from their last five games after a very good run previous to that with only Everton drawing more games.

Eberechi Eze is the Palace player to have for fantasy managers with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Daniel Munoz possibilities too.

I think Palace will be able to take advantage of a Spurs team who have all of their eggs in the Europa League basket.

Prediction: 1-2

Liverpool v Arsenal 

4.30pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool lost 3-1 away to Chelsea last week as they made a lot of changes to a team that had already secured the league title. They have won their last seven home games and they scored 19 goals in those games with only City scoring more goals on their own patch and no other team conceding less. They will want to finish the season on a high and will look for three wins with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and the Liverpool defenders and keeper can all do well for fantasy managers in this game.

Arsenal lost 2-1 at home to Bournemouth last week after leading 1-0 and they are in real danger of losing their grip on second place. They are unbeaten in their last 13 away games with no other team conceding less goals on their travels and only Liverpool and Bournemouth scoring more. They have only won three of their last 10 games with only Everton drawing more games and no other team conceding less goals.

I’m not sure there are any Arsenal players who will do enough in this game to recommend them to fantasy managers.

I think this will be a close game which will probably go the way of the home team.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 35

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did fairly well last week with one perfect prediction, five correct outcomes and two incorrect outcomes which was enough to move me back to the top of my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Rank	Player	Res	Cls	Exa	Slm	Pts
1	JamrockRover	55	136.5	99	25	315.5
2 1	Cole	64	114	111	24	313.0
3 -	Gooners	65	118.5	102	26	311.5
4 -	nzbuddy	50	120	117	22	309.0
5 -	TeeBee	61	114	105	23	303.0

I did reasonably well with my fantasy team too as I used my last chip of the season, but I still dropped a little in the overall standings. I’m still just outside the top 25,000 out of almost 11.5 million players and hopefully heading for a strong finish to the season. Matheus Cunha was my star player last week and I just wish I had went with my hunch and given him the armband.

As it was Mohamed Salah did return points as my captain with Alex Iwobi, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Fabian Schar, Alexander Isak, Luis Diaz all adding to his tally and Marc Cucurella getting me a clean sheet from the bench. I’m hoping to bring Jarrod Bowen in this week as he’s looking very good at the moment, but I might end up saving my free transfer so I can use two next week. Salah looks like the best captaincy choice this week again with Omar Marmoush a possibility too.

Friday May 2

Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

8pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City didn’t play last week as they were busy booking their place in the FA Cup Final, but they managed to hold on to their place in the top four. They have taken 10 points and scored 11 goals in their last four home games with no other team scoring more goals on their own ground. They have won their last three games and they scored nine goals in those games with only Liverpool scoring more goals.

With a good run of games to finish the season Omar Marmoush and Josko Gvardiol are the City players to have for fantasy managers.

Wolves won 3-0 at home to Leicester last week and that win moved them up to a lofty 13th place. They have won their last four away games after only winning two of the previous 13, but only the bottom three have conceded more goals on the road. They have won their last six games and they scored 13 goals in those games as well as keeping three clean sheets, but only the bottom three have conceded more goals.

Matheus Cunha, Jorgen Strand-Larsen and Rayan Ait-Nouri are the Wolves players most likely to do well for fantasy managers.

I think Wolves will make a game of it, but the chances are City will take the three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Saturday May 3

Aston Villa v Fulham 

12.30pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa didn’t play last week as they were in FA Cup semi final action, but they’re still only three points off finishing in the Champions League places with four games to go. They have won their last four home games and they scored 12 goals in those games, but only Everton have drawn more games on their own patch. They had won five games in a row before losing their last league game, but their poor goal difference could be a problem in what looks like being a tight finish.

Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers are the Villa players looking best for fantasy managers with Marco Asensio worth a shout too.

Fulham came from behind to win 2-1 away to Southampton last week and that victory kept their European ambitions firmly alive. They had lost three away games in a row before beating Southampton and they could find this a difficult game. They had lost three of their previous four games before beating Southampton and they have some tough games to finish the season.

Alex Iwobi and Ryan Sesssegnon are the Fulham players to watch for fantasy managers.

I think Villa will push for a Champions League place by taking the three points in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Everton v Ipswich Town 

3pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool 

Everton lost 1-0 away to Chelsea last week and that defeat saw them drop to 15th place. They haven’t won in their last five home games, but they drew four of them with no other team drawing more games on their own ground. They have only won once in their last nine games, but they drew five of them with no other team drawing more games.

I still can’t see any Everton players who can make a real difference for fantasy managers even against an already relegated team.

Ipswich lost 3-0 away to Newcastle last week after playing most of the game with 10 men and that defeat confirmed their automatic return to the Championship. They have taken four points from their last three away games, but only the two teams below them have conceded more goals on the road. They have only won once in their last 15 games with only the two teams below them scoring less and conceding more goals.

I’m not sure there are any Ipswich who can do well for fantasy managers either.

I think Everton will make home advantage pay to take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Leicester City v Southampton 

3pm BST, King Power Stadium, Leicester 

Leicester lost 3-0 away to Wolves last week and the only think keeping them off the foot of the table is the team they are playing in this game. They have lost their last nine home games without scoring a goal and no other team has scored less goals on their own ground. They have only taken one point from their last 10 games and they failed to score in nine of those games with only Southampton scoring less and conceding more goals.

Even with a game against Southampton I’m not sure there are any Leicester players who can do well for fantasy managers this week.

Southampton lost 2-1 at home to Fulham last week after taking an early lead and they will finish bottom of the table if they lose this game. They have taken four points from their last five away games, but only Everton have scored less goals on their travels and only Leicester have conceded more. They have only taken two points from their last 10 games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.

I can’t see any Southampton players to interest fantasy managers in this game either.

It’s not easy to know which way this game will go, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Southampton take all three points.

Prediction: 1-2

Arsenal v Bournemouth 

5.30pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal didn’t play last week, but they now only need two wins in their last four games to be certain of Champions League football next season. They have only won twice in their last five home games, but only Liverpool have taken more points on their own ground. They have only lost once in their last twenty four games and no other team has conceded less goals, but only Everton have drawn more games.

It’s difficult to know what players will play for Arsenal with the second leg of their Champions League semi final coming up, but their defenders and keeper are still good choices for fantasy managers.

Bournemouth conceded a very late goal to draw 1-1 at home to United last week to leave them in 10th place, but they still have a realistic chance of finishing as high as eighth. They haven’t won in their last four away games, but they drew three of them with no other team drawing more games on the road. They have only won once in their last nine games and their next three games are all against teams chasing a Champions League place.

With Evanilson suspended Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo are the best of the bunch in the Bournemouth team for fantasy managers.

I think this will be a very close game with a home win being the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 2-1

Sunday May 4

Brentford v Manchester United 

2pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford won 2-0 away to Forest last week and they’re within two points of eighth place which could be enough for European football next season. They have taken four points from their last two home games after failing to win the previous seven with only three other teams scoring more goals on their own ground. They have taken eight points from their last four games and they have a good run of fixtures to finish the season.

Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are the Brentford players who can make a real difference for fantasy managers.

United scored a very late goal to draw 1-1 away to Bournemouth last week, but they dropped to 14th place and they can still finish as low as 17th. They have only taken one point from their last three away games and their last two games on the road are far from easy. They have only taken two points and scored two goals in their last five games and they could struggle to win any of their remaining four games.

None of the United players have been impressive for fantasy managers recently and they will probably rotate as much as possible with their Europa League semi final in mind.

I think Brentford should have enough firepower to get the better of a close encounter.

Prediction: 2-1

Brighton And Hove Albion v Newcastle United

2pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton scored two very late goals to win 3-2 at home to West Ham last week and those three points have kept their European dreams very much alive. They have taken 13 points from their last six home games, but their last two home games are both very difficult. The win against West Ham was their first win in six games with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

Kaoru Mitoma and Danny Welbeck are the Brighton players to watch for fantasy managers.

Newcastle won 3-0 at home to Ipswich last week and that win moved them up to third place with just four games left to play. They lost their last away game after winning the previous two and they have two tough away games left to play starting with this one. They have won six of their last seven games and they scored 19 goals in those games, but they have Chelsea and Arsenal up next after this game.

Alexander Isak, Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes are all in very good form for fantasy managers at the moment.

This is a game both teams need to win, but the chances are it will end in a draw.

Prediction: 2-2

West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur 

2pm BST, London Stadium, London 

West Ham conceded two very late goals to lose 3-2 away to Brighton last week, but their top flight survival for another season was rubber stamped when Ipswich failed to win their game. They have only won once in their last six home games with only the bottom three conceding more goals on their own patch. They haven’t won in seven games and three of their last four games are against teams close to them in the table.

Jarrod Bowen could have a good week for fantasy managers while Mohammed Kudus might be one to consider too.

Spurs lost 5-1 away to Liverpool last week after taking an early lead and they’re only one place and one point ahead of West Ham going into this game. They have lost their last four away games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with only the bottom three taking less points on their travels. They have lost six of their last eight games and they conceded 18 goals in those games, but no other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals.

With Spurs concentrating on the Europa League it’s difficult to see which of their players to suggest to fantasy managers.

I think Spurs will tumble to yet another defeat in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Chelsea v Liverpool 

4.30pm. BST, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea won 1-0 at home to Everton last week and that win moved them into the Champions League places on goal difference. They have taken 19 points from their last seven home games, but this could be their toughest home game of the season. They have taken 17 points from their last eight games and they kept clean sheets in five of those games, but three of their last four games are against other teams in the top six.

Chelsea’s defenders and keeper have done well recently for fantasy managers, but they might not do so in this game.

Liverpool came from behind to win 5-1 at home to Spurs last week and that victory confirmed them as champions with four games left to play. They have only lost one away game with no other team scoring more goals on the road and only Arsenal conceding less. They have won seven of their last eight games to clinch the title with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals.

Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and the Liverpool defenders and keeper can all return points for fantasy managers for the rest of the season.

I think Liverpool will put a real dent in Chelsea’s top five hopes with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Monday May 5

Crystal Palace v Nottingham Forest 

8pm BST, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace didn’t play last week as they were booking their place in the FA Cup Final. They have taken 10 points from their last four home games, but only the bottom three have scored less goals on their own patch. They haven’t won in four games and they conceded 12 goals in those games.

Eberechi Eze, Ismaila Sarr, Jean-Philippe Mateta and Daniel Munoz are all good options for for fantasy managers.

Forest lost 2-0 at home to Brentford last week and that defeat was a huge blow to their Champions League ambitions. They have won two of their last three away games with only Liverpool winning more games on their travels. They have lost three of their last four games, but their next three games are all against teams in the bottom half of the table.

Chris Wood, Anthony Elanga and the Forest defenders and keeper are good choices for fantasy managers for the rest of the season.

I think there won’t be too much between these two teams and the spoils will probably be shared.

Prediction: 1-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 34

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did reasonably well last week with one perfect prediction, five correct outcomes and six incorrect outcomes which saw me stay in second place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Rank	Player	Res	Cls	Exa	Slm	Pts
1 -	Cole	61	114	111	24	310.0
2 -	JamrockRover	55	129	96	24	304.0
3 -	Gooners	64	112.5	99	25	300.5
4 -	nzbuddy	48	118.5	108	21	295.5
5 -	TeeBee	59	111	102	22	294.0

I did pretty well with my fantasy team too as my decision to use my bench boost chip paid off thanks to Bryan Mbeumo and Milos Kerkez. Those players were helped by further points from David Raya, William Saliba, Josko Gvardiol, Daniel Munoz, Gabriel Martinelli, Morgan Rogers and Jean-Philippe Mateta, but my choice of Omar Marmoush as my captain didn’t work out. I managed to move up to inside the top 25,000 overall though which is yet again my highest rank of the season.

I will be using my final chip this week with my free hit coming into play and I’ll be targeting players who are up against the three relegated teams. That should see my team full of Newcastle, Fulham and Wolves players with some Liverpool players thrown in as they look to clinch the league title at home to Spurs. I’m hoping for another good week and for my team to climb even further in the overall standings.

Saturday April 26

Chelsea v Everton

12.30pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea came from behind to win 2-1 away to Fulham last week and they’re now three points off the top four with some difficult games left to finish their season. They have taken 17 points from their last seven home games and three of their last five games are on their own ground. They have taken 14 points from their last seven games and they kept clean sheets in four of those games, but they probably have the toughest end to the season of all the teams chasing a Champions League spot.

Cole Palmer remains the best of the Chelsea players for fantasy managers despite his recent poor returns.

Everton lost 2-0 at home to City last week to stay in 13th place, but they’re only two points above 17th placed West Ham. They have only lost once in their last six away games, but no other team has scored less goals on the road with only Arsenal conceding less. They have only won once in their last eight games, but they drew five of them with no other team drawing more games.

I’m not sure there are any Everton players doing enough to make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Chelsea will be good enough at home to take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Brighton And Hove Albion v West Ham United 

3pm BST, ANEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton lost 4-2 away to Brentford last week after playing half of the game with 10 men and they won’t finish higher than eighth at this stage. They have only taken one point from their last two home games after winning the previous three, but three of their last five games are on their own patch. They have only taken two points from their last five games and they conceded 13 goals in those games with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

With Joao Pedro suspended Danny Welbeck and Kaoru Mitoma are the best bets in the Brighton team for fantasy managers.

West Ham drew 1-1 at home to already relegated Southampton last week and they’re still not mathematically certain of staying up, but they will not be relegated. They have only won once in their last seven away games with only two other teams scoring less goals on their travels. They haven’t won in six games and they have to play three of the teams close to them in the table in their last five games.

Jarrod Bowen is still the only West Ham player of any interest to fantasy managers.

I think Brighton will manage a much needed win in a close game.

Prediction: 2-1

Newcastle United v Ipswich Town 

3pm BST, St. James’s Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle lost 4-1 away to Villa last week to drop to fifth place and they’re in a real scrap to qualify for the Champions League for next season. They have won their last four home games and they scored 15 goals in those games with only City scoring more goals on their own ground. They had won five games in a row before losing to Villa and they need to win this game with some tough games to finish their season.

Alexander Isak, Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes are probably the Newcastle players to have for fantasy managers in this game.

Ipswich lost 4-0 at home to Arsenal last week, but they’re still not mathematically relegated even though it is an absolute certainty. They have taken four points from their last two away games, but only three other teams have conceded more goals on the road. They have only won once in their last 14 games with only the two teams below them scoring less and conceding more goals.

I can’t see any Ipswich players of interest to fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Newcastle will get a badly needed win with a few goals in hand in this game.

Prediction: 4-1

Southampton v Fulham 

3pm BST, St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton 

Southampton scored very late to draw 1-1 away to West Ham last week and they have now equalled the lowest points in a Premier League season with five games left to play to finish above that total. They have only taken one point from their last 11 home games with only Everton scoring less goals on their own patch and only Leicester conceding more. They have only won once in their last 23 games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.

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

Fulham conceded two late goals to lose 2-1 at home to Chelsea last week and that defeat left them in ninth place with eighth probably being the height of their ambitions at this stage. They have lost their last three away games and three of their remaining five games are on their travels. They have lost three of their last four games and no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.

Alex Iwobi, Antonee Robinson and Raul Jiminez could do well for fantasy managers in this game.

I think Fulham should be good enough to win this game with two or three goals to spare.

Prediction: 1-3

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Leicester City 

3pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves won 1-0 away to United last week and that win moved them up to 15th in the table as well as guaranteeing their survival. They have taken 10 points in their last five home games, but only the bottom three teams have conceded more goals on their own ground. They have won their last five games and they will be looking to move even further up the table with three points in this game.

Matheus Cunha, Jorgen Strand Larsen and Rayan Ait-Nouri are the Wolves players to have for fantasy managers in this game.

Leicester lost 1-0 at home to Liverpool last week and that defeat confirmed their relegation straight back to the Championship. They have only taken one point from their last five away games with no other team conceding more goals on the road. They have only taken one point from their last 10 games and they failed to score in nine of those games with only Southampton scoring less and conceding more goals.

I can’t see any Leicester players who can make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.

I can’t see anything other than a victory for Wolves in this game.

Prediction: 3-0

Sunday April 27

Bournemouth v Manchester United 

2pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth drew 0-0 away to Palace last week to leave them in eighth place and that looks to be as high as they can finish this season. They won their last home game after losing the previous four and they only scored three goals in those games, but only Forest and Liverpool have conceded less goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last eight games and they have a tough run of games coming up.

Justin Kluivert, Milos Kerkez and Evanilson are the Bournemouth players to consider for fantasy managers, but they have some tough games coming up.

United lost 1-0 at home to Wolves last week and they could end up finishing as low as 17th on their current trajectory. They have only won once in their last five away games with only four other teams scoring less goals on their travels. They have only taken one point and scored one goal in their last four games with only the bottom four scoring less goals.

I can’t see any United players doing enough on a consistent basis to recommend them to fantasy managers.

I think Bournemouth will get the better of United who will slip to yet another defeat in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur 

4.30pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool won 1-0 at home to Leicester last week and they will be crowned champions if they don’t lose this game. They have won their last six home games and they scored 14 goals in those games with only City and Newcastle scoring more goals on their own ground and only Forest conceding less. They have won six of their last seven games and they kept clean sheets in four of them with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

Mohamed Salah is officially off the boil for fantasy managers, but he’s still a great bet in this game along with Luis Diaz and the Liverpool defenders and keeper.

Spurs lost 2-1 at home to Forest last week and they’re now only one place and one point above 17th in the table. They have lost their last three away games and they conceded eight goals in those games with only the bottom two losing more games on the road. They have only taken four points from their last seven games and they conceded 13 goals in those games as their priorities seem to have shifted to the Europa League.

I’m not sure what we will see from Spurs players for the rest of the season with the Europa League seemingly their priority so it’s probably best for fantasy managers to avoid them.

I can’t see anything other than a comprehensive Liverpool victory in this game.

Prediction: 4-1

Thursday May 1

Nottingham Forest v Brentford 

7.30pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest won 2-1 away to Spurs last week and that win leaves them in fourth place with just five games remaining. They lost their last home game after taking 13 points from the previous five games on their own patch with no other team conceding less goals at home. They have won four of their last six games and their next four games are all against teams in the bottom half of the table.

Chris Wood and Anthony Elanga are the Forest players to have for fantasy managers along with their defenders and keeper in home games.

Brentford won 4-2 at home to Brighton last week to move within touching distance of the teams fighting for the last European place. They have only lost once in their last eight away games and their last two games on the road after this one are against teams in the bottom six. They have only lost twice in their last nine games and they have a good run of games to finish the season after this one.

Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are the Brentford players who return for fantasy managers week in and week out.

I think this will be a very tight game with Forest probably taking all three points with the only goal.

Prediction: 1-0

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.