Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 11

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did pretty well week with two perfect predictions, three correct outcomes and five incorrect outcomes which saw me climb to the top of my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

1 4	JamrockRover	13	45	33	8	99.0
2 1	Cole	18	33	39	8	98.0
3 1	hitch	23	31.5	36	7	97.5
4 2	Gooners	20	30	39	7	96.0
5 2	Sam	18	39	30	8	95.0

My fantasy team did fairly well last week too despite my captain failing to make any headway yet again. Thankfully Mark Flekken, Josko Gvardiol, Ola Aina and Danny Welbeck managed to secure some points and my team climbed in the overall rankings yet again. I didn’t make any transfers last week so I have two to make this week and I will most likely sell Erling Haaland and buy Mohamed Salah.

To do so I will have to bring in a cut price striker and it looks like a straight call between Matheus Cunha and Chris Wood. The chances are I will opt for Cunha as the fixtures for Wolves look very promising over the next few weeks.

Saturday November 9

Brentford v Bournemouth 

3pm GMT, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford conceded two goals in added time to lose 2-1 away to Fulham last week and that defeat meant they stayed in the bottom half of the table. No other team has taken more points or scored more goals on their own ground and they will be hoping to extend that record in this game. They have been the opposite away from home though which is why they are in the bottom half of the table and only two other teams have conceded more goals.

Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are the Brentford players to have for fantasy managers and particularly when they play at home.

Bournemouth won 2-1 at home to City last week and that win moved them into the top half of the table on goal difference. They have only won once in their five away games and only two other teams have scored less goals on the road. They have taken 10 points from their last five games which included wins against both of last season’s top two.

Antoine Semenyo has been the Bournemouth player to have for fantasy managers with Evanilson looking good recently too.

I think this is going to be a close game and the chances are Brentford will make home advantage count to take all three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Crystal Palace v Fulham

3pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace drew 2-2 away to Wolves last week and that win leaves them one place and two points above the relegation zone. They won their last home game after failing to win the previous four and no other team has scored less goals on their own patch. They have taken four points from their last two games after only taking three in the previous eight with only Southampton scoring less goals.

I’m still not sure there are any Palace players doing enough to recommend them to fantasy managers.

Fulham scored two added time goals to win 2-1 at home to Brentford last week and that win moved them within three points of the top four. They have only won once in their five away games and only two other teams have scored less goals on their travels. Their late win against Brentford was their first win in four games, but their next two opponents are both in the bottom four starting with this game.

Emile Smith Rowe and Raul Jimenez have been the best of the Fulham players for fantasy managers while Antonee Robinson should be considered too.

I think this will be another close game with a draw probably the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

West Ham United v Everton 

3pm GMT, London Stadium, London 

West Ham lost 3-0 away to Forest last week as their disappointing start to the season continues. They have won their last two home games and they scored six goals in those games, but they lost the previous three and only Wolves have conceded more goals on their own ground. They have won two of their last four games, but they need to get something from this game with two very tough games after it and only three other teams have conceded more goals.

Despite their poor start to the season Jarrod Bowen is still the West Ham player who can do well for fantasy managers.

Everton lost 1-0 away to Southampton last week and they’re still only four points above the bottom three despite their recent upturn in results. They have only won once in their five away games with only two other teams scoring less goals on the road. They were unbeaten in five games before losing to Southampton and only three other teams have scored less goals.

Dwight McNeil has been by far the best of the Everton players for fantasy managers so far.

This is yet another game which could go either way and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Southampton 

3pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves drew 2-2 at home to Palace last week, but they dropped back to the foot of the table after Southampton beat Everton. They’re one of two teams without a home win and no other team has taken less points or conceded more goals on their own patch. They have drawn their last two games after only taking one point from the previous eight and they’re one of two teams without a win with no other team conceding more goals.

Matheus Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Jorgen Strand Larsen could all do very well for fantasy managers over the next few weeks.

Southampton won 1-0 at home to Everton last week and that win moved them off the foot of the table. They’re one of two teams without a point away from home and no other team has scored less goals on their travels. They won their last game after only taking one point from their previous nine with no other team scoring less goals.

I’m not convinced there are any Southampton players doing enough to interest fantasy managers.

I think Wolves might just be able to get their first win of the season in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Brighton And Hove Albion v Manchester City 

5.30pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton lost 2-1 away to Liverpool last week after taking the lead, but they managed to hold on to their place in the top half of the table and they’re only two points off the top four. They’re one of four teams still unbeaten at home and no other team has drawn more games on their own ground. They have taken seven points from their last four games and they have a good run of games coming up after this one.

Danny Welbeck and Georginio Rutter are the Brighton players who fantasy managers should look out for.

City lost 2-1 away to Bournemouth last week and that defeat cost them their place at the top of the table. They have only won once in their last three away games and their next game on the road is against Liverpool. The loss to Bournemouth was their first one of the season with only Spurs scoring more goals.

Although it’s difficult to avoid Erling Haaland his recent form just doesn’t justify his price for fantasy managers, but Josko Gvardiol has been very good during that time.

This is a very difficult game to predict, but I think City will bounce back with a narrow victory.

Prediction: 1-2

Liverpool v Aston Villa

8pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Brighton last week and that win moved them back to the top of the table after City were beaten by Bournemouth. Their only defeat so far came at home and they play two of last season’s top four in their next two home games starting with this one, but no other team has conceded less goals on their own patch. They have won eight of their 10 games with only three other teams scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.

Mohamed Salah is an absolute must have for fantasy managers with all of their defenders and keeper very good choices too along with Luis Diaz.

Villa led away to Spurs last week, but they ended up losing 4-1 and that defeat saw them drop out of the top four on goal difference. The defeat against Spurs was their first away loss, but they face three of the current top four in their next three away games starting with this one. They have only won once in their last five games and they have only kept one clean sheet in their 10 games so far with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers remain the Villa players who should be of most interest to fantasy managers.

I think Liverpool will keep their place at the top of the table with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Sunday November 10

Manchester United v Leicester City 

2pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United drew 1-1 at home to Chelsea last week and that draw means they’re still three points off the top of the table. They have only won once in their last four home games with only Palace scoring less on their own ground. They have only won once in their last six games with only two other teams scoring less goals.

Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho are the United players who could do well for fantasy managers over the next few weeks.

Leicester drew 1-1 away to Ipswich last week and that point left them five points above the bottom three. They have taken five points from their five away games, but only two other teams have conceded more goals on the road. They have a couple of very tough games in a row starting with this one, but they’re one of only two teams to have scored in every game so far.

Jamie Vardy and Facundo Buonanotte are the Leicester players most likely to make a contribution for fantasy managers.

I think United will get a much need victory in this game with a few goals to spare.

Prediction: 3-1

Nottingham Forest v Newcastle United 

2pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest won 3-0 at home to West Ham last week and that win moved them up to third place. They have won their last two home games without conceding a goal and no other team has conceded less goals on their own patch. They have won their last three games and they scored seven goals in those games while only conceding one with only Liverpool conceding less goals.

Chris Wood and all of Forest’s defenders and keeper are looking like very good options for fantasy managers at the moment.

Newcastle won 1-0 at home to Arsenal last week, but they’re still in the bottom half of the table even if it’s only on goal difference. They have only taken one point from their last three away games and only two other teams have scored less goals on their travels. The win against Arsenal was their first win in six games and only three other teams have scored less goals.

Alexander Isak looks to be the Newcastle player to have for fantasy managers while Anthony Gordon must come good soon too.

I think Forest will continue their fantastic start to the season with another narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Tottenham Hotspur v Ipswich Town 

2pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs came from behind to win 4-1 at home to Villa last week and that win moved them within two points of the top four. They have won their last three home games and they scored 11 goals in those games with no other team scoring more goals on their own ground. They have won four of their last six games and no other team has scored more goals.

Brennan Johnson, James Maddison, Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-Min and Dominic Solanke are all looking pretty good for fantasy managers at the moment.

Ipswich led at home to Leicester last week, but they had to settle for a 1-1 draw which kept them in the relegation zone. They are one of five teams still without an away win and no other team has conceded more goals on the road. They’re one of two teams still without a win, but no other team has drawn more games with only Wolves conceding more goals.

Liam Delap remains the Ipswich player most likely to return points for fantasy managers.

I think Spurs should win this game with at least a few goals to spare.

Prediction: 4-1

Chelsea v Arsenal 

4.30pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea came from behind to draw 1-1 away to United last week and that point was enough to move them into the top four. They have taken eight points from their last four home games, but they play two of last season’s top four in their next two home games starting with this one. They have only won once in their last four games, but only two other teams have scored more goals.

Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson are the Chelsea players who can make a real difference for fantasy managers.

Arsenal lost 1-0 away to Newcastle last week and that defeat saw them drop out of top four. They have lost their last two away games without scoring and only two other teams have scored less goals on their travels. They have only taken one point from their last three games and they need to get something from this game to try to keep pace with the leaders.

Bukayo Saka is still the best of the Arsenal players for fantasy managers and their defenders and keeper are usually good choices too, but they haven’t been in recent weeks.

I think this will be a very close game and the chances are it will end all square.

Prediction: 1-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 10

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 two perfect predictions, three correct outcomes and five incorrect outcomes which saw me move up to fifth 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 2	Cole	17	33	36	8	94.0
2 -	Gooners	18	27	39	7	91.0
3 2	Sam	16	36	30	8	90.0
4 3	hitch	21	28.5	33	6	88.5
5 3	JamrockRover	12	42	27	7	88.0

I had a pretty good week with my fantasy team too as I moved up to inside the top two percent overall. My choice of Erling Haaland as my captain paid off to a degree with his goal, but I might have to consider selling him if his form doesn’t improve soon. Thankfully other players such as Josko Gvardiol, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Bryan Mbeumo and Danny Welbeck scored points for me along with Haaland to contribute to my good score.

The chances are I’ll go with Haaland as my captain again this week and I’ll try not to make any transfers either so that I can build up to making a few together. My biggest regret last week was opting for Raul Jiminez over Chris Wood, but I’m hoping Jiminez will come good this week.

Saturday November 2

Newcastle United v Arsenal 

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

Newcastle lost 2-1 away to Chelsea last week and that defeat saw them drop into the bottom half of the table. They haven’t won in their last two home games with only Liverpool conceding less goals on their own ground and only five other teams scoring less. They have only taken two points from their last five games and only three other teams have scored less goals.

I can’t see any Newcastle players doing enough at the moment to interest fantasy managers, but Alexander Isak and Harvey Barnes are both capable of doing so.

Arsenal led twice at home to Liverpool last week, but they had to settle for a 2-2 draw and they’re now five points behind City at the top of the table. They haven’t won in their last two away games with only two other teams conceding less goals on the road, but only three other teams scoring less. They haven’t won in their last two games and they have a tough run of games coming up, but only three other teams have conceded less goals.

Bukayo Saka is still the Arsenal player of choice for fantasy managers.

I think this will be a very close game and the chances are Arsenal will win narrowly.

Prediction: 1-2

Bournemouth v Manchester City 

3pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth got a very late goal to draw 1-1 away to Villa last week and they’re only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They have won their last two home games and they scored five goals in those games with only Liverpool conceding less goals on their own patch. They have taken seven points from their last four games, but they will have their work cut out to get anything from this game.

Antoine Semenyo has been the Bournemouth player doing the most for fantasy managers, but his returns have dried up in recent weeks.

City won 1-0 at home to Southampton last week and that win was enough to move them to the top of the table as Liverpool drew with Arsenal. They are one of four teams still unbeaten away from home with no other team conceding less goals on their travels. They’re the only team still unbeaten and no other team has scored more goals with only Liverpool and Forest conceding less.

Erling Haaland is the outstanding City player for fantasy managers despite his recent lack of goals while Josko Gvardiol looks a good choice too.

I think City will keep their place at the top of the table with another win in this game.

Prediction: 0-2

Ipswich Town v Leicester City 

3pm GMT, Portman Road, Ipswich 

Ipswich lost 4-3 away to Brentford last week and that defeat saw them drop into the relegation zone. They’re one of three teams still without a home win and no other team has scored less goals on their own ground. They’re one of three teams without a win with only Wolves conceding more goals and only three other teams scoring less.

Despite Ipswich’s lowly position Liam Delap still looks like a good option for fantasy managers.

Leicester lost 3-1 at home to Forest in their last game, but they’re still performing by far the best of the promoted teams with five points to spare over bottom three. They won their last away game after only taking one point from the previous three with only three other teams conceding more goals on the road and only three other teams scoring less too. They lost their last game after winning the previous two with no other team in the bottom half of the table scoring less goals.

Jamie Vardy and Facundo Buonanotte are the Leicester players looking good for fantasy managers at the moment. 

I think this will be a close game with Leicester probably winning by the odd goal.

Prediction: 1-2

Liverpool v Brighton And Hove Albion 

3pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool twice came from behind to draw 2-2 away to Arsenal last week and that result saw them drop to second place behind City. Their only defeat so far came at home and no other team has conceded less goals on their own patch. They have only lost one of their nine games with no other team conceding less goals and only four other teams scoring more.

Mohamed Salah is a must have for fantasy managers at the moment with the Liverpool defenders and keeper good choices too.

Brighton conceded two late goals to draw 2-2 at home to Wolves last week which leaves them in sixth place just two points behind the top four. They have only lost one of their away games, but this is one of their hardest games on their travels of the season. They have only lost one game so far, but they play the top two in their next two games.

Danny Welbeck and Georginio Rutter are the Brighton players who should interest fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Liverpool’s impressive start to the season will continue with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Nottingham v West Ham United 

3pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest won 3-1 away to Leicester last time out and that win moved them within two points of the top four. They won their last home game after failing to win the previous three with no other team scoring less goals on their own ground and only Liverpool conceding less. They have won their last two games and only Liverpool have conceded less goals, but they have some tough games coming up.

Chris Wood is in fantastic form for fantasy managers at the moment with all of the Forest defenders and keeper worth considering too.

West Ham won 2-1 at home to United last week and that win moved them within a point of the top half of the table. They lost their last away game after being unbeaten in the previous three, but their next two games on the road are both very difficult starting with this one. They have won two of their last three games after only winning once in the previous six, but only five other teams have conceded more goals.

Jarrod Bowen remains the best bet in the West Ham team for fantasy managers.

I think Forest’s excellent start to the season will continue with all three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Southampton v Everton 

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

Southampton lost 1-0 away to City last week and that defeat saw them fall to the foot of the table. They have only taken one point at home and no other team has scored less goals on their own patch. They’re one of three teams without a win with no other team scoring less goals and only Wolves and Ipswich conceding more.

Despite their awful start to the season Cameron Archer is the Southampton player who has shown recently that he might have something to offer to fantasy managers and he’s available at a very good price too.

Everton drew 1-1 at home to Fulham in their last game and they’re five points above the bottom three. They won their last away game after only taking one point from the previous three with only three other teams scoring less goals on their travels. They have taken nine points from their last five games after losing the previous four and they have a good run of games coming up.

If he’s fit to play Dwight McNeil is the Everton player who should be of most interest to fantasy managers.

I think Everton will climb even further clear of the relegation zone with a victory in this game.

Prediction: 0-2

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Crystal Palace 

5.30pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves scored two late goals to draw 2-2 away to Brighton last week and that was enough to lift them off the bottom of the table. They are the only team without a point at home and no other team has conceded more goals on their own ground, but their next five home games are all against teams in the bottom half of the table. Their draw against Brighton put an end to a run of five consecutive defeats and no other team has conceded more goals.

Rayan Ait-Nouri, Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen all look like very good options for fantasy managers for the next few weeks.

Palace won 1-0 at home to Spurs in their last game to record their first win of the season and move out of the relegation zone. They’re one of five teams without a point away from home with no other team scoring less goals on the road. They had lost three games in a row before beating Spurs, but no other team has scored less goals.

I’m still not convinced there are any Palace players doing enough at the moment to peak the interest of fantasy managers.

I think this will be a very close game and the chances are the spoils will be shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Sunday November 3

Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa

2pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs lost 1-0 away to Palace in their last game and they’re now five points behind the top four, but only one point above the bottom half of the table. They have won their last two home games scoring seven goals in those two wins and three of their next four games are on their own patch. They have lost two of their last three games, but only two other teams have scored more goals.

Son Heung-Min, Brennan Johnson, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski are looking like good options for fantasy managers.

Villa conceded a very late goal to draw 1-1 at home to Bournemouth last week and they’re now five points behind City at the top of the table. They’re one of four teams still unbeaten away from home and only two other teams have scored more goals on their travels. They’re unbeaten in seven games, but three of their next four games are against big six teams starting with this one.

Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers are still the Villa players to have for fantasy managers.

I think this is a game which could go either way and the chances are Villa might just edge it.

Prediction: 1-2

Manchester United v Chelsea 

4.30pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United lost 2-1 away to West Ham last week and that cost Erik Ten Hag his job as they dropped to 14th place in the table. They won their last home game after losing the previous two and no other team has scored less goals on their own ground. They have only won once in their last five games and only two other teams have scored less goals.

With a new regime about to start Bruno Fernandes might just be the United player to have for fantasy managers with Alejandro Garnacho plus their defenders and keeper possibilities too.

Chelsea won 2-1 at home to Newcastle in their last game and they’re now only one point off the top four. They have won three of their four away games with no other team scoring more goals on the road and only two other teams conceding less. They have only lost one of their last eight games and only City have scored more goals.

Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson are both in very good form for fantasy managers at the moment.

This is a game both teams really need to take three points from, but the chances are they will have to settle for a point apiece.

Prediction: 1-1

Monday November 4

Fulham v Brentford 

8pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham conceded very late to draw 1-1 away to Everton last week and that point was enough to keep them in the top half of the table. They lost their last home game after taking seven points from the previous three and they will be confident of taking all three points in their next two home games starting with this one. They have only taken one point from their last three games and they conceded seven goals in those games.

Raul Jimenez is probably the best of the Fulham players for fantasy managers with Emile Smith Rowe a good option too.

Brentford scored a last gasp goal to win 4-3 at home to Ipswich last time out and that victory moved into the top half of the table. They’re one of two teams without a point away from home and no other has scored less goals on their travels. Despite their poor away form only two other teams have scored more goals, but they need their away form to improve or they will drop down the table.

Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are the Brentford players to have for fantasy managers, but they fare a lot better at home than they do away from home.

I think Fulham should be able to make home advantage count to take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek Nine

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I had a reasonably good week last week with one perfect prediction, six correct outcomes and three incorrect outcomes which saw me move up to eighth 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 -	hitch	19	27	33	6	85.0
2	Gooners	16	27	33	7	83.0
3 1	Cole	15	28.5	30	7	80.5
4	nzbuddy	12	30	33	5	80.0
5 -	Sam	14	31.5	27	7	79.5

I did reasonably well with my fantasy team last week when a lot of others struggled which saw me climb back into the top 3% of managers overall. I was helped by Danny Welbeck, Josko Gvardiol and Ola Aina with Lucas Digne and Mark Flekken adding a few points too. My choice of Erling Haaland as my captain didn’t pay off again as he failed to score against the worst defence in the league.

I will be going with Haaland again this week though as a home game against Southampton should surely see him get plenty of opportunities to add to his 10 goals he has already scored. I’m also looking to bring Raul Jiminez in as he’s in very good form and a move for Facundo Buonanotte might not be a bad idea either. I wish I had kept patience with Morgan Rogers as he started living up to the hype as soon as I sold him.

Friday October 25

Leicester City v Nottingham Forest 

8pm BST, King Power Stadium, Leicester 

Leicester came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 away to Southampton last week and that win moved them up to 14th place. They have only lost one of their four home games and only five other teams have conceded less goals on their own ground. They have won their last two games after failing to win their first six and they are one of two teams to have scored in each of their games so far.

Facundo Buonanotte is the best of the Leicester players for fantasy managers with Jamie Vardy a possibility too.

Forest won 1-0 at home to Palace last time out and that win moved them up to eighth place in the table. They’re one of four teams still unbeaten away from home with only two other teams conceding less goals on the road. They have only lost one game so far, but no other team has drawn more and only Liverpool have conceded less goals.

Chris Wood is the Forest player to have for fantasy managers with all of their defenders and keeper good choices too.

I think this will be a close game with Forest probably managing to take the three points.

Prediction: 1-2

Saturday October 26

Aston Villa v Bournemouth 

3pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa won 3-1 away to Fulham in their last game to stay in fourth place with four points to make up on the leaders. Their only defeat so far came at home, but their next four home games are all ones they should win. They are unbeaten in six games and they have taken 14 points and scored 13 goals in those games with only three other teams scoring more goals.

Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers are the Villa players who can do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

Bournemouth won 2-0 at home to Arsenal last week and they’re only outside the top half of the table on goals scored. They have lost their last two away games without scoring and only three other teams have scored less goals on their travels. They had lost three of their previous four games before beating Arsenal and they failed to score in each of those defeats.

Antoine Semenyo is the Bournemouth player most likely to make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Villa’s impressive start to the season will continue with another win in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Brentford v Ipswich Town 

3pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford lost 2-1 away to United in their last game, but they’re still only one point off the top half of the table. They’re one of four teams still unbeaten at home with no other team scoring more goals on their own ground. The difference between their home and away form is vast at the moment and only three other teams have conceded more goals.

Bryan Mbeumo is the Brentford player to have for fantasy managers and Yoane Wissa could be considered too now that he’s back from injury.

Ipswich lost 2-0 at home to Everton last time out, but they’re still one point and one place above the relegation zone. They’re one of five teams without a win away from home and no other team has scored less goals on the road. They’re one of four teams without a win, but no other team has drawn more games and only the bottom two have conceded more goals.

Liam Delap is the only Ipswich player for fantasy managers to consider.

I think Brentford’s home form suggests they should have a fairly comfortable victory in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Brighton And Hove Albion v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

3pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton won 1-0 away to Newcastle last week and that win moved them up to fifth place just two points off the top four. They’re one of four teams unbeaten at home and they play the bottom three in three of their next four home games, but the other one is against City. They have won their last two games after failing to win the previous four, but they play the top two in their next two games after this one.

If he’s fit to play Danny Welbeck is the Brighton player who should interest fantasy managers the most with Georginio Rutter looking good recently too.

Wolves lost 2-1 at home to City in their last game and that defeat left them at the foot of the table on goal difference behind Southampton. Their only point so far came away from home, but no other team has conceded more goals on their travels. They have lost seven of their eight games and they conceded 23 goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals, but their fixtures will improve after this game.

Both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri could do well for fantasy managers while Jorgen Strand Larsen shouldn’t be neglected either.

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

Prediction: 2-1

Manchester City v Southampton 

3pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City got a last gasp goal to win 2-1 away to Wolves last time out and that win kept them in second place one point behind Liverpool. They are one of four teams unbeaten at home and no other team has scored more goals on their own patch. They are the only team still unbeaten and no other team has scored more goals, but they haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last seven games.

Despite not scoring in his last three games Erling Haaland is still the City player to have for fantasy managers with Josko Gvardiol worth considering too.

Southampton led 2-0 at home to Leicester last week, but they ended up losing 3-2 and they’re only off the foot of the table on goal difference. They’re one of two teams without a point away from home and no other team has scored less goals on the road while only Wolves have conceded more. The poor form of Wolves is the only thing keeping them off the bottom of the table with only Palace scoring less goals and only Wolves conceding more.

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

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

Prediction: 4-0

Everton v Fulham 

5.30pm BST, Goodison Park, London 

Everton won 2-0 away to Ipswich in their last game and they’re now closer to the top half of the table than they are to the bottom three. They have taken four points from their last two home games after losing the previous two and only three other teams have conceded more goals on their own ground. They are unbeaten in four games after losing the previous four and they have kept clean sheets in their last two games.

Dwight McNeil is the Everton player to watch for fantasy managers while their defenders and keeper could do well going forward too.

Fulham lost 3-1 at home to Villa last time out, but they managed to hold on to their spot in the top half of the table. They have only one once in their four away games, but they have a fairly good run of games on the road coming up. They have lost their last two games after being unbeaten in the previous five and their next four games are all against teams below them in the table.

Raul Jiminez is the Fulham player looking most likely to make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment with Emile Smith Rowe a possibility too.

I think this will be a close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Sunday October 27

Chelsea v Newcastle 

2pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea lost 2-1 away to Liverpool last week and that defeat saw them drop to three points below the top four. They have only won once in their four home games and they have a tough run of games on their own patch coming up starting with this one. They were unbeaten in six games before losing to Liverpool and only two other teams have scored more goals. 

Cole Palmer is a very good option for fantasy managers and Nicolas Jackson looks pretty good too.

Newcastle lost 1-0 at home to Brighton in their last game and they dropped to ninth place, but they’re only two points behind Chelsea going into this game. They have only won once in their four away games and only four other teams have scored less goals on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last four games and they only scored two goals in those games with only four other teams scoring less goals.

None of the Newcastle players have done much recently for fantasy managers, but Harvey Barnes, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon all have the potential to perform.

I don’t think there will be too much between these two teams, but the chances are Chelsea will win.

Prediction: 2-1

Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur 

2pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace lost 1-0 away to Forest last time out and they’re in the bottom three without a win to their names. They have only taken two points and scored two goals in their four home games and no other team has scored less goals on their own ground. They’re one of four teams without a win so far and no other team has scored less goals.

I can’t see any Palace players doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment.

Spurs came from behind to win 4-1 at home to West Ham last week and they’re only four points off the top four. They have only won once in their four away games, but they will fancy their chances in this game. They have won three of their last four games with only City scoring more goals. 

There are quite a few players in the Spurs team to interest fantasy managers with Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski, Son Heung-Min, James Maddison (if he plays) and possibly even Dominic Solanke the best of them.

Despite Palace’s poor form I think they might just manage to share the points in this game.

Prediction: 1-1

West Ham United v Manchester United 

2pm GMT, London Stadium, London 

West Ham lost 4-1 away to Spurs in their last game and they dropped to 15th place in the table. They have lost three of their four home games and only one other team has conceded more goals on their own patch. They have only won two of their eight games and only three other teams have conceded more goals.

Despite West Ham’s lowly position Jarrod Bowen still looks like a good choice for fantasy managers.

United came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Brentford last time out and they’re now only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They have only won once in their four away games, but only Liverpool have conceded less goals on their travels. The win against Brentford was their first win in four games and only three other teams have scored less goals.

Andre Onana and Diogo Dalot are the United players doing well for fantasy managers at the moment while Alejandro Garnacho might be worth a shot too.

I think this is a game which could go either way and the chances are it will end in a draw.

Prediction: 2-2

Arsenal v Liverpool 

4.30pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal lost 2-0 away to Bournemouth last week to put an end to their unbeaten start to the season. No other team has taken more points on their own ground, but this will be one of their toughest tests at home. They are in a very tough run of games at the moment, but only three other teams have scored more goals and only two other teams have conceded less.

If he’s fit to play Bukayo Saka is the Arsenal player to have for fantasy managers and Kai Havertz could do well too.

Liverpool won 2-1 at home to Chelsea in their last game and that win kept them one point ahead of City at the top of the table. They are the only team to still have a 100% record away from home and no other team has conceded less goals on the road. They have won seven of their eight games and no other team has conceded less goals so far.

Mohamed Salah has shown yet again how good he can be for fantasy managers while all of Liverpool’s defenders and their keeper are very good choices too.

Arsenal need to win this game or at least not lose and I think they might just have the edge on the day.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek Eight

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I had a reasonable week last time out with six correct outcomes and four incorrect outcomes which saw me move up one 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 -	hitch	12	27	33	6	78.0
2 1	Cole	14	27	27	7	75.0
3 1	IcemanRazor	11	28.5	27	6	72.5
4 3	Gooners	13	27	24	6	70.0
5 4	Sam	12	30	21	6	69.0

My choice of Erling Haaland as my fantasy captain didn’t pay off last week as he failed to score for the second game in a row. Thankfully Bukayo Saka, Danny Welbeck, Cole Palmer and Lucas Digne came to the rescue and I managed to move up in the overall standings. The chances are Haaland will be my captain again this week with City travelling to the worst defence in the league.

I brought Palmer in for Mohamed Salah last week and it paid off and I’ll probably bring Bryan Mbeumo in for Luis Diaz this week. That will leave me with no Liverpool players despite them being on top of the table, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take.

Saturday October 19

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United 

12.30pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs led 2-0 away to Brighton last week, but they ended up losing 3-2 to drop back to ninth place. They have won two of their three home games with only Liverpool conceding less goals on their own ground and they have a good run of home games coming up. They have lost three of their last five games, but only three other teams have scored more goals.

Brennan Johnson is the in form Spurs player for fantasy managers with James Maddison, Dominic Solanke and Son Heung-Min (if he’s fit to play) good options too.

West Ham won 4-1 at home to Ipswich last time out and they’re only two points behind Spurs going into this game. They’re still unbeaten away from home with only Liverpool conceding less goals on the road. The win against Ipswich was their first win in five games and they have a very tough run of games coming up.

Jarrod Bowen is the West Ham player to have for fantasy managers while Tomas Soucek and Michail Antonio have both done well at a good price.

I think Spurs will get back to winning ways with a couple of goals to spare in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Fulham v Aston Villa

3pm BST, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham led early on away to City last week, but they ended up losing 3-2 which still left them three points off the top four. They are unbeaten at home with only three other teams conceding less goals on their own patch. The defeat against City was their first loss in six games and only four other teams have conceded less goals.

Emile Smith Rowe and Raul Jiminez are the Fulham players for fantasy managers to look out for while Antonee  Robinson should be considered too.

Villa drew 0-0 at home to United last time out and that point kept them in fifth place, but they’re now four points behind the leaders. They are still unbeaten on their travels with seven points from three games, but their away games are about to get a lot harder. They have taken 11 points from their last five games, but they only kept their first clean sheet against United.

Ollie Watkins is the Villa player to have for fantasy managers with Morgan Rogers performing very well at a good price too.

I think this will be a close game and a draw is probably the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

Ipswich Town v Everton

3pm BST, Portman Road, Ipswich

Ipswich lost 4-1 away to West Ham in their last game, but they’re still a point above the relegation zone as other results went their way. They’re one of five teams without a home win, but they have drawn two of their three games on their own ground. They’re one of four teams without a win with no other team drawing more games and only three other teams scoring less goals.

Liam Delap is the Ipswich player who has being impressing for fantasy managers so far.

Everton drew 0-0 at home to Newcastle last week and that point moved them two points above the bottom three. They have only taken one point from their three away games with only Brentford scoring less goals on the road and only three other teams conceding more. They’re unbeaten in three games and they have a very good run of games coming up, but only Wolves have conceded more goals and only four other teams have scored less.

Dwight McNeil has been the best of the Everton players for fantasy managers with Dominic Calvert-Lewin worth looking at too considering their upcoming fixtures.

I think Everton should be good enough to take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Manchester United v Brentford 

3pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester 

Untied drew 0-0 away to Villa last time out and they’re already 10 points off the top of the table after only seven games. They have lost two of their three home games with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last six games with only Southampton scoring less goals, but they have some good games coming up.

United’s defenders and keeper have all done fairly well so far for fantasy managers and that could continue over their next few games.

Brentford won 5-3 at home to Wolves in their last game and they’re only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They’re one of two teams without a point on their travels and no other has scored less goals away from home. The win against Wolves was their first win in four games and they have a very good run of games coming up with only three other teams scoring more goals.

Bryan Mbeumo is the Brentford player who can make a real difference for fantasy managers.

I think United will make home advantage pay and get a badly needed win in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Newcastle United v Brighton And Hove Albion

3pm BST, St. James’ Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle drew 0-0 away to Everton in their last game after missing a penalty, but they’re still only two points behind fourth place. They’re one of six teams still unbeaten at home with only Liverpool conceding less goals on their own ground. They haven’t won in three games and their next three games are against teams above them with only six other teams scoring less goals.

Harvey Barnes is the Newcastle player most likely to succeed for fantasy managers at the moment with Alexander Isak a possibility if he returns from injury.

Brighton came back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at home to Spurs last week and they’re ahead of Newcastle on goal difference going into this game. They haven’t won in their last two away games and they have two very difficult games on the road in a row starting with this one. The win against Spurs was their first win in five games, but they drew three of them with only Forest and Ipswich drawing more.

Danny Welbeck has been in very good form for fantasy managers while Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter are possible choices too.

Newcastle should be good enough at home to take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Southampton v Leicester City 

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

Southampton lost 3-1 away to Arsenal in their last game after taking the lead and they’re only off the foot of the table on goal difference. They’re one of five teams without a home win so far and no other team has scored less goals on their own ground. They’re one of four teams without a win with no other team scoring less goals and only Wolves conceding more.

I’m not sure there are any Southampton players doing enough to turn the heads of fantasy managers at the moment, but Tyler Dibling could be one to watch.

Leicester won 1-0 at home to Bournemouth last week to get their first win of the season and move themselves three points clear of the bottom three. They have only taken one point away from home so far, but their next two games on their travels are against the two other newly promoted teams. They will fancy their chances of getting something from their next three games starting with this one and they have scored in each of their seven games so far.

Facundo Buonanotte looks like he could be a very good choice for fantasy managers at a nice price with James Justin impressing recently and Jamie Vardy always a threat.

This is a huge game for two of the newly promoted teams and I think Leicester have shown enough so far to suggest they will win it.

Prediction: 1-2

Bournemouth v Arsenal 

5.30pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth lost 1-0 away to Leicester last time out to make it theee defeats in their last four games. Their next two home games are against last season’s top two and only three other teams have conceded less goals on their own ground. They have five points to spare over the bottom three, but they’re going into a very testing run of games.

Antoine Semenyo is the Bournemouth player most likely to make a difference for fantasy managers.

Arsenal came from behind to win 3-1 at home to Southampton in their last game and that kept them a point behind Liverpool at the top of the table. They’re one of six teams still unbeaten away from home with only Liverpool conceding less goals on the road. They’re one of two teams still unbeaten with only City and Chelsea scoring more goals and only Liverpool conceding less.

Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Magahlaes are the Arsenal players who have had a real impact for fantasy managers.

I think Arsenal will continue their unbeaten start to the season with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 0-2

Sunday October 20

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Manchester City 

2pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves lost 5-3 away to Brentford last week and that defeat left them rooted to the foot of the table with only one point from seven games. They’re the only team without a point at home and no other team has conceded more goals on their own patch. They have scored in each of their last six games and only two other teams in the bottom half of the table have scored more goals, but no other team has conceded more.

Once their fixtures improve the Wolves players to target for fantasy managers will be Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri.

City came from behind to win 3-2 at home to Fulham in their last game and they’re only one point behind Liverpool at the top of the table. They’re one of six teams unbeaten away from home with only Liverpool conceding less goals on their travels. They haven’t kept a clean sheet in six games, but they have a very good run of games coming up and no other team has scored more goals.

Erling Haaland is a must have for fantasy managers and Mateo Kovacic looks like he could be worth a shout too.

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

Prediction: 1-4

Liverpool v Chelsea 

4.30pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool won 1-0 away to Palace last week and that win was enough to keep them one point ahead of City and Arsenal at the top of the table. Their only defeat so far came at home to Forest and no other team has conceded less goals on their own ground. No other team has won more games or conceded less goals, but they have some tough games coming up starting with this one.

Mohamed Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold are probably the best of the Liverpool players for fantasy managers, but all of their defenders and keeper are good choices too along with Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota.

Chelsea drew 1-1 at home to Forest in their last game and that point was enough to keep them in the top four on goal difference ahead of Villa. They’re one of two teams still with a 100% record away from home and no other team has scored more goals on the road. They’re unbeaten in their last six games with only City scoring more goals, but this is the first of four very difficult games in a row.

Cole Palmer is the Chelsea player of choice for fantasy managers with Nicolas Jackson a good option too.

I think Liverpool will keep their place at the top of the table by winning this game with a couple of goals in hand.

Prediction: 3-1

Monday October 21

Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace 

8pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest drew 1-1 away to Chelsea last week and that point was enough to keep them in the top half of the table. They haven’t won at home so far with only two other teams scoring less goals on their own patch. They have only lost one of their seven games, but they drew four of them with no other team drawing more games and only Liverpool conceding less goals.

Chris Wood is looking very good for fantasy managers and he’s still available at a good price.

Palace lost 1-0 at home to Liverpool last time out and they’re still in the bottom three without a win. They have a reasonable run of away games coming up, but only one other team has scored less goals on their travels. They have drawn three of their seven games, but only Southampton have scored less goals and they need to get their first win very soon.

Eberechi Eze should be the Palace player to impress for fantasy managers, but not until they can get their shooting boots on at least.

I think Forest will continue their impressive start to the season with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.