Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 33

​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 sixth place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Pos  Player              Res      Cls      Exa      Slm      Pts

1.    Gooners            44        122.5   102     15       273.5

2.    Murray1886     41        118.5    96       18       273.5

3.    Sam                  34        121.5    99       18       272.5

4.   SeniorBurger     37        124.5    90       17      268.5

5.   robbieg              40        124.5    78       18      268.5

I did reasonably well with my fantasy team too as my decision to use my wildcard saw my new team do better than my old team would have done. Bruno Fernandes did the job as my captain yet again and he’s my only player who won’t have two games this week. The teams who play twice this week don’t play at all next week though which is why I’ll be using my free hit chip next week.

The big question this week is who I give the captaincy to and I’m edging towards Erling Haaland despite his lack of returns in the Premier League recently. My other issue is the possibility of Nico O’Reilly missing out through injury and I might just have to swap him out to be sure I get the maximum return from my chip.

Saturday April 18

Brentford v Fulham 

12.30pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford led twice at home to Everton last week, but they had to settle for a 2-2 draw to leave them just one point off sixth place. They haven’t won in their last five home games, but they drew three of them with only two other teams drawing more games on their own ground. They have only won once in their last seven games, but they drew five of them with only one other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

Igor Thiago is the Brentford player who can make a real difference for fantasy managers.

Fulham lost 2-0 away to Liverpool last week and that defeat saw them drop into the bottom half of the table. They have only won once in their last seven away games with only the bottom two losing more games on the road. They have only won once in their last four games and their next three games are all against teams in the top seven.

Harry Wilson is by far the best of the Fulham players for fantasy managers at the moment.

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

Prediction: 2-1

Leeds United v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

3pm BST, Elland Road, Leeds 

Leeds won 2-1 away to United last week and that victory moved them six points clear of the relegation zone. They have only taken one point from their last three home games and they failed to score in each of those games, but their next two games on their own patch are against the two teams who are certain to be relegated. They have only lost four of their last 19 games, but they drew 10 of them with only Bournemouth drawing more games.

With two games this week Leeds players are looking good for fantasy managers, but I’m still not sure which ones to recommend.

Wolves lost 4-0 away to West Ham last week to leave them rooted to the foot of the table with relegation a certainty. They’re the only team without an away win with no other team scoring less goals on their travels. They had taken seven points from three games before losing to West Ham with no other team scoring less goals and only Burnley conceding more.

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

I think Leeds will get the three points they need to almost certainly guarantee their survival in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Newcastle United v Bournemouth 

3pm BST, St. James’s Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle lost 2-1 away to Palace last week after leading 1-0 and that defeat saw them drop to 14th in the table. They have lost four of their last five home games, but only the top three have scored more goals on their own ground. They have lost seven of their last 10 games and they conceded 20 goals in those games.

Anthony Gordon is the Newcastle player most likely to impress for fantasy managers.

Bournemouth won 2-1 away to league leaders Arsenal last week and that victory left them one place off the top half of the table and within one point of the top six. They are unbeaten in their last seven away games, but they drew four of them with no other team drawing more games on the road and only Burnley conceding more goals. They are unbeaten in 12 games, but they drew seven of them with no other team drawing more games.

Marcos Senesi, Adrien Truffet, James Hill and Junior Kroupi are the Bournemouth players to watch for fantasy managers.

I don’t think there will be too much between these two teams with a draw being the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton And Hove Albion 

5.30pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs lost 1-0 away to Sunderland last week and that defeat saw them drop into the relegation zone for the first time this season. They have only taken two points from their last eight home games with no other team taking less points on their own patch and only Wolves conceding more goals. They haven’t won in their last 14 games and they are running out of time in their bid to avoid the drop.

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

Brighton won 2-0 away to Burnley last week to move within two points of sixth place. They have won their last three away games and they kept clean sheets in each of those games with all of their remaining games on their travels against teams in the bottom half of the table. They have won five of their last six games and they will move up to sixth place if they win both of their games this week.

Bart Verbruggen, Jan Paul van Hecke, Diego Gomez and Danny Welbeck are the Brighton players who can bring home points for fantasy managers in their two games this week.

I think Brighton will enhance their chances of European football next season with a narrow win in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Chelsea v Manchester United 

8pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea lost 3-0 at home to City last week to hold on to sixth place, but there are five teams within three points of them. They have only taken two points from their last four home games and they conceded seven goals in those games. They have only won once in their last seven games and the outcome of their two games this week could define their season.

With two games this week Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro are the the Chelsea players to have for fantasy managers.

United lost 2-1 at home to struggling Leeds last week, but they managed to hold on to third place on goal difference. They have only won twice in their last eight away games, but no other team has drawn more games on the road. They have only won once in their last four games after winning six of the previous seven 

Bruno Fernandes is the United player fantasy managers just cannot ignore.

I think United will pile more pressure on Chelsea by taking all the points in a tight game.

Prediction: 1-2

Sunday April 19

Aston Villa v Sunderland

2pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa drew 1-1 away to Forest last week and they’re now only behind third placed United on goal difference. They have only won two of their last six home games with only the top three taking more points on their own patch. They have taken four points from their last two games after losing the previous three and they have a good run of games coming up.

Morgan Rogers is still the best of the bunch in the Villa team for fantasy managers.

Sunderland won 1-0 at home to Spurs last week to move back into the top half of the table and they’re only two points off sixth place. They have taken seven points from their last three away games after failing to win the previous eight with only Wolves scoring less goals on their travels. They have won three of their last four games after only winning twice in the previous 12 with only two other teams scoring less goals.

Granit Xhaka looks like a good choice for fantasy managers with the Sunderland defenders and keeper worth considering for home games too.

I think this will be a very tight game with a draw being the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

Everton v Liverpool 

2pm BST, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool 

Everton twice came from behind to draw 2-2 away to Brentford last week and they’re now only one point off sixth place. They have won their last two home games without conceding a goal after failing to win the previous six and they have taken more points away from home than on their own ground. They have taken 10 points from their last five games with only four other teams conceding less goals.

Everton’s defenders and keeper are good options for fantasy managers along with Iliman Ndiaye, Kiernon Dewsbury-Hall, James Garner and maybe even Beto too.

Liverpool won 2-0 at home to Fulham last week to move within three points of third place. They have lost their last two away games after winning the previous two and they have lost more games on the road than they have won. They had only taken one point from three games before beating Fulham and five of their last six games are against other teams chasing European football.

Virgil van Dijk is probably the best of the Liverpool players for fantasy managers at the moment.

This looks like being a very close game and I think Everton might just get the upper hand.

Prediction: 2-1

Nottingham Forest v Burnley 

2pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest drew 1-1 at home to Villa last week and that victory moved them three points clear of the bottom three. They haven’t won in their last eight home games, but they drew five of them with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch. They have taken six points from their last three games and another three points in this game could be just what they need to stay up.

Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson and Neco Williams are the Forest players who can perform for fantasy managers.

Burnley lost 2-0 at home to Brighton last week to leave them 12 points from safety and their relegation should be confirmed very soon. No other team has lost more games or conceded more goals away from home, but their next two games on their travels are against teams just above them in the table starting with this one. They have only won once in their last 23 games with no other team conceding more goals and only two other teams scoring less.

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

I think Forest will be good enough to take three very important points for them in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Manchester City v Arsenal 

4.30pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City won 3-0 away to Chelsea last week to move within six points of Arsenal at the top of the table and they have a game in hand too. They are unbeaten in their last 14 home games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals on their own ground. They have taken 21 points and scored 18 goals in their last nine games with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

With two games this week Erling Haaland, Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki, Marc Guehi and Nico o’Reilly (if he’s fit) can all do very well for fantasy managers.

Arsenal lost 2-1 at home to Bournemouth last week to see City close their lead at the top of the table which makes this a huge game for both teams. They have have taken 18 points from their last eight away games with no other team conceding less goals on the road. They had taken 20 points from eight games before losing to Bournemouth with only City scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.

I’m not sure which Arsenal players to recommend to fantasy managers for this week at least.

I think this will be a very close game and I have a feeling it will end with the spoils shared.

Prediction: 2-2

Monday April 20

Crystal Palace v West Ham United 

8pm BST, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace scored two late goals to win 2-1 at home to Newcastle last week and that win more or less dispelled any relegation fears. They have taken seven points and only conceded one goal in their last three home games, but only two other teams have scored less goals on their own patch. They have taken 13 points from their last seven games after failing to win the previous nine with only the top two conceding less goals.

With their minds on their Conference League campaign I’m not sure there are any Palace players to interest fantasy managers.

West Ham won 4-0 at home to Wolves last week and that victory was enough to move them out of the relegation zone. They have won three of their last six away games, but only two other teams have conceded more goals on their travels. They have taken 18 points and scored 18 goals in their last 11 games, but only the bottom two have conceded more goals.

Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville are the West Ham players who could make a difference for fantasy managers.

This isn’t an easy game to predict, but the chances are it will end all square.

Prediction: 1-1

Tuesday April 21

Brighton And Hove Albion v Chelsea 

8pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton play their second game of the week and it’s against one of the teams they will be hoping to make ground on. They have won two of their last three home games and they have to play two of the current top six in their last two games on their own ground. This is a big test for their European credentials and it could have a huge impact on how they finish the season.

The Brighton players I mentioned already are all in good form for fantasy managers and could have a good week.

Chelsea play their second game of the week and they’re both against teams in and around them in the table. They have lost two of their last three away games and they conceded six goals in those games with only the top two taking more points on the road and no other team scoring more goals. They have lost four of their last five games and they conceded 10 goals in those games, but two wins this week would put them right back in the fight for Champions League football.

If Chelsea can find some form this week the players I suggested might do very well for fantasy managers.

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

Prediction: 2-1

Wednesday April 22

Bournemouth v Leeds United 

8pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth play their second game of the week and they’re both against teams below them in the table. They are unbeaten in six home games, but they drew four of them with no other team drawing more games on their own patch. They are unbeaten in 12 games, but they drew seven of them with no other team drawing more games.

There are so many Bournemouth players to choose from for fantasy managers at the moment with the ones I mentioned already probably the best of them.

Leeds play their second game of the week and Bournemouth will be a tougher challenge for them than Wolves. They are unbeaten in their last five away games, but they drew four of them with no other team drawing more games on their travels and only two other teams conceding more goals. If they have already beaten Wolves then Leeds will be almost safe from relegation fears going into this game.

At a push Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Pascal Struijk are the Leeds players to own for fantasy managers this week.

I think Bournemouth will be just too strong for Leeds and should take all the points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Burnley v Manchester City 

8pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley 

Burnley face one of their toughest home games of the season in this game and if other results go against them it could be the game to relegate them too. They haven’t won in their last 12 home games with only Forest scoring less goals on their own ground. If they lose both of their games this week the chances are their relegation will be confirmed.

I can’t see any Burnley players who can do enough to interest fantasy managers.

City play their second game of the week and a win should put them on top of the table if they have already beaten Arsenal. They have taken 10 points from their last four away games with only Chelsea scoring more goals on the road and only Arsenal conceding less. They still have a very good chance of a domestic treble and I can’t see Burnley getting in their way.

There are so many City players to choose from for fantasy managers and getting them right this week is not easy.

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

Prediction: 0-4

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 32

​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 the worst week last week with no perfect predictions, four correct outcomes and four incorrect outcomes which saw me drop one place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Pos  Player               Res     Cls     Exa     Slm     Pts

1.     Gooners            39      112.5    99      15      265.5

2.     Sam                   32      117      99       17      265

3.     Murray1886      40      114      93       17      264

4.     SeniorBurger     35      120     84       16      255

5.     robbieg              38      123     75        18     254

I didn’t have the greatest week with my fantasy team either, but it would have been far worse if I didn’t make Bruno Fernandes my captain. The other players to do well for me were Harry Wilson and Raul Jiminez, but I ended up dropping ever so slightly in the overall standings. I’ll be looking to get back into the top 1% of players over the next few weeks as I start to use my four remaining chips.

With that in mind I intend to use my wildcard this week to set my team up for a bench boost next week when loads of players have an extra game. I’ll have to go heavy on players from City, Chelsea, Brighton and Bournemouth and hopefully that won’t hit me too hard this week. I intend using my free hit the following week when the six teams who play twice next week don’t have a game.

Friday April 10

West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

8pm BST, London Stadium, London 

West Ham lost 2-0 away to Villa in their last game and that defeat meant they stayed in the relegation zone. They are unbeaten in four home games, but they drew three of them with only Wolves conceding more goals on their own ground. They have only won once in their last six games with only Burnley conceding more goals and this is a game they have to win.

If he’s fit to play Crysencio Summerville is the West Ham player to have for fantasy managers with Jarrod Bowen a good option too.

Wolves didn’t play in the last round of games, but they came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 away to Brentford the previous week and their inevitable relegation is only a matter of weeks away. They’re the only team without an away win, but they have drawn four of their last six games on the road and no other team has scored less away goals.

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

I think this will be a very close game with West Ham’s need for points to survive probably swinging it in their favour.

Prediction: 2-1

Saturday April 11

Arsenal v Bournemouth 

12.30pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal didn’t play in the last round of games as they were busy losing the Carabao Cup Final to City, but they still have a nine point lead at the top of the table. They have won their last three home games and they scored seven goals in those games with no other team taking more points or conceding less goals on their own patch. They have taken 20 points from their last eight games and they scored 19 goals in those games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals.

Gabriel Magahlaes, David Raya and Declan Rice are the best of the Arsenal players for fantasy managers.

Bournemouth twice came from behind to draw 2-2 away to United in their last game and they’re only one point off the top half of the table with an outside chance of European qualification. They are unbeaten in their last six away games, but they drew four of them with no other team drawing more games on their travels and only Burnley conceding more goals. They are unbeaten in 11 games, but they have drawn their last five with no other team drawing more games.

Bournemouth’s defenders and keeper have done well recently for fantasy managers with Marcus Tavernier and Rayan worth considering too.

I think Arsenal will get the three points they need in this game, but Bournemouth will make it difficult for them.

Prediction: 2-1

Brentford v Everton 

3pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford drew 0-0 away to Leeds in their last game to move within two points of sixth place. They have only taken two points from their last four home games and three of their next four games are on their own ground. They have only won once in their last six games, but they drew four of them and they still have to play three of the teams above them before the season ends.

Igor Thiago remains the best of the Brentford players for fantasy managers with Dango Ouattara a possibility too.

Everton won 3-0 at home to Chelsea last time out and they’re only behind Brentford on goal difference going into this game. They lost their last away game after being unbeaten in the previous six with only three other teams taking more points on the road. They have won three of their last four games and they scored eight goals in those games with only the top two conceding less goals.

Everton’s defenders and keeper are good options for fantasy managers along with James Garner, Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernon Dewsbury-Hall.

I think Everton will continue their push for European football next season with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Burnley v Brighton And Hove Albion

3pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley 

Burnley led 1-0 away to Fulham in their last game, but they ended up losing 3-1 and they’re now 10 points from safety with just seven games left to play. They have only taken four points from their last 11 home games with only Spurs taking less points on their own patch. They have only won once in their last 22 games with no other team conceding more goals and only three other teams scoring less.

I can’t see any Burnley players to recommend to fantasy managers with the possible exception of Zian Fleming and only because they play twice next week.

Brighton won 2-1 at home to Liverpool last time out to move back into the top half of the table and keep their chances of qualifying for European football alive. They have won their last two away games after failing to win the previous six and their last four games on their travels are all against teams below them in the table. They have won four of their last five games and they have a very good run of fixtures to finish their season.

With two games next week Brighton players such as Danny Welbeck, Bart Verbruggen, Jan Paul van Hecke, Diego Gomez and Jack Hinshelwood should be of interest to fantasy managers.

I think Brighton will keep their charge up the table going with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-3

Liverpool v Fulham 

5.30pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool lost 2-1 away to Brighton in their last game to leave themselves in fifth place and in a battle for Champions League qualification for next season. They have only won twice in their last six home games and they need to take maximum points from their remaining four games on their own ground. They have only taken one point from their last three games after winning four of the previous five and six of their remaining seven games are against other teams in the top half of the table.

Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk are probably the best of the bunch in the Liverpool team for fantasy managers.

Fulham came from behind to win 3-1 at home to Burnley last time out and they’re only five points behind Liverpool going into this game. They have taken four points from their last two away games after only taking one in the previous four with only three other teams taking less points on the road. They have taken 10 points from their last five games and their next four games are all against teams above them in the table.

Harry Wilson is in great form for fantasy managers at the moment with Raul Jiminez and Joachim Andersen possibilities too.

I think Liverpool will take the three points in this game, but Fulham will put up a good fight.

Prediction: 2-1

Sunday April 12

Crystal Palace v Newcastle United 

2pm BST, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace didn’t play in the last round of games, but they drew 0-0 at home to Leeds the previous week and they’re only four points off the top half of the table. They have only won once in their last 10 home games with only Bournemouth drawing more games on their own ground and only Forest scoring less goals. They have taken 10 points from their last six games after failing to win the previous nine with no other team in the bottom half of the table conceding less goals.

Ismaila Sarr is the only Palace player who might do well for fantasy managers.

Newcastle lost 2-1 at home to Sunderland in their last game and that defeat saw them drop back into the bottom half of the table. They have taken 10 points from their last six away games, but only Wolves and Sunderland have scored less goals on the road. They have lost six of their last nine games and they conceded 18 goals in those games, but they’re only four points off seventh place.

Anthony Gordon is the best bet in the Newcastle team for fantasy managers with Bruno Guimaraes a possibility too if he’s fit to play.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Nottingham Forest v Aston Villa 

2pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest won 3-0 away to Spurs last time out and that win moved them three points clear of the relegation zone. They haven’t won in their last seven home games with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch. They hadn’t won in seven games before beating Spurs with only Wolves scoring less goals.

Neco Williams, Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson are the Forest players most likely to return points for fantasy managers.

Villa won 2-0 at home to West Ham in their last game to move within one point of third place and five points clear of fifth place. They have only taken one point from their last three away games and they conceded six goals in those games. They had lost three games in a row before beating West Ham and they have a good run of games coming up.

Morgan Rogers is the only Villa player for fantasy managers to consider at the moment.

I think this is a game which could go either way and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Sunderland v Tottenham Hotspur 

2pm BST, Stadium of Light, Sunderland 

Sunderland won 2-1 away to fierce rivals Newcastle in their last game and they’re only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They have lost their last three home games and they only scored one goal in those games with only the top two conceding less goals on their own patch. They have taken seven points from their last four games after losing four of the previous five with only Wolves and Forest scoring less goals.

If he’s fit to play Daniel Ballard could be the best option in the Sunderland team for fantasy managers with Enzo Le Fee worth considering too.

Spurs lost 3-0 at home to Forest last time out to leave them one point and one place above the relegation zone. They have only taken three points from their last six away games and that’s a record they have to put right very soon. They have only taken five points from their last 13 games and they conceded 27 goals in those games.

I’m not sure there are Spurs players doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Sunderland will pile more pressure on Spurs with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 1-0

Chelsea v Manchester City 

4.30pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea lost 3-0 away to Everton in their last game to leave them in sixth place with the chasing pack closing in quickly behind them. They haven’t won in their last three home games and their next two games on their own ground are both against teams above them in the table starting with this one. They have only won once in their last six games and they conceded 10 goals in those games.

With two games next week Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer and Pedro Neto should all be of real interest to fantasy managers.

City didn’t play in the last round of games as they were busy winning the Carabao Cup Final, but they could only draw 1-1 away to West Ham the previous week to leave them nine points behind Arsenal at the top of the table with a game in hand. They have only won two of their last six away games with only Arsenal taking more points and scoring more goals on the road. They have taken 18 points from their last eight games and they scored 15 goals in those games with only Arsenal scoring more and conceding less goals.

City play twice next week too which should make Erling Haaland and Antoine Semenyo must haves for fantasy managers while Nico O’Reilly, Marc Guehi and Matheus Nunes are good choices too.

With both teams needing a win from this game I think a draw is probably the most likely scenario.

Prediction: 2-2

Monday April 13

Manchester United v Leeds United 

8pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United drew 2-2 away to Bournemouth in their last game to hold on to third place and they look increasingly certain to return to the Champions League next season. They are unbeaten in their last 10 home games and they scored 20 goals in those games with only the top two taking more points and scoring more goals on their own patch. They have taken 23 points and scored 20 goals in their last 10 games with only the two teams above them scoring more goals.

Bruno Fernandes is the must have player in the United team for fantasy managers while Casemiro, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko are considerations too.

Leeds drew 0-0 at home to Brentford last time out to stay four points clear of the bottom three. They have only won once away from home, but no other team has drawn more games on their travels with only Wolves and Sunderland scoring less goals. They haven’t won in six games, but they drew four of them and they still have to play three of the teams below them before the end of the season.

Despite playing twice next week it’s difficult to recommend Leeds players to fantasy managers as both Anton Stach and Joe Rodon are injured.

I think United will strengthen their grip on third place with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 31

​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 the best week last week with no perfect predictions, four correct outcomes and six incorrect outcomes, but I managed to move up two places in my predictions league as others struggled too. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands and I’m only two places and five points off fifth spot.

Pos  Player               Res    Cls      Exa    Slm    Pts

1.    Murray1886       40     109.5    93      17     259.5

2.    Gooners             39     108       96      15     258

3.    Sam                    32     112.5    96     17     257.5

4.    robbieg               38     120       75     18     251

5.    TeeBee               40     106.5    87     15     248.5

I didn’t have a great week with my fantasy team either mainly due to picking Hugo Ekitike as my captain over Bruno Fernandes. I will be moving that armband back to Bruno this week in an attempt to make up some of the points I lost. I’m still in a very strong position overall, but I will have to finish the season really well to get anywhere near my ranking of last season.

With that in mind I have let my transfers build up as much as possible over the last few weeks to make sure I can field a strong team this week as Arsenal, Manchester City, Wolves and Crystal Palace don’t have a game due to the Carabao Cup Final. I plan to bring in Anthony Gordon and Malick Thiaw of Newcastle as well as Joachim Anderson of Fulham as I like the fixtures both Newcastle and Fulham have. The plan after that is to use my wildcard to strengthen my squad in time to use my bench boost and finally to use my free hit on FA Cup semi final week. That should leave me with my triple captain to use for someone playing twice in one week near the end of the season.

Friday March 20

Bournemouth v Manchester United 

8pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth drew 0-0 away to Burnley last week and that point left them in the top half of the table on goal difference. They’re unbeaten in their last five home games, but they drew three of them with no other team drawing more games on their own ground. They are unbeaten in their last 10 games, but they drew six of them with no other team drawing more games.

Bournemouth’s keeper and defenders are all doing very well for fantasy managers at the moment, but they have some tough games coming up.

United won 3-1 at home to Villa last week and that victory strengthened their hold on third place. They lost their last away game after being unbeaten in the previous five with only Palace drawing more games on the road. They have only lost once in their last 13 games with only the top two scoring more goals.

Bruno Fernandes is an absolute must have for fantasy managers with Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko good choices too.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Saturday March 21

Brighton And Hove Albion v Liverpool 

12.30pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton won 1-0 away to Sunderland last week to move within one point of the top half of the table. They have only won twice in their last nine home games, but they drew four of them with only Bournemouth and Palace drawing more games on their own patch. They have won three of their last four games, but three of their next four games are against big six teams.

I’m not sure there are any Brighton players doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment.

Liverpool conceded a last minute goal to draw 1-1 at home to Spurs last week, buy they’re still only two points off the top half of the table. They lost their last away game against Wolves, but they had won two in a row on their travels before that and they have actually conceded more away goals than they have scored. They have only taken one point from their last two games after winning the previous three and their next four games are all against teams below them in the table.

Virgil van Dijk, Dominik Szoboszlai and Hugo Ekitike are the Liverpool players for fantasy managers to consider at the moment.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Fulham v Burnley 

3pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham drew 0-0 away to Forest last week and that point wasn’t enough to keep them in the top half of the table. They have lost two of their last three home games, but only four other teams have won more games on their own ground. They have only won two of their last seven games and their next five games after this one are all against teams above them in the table.

Harry Wilson and Joachim Andersen are the best of the Fulham players for fantasy managers, but any Fulham player could do well in this game.

Burnley drew 0-0 at home to Bournemouth last week, but they are still nine points from safety with just eight games left to play. They have taken four points from their last three away games, but no other team has conceded more goals on the road. They have only won once in their last 21 games with no other team conceding more goals and only three other teams scoring less.

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

I think Fulham should win this game with at least a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 2-0

Everton v Chelsea 

5.30pm GMT, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool 

Everton conceded two very late goals to lose 2-0 away to Arsenal last week, but they held on to their place in the top half of the table. They won their last home game after failing to win the previous six with only four other teams scoring less goals on their own patch. They have lost three of their last five games and four of their next five games are against teams above them in the table.

Jordan Pickford, James Tarkowski (if he’s fit to play), Iliman Ndiaye, James Garner and Kiernon Dewsbury-Hall can all do a job for fantasy managers at a good price.

Chelsea lost 1-0 at home to Newcastle last week and that defeat saw them drop to sixth place. They have won three of their last four away games with no other team scoring more goals on their travels. They have only won once in their last five games and they play two of the teams above in their next two games after this one.

Joao Pedro is the outstanding Chelsea player for fantasy managers at the moment with Cole Palmer worth considering too.

I think Chelsea might just have enough to take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Leeds United v Brentford 

8pm GMT, Elland Road, Leeds

Leeds drew 0-0 away to Palace last week and that draw left them three points above the relegation zone. They have lost three of their last four home games and they failed to score in each of those defeats, but their next two games on their own ground after this one are both against teams in the bottom three. They haven’t won in five games, but they drew three of them with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

I’m not sure there are any Leeds players doing enough at the moment to turn the heads of fantasy managers.

Brentford led 2-0 at home to Wolves last week, but they had to settle for a 2-2 draw which saw them stay in seventh place. They have taken 10 points from their last four away games, but three of their remaining four games on the road are against teams in the top five. They have only won once in their last five games, but they drew three of them and their next three games are against teams below them in the table.

Igor Thiago is the Brentford player who can make a real difference for fantasy managers.

With both of these teams drawing so many games recently that seems like the most likely outcome in this game.

Prediction: 1-1

Sunday March 21

Newcastle United v Sunderland 

12pm GMT, St. James’s Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle won 1-0 away to Chelsea last week and that win moved them back into the top half of the table. They won their last home game after losing the previous three with only the top three scoring more goals on their own patch. They have won their last two games after losing five of the previous six and seven of their last eight games are against teams below them in the table.

Malick Thiaw and Anthony Gordon are the Newcastle players looking good for fantasy managers at the moment.

Sunderland lost 1-0 at home to Brighton last week and they’re two points and four places behind Newcastle going into this game. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous nine with only Wolves scoring less goals on their travels. They have lost four of their last six games and they failed to score in three of those games with only Wolves and Forest scoring less goals.

I’m not sure there are any Sunderland players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.

I think this will be a close game with Newcastle more than likely taking all the points.

Prediction: 2-1

Aston Villa v West Ham United 

2.15pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa lost 3-1 away to United last week, but they managed to hold on to fourth place as neither of the teams directly below them won their games. They have only won once in their last five home games, but their next three opponents on their own ground are all in the bottom half of the table. They have lost their last three games and they conceded nine goals in those games with only one other team in the top half of the table scoring less goals.

Morgan Rogers is the best of the Villa players for fantasy managers, but he hasn’t done much in recent games.

West Ham drew 1-1 at home to City last week, but they’re still in the relegation zone on goal difference. They have won three of their last five away games and they have taken more points on the road than at home. They have taken 15 points from their last nine games after failing to win the previous 10, but they have some tough games to finish the season.

With Crysencio Summerville injured Jarrod Bowen is the best of the West Ham players for fantasy managers.

This is a game which could go either way and I have a feeling it will end all square.

Prediction: 2-2

Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest 

2.15pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs scored a last minute goal to draw 1-1 away to Liverpool last week and that was enough to keep them one point above the relegation zone. They have only taken two points from their last seven home games and they conceded 16 goals in those games with no other team taking less points on their own ground. They haven’t won in their last 12 games and they conceded 24 goals in those games, but no other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals.

I can’t see any Spurs players doing enough at the moment to make a difference for fantasy managers.

Forest drew 0-0 at home to Fulham last week and that point kept them out of the bottom three on goal difference. They have only taken one point from their last three away games after winning the previous two with only two other teams scoring less goals on their travels. They haven’t won in seven games, but they drew four of them with only Wolves scoring less goals.

Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson are the Forest players who can make an impression for fantasy managers.

I think Forest will create even more problems for Spurs by winning this game.

Prediction: 1-2

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 30

​It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I had a bad week last week with no perfect predictions, three correct outcomes and seven incorrect outcomes which saw me drop a couple of places in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Pos  Player              Res     Cls     Exa     Slm     Pts

1.    Murray1886      40      106.5    93     17      256.5

2.    Sam                  32       109.5    96     17      254.5

3.    Gooners            39       102       96     15      252

4.    robbieg             38       117       75     18      248

5.    SeniorBurger    35       114       78     16      243

I did fairly well with my fantasy team last week as I moved up in the overall rankings for the fourth week in a row to just inside the top 1% of teams. My choice of Hugo Ekitike as my captain didn’t pay off, but Joao Pedro, David Raya, Gabriel Magahlaes, Bruno Fernandes and Antoine Semenyo all got me points. I’m not sure who my captain will be this week, but I might just go with Ekitike again.

I’m going to hold back on my transfers this week so I’ll have three next week when both Arsenal and Manchester City aren’t playing along with Wolves and Crystal Palace. I still have all four of my chips for the second half of the season available and I intend to start using them in Gameweek 32.

Saturday March 14th

Burnley v Bournemouth 

3pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley 

Burnley lost 2-0 away to Everton last week and they’re now nine points from safety with just nine games left to play. They have only taken three points from their last seven home games with no other team taking less points on their own ground. They have only won once in their last 20 games with no other team conceding more goals.

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

Bournemouth drew 0-0 at home to Brentford last week and that point was enough to keep them in the top half of the table on goal difference. They have taken nine points from their last five away games with only Burnley conceding more goals on the road. They are unbeaten in nine games, but they drew five of them with no other team drawing more games.

Marcus Tavernier, Rayan Vitor, Marcos Senesi and James Hill are all doing well for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Bournemouth will continue their push for European football by taking the three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-3

Sunderland v Brighton And Hove Albion

3pm GMT, Stadium of Light, Sunderland 

Sunderland won 1-0 away to Leeds last week and they’re now only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They have lost their last two home games after after being unbeaten in their previous 12 with only the top two conceding less goals on their own patch. They have taken four points from their last two games after losing four of the previous five with only Wolves and Forest scoring less goals.

Sunderland’s keeper and defenders are good choices for fantasy managers in home games along with Enzo Le Fee.

Brighton lost 1-0 at home to Arsenal last week and they’re three points and three places behind Sunderland going into this game. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous six with only three other teams winning less games on their travels. They had won two games in a row before losing to Arsenal and three of their next four opponents are in the bottom half of the table.

Now that he’s back from injury Yasin Ayari could be a good option for fantasy managers.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Arsenal v Everton 

5.30pm Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal won 1-0 away to Brighton last week to extend their lead at the top of the table to seven points, but they have played a game more than the teams chasing them. They have won 11 of their 14 home games with only City taking more points and scoring more goals on their own ground and no other team conceding less goals. They have taken 17 points and scored 17 goals in their last seven games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals. 

Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are very good choices for fantasy managers along with Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka.

Everton won 2-0 at home to Burnley last week to stay in eighth place. They have taken 14 points from their last six away games with only Arsenal and Chelsea taking more points on the road and only Arsenal conceding less goals. They have taken 15 points from their last nine games, but four of their next six games are against teams in the top six. 

James Garner, Iliman Ndiaye, Kiernon Dewsbury-Hall, James Tarkowski and Jordan Pickford are all worth considering for fantasy managers.

I think Arsenal will keep their gap at the top of the table with another victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Chelsea v Newcastle United 

5.30pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea won 4-1 away to Villa last week and they’re now only three points off third place. They have taken nine points and scored 10 goals in their last five home games, but it’s their home form which is keeping them out of the top four. They have only won once in their last four games after winning the previous four with only the top two scoring more goals.

Joao Pedro is in great form for fantasy managers at the moment with Cole Palmer a possibility too.

Newcastle won 2-1 at home to United last week despite playing half of the game with 10 players and that win moved them within one point of the top half of the table. They have taken seven points from their last five away games, but only three other teams have taken less points on their travels and only two other teams have scored less goals. They have lost five of their last seven games and they conceded 16 goals in those games.

I’m not sure there are any Newcastle players doing enough at the moment to turn the heads of fantasy managers.

I think Newcastle will make a game of it, but Chelsea will get the win.

Prediction: 2-1

West Ham United v Manchester City 

8pm GMT, London Stadium, London 

West Ham won 1-0 away to Fulham last week and they’re now only in the relegation zone on goal difference. They have taken five points from their last three home games after only taking one in the previous five, but only Wolves have conceded more goals on their own ground. They have taken 14 points from their last eight games, but only Burnley have conceded more goals and they’re in the middle of a tough run of games.

Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville are the West Ham players who can make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.

City twice led at home to Forest last week, but they had to settle for a 2-2 draw which saw them fall seven points behind Arsenal at the top of the table, but they still have a game in hand. They have taken seven points from their last three away games with only Arsenal and Chelsea scoring more goals on the road and only Arsenal and Everton conceding less. They have taken 17 points and scored 14 goals in their last seven games with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

Antoine Semenyo is the in form City player for fantasy managers with Nico O’Reilly, Rayan AIT-Nouri, March Guehi and Matheus Nunes all good options while it’s difficult to recommend Erling Haaland in his current form.

I think City will be good enough to get the better of West Ham in this game.

Prediction: 1-3

Sunday March 15

Crystal Palace v Leeds United 

2pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace came from behind to win 3-1 away to Spurs last week and that win moved them within two points of the top half of the table. They have only won once in their last nine home games with only Spurs and Wolves winning less games on their own patch and only Forest scoring less goals. They have won three of their last five games after failing to win the previous nine, but only three other teams have scored less goals.

Ismaila Sarr is the Palace player most likely to do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

Leeds lost 1-0 at home to Sunderland last week and they’re now only three points above the bottom three. Only Wolves have won less games on their travels, but they have drawn six of their last seven away games and no other team has drawn more. They have lost their last two games after only losing two of the previous 14 with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

I’m not sure there are any Leeds players who can do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Manchester United v Aston Villa

2pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United lost 2-1 away to 10 man Newcastle last week, but they managed to stay in third place on goal difference. They have won their last four home games and they scored nine goals in those games with only three other teams scoring more goals on their own ground. The defeat against Newcastle was their first defeat in 12 games and five of their next six games are against teams in the top half of the table.

Bruno Fernandes is in great form for fantasy managers at the moment with Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko worth considering too.

Villa lost 4-1 at home to Chelsea last week, but they’re only behind United on goal difference going into this game. They have only won once in their last five away games and they have actually conceded more goals than they have scored on their travels. They have only won three of their last 11 games, but five of their next seven games are against teams in the bottom half of the table.

Morgan Rogers is the Villa player most likely to impress for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think United will strengthen their hold on third place by taking the three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Nottingham Forest v Fulham 

2pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest twice came from behind to draw 2-2 away to City last week and that point was enough to keep them out of the relegation zone on goal difference. They haven’t won in their last six home games with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch. They have only taken three points from their last six games, but two of their next four games are against teams fighting against relegation like themselves.

Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson are the Forest players to own for fantasy managers at the moment.

Fulham lost 1-0 at home to West Ham last week, but they just about managed to stay in the top half of the table on goal difference. They won their last away game after losing the previous three with only the bottom two losing more games on their travels. They have lost four of their last six games and they conceded 11 goals in those games with only one other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

Harry Wilson (if he’s fit to play) and Raul Jiminez are the Fulham players who can do well for fantasy managers.

This is a difficult game to call with a draw being the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur 

4.30pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool lost 2-1 away to bottom of the table Wolves last week, but they’re still only three points off third place. They have only won two of their last five home games, but they have some good games coming up on their own ground. They had won four of their previous five games before losing to Wolves with only four other teams scoring more goals.

Virgil van Dijk and Hugo Ekitike are probably the best of the Liverpool players for fantasy managers at the moment.

Spurs lost 3-1 at home to Palace last week after having a man sent off when they were 1-0 up and they’re now only one point above the bottom three. They have only taken two points from their last five away games and they conceded nine goals in those games, but they have taken 19 of their 29 points so far on the road. They have only taken four points from their last 11 games and they conceded 23 goals in those games, but only one other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals.

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

I think Liverpool will continue their push for a top four finish while piling more misery on Spurs by winning this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Monday March 16

Brentford v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

8pm GMT, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford drew 0-0 away to Bournemouth last week to stay in seventh place and keep their European chances very much alive. They have only taken one point from their last three home games after taking 17 in the previous seven, but they have a good run of home games coming up. They have taken 11 points from their last six games and their next two games are both against teams fighting the drop.

Igor Thiago is a very good choice for fantasy managers while Dango Ouattara  can do a job for them too.

Wolves won 2-1 at home to Liverpool last week, but they’re 12 points from safety with just eight games left to play. They’re the only team without an away win with no other team scoring less goals on their travels. They have won their last two games after failing to win the previous eight with no other team scoring less goals and only Burnley and West Ham conceding more.

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

I think Brentford will keep their fantastic season going with another victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.