Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 36

​It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn’t have a good week last week with no perfect predictions, three correct outcomes and seven incorrect outcomes which saw me stay in eighth 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.   Murray1886       46     130.5   108    21     305.5

2.   Gooners             50      123     114    18     305

3.   Sam                   42      129      108    20     299

4.   SeniorBurger     44      135      99      19     297

5.   Cole                   52      121.5   96      22     291.5

I had a reasonably good week with my fantasy team too, but it could have been better as I lost a little ground overall to drop just outside the top 100 thousand places out of more than 13 million players. My choice of Bruno Fernandes paid off to a degree and the other players to score points for me were David Raya, Gabriel Magahlaes, Adrien Truffet, Rayan and Joao Pedro. With two games this week I will definitely be opting for Erling Haaland as my captain and hopefully it will pay off.

I have a couple of transfers to use and some money in the bank so I’m probably looking to bring Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres in for my two Chelsea players (Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro). I’m tempted to bring in some Palace players as they play twice also, but I’m not sure how they will perform with their European final coming up. 

Saturday May 9

Liverpool v Chelsea 

12.30pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool lost 3-2 away to United last week to leave them in fourth place and that’s probably as high as they can finish now. They have taken 10 points from their last four home games and they scored 11 goals in those games. They had won three games in a row before losing to United, but their last three games are all against teams just below them in the table.

Virgil van Dijk is probably the best bet in the Liverpool team for fantasy managers at the moment.

Chelsea lost 3-1 at home to Forest last week and they’re now only above the bottom half of the table on goal difference. They have lost three of their last four away games and they conceded nine goals in those games, but only City have scored more goals on the road. They have lost their last six games and they conceded 14 goals in those games while only scoring one with only one other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

Despite their awful form Joao Pedro is still worth considering for fantasy managers.

I think Liverpool will confirm a top four finish by taking the three points in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Brighton And Hove Albion v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

3pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton lost 3-1 away to Newcastle last week, but they’re still only two points off sixth place. They have won three of their last four home games and they scored seven goals in those games, but this is possibly their easiest game on their own patch this season. They had taken 13 points from five games before losing to Newcastle with only the top two conceding less goals.

Bart Verbuggen, Jan Paul van Hecke, Danny Welbeck, Jack Hinshelwood and Pascsal Gross are all very good options for fantasy managers for this week in particular.

Wolves drew 1-1 at home to Sunderland last week and they could still manage to move up to second last in the table if they can get a win in their remaining three games. They’re the only team who haven’t won an away game with no other team scoring less goals on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last five games and they conceded 11 goals in those games with no other team scoring less goals and only Burnley conceding more.

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

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

Prediction: 3-0

Fulham v Bournemouth 

3pm, BST, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham lost 3-0 away to Arsenal last week and that defeat dropped them back into the bottom half of the table on goal difference. They have won three of their last four home games with only the top five taking more points on their own ground. They have only won two of their last seven games and they have failed to score in five of those games.

The Fulham players haven’t done an awful lot in recent weeks for fantasy managers.

Bournemouth won 3-0 at home to Palace last week and that win kept them in sixth place. They’re unbeaten in their last eight away games, but only Burnley have conceded more goals on the road. They are unbeaten in 15 games, but they drew eight of them with no other team drawing more games and only the top two losing less.

All of Bournemouth’s defenders and keeper are good choices for fantasy managers along with Junior Krupi and Rayan.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Sunderland v Manchester United 

3pm BST, Stadium of Light, Sunderland 

Sunderland drew 1-1 away to Wolves last week and they’re still only one point off the top half of the table. They have lost four of their last five home games with only four other teams scoring less goals on their own patch. They have only taken one point from their last three games and they conceded 10 goals in those games with only three other teams scoring less goals.

Granit Xhaka, Nordi Mukiele and Enzo Le Fee are all worth considering for fantasy managers.

United won 3-2 at home to Liverpool last week and that win has put them in prime position to finish in third place. They have only lost one of their last eight away games and two of their remaining three games are on their travels. They have won their last three games after only winning once in the previous four with only the top two scoring more goals.

Bruno Fernandes is an absolute must have for fantasy managers with Matheus Cunha looking pretty good too.

I think this will be another close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Manchester City v Brentford 

5.30pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City scored a last minute goal to draw 3-3 away to Everton last week which leaves them five points behind Arsenal at the top of the table, but they still have a game in hand. They are unbeaten in their last 15 home games with only Arsenal scoring more and conceding less goals on their own ground. They are unbeaten in 12 games and they scored 24 goals in those games with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

With two games this week Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki, Antoine Semenyo and Nico O’Reilly are great options for fantasy managers. 

Brentford won 3-0 at home to West Ham last week and that win moved them up to seventh place and even closer to European qualification. They lost their last away game after being unbeaten in the previous five, but only three other teams have lost more games on the road. They have only lost one of their last eight games, but they drew five of them and they still have to play two of the top four starting with this game.

Igor Thiago is the standout Brentford player for fantasy managers, but they have a tough run of games to end their season.

I think City will get the win they need to keep the pressure on Arsenal at the top of the table.

Prediction: 3-1

Sunday May 10

Burnley v Aston Villa 

2pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley

Burnley lost 3-1 away to Leeds last week to remain one place off the foot of the table and their relegation is already confirmed. They haven’t won in their last 13 home games with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch. They have only taken two points from their last nine games and they conceded 20 goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals.

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

Villa lost 2-1 at home to Spurs last week, but they’re still looking very good to finish in the top five. They have only taken two points from their last five away games, but this is one of their easiest away games of the season. They have only won twice in their last nine games and they have two very difficult games after this one.

Morgan Rogers might be an option for fantasy managers, but their schedule is looking very tough.

I think Villa will just about manage to take all the points in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Crystal Palace v Everton 

2pm BST, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace lost 3-0 away to Bournemouth last week and they’re still not technically safe from relegation, but they have a European final to play in a few weeks. They have taken eight points from their last four home games, but only three other teams have won less games on their own ground and only one other team has scored less goals. They have lost their last two games and they conceded six goals in those games with only the bottom two scoring less goals.

With a European final on the horizon it’s not easy to be sure of which Palace players will play for fantasy managers even though they have two games this week.

Everton conceded a last minute goal to draw 3-3 at home to City last week and that was enough to keep them in the top half of the table on goal difference. They have only taken one point from their last three away games after taking 14 from the previous six with only three other teams taking more points on the road and only Arsenal conceding less goals. They have only taken two points from their last four games and they conceded nine goals in those games, but their remaining three games are all against teams in the bottom half of the table.

Kiernon Dewsbury-Hall, Iliman Ndiaye, James Garner and James Tarkowski can all do very well for fantasy managers.

I think Everton will take advantage of a tired Palace team to take all the points in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Nottingham Forest v Newcastle United 

2pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest won 3-1 away to Chelsea last week to put themselves in a very good position to avoid the drop. They won their last home game after failing to win the previous eight with only two other teams scoring less goals on their own patch. They have taken 15 points from their last seven games and they scored 18 goals in those games, but only four other teams have scored less goals.

Morgan Gibbs-White (if he’s fit to play), Elliot Anderson and Neco Williams are the best of the Forest players for fantasy managers.

Newcastle won 3-1 at home to Brighton last week to just about leave the door open for European qualification. They have lost three of their last four away games with only three other teams losing more games on their travels and only two other teams scoring less goals. They had lost four games in a row before beating Brighton and their opponents in their last three games are all in the bottom half of the table.

Bruno Guimaraes is the Newcastle player who can perform the best for fantasy managers.

I think this will be a close game with the spoils most likely being shared.

Prediction: 1-1

West Ham United v Arsenal 

4.30pm BST, London Stadium, London 

West Ham lost 3-0 away to Brentford last week and that defeat saw them drop back into the relegation zone. They are unbeaten in their last six home games with three wins and three draws, but only Wolves and Spurs have conceded more goals on their own ground. They had only lost one of their previous six games before losing to Brentford, but only the two relegated teams have conceded more goals.

Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville are the West Ham players to possibly watch for fantasy managers.

Arsenal won 3-0 at home to Fulham last week to move five points clear at the top of the table, but City still have a game in hand. They lost their last away game after being unbeaten in the previous eight with no other team conceding less goals on the road and only City and Chelsea scoring more. They have won their last game after losing the previous two with only City scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.

Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are very good options for fantasy managers with Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres worth considering too.

I think Arsenal will move closer to the title and pile more pressure on West Ham with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Monday May 11

Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds United 

8pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs won 2-1 away to Villa last week and those three points were enough to lift them out of the bottom three. They have only taken three points from their last nine home games with no other team taking less points on their own patch and only Wolves conceding more goals. They have won their last two games after failing to win the previous 15, but they have some difficult games to finish their season.

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

Leeds won 3-1 at home to Burnley last week and the they’re almost certainly going to avoid relegation now. They’re unbeaten in their last six away games, but they drew five of them with no other team drawing more games on their travels, but only the two relegated teams taking less points. They have taken 10 points and scored 10 goals in their last four games and two of their last three games are against teams below them in the table.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the Leeds player most likely to do well for fantasy managers over the last three games.

I think this will be a very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see both teams take a point.

Prediction: 1-1

Wednesday May 13

Manchester City v Crystal Palace 

8pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City play their second home game of the week and both games are absolute must win games for them if they’re going to keep their title hopes alive. They have a fantastic record at home since losing their opening game on their own ground this season and three of their remaining four games are at home. If they’re going to have a chance of catching Arsenal they will have to win all of those home games.

The City players I mentioned already can all do really well for fantasy managers this week. 

Palace play their second game of the week too and maybe they will have recovered from their European exploits by the time this game comes around. They have lost three of their last four away games and they conceded nine goals in those games, but they have taken more points on their travels than they have at home. The chances are Palace will be safe before they play this game and it could make things a little easier for City.

If Palace are going to play their better players this week then Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe-Mateta could be good choices for fantasy managers, but it’s just not guaranteed.

I think City will win this game with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 3-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 35

​It’s that time of the week when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn’t have the best week last week with one perfect prediction, three correct outcomes and three incorrect outcomes and I dropped one place in my predictions league as I forgot to register my forecasts in time. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Pos  Player                Res      Cls      Exa      Slm      Pts

1.  Murray1886          44       127.5   108       21        300.5

2.  Gooners                48       120      114       18        300

3.  SeniorBurger        42       132       99        19        292

4.  Sam                       41       126     105       20        292

5.  Cole                      50       117       93        21       281

I had a reasonable week with my fantasy team, but I lost a very small amount of ground overall despite using my free hit chip. I still have my triple captain chip left and the chances are I will use it next week when both City and Palace play twice. Erling Haaland is looking like the most obvious candidate for the armband next week, but I’ll be sticking with the ever dependable Bruno Fernandes this week.

My choice of Fernandes as my captain last week paid off to a degree with David Raya, Gabriel Magahlaes and Jarrod Bowen doing well too. I’m back to my pre free hit squad this week and I will have to think hard about what to do with two free transfers to use if necessary. I think Gabriel has to come back in and I probably need to make a change in midfield too, but I’m not quite sure who to buy.

Friday May 1

Leeds United v Burnley 

8pm BST, Elland Road, Leeds 

Leeds didn’t play last week because of their FA Cup semi final, but they drew 2-2 away to Bournemouth the previous week and that has left them six points above the relegation zone with only four games left to play. They have taken four points and conceded no goals in their last two home games and this game is a great chance to gain another three points. They are unbeaten in five games and they kept clean sheets in three of them with only one other team in the bottom half of the table scoring more goals.

Leeds defenders and keeper could do well for fantasy managers in this game along with Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Burnley lost 1-0 at home to City in their last game and that defeat sealed their relegation. They have lost their last three away games and they conceded nine goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals on the road. They have only taken two points from their last eight games and they conceded 17 goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals and only Wolves scoring less.

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

I think Leeds will take the three points that will probably guarantee their safety in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Saturday May 2

Brentford v West Ham United 

3pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford lost 2-1 away to United last week, but they’re still only two points off sixth place. They have only taken four points from their last six home games and their last two games on their own patch are both against teams in the bottom half of the table. They haven’t won in six games, but they drew five of them with only one other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

Igor Thiago remains the Brentford player to have for fantasy managers.

West Ham scored a last minute goal to win 2-1 at home to Everton last week and that win kept them two points above the bottom three. They have taken 10 points from their last seven away games with only four other teams scoring less goals on their travels. They have taken seven points from their last three games, but only the two relegated teams have conceded more goals.

Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville are the West Ham players who can do well 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

Newcastle United v Brighton And Hove Albion 

3pm BST, St. James’s Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle lost 1-0 away to Arsenal last week and they’re now as close to the relegation zone as they are to the top six. They have lost five of their last six home games, but only four other teams have scored more goals on their own ground. They have lost their last four games, but two of their last four games are against teams below them in the table.

With Bruno Guimaraes fit again he is probably the best of the Newcastle players for fantasy managers.

Brighton won 3-0 at home to Chelsea in their last game and that win moved them up to sixth place with just four games left to play. They have taken 10 points from their last four away games and they kept clean sheets in three of those games. They have taken 19 points from their last eight games and they scored 14 goals in those games with three of their last four games against teams in the bottom seven.

Danny Welbeck and Pascal Gross could be the Brighton players to perform for fantasy managers with Jan Paul van Hecke and Bart Verbruggen possibilities too.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Sunderland 

3pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves lost 1-0 at home to Spurs last week to remain rooted to the foot of the table with their relegation already confirmed. They lost their last home game after taking seven points from the previous three with no other team conceding more goals on their own patch. They have lost their last three games without scoring with no other team scoring less goals and only Burnley conceding more.

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

Sunderland lost 5-0 at home to Forest last week, but they are still in the hunt for European football. They lost their last away game after taking seven points in the previous three with only Wolves scoring less goals on their travels. They have lost their last two games and they conceded nine goals in those games with only the two relegated teams scoring less goals.

Enzo Le Fee and Granit Xhaka are the Sunderland players to consider for fantasy managers.

I think Sunderland will bounce back from their thrashing last week to take all three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Arsenal v Fulham 

5.30pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal just about managed a 1-0 win at home to Newcastle last week to go back to the top of the table and they have the chance to go six points clear in this game as City don’t play until Monday. They have won four of their last five home games with only City scoring more goals on their own ground and no other team conceding less. They had lost two games in a row before beating Newcastle with no other team conceding less goals and only City scoring more.

Arsenal’s defenders and keeper can all do very well for fantasy managers.

Fulham won 1-0 at home to Villa last week to move back into the top half of the table and within two points of sixth place. They have only won once in their last eight away games with only the two relegated teams losing more games on the road. They have taken 14 points from their last eight games with only one other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

Harry Wilson is the Fulham player most likely to make a difference for fantasy managers.

I think Arsenal will get the win they need, but it won’t be easy for them.

Prediction: 2-1

Sunday May 3

Bournemouth v Crystal Palace 

2pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth drew 2-2 at home to Leeds in their last game to leave them one point and one place off the top six. They have drawn their last five home games with only two other teams in the top half of the table conceding more goals on their own patch. They are unbeaten in 14 games, but they drew eight of them with no other team drawing more games.

Krupi Junior, Marcos Senesi, Adrien Truffet and Rayan are the Bournemouth players to own for fantasy managers.

Palace lost 3-1 away to Liverpool last week, but their slim hopes of qualifying for Europe through the league are still alive and they are also in the semi finals of the Conference League. They have only won twice in their last eight away games with no other team drawing less games on their travels. They had taken eight points from four games before losing to Liverpool and they still have to play the top two before the season ends.

With Europe on their minds I’m not sure if any of the Palace players will do well for fantasy managers this week.

I think Bournemouth will take advantage of Palace’s thoughts being elsewhere to take all the points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Manchester United v Liverpool 

3.30pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United held on to win 2-1 at home to Brentford last week and that win kept them in third place. They have only lost one of their last 11 home games with only the top two scoring more goals on their own ground. They have won their last two games after only winning once in the previous four and this is the toughest game they have left to play.

Bruno Fernandes is an absolute must have for fantasy managers with Casemiro a good option too.

Liverpool won 3-1 at home to Palace last week to move up to fourth place and they will move ahead of United if they win this game. They won their last away game after losing the previous three and they have conceded more goals than they have scored on the road. They have won their last three games and they scored seven goals in those games, but they have a tough run of games to finish their season.

Alexander Isak might just be worth a punt for fantasy managers along with Florian Wirtz, but Virgil van Dijk remains the best bet in the Liverpool team for fantasy managers.

I can’t see there being too much between these two teams and a share of the spoils is probably the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 2-2

Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur 

7pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa lost 1-0 away to Fulham last week and that defeat saw them drop to fifth place. They have taken 10 points and scored nine goals in their last five home games with only three other teams conceding less goals on their own patch. They have lost four of their last seven games and they conceded 14 goals in those games.

Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins are still the best choices in the Villa team for fantasy managers.

Spurs won 1-0 away to Wolves last week, but that win wasn’t enough to take them out of the bottom three. They hadn’t won in seven away games before beating Wolves, but only six other teams have taken more points on their travels. The win against Wolves was their first win in 16 games and they have some difficult games left to play.

I’m still not sure there are any Spurs players doing enough to interest fantasy managers.

This is another difficult game to call, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end all square.

Prediction: 1-1

Monday May 4

Chelsea v Nottingham Forest 

3pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea lost 3-0 away to Brighton in their last game and that defeat saw them drop to eighth place and cost them yet another manager. They have only taken two points from their last five home games and they failed to score in the last three, but their last two games on their own ground are both against teams in the bottom five. They have lost their last five games without scoring and they conceded 11 goals in those games.

Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer are probably the Chelsea players most likely to perform for fantasy managers while Pedro Neto should be a consideration too.

Forest won 5-0 away to Sunderland last week to keep themselves five points clear of the relegation zone with just four games left to play. They have taken seven points from their last three away games and they scored 10 goals in those games with no other team in the bottom half of the table scoring more goals on the road. They have taken 12 points and scored 15 goals in their last six games, but they have a very tough run of games to finish their season.

Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson and Neco Williams are the Forest players to watch for fantasy managers.

I think Chelsea will manage a much needed win as Forest’s minds might well be on their European commitments.

Prediction: 2-1

Everton v Manchester City 

8pm BST, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool 

Everton lost 2-1 away to West Ham last week and that defeat saw them drop back into the bottom half of the table, but they’re still only three points off sixth place. They lost their last home game after winning the previous two and they have taken more points away from home than on their own patch. They have only taken one point from their last three games after taking nine in the previous four and their last three games after this one are against teams in the bottom half of the table.

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

City won 1-0 away to Burnley in their last game which temporarily moved them back to the top of the table on goals scored. They have taken 14 points and scored 10 goals in their last six away games with only Chelsea scoring more goals on their travels and only Arsenal conceding less. They have taken 27 points from their last 11 games with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

Erling Haaland, Rayan Cherki and Nico O’Reilly are the best of the City players for fantasy managers at the moment.

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

Prediction: 1-2

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 34

​It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn’t have a great week last week with no perfect predictions, six correct outcomes and seven incorrect outcomes which saw me drop a 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.  Murray1886          44     123      102     20     289

2.  Gooners                48     127       105    17     287

3.  Sam                      40      123      102     20     285

4.  SeniorBurger        41      127.5    93     18     278.5

5.  robbieg                 44      127.5    81     19     271.5

I had a good week with my fantasy team last week as my decision to use my bench boost chip paid off and I moved up to my highest overall position of the season. I could list all of the players that did well for me, but it’s easier to say only three of my players didn’t perform as Joao Pedro didn’t play at all, Cole Palmer only played once and Diego Gomez got injured early on in his first game.

I’ll be using my free hit chip this week as all but one of my players don’t have a game as there are only seven games. The chances are Bruno Fernandes will have the armband yet again and I will bring in a mixture of Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs players with a few more besides. I’m hoping to boost my overall ranking yet again, but I will still struggle to reach the heights of last season.

Friday April 24

Sunderland v Nottingham Forest 

8pm BST, Stadium of Light, Sunderland 

Sunderland conceded a last gasp goal to lose 4-3 away to Villa last week, but they’re still only one point off the top half of the table. They won their last home game after losing the previous three with only the top two conceding less goals on their own ground. They had won three of their previous four games before losing to Villa, but only three other teams have scored less goals.

Sunderland’s defenders and keeper can all be good options for fantasy managers in home games in particular.

Forest came from behind to win 4-1 at home to Burnley last week and that win moved them five points clear of the relegation zone. They have taken 10 points from their last six away games, but only four other teams have scored less goals on the road. They have taken nine points from their last five games after only taking two in the previous five, but only three other teams have scored less goals.

Morgan Gibbs-White is the Forest player to have for fantasy managers with Elliot Anderson and Neco Williams good options too.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Saturday April 25

Fulham v Aston Villa 

12.30pm BST, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham drew 0-0 away to Brentford last week to leave them two places and three points off the top half of the table. They have taken 16 points from their last eight home games with only the top four winning more games on their own patch. They have only won once in their last five games and they failed to score in each of the games they didn’t win with their next two games both against teams in the top four starting with this one.

Harry Wilson is the Fulham player most likely to do well for fantasy managers.

Villa scored a very late goal to win 4-3 at home to Sunderland last week to stay behind third placed United on goal difference. They have only taken two points from their last four away games and they have conceded more goals than they have scored on their travels. They have taken seven points from their last three games after losing the previous three, but their next three games are all against teams in the bottom half of the table before two very difficult games to finish their season.

Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers are the in form Villa players who can return points for fantasy managers.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Liverpool v Crystal Palace 

3pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool scored at the death to win 2-1 away to Everton last week to give themselves some breathing space in fifth place. They have only lost once in their last 10 home games with only four other teams scoring more goals on their own ground. They have won their last two games after failing to win the previous three and they have some very tough games to finish their season.

Virgil van Dijk, Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo are probably the Liverpool players most likely to do well for fantasy managers this week.

Palace drew 0-0 at home to West Ham last week and they’re five points off the top half of the table, but they have played less games than any other team. They have taken seven points from their last three away games with only the top two winning more games on their travels and only Arsenal conceding less goals.

Ismaila Sarr looks like the best candidate in the Palace team for fantasy managers.

I think Liverpool will strengthen their grip on a Champions League spot for next season with another win in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

West Ham United v Everton 

3pm BST, London Stadium, London

West Ham drew 0-0 away to Palace last week to stay two points clear of the bottom three. They have taken nine points from their last five home games, but only two other teams have conceded more goals on their own patch. They have taken eight points from their last five games with only the bottom two conceding more goals.

Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville are the West Ham players to own for fantasy managers.

Everton conceded a very late goal to lose 2-1 at home to Liverpool last week, but they held on to their place in the top half of the table. They have only lost one of their last eight away games and their last three games on their travels are all against teams in the bottom half of the table. They have lost two of their last four games after only losing two of the previous nine with no other team in the top half of the table scoring less goals.

Iliman Ndiaye, Kieron Dewsbury-Hall, James Garner and James Tarkowski are the best of the Everton players for fantasy managers.

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

Prediction: 1-2

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur 

3pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves lost 3-0 away to Leeds last week and that defeat meant their relegation was finally confirmed. They have taken seven points from their last three home games after only taking five from the previous 13 with no other team conceding more goals on their own ground. They have lost their last two games without scoring and they conceded seven goals in those games 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.

Spurs conceded a very late goal to draw 2-2 at home to Brighton last week and that draw meant they stayed in the relegation zone with two points to make up on 17th place. They have only taken three points from their last seven away games, but this is probably their best away fixture of the season. They haven’t won in 15 games and they play three teams from the top half of the table in their last five games.

With such a favourable fixture this week Xavi Simons, Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro could be considered by fantasy managers.

I think Spurs will get a badly needed victory in this game, but it won’t be easy for them.

Prediction: 1-2

Arsenal v Newcastle United 

5.30pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal lost 2-1 away to City last week and that defeat saw them lose their place at the top of the table to City on goals scored. They have lost two of their last five home games with no other team conceding less goals on their own patch and only City scoring more. They have lost their last two games after taking 20 points from the previous eight with no other team conceding less goals and only City scoring more.

Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are very good bets for fantasy managers.

Newcastle lost 2-1 at home to Bournemouth last week to leave them in 14th place with hopes of European qualification fading fast. They have lost two of their last three away games with only three other teams losing more games on their travels and only two other teams scoring less goals. They have lost eight of their last 11 games and they conceded 22 goals in those games with no other team in the bottom half of the table scoring more goals.

If they’re fit to play Anthony Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes are the Newcastle players to own for fantasy managers.

I think Arsenal will make home advantage count to regain their place at the top of the table.

Prediction: 3-1

Monday April 27

Manchester United v Brentford 

8pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United won 1-0 away to Chelsea last week and that win was enough to keep them in third place on goal difference. They lost their last home game after being unbeaten in the previous nine with only the top two scoring more goals on their own ground. They have lost two of their last five games after being unbeaten in the previous 11with only the top two scoring more goals, but only one other team in the top half of the table conceding more.

Bruno Fernandes is a must have for fantasy managers with Matheus Cunha and Casemiro good choices too.

Brentford drew 0-0 at home to Fulham last week which saw them drop to ninth place, but they’re only two points off sixth. They have taken 11 points from their last five away games, but only three other teams have lost more games on the road. They have drawn their last five games and they play three of the top five in their last five games.

Igor Thiago is the Brentford player to have for fantasy managers.

I think United should be good enough at home to take all the points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

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.