Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 26

​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 one perfect prediction, four correct outcomes and five incorrect outcomes which saw me remain 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.     Sam                     28       96      84     15      223

2.     Murray1886         35       94.5   78     15      222.5

3.     SeniorBurger       30      102     75     15      222

4.     Gooners               35      88.5    81     13      217.5

5.    andy                      31     103.5  69      13      216.5

I had a reasonably good week with my fantasy team this week, but I slipped ever so slightly in the overall rankings. That slip was mainly due to taking a four point hit to bring in Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez as the players who I replaced actually returned more points. I think those transfers will pay off over the next few weeks though and I hope to start climbing up the rankings again.

Bruno Fernandes did very well as my captain and I think he will be my captain again as United are away to struggling West Ham this week. The other options would be Erling Haaland or Joao Pedro, but I’m also tempted to go for one of my Arsenal players as they play twice this week. I have my team set up for that double Gameweek for Arsenal so I think I will keep my free transfer until next week.

Tuesday February 10

Chelsea v Leeds United 

7.30pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea won 3-1 away to Wolves on Saturday and they’re still only one point off fourth place. They have only lost once in their last seven home games and their next three games on their own ground are all against teams in the bottom half of the table. They have won their last four games and they scored 11 goals in those games with only three other teams scoring more goals.

Cole Palmer looks like he might just be back for fantasy managers with Joao Pedro, Enzo Fernandez and the Chelsea defenders and keeper good choices too.

Leeds won 3-1 at home to Forest on Friday and that win kept them six points clear of the bottom three. They have only taken four points from their last nine away games with only the bottom two taking less points on the road. They have taken 18 points from their last 12 games and they have a very tough run of games coming up.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the best of Leeds players for fantasy managers.

I think Chelsea will continue their pursuit of a top four finish with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Everton v Bournemouth 

7.30pm GMT, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool 

Everton came from behind to win 2-1 away to Fulham on Saturday and that win moved them up to eighth place. They have only taken two points from their last four home games with only four other teams scoring less goals on their own patch. They are unbeaten in five games, but they drew three of them with only the top three conceding less goals.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and James Garner can do very well for fantasy managers with James Tarkowski and Jordan Pickford worth considering too.

Bournemouth drew 1-1 at home to Villa at the weekend and they’re only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They have only lost one of their last five away games, but they drew three of them and no other team has conceded more goals on their travels. They have taken 11 points and scored 10 goals in their last five games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

Junior Kroupi is a very good choice for fantasy managers with new boy Rayan Vitor worth a shout too.

This isn’t an easy game to predict, but I think the points will be shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United 

7.30pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs lost 2-0 away to United on Saturday after playing most of the game with 10 men and they’re now only three places and six points above the relegation zone. They have only won once in their last 11 home games with only Wolves taking less points on their own ground. They haven’t won in seven games and they’re in the middle of a tough run of fixtures.

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

Newcastle lost 3-2 at home to Brentford at the weekend after initially taking the lead and that defeat saw them drop to 12th place, but they’re only one point off the top half of the table. They have only won two of their 12 away games with only three other teams taking less points on the road and only two other teams scoring less goals. They have lost their last three games and they conceded 9 goals in those games, but four of their next five games are against big six teams.

Now that he has recovered from injury Bruno Guimaraes is the Newcastle player who can make a difference for fantasy managers.

This is a game which could go either way and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

West Ham United v Manchester United 

8.15pm GMT, London Stadium, London 

West Ham won 2-0 away to Burnley on Saturday and that win moved within three points of safety. They have only won once in their last six home games with only Wolves taking less points and conceding more goals on their own patch. They have won three of their last four games and they scored nine goals in those games, but only Burnley have conceded more goals.

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

United won 2-0 at home to Spurs at the weekend and that win meant they stayed in the top four. They have only lost once in their last nine away games with only Chelsea and City scoring more goals on their travels. They have won their last four games and they scored 10 goals in those games with only the top two scoring more goals.

Bruno Fernandes is almost a must have for fantasy managers at the moment with Bryan Mbuemo and Matheus Cunha good options too.

I think West Ham will give United a real test, but United will win narrowly.

Prediction: 1-2

Wednesday February 11

Aston Villa v Brighton And Hove Albion

7.30pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa drew 1-1 away to Bournemouth on Saturday after taking the lead and they’re still in third place, but they’re now nine points off the pace. They have lost their last two home games without scoring after winning the previous eight with only the two teams above them conceding less goals on their own ground. They have only won two of their last seven games and they failed to score in three of those games with only the top two conceding less goals.

Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins are still the best of the Villa players for fantasy managers.

Brighton lost 1-0 at home to Palace on Sunday and that defeat saw them fall to 14th place, but they’re only three points off the top half of the table. They have only taken two points from their last five away games and their next two games on the road are against teams in the top seven. They have only won once in their last 12 games, but they drew six of them  with no other team drawing more games.

I don’t think there are any Brighton players doing enough for fantasy managers to consider them at the moment.

I think Villa will get the better of Brighton in a very close game.

Prediction: 2-1

Crystal Palace v Burnley 

7.30 GMT, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace won 1-0 away to Brighton on Sunday and that win moved them up to 13th place and within two points of the top half of the table. They haven’t won in their last seven home games with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch. The win against Brighton was their first win in 10 games, but they play the bottom two in their next two games beginning with this one.

Ismaila Sarr looks like he could be the Palace player to do well for fantasy managers since his return from injury and the AFCON.

Burnley lost 2-0 at home to West Ham on Saturday and they’re now 11 points from safety with games running out quickly. They have only taken two points in their last seven away games with no other team losing more games or conceding more goals on their travels. They haven’t won in 16 games with only Wolves scoring less goals and no other team conceding more.

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

I think Palace will make it two wins in a row with a couple of goals to spare in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Manchester City v Fulham 

7.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City came from behind to win 2-1 away to Liverpool on Sunday to stay in second place with six points to make up on the leaders. They are unbeaten in their last 11 home games, but they drew the last two with only Arsenal scoring more goals on their own ground and no other team conceding less. They have only won two of their last seven games, but no other team has scored more goals and only Arsenal have scored less.

Erling Haaland showed against Liverpool why he still has to be included by fantasy managers with Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki worth a shout too.

Fulham lost 2-1 at home to Everton on Saturday after scoring first, but they held on to their place in the top half of the table on goal difference. They have lost their last two away games after taking 10 points from the previous four and they have some very tough games on the road left to play. They have lost three of their last four games with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

Harry Wilson and Raul Jiminez are the Fulham players most likely to return points for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think City will put some pressure on Arsenal by taking the three points in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

7.30pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest lost 3-1 away to Leeds on Friday and they’re now only three points above the relegation zone. They have only taken two points from their last four home games with only three other teams taking less points on their own patch. The defeat against Leeds was their first one in five games with only Wolves scoring less goals and three of their next six games are against big six teams.

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

Wolves lost 3-1 at home to Chelsea on Saturday to leave themselves rooted to the foot of the table and awaiting their inevitable relegation. They’re the only team without an away win with no other team scoring less goals on their travels. They have lost their last three games and they only scored two goals in their last five with no other team scoring less goals and only Burnley conceding more.

Wolves play twice this week, but it’s still difficult for fantasy managers to choose any of their players with Mateus Mane the possible exception.

I think Forest will get a very welcome three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Sunderland v Liverpool 

8.15pm GMT, Stadium of Light, Sunderland 

Sunderland lost 3-0 away to Arsenal on Saturday and they’re still in the top half of the table. They are the only team still unbeaten at home with only the top two conceding less goals on their own ground. They have only won twice in their last nine games with only four other teams scoring less goals.

Brian Brobbey and Enzo Le Fee can do well for fantasy managers as can the Sunderland defenders and keeper in home games.

Liverpool conceded two late goals to lost 2-1 at home to City on Sunday and they’re now five points off the top four. They haven’t won in their last three away games with only one other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals on the road. They have only won once in their last seven games, but they only play one of the other big six teams in their next nine games.

Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike are probably the best of the bunch in the Liverpool team for fantasy managers.

I think Sunderland will continue their unbeaten run at home, but they will have to settle for a draw in this game.

Prediction: 1-1

Thursday February 12

Brentford v Arsenal 

8pm GMT, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford came back from 1-0 down to win 3-2 away to Newcastle on Saturday and they’re only behind sixth placed Liverpool on goal difference. They lost their last home game after taking 17 points in the previous seven and this is by far their most difficult game left on their own patch. They have taken 19 points and scored 17 goals in their last nine games and they have a very good run of games after this one.

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

Arsenal won 3-0 at home to Sunderland at the weekend to maintain their six point lead at the top of the table. They have taken 10 points from their last four away games with no other team taking more points or conceding less goals on their travels. They have taken 23 points from their last 10 games with no other team conceding less goals and only City scoring more.

Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are great choices for fantasy managers along with Declan Rice while Viktor Gyokeres has looked good recently too.

I think Brentford will give Arsenal a real run for their money, but the away team will nick a win.

Prediction: 1-2

Wednesday February 18

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal 

8pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves play their second game of the Gameweek and it’s probably one of their most difficult games of the season. They have lost their last two home games after taking four points in the previous two while no other team has lost more games, scored less or conceded more goals on their own ground. It’s just a matter of time before they’re relegated and this game will probably bring that outcome a little closer.

As I mentioned previously Mane is the only Wolves player for fantasy managers to really consider and that’s because of his price and the two games this week.

Arsenal play their second away game of the Gameweek and they will be looking to take maximum points from them so they can put a gap between them and City. They have the best away record in the league and they should improve that record in this game. Playing in four competitions at this stage of the season is difficult though and their chances could depend on their ability to cope with those demands.

With two games this week Arsenal players are at a premium for fantasy managers and they could do very well despite both of their games being away from home.

I think Arsenal will be too strong for Wolves and will win by at least a couple of goals.

Prediction: 0-2

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 25

​It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I had a very good week last week with two perfect predictions, six correct outcomes and two incorrect outcomes which saw me move up a few 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.     Gooners              34      84     81      13      212

2.     Sam                    27      90      81      14      212

3.     Murray1886        35      87      75      14      211

4.     SeniorBurger      29      97.5   69      14     209.5

5.     robbieg               33      94.5   63      14     204.5

I did reasonably well with my fantasy team last week, but I lost a little bit of ground overall. My decision to go with Bruno Fernandes as my captain paid off and the chances are he will be my captain again this week. The other option has to be Erling Haaland, but despite being the leading goalscorer he just isn’t playing well enough at the moment to give him the armband.

I am tempted to use more than the one free transfer I have this week as I’m looking to bring both Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernandez in. Chelsea have a great run of fixtures at the moment and both of those players are in very good form. If I do bring them both in then the players to lose out will most likely be Bruno Guimaraes and Igor Thiago.

Friday February 6

Leeds United v Nottingham Forest 

8pm GMT, Elland Road, Leeds 

Leeds lost 4-0 at home to Arsenal last week which left them six points and two places above the relegation zone. They had taken 11 points from their previous five home games before losing to Arsenal and they need to regain that form in this game. They have only lost twice in their last 11 games, but they drew six of them.

I’m not sure there are any Leeds players doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment and they have some very tough games coming up.

Forest drew 1-1 at home to Palace last week and they’re only behind Leeds on goals scored going into this game. They have won their last two away games after losing the previous three, but only two other teams have scored less goals on the road. They have taken eight points from their last four games after losing the previous four, but only Wolves have scored less goals.

Morgan Gibbs-White and Elliot Anderson are both looking very good for fantasy managers at the moment.

This is a huge game for two teams trying to stay clear of the relegation zone and I think it will end all square.

Prediction: 1-1

Saturday February 7

Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur 

12.30pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United scored a very late goal to win 3-2 at home to Fulham last week and that victory was enough to keep them in the top four. They have taken 12 points from their last six home games with only the top two scoring more goals on their own patch. They have won their last three games and they scored eight goals in those games with only the top two scoring more goals, but no other team in the top half of the table conceding more.

Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo are the United players to have for fantasy managers at the moment.

Spurs came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 at home to City last week to leave them in 15th place and five points below the top half of the table. They have only won once in their last seven away games with only Arsenal and Villa taking more points on their travels. They have only won twice in their last 15 games and they have some difficult games coming up.

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero can do well for fantasy managers if they’re fit to play.

I think United will continue their good run with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Arsenal v Sunderland 

3pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal won 4-0 away to Leeds last week to extend their lead at the top of the table to six points. They lost their last home game after being unbeaten in the previous 11 with no other team conceding less goals on their own ground and only City scoring more. The win against Leeds was their first win in four games with no other team conceding less goals and only City scoring more.

Arsenal’s defenders and keeper remain great choices for fantasy managers with Declan Rice worth considering too.

Sunderland won 3-0 at home to Burnley last week and those three points moved them back into the top half of the table. They haven’t won in their last seven away games with only Wolves scoring less goals on the road. They have won two of their last three games after failing to win the previous five with only the top two conceding less goals.

Sunderland’s defenders and keeper can do very well for fantasy managers in home matches in particular while Brian Brobbey and Enzo Le Fee are worth watching too.

I think Arsenal will make it back to back wins by a couple of goals in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Bournemouth v Aston Villa 

3pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth won 2-0 away to Wolves last week and they’re now only one point off the top half of the table. They have won their last two home games after failing to win the previous five and they scored eight goals in their last three games on their own patch. They have taken 10 points from their last four games after only taking five in the previous 11 games with no other team in the bottom half of the table scoring more goals, but only the bottom three conceding more.

Junior Kroupi looks like he could be the cut price striker fantasy managers crave.

Villa lost 1-0 at home to Brentford last week and they’re now in third place with seven points to make up on Arsenal. They have taken 16 points from their last seven away games with only Arsenal taking more points on their travels. They have lost three of their last six games after winning 12 of the previous 13 and they have a very good run of games coming up.

Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins (if he’s fit to play) are the Villa players who can do well for fantasy managers.

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

Prediction: 2-2

Burnley v West Ham United 

3pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley 

Burnley lost 3-0 away to Sunderland last week to leave themselves one place off the bottom of the table and 11 points from safety. They haven’t won in their last eight home games with only two other teams scoring less goals on their own ground. They haven’t won in 15 games with only Wolves scoring less goals and only West Ham conceding more.

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

West Ham led 2-0 away to Chelsea last week, but they ended up losing 3-2 and they’re now six points from safety. They have only won once in their last 10 games, but this is a game they have to win. They had won two games in a row before losing to Chelsea, but they have some very tough games coming up after this one.

Jarrod Bowen is the West Ham player who can make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.

This is a huge game for two teams in the relegation zone and I think West Ham might just get the better of Burnley.

Prediction: 1-2

Fulham v Everton 

3pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham conceded a very late goal to lose 3-2 away to United last week, but they managed to hold on to their place in the top half of the table. They have taken 10 points from their last four home games and their next four games on their own patch are all against teams below them in the table. They have taken 17 points from their last nine games, but only one other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.

Harry Wilson and Raul Jiminez are the Fulham players who can make an impression for fantasy managers.

Everton drew 1-1 away to Brighton last week and they’re only behind Fulham on goal difference going into this game. They have only lost once in their last eight away games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their travels. They have only lost once in their last seven games, but they drew four of them with only three other teams scoring less goals.

Jordan Pickford, James Tarkowski and James Garner can all do well for fantasy managers.

I don’t think there will be too much between these two teams, but the chances are Fulham will take the three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea 

3pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves lost 2-0 at home to Bournemouth last week to leave them rooted to the foot of the table and awaiting their inevitable relegation. Despite a recent upturn in their home results no other team has taken less points or scored less goals on their own ground. They have only won once in 24 games with no other team scoring less goals and only West Ham and Burnley conceding more.

With two games next week Mateus Mane could be a reasonably priced option for fantasy managers.

Chelsea came back from 2-0 to win 3-2 at home to West Ham last week and they’re only one point off fourth place. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous five with no other team scoring more goals on the road. They have scored eight goals in winning their last three games and they are in the middle of a great run of fixtures.

Trevoh Chalobah, Enzo Fernandez and Joao Pedro are the Chelsea players to have at the moment for fantasy managers.

I think Chelsea will continue their pursuit of a top four finish with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-3

Newcastle United v Brentford 

5.30pm GMT, St. James’s Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle led away to Liverpool last week, but they ended up losing 4-1 and that defeat saw them drop back into the bottom half of the table. They lost their last home game after taking 20 points from the previous eight games on their own patch. They have only taken one point and scored one goal in their last three games and they have some difficult games coming up.

If he’s fit to play Bruno Guimaraes is the best of the Newcastle players for fantasy managers.

Brentford won 1-0 away to Villa last week to move up to seventh place, but they’re only three points ahead of Newcastle. They have won three of their last four away games, but only the bottom two have lost more games on their travels. They have taken 16 points from their last eight games and their fixtures get a lot better after their next couple of games.

Igor Thiago is the best of the Brentford players for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Newcastle will manage a badly needed victory in a very close game.

Prediction: 2-1

Sunday February 8

Brighton And Hove Albion v Crystal Palace 

2pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton drew 1-1 at home to Everton last week and they’re now three points off the top half of the table. They’re unbeaten in their last five home games, but they drew four of them with no other team drawing more games on their own ground. They have only won once in their last 11 games, but they drew six of them with no other team drawing more games.

Yasin Ayari is the Brighton player who has done very well under the radar for fantasy managers and he’s available at a very good price too.

Palace drew 1-1 away to Forest last week and they’re still closer to the top half of the table than they are to the relegation zone. They have only taken one point from their last four away games and they have some very tough games on the road coming up after this one. They have only taken three points from their last nine games and they only scored five goals in those games with only Wolves and Forest scoring less goals.

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

I think this will be a very close game with the points being shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Liverpool v Manchester City 

4.30pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool came from behind to win 4-1 at home to Newcastle last week and they’re only two points off the top four. They are unbeaten in their last six home games, but they drew three of them and this is one of their toughest games on their own patch this season. They have only lost once in their last 12 games, but they drew six of them and they have a very good run of games after this one.

Florian Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike are probably the Liverpool players for fantasy managers to consider at the moment. 

City led 2-0 away to Spurs last week, but they had to settle for 2-2 draw which saw them slip to six points behind Arsenal at the top of the table. They haven’t won in their last three away games, but only three other teams have scored more goals on their travels. They have only won once in their last six games, but no other team has scored more goals and only Arsenal have conceded less.

Erling Haaland is still a good option for fantasy managers despite his lack of goals recently with Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and Rayan Cherki good options too.

This is a difficult game to predict, but the chances are it will go the way of Liverpool.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 23

​It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn’t have a good week last week with no perfect predictions, three correct outcomes and seven incorrect outcomes, but I didn’t lose any ground in my predictions league at least. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Pos Player                  Res     Cls     Exa    Slm     Pts

1.    SeniorBurger       25        93       69      14       201

2.    Gooners               30        76.5    78     12      196.5

3.    Sam                     25        84       72      13      194

4.    Murray1886        13        79.5    69      13      193.5

5.    andy                    28        90       63      12      193

My fantasy team did reasonably well last week in what was a low scoring week. All of my defensive players got me points, but the lack of returns from my attacking players prevented me from doing even better. I moved up in the overall rankings for the third week in a row and I’m not too far off the top 1% in the overall standings.

Hugo Ekitike didn’t do much as my captain last week and the chances are I will give the armband back to Erling Haaland this week despite his lack of form. I have two transfers I can make this week and I think I will be bringing Bruno Fernandes in and possibly selling Ekitike too, but I will have to wait until I find out more about the fitness of Bruno Guimaraes.

Saturday January 24

West Ham United v Sunderland 

12.30pm GMT, London Stadium, London 

West Ham scored a very late goal to win 2-1 away to Spurs last week, but they’re still in the relegation zone and five points from safety. They have only taken one point from their last five home games with no other team conceding more goals on their own ground. They had only taken four points from 10 games before beating Spurs with no other team conceding more goals.

Jarrod Bowen is the only West Ham player who can return points for fantasy managers.

Sunderland won 2-1 at home to Palace last week and they’re only three points off fourth place. They have only taken three points from their last six away games with no other team scoring less goals on the road. The win against Palace was their first win in six games, but no other team has drawn more games and only two other teams have scored less goals.

Sunderland’s defenders and keeper can do well for fantasy managers while Granit Xhaka is worth considering too.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur 

3pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley 

Burnley drew 1-1 away to Liverpool last week to remain one place off the foot of the table and eight points from safety. They have only taken two points from their last seven home games with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch. They haven’t won in 13 games, but they have drawn four of their last six with only two other teams scoring less goals and only West Ham conceding more.

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

Spurs conceded a late goal to lose 2-1 at home to West Ham last week and they’re now five points off the top half of the table. They have only won once in their last six away games, but only Arsenal have taken more points on their travels with only Chelsea and Bournemouth scoring more goals. They have only won two of their last 13 games and they have some very difficult games coming up after this one.

I don’t think it’s a great idea to recommend Spurs players to fantasy managers at the moment considering their upcoming games.

I think Spurs will take three badly needed points in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Fulham v Brighton And Hove Albion 

3pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham conceded a late goal to lose 1-0 away to Leeds last week and that defeat saw them drop into the bottom half of the table. They have taken seven points from their last three home games after losing the previous two and they have a good run of home games coming up. They had taken 14 points from six games before losing to Leeds, but three of their next five games after this one are against big six teams.

Harry Wilson is the best of the bunch in the Fulham team for fantasy managers with Raul Jiminez and Joachim Anderson possibilities too.

Brighton scored a late goal to draw 1-1 at home to Bournemouth last week and they’re only one point and one place behind Fulham going into this game. They have only taken two points from their last four away games, but three of those games were against teams in the top four. They have only won once in their last nine games with no other team drawing more games.

Danny Welbeck, Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh are all capable of doing well for fantasy managers.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Manchester City v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

3pm GMT  Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City lost 2-0 away to United last week and they’re now seven points behind Arsenal at the top of the table. They have drawn their last two home games after winning the previous eight with no other team scoring more goals on their own patch and only Arsenal conceding less. They haven’t won in four games after winning the previous six with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

Erling Haaland has done very little for fantasy managers in recent weeks, but it’s still difficult to look past him with Antoine Semenyo a good option too.

Wolves drew 1-1 at home to Newcastle last week, but they’re still rooted to the foot of the table with 14 points to make up on 17th place. They have drawn their last two away games after losing the previous six, but they’re the only team without a win on their travels with no other team scoring less away goals. They are unbeaten in four games, but they drew three of them with no other team scoring less goals.

Mateus Mane is the only Wolves player who might make a contribution for fantasy managers and he’s available at a very good price.

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

Prediction: 2-0

Bournemouth v Liverpool 

5.30pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth conceded late on to draw 1-1 away to Brighton last week and they’re a lot closer to the top half of the table than the relegation zone despite being in 15th place. They won their last home game after failing to win the previous five, but their next two home games are against teams in the top four starting with this one. They have only won once in their last 13 games with only two other teams conceding more goals.

Marcus Tavernier and Kroupi Junior are the Bournemouth players who should interest fantasy managers.

Liverpool drew 1-1 at home to struggling Burnley last week to stay in fourth place, but they’re still 14 points off the top of the table. They are unbeaten in their last five away games after losing the previous four and they have a good run of away games coming up. They are unbeaten in 10 games, but they drew six of them and their next two games after this one are far from easy.

It’s difficult to know which Liverpool players will do well for fantasy managers at the moment, but Florian Wirtz is starting to live up to his billing.

I think Bournemouth will give Liverpool a run for their money and might just get a point from this game.

Prediction: 2-2

Sunday January 25

Brentford v Nottingham Forest 

2pm GMT, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford lost 2-0 away to Chelsea last week to fall back to seventh place, but they’re only three points below the top four. They have taken 17 points from their last seven home games and they scored 17 goals in those games with only the top three taking more points on their own patch. They had taken 14 points from six games before losing to Chelsea and they have some very difficult games coming up after this one.

Igor Thiago is the best of the Brentford players for fantasy managers with Kevin Schade and Nathan Collins good choices too.

Forest drew 0-0 at home to league leaders Arsenal last week and that point kept them five points above the relegation zone. They won their last three away games after losing the previous three with only two other teams scoring less goals on their travels. They have taken four points from their last five games after losing the previous four with only Wolves scoring less goals.

Morgan Gibbs-White remains the best bet in a Forest team that don’t do an awful lot for fantasy managers.

I think Brentford will prove to be too strong on their own ground for Forest and should win by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 3-1

Crystal Palace v Chelsea 

2pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace lost 2-1 away to Sunderland last week to remain in 13th place and they’re now four points behind the top half of the table. They haven’t won in their last six home games with only Wolves winning less games on their own ground and no other team scoring less goals. They have only taken two points from their last seven games and they only scored two goals in those games.

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

Chelsea won 2-0 at home to Brentford last week and they moved back to sixth place and within two points of fourth place as a result of that win. They have only taken three points from their last five away games, but no other team has scored more goals on the road. The win against Brentford was only their second win in 10 games, but their next five games are all against teams in the bottom half of the table.

Chelsea’s defenders and keeper could do well for fantasy managers over the next few weeks along with Pedro Neto and Cole Palmer.

I think Chelsea will take advantage of Palace’s current problems to narrowly win this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Newcastle United v Aston Villa

2pm GMT, St. James’s Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle drew 0-0 away to Wolves last week and they’re still only three points off the top four. They have taken 20 points from their last eight home games and they scored 18 goals in those games with only three other teams scoring more goals on their own patch. They have taken 10 points from their last four games, but they have some very tough games coming up.

If he’s fit to play Bruno Guimaraes is the best of the Newcastle players for fantasy managers with Malick Thiaw and Joelinton doing well recently too.

Villa lost 1-0 at home to Everton last week and that defeat saw them stay in third place with seven points to make up on league leaders Arsenal. They have only taken one point from their last two away games after winning the previous four with only Arsenal taking more points on their travels. They have only won once in their last four games after winning 12 of the previous 13 and they don’t play any of the big six in their next six games.

Morgan Rogers and Ollie Watkins are the Villa players who fantasy managers should have their eye on.

I think Newcastle should make home advantage pay to move themselves closer to the top four.

Prediction: 2-1

Arsenal v Manchester United 

4.30pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal drew 0-0 away to Forest last week to give themselves a seven point lead at the top of the table. They’re one of two teams unbeaten at home with no other team taking more points or conceding less goals on their own ground and only City scoring more. They have only lost once in their last 19 games, but they have drawn the last two 0-0 and no other team has conceded less goals.

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

United won 2-0 at home to City last week to move up to fifth place and within one point of fourth place. They haven’t won in their last three away games, but no other team has drawn more games on the road. They have only lost two of their last 14 games, but they drew seven of them with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals and only the top two scoring more.

Bruno Fernandes is the best of the United players for fantasy managers with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha possibilities too.

I think Arsenal will be good enough at home to win a very close game.

Prediction: 2-1

Monday January 26

Everton v Leeds United 

8pm GMT, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool 

Everton won 1-0 away to Villa last week and that win moved them back into the top half of the table. They have only taken one point from their last three home games, but three of their next four games on their own patch are against teams in the bottom half of the table. The win against Villa was only their second win in seven games, but they have kept clean sheets in three of their last five games.

Everton’s defenders and keeper can do very well for fantasy managers and the returning Iliman Ndiaye could be a good option too along with James Garner.

Leeds scored a late goal to win 1-0 at home to Fulham last week and they now have eight points to spare over the bottom three. They haven’t won in their last eight away games, but they have drawn the last three and only the bottom two have taken less points on their travels. They have only lost once in their last nine games, but they drew five of them and they have a difficult run of games over the next few weeks.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the Leeds player fantasy managers should be interested in.

I think Everton will just about get the better of a very close game.

Prediction: 1-0

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 22

​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 just one perfect prediction, two correct outcomes and seven incorrect outcomes, but I still moved up in my predictions league as others didn’t do well either. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Pos  Player                Res    Cls    Exa    Slm    Pts

1.     SeniorBurger     25      87      69      14      195

2.     Gooners             30      73.5   75       12     190.5

3.     Murray1886       32      75      69       13     189

4.     andy                   28      84       63      12     187

5.     Sam                   25       81      66      13     185

I did fairly well with my fantasy team as the choice of Erling Haaland as my captain paid off. He was assisted by David Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes, Michael Keane (despite his red card), Bruno Guimaraes, Harry Wilson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin as my team regained some of the ground it had lost recently. Haaland will probably be my captain again this week, but I’m tempted to give Hugo Ekitike the armband with a home game against Burnley.

I have yet to decide if I’m going to make any transfers this week, but I’m tempted to leave my squad as it is. I might possibly decide to sell Phil Foden as he’s just not justifying his price tag at the moment, but I’ll probably wait until next week so I can bring a striker in too.

Saturday January 17

Manchester United v Manchester City 

12.3pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United drew 2-2 away to struggling Burnley last week and those dropped points saw them fall back to seventh place. They have only won once in their last five home games after winning the previous four with only five other teams scoring more goals on their own ground. They have only lost one of their last nine games, but they drew five of them with only Sunderland drawing more games.

Bruno Fernandes is the United player to have for fantasy managers now that he has returned from injury.

City drew 1-1 at home to Brighton last week and that point kept them in second place with six points to make up on Arsenal. They have taken 10 points from their last four away games with only Chelsea scoring more goals on the road. They have drawn their last three games after winning the previous six with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

Erling Haaland is the must have City player for fantasy managers with Rayan Cherki and new boy Antoine Semenyo good choices too.

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

Prediction: 1-2

Chelsea v Brentford 

3pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea lost 2-1 away to Fulham last week and that defeat saw them drop to eighth in the table. They have only won two of their last six home games, but they have a very good run of games coming up on their own patch. They have only won once in their last eight games, but their next five games after this one are all against teams in the bottom half of the table.

The Chelsea defenders and keeper could do well over the next few weeks along with Pedro Neto and Cole Palmer.

Brentford won 3-0 at home to Sunderland last week and that win moved them up to fifth place and within two points of the top four. They have won their last two away games after losing the previous four with only the bottom two losing more games on their travels. They have taken 13 points and scored 13 goals in their last five games with only the top two scoring more goals.

Igor Thiago is the stand out Brentford player for fantasy managers at the moment with Nathan Collins, Kevin Schade and Caoimhin Kelleher all doing very well recently too.

I think this will be another very close game with Chelsea probably making home advantage count.

Prediction: 2-1

Leeds United v Fulham 

3pm GMT, Elland Road, Leeds

Leeds conceded a very late goal to lose 4-3 away to Newcastle last week, but they still have eight points to spare over the bottom three. They have taken eight points from their last four home games and they scored 11 goals in those games. They were unbeaten in seven games before losing to Newcastle, but they drew five of those games.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the in form Leeds player for fantasy managers with Anton Stach and Brenden Aaronson good options too. 

Fulham won 2-1 at home to Chelsea last week and that victory moved them into the top half of the table. They have taken 10 points from their last four away games after losing the previous five, but they have some difficult away games coming up. They have taken 14 points from their last six games, but only one other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.

Harry Wilson is looking very good for fantasy managers at the moment with Raul Jiminez a consideration too.

I think Leeds have shown enough recently to suggest they will win this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Liverpool v Burnley 

3pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool drew 0-0 away to Arsenal last week and that point left them in fourth place, but they’re 14 points off the top of the table. They have taken eight points from their last four home games and three of their next four games are on their own patch. They are unbeaten in nine games, but they drew five of them and their next two games are against teams in the bottom half of the table.

With Hugo Ekitike back from injury he could do very well for fantasy managers in this game with Cody Gakpo and Florian Wirtz possibilities too.

Burnley drew 2-2 at home to United last week, but they’re still one place off the bottom of the table and eight points from safety. They have only taken four points from their 10 away games with only Bournemouth conceding more goals on their travels. They have only taken three points from their last 12 games with only West Ham conceding more goals.

I’m not sure there are any Burnley players for fantasy managers to consider.

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

Prediction: 3-0

Tottenham Hotspur v West Ham United

3pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs lost 3-2 away to Bournemouth last week, but they’re only three points off the top half of the table despite being in 14th place. They have only won once in their last nine home games with only three other teams scoring less goals on their own ground. They have only won twice in their last 12 games, but their next two games are both against teams in the relegation zone.

I can’t see any Spurs players doing enough on a consistent basis to interest fantasy managers at the moment.

West Ham lost 2-1 at home to Forest last week and that defeat meant they stayed in the relegation zone and they now have seven points to make up on the team directly above them. They haven’t won in their last eight away games, but they drew four of them with only United drawing more games on the road. They haven’t won in 10 games with no other team conceding more goals.

Jarrod Bowen is the only West Ham player for fantasy managers to consider.

I think Spurs will get a badly needed win in this game with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 3-1

Sunderland v Crystal Palace 

3pm GMT, Stadium of Light, Sunderland 

Sunderland lost 3-0 away to Brentford last week, but they just about held on to their spot in the top half of the table. They are one of two teams still unbeaten at home with only Palace drawing more games on their own patch and only Arsenal conceding less goals. They haven’t won in five games, but they drew four of them with only Wolves scoring less goals.

Sunderland’s defenders and keeper are very good options for fantasy managers in home games in particular with Granit Xhaka looking good too.

Palace drew 0-0 at home to Villa last week to stay in 13th place, but they’re only two points off the top half of the table. They lost their last two away games after winning the previous three and they conceded six goals in those two games after only conceding five in their previous eight away games. They have only taken two points from their last five games with only three other teams scoring less goals.

Palace’s players haven’t done an awful lot to turn the heads of fantasy managers in recent games.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Nottingham Forest v Arsenal 

5.30pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest won 2-1 away to West Ham last week to give themselves a seven point gap above the bottom three. They have lost three of their last four home games with only two other teams conceding more goals on their own ground. They had lost four games in a row before beating West Ham with only Wolves scoring less goals.

Morgan Gibbs-White is probably the only Forest player for fantasy managers to keep an eye on at the moment.

Arsenal drew 0-0 at home to Liverpool last week and that point maintained their six point lead at the top of the table. They have won their last two away games after failing to win the previous three with no other team taking more points or conceding less goals on the road. They have only lost once in their last 18 games with no other team conceding less goals.

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

I think Arsenal will be strong enough to win what looks like being a close game.

Prediction: 1-2

Sunday January 18

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United 

2pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves drew 1-1 away to Everton last week, but they’re still six points adrift at the foot of the table and 15 points from safety. They won their last home game after failing to win the previous nine with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch and only West Ham conceding more. They have taken five points from their last three games after only taking two in the previous 18 with no other team scoring less goals and only West Ham conceding more.

Mateus Mane might just be the cheap striker fantasy managers crave to enable other purchases.

Newcastle scored a last gasp goal to win 4-3 at home to Leeds last week and that victory moved them up to sixth place with just three points to make up on the top four. They have won two of their last four away games after failing to win the previous six and their next three games on their travels after this one are all against big six teams. They have won their last three games and they scored nine goals in those games.

Bruno Guimaraes is the best of the Newcastle players for fantasy managers at the moment.

It’s difficult to predict the outcome of this game, but I think it might just end with the spoils shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Aston Villa v Everton 

4.30pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa drew 0-0 away to Palace last week to leave them in third place and six points off the top of the table. They have won their last eight home games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last three games after winning 12 of the previous 13 and they don’t play any of the big six teams in their next seven games.

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

Everton drew 1-1 at home to Wolves last week despite having two men sent off and they’re only one point off the top half of the table. They have taken 11 points from their last six away games, but only two other teams have scored less goals on the road. They have only won once in their last six games and they will struggle to get anything out of this game too.

Everton’s defenders and keeper are worth considering for fantasy managers along with James Garner.

I think Villa’s impressive home form will continue with another narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Monday January 19

Brighton And Hove Albion v Bournemouth 

8pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton drew 1-1 away to City last week and they’re only one point and one place off the top half of the table. They won their last home game after failing to win the previous three, but they have only lost one game on their own patch so far. They have only won once in their last eight games, but they drew four of them with only Sunderland drawing more games.

If he’s fit to play Yankuba Minteh is a good choice for fantasy managers along with Danny Welbeck and Kaoru Mitoma.

Bournemouth scored a last minute goal to win 3-2 at home to Spurs last week and they’re only four points off the top half of the table despite being in 15th place. They haven’t won in their last eight away games with no other team conceding more goals on their travels, but only Chelsea scoring more goals. They hadn’t won in 11 games before beating Spurs with only three other teams scoring more goals.

With Antoine Semenyo now plying his trade elsewhere Marcus Tavernier and Junior Kroupi could possibly do well for fantasy managers.

I think Brighton will get the better of a close game to take all three points.

Prediction: 3-2

That’s it for this week. 

See you next week.