| POSITION | PLAYER NAME | THIS WEEK | POINTS | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (2) |  |  |  | GoonerLaw | 1260 | ||||||
| 2 (4) | |  |  | Feel | 1070 | ||||||
| 2 (1) | | |  | AFCDAVE | 1070 | ||||||
| 4 (6) | | |  | Mystical | 1055 | ||||||
| 5 (5) | | |  | Invader 67 | 1015 |
Friday January 10
Sheffield United v West Ham United
8pm GMT, Bramall Lane, Sheffield
United lost 2-0 away to Liverpool last week and they slipped back to eighth place, but they’re still only two points off fifth place. They have won as many games as they have lost at home and only three other teams have conceded less goals on their own patch. They haven’t won in three games and only two other teams have conceded less goals, but they play Arsenal and City in their next two games after this one.
United’s defenders and keeper are still the best bets in their team for fantasy managers, but they have some tough fixtures in the next few weeks.
West Ham greeted the return of David Moyes with a 4-0 win at home to Bournemouth last week to move two points above the relegation zone. They have won two of their last four away games and they have kept three clean sheets away from home so far with only three other teams conceding less goals on the road. They have only won three of their last 14 games, but the signs were very good last week.
With two games to play in a couple of weeks West Ham players could be attractive to fantasy managers and Lukasz Fabianski is usually the best choice among them.
I think this will be a very close game with a draw the most likely outcome.
Prediction: 1-1
Saturday January 11
Crystal Palace v Arsenal
12.30pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London
Palace drew 1-1 away to Norwich last week to stay in ninth place and one point ahead of Arsenal going into this game. They have taken seven points from their last three home games, but no other team has scored less or conceded less goals at home. They have only lost once in their last eight games and they kept three clean sheets in those games, but only Watford have scored less goals.
Palace’s defenders and keeper are all pretty good cut price options for fantasy managers.
Arsenal won 2-0 at home to United last week to move into the top half of the table. They have only won two of their 10 away games, but they are unbeaten in four games on the road and only three other teams have conceded less goals on their travels. They have only won twice in their last 13 games, but they only play two of the other “big six” teams in their next 12 games.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is still the only Arsenal player of real interest to fantasy managers, but their defenders and keeper could be worth considering if they continue their defensive improvement under Mikel Arteta.
I think this will be another very close game and Arsenal will probably just about emerge with the three points.
Prediction: 1-2
Chelsea v Burnley
3pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea drew 1-1 away to Brighton last week to stay fourth and they’re now five points above fifth place. They have lost three of their last four home games and they failed to score in each of those defeats with only Palace and Bournemouth scoring less goals at home and only three teams conceding less. They have only won three of their last nine games and they have four very tough games coming up shortly.
Tammy Abraham and Willian are still the best bets in the Chelsea team for fantasy managers with Mason Mount to be considered too, but their output has fallen off recently.
Burnley lost 2-1 at home to Villa last week and they’re now only four points above the bottom three. They have won two of their last four away games, but they are their only away wins so far with only four other teams scoring less goals on the road. They have lost nine of their last 13 games and only three other teams have conceded more goals.
Nick Pope and Chris Wood are the Burnley players most likely to be of interest to fantasy managers.
I think Chelsea should put their difficulties at home behind them and take the three points in this game.
Prediction: 2-0
Everton v Brighton And Hove Albion
3pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton lost 2-1 away to City last week to drop back into the bottom half of the table. They have taken seven points from their last three home games and they kept two clean sheets in those games with only five other teams taking more points at home. The defeat against City was their first defeat in six games, but only six other teams have conceded more goals and they have a good run of fixtures coming up.
Everton players are looking a bit better for fantasy managers at the moment with Lucas Digne and Dominic Calvert-Lewin both worth considering.
Brighton drew 1-1 at home to Chelsea last week to stay four points above the drop zone. They have lost five of their last seven away games and only three other teams have taken less points away from home. They have only lost two of their last seven games and they have a run of eight fairly good games coming up.
Lewis Dunk and Matt Ryan are still the Brighton players for fantasy managers to cast their eyes on.
I think Everton will continue their progress by taking the three points in this game.
Prediction: 2-0
Leicester City v Southampton
3pm GMT, King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester won 3-0 away to Newcastle last week to stay in second place, but they’re still 13 points behind Liverpool. They have only lost one home game and that was against Liverpool with only Liverpool and City taking more points at home and no other team conceding less goals. They won their last two games after not winning the previous three with only Liverpool and City scoring more goals and only Liverpool conceding less.
Jamie Vardy is the outstanding Leicester player for fantasy managers with James Maddison, their keeper and all of their defenders very good choices too.
Southampton won 1-0 at home to Spurs last week to move up to twelfth place and they’re only two points off the top half of the table. Only five other teams have taken more points away from home and only three other teams have conceded less goals on their travels. They have taken 10 points from their last four games and they kept clean sheets against Spurs and Chelsea in those games, but only Norwich have conceded more goals.
Danny Ings is almost a must have for fantasy managers at the moment while Southampton’s keeper and defenders have improved a lot in recent weeks and are available at very good prices.
I don’t think Southampton will be able to do enough to stop Leicester taking the three points in this game.
Prediction: 3-1
Manchester United v Norwich City
3pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester
United lost 2-0 away to Arsenal last week, but they’re still in fifth place. They have only lost one home game so far and only three other teams have scored more and conceded less goals at home. They have only won two of their last five games and they play four of the other big six teams in their next nine games.
Despite United’s problems both Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford still look like pretty good options for fantasy managers.
Norwich drew 1-1 at home to Palace last week, but they’re now five points adrift at the foot of the table. They have taken four points from their last four away games, but no other team has taken less points or scored less goals on the road. They haven’t won in their last eight games while the teams above them have all being making moves up the table.
Todd Cantwell is probably still the best low price midfielder for fantasy managers while Teemu Pukki and Emiliano Buendia can’t be discounted either.
United should bounce back from last week’s disappointment by winning this game with at least two goals to spare.
Prediction: 3-1
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Newcastle United
3pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton
Wolves lost 2-1 away to Watford in their last match to stay seventh, but they’re still only one point off fifth place. They have taken 10 points from their last five home games, but no other team has drawn more games at home. They have lost three of their last five games after going the previous 11 unbeaten and four of their next seven games are very tough.
Raul Jiminez, Matt Doherty and Adama Traore all look like pretty good choices for fantasy managers.
Newcastle lost 3-0 at home to Leicester last week to drop to 13th place, but they’re only two points off the top half of the table. Only Villa have lost more games and conceded more goals away from home. They lost their last three games and they conceded nine goals in the process and they have two very tough games in their next five before their games get a little easier.
It’s not easy to see any Newcastle players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
I think this game won’t have too much between the teams, but Wolves will take the three points.
Prediction: 2-1
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool
5.30pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs lost 1-0 away to Southampton last time out, but they’re still in sixth place and only one point behind United in fifth. Only the top three have taken more points at home with only City and Liverpool scoring more home goals and only Leicester and Liverpool conceding less. They have only won once in their last four games and they failed to score in two of those games with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.
With Harry Kane injured Heung-Min Son and Dele Alli look like the best options in the Spurs team for fantasy managers, but maybe not in this game.
Liverpool won 2-0 at home to Sheffield United in their last game to maintain their 13 point lead at the top of the table and they have a game in hand too. The only points they have dropped so far this season were in their draw away to United and no other team has conceded less goals on their travels. Only City have scored more goals than Liverpool and no other team has conceded less as they look almost certain to win the league despite having 18 games left to play.
Every fantasy manager has to have either Sadio Mane or Mohamed Salah as well as one of the Liverpool defenders in their team.
I think Spurs will make a game of it, but Liverpool will continue their march towards the title.
Prediction: 1-2
Sunday January 12
Bournemouth v Watford
2pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
Bournemouth lost 4-0 away to West Ham in their last game to drop below them into the bottom three. Only Norwich have taken less points at home and only Palace have scored less goals on their own patch. They have only taken four points from their last 10 games with only Watford and Palace scoring less goals.
I can’t see any Bournemouth players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
Watford won 2-1 at home to Wolves in their last game and they’re now only two points from safety. They have only taken one point from their last four away games with only Norwich taking less points and scoring less goals on the road. They have taken 10 points from their last four games, but three of those games were at home and no other team has scored less goals.
Troy Deeney, Gerard Deulofeu and Ben Foster have all done well for fantasy managers recently and could be worth a shout.
This is a real relegation six-pointer and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared which wouldn’t really suit either team.
Prediction: 1-1
Aston Villa v Manchester City
4.30pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa won 2-1 away to Burnley last time out to move out of the relegation zone. They have won as many games as they have lost at home, but that statistic could get worse after this game. They are the top scorers in the bottom half of the table, but only Norwich and Southampton have conceded more goals.
Jack Grealish has done very well for fantasy managers this season and is definitely worth considering.
City won 2-1 at home to Everton in their last game, but they’re still in third place and 14 points adrift of Liverpool having played a game more. They have only won two of their last five away games, but no other team has scored more goals on their travels. They have won five of their last seven games and no other team has scored more goals, but they still find themselves fighting for no better than second place this season.
Kevin de Bruyne is still the best of the City players for fantasy managers while Sergio Aguero has to be considered too now that he’s back from injury and Riyad Mahrez has done well in recent weeks.
I think City will be too strong for Villa and should win by at least a couple of goals.
Prediction: 1-3
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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