| Rank | Player | Res | Cls | Exa | Slm | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 - |  | 32 | 75 | 63 | 16 | 186.0 |
2 - |  | 27 | 87 | 45 | 16 | 175.0 |
3 - | | 28 | 67.5 | 60 | 13 | 168.5 |
4 - |  | 23 | 66 | 54 | 10 | 153.0 |
5 - | | 26 | 72 | 39 | 10 | 147.0 |
Mohamed Salah had a rare off day against Spurs and he won’t be my captain for a change this week as Liverpool’s game is an early casualty to the ongoing Covid crisis. I’ll be using the first of my two free hits this week and I’ll leave it until as late as possible to pick my team and captain as we wait for more games to be called off. As far as cut price players faring well Emile Smith-Rowe didn’t disappoint yet again despite only coming off the bench and Gabriel Martinelli looks like he’s great value at the moment.
Sunday December 26
Burnley v Everton
3pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley
Burnley had their last two games called off due to Covid and they now have three games in hand on some teams, but they are still in the bottom three. They are unbeaten in their last four home games, but they drew three of them with only Palace and Southampton drawing more games on their own patch. They haven’t won in five games, but they drew four of them and they haven’t scored in their last three games with only two other teams scoring less goals.
If Maxwel Cornet is fit he’s the best of the Burnley players for fantasy managers to consider.
Everton didn’t play last week due to Covid too and it was probably to their advantage considering their injury issues. They have only taken two points from their last seven away games, but they play the bottom three in their next three games on the road. They have only won once in their last 11 games, but that could change given their upcoming games.
Everton players don’t look like a good bet for fantasy managers, but Demarai Gray might do well in the next few weeks.
This is a tough game to predict, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Manchester City v Leicester City
3pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City won 4-0 away to Newcastle last week to increase their lead at the top of the table to three points. They have won their last four home games and they scored 13 goals in those games with no other team taking more points, scoring more or conceding less goals at home. They have won their last eight games and they kept clean sheets in five of those games with only Liverpool scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.
City’s defenders and keeper are all great choices for fantasy managers while Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling might be mainstays for a while with Jack Grealish and Phil Foden in the bad books.
Leicester didn’t play their last two games due to Covid issues, but they still managed to keep their place in the top half of the table. They have only won once in their last six away games and they haven’t kept a clean sheet away from home yet. They have taken seven points from their last four games and they scored 11 goals in those games, but no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.
James Maddison looks to be in very good form for fantasy managers at the moment while both Harvey Barnes and Youri Tielemans are worth considering too.
I think City will continue their winning streak with a few goals to spare in this game.
Prediction: 3-1
Norwich City v Arsenal
3pm GMT, Carrow Road, Norwich
Norwich didn’t play last week which meant they stayed at the foot of the table, but it’s still only on goal difference. They have only taken one point from their last three home games and they failed to score in each of those games with no other team taking less points or scoring less goals at home. They haven’t won in five games and they failed to score in four of those games with no other team scoring less goals.
I can’t see any Norwich players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
Arsenal won 4-1 away to Leeds last week to stay in fourth place and they’re now as close to third placed Chelsea as Chelsea are to the top of the table. They won their last away game after losing the previous three with only four other teams conceding more goals on the road. They have won their last three games and they scored nine goals in those games with only four other teams scoring more goals.
Gabriel Martinelli, Emile Smith-Rowe and Bukayo Saka are all looking very good for fantasy managers at the moment while Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are performing well too.
I think Arsenal will strengthen their grip on fourth place by taking the three points in this game.
Prediction: 0-2
Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace
3pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs led at home to Liverpool last week, but they had to fight back to get a 2-2 draw which left them six points off the top four with three games in hand. This will be their fifth home game in a row thanks to cancellations and they took 10 points from the other four with only three other teams taking more points at home. They have taken 11 points from their last five games and they have a good run of games coming up.
Heung-Min Son is the only Spurs player really doing well for fantasy managers at the moment, but their defenders and keeper are all possibilities too.
Palace didn’t play last week either and they’re still only one place and two points off the top half of the table. They have lost their last two away games without scoring and only three other teams have taken less points on their travels. They have only won once in their last six games, but no other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals.
Conor Gallagher is the Palace player who has made a difference for fantasy managers and he’s still available at a good price.
This is another game that isn’t easy to call, but the chances are the spoils will be shared.
Prediction: 1-1
West Ham United v Southampton
3pm GMT, London Stadium, London
West Ham were yet another team not to play last week as Covid ravaged the fixture list, but they stayed in fifth place with a game in hand on the team above them and four points to make up. They have taken 10 points from their last four home games with only four other teams scoring more home goals. They have only won once in their last six games and they failed to score in three of those games with only the top three scoring more goals, but they have a good run of games coming up.
Jarrod Bowen is the West Ham player who looks most likely to make an impression for fantasy managers.
Southampton were yet another casualty last week which meant they stayed in 15th place with six points to spare over the bottom three. They have only taken one point from their last four away games and they conceded 11 goals in those games with only three other teams conceding more goals away from home. They haven’t won in six games and they conceded 14 goals in those games with no other team drawing more games.
Armando Broja could be the Southampton player to make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.
I think West Ham should be good enough at home to take the three points in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Aston Villa v Chelsea
5.30pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa missed out last week too, but they stayed in the top half of the table as none of the teams directly below them played either. They have won two of their last three home games, but their next two home games are very tough. They have won four of their last six games, but Leicester are the only team in the top half of the table to have conceded more goals.
Ollie Watkins and John McGinn are the Villa players to watch for fantasy managers at the moment.
Chelsea could only draw 0-0 away to Wolves last week and they’re now six points behind City at the top of the table. They haven’t won either of their last two away games, but only City have taken more points on the road and no other team has conceded less goals away from home. They have only won two of their last six games as they have lost ground at the top of the table with only City conceding less goals.
Chelsea’s defenders have all done very well for fantasy managers and Mason Mount looks like he is the best of their attacking players.
I think Villa will give Chelsea a run for their money and I wouldn’t be surprised to see them take a point from this game.
Prediction: 1-1
Brighton And Hove Albion v Brentford
8pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton
Brighton didn’t play last week, but they’re still only two points off the top half of the table. They haven’t won in five home games and they failed to score in three of those games with only Wolves and Norwich scoring less goals at home. They haven’t won in 11 games, but they drew eight of those games with no other team drawing more games.
I can’t see any Brighton players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
Brentford didn’t play last week either and they’re ahead of Brighton on goal difference going into this game. They have only taken two points from their last four away games and they conceded 10 goals in those games. They have only lost one of their last five games, but they have a tough run of games coming up.
Now that he’s back from Covid Ivan Toney is probably the Brentford player most likely to score points for fantasy managers.
This is yet another game which is very hard to call, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Monday December 27
Newcastle United v Manchester United
8pm GMT, St. James’s Park, Newcastle
Newcastle probably wish they didn’t play last week as they lost 4-0 to City and they’re only off the foot of the table on goal difference. They had gone three games unbeaten at home before losing to City, but only Norwich have taken less points at home and no other team has conceded more goals on their own patch. They have lost their last three games and they conceded 11 goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals.
If any of the Newcastle players are going to make an impression for fantasy managers then Callum Wilson is the most likely.
United missed out on their last two games due to Covid to leave them five points off the top four with two games in hand. They have taken seven points from their last four away games with only three other teams taking more points on the road. They have won their last three games and they kept clean sheets in two of them, but they don’t play any of the other big six teams in their next nine games.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the United player to have for fantasy managers while Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford are pretty good bets at the moment too.
I can’t see anything other than a United victory in this game.
Prediction: 0-2
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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