| Rank | Player | Res | Cls | Exa | Slm | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 - |  | 31 | 73.5 | 63 | 16 | 183.5 |
2 - |  | 25 | 87 | 45 | 16 | 173.0 |
3 - | | 26 | 66 | 60 | 13 | 165.0 |
4 - |  | 22 | 64.5 | 54 | 10 | 150.5 |
5 - | | 24 | 72 | 39 | 10 | 145.0 |
Mohamed Salah didn’t let me down as my fantasy captain yet again and he will be my choice for this week too, but my vice captain will not be a Liverpool player in case their game is called off like so many others at the moment. Emile Smith-Rowe was the cut price player to have this week with Emmanuel Dennis not playing and Conor Gallagher not returning any extra points. Smith-Rowe could do well again this week while Ollie Watkins could be one to watch too.
Saturday December 18
Aston Villa v Burnley
3pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa won 2-0 away to Norwich on Tuesday night and that win was enough to move them back into the top half of the table. They have won two of their last three home games, but their next two home games after this one are against Chelsea and United. They have won four of their last six games and three points in this game would move them within touching distance of the top six.
Ollie Watkins and John McGinn are both doing quite well for fantasy managers at the moment.
Burnley didn’t play in midweek due to the ongoing Covid issues which means they’re still in the bottom three. They’re one of two teams without an away win with only Newcastle taking less points on their travels. They have only won once so far, but no other team has drawn more games with only Norwich and Wolves scoring less goals.
With Maxwel Cornet possibly injured I’m not sure there are any Burnley players to recommend to fantasy managers.
I think Villa will continue their progress by taking the three points in this game.
Prediction: 2-0
Leeds United v Arsenal
5.30pm GMT, Elland Road, Leeds
Leeds lost 7-0 away to City on Tuesday night, but they’re still five points clear of the bottom three. They’re unbeaten in five home games, but they drew three of them with only Southampton and Palace drawing more games on their own ground. They have only taken one point from their last three games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with only the bottom two conceding more goals.
Raphinha is the only Leeds player of any interest to fantasy managers at the moment.
Arsenal won 2-0 at home to West Ham in midweek and that victory saw them climb into the top four for the first time in over a year. They have lost their last three away games and they conceded nine goals in those defeats with only two other teams scoring less goals on the road and only four other teams conceding more. They have won three of their last five games and they kept clean sheets in each of those victories, but they were all at home.
There are quite a few Arsenal players for fantasy managers to consider at the moment with Emile Smith-Rowe, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli and all of their defenders and keeper doing very well.
I think Arsenal will improve their away record with a narrow victory in this game.
Prediction: 1-2
Sunday December 19
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Chelsea
2pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton
Wolves won 1-0 away to Brighton on Wednesday night to move within three points of the top six. They have taken 10 points from their last five home games, but no other team has scored less goals at home while only three other teams have conceded less. The goal against Brighton was their first goal in five games and they’re in the middle of a tough run of games, but only the top three have conceded less goals.
Wolves defenders and keeper have done very well recently for fantasy managers, but they will have a tough task in this game.
Chelsea could only draw 1-1 at home to Everton on Thursday night and they’re now four points behind City at the top of the table. They lost their last away game after winning the previous five with no other team taking more points or conceding less goals on their travels. They have only won two of their last five games and they failed to keep a clean sheet in any of those games, but only City have conceded less goals.
Mason Mount is the attacking Chelsea player to have for fantasy managers while all of their defenders are pretty good options too.
I think Chelsea will just about get the better of Wolves in a very tight game.
Prediction: 0-1
Newcastle United v Manchester City
2.15pm GMT, St. James’s Park, Newcastle
Newcastle led away to Liverpool on Thursday night, but they ended up losing 3-1 and they’re still only off the foot of the table on goal difference. Only Norwich have taken less points at home and no other team has conceded more goals at home which doesn’t auger well ahead of playing the league leaders. They’re in the middle of a very tough run of games, but their fixtures improve at the end of the month and that’s when they need to turn things around.
I can’t see any Newcastle players to interest fantasy managers in this game, but in the weeks to come Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin are ones to watch.
City won 7-0 at home to Leeds in midweek to keep their narrow lead over Liverpool at the top of the table. They have won their last four away games and no other team has taken more points away from home while only Chelsea have conceded less goals. They have won their last seven games and they scored 20 goals in those games while only conceding three which is ominously beginning to look like the run they went on last season which blew every other team out of the water.
With Kevin de Bruyne back he looks like a great choice for fantasy managers once he plays while Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden are great options too along with all of City’s defenders and keeper.
I can’t see anything other than a comfortable City victory in this game.
Prediction: 0-3
Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool
4.30pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs didn’t play in midweek due to Covid issues and they now have three games to make up on some of the teams ahead of them. They have won their last three home games with only three other teams taking more points at home. They have won their last three games and they only conceded one goal in their last four, but I remain to be convinced they will be able to fulfil this fixture after having their last three games in all competitions postponed due to Covid.
Heung-Min Son is the best of the Spurs players for fantasy managers, but he could struggle in this game.
Liverpool came from behind to win 3-1 at home to Newcastle on Thursday night to stay one point behind City at the top of the table. They have won their last two away games and no other team has taken more points or scored more goals away from home. They have won their last six games and they scored 17 goals in those games while only conceding two.
Mohamed Salah remains an absolute must for fantasy managers while Trent Alexander-Arnold, Sadio Mane and Diogo Jota are great choices too along with all of their defenders and keeper.
I think Liverpool will be too strong for Spurs and should win with a few goals to spare.
Prediction: 1-3
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.
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