Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 11

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did reasonably well last week with one perfect prediction, five correct outcomes and four incorrect outcomes which saw me drop to 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.      andy                      7      52.5   36    7    102.5
2.      Gooners                12    34.5   42    5     93.5
3.      Orlando Pirates     20    42     21    10    93
4.      SeniorBurger        12    40.5   33    7     92.5
5.      Always a Gooner  9     43.5   33     6    91.5

My fantasy team did reasonably well too, but a lack of points from my midfielders in particular saw me fall slightly in the overall rankings. Erling Haaland yet again was a great choice as my captain and he was assisted by David Raya, Gabriel Magahlaes, Marc Guehi and Trevoh Chalobah. Haaland will be my captain again this week despite City playing Liverpool as his form at home in particular is fantastic.

I made a late decision last week to bring Nick Woltemade in for Jarrod Bowen, but it didn’t pay off and I only have one free transfer to use this week as a result. I’m tempted to let my transfers build up with an international break coming up, but I also need to do something with my midfield.

Saturday 8 November

Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United

12.30pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

Spurs lost 1-0 at home to Chelsea last week and that defeat saw them drop to sixth place in the table. They have only won once at home so far with only two other teams taking less points on their own ground and no other team scoring less goals. They have only won twice in their last six games with only Arsenal conceding less goals.

Mohammed Kudus, Pedro Porro, Joao Palhinha and Micky van de Ven are all fairly good options for fantasy managers.

United led at one stage and then had to come from behind to draw 2-2 away to Forest last week and that result saw them slip back to eighth place. They have taken four points from their last two away games after only taking one point from the previous three, but only four other teams have conceded more goals on the road. They have taken 10 points from their last four games and they have a very good run of games coming up.

Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo are the best of the bunch in the United side for fantasy managers.

I think this will be a close game and I have a feeling United will take the three points.

Prediction: 1-2

Everton v Fulham

3pm GMT, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool

Everton drew 1-1 away to Sunderland last week after taking an early lead and they’re now three points off the top half of the table. They lost their last home game after being unbeaten in the previous four, but no other team has scored less goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last seven games, but they will be favourites to win this game.

If he’s fit to play Iliman Ndiaye is the Everton player to have for fantasy managers with Jack Grealish and James Tarkowski worth considering too.

Fulham won 3-0 at home to 10 man Wolves last week and they’re only one point behind Everton going into this game. They have only taken one point away from home with no other team taking less points on their travels and only three other teams conceding more goals. They had lost four games in a row before beating Wolves and they have a difficult run of games coming up.

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

I think this will be a close game with home advantage probably making the difference for Everton.

Prediction: 2-1

West Ham United v Burnley

3pm GMT, London Stadium, London

West Ham came from behind to win 3-1 at home to Newcastle last week and that win moved them up one place to third from bottom. They had lost their previous four home games with only Wolves taking less points and conceding more goals on their own ground. They had only taken one point from their previous six games before beating Newcastle with only Wolves conceding more goals.

Jarrod Bowen is the West Ham player most likely to return points for fantasy managers.

Burnley lost 2-0 at home to table topping Arsenal last week and they’re now only one place above the relegation zone. They have lost four of their five away games with no other team conceding more goals on the road, but only four other teams scoring more. They have done well against the other teams at the wrong end of the table and they will feel they can do well in this game too, but only two other teams have conceded more goals.

Despite a fall off in recent weeks Josh Cullen and Jaidon Anthony might still interest fantasy managers while Martin Dubravka is worth a shout too.

I think West Ham will make it back to back home wins with a couple of goals to spare in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Sunderland v Arsenal

5.30pm GMT, Stadium of Light, Sunderland

Sunderland came from behind to draw 1-1 at home to Everton last week and that point left them in fourth place. They’re one of five teams still unbeaten at home with only Arsenal and Bournemouth conceding less goals on their own patch. They have only lost once in their last eight games with only Arsenal conceding less goals, but no other team in the top half of the table scoring less.

Sunderland’s goalkeeper and defenders are good choices for fantasy managers along with Granit Xhaka and Wilson Isidor.

Arsenal won 2-0 away to Burnley last week to increase their lead at the top of the table to six points. They have won four of their five away games with no other team conceding less goals on their travels. They have won their last five games and kept clean sheets in their last four with no other team conceding less goals and only City scoring more.

Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are great options for fantasy managers with Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka worth owning too.

I think Arsenal will keep their great run going with another win in this game.

Prediction: 0-2

Chelsea v Wolverhampton Wanderers

8pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London

Chelsea won 1-0 away to Spurs last week and that win left them two points off second place. They have lost two of their last three home games with only five other teams scoring less goals on their own ground. They have won three of their last four games and they have a good run of games coming up with only City scoring more goals.

Moises Caicedo, Trevoh Chalobah and possibly Joao Pedro are the Chelsea players to have for fantasy managers.

Wolves lost 3-0 away to Fulham last week after playing most of the game with 10 men to leave them rooted to the foot of the table and looking for a new manager. They have only taken one point from their five away games with no other team taking less points or scoring less goals on the road. They’re the only team without a win so far with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.

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

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

Prediction: 3-0

Sunday November 9

Aston Villa v Bournemouth

2pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham

Villa lost 2-0 away to Liverpool last week to put an end to their four game winning streak and drop them back to the bottom half of the table on goal difference. They have won their last three home games, but they have struggled to score goals on their own patch with only six in five games.

I’m not sure any of the Villa players are doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment, but Morgan Rogers could do well over the next few games.

Bournemouth lost 3-1 away to City last week, but they’re still only one point off second place. They have only won once in their five away games with only Burnley conceding more goals on their travels. They have only won twice in their last six games, but they have a pretty good run of games coming up.

Antoine Semenyo is the Bournemouth player to have for fantasy managers.

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

Prediction: 1-1

Brentford v Newcastle United

2pm GMT, Gtech Community Stadium, London

Brentford lost 2-0 away to Palace last week, but they’re still only two points off the top half of the table. They have taken 10 points from their five home games and they have a good run of games coming up on their own ground. They have won three of their last five games which included victories over Liverpool and United.

Igor Thiago is the Brentford player most likely to do well for fantasy managers.

Newcastle lost 3-1 away to West Ham last week after taking the lead and that defeat left them in the bottom half of the table. They’re one of four teams without an away win with no other team drawing more games on the road and only Wolves scoring less goals. They have lost three of their last five games and they play two of the big six in their next four games.

Nick Woltemade and Bruno Guimaraes are the Newcastle players to have for fantasy managers.

I think Brentford might just be strong enough at home to take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Crystal Palace v Brighton And Hove Albion

2pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London

Palace won 2-0 at home to Brentford last week and that win moved them within three points of second place. They’re one of five teams still unbeaten at home, but no other team has drawn more games on their own patch. The win against Brentford was their first win in four games, but they have some good fixtures coming up.

Marc Guehi, Daniel Munoz, Maxence Lacroix, Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta are all doing well for fantasy managers at the moment.

Brighton won 3-0 at home to Leeds last week and that win moved them back into the top half of the table. They have only won once in their five away games with only four other teams conceding more goals on their travels. They have only lost once in their last six games and they have a good run of games coming up.

Danny Welbeck and Yankuba Minteh are the Brighton players who should interest fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Brighton will make a game of it, but Palace should take the three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Nottingham Forest v Leeds United

2pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham

Forest drew 2-2 at home to United last week, but they still dropped a place to second last in the table. They had lost three home games in a row before drawing with United and no other team has scored less goals on their own ground. They have only taken three points from their last nine games with only Wolves and West Ham conceding more goals.

I can’t see any Forest players doing enough to interest fantasy managers at the moment.

Leeds lost 3-0 away to Brighton last week and they’re now only two places above the bottom three. They have lost four of their five away games with only Burnley conceding more goals on the road. They have lost three of their last four games with only the bottom two scoring less goals.

I’m not sure there are any Leeds players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Forest will get a badly needed win in a tight game.

Prediction: 2-1

Manchester City v Liverpool

4.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester

City won 3-1 at home to Bournemouth last week and that win moved them up to second place. They have won four of their five home games with no other team scoring more goals on their own patch. They have won four of their last five games with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

Erling Haaland is a must have for fantasy managers with Nico O’Reilly and Phil Foden possibilities too.

Liverpool won 2-0 at home to Villa last week to put an end to their losing streak and move up to third place. They have lost their last three away games and they conceded seven goals in those games. They had lost four games in a row before beating Villa, but only City have scored more goals and they have a very good run of games coming up after this one.

Mohamed Salah might just be back for fantasy managers while Cody Gakpo and Ryan Gravenberch are looking good too.

This is a game which could go either way and the chances are it will end all square.

Prediction: 1-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 10

 It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn’t do too well last week with one perfect prediction, three correct outcomes and six incorrect outcomes which saw me drop 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. andy                               7      46.5    30       6     89.5
2. Always a Gooner           8      37.5    33       5     83.5
3. Derek.                           14      34.5   27       6     81.5
4. SeniorBurger                 11      34.5   30       6     81.5
5. Orlando Pirates             18      34.5   18       8     78.5

My fantasy team didn’t have a great week thanks mainly to not owning Micky van de Ven. Going into the last game of Sunday I was looking good, but his 23 point haul hit me badly. I didn’t get any points from my captain either, but Erling Haaland will still retain the armband for this week.

The players who did score for me were David Raya, Gabriel Magalhaes, Marcos Senesi, Igor Thiago and Jarrod Bowen. I don’t think I will make any changes this week as I am pretty happy with my current squad and I will look to build up my transfers for a mini wildcard when needed.

Saturday November 1

Brighton And Hove Albion v Leeds United

3pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton lost 4-2 away to United last week and that defeat saw them drop into the bottom half of the table. They’re one of five teams still unbeaten at home and they will be favourites to continue that streak in this game. They were unbeaten in four games before losing to United, but only four other teams have conceded more goals.

Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck are the Brighton players most likely to do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

Leeds won 2-1 at home to West Ham last week and that victory left them six points above the relegation zone. They have lost three of their four away games with only three other teams scoring less goals on the road. The win against West Ham was their first win in four games with only three other teams scoring less goals.

Joe Rodon is the Leeds player most likely to do well for fantasy managers, but he’s at his best in home games.

I think Brighton should be good enough to take the three points on their own ground.

Prediction: 2-1

Burnley v Arsenal

3pm GMT, Turf Moor, Burnley 

Burnley scored very late to win 3-2 away to Wolves last week and that win moved them five points above the bottom three. They have only lost one of their four home games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They have won their last two games and they scored five goals in those games, but only the bottom two have conceded more goals.

Jaidon Anthony and Josh Cullen are both available at a very good price and they can do well for fantasy managers.

Arsenal won 1-0 at home to Palace last week and that win increased their lead at the top of the table to four points. They have won three of their four away games with no other team conceding less goals on their travels. They have won their last four games and kept clean sheets in the last three with no other team conceding less goals.

Arsenal’s defenders and keeper are great choices for fantasy managers while Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Eberechi Eze can do well too.

I think Arsenal will keep up the pressure on the teams chasing them with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 0-2

Crystal Palace v Brentford

3pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace lost 1-0 away to Arsenal last week and they only held on to their place in the top half of the goal difference. They’re one of five teams still unbeaten at home, but they have drawn three of their games on their own ground with no other team drawing more. They have only taken one point from their last three games and no other team has drawn more games.

Marc Guehi, Daniel Munoz, Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta are all good options for fantasy managers.

Brentford had a very good 3-2 win at home to Liverpool last week and they’re only behind Palace on goal difference going into this game. They won their last away game after losing the previous three and they have some difficult games on the road coming up. They have won three of their last four games with no other team in the bottom half of the table scoring more goals.

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

I think Palace will bounce back with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Fulham v Wolverhampton Wanderers

3pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London

Fulham lost 2-1 away to Newcastle last week to a last minute goal and they’re now only one place above the relegation zone. Their only home defeat so far came against league leaders Arsenal with only four other teams conceding less goals on their own patch. They have lost their last four games and they conceded nine goals in those games.

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

Wolves lost 3-2 at home to Burnley last week to a very late goal too and that defeat left them rooted to the foot of the table. No other team has taken less points or scored less goals away from home and three of their next four games are on their travels. They’re the only team without a win with only Forest scoring less goals and only West Ham conceding more.

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

I think Fulham will get a much needed win in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Nottingham Forest v Manchester United

3pm GMT, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest lost 2-0 away to Bournemouth last week and that defeat meant they stayed in the bottom three. They have lost their last three home games and they conceded seven goals in those games without scoring themselves. They have only taken two points from their last eight games with only West Ham and Wolves conceding more goals and no other team scoring less.

I’m not sure there are any Forest players to look at for fantasy managers just now, but that could change over the next few weeks.

United won 4-2 at home to Brighton last week and that victory moved them up to sixth place. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous three and three of their next four games are on the road. They have won their last three games and they scored eight goals in those games, but no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.

Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes are the United players doing the best for fantasy managers at the moment, but Matheus Cunha is a real possibility too.

I think United will continue their winning run with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea

5.30pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs won 3-0 away to Everton last week and those three points moved them up to third in the table. They have only taken one point from their last three home games and they have two very tough home games in a row starting with this one. The win against Everton was only their second win in five games, but no other team has scored more goals with only Arsenal conceding less.

Micky van de Ven, Pedro Porro, Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha are the Spurs players who can perform for fantasy managers at the moment.

Chelsea lost 2-1 at home to Sunderland last week and they’re now eight points off the top of the table. Only two other teams have taken more points away from home with only Spurs scoring more goals on their travels. They have lost three of their last five games with no other team scoring more goals.

Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo and Pedro Neto are the Chelsea players to watch for fantasy managers at the moment.

This is a difficult game to predict, but the chances are the points will be shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Liverpool v Aston Villa

8pm GMT, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool lost 3-2 away to Brentford last week and they’re now seven points and six places off the top of the table. They lost their last home game after winning the previous three, but they don’t play any of the other big six teams in their next eight games on their own ground. They have lost their last four games after winning the previous five and they conceded nine goals in those defeats with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

Cody Gakpo is probably the best of the bunch in the Liverpool team for fantasy managers, but it’s not easy to ignore Mohamed Salah.

Villa won 1-0 at home to City last week and that win moved them into the top half of the table for the first time this season. They have taken five points from their last three away games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on the road and only three other teams scoring less. They have won their last four games and they scored eight goals in those games, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.

Matty Cash and Morgan Rogers are probably the Villa players for fantasy managers to consider.

This is a difficult game to call given the current different trajectories of both teams, but I think it will go the way of Liverpool.

Prediction: 2-1

Sunday November 2

West Ham United v Newcastle United

2pm GMT, London Stadium, London 

West Ham lost 2-1 away to Leeds last week and they’re still only one place off the bottom of the table. They’re the only team without a point at home with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch and only Wolves conceding more. They have only taken two points from their nine games with no other team conceding more goals and only Forest scoring less.

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

Newcastle scored very late to win 2-1 at home to Fulham last week and they’re now only one point off the top half of the table. They’re one of four teams without a win away from home with no other team scoring less or conceding less goals on their travels. They have won two of their last three games after only winning once in the previous six with only three other teams scoring less goals.

Nick Woltemade and Bruno Guimaraes are best bets in the Newcastle team for fantasy managers with their keeper and defenders possibilities too.

This isn’t an easy game to call, but I think Newcastle will add to West Ham’s home woes by taking all three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Manchester City v Bournemouth

4.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City lost 1-0 away to Villa last week and that defeat saw them drop out of the top four. They have won three of their four home games with only Arsenal and United scoring more goals on their own ground. They had taken 13 points from five games before losing to Villa with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

Despite not scoring last week Erling Haaland is still a must have for fantasy managers.

Bournemouth won 2-0 at home to Forest last week which saw them move up to second place. They have taken five points from their last three away games with only two other teams scoring more goals on the road and only three other teams conceding more. They are unbeaten in eight games with only three other teams scoring more goals, but this is the first of two very tough games in a row.

Antoine Semenyo, Marcus Tavernier and Eli Junior Kroupi are very good options for fantasy managers with the Bournemouth defenders good choices too, but maybe not this week.

I think this will be a very close game with City probably making home advantage pay.

Prediction: 2-1

Monday November 3

Sunderland v Everton

8pm GMT, Stadium of Light, Sunderland 

Sunderland came from behind to win 2-1 away to Chelsea last week and that win moved them up into the top four. They’re one of five teams still unbeaten at home with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They have won three of their last four games with only Arsenal conceding less goals, but they have some very difficult games coming up after this one.

Wilson Isidor, Granit Xhaka and the Sunderland defenders and keeper are all looking pretty good for fantasy managers at the moment.

Everton lost 3-0 at home to Spurs last week and that defeat saw them drop to 14th in the table. They have lost three of their four away games and their next three games on their travels are all against teams in the top six starting with this one. They have only won once in their last six games and they haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last five.

Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish are the Everton players most likely to do well for fantasy managers.

I think Sunderland will continue their good home form with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek Nine

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I managed one perfect prediction, four correct outcomes and five incorrect outcomes last week which wasn’t fantastic, but it moved me up one place to fourth 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. andy                                5    40.5   27     5     77.5
2. Always a Gooner            7    33      30     4     75
3. Cole                                11   24     33     5      73
4. JamrockRover                13   27     24     7      71
5. Orlando Pirates              15   33     15      7      70

I had a pretty good week with my fantasy team last week as I moved up to my highest overall position so far this season which is still just outside the top 1% of teams. Erling Haaland excelled as my captain yet again with David Raya, Trevoh Chalobah, Gabriel Magalhaes, Marc Guehi, Antoine Semenyo and Igor Thiago adding points to make it a good week. I can’t see any other choice for captain at the moment than Haaland and it looks like he will be keeping the armband for a long time.

I eventually made the decision to sell Mohamed Salah last week as his return didn’t justify his price and with three other free transfers I had the bones of a mini wildcard. The players I brought in didn’t set the world alight, but I think I have a stronger team going forward. I will probably bring Bukayo Saka in for Tijjani Reijnders this week as Reijnders isn’t doing enough on a consistent basis despite his very good price.

Friday October 24

Leeds United v West Ham United

8pm BST, Elland Road, Leeds

Leeds lost 2-0 away to Burnley last week and that defeat saw them drop to 16th in the table. They haven’t won in their last three home games with only West Ham and Forest scoring less goals on their own ground. They have only won once in their last seven games with only the bottom three scoring less goals.

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

West Ham lost 2-0 at home to Brentford last week and they’re only two points and one place off the bottom of the table. All of their points so far have come away from home and their next two games on the road are against newly promoted teams starting with this one. They have only taken one point from their last five games and they conceded 10 goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals and only Forest and Wolves scoring less.

Despite West Ham’s position in the table Jarrod Bowen still looks like a good choice for fantasy managers.

I think Leeds will make home advantage count and win this game by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 2-0

Saturday October 25

Chelsea v Sunderland

3pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London

Chelsea won 3-0 away to Forest last week and that win moved them up to fifth in the table. They have only won two of their four home games, but their next two games on their own patch are very favourable ones. They have won their last two games after failing to win the previous three with only City scoring more goals.

Chelsea’s defenders and keeper are all looking good for fantasy managers at the moment along with Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo.

Sunderland won 2-0 at home to Wolves last week and they’re only behind Chelsea on goal difference going into this game. They have taken four points from their four away games, but they only scored one goal in those games with no other team scoring less goals on their travels. They have only lost once in their last six games, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals with only Arsenal conceding less.

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

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

Prediction: 2-0

Newcastle United v Fulham

3pm BST, St. James’s Park, Newcastle

Newcastle lost 2-1 away to Brighton last week and they’re still in the bottom half of the table. They have lost two of their four home games, but they were against last season’s top two. They have only won once in their last four games with only the bottom three scoring less goals.

Nick Woltemade is the Newcastle player to have for fantasy managers with their defenders and keeper good options too.

Fulham lost 1-0 at home to Arsenal last week and they’re one point and one place behind Newcastle going into this game. They have only taken one point away from home with only Burnley taking less points and conceding more goals on the road. They have lost their last three games and they conceded seven goals in those games.

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

I think Newcastle will bounce back with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Manchester United v Brighton And Hove Albion

5.30pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester

United won 2-1 away to Liverpool last week and they’re now only three points off second place. They have won their last three home games and they scored seven goals in those games. They have won three of their last four games, but no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.

Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo are the United players to look at for fantasy managers while Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko are possibilities too.

Brighton won 2-1 at home to Newcastle last week and that win moved them into the top half of the table. They have taken four points from their last two away games after losing the previous two. They have taken eight points from their last four games and they scored eight goals in those games.

Yankuba Minteh and Danny Welbeck are the Brighton players looking good for fantasy managers at the moment.

This isn’t an easy game to call and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the spoils shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Brentford v Liverpool

8pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London

Brentford won 2-0 away to West Ham last week and that win moved them up to 13th place and well clear of the relegation zone. They have taken seven points from their four home games and they have had some very tough home games to start their season. They have won two of their last three games to climb the table, but their next three games are all very difficult.

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

Liverpool lost 2-1 at home to United last week and that defeat meant they dropped to third place. They have lost their last two away games, but they have a good run of games on the road coming up with the exception of City in a couple of weeks. They have lost their last three games after winning the previous five with only three other teams scoring more goals.

Cody Gakpo is probably the player offering most value to fantasy managers in the Liverpool team.

I think Liverpool will get a much needed win in this game, but it will be close.

Prediction: 1-2

Sunday October 26

Arsenal v Crystal Palace

2pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London

Arsenal won 1-0 away to Fulham last week to extend their lead at the top of the table to three points. They have taken 10 points from their four home games with no other team taking more points or scoring more goals on their own patch. They have kept clean sheets in five of their eight games with no other team conceding less goals and only City and Chelsea scoring more.

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

Palace came back from 2-0 down to draw 3-3 at home to Bournemouth last week which left them in ninth place. Their only defeat so far came away from home, but only two other teams have taken more points on their travels. They have drawn four of their eight games with no other team drawing more games.

Palace’s defenders are all doing well for fantasy managers along with Ismaila Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta.

This looks like being a very close game and the chances are Arsenal will take the three points.

Prediction: 2-1

Aston Villa v Manchester City

2pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham

Villa won 2-1 away to Spurs last week and they’re only outside the top half of the table on goal difference. They have won their last two home games and they scored five goals in those two games after failing to score in their first two games on their own ground. They have won their last three games after failing to win in the previous five, but this is the first of two very tough games in a row.

Morgan Rogers has found form in the last few weeks and he’s probably the best of the bunch in the Villa team for fantasy managers.

City won 2-0 at home to Everton last week and that victory moved them up to second place. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous two with only Arsenal and Newcastle conceding less goals on the road. They have taken 13 points from their last five games and they scored 12 goals in those games while keeping three clean sheets.

Erling Haaland is an absolute must have for fantasy managers while their defenders and keeper are looking good in recent weeks too.

I think City will have too much firepower for Villa and should win narrowly.

Prediction: 1-2

Bournemouth v Nottingham Forest

2pm GMT, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth

Bournemouth led 2-0 away to Palace last week, but they had to settle for a 3-3 draw to leave them in fourth place. They’re one of six teams still unbeaten at home with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They’re unbeaten in seven games, but they have drawn three of their last four with only three other teams scoring more goals.

Antoine Semenyo is another must have for fantasy managers with Marcos Senesi a very good choice too and Krupp.jr worth considering at a great price.

Forest lost 3-0 at home to Chelsea last week and that defeat saw them drop into the relegation zone and part ways with their second manager of the season. They have only taken two points from their four away games with only Wolves and Newcastle scoring less goals on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last seven games with no other team scoring less goals and only West Ham and Wolves conceding more.

I can’t see any Forest players doing enough at the moment to interest fantasy managers.

I think Bournemouth’s impressive run will continue with another three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Burnley

2pm GMT, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton

Wolves lost 2-0 away to Sunderland last week to remain rooted to the foot of the table without a win to their name. They have only taken one point from their four home games with only West Ham taking less points and conceding more goals on their own ground. They’re the only team without a win with only West Ham conceding more goals and no other team scoring less.

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

Burnley won 2-0 at home to Leeds last week to move themselves out of the bottom three. They’re the only team without a point away from home with no other conceding more goals on the road. Their home results are keeping them afloat at the moment, but they will hope to get something away to one of the three teams below them in the table.

Despite Burnley’s low position both Jaidon Anthony and Josh Cullen are doing very well for fantasy managers at a great price.

I think Wolves might just be able to get their first win of the season in a very tight game.

Prediction: 2-1

Everton v Tottenham Hotspur

4.30pm GMT, Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool

Everton lost 2-0 away to City last week and that defeat saw them drop into the bottom half of the table. They’re one of six teams still unbeaten at home with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last five games and they won’t find it easy to take three points in this game either.

Iliman Ndiaye and Jack Grealish are both doing very well for fantasy managers while Jordan Pickford and James Tarkowski do pretty well in home games.

Spurs lost 2-1 at home to Villa last week to leave them five points off the top of the table. They’re the only team still unbeaten away from home with no other team taking more points on their travels and only Chelsea scoring more goals. They have only won once in their last four games and they face three of the other big six teams in their next three games after this one.

Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha are the Spurs players who can do the best for fantasy managers.

This isn’t an easy game to predict, but I think it will most likely end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek Eight

 It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I got one perfect prediction, four correct outcomes and five correct outcomes last week which saw me drop to fifth place in my predictions league, but I’m no further behind first place than I was last week. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

Pos     Player                  Res  Cls     Exa   Slm   Pts

1. Cole                           11    19.5     30      5     65.5
2. andy                            5     34.5     21     4      64.5
3. Orlando Pirates          12    30       15     6      63
4. Always a Gooner        6     27       27     3      63
5. JamrockRover            11   24        21     6      62

I did fairly well with my fantasy team too, but I lost a little ground in the overall rankings to remain just outside the top 1%. My choice of Erling Haaland as my captain paid off again and he was ably assisted by David Raya, Gabriel Magahlaes, Antoine Semenyo and Jack Grealish. The chances are Haaland will be my captain again this week as it’s impossible to ignore the form he’s currently in.

I have 4 free transfers at my disposal this week and it looks like I will be parting ways with Mohamed Salah. I will use the funds from his sale to strengthen my team with players like Mark Guehi, Ismaila Sarr, Mohammed Kudus, Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres all on my radar.

Saturday 18 October

Nottingham Forest v Chelsea

12.30pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham

Forest lost 2-0 away to Newcastle in their last game to leave them one place and one point above the relegation zone. They have lost their last two home games and they conceded four goals in those games with only the bottom two taking less points on their own ground. They have only taken two points from their last six games and only the three teams below them have conceded more goals.

I’m not sure there are any Forest players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment, but Chris Woods is a possibility.

Chelsea scored very late to win 2-1 at home to Liverpool last time out and that win left them five points off the top of the table in seventh place. They have only taken one point from their last two away games and they conceded four goals in those games, but only Spurs have scored more goals on the road. The win against Liverpool was their first win in four games with only City and Arsenal scoring more goals.

Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo are the best bets in the Chelsea team for fantasy managers with Joao Pedro and Trevoh Chalobah worth watching too.

I think Chelsea will put more pressure on Forest with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Brighton And Hove Albion v Newcastle United

3pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton

Brighton drew 1-1 away to Wolves in their last game to leave them one point off the top half of the table. They are unbeaten in their three home games despite having some difficult games on their own patch to start the season, but their fixtures get easier after this one. They have yet to keep a clean sheet, but they have every chance of doing so against a Newcastle team who haven’t scored an away goal so far.

Yankuba Minteh is the Brighton player for fantasy managers to have at the moment.

Newcastle won 2-0 at home to Forest last time out and they’re only ahead of Brighton on goal difference going into this game. They have drawn their three away games by the same 0-0 score and they’re the only team not to score or concede away from home. They have taken seven points from their last four games after only taking two in their first three with only Arsenal conceding less goals, but only Forest and Wolves scoring less.

Newcastle’s defenders and keeper are all doing very well for fantasy managers at the moment as is Nick Woltemade.

I don’t think there will be too much between these two teams and I wouldn’t be surprised to see this game end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Burnley v Leeds United

3pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley

Burnley lost 2-1 away to Villa in their last game and that defeat meant they stayed in the bottom three. All of their four points so far have come at home, but only West Ham have scored less goals on their own ground. They have only taken one point from their last four games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with only West Ham conceding more goals.

If he’s fit to play Jaidon Anthony is in great form for fantasy managers and Josh Cullen isn’t doing too badly either.

Leeds lost 2-1 at home to Spurs last time out and they’re now only three places above the drop zone. They won their last away game after losing their first two on the road, but only three other teams have conceded more goals away from home. They have only won once in their last six games, but their next two games are against teams in the bottom three starting with this one.

Anton Stach and Joe Rodon can both do fairly well for fantasy managers at a very good price.

This is a huge game for both teams and the chances are the spoils will be shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Crystal Palace v Bournemouth

3pm BST, Selhurst Park, London

Palace conceded very late on to lose 2-1 away to Everton in their last game and so ended the last unbeaten start to the season. They are still unbeaten at home, but they have drawn two of their three games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own patch. They lost their first game against Everton, but no other team has drawn more games and only Arsenal have conceded less goals.

Ismaila Sarr, Daniel Munoz and Marc Guehi are all looking very good for fantasy managers at the moment.

Bournemouth came from behind to win 3-1 at home to Fulham last time out and that win moved them up to fourth place. They have taken four points from their last two away games and only lost away to Liverpool, but they have some tough games coming up on their travels. They are unbeaten in six games and they won four of them with only five other teams scoring more goals.

Antoine Semenyo and Marcos Senesi are the Bournemouth players to have for fantasy managers at the moment.

This is a tough game to call and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Manchester City v Everton

3pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester

City won 1-0 away to Brentford in their last game and that win moved them up to fifth in the table. They have won their last two home games and they scored eight goals in those two games with only Arsenal scoring more goals on their own ground. They have taken 10 points from their last four games and no other team has scored more goals.

Erling Haaland is an absolute must have for fantasy managers with Josko Gvardiol and Tijjani Reijnders possibilities too.

Everton came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Palace last time out and that win moved them up to eighth place. They have lost two of their three away games and this will be one of their toughest road trips of the season. They hadn’t won in three games before beating Palace and their next two games are against teams in the top five starting with this one.

With Jack Grealish unable to play against his parent club Iliman Ndiaye and James Tarkowski are the Everton players to have for fantasy managers.

I think City will make home advantage pay to take all the points in this game.

Prediction: 2-0

Sunderland v Wolverhampton Wanderers

3pm BST, Stadium of Light, Sunderland

Sunderland lost 2-0 away to United in their last game, but they held on to their place in the top half of the table. They have taken seven points from their three home games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their own pitch. They have only won once in their last four games and no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.

Granit Xhaka, Wilson Isidor, Omar Alderete and Robin Roefs can all do very well for fantasy managers at a good price.

Wolves conceded a late goal to draw 1-1 at home to Brighton in their last game to leave them at the foot of the table. They drew their last away game after losing the previous two with only Newcastle scoring less goals on their travels. They’re the only team without a win with no other team scoring less goals and only West Ham and Burnley conceding more.

I’m still not sure there are any Wolves players who can make a difference for fantasy managers.

I think Sunderland’s impressive start to the season will continue with another victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Fulham v Arsenal

5.30pm BST, Craven Cottage, London

Fulham lost 3-1 away to Bournemouth in their last game and that defeat saw them drop to 14th place. They’re still unbeaten at home with seven of their eight points coming on their own ground and only Arsenal conceding less goals at home. They lost their last two games and they conceded six goals in those games, but they were both away from home.

I don’t think any of the Fulham players are showing enough consistency to interest fantasy managers.

Arsenal won 2-0 at home to West Ham last time out and that victory moved them to the top of the table. They have won two of their three away games with only Newcastle conceding less goals on the road. They have taken 10 points from their last four games with only City scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.

The Arsenal defenders and keeper are great choices for fantasy managers at the moment with Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka worth considering too.

I think Fulham will put it up to Arsenal, but the away team should take all the points.

Prediction: 1-2

Sunday 19 October

Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa

2pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London

Spurs won 2-1 away to Leeds in their last game and that win moved them up to third in the table. They have only taken four of their 14 points at home and they have some tough games coming up on their own patch. They are unbeaten in four games with only City and Arsenal scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

Mohammed Kudus is the best of the Spurs players for fantasy managers with their defenders and keeper looking good too.

Villa won 2-1 at home to Burnley last time out and that win moved them within one point of the top half of the table. They haven’t won away from home yet, but they drew two of their three games with only Newcastle scoring less and conceding less goals on their travels. They have won their last two games after failing to win the previous five with only Forest and Wolves scoring less goals.

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

I don’t think there will be too much between these two teams and I wouldn’t be surprised if neither of them came out on top.

Prediction: 1-1

Liverpool v Manchester United

4.30pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool

Liverpool conceded a very late goal to lose 2-1 away to Chelsea in their last game and that defeat cost them their place at the top of the table. They’re the only team still with a 100% record at home and they have a very good run of games coming up on their own ground. They have lost their last two games after winning the previous five, but they have a very good run of fixtures coming up with only City and Arsenal scoring more goals.

Despite not being at his best so far this season Mohamed Salah is still a good option for fantasy managers with Cody Gakpo a consideration too.

United won 2-0 at home to Sunderland last time out and that win was enough to move them into the top half of the table. They have only taken one point away from home so far with only three other teams conceding more goals on the road. They have won as many games as they have lost and no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.

Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko are the United players looking most likely to do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Liverpool will be too good at home for United and should win by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 3-1

Monday 20 October

West Ham United v Brentford

8pm BST, London Stadium, London

West Ham lost 2-0 away to Arsenal last week to leave them one place above the bottom of the table. They’re the only team without a point at home with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch and only Wolves conceding more. They have only taken one point from their last four games with no other team conceding more goals and only Wolves and Forest scoring less.

Jarrod Bowen is the West Ham player to have for fantasy managers with El Hadji Malick Diouf a possibility too.

Brentford lost 1-0 at home to City last week and they’re only two points above the relegation zone. They’re one of two teams without a point away from home with only two other teams conceding more goals on their travels. They have lost three of their last five games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

Igor Thiago is the Brentford player who can do well for fantasy managers.

I think West Ham might just be able to get a badly needed win in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.