| POSITION | PLAYER NAME | THIS WEEK | POINTS | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (1) |  |  |  | Wild Things |
2
 | 350 | |||||
| 2 (2) | |  |  | betojohn ioannis papanikos |
2
| 320 | |||||
| 3 (8) | |  |  | Brisbane City FC |
2
| 300 | |||||
| 3 (5) | | | David Luiz |
2
| 300 | ||||||
| 5 (5) | | |  | immycader Imran Cader |
1
| 280 |
Friday September 15
Bournemouth v Brighton & Hove Albion
8pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
Bournemouth lost 3-0 at Arsenal last week as their poor start to the season gets worse by the week. They won nine home games last season and scored a lot of goals at home too and they need to find some of that home form very soon. They have lost their last four games and only scored one goal in those games, but they will see a home game against a newly promoted team as a great chance to get their first points.
I can't see any Bournemouth players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
Brighton got their first win of the season at home to West Brom last week and it was a very welcome three points. They haven't scored away from home yet, but they did manage a point at a Watford team who are doing quite well. Their home form is going to be crucial in their bid to stay up, but they do have a chance of getting something from this game.
Pascal GroB had a very good week for fantasy managers last week, but it's hard to know if it was a one off or not.
With Bournemouth in desperate need of some points to put on their board they might just get their wish in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Saturday September 16
Crystal Palace v Southampton
12.30pm BST, Selhurst Park, London
Palace lost yet again last week away to Burnley and that defeat cost Frank de Boer his job. No other team lost more home games last season and they already have the worst record at home so far this season. Roy Hodgson will have to act quickly to reverse their slide, but I'm not sure if he's up to the task any more.
I can't see any Palace players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment and I don't know if that will change under Hodgson.
Southampton lost at home to Watford last week and they should probably have more points considering their opponents in their first four games. They took almost as many points on the road as they did at home last season and they scored more goals on their travels too. They have failed to score in three of their first four games and that has to be a real worry for them.
Southampton defenders and goalkeeper still look like good fantasy options, but it might be better to avoid their attacking players until they can find a way to score some goals again.
This isn't an easy game to call, but I wouldn't be surprised if it ended in a scoreless draw.
Prediction: 0-0
Huddersfield Town v Leicester City
3pm BST, John Smiths's Stadium, Huddersfield
Huddersfield lost away to West Ham on Monday night to put an end to their unbeaten start to the season. They're unbeaten at home so far though even if they have only played two games and they haven't conceded at home yet either. They didn't score an awful lot of goals in the Championship last season and they have only scored two goals so far this season, but they did win both games they scored in.
Huddersfield's defenders and keeper have been good fantasy choices so far with Aaron Mooy looking like a reasonable option too.
Leicester lost at home to Chelsea last week and they have had some really hard fixtures to start their season. Their home form eventually moved them away from the wrong end of the table last season and they could do a lot better this season if that home form holds up. Their fixtures are a lot easier over the next couple of months than they have been at the start of the season.
Jamie Vardy has been the best of the Leicester players for fantasy managers with Riyad Mahrez and Toby Maguire doing quite well too and their fixtures aren't looking too bad for the next while.
Huddersfield have started very well, but I think Leicester might just get the better of a very close game.
Prediction: 1-2
Liverpool v Burnley
3pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool were thrashed by City last week after Sadio Mane was given his marching orders. They have won both of their home games so far without conceding a goal, but they need to improve on their results at home to the "lesser" teams last season. Things looked to be going very well for them until last week's defeat at City and they need to quickly put it behind them.
With Mane suspended the best fantasy options in the Liverpool team are Roberto Frimino and Mohamed Salah.
Burnley won 1-0 at home to Palace last week and they're sitting pretty in seventh place at the moment. They are unbeaten away from home so far and that's not bad considering they played away to last season's top two clubs. Their away form almost got them relegated last season, but the signs are that might improve this season.
Chris Wood has been impressive since joining Burnley and is still available at a good price for fantasy managers while their defenders look like they could do well at home again this season.
Despite Burnley's impressive away results so far I still think Liverpool should win this game comfortably.
Prediction: 3-0
Newcastle United v Stoke City
3pm BST, St. James' Park, Newcastle
Newcastle won away to Swansea last week and it was their second win and clean sheet in a row. Their home form will be key for them if they're going to stay up this sason and this is a game they will be looking to win. They looked to be in trouble after their first two games, but the wins against West Ham and Swansea have given them a lot more hope.
Ciaran Clark, Jamaal Lascelles and Rob Elliot have all done very well for fantasy managers at a very good price too.
Stoke got a very good point at home to United last week and they are proving to be a difficult team to beat. They only won four away games last season and it will probably be their home form that keeps them clear of the wrong end of the table. They have had some tough games to start their season and they have Chelsea and City to come over the next few weeks.
Eric Maxim Choupa-Moting could be a good reasonably priced fantasy option while Jack Butland is looking pretty good too.
I don't see too many goals in this game and I think it's most likely to end in a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Watford v Manchester City
3pm BST, Vicarage Road, Watford
Watford won 2-0 away to Southampton last week and they're one of only three teams left unbeaten. Only four teams conceded more goals at home last season, but they look like they could be a different team under Marco Silva this season. Since drawing 3-3 with Liverpool in their first game they have kept clean sheets, but that won't be an easy task in this game.
Watford's defenders and keeper have been impressive so far for fantasy managers, but this could be a tough game for them while both Abdoulaye Doucoure and Richarlison de Andrade have done well so far too.
City won 5-0 at home to Liverpool last week and they're only off the top of the table on goal difference. Their away form was second only to Chelsea's last season and they have already started with two away wins this season. They have the attacking players to win the league, but their chances could rely on their ability to keep them out at the other end.
Both Sergio Aguero and Gabriel de Jesus seem to managing their fair share of points for fantasy managers while David Silva is looking pretty good too.
I don't think Watford will roll over for City, but I think City will just about manage to win.
Prediction: 1-2
West Bromwich Albion v West Ham United
3pm BST, The Hawthorns, Birmingham
West Brom were beaten 3-1 away to Brighton last week to put an end to their unbeaten start to the season. They won nine of their home games last season and they're already looking like their home form could be key for them this season. They struggled to score goals last season and they still don't look like they have the firepower to improve on that.
West Brom's defenders had been doing well for fantasy managers until last week and they could be worth considering this week too.
West Ham got their first win of the season at home to Huddersfield on Monday night to ease the pressure on Slaven Bilic. This is their fourth away game of the season and they lost the first three and conceded 10 goals in the process. The win against Huddersfield brought some respite, but they have a long way to go to move up the table judging by the way they're playing.
Javier Hernandez still looks like the best fantasy option in the West Ham team to me while Michail Antonio and Andre Ayew might not be the worst choices either.
I don't think we'll see too many goals in this game, but the chances are West Brom will take the three points.
Prediction: 1-0
Tottenham Hotspur v Swansea City
5.30pm BST, Wembley Stadium, London
Spurs won 3-0 at Everton last week and they could easily have scored a fair few more. They have already dropped more points at home this season than they did in all of last season as they struggle to cope with playing at Wembley. Their midweek Champions League win at home might have helped them to overcome their issues at Wembley and they have four games coming up where they should expect to take maximum points.
Harry Kane seems back on song for fantasy managers while Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli and all of the Spurs defenders are looking very good too.
Swansea lost 1-0 at home to Newcastle last week and they still look like they will struggle to score goals. They have taken all four of their points so far this season away from home and they haven't conceded a goal on their travels yet. Their away points were at Southampton and Palace and they will find Spurs a very different prospect.
I'm not too sure any of the Swansea players will do enough to attract the interest of fantasy managers this season.
Spurs should have far too much for Swansea and should run out fairly comfortable winners.
Prediction: 3-0
Sunday September 17
Chelsea v Arsenal
1.30pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea won 2-1 at Leicester last week and their opening day defeat seems to be firmly behind them. They won 17 of their 19 home games last season and they were the top scorers at home too. If they're going to retain their title they're going to need to take almost as many points at home starting in this game.
Alvaro Morata is looking very good for fantasy managers with Cesc Fabregas worth considering too as well as the returning Eden Hazard and all of the Chelsea defenders with Marcus Alonso and Cesar Azpilicueta the best of them.
Arsenal got back to winning ways with a 3-0 home win against Bournemouth last week, but a trip to Chelsea will be a much tougher proposition. Their away record against the rest of the top six has been awful for a few seasons and they have lost their two away games this season without scoring a goal. If they're going to have any hope of challenging at the top of the table they need to get something from games like this.
Danny Welbeck has been in very good form for fantasy managers, but it's a risk to pick him while Sead Kolasinac could be worth a shout now that he's getting a game.
My head tells me Chelsea will win this game, but my heart always goes with Arsenal and it won't be any different this time.
Prediction: 1-2
Manchester United v Everton
4pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester
United dropped their first points of the season when they drew 2-2 away to Stoke last week. Their home form kept them out of the top four last season with 10 draws, but they have won their first two games at home this season and scored six goals in the process. They hadn't conceded a goal before Stoke got two last week and they still have some very attractive fixtures for the next few weeks.
With Paul Pogba injured the best fantasy options in the United team are Romelu Lukaku, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and all of their defenders and keeper.
Everton lost 3-0 at home to Spurs last week and they were lucky it wasn't a heavier defeat. They only won four of their away games last season and they struggled to score goals away from home. They have had some tough games to start their season, but their lack of goals is a real problem and the inability to replace Romelu Lukaku looks like it could really hamper their chances.
Wayne Rooney has been the best fantasy option so far for Everton, but I'm not sure they will make enough chances to make him a worthwhile choice for fantasy managers.
I think United should have more than enough to win this game by at least a couple of goals.
Prediction: 2-0
That's it for this week.
See you next week.
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