Friday 19 April 2024

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 34

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn’t have a good week last week much like most other players and I managed four correct and six incorrect outcomes which left me in seventh place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

RankPlayerResClsExaSlmPts
1
-
TeeBee
53139.510831331.5
2
-
Richard Landsberg
53133.59927312.5
3
-
IAMC0Le
60127.59326306.5
4
-
robbieg
53136.57827294.5
5
-
Gooners
701266929294.0

There are seven teams playing twice this week, but Spurs don’t play at all so there are a lot of permutations for fantasy managers to consider. I had considered using my free hit last week to set my team up for a bench boost this week, but I opted not to do so in the end. I had a good week though and I climbed to my highest overall position of the season so far with more to come hopefully.

My choice of Erling Haaland as my captain paid off and his points were added to by Bernd Leno, Cole Palmer and Anthony Gordon. I still haven’t decided on my captain for this week, but it’s difficult to look past Mohamed Salah as he plays twice. Other options could be Matheus Cunha or Eberechi Eze as they both have two home games and Bukayo Saka can’t be ignored either.

Saturday April 20

Luton Town v Brentford 

3pm BST, Kenilworth Road, Luton 

Luton lost 5-1 away to City last week, but they’re still only one point from safety with five games left to play. They have taken four points from their last two home games after losing the previous three and three of their last five games are at home to teams in the bottom half of the table. They have only won once in their last 12 games, but they could move out of the bottom three if they can take the three points in this game.

Ross Barkley is probably the most consistent of the Luton players for fantasy managers.

Brentford won 2-0 at home to Sheffield United last week and that win moved them seven points clear of the relegation zone. They have only taken one point from their last five away games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with only Sheffield United losing more games on the road. The win last week was their first win in 10 games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are probably the best of the Brentford players for fantasy managers at the moment with Ivan Toney to be considered if he’s fit to play.

I think Luton might just be able to take the three points in a game they really need to win.

Prediction: 2-1

Sheffield United v Burnley

3pm BST, Bramall Lane, Sheffield 

United lost 2-0 away to Brentford last week and they could be relegated by the time this gameweek is over. They have drawn their last two home games and they scored five goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals on their own patch and only Everton scoring less. They have only won once in their last 16 games, but they play three of the other relegation contenders in their last six games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals

With two games this week Gustavo Hamer, Ben Brereton Diaz and even Ollie McBurnie might just be of interest to fantasy managers.

Burnley drew 1-1 at home to Brighton last week and they’re still six points from safety with only five games left to play. They have only taken two points from their last five away games with only Sheffield United scoring less goals on their travels. They have only won once in their last 15 games with only two other teams scoring less and conceding more goals.

David Dotra Fofana could be a possibility for fantasy managers this week considering who Burnley are playing.

I think Burnley will give their survival hopes a boost by taking the three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-3

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Arsenal 

7.30pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves drew 2-2 away to Forest last week, buy they’re still only one point off the top half of the table. They have lost three of their last five home games and four of their last six games are on their own ground. They haven’t won in four games and they conceded seven goals in those games and they still have to play all of the top three.

With Matheus Cunha back from injury and playing twice this week he looks like a very good option for fantasy managers while Rayan Ait-Nouri should be considered too if he’s fit to play.

Arsenal lost 2-0 at home to Villa last week and that defeat cost them their place at the top of the table. They have taken 16 points from their last six away games and they only conceded one goal in those games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals on the road. They had taken 31 points from 11 games before losing to Villa and they have to win both of their games this week to keep their title hopes alive.

Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard are still looking good for fantasy managers along with the Arsenal defenders and keeper.

I think Wolves will make Arsenal work for it, but the chances are Arsenal will take all three points.

Prediction: 1-2

Sunday April 21

Everton v Nottingham Forest 

1.30pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool 

Everton lost 6-0 away to Chelsea last week and they’re still only two points above the bottom three. They have only won once in their last six home games with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch, but only the top three conceding less. They have only won once in their last 15 games with only Sheffield United scoring less goals, but four of their last six games are against other teams struggling at the wrong end of the table.

Even with two games this week I’m not sure there are any of their players to recommend to fantasy managers.

Forest drew 2-2 at home to Wolves last week and that draw kept them one point above the relegation zone. They have only taken two points from their last six away games and they conceded 13 goals in those games plus they play three of the other teams in the bottom five in their last three away games. They have only won once in their last eight games with only the three teams below them conceding more goals.

Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White are the in form Forest players who can do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

This is a huge game for two teams looking to overcome points deductions and move clear of the relegation zone and I think Everton might just make home advantage pay.

Prediction: 2-1

Aston Villa v Bournemouth 

3pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa won 2-0 away to Arsenal last week and that win moved them three points ahead of Spurs in the race for fourth place. They have only won two of their last six home games and they conceded 14 goals in those games, but three of their next four games are on their own ground. The win against Arsenal was only their second win in six games and they conceded 12 goals in those games.

Ollie Watkins is the must have Villa player for fantasy managers with Leon Bailey looking good too.

Bournemouth drew 2-2 at home to United last week and they’re still only two points off the top half of the table. They have only won once in their last six away games and they conceded 11 goals in those games. They have only lost once in their last seven games, but they have a tough run of games to finish their season.

Dominic Solanke is the Bournemouth player of choice for fantasy managers.

I think Villa will continue their quest for a top four finish by taking all three points in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Crystal Palace v West Ham United 

3pm BST, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace won 1-0 away to Liverpool last week and that win has surely ended any lingering relegation worries. They have taken 10 points from their last six home games and they scored 13 goals in those games, but only three other teams have scored less goals on their own patch. The win against Liverpool was only their second win in 10 games and only three other teams have scored less goals.

With two games this week Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta are good options for fantasy managers and Michael Olise could be considered too.

West Ham lost 2-0 at home to Fulham last week and that defeat put a big dent in their hopes of a top six finish. They have won two of their last three away games, but only three other teams have conceded more goals on their travels. They have only won three of their last 14 games and they haven’t kept a clean sheet in 13 games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

If he’s fit to play Jarrod Bowen is the best of the West Ham players for fantasy managers.

I think Palace will be able to do enough in this game to take all the points on offer.

Prediction: 2-1

Fulham v Liverpool

4.30pm BST, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham won 2-0 away to West Ham last week and they’re one of a few teams with ambitions of finishing in the top half of the table which is now only two points above them. They have taken 13 points from their last seven home games and they scored 12 goals in those games with only the top three conceding less goals on their own ground. The win against West Ham was their first win in four games and they still have to play two of the three teams chasing for the title.

I recommended Andreas Pereira to fantasy managers last week and I wish I had taken my own advice and he could be a good option this week too.

Liverpool lost 1-0 at home to Palace last week and that defeat saw them drop to third place in the table. They have only won two of their last four away games and their next three games are all on the road. They have only won two of their last five games with only City and Arsenal scoring more goals and only Arsenal conceding less.

If Liverpool are going to keep their challenge up then Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz could all do well for fantasy managers.

I think this will be a very close game with Liverpool probably winning by one goal.

Prediction: 1-2

Tuesday April 23

Arsenal v Chelsea 

8pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal play their second game of the week and neither of them are going to be easy games. They had won five home games in a row and scored 16 goals in those games before losing to Villa. After their Champions League exit in midweek their season is hanging by a thread, but only City have scored more goals and no other team has conceded less.

The Arsenal players I mentioned already all have the possibility to do well for fantasy managers this week if Arsenal can regain their mojo.

Chelsea won 6-0 at home to Everton last week and they have managed to get right back in the fight for a top six finish. They have only won two of their last 10 away games and four of their next six games are on the road. They are unbeaten in eight games and they took 16 points from those games while scoring 23 goals. 

Cole Palmer is an absolute must have for fantasy managers, but I’m still not sure about any of the other Chelsea players.

I think Chelsea will come close to getting something from this game, but Arsenal will manage a victory.

Prediction: 2-1

Wednesday April 24

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Bournemouth 

7.45pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves play their second home game of the week and they can get right in the fight for European football for next season if they can win both games. A home game against Bournemouth shouldn’t be as difficult as a game against Arsenal, but Wolves will fancy their chances in both games. Their next three games are all at home and they could rapidly move up the table with the right results in those games.

Besides the Wolves players I mentioned already Hwang Hee-Chan could be one to own for fantasy managers now that he’s returned from injury.

Bournemouth play their second away game of the week and they start the week only one point behind Wolves. Four of their last six games are away from home and they’re all against teams above them in the table. It’s been a very good season for them so far and a top half finish would be an incredible end to it.

With two games this week Norberto Neto, Marcos Senesi and Justin Kluivert might do well for fantasy managers too.

I think Wolves should have enough at home to take the three points in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Crystal Palace v Newcastle United 

8pm BST, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace play their second home game of the week and they will put any chances of relegation to bed if they can win one of these games. The two teams they are playing are both pushing for a top six finish and Palace could put a dent in both of their hopes. All the teams they have left to play are above them in the table, but they showed against Liverpool that they can take on any team when they have their best players available.

The Palace players I mentioned already could all possibly have a very good week for fantasy managers.

Newcastle won 4-0 at home to Spurs last week and that win moved them up to sixth place. They have lost seven of their last 10 away games and they conceded 24 goals in those games with only five other teams conceding more goals on their travels. They have taken 10 points and scored 10 goals in their last four games with only the top three scoring more goals.

Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak are the must have Newcastle players for fantasy managers while Fabian Schar is looking very good too.

I think this is a game which could go either way and the chances are the points will be shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Everton v Liverpool 

8pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool 

Everton play their second home game of the week and they desperately need to get something from those games in their bid to stay out of the bottom three. If Everton can beat Forest on Sunday there will be less pressure on them at home to their local rivals, but their lack of goals on their own ground has to be a big concern. They could still move clear of the relegation zone if they regain any points through their appeal against the points deduction, but their chances of doing so don’t look good.

As I mentioned already Everton players don’t exactly look appealing to fantasy managers at the moment despite playing twice this week.

Liverpool play their second away game of the week and they can’t afford to get anything other than six points from those two games. On the face of it a trip to a struggling team shouldn’t be too difficult a task for them, but local rivalry and their dip in form make it just the opposite. If they can finish the chances they make I have no doubt they will win this game, but that’s no certainty at the moment.

The Liverpool players I mentioned already have to be serious considerations for fantasy managers and Diogo Jota is a possibility too now that he’s back from injury.

It’s never easy to call a Merseyside derby, but I think Everton might just do themselves a favour and Liverpool some damage by getting a point in this game.

Prediction: 1-1

Manchester United v Sheffield United

8pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United drew 2-2 away to Bournemouth last week and their chances of a top four finish must now be over. They have only won two of their last five home games with only four other teams scoring less goals on their own patch, but their next two home games are against teams in the bottom three. They have only won once in their last seven games and they have still conceded more goals than they have scored.

With four of their last six games at home and the next two against Sheffield United and Burnley both Bruno Fernandes and Alejandro Garnacho could be good choices for fantasy managers.

Sheffield United play their second game of the week and the chances are they will be as good as relegated by the time both games are played. They have lost their last two away games after taking four points from the previous two and no other team has scored less goals on their travels with only Luton conceding more. If they’re going into this game on the back of a defeat to Burnley on Saturday it could be the game that finally confirms their relegation, but either way it’s surely inevitable at this stage.

The Sheffield United players I mentioned already could be possibilities for fantasy managers, but really it’s best to avoid them.

I can’t see anything other than a comprehensive United victory in this game.

Prediction: 3-0

Thursday April 25

Brighton And Hove Albion v Manchester City 

8pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton drew 1-1 away to Burnley last week and that point was enough to keep them in the top half of the table. They were unbeaten for 12 home games before losing their last home game against Arsenal and four of their last six games are on their own ground. They have only won once in their last seven games though and they only scored four goals in those games.

I’m not sure there are any Brighton players who will do enough in this game to interest fantasy managers.

City won 5-1 at home to Luton last week and that win put them on top of the table after both Arsenal and Liverpool were beaten. They have taken 19 points from their last seven away games and they scored 17 goals in those games with only Arsenal scoring more goals on the road. They are unbeaten in 17 games and they won 13 of those games with no other team scoring more goals and only Arsenal and Liverpool conceding less.

If he’s fit to play Erling Haaland is still a very good choice for fantasy managers while both Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne are great options too once they avoid rotation.

I think City will get another win on their march towards yet another title.

Prediction: 1-3

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Friday 12 April 2024

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 33

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I didn’t have the best week yet again last week with one perfect prediction, three correct outcomes and six incorrect outcomes which left me in seventh place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

RankPlayerResClsExaSlmPts
1
-
TeeBee
51136.510831326.5
2
-
Richard Landsberg
51133.59627307.5
3
-
IAMC0Le
58124.59326301.5
4
1
robbieg
511357827291.0
5
1
Gooners
691236629287.0

I did pretty well with my fantasy team last week even if I only got an assist from my captain, but Cole Palmer was ably assisted by Gabriel Magahlaes, Pedro Porro, Vitalii Mykolenko, Bukayo Saka, Mohamed Salah, Darwin Nunez and Erling Haaland. I managed to make up most of the ground I lost last week and I’m hoping for a strong finish to the season.

I am severely tempted to use my wildcard this week to fill my squad with players who are playing twice next week and then use my bench boost next week, but it’s definitely a risky strategy. With a lot of extra games in the second last week of the season I could leave that strategy until then, but the chances are I’ll go with it this week. That will mean I’ll have three players from Arsenal and Liverpool with the rest of the squad made up of players from Crystal Palace, Wolves, Bournemouth and even Sheffield United.

Saturday April 13

Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur 

12.30pm BST, St. James’s Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle won 1-0 away to Fulham last week and that win moved them within two points of sixth place. They have taken nine points from their last five home games and they scored 14 goals in those games with only two other teams scoring more goals on their own ground. They have taken 10 points and scored 11 goals in their last five games with only four other teams scoring more goals.

Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon are the Newcastle players who can do well for fantasy managers over the next few weeks.

Spurs won 3-1 at home to Forest last week to move into the top four on goal difference ahead of Villa and they have a game in hand too. They have only won once in their last six away games and three of their next four games are on the road. They have taken 13 points and scored 13 goals in their last six games, but they have four very tough games in a row starting with this one.

Son Heung-Min and Brennan Johnson are the Spurs players looking most likely to do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think this will be a very close game and the chances are the spoils will be shared.

Prediction: 2-2

Brentford v Sheffield United 

3pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford drew 3-3 away to Villa last week, but they’re now only four points above the relegation zone. They haven’t won in their last five home games with only the bottom two conceding more goals on their own patch. They haven’t won in nine games and they conceded 19 goals in those games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo could do very well for fantasy managers this week and Ivan Toney could be considered too.

United drew 2-2 at home to Chelsea last week, but they are now nine points from safety with only seven games to go. They have taken four points from their last four away games and they scored six goals in those games, but no other team has scored less goals on their travels with only Luton conceding more. They have only won once in their last 15 games, but they have drawn three of their last four with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.

Gustavo Hamer and Ben Brereton Diaz are the United players for fantasy managers to consider, but it’s a risk to own United players.

I think Brentford will get three badly needed points in this game with a couple of goals in hand.

Prediction: 3-1

Burnley v Brighton And Hove Albion 

3pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley 

Burnley lost 1-0 away to Everton last week and they’re now six points from safety with only six games left to play. They have taken four points from their last two home games, but no other team has taken less points or scored less goals on their own ground with only Sheffield United conceding more. They have only won once in their last 14 games with only Sheffield United scoring less and conceding more goals.

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

Brighton lost 3-0 at home to Arsenal last week and they’re now only one point above the bottom half of the table. They have only won once in their last 10 away games and they failed to score in half of those games. They have only won once in their last six games and they haven’t scored in their last two, but they will look to use this game as a springboard to a strong finish to their season.

None of the Brighton players have done much recently for fantasy managers and it’s difficult to see who to recommend for the rest of the season.

I think Burnley will give it their best shot, but the chances are Brighton will win this game.

Prediction: 1-2

Manchester City v Luton Town 

3pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City won 4-2 away to Palace last week and they’re only one point behind Arsenal and Liverpool at the top of the table. They’re one of two teams still unbeaten at home with no other team conceding less goals on their own patch. They are unbeaten in 16 games and they have scored eight goals in their last two games with only Arsenal and Liverpool scoring more and conceding less goals.

Phil Foden, Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne are the City players to own for fantasy managers between now and the end of the season.

Luton came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Bournemouth last week and they’re only in the relegation zone on goal difference. They haven’t won in their last seven away games and they conceded 18 goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals on their travels. The win against Bournemouth was their first win in 11 games with only the two teams below them conceding more goals, but only one other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals.

Alfie Doughty, Ross Barkley and Carlton Morris are the Luton players for fantasy managers to consider.

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

Prediction: 4-1

Nottingham Forest v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

3pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest lost 3-1 away to Spurs last week and they’re now only above the bottom three on goal difference. They have taken seven points and scored six goals in their last four home games, but their remaining home games are all very tough. They have only won twice in their last 12 games and they still have to travel to three of the other teams in the bottom five.

Chris Wood, Morgan Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga are the Forest players who could do well for fantasy managers if they’re going to win their fight to stay up.

Wolves lost 2-1 at home to West Ham last week and they’re only one point off the top half of the table. They have only taken one point and scored one goal in their last three away games, but they have won away to both Spurs and Chelsea. They have only taken one point from their last three games and they still have to play all three of the title contenders before the end of the season. 

Rayan Air-Nouri and Pablo Sarabia are the Wolves players most likely to do well for fantasy managers at the moment while Matheus Cunha and Hwang Hee-Chan could be considered too now that they have returned from injury.

I think this will be a very close game with Forest’s need for points probably giving them the edge.

Prediction: 2-1

Bournemouth v Manchester United 

5.30pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth lost 2-1 away to Luton last week, but they’re still within two points of the top half of the table with absolutely no relegation fears. They have won their last three home games and they scored seven goals in those games, but only three other teams have scored less goals on their own ground. They had taken 13 points from their previous five games before losing to Luton and six of their remaining seven games are against teams above them in the table.

Dominic Solanke is still the best of the Bournemouth players for fantasy managers with Illia Zabarnyi looking good recently too.

United drew 2-2 at home to Liverpool last week and their chances of a top four finish must be finished now. They have only taken one point from their last three away games and they conceded eight goals in those games, but all of their remaining away games are against teams below them in the table. They have only won once in their last six games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with no other team in the top half of the table scoring less goals.

Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes are the in form United players for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think this will be a very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Sunday April 14

Liverpool v Crystal Palace 

2pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool drew 2-2 away to United last week and that draw meant they dropped to second place in the table behind Arsenal on goal difference. They’re one of two teams still unbeaten at home with no other team taking more points or scoring more goals on their own patch. They have taken 20 points and scored 20 goals in their last eight games with only Arsenal scoring more and conceding less goals.

Mohamed Salah is still the Liverpool player of choice for fantasy managers while Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez good options too.

Palace lost 4-2 at home to City last week despite taking an early lead and it’s very unlikely they will get sucked into the relegation battle. They haven’t won in their last 10 away games and this will probably be their toughest away game of the season. They have only taken two points from their last five games and they conceded 10 goals in those games with only three other teams scoring less goals.

Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta are the Palace players to watch for fantasy managers with the fit again Michael Olise a consideration too.

I think Liverpool will be too strong for Palace and should win with a few goals to spare.

Prediction: 3-0

West Ham United v Fulham

2pm BST, London Stadium, London 

West Ham came from behind to win 2-1 away to Wolves last week and they’re now only one point off sixth place. They have only lost one of their last 11 home games, but they drew six of them and no other team has drawn more games on their own ground. The win against Wolves was their first win in five games and they conceded nine goals in those games with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals.

With Jarrod Bowen more than likely injured Mohammed Kudus and Lucas Paqueta could be the West Ham players to interest fantasy managers.

Fulham lost 1-0 at home to Newcastle last week, but they’re still close enough to the top half of the table to have hopes of finishing there. They have only taken one point from their last three away games and they conceded eight goals in those games with only Luton conceding more goals on their travels. They have only taken one point from their last three games and they still have to play at home to two of the three title contenders.

Rodrigo Muniz has done well recently for fantasy managers with Andreas Pereira looking good too.

I think West Ham should be strong enough to win this game narrowly.

Prediction: 2-1

Arsenal v Aston Villa

4.30pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal won 3-0 away to Brighton last week and that win moved them to the top of the table on goal difference ahead of Liverpool. They have won their last five home games and they scored 16 goals in those games with no other team conceding less goals on their own ground. They have taken 31 points from their last 11 games and they scored 38 goals in those games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals.

Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard are all very good options for fantasy managers with all of their defenders and keeper worth considering too.

Villa drew 3-3 at home to Brentford last week and they dropped to fifth place as a result of those dropped points. They have only taken one point in their last two away games and they conceded five goals in those two games. They have only won once in their last five games and they conceded 12 goals in those games with only the top three scoring more goals.

Ollie Watkins is the best of the Villa players for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Arsenal will hold on to their place at the top of the table with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

Monday April 15

Chelsea v Everton

8pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea drew 2-2 away to Sheffield United last week despite leading twice, but they still have a chance of finishing as high as sixth. They have taken 19 points from their last nine home games and they scored 23 goals in those games. They are unbeaten in seven games, but they drew four of them and their next three games after this one are against teams in the top five.

Cole Palmer is the Chelsea player to have for fantasy managers, but it’s difficult to recommend any of their other players.

Everton won 1-0 at home to Burnley last week and that win was enough to keep them out of the bottom three. They have only taken three points from their last eight away games and only two other teams have scored less goals on their travels. The win against Burnley was their first win in 14 games and their fate could be decided when they play two of the teams below them in their last three games.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored in his last two games, but it’s still difficult to recommend any Everton players to fantasy managers.

I think Chelsea will continue their chase for a top six finish with a narrow victory in this game.

Prediction: 2-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Friday 5 April 2024

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 32

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 so well in midweek with five correct predictions and five incorrect predictions which saw me drop to seventh place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

RankPlayerResClsExaSlmPts
1
-
TeeBee
50130.510230312.5
2
-
Richard Landsberg
49130.59627302.5
3
-
IAMC0Le
56121.59025292.5
4
3
Gooners
 
67121.56329280.5
5
1
robbieg
51130.57226279.5

I didn’t have a great week in midweek with my choice of Mohamed Salah as my captain not working out and my decision to sell Phil Foden to get Salah backfiring as he scored three goals against Villa. The only good points for my fantasy team were Cole Palmer, William Saliba and Darwin Nunez as I lost the ground I had gained over the last few weeks.

I’m considering making Salah my captain again this week with Liverpool going to United, but I might just opt for Palmer as Chelsea play against the worst defence in the league. Morgan Gibbs-White is looking very good at the moment and so is Rayan Ait-Nouri and they could be the differentials fantasy managers are looking for if they’re brave enough to pick them.

Saturday April 6

Crystal Palace v Manchester City 

12.30pm BST, Selhurst Park, London 

Palace lost 1-0 away to Bournemouth in midweek, but they still have eight points to spare over the bottom three. They have taken 10 points from their last five home games, but only three other teams have scored less goals on their own ground. They have only won three of their last 19 games, but they drew six of them and only Brighton have drawn more games.

Eberechi Eze is still the best of the Palace players for fantasy managers while Michael Olise could be considered if he has recovered from injury

City won 4-1 at home to Villa on Wednesday night to stay in third place three points behind Liverpool at the top of the table. They have taken 16 points from their last six away games with only Arsenal taking more points on the road. They are unbeaten in 15 games and they won 11 of those games with only Arsenal and Liverpool scoring more and conceding less goals. 

Phil Foden seems to be the must have City player for fantasy managers at the moment while it’s difficult to leave Erling Haaland out even if he isn’t hitting the heights at the moment.

I think City should be strong enough to win this game by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 1-3

Aston Villa v Brentford 

3pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham 

Villa lost 4-1 away to City in midweek, but they kept their place in the top four as Spurs could only draw their game. They have lost three of their last five home games and they conceded 11 goals in those five games, but only the top two have won more games on their own patch. They have only won once in their last four games and they conceded 11 goals in those games, but they will fancy themselves to remedy that in this game.

If he’s fit to play Ollie Watkins is the Villa player to have for fantasy managers with Douglas Luiz and Leon Bailey possibilities too.

Brentford drew 0-0 at home to Brighton on Wednesday night and that point gave them a six point cushion at the wrong end of the table. They have lost their last four away games and they conceded nine goals in those games with no other team losing more games on their travels. They have only won two of their last 17 games, but they play three of the five teams below them in a row after this game.

Brentford players aren’t exactly setting the world alight for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Villa will bounce back from their midweek defeat to take all the points in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Everton v Burnley 

3pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool 

Everton drew 1-1 away to Newcastle on Tuesday night to move four points clear of the relegation zone. They haven’t won in their last five home games with only Sheffield United scoring less goals on their own ground. They haven’t won in 13 games with only Sheffield United scoring less goals, but only the top three conceding less.

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

Burnley drew 1-1 at home to Wolves on Wednesday night, buy they now find themselves six points adrift of safety after other results went against them. They have drawn their last two away games after losing the previous four, but only Sheffield United have scored less goals on the road. They’re unbeaten in four games, but they drew three of them with only Sheffield United conceding more goals.

Despite their recent improvement I still can’t see any Burnley players who would make a real difference for fantasy managers.

This is a huge game for two teams battling to stay up and I think Everton might just have enough to win narrowly.

Prediction: 2-1

Fulham v Newcastle United 

3pm BST, Craven Cottage, London 

Fulham lost 3-1 away to Forest in midweek, but they’re still within four points of the top half of the table. They have taken 13 points from their last six home games and they scored 12 goals in those games with only three other teams conceding less goals on their own patch. There’s such a big difference between their home and away form that it’s difficult to see any pattern to their results, but they have a very good chance of getting something from this game.

Rodrigo Muniz is the in form Fulham player who can do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

Newcastle drew 1-1 at home to Everton on Tuesday night and they are still in with a good chance of finishing as high as sixth. They have lost their last two away games and they conceded seven goals in those games with only three other teams losing more games on their travels. They have taken 15 points from their last nine games and they scored 23 goals in those games with only the top three scoring more goals.

Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak are the Newcastle players to have at the moment for fantasy managers.

I think this will be a very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Fulham make home advantage count.

Prediction: 3-2

Luton Town v Bournemouth 

3pm BST, Kenilworth Road, Luton 

Luton lost 2-0 away to Arsenal on Wednesday night and they are now three points below the safety line with only seven games left to play. They have only taken one point from their last four home games and they conceded nine goals in those games, but their remaining four home games are all against teams in the bottom half of the table. They haven’t won in 10 games and only the two teams below them have conceded more goals, but they had scored in 18 consecutive games before they lost to Arsenal.

Alfie Doughty and Ross Barkley are the Luton players who can possibly do well for fantasy managers at the moment.

Bournemouth won 1-0 at home to Palace on Tuesday night and they’re only two points off the top half of the table. They have taken 17 points from their last nine away games and no other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals on the road. They have taken 13 points from their last five games and they scored 11 goals in those games.

Dominic Solanke is the Bournemouth player of choice for fantasy managers.

I think this is a tough game to call with Bournemouth more than likely taking all the points.

Prediction: 2-3

Wolverhampton Wanderers v West Ham United 

3pm BST, Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton 

Wolves drew 1-1 away to Burnley on Tuesday night and that draw meant they dropped back into the bottom half of the table. They have taken 24 points from their last 12 home games and five of their last eight games are on their own patch. They have only won once in their last four games after winning three of the previous four and they still have to play each of the top three teams. 

Rayan Ait-Nouri is the Wolves player who can make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment and Matheus Cunha could be considered too now that he’s back from injury.

West Ham drew 1-1 at home to Spurs in midweek and that point was enough to keep them in seventh place. They have only won once in their last five away games and only three other teams have conceded more goals on their travels. They have only won two of their last 12 games and they conceded 25 goals in those games with only the bottom three conceding more goals.

Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus are the West Ham players who should interest fantasy managers at the moment while Michail Antonio is a possibility too.

I don’t think there will be too much between these two teams, but home advantage could be key for Wolves.

Prediction: 2-1

Brighton And Hove Albion v Arsenal 

5.30pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton 

Brighton drew 0-0 away to Brentford on Wednesday night and they’re only just holding on to their spot in the top half of the table. They’re unbeaten in 12 home games, but they drew six of them with only West Ham drawing more games on their own ground. They have only won once in their last five games and they only scored three goals in those games.

Pascal Gross is the best of the Brighton players for fantasy managers, but none of them have done much recently.

Arsenal won 2-0 at home to Luton in midweek to keep themselves in second place two points behind Liverpool. They have taken 13 points from their last five away games and they only conceded one goal in those games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals on the road. They have taken 28 points from their last 10 games and they scored 35 goals in those games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals.

If he’s fit to play Bukayo Saka is the best of the Arsenal players for fantasy managers with Kai Havertz, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice plus all of their defenders and keeper good choices too.

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

Prediction: 1-2

Sunday April 7

Manchester United v Liverpool 

3.30pm BST, Old Trafford, Manchester 

United lost 4-3 away to Chelsea on Thursday night after leading 3-2 going into added time and their chances of a top four finish are almost gone now. They have taken 10 points from their last five home games, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last five games and they conceded 10 goals in those games with no other team in the top half of the table scoring less goals.

Alejandro Garnacho is the in form United player for fantasy managers while Bruno Fernandes has done well recently too.

Liverpool came from behind to win 3-1 at home to Sheffield United in midweek and that win kept them at the top of the table. They have won six of their last seven away games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their travels. They have taken 31 points from their last 12 games with only Arsenal scoring more and conceding less goals.

Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez are the Liverpool players who can make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think United’s woe will continue with Liverpool winning this game by a couple of goals.

Prediction: 1-3

Sheffield United v Chelsea 

5.30pm BST, Bramall Lane, Sheffield 

United lost 3-1 away to Liverpool on Thursday night to leave themselves rooted to the foot of the table and 10 points from safety with only eight games left to play. They have only taken one point from their last six home games and they conceded 24 goals in those games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals on their own ground. They have only won once in their last 14 games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.

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

Chelsea got two very late goals to win 4-3 at home to United in midweek and that win moved them back into the top half of the table. They have only won two of their last nine away games, but they will surely take the three points in this game. They have taken 12 points from their last six games and they scored 15 goals in those games.

Cole Palmer is an absolute must have for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Chelsea will continue to progress up the table by taking the three points in this game.

Prediction: 1-3

Tottenham Hotspur v Nottingham Forest 

6pm BST, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London 

Spurs drew 1-1 away to West Ham on Tuesday night to leave them two points behind fourth placed Villa with a game in hand. They have won seven of their last eight home games and they scored 20 goals in those games. They have taken 21 points from their last 11 games and they still have to play each of the top three teams.

Son Heung-Min and Brennan Johnson are the form Spurs players who should interest fantasy managers.

Forest won 3-1 at home to Fulham in midweek and that win moved them three points clear of the bottom three. They have only taken two points from their last five away games with only Sheffield United scoring less goals on their travels. The win against Fulham was their first win in six games and only their second in 11 and they still have to travel to two of the three teams below them in the table.

Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White are the Forest players who can do very well for fantasy managers at the moment.

I think Spurs will keep their top four chances going by winning this game with a couple of goals to spare.

Prediction: 3-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.

Monday 1 April 2024

Predictions For Premier League Gameweek 31

It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I had a bad week last week with four correct outcomes and six incorrect outcomes, but I managed to hold on to fifth place in my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.

RankPlayerResClsExaSlmPts
1
-
TeeBee
491299630304.0
2
-
Richard Landsberg
47127.59026290.5
3
-
IAMC0Le
541179024285.0
4
-
robbieg
491267225272.0
5
-
JamrockRover
551118124271.0

My choice of Mohamed Salah as my captain paid off at the weekend when he scored against Brighton, but I had only changed from Cole Palmer at the last minute and he did an awful lot better. I can’t see a better option than Salah in midweek at home to Sheffield United and I expect him to return plenty of points.

Tuesday April 2

Newcastle United v Everton

7.30pm BST, St. James’s Park, Newcastle 

Newcastle came back from 3-1 down to win 4-3 at home to West Ham on Saturday and that win moved them within a point of seventh place. They have taken eight points from their last four home games and they scored 13 goals in those games with only Liverpool scoring more goals on their own ground. They have taken 14 points from their last eight games and they only play two of the seven teams above them in their last nine games while only the top two have scored more goals.

With Anthony Gordon suspended Alexander Isak is the Newcastle player to have for fantasy managers while Harvey Barnes could be considered too if he can stay fit.

Everton lost 2-1 away to Bournemouth at the weekend and they’re now only three points above the bottom three. They have only taken two points and scored two goals in their last seven away games with only Sheffield United scoring less goals on the road. They haven’t won in 12 games and only Sheffield United have scored less goals.

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

I think Newcastle should be good enough to win this game by at least a couple of goals.

Prediction: 3-1

Nottingham Forest v Fulham

7.30pm BST, City Ground, Nottingham 

Forest drew 1-1 at home to Palace on Saturday and that point was enough to lift them out of the relegation zone on goal difference. They have only taken four points from their last five home games and they badly need to get something from this game. They have only won once in their last 10 games with only four other teams scoring less goals.

Morgan Gibbs-White and Chris Woods could do well for fantasy managers if Forest are going to manage to avoid the drop.

Fulham came back from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 away to Sheffield United at the weekend, but they missed their chance to move into the top half of the table. They have only won two away games so far with only Luton conceding more goals on their travels. They have taken 10 points from their last five games and no other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals.

Rodrigo Muniz has been in great form for fantasy managers and he’s still available at a very good price.

I think this will be a very close game and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the points shared.

Prediction: 1-1

Bournemouth v Crystal Palace 

7.45pm BST, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth 

Bournemouth won 2-1 at home to Everton on Saturday and that win moved them within three points of the top half of the table and probably guaranteed their top flight survival for another season. They have taken seven points from their last three home games and they scored eight goals in those games, but only four other teams have scored less goals on their own ground. They have taken 10 points from their last four games after failing to win the previous seven and only four other teams have conceded more goals.

Dominic Solanke is still the Bournemouth player to have for fantasy managers.

Palace drew 1-1 away to Forest at the weekend and that point moved them eight points clear of the relegation zone. They haven’t won in their last nine away games and no other team has drawn more games away from home. They have only won once in their last seven games and no other team has drawn more games while only three other teams have scored less goals.

Eberechi Eze is the Palace player most likely to return points for fantasy managers.

I can’t see there being too much between these two teams and a draw is probably the most likely outcome.

Prediction: 1-1

Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

7.45pm BST, Turf Moor, Burnley 

Burnley twice came from behind to draw 2-2 away to Chelsea on Saturday despite playing more than half of the game with 10 men and they’re now only four points from the relative safety of 17th place. They won their last home game after falling to win the previous six with no other team taking less points or scoring less goals on their own patch. They have taken five points from their last three games and a win in this game would be a huge boost for their chances of staying up, but only Sheffield United have conceded more goals.

David Datro Fofana is the Burnley player most likely to do anything for fantasy managers at the moment.

Wolves lost 2-0 away to Villa on Sunday, but they managed to hold on to their place in the top half of the table as other results went their way. They have lost their last two away games without scoring, but their next two away games are against teams in the bottom four. They have lost two of their last three games and they failed to score in both of those defeats as they have struggled with their three most influential players unavailable.

If Matheus Cunha is fit to play he’s the Wolves player who can make a difference for fantasy managers.

I think this will be a close game with Wolves probably winning narrowly. 

Prediction: 1-2

West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur 

8.15pm BST, London Stadium, London 

West Ham lost 4-3 away to Newcastle on Saturday after leading 3-1, but they managed to hold on to seventh place. They have taken five points and scored seven goals in their last three home games, but this will be a tougher test for them. They have only won two of their last 11 games and they still have four of the big six left to play in their last eight games.

Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus are the West Ham players who can do very well for fantasy managers while Michail Antonio has looked good in his last two games.

Spurs came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Luton at the weekend and that win kept them three points off fourth place with a game in hand. They have only won once in their last five away games, but only Arsenal have scored more goals on the road. They have taken 29 points from their last 14 games and they have only failed to score in one game so far.

Son Heung-Min and James Maddison are the Spurs players most likely to make a difference for fantasy managers at the moment while Brennan Johnson could be considered too.

This is a another game which could go either way and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it end all square.

Prediction: 2-2

Wednesday April 3

Arsenal v Luton Town 

7.30pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London 

Arsenal drew 1-1 away to City on Sunday and that draw cost them their place at the top of the table. They have won their last four home games and they scored 14 goals in those games with only Liverpool taking more points on their own patch. They have taken 25 points from their last nine games and they scored 33 goals in those games with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals.

Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice and Kai Havertz are all very good choices for fantasy managers with all of their defenders and keeper worth considering too.

Luton led early on away to Spurs at the weekend, but they ended up losing 2-1 and that defeat saw them drop back into the relegation zone. They haven’t won in their last six away games and they conceded 16 goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals on their travels. They have only taken three points from their last nine games with only the two teams below them conceding more goals.

Alfie Doughty and Ross Barkley are good options for fantasy managers and Tahith Chong has looked good recently too.

I can’t see anything other than a victory for Arsenal in this game.

Prediction: 3-1

Brentford v Brighton And Hove Albion 

7.30pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London 

Brentford drew 1-1 at home to United on Saturday and that point moved them five points clear of the bottom three. They have only taken two points from their last four home games with only two other teams conceding more goals on their own ground. They have only taken two points from their last seven games and only the bottom three have conceded more goals.

If Ivan Toney can continue to play like he did on Saturday he is a good option for fantasy managers with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa possibilities too.

Brighton lost 2-1 away to Liverpool at the weekend despite taking an early lead and they’re now only two points above the bottom half of the table. They have only won once in their last nine away games and they conceded 17 goals in those games. They have only won four of their last 14 games and they need to improve quickly or they will have no European football next season.

Pascal Gross is still the Brighton player showing the most consistency for fantasy managers.

This isn’t an easy game to call, but I think the most likely option is a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

Manchester City v Aston Villa

8.15pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester 

City drew 1-1 at home to Arsenal on Sunday and that draw meant they are now three points behind Liverpool at the top of the table. They’re one of two teams still unbeaten at home and no other team has conceded less goals on their own patch. They are unbeaten in 14 games with only Arsenal and Liverpool scoring more and conceding less goals. 

Erling Haaland, Phil Foden and Kevin de Bruyne are the City players to own for fantasy managers at the moment.

Villa won 2-0 at home to Wolves at the weekend to keep their place in the top four. They have taken 11 points and scored 11 goals in their last five away games, but this will be a much bigger test than any of those games. They have taken 13 points from their last six games and they scored 12 goals in those games.

If Ollie Watkins is fit he’s still the best Villa player for fantasy managers with Douglas Luiz and Leon Bailey good choices too, but maybe not in this game.

I think City should be too strong for Villa and they should win with a few goals to spare.

Prediction: 3-0

Thursday April 3

Liverpool v Sheffield United

7.30pm BST, Anfield, Liverpool 

Liverpool came back from behind to win 2-1 at home to Brighton on Saturday and that victory moved them two points clear at the top of the table. They’re one of two teams unbeaten at home with no other team taking more points or scoring more goals on their own ground. They have taken 16 points and scored 15 goals in their last six games with only Arsenal scoring more and conceding less goals.

Mohamed Salah is the Liverpool player who can do really well for fantasy managers while Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez are good options too.

United led 3-1 at home to Fulham at the weekend, but they had to settle for a 3-3 draw which left them rooted to the foot of the table. They have taken four points from their last three away games, but no other team has scored less goals on the road. They have only won once in their last 13 games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.

Ben Brereton Diaz showed against Fulham that he might just be a good option for fantasy managers.

It must surely be just a matter of how many goals by which Liverpool win this game.

Prediction: 4-0

Chelsea v Manchester United 

8.15pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London 

Chelsea could only draw 2-2 at home to 10 man Burnley on Saturday despite leading twice and that result meant they stayed in the bottom half of the table. They have taken 17 points and scored 19 goals in their last eight home games. They have taken nine points and scored 11 goals in their last five games, but they have only kept two clean sheets in their last 21 games.

Cole Palmer is the Chelsea player fantasy managers need in their team at the moment.

United drew 1-1 away to Brentford at the weekend and those dropped points were a big blow in their attempt to stay in the race for a top four finish. They have taken 10 points from their last five away games, but no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals on their travels. They have only won once in their last four games after winning the previous four and no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.

Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho are probably the United players for fantasy managers to consider at the moment.

This is a game which could go either way, but the chances are it will end in a draw.

Prediction: 1-1

That’s it for this week.

See you next week.