It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I did quite well in midweek with no perfect predictions, seven correct outcomes and three incorrect outcomes which was enough to keep me on top of my predictions league. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.
Rank Player Res Cls Exa Slm Pts
1-
JamrockRover
|21|64.5|39|11|135.5|
|2-|
Gooners|30|40.5|54|10|134.5|
|3-|
Cole|26|43.5|51|10|130.5|
|41|
SammyW|25|54|36|11|126.0|
|52|
hitch|31|42|42|9|124.0|
My choice of Cole Palmer as my fantasy captain paid off as he scored against Southampton, but I paid the price for not leaving the armband with Mohamed Salah who excelled against Newcastle yet again. I will be making Salah my captain this week and I can’t see myself giving it to anyone else at the moment with the form Salah is in. Otherwise I didn’t have the best week with Josko Gvardiol and Joao Pedro being the only players to add anything of note to the points Palmer and Salah provided.
I didn’t make any changes last week so I have two to make this week and it’s looking like I will sell both Bryan Mbeumo and Danny Welbeck with Kaoru Mitoma and Yoane Wissa the most likely replacements at the moment. Two of my players didn’t play in midweek and the point I made about a strong bench came back to haunt me just a little although my bench is not the worst by any stretch of the imagination.
Saturday December 7
Everton v Liverpool
12.30pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton won 4-0 at home to Wolves on Wednesday night and they’re now five points clear of the bottom three. They have taken nine points from their last five home games and they kept clean sheets in three of those games. They hadn’t won in five games before beating Wolves and they only scored one goal in those games with only three other teams scoring less goals.
With a really tough run of games coming up it’s difficult to recommend any Everton players to fantasy managers at the moment.
Liverpool conceded a late goal to draw 3-3 away to Newcastle in midweek and those dropped points saw their lead at the top of the table cut to seven points. They’re the only team still unbeaten away from home with only Chelsea scoring more goals on the road. They’re unbeaten in 10 games and they won seven of them with only Chelsea scoring more goals and no other team conceding less.
Mohamed Salah is an absolute must have for fantasy managers at the moment with all of their defenders and keeper great choices too.
I think Everton will do their best to make a game of it, but Liverpool should win by a couple of goals.
Prediction: 0-2
Aston Villa v Southampton
3pm GMT, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa won 3-1 at home to Brentford on Wednesday night and that win moved them back into the top half of the table. They’re unbeaten in their last six home games and they scored 12 goals in those games. Their win against Brentford was their first win in seven games and they have only managed one clean sheet so far.
Both Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers could do very well for fantasy managers in this game in particular.
Southampton lost 5-1 at home to Chelsea in midweek after having a man sent off in the first half to leave them rooted to the foot of the table. They’re one of two teams without an away win with no other team scoring less goals on their travels. They have only taken one point from their last four games and they conceded 11 goals in those games with no other team scoring less goals and only Wolves conceding more.
I can’t see any Southampton players showing enough consistency to interest fantasy managers.
I think Villa should make it back to back wins in this game by at least a few goals.
Prediction: 3[
Brentford v Newcastle United
3pm GMT, Gtech Community Stadium, London
Brentford lost 3-1 away to Villa on Wednesday night and that defeat saw them drop into the bottom half of the table on goal difference. They’re one of three teams still unbeaten at home with no other team taking more points or scoring more goals on their own ground. The difference between their home form and their away form is incredible and it’s something they need to fix if they’re going to climb into the top half of the table.
Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo are the Brentford players to have for fantasy managers and particularly when they play at home.
Newcastle twice led at home to Liverpool in midweek, but they needed a late goal to draw 3-3 and that point wasn’t enough to stop them dropping into the bottom half of the table on goal difference. They have struggled to score goals away from home and it’s something they need to change sooner rather than later. They have only won two of their last 10 games, buy their next three games are all against teams in the bottom half of the table.
Alexander Isak is by far the best of the Newcastle players for fantasy managers with Anthony Gordon a possibility too.
I think Brentford will make home advantage count to take all three points in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Crystal Palace v Manchester City
3pm GMT, Selhurst Park, London
Palace won 1-0 away to fellow strugglers Ipswich on Tuesday night and that win moved them three points clear of the bottom three. Only three other teams have taken less points at home with no other team scoring less goals on their own patch. They have only lost one of their last six games, but they drew three of them with only Southampton scoring less goals.
Despite winning during the week with Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta performing I still think it’s too early to recommend any Palace players to fantasy managers although Marc Guehi is a possibility.
City put an end to their losing streak with a 3-0 win at home to Forest on Wednesday night and that win moved them back into the top four. They have lost their last three away games and they conceded six goals in those games, but they have a very good run of away games coming up. They had lost four games in a row before beating Forest, but seven of their next eight games are against teams in the bottom half of the table.
Erling Haaland is still the best of the City players for fantasy managers while Kevin de Bruyne could be one to watch too now that he’s finally back from injury.
I think Palace will put it up to City, but the chances are City will win narrowly.
Prediction: 1-2
Manchester United v Nottingham Forest
5.30pm GMT, Old Trafford, Manchester
United lost 2-0 away to Arsenal on Wednesday night and that defeat dropped them back into the bottom half of the table. They have won their last two home games in which they scored seven goals and they have a very good run of home games coming up. They had only lost one of their previous seven games before losing to Arsenal, but they travel to City next week.
Bruno Fernandes looks to be the best of the United players for fantasy managers while their keeper and defenders look like good options too.
Forest lost 3-0 away to City in midweek and they’re now four points behind the top four. They have lost their last two away games and they conceded six goals in those games. They have lost three of their last four games and no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.
Chris Woods is the attacking player in the Forest team who should be of interest to fantasy managers while their keeper and defenders have done very well so far too.
I think Forest will make things difficult for United and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the points shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Sunday December 8
Fulham v Arsenal
2pm GMT, Craven Cottage, London
Fulham won 3-1 at home to Brighton on Thursday night and that win moved them up to sixth place. They have taken 13 points from their seven home games, but no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals on their own patch. They have taken 11 points from their last six games, but three of their next four games are against the current top three.
Alex Iwobi is in great form for fantasy managers at the moment with Antonee Robinson and Emile Smith Rowe possibilities too.
Arsenal won 2-0 at home to United on Wednesday night to close the gap to Liverpool at the top of the table to seven points. They won their last away game after failing to win the previous four and they don’t play any of the other big six teams in their next seven games on their travels. They have won their last three games and they scored 10 goals in those games with only the two teams above them scoring more goals.
Bukayo Saka is a great choice for fantasy managers with Arsenal’s defenders and keeper very good options too.
I think this is a very tough game to call, but the chances are Arsenal will emerge with the three points.
Prediction: 1-2
Ipswich Town v Bournemouth
2pm GMT, Portman Road, Ipswich
Ipswich lost 1-0 at home to Palace on Tuesday night and that defeat kept them in the relegation zone. They’re the only team without a home win, but no other team has drawn more games on their own ground with only Palace scoring less goals. They have only won once in their 14 games with no other team drawing more games and only two other teams scoring less goals.
Liam Delap has been the Ipswich player to have for fantasy managers, but he hasn’t done much in recent games.
Bournemouth won 1-0 at home to Spurs on Thursday night and that win moved them back into the top half of the table. They won their last away game after only taking one point from the previous four and they will really fancy their chances in this game. They have won their last two games and five of their next six games are against teams in the bottom half of the table.
Evanilson looks like he could be a good buy for fantasy managers with Milos Kerkez, Justin Kluivert and Antoine Semenyo all worth a shout too.
I think Bournemouth will continue to climb the table with another three points in this game.
Prediction: 0-2
Leicester City v Brighton And Hove Albion
2pm GMT, King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester won 3-1 at home to West Ham on Tuesday night and that win moved them four points above the drop zone. They won their last home game after losing the previous two and it’s their home results that will keep them up if they manage to do so. They had only taken one point and conceded 13 goals in their five games before beating West Ham with only the bottom two conceding more goals.
Jamie Vardy is probably the best of the Leicester players for fantasy managers.
Brighton lost 3-1 away to Spurs on Thursday night and that defeat saw them drop out of the top four. They have lost two of their last three away games and they have a very good run of away games coming up. The defeat against Fulham was only their second defeat in eight games, but only one other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.
Joao Pedro and Kaoru Mitoma are the Brighton players most likely to make an impression for fantasy managers.
I think Brighton will bounce back from their defeat at Fulham to take all the points in this game.
Prediction: 1-3
Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea
4.30pm GMT, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs lost 1-0 away to Brentford on Thursday night, but they just about managed to stay in the top half of the table on goal difference. They have only taken one point from their last two home games, but only Brentford have scored more goals on their own ground. They play both of the top two in their next three games with only those two teams scoring more goals.
James Maddison, Son Heung-Min and Brennan Johnson are all good choices for fantasy managers with Dejan Kulusevski a consideration too.
Chelsea won 5-1 away to West Ham on Wednesday night and that win moved them above Arsenal into second place on goal difference. Only Liverpool have taken more points away from home with no other team scoring more or conceding less goals on the road. They have won their last three games and they scored 10 goals in those games with no other team scoring more goals.
Cole Palmer is the standout Chelsea player for fantasy managers and Nicolas Jackson isn’t far behind him.
I think this game could go either way and the most likely option is a score draw.
Prediction: 2-2
Monday December 9
West Ham United v Wolverhampton Wanderers
8pm GMT, London Stadium, London
West Ham lost 3-1 away to Leicester on Tuesday night, but they’re still closer to the top half of the table than they are to the relegation zone. They conceded five goals in their last home game and only two other teams have conceded more goals on their own patch. They have lost their last two games and they conceded eight goals in those games with only three other teams conceding more goals.
Jarrod Bowen is by far the best of the West Ham players for fantasy managers while a fit again Niclas Fulkrug might be worth watching too.
Wolves lost 4-0 away to Everton on Wednesday night and they’re now three points below the relative safety of 17th place. Their next two away games are against other teams at the wrong end of the table with no other team conceding more goals on their travels. They have lost their last two games and they conceded eight goals in those games with no other team conceding more goals.
Despite not returning in his last two games Matheus Cunha is a very good choice for fantasy managers with Jorgen Strand Larsen a good option too.
I think we could see a fair few goals in this game and I think West Ham will emerge with the three points.
Prediction: 3-2
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.