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 with no perfect predictions, three correct outcomes and seven incorrect outcomes, but I managed to hold on to the lead in 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
|58|142.5|102|26|328.5|
|2-|
Gooners|66|127.5|102|26|321.5|
|3-|
nzbuddy|51|127.5|120|22|320.5|
|41|
TeeBee
|61|127.5|105|24|317.5|
|51|
Cole|64|114|111|24|313.0|
My fantasy team did reasonably well last week with virtually no change in my overall rank which remains very high. My choice of Bryan Mbeumo as my captain paid off, but I had hoped for more from him. The other players to perform for me were Ederson, Josko Gvardiol, Morgan Rogers, Daniel Munoz and Jarrod Bowen.
I’m not sure who will be my captain this week, but Mbuemo is definitely a front runner or I might have to bring Ollie Watkins in to do job. With Spurs and United playing the Europa League Final on Wednesday night it could be a good idea to opt for players up against them this week.
Friday May 16
Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur
7.30pm BST, Villa Park, Birmingham
Villa won 1-0 away to Bournemouth last week to leave themselves only outside the Champions League places on goal difference. They have won their last five home games and they scored 13 goals in those games. They have won seven of their last eight games and they need to win their last two games to have a chance of making those Champions League places.
Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers are the Villa players that can make a difference for fantasy managers over the last two weeks of the season.
Spurs lost 2-0 at home to Crystal Palace last week as they rested players after their Europa League semi final victory. They have only taken one point from their last five away games and they conceded 13 goals in those games, but no other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals. They have only won once in their last 10 games and they look unlikely to take any more points this season.
I can’t see any Spurs players to recommend to fantasy managers for the rest of the season.
I think Villa should win this game by at least a couple of goals.
Prediction: 3-1
Chelsea v Manchester United
8.15pm BST, Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea lost 2-0 away to Newcastle last week after playing most of the game with 10 men and they need to win their last two games to be certain of Champions League football next season. They have taken 22 points from their last eight home games and they kept clean sheets in four of those games. They had won three games in a row before losing to Newcastle and they will qualify for the Champions League if they win their last two games.
With the need to win so high I think Cole Palmer could be the Chelsea player of interest for fantasy managers.
United lost 2-0 at home to West Ham last week as they rested players after winning through to the Europa League final and they dropped to 16th in the table. They have only taken one point in their last four away games and they conceded 10 goals in those games with only three other teams scoring less goals on their travels. They have only taken two points from their last seven games and they conceded 13 goals in those games.
I can’t see any United players who can make an impression for fantasy managers.
I think Chelsea will get the win they need with a couple of goals to spare.
Prediction: 2-0
Sunday May 18
Everton v Southampton
12pm BST, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton came from behind to win 3-1 away to Fulham last week and that win moved them up to 13th, but that is the highest they can finish. They haven’t won in their last six home games, but they drew five of them with no other team drawing more games on their own ground. The win against Fulham was only the second one in 11 games, but they drew six of them and no other has drawn more games.
A home game against the worst team in the league could make Beto plus the Everton defenders and keeper look like good choices for fantasy managers.
Southampton drew 0-0 at home to City last week to make sure they won’t go down as the worst team in the Premier League era, but they will still finish at the foot of the table. They have only taken one point from their last five away games and they conceded 13 goals in those games with no other team scoring less goals on the road. They have only taken three points from their last 12 games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.
I can’t see any Southampton players to recommend to fantasy managers.
I think Everton will rise to the occasion of their final game at Goodison Park and take the three points in this game.
Prediction: 2-0
West Ham United v Nottingham Forest
2.15pm BST, London Stadium, London
West Ham won 2-0 away to United last week and that win moved them up to 15th place with 13th still within their sights. They have only won once in their last seven home games with only the bottom three conceding more goals on their own patch. The win against United was their first win in nine games and they will do well to make it back to back wins in this game.
Jarrod Bowen is by far the best of the West Ham players for fantasy managers.
Forest conceded a late goal to draw 2-2 at home to Leicester last week and those dropped points put a huge dent in their Champions League ambitions. They have taken seven points from their last four away games and they scored eight goals in those games. They have only won once in their last six games and they conceded nine goals in those games, but they cannot afford to drop any more points.
Anthony Elanga, Chris Woods and Morgan Gibbs-White are the Forest players who could shine in their last two games.
I think this game will end in a draw despite Forest’s need for a victory.
Prediction: 1-1
Brentford v Fulham
3pm BST, Gtech Community Stadium, London
Brentford won 1-0 away to Ipswich last week and that win moved them up to eighth place with European football next season now a very real possibility. They have won their last two home games and they scored eight goals in those games with only three other teams scoring more goals on their own ground. They have won their last four games while scoring 11 goals in those games and they will definitely finish eighth if they win their last two games.
Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are both very good options for fantasy managers with Kevin Schade a possibility too.
Fulham lost 3-1 at home to Everton last week and their chances of European football next season are virtually gone now. They have lost four of their last five away games with the only victory in that run against Southampton. They have lost four of their last five games and they have to win this game to keep their slim chances of European football next season alive.
Raul Jiminez, Alex Iwobi and Ryan Sessegnon are the Fulham players most likely to perform for fantasy managers, but maybe not in their last two games.
I think Brentford will get the win they need in a close game.
Prediction: 2-1
Leicester City v Ipswich Town
3pm BST, King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester got a late goal to draw 2-2 away to Forest last week and they can still move above Ipswich to finish third last. They won their last home game after losing the previous nine without scoring with only
Southampton scoring less goals on the road. They have only lost two of their last five games after losing the previous eight, but only Southampton have scored less and conceded more goals.
Maybe Jamie Vardy can do well for fantasy managers in this game considering the opposition, the occasion and the lure of his 200th goal for them.
Ipswich lost 1-0 at home to Brentford last week and they’re only ahead of Leicester on goal difference going into this game. They have taken five points from their last four away games, but only the two teams below them have conceded more goals on their travels. They have only won once in their last 17 games with only Leicester and Southampton conceding more and scoring less goals.
Liam Delap has the possibility to do well for fantasy managers in this game.
I think this will be a close game with Ipswich most likely winning narrowly.
Prediction: 1-2
Arsenal v Newcastle United
4.30pm BST, Emirates Stadium, London
Arsenal came back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 away to Liverpool last week and a victory in this game should guarantee second place. They have only taken two points from their last three home games after leading in each of those games and they conceded five goals in those three games, but only Liverpool and Forest have conceded less goals on their own ground. They have only won three of their last 11 games, but they drew six of them with only Everton drawing more.
Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli plus the Arsenal defenders and keeper could be good choices for fantasy managers to finish the season.
Newcastle won 2-0 at home to Chelsea last week and they will move above Arsenal into second place if they win this game. They have taken seven points from their last four away games, but this will be a tough game for them. They have taken 22 points from their last nine games with only Liverpool scoring more goals.
Alexander Isak is still the best bet in the Newcastle team for fantasy managers with Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes worth a look too.
I think this will be a very close game with Arsenal just about having enough to take the three points.
Prediction: 2-1
Monday May 19
Brighton And Hove Albion v Liverpool
8pm BST, AMEX Stadium, Brighton
Brighton won 2-0 away to Wolves last week to keep themselves very much in the running for European football next season. They have taken 14 points from their last seven home games, but this could be their toughest game on their own patch if Liverpool are up for it. They have taken seven points from their last three games after failing to win the previous five, but no other team in the top half of the table has conceded more goals.
If he’s fit to play from the start Kaoru Mitoma is the Brighton player to have for fantasy managers with Danny Welbeck an option too.
Liverpool led 2-0 at home to Arsenal last week, but they had to settle for a 2-2 draw to stay 15 points clear at the top of the table with the trophy sitting proudly in their trophy room. They have lost two of their last three away games and they conceded six goals in those games, but no other team has scored more goals on their travels with only Arsenal conceding less. They haven’t won in two games since clinching the title, but no other has scored more goals and only Arsenal have conceded less.
Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz are the Liverpool players to have for the rest of the season for fantasy managers.
This is a game which could go either way and the chances are the spoils will be shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Tuesday May 20
Crystal Palace v Wolverhampton Wanderers
8pm BST, Selhurst Park, London
Palace won 2-0 away to a weakened Spurs team last week, but they’re highly unlikely to make it into the top half of the table even if they win their last two games. They have taken 11 points from their last five home games with only the bottom three scoring less goals on their own ground. The win against Spurs was their first win in six games and their chances in this game could depend on how the Cup Final goes for them on Saturday.
Eberechi Eze is the form Palace player for fantasy managers at the moment with Daniel Munoz and Jean-Philippe Mateta good choices too.
Wolves lost 2-0 at home to Brighton last week and that defeat saw them drop one place to 14th in the table. They lost their last away game at City after winning the previous three, but only the bottom three have conceded more goals on the road. They lost their last two games after winning the previous six and only the three relegated teams have conceded more goals.
Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen are the Wolves players who can return points for fantasy managers.
I think Palace will make home advantage pay with a narrow victory in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Manchester City v Bournemouth
8pm BST, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City could only draw 0-0 away to already relegated Southampton last week, but they’re still in a very strong position to qualify for Champions League football next season. They have won their last four home games and they scored 10 goals in those games with only Liverpool scoring more goals on their own patch. They are unbeaten in eight games and they kept clean sheets in five of those games with only Liverpool and Newcastle scoring more goals.
City’s defenders and keeper have done very well recently for fantasy managers, but it’s not so easy to predict which attacking players will get the nod in their last two games.
Bournemouth lost 1-0 at home to Villa last week and they probably need to win their last two games to qualify for European football next season. They are unbeaten in their last four away games, but they drew three of them with only three other teams taking more points on their travels. They have only won twice in their last 11 games, but only the top two have conceded less goals.
Justin Kluivert, Antoine Semenyo, Evanilson and Milos Kerkez could all be worth having for fantasy managers next week in particular.
I think City will continue their strong finish to the season by taking all the points in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
That’s it for this week.
See you next week.