It’s that time of the week again when I attempt to predict the outcomes of the upcoming Premier League games. I had a reasonably good week last week with one perfect prediction, five correct outcomes and four incorrect outcomes which unfortunately saw me marginally lose my place at the top of my predictions league with just one set of games left to play. Here’s a look at how the top five in that league stands.
I didn’t have the greatest week with my fantasy team either as little things went against me such as Bryan Mbeumo missing a penalty, William Saliba going off injured and Alexander Isak not playing. I dropped a little in the overall rankings, but I’m still in a very healthy overall position as we go into the final round of games. On a positive note I managed to win my own fantasy Head to Head league and I’m in a very good position to win two leagues in work which both have cash prizes.
My choice of Ollie Watkins as my captain paid off to a degree as he managed an assist which was at least more than Mohamed Salah scored. I will probably go with Jarrod Bowen as my captain this week as an away game against Ipswich is an attractive fixture, but I’m still not sure at this stage. Transfer wise I will be looking to bring in a Bournemouth or Arsenal player with both of those teams having very attractive fixtures too.
Sunday May 25
All games 4pm BST.
Bournemouth v Leicester City
Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
Bournemouth lost 3-1 away to City last week which saw them drop into the bottom half of the table and they can now finish no higher than ninth. They have only won once in their last seven home games and they lost five of those games, but only Liverpool and Forest have conceded less goals on their own ground. They have only won twice in their last 12 games, but they couldn’t ask for a better home fixture to finish the season.
Antoine Semenyo, Evanilson and Milos Kerkez are the Bournemouth players who could do very well for fantasy managers in this game.
Leicester won 2-0 at home to Ipswich last week and that win moved them up to third from last in the table, but their relegation was confirmed a long time ago. They have only taken two points from their last seven away games with no other team conceding more goals on the road. They have taken seven points and scored six goals in their last three games since they were relegated, but two of those games were against the two teams below them with only Southampton conceding more goals.
I can’t see any Leicester players to recommend to fantasy managers in their final game.
I can’t see anything other than a comfortable Bournemouth victory in this game.
Prediction: 3-0
Fulham v Manchester City
Craven Cottage, London
Fulham came from behind to win 3–2 away to Brentford last week and that win moved them into the top half of the table. They have lost their last two home games and they conceded five goals in those games and Forest are the only team in the top half of the table to have scored less goals on their own patch. They have lost four of their last six games which has cost them their chance of European football and no other team in the top half of the table has scored less goals.
Raul Jiminez is probably the Fulham player most likely to do well for fantasy managers in this game.
City won 3-1 at home to Bournemouth last week to move into third place and they will definitely qualify for the Champions League if they don’t lose this game. They have taken five points from their last three away games and they kept clean sheets in each of those games, but it’s their away form which has cost them the defence of their title. They are unbeaten in nine games and they kept clean sheets in five of those games with only Liverpool scoring more goals.
Kevin de Bruyne is probably the City player to have for fantasy managers as he plays his last game for the club.
I think this will be a close game with a draw being the most likely outcome.
Prediction: 2-2
Ipswich Town v West Ham United
Portman Road, Ipswich
Ipswich lost 2-0 away to Leicester last week and that defeat saw them drop to second last in the table with their fate decided a long time ago. They have lost their last eight home games with only Southampton scoring less and conceding more goals on their own ground. They have only taken two points from their last seven games and they conceded 16 goals in those games with only Southampton conceding more goals.
I can’t see any Ipswich players to interest fantasy managers.
West Ham lost 2-1 at home to Forest last week, but they managed to hold on to 15th as the two teams directly below them both lost. They won their last away game after losing the previous three, but only three other teams have scored less goals on the road. They have only won once in their last 10 games as their change of management didn’t seem to have the desired effect.
Jarrod Bowen is the West Ham player who can do very well for fantasy managers this week.
I think Ipswich will make a game of it, but West Ham will take the three points.
Prediction: 1-2
Liverpool v Crystal Palace
Anfield, Liverpool
Liverpool lost 3-2 away to Brighton last week after twice taking the lead as their form since securing the title has fallen off. They have taken 22 points from their last eight home games with no other team conceding less goals on their own patch and only City scoring more. They haven’t won in three games since winning the league and they conceded eight goals in those games, but no other team has scored more goals and only Arsenal have conceded less.
Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz should be good options for fantasy managers in Liverpool’s last home game of the season.
Palace won 4-2 at home to Wolves last week as they celebrated winning the FA Cup and they can still finish in the top half of the table if they win this game and other results go their way. They have taken four points from their last two away games after heavily losing the previous two with only four other teams conceding less goals on their travels. They are unbeaten in five games and they scored nine goals in those games, but this could be a tough game for them.
Eberechi Eze is the Palace player most likely to do well for fantasy managers in this game.
I think Liverpool will celebrate their title win by taking all the points in this game.
Prediction: 2-1
Manchester United v Aston Villa
Old Trafford, Manchester
United lost 1-0 away to Chelsea last week to leave them two places above the relegated teams and their chance to save their season ended in disappointment when they lost the Europa League final on Wednesday night. They have only taken one point in their last three home games and they failed to score in each of those games with only the bottom three scoring less goals on their own ground. They have only taken two points from their last eight games and they failed to score in five of those games with only four other teams scoring less goals.
I can’t see any United players who might do well for fantasy managers in this game.
Villa won 2-0 at home to Spurs last week to keep their Champions League hopes alive, but they have to win this game as well as hoping other results go their way to qualify. They have won four of their last five away games and they kept clean sheets in each of those wins. They have won eight of their last nine games and they kept clean sheets in six of those games, but Fulham are the only team in the top half of the table to have scored less goals.
Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers are the Villa players to have for fantasy managers in this game.
I think Villa will get the win they need in this game, but it might not be enough for them.
Prediction: 1-2
Newcastle United v Everton
St. James’s Park, Newcastle
Newcastle lost 1-0 away to Arsenal last week, but they kept their place in the top four and they will qualify for the Champions League if they win this game. They have won their last five home games and they scored 16 goals in those games with only City and Liverpool scoring more goals on their own patch. They have only taken seven points from their last five games, but they will be confident of getting the win they need in this game.
If he’s fit to play Alexander Isak is the best bet in the Newcastle team for fantasy managers with Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes plus their defenders and keeper good options too.
Everton won 2-0 at home to Southampton last week in an emotional farewell to Goodison Park and that win means they will finish the season in 13th place. They have won two of their last three away games with only Southampton scoring less goals on their travels, but only Arsenal conceding less. They have taken seven points from their last three games after only winning once in the previous nine with only the three relegated teams scoring less goals.
I don’t think we’ll see enough from any Everton players in this game for them to be of interest to fantasy managers.
I think Newcastle will get the win they need to dine at the top table next season.
Prediction: 3-0
Nottingham Forest v Chelsea
City Ground, Nottingham
Forest won 2-1 away to West Ham last week to stay in the hunt for a Champions League place, but they need to win this game and hope Villa or Newcastle don’t win their games. They have only taken one point from their last three home games, but no other team has conceded less goals on their own ground. The win against West Ham kept their chances alive, but it was only their second win in seven games.
If Forest are going to get the win they need Morgan Gibbs-White, Anthony Elanga and Chris Wood are all possibilities for fantasy managers.
Chelsea won 1-0 at home to United last week and they will qualify for the Champions League if they win this game and they could even do so if they lose depending on other results. They have only won once in their last 10 away games and they only scored five goals in those games. They have won four of their last five games and they have to win this game to make sure of that Champions League spot.
I’m not sure which Chelsea players can return points for fantasy managers with the way they have played away from home for the past few months.
This is a game which could go either way with both sides needing to win and the chances are the spoils will be shared.
Prediction: 1-1
Southampton v Arsenal
St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton
Southampton lost 2-0 away to Everton last week and they have been confirmed to finish at the foot of the table for what seems like a long time. They have only taken two points from their last 13 home games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals on their own patch. They have only taken three points from their last 13 games with no other team scoring less or conceding more goals.
I can’t see any Southampton players to recommend to fantasy managers.
Arsenal won 1-0 at home to Newcastle last week and they should finish second even if they lose this game. They are unbeaten in their last 13 away games, but they drew seven of them with no other team drawing more games or conceding less goals on their travels. The win against Newcastle was only their second win in seven games, but they drew four of them with only Everton drawing more games and no other team conceding less goals.
Almost all of the Arsenal players can have a good game for fantasy managers in this game.
I can’t see anything other than a good win for Arsenal in this game.
Prediction: 0-3
Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton And Hove Albion
Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London
Spurs lost 2-0 away to Villa last week and they’re only one place above the relegated teams, but they saved their season by winning the Europa League on Wednesday night. They have only won once in their last five home games with only five other teams conceding more goals on their own ground. They have only won once in their last 11 games and they conceded 23 goals in those games, but no other team in the bottom half of the table has scored more goals.
Despite winning a trophy on Wednesday night I don’t think we will see enough from Spurs players in this game to interest fantasy managers.
Brighton came from behind to win 3-2 at home to Liverpool last week and they will definitely finish in eighth place if they don’t lose this game. They won their last away game after only taking one point from the previous three with no other team in the top half of the table conceding more goals on the road. They have taken 10 points and scored nine goals from their last four games to make themselves very strong favourites to finish eighth.
Kaoru Mitoma and Danny Welbeck are the Brighton players who could impress for fantasy managers in this game.
I think Brighton will inflict Spurs 22nd league defeat of the season on them in a fairly close game.
Prediction: 1-2
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brentford
Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton
Wolves lost 4-2 away to Palace last week, but they held on to 14th place as the three teams directly below them lost too. They lost their last home game after winning the previous three with only five other teams conceding more goals on their own patch. They have lost their last three games after winning the previous six and they conceded seven goals in those defeats with only the three relegated teams conceding more goals.
Matheus Cunha and Jorgen Strand Larsen are the Wolves players to have for fantasy managers in this game.
Brentford lost 3-2 at home to Fulham last week after leading 2-1 and they can still finish in eighth place if they win this game and Brighton lose. They have taken 23 points from their last 10 away games and they scored 19 goals in those games with only Arsenal conceding less goals on their travels. They had won four games in a row before losing to Fulham and they have scored 13 goals in their last five games with only the top four scoring more goals.
Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa are the Brentford players who can do well for fantasy managers in this game with Kevin Schade a possibility too.
I think this will be a close game and the most likely outcome is a draw.
Prediction: 2-2
That’s it for this season.
See you next season.