The Premier League continues this weekend, but for some teams this will be the last fixture before having around ten days to prepare for the next fixture as the following weekend is reserved for the FA Cup Fourth Round.
A full Premier League round of fixtures is played in the midweek following those Cup fixtures so expect to see plenty of rotation to keep players fresh, but that shouldn't be the case this weekend as we are getting closer to entering the final stretch towards the finish line.
Wolves v Leicester City Pick: The first game in the Premier League this weekend is the televised Midlands derby between Wolves and Leicester City and I really don't know what to expect from these two teams.
At their best they have shown they can compete with, and beat, the best teams in the Premier League, but when they are having an off day they can be seriously poor.
The results back that up with both Wolves and Leicester City having decent enough records against the top six, but also capable of losing games to those inside the bottom five.
With that in mind it does make it hard to know what they are going to produce on Saturday- in recent games taking the underdog in matches involving Wolves and Leicester City would have turned a huge profit. The last 6 matches played by Leicester City have seen the underdog win as they have beaten Chelsea and Everton away and Manchester City at home, but during the same run have lost to both Cardiff City and Southampton at home and at Newport County in the FA Cup.
Out of principle you may want to back Leicester City as the outsider in this one, but I am not getting a great read on which of these sides will come out on top. The Foxes recently won a televised game at Everton, but they generally have a poor record on TV and that can't be ignored when trying to pick a winner.
Instead I am going to pick one of these teams to fail to score- they have played twice this season and on both occasions that would have been a winner.
That selection would have been a winner in 6 of the last 8 home Premier League games Wolves have played and also in the last 3 away Premier League games Leicester City have played and is my pick from the live game to open the weekend fixtures.
Fantasy Star: Jamie Vardy- I think Leicester City may pull the surprise and any goal scored is likely going to feature the Englishman.
Bournemouth v West Ham United Pick: Both Eddie Howe and Manuel Pellegrini would love to have the transfer window closing sooner rather than later with both having their star strikers linked with moves away from their respective clubs.
On Saturday they will try and ignore speculation and instead focus on the Premier League fixture between Bournemouth and West Ham United which usually produces plenty of goals.
That could be the case in this one too as the two teams look much more comfortable going forward than they do defending. West Ham United have improved at the back, but they are still an inconsistent team and Bournemouth have been playing much better at home than on their travels.
Games at the Vitality Stadium have been high-scoring for much of the season and these teams can combine to continue that. In the three previous games between these clubs on the south coast there have been a total of fifteen goals scored and in each of those games there have been at least four per game.
I would be surprised if we didn't see at least three goals between these teams on Saturday with the approach both Bournemouth and West Ham United take to games, but I think I will follow the trend and look for at least one more than that to be shared out.
Fantasy Star: David Brooks- cheap midfield option who gets forward for the home team and likely an important player to chip in for goals with Callum Wilson ruled out.
Alternative: Felipe Anderson- he has looked very good in recent weeks and the biggest West Ham United threat with Marko Arnautovic ruled out. Andy Carroll is another player I considered here, but Anderson looks more nailed on as a starter.
Liverpool v Crystal Palace Pick: At this stage of the season Liverpool fans care less about quality but more about the actual results their team is earning as they look to maintain a lead over Manchester City in the Premier League title race. With injuries mounting up in the same defensive areas of the pitch, Liverpool will just be looking for a way to churn out some big wins and make sure the pressure is on the defending Champions to respond.
With that in mind I am not sure Liverpool are going to secure a big win at Anfield on Saturday despite scoring twelve goals in their last 3 Premier League games here. Jurgen Klopp has to recognise the threat that Crystal Palace can pose on the counter attack having seen them exploit Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, while the Crystal Palace players have to be excited by what has been a strong recent record at Anfield.
The pace in the final third can really be very dangerous on the counter attack and games like this almost suit Crystal Palace more than facing a team at home who will sit in and restrict spaces.
Winning here is obviously an incredibly long shot considering how Liverpool have played at Anfield all season. Even through the injuries they restricted Brighton to very little last week so defensively this is a team that continues to earn its respect.
However, I do think Crystal Palace are also defensively well organised by Roy Hodgson and they can make life a little more awkward for their hosts. Before the 1-0 loss at Anfield last season, Crystal Palace had won on 3 straight visits to this part of the North West and they scored at least two goals in each of those.
Liverpool will recognise how difficult Crystal Palace can make life and they can be a functional team which makes the Asian Handicap look very big for the visitors. If they can score here it will be very difficult for Liverpool to cover it and I will back the away side with the start of two full goals.
Fantasy Star: Mohamed Salah- no surprise there is a rush to bring the Egyptian star into Fantasy teams with Liverpool's main goalscorer on penalty duty too.
Manchester United v Brighton Pick: Ole's at the wheel and everything feels very rosy in the Manchester United garden at the moment with 6 straight wins in all competitions likely going to pick up most fans. The atmosphere at Old Trafford is much more positive since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brought in a very attacking style of play and the players have responded in exactly the manner the Norwegian would have hoped.
Expectation will be increasing in each passing match that ends with a win, but Solskjaer looks like someone who thrives in that position and he is reminding the players that they play for Manchester United who expect to win everything.
The attacking players have been unleashed and Manchester United have been scoring plenty of goals and creating plenty of chances.
This will be tested by a Brighton team who are so well organised under Chris Hughton and who have not suffered big losses too often. In fact only 4 of their 10 Premier League losses have come by more than a single goal margin and Brighton showed they can be hard to break down by losing by the same 1-0 scoreline twice to leaders Liverpool this season.
Chris Hughton will look to make it hard to break down his team, but Manchester United are playing with a confidence and swagger at home and have scored at least twice in all 3 games played here under the interim manager. In the two League games Manchester United have beaten Huddersfield Town and Bournemouth by at least two goals and I think they can continue that here.
It will be important to score in the first half and not allow Brighton to settle into their shape, but I can see that happening with Manchester United coming out of the traps very well in recent games. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer demands players get in the box and into a position to score goals and I think the positive momentum rides through another week as Manchester United get a measure of revenge over a Brighton team who have won the last two games played between these clubs.
Both of those have come at the Amex Stadium and it has to be noted that while Brighton have only lost 4 of 10 League games by two or more goals, all of those have been away from home.
Fantasy Star: Marcus Rashford- been given the chance to lead the Manchester United line and responded with four goals in five games. Main threat for the home team in a game they should dominate in attacking areas.
Alternative: Anthony Martial- looks to be about to sign a new long-term contract at the club and could celebrate with a goal.
Newcastle United v Cardiff City Pick: There is going to be a lot of tension in and around the Stadium prior to kick off and once this fixture begins with 18th placed Newcastle United hosting 17th placed Cardiff City and just a single point separating these relegation rivals.
In the last couple of seasons this is the kind of game where Rafa Benitez manages to extract a big performance out of his players, but injuries are hitting Newcastle United very hard at the moment. They look short at both ends of the field, but the same can be said for Cardiff City and both Benitez and Neil Warnock are likely going to set their teams up to be hard to beat.
The onus is on Benitez with Newcastle United hosting this fixture, but the pressure of the big home support has made this a very difficult environment in which the players can thrive. A poor home run where goals have been hard to come by makes it very difficult to trust Newcastle United, but they will be boosted by the fact that Cardiff City have arguably had even more issues in the final third.
Oumar Niasse is the first of two players that Warnock is looking to sign to change that, but he will need time to rebuild match sharpness and I think it is going to be a game in which the Cardiff City manager would take a point right now.
I am finding it very difficult to pick a winner in a match that literally may need a single goal to decide it. Neither team is blessed with a lot of goals and the two managers can set their teams up to be very difficult to break down so I do feel one, or perhaps even both, of these teams will fail to score.
They already had one goalless draw this season so backing at least one to fail to net is my selection here.
Fantasy Star: Nathan Etheridge- Cardiff City can thank their goalkeeper for some big performances this season and they will need another from him to earn a point here.
Southampton v Everton Pick: Ralph Hasenhuttl has definitely had an impact on the way Southampton have been playing in a little over a month he has been at the club and some of the results have been eye-catching. Wins over Huddersfield Town, Arsenal and Leicester City have given Southampton new impetus and they also showed they can get their hands dirty by battling for a goalless draw at Chelsea.
At home they are still finding the right balance between attack and defence and I think that has contributed to the continued erratic results here. There is also some residue left over from the fact that Southampton have not won many games at home for a calendar year and the players can be vulnerable even when they have taken the lead in games.
Everton will be looking to expose that vulnerability but this is yet another club in mid-table who really can't be read on a week to week basis. Sometimes Everton look like a team that can chase the top six and others they struggle to look like a top ten club but I think the win over Bournemouth last Sunday helps the confidence.
Ultimately they haven't looked completely secure at the back like their hosts and that may result in yet another high-scoring game between these clubs. Both teams will look to get forward and it is very difficult to imagine a clean sheet being secured by either team on their current form.
Backing at least three goals to be shared out is a decent enough price here.
Fantasy Star: Nathan Redmond- the winger is enjoying a special time under Ralph Hasenhuttl and scoring plenty of goals. Should have chances in this one.
Alternative: Richarlison- Southampton have been conceding goals for fun and the Brazilian may be due getting back on the scoresheet.
Watford v Burnley Pick: The momentum looks to be behind Burnley going into this fixture with 4 straight wins in all competitions and they have a decent record at Vicarage Road which suggests the players should arrive with plenty of confidence.
In recent games it has been a struggle for Watford in front of their own fans, but they have not been helped by a tough fixture list and they have been competitive in losses. Against the lesser teams Watford have remained strong though and they have beaten the likes of Huddersfield Town and Cardiff City here, while Newcastle United escaped with a draw.
The come from behind win over Crystal Palace showed this could be a Watford team that does more than coast in the second half of the season once they get close to the 40 points that almost guarantees another season in the Premier League.
The FA Cup will be a big competition for Watford and there is every chance they could earn a Europa League spot with a strong end.
You have to respect Burnley though having won those 4 games in a row and I expect they will make it tough for Watford here. However they are a team that have not been the best travellers and I think that gives Watford the edge to earn a rare victory over this opponent.
Watford may need at least two goals to do that though so backing them to win a game with two or more goals featured is the pick.
Fantasy Star: Troy Deeney- Watford are a hard team to pick from considering the chopping and changing in the starting line up, but Deeney looks to be in favour and should have chances.
Arsenal v Chelsea Pick: The biggest game of the Premier League weekend comes from the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon and it could be the day when Arsenal decide their best route back into the Champions League will be by winning the Europa League.
A 6 point gap has developed between Arsenal and the top four places and a defeat to the team immediately above them would surely mean Chelsea are out of reach for The Gunners. Recent form has been inconsistent at best and so there is some pressure on Arsenal to find their best in this fixture.
They can do that though as they have been much stronger at home than on their travels and that has to be respected by Chelsea. Arsenal have won 4 in a row at home and have drawn with Liverpool and beaten Tottenham Hotspur here so facing this Chelsea team should not be an intimidation for them.
Chelsea have won 4 of their last 6 games in all competitions, but they have looked anything but convincing and I think they are looking very short as the favourite here. Lacking a focal point up front has made Chelsea a little predictable when they go forward and even a porous Arsenal defence can at least give their team the foundation for success.
Unai Emery's team have been much tougher to play at the Emirates Stadium too and I do think Chelsea are a team that can be got at as Tottenham Hotspur proved in the Premier League a couple of months ago. This Arsenal team is still very talented in the final third and I think that can help them make a difference in the match and I do think the home team are appealing with the start on the Asian Handicap.
Other top clubs have struggled here and Chelsea have not been at their best in recent weeks despite the wins produced. I think that shows up here and Arsenal avoid defeat at the very worst.
Fantasy Star: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang- like many of his team mates, he is a real handful at the Emirates Stadium.
Alternative: Eden Hazard- is expensive in Fantasy Football but Arsenal's defence is suspect to say the least and the Belgian is by far the most dangerous player Chelsea have.
Huddersfield Town v Manchester City Pick: David Wagner surprisingly left his job as Huddersfield Town manager last week and it means preparations for this fixture against the defending Champions have perhaps been a little disrupted.
It sounds like Wagner decided to leave rather than being pushed as Huddersfield Town look certain to be relegated at this stage of the season. The club look like they have accepted their fate and instead will begin work on making sure they can challenge for an immediate return to the Premier League.
There may be some trepidation with which the players approach this game knowing what Manchester City have just done to Rotherham United and Burton Albion from a lower League. Huddersfield Town are effectively lower League opposition too and they will sympathise with those clubs having lost 6-1 at the Etihad Stadium earlier this season.
They won't lose by that many again as Huddersfield Town have been much more solid defensively at home. Chelsea did win 0-3 here on the opening weekend, but both Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool won by narrower margins than that and Huddersfield Town will look to contain Manchester City for as long as possible.
Unfortunately they look to be playing Manchester City at a time when their attacking players are confident and firing in front of goals. An early goal for the visitors could really open things up for Manchester City and Pep Guardiola will be demanding his players make this much more comfortable than wins at the likes of Watford and Southampton have been in the last couple of months.
In both games Manchester City allowed an opponent to hang around, but the form of late suggests they won't let that happen and I think they can match the margin that Chelsea won by at this ground. It is a very big spread which Manchester City have only covered in 2 of their 6 away wins, but this looks a good chance for them to do that.
Fantasy Star: Gabriel Jesus- the Brazilian is on fire in front of goal and should get the nod ahead of Sergio Aguero as long as he didn't suffer any lingering issues from hitting his head on the post on Monday Night Football.
Alternative: David Silva- has been a more frequent goal-scorer this season and should find himself in advanced positions against a struggling Huddersfield Town team.
Fulham v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: To say Fulham are in a desperate spot is an understatement, but the fans have to be fearing the worst when their team loses a game against a relegation rival in which they were leading.
To make matters worse, Fulham were undone by two own goals at Burnley and the home team didn't have a shot on target yet came away with a 2-1 win.
Claudio Ranieri just can't seem to get a consistent run out of his games and even the signings he wants to make look desperate to say the least. Ryan Babel and Gary Cahill were good players in their day, but are they really good enough to get Fulham out of a deep hole now?
Fulham could feel they are playing Tottenham Hotspur at the right time with injuries and international duty trimming the away squad. The loss of Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son at the same time is poor timing to say the least, but Tottenham Hotspur score plenty of goals and I don't think they will be affected too negatively i a fixture like this one.
In recent years Tottenham Hotspur have loved playing at Craven Cottage, while they have a very impressive away record in the Premier League this season too. There is a drift on the Spurs price to win because of the uncertainty of how they will play without both Kane and Son, but Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen can step up and inspire a win here and I like Tottenham Hotspur to win a game featuring two or more goals.
Fantasy Star: Dele Alli- no Harry Kane or Heung-Min Son means someone has to step up and suggestions Dele Alli will be pushed into an advanced role alongside Fernando Llorente.
Alternative: Aleksander Mitrovic- Fulham may not have a better chance to snap their poor recent home record against Spurs and the Serbian striker will be key to any success the home team have.
MY PICKS: Wolves-Leicester Both Teams to Score- No @ 1.85 Bet Victor
Bournemouth-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.60 Bet Victor
Crystal Palace + 2 Asian Handicap @ 1.90 Bet Fred
Manchester United - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet Fred
Newcastle United-Cardiff City Both Teams to Score- No @ 1.80 Bet Victor
Southampton-Everton Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.91 Bet Fred
Watford & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.95 Bet Fred
Arsenal + 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.91 Bet Victor
Manchester City - 2.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet Fred
Tottenham Hotspur & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.10 Bet Fred
No comments:
Post a Comment