Another round means another GameWeek in Fantasy Football and for the most part I have to be pleased with some of the selections I have highlighted over the last couple of GameWeeks.
Romelu Lukaku scoring twice for Manchester United in the win at Crystal Palace would have justified that selection if anyone had taken the risk of bringing him in, while a couple of clean sheets were easily identified as well as good performances from Henrikh Mkhitaryan for Arsenal and James Maddison and Jamie Vardy for Leicester City who combined for their winning goal.
Now I've stopped patting myself on the back I will mention that it wasn't all fun and games.
James Tarkowski missing a sitter would have irritated even more once Burnley conceded twice, while Ben Foster was far from a good choice as an alternative Fantasy star.
Paul Pogba, Leroy Sane and Eden Hazard were higher priced players identified and none of those produced much during the week, while Fabian Delph remains on the sideline with an injury and was a terrible choice to highlight.
Oh well another round is here to make up for it after I had an average GameWeek 28, but things can feel a lot better once we complete the latest round of fixtures in the Premier League.
Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal Pick: The opening Premier League game of the weekend comes from the national Stadium as Tottenham Hotspur look to bounce back from two very poor defeats over the last eight days.
Every time they have gotten into a position to be back in the Premier League title talk Tottenham Hotspur have either not coped with the pressure or not had a bit of fortune on their side, but the narrative has to be getting boring for the fans, players and management.
The defeats at Turf Moor and Stamford Bridge have been compounded by the fact that the three teams immediately below them in the Premier League table have all picked up big points. It means Tottenham Hotspur are no longer looking up at the title race, but instead could be worrying they are being dragged into a battle for the top four places and a defeat on Saturday will really put the cat amongst the pigeons.
Arsenal will believe they can win here having put 3 wins in a row together since the embarrassing 1-0 defeat in Borisov in the Europa League. The Gunners have been firing in front of goal with 10 goals scored in those 3 wins, but all have come at the Emirates Stadium and you can't just ignore how poorly they have played on their travels.
In fact Arsenal have lost 5 of their last 9 away games in all competitions and the only two wins in that time have come against Blackpool and Huddersfield Town. They've been beaten handily by both Liverpool and Manchester City which means Arsenal have lost 3 of their 4 away games at the other top six clubs this season with this one concluding those fixtures.
Tottenham Hotspur have also won 3 of their last 4 North London derbies they have hosted and I think they are about as healthy as they could have hoped for ahead of this one. I do think Arsenal will pose problems on the counter attack with the quality they have in the final third, but defensively Arsenal are very poor and it says something that they have conceded at least twice in visits to Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford, Anfield and the Etihad Stadium this season.
Unai Emery won't change his style and I think Tottenham Hotspur hosting the game makes all the difference on the day. The home team just haven't done draws this season and with that in mind I am going to look for Tottenham Hotspur to bounce back from their poor week and finish off with a win.
Spurs have won 4 in a row at Wembley Stadium in all competitions and can extend that sequence on Saturday morning.
Fantasy Star: Christian Eriksen- Harry Kane and Hueng-Min Son have had a couple of tough outings, but Christian Eriksen needs to pull the strings for Tottenham Hotspur if they are going to win this derby.
Alternative: Henrikh Mkhitaryan- been in good form on his return from injury and could be the key player for Arsenal if they are going to earn a positive result here.
Bournemouth v Manchester City Pick: Over the last couple of months there have not been too many times Manchester City have played before Liverpool and Pep Guardiola will want to avoid the pitfalls that occurred the last time these two leading clubs were playing on consecutive days.
At the end of January Manchester City visited Newcastle United twenty-four hours before Liverpool were going to host Leicester City and were beaten 2-1 at St James' Park which looked to have handed the title initiative to Liverpool.
A stumble from the leaders have allowed Manchester City back in and they will be keen to give Liverpool something to think about by moving to the top of the table. Avoiding defeat will be enough for Manchester City, but the players know they need to put a strong winning run together to test the Liverpool resolve and so anything less than a win would be seen as a negative result.
Bournemouth have been strong at home and deserve respect after crushing Chelsea 4-0 a few weeks ago. They have struggled to some heavy losses away from home since then, but Bournemouth have continued to produce their best at the Vitality Stadium which makes this a tough game for the defending Champions.
However I can't ignore the fact that Bournemouth don't have a great record against the very best Premier League sides. Yes they beat Chelsea who capitulated in the second half, but David Brooks and Callum Wilson are both missing and both Dominic Solanke and Junior Stanislas likely to be sidelined too means attacking options are restricted for the home team.
Add in the fact that Bournemouth's 3 home losses this season have come against Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool and the point about their ability against the top teams is underlined. Only Liverpool won easily, but Arsenal had the chances to win by a higher margin than they did and I do expect Manchester City to get more spaces in this one than they may have done against West Ham United.
If they bring their shooting boots I do think Manchester City can win this one and throw down the gauntlet for Liverpool who head to Goodison Park on Sunday. I expect Manchester City can win by at least two goals here with the way Bournemouth have been defending and I will look for them to cover the Asian Handicap.
Fantasy Star: Raheem Sterling- Sergio Aguero could have his minutes cut into with Gabriel Jesus back. The England international may be the main danger for Manchester City in this one in Aguero's stead and has a fantastic record against Bournemouth.
Alternative: Bernardo Silva- almost the first name on the team sheet for Pep Guardiola and made a big impact off the bench on Wednesday when given a chance to rest.
Brighton v Huddersfield Town Pick: No one associated with Brighton Football Club will have lost faith in Chris Hughton's ability to help them produce the points they need to avoid relegation, but even the manager will know they need to snap their poor run of form sooner rather than later.
While teams like Burnley, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace have been picking up wins, Brighton have lost 5 of their last 6 Premier League games to slip into 16th place in the table. They are now just 2 points clear of Cardiff City in the relegation zone and this is a game Brighton dare not lose.
Even a draw against bottom club Huddersfield Town might not be good enough for the locals, but The Terriers can't be disregarded having won their first game since November during the week. It was a lot of effort produced by Huddersfield Town to edge out Wolves on Tuesday, but they are a team who are struggling at both ends of the field and I think that is an issue for them on their inevitable slide into the Championship.
For all the negatives around Brighton I have to say they have continued to create a lot of chances and only an uncharacteristic lack of composure from Glenn Murray in front of goal prevented them getting more from the game at Leicester City during the week. The Seagulls have perhaps not enjoyed much luck of late either, but I do think they will have their opportunities against Huddersfield Town who have not scored in their last 5 away games in the all competitions.
It is not easy picking a team at odds on in the form that Brighton have been displaying, but I think the performances are better than the results. Huddersfield Town can relax now they have ended their long run of games without a win and have surpassed the lowest points tally in the Premier League era, but ultimately they are lacking some quality.
Glenn Murray is unlikely to be as generous to Huddersfield Town as he was to Leicester City and I think he can make a key contribution to help Brighton win this fixture. As I said the price is slightly tight considering Brighton's recent results, but I think they have a little more about them and can edge out their visitors in this one.
Fantasy Star: Glenn Murray- an awful miss at Leicester City was so unlike Glenn Murray and I expect him to get a couple of good chances to make up for that in this fixture.
Alternative: Shane Duffy- a threat from set pieces and has a real chance of earning a clean sheet for Brighton who are desperate for the three points.
Burnley v Crystal Palace Pick: When you first think of Burnley and Crystal Palace you don't think of goals, but more about the defensive strength they base their style around. That has not been the case so much over the last couple of months for either team as they have been good at getting forward and scoring the goals that have produced a number of wins to take them away from the bottom three.
It's not been fortune alone that has produced in the final third for the two clubs as both have been creating quite a few chances in recent games too. Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes have been a huge threat for Burnley, while Crystal Palace have been boosted by the signing of Michy Batshuayi and the return of Christian Benteke from injury to provide a threat in the final third.
Neither team has been completely convincing at the back either and I think the layers may have underestimated the chance of seeing at least three goals between the clubs.
Recent fixtures between Burnley and Crystal Palace have tended to be low-scoring with none of the last four producing three or more goals, but in recent games these two clubs have been involved in against other opposition that has not been the case.
Burnley have scored at least twice in 3 of their last 4 games at Turf Moor, but both teams have hit the net in the last 3 here. Crystal Palace have scored two or more goals in 6 of their last 7 away from home, and both teams have scored at least once in 6 of their last 7 away Premier League games too.
The 1-1 could be a real player here, but I think the defensive issues both sides have had coupled with the strong attacking threats out on the field may see this fixture produce a surprising amount of goals. A draw is not the worst result in the world for either, but I think they can go one better and backing three or more goals to be shared out at odds against looks a decent enough price.
Fantasy Star: Chris Wood- Burnley were not so good during the week in their loss to Newcastle United, but still created some big chances. They face a Crystal Palace team with defensive injuries this weekend and one of the front two are sure to have their opportunities.
Alternative: Michy Batshuayi- we should see Crystal Palace cause one or two problems and the on-loan Chelsea striker looks like he will lead the line for the visitors.
Manchester United v Southampton Pick: The race for the top four places looks like it is one that could go down to the wire and it means the top clubs can't afford to drop points from matches like this one.
Manchester United will be hosting a Southampton team who were beaten comfortably by Arsenal last weekend and injuries are not an excuse for a club that know the importance of getting back into the Champions League. The 1-3 win at Crystal Palace shows that Manchester United can battle through their current issues and they should have enough attacking threat to expose the defensive vulnerabilities Southampton continue to show.
There are a couple of concerns for Manchester United- they have not won any of their last 3 at Old Trafford and failed to score in their last 2, while Southampton have only lost 1 of their last 5 visits here. In that time Southampton have won twice too, but this team is perhaps not as strong as previous visitors.
The Saints had also been in decent form away from home before the defeat at the Emirates Stadium and they do carry a threat going forward when they are confident. The 2-0 win over Fulham on Wednesday coupled with having nothing to lose from this fixture could mean Southampton are dangerous, but Manchester United should be able to produce a first win at Old Trafford since the middle of January.
It might not always be easy, but United could have some attacking reinforcements in this one and I think they might have just enough to edge out Southampton. They could catch them chasing the game late on to make sure they get a cover of the Asian Handicap too and I will look for that to be the outcome of this one as it was for Arsenal last Sunday.
Fantasy Star: Paul Pogba- has been immense for Manchester United at Old Trafford and could have a keen influence in this one.
Alternative: Romelu Lukaku- Marcus Rashford is back, but will Ole Gunnar Solskjaer really move the big Belgian striker after he bagged a couple on Wednesday in the win at Crystal Palace?
Wolves v Cardiff City Pick: Even if Wolves are not able to finish in 7th place in the Premier League and/or reach the FA Cup Final this is going to be seen as a very important season for the development of the club. There have been many times I have seen Wolves and been impressed by what they have produced, but inconsistency is a concern for Nuno Espirito Santo.
He is going to want to see a big reaction from the last week when Wolves have drawn at Bournemouth and then followed up with a defeat at Huddersfield Town who had not won since beating Wolves back in November.
Neil Warnock will be expecting the same after watching his Cardiff City team lose back to back home games by wide margins to Watford and Everton. Fans would have expected to pick up points from those fixtures if Cardiff City are going to avoid the drop so the defeats in both games would have really hurt and now Warnock is looking for his players to puff their chests out and show some heart.
Cardiff City have beaten Wolves already this season and won at Molineux in the Championship last season so they should not be intimidated.
However Wolves haven't been in bad form of late and have been playing very well at home. They did disappoint at Huddersfield Town, but Wolves have enjoyed playing here and they are playing a Cardiff City team who are conceding too many goals at the moment.
Wolves are a team that can sometimes overplay, but I think we get a reaction from them this weekend and they can win a game featuring two or more goals as they catch Cardiff City pushing for a way back into the fixture.
Fantasy Star: Diogo Jota- has come close to adding to the goals he has scored in the Premier League this season and plays a Cardiff City defence that has looked lost in recent games.
Alternative: Raul Jimenez- in great form and should also have his chances along with his strike partner.
West Ham United v Newcastle United Pick: The second live game from the Premier League this weekend comes from the London Stadium and both West Ham United and Newcastle United should be coming into the fixture with considerable confidence.
I do know West Ham United are coming in off a defeat, but they have performed much better at the London Stadium in recent weeks and that should have the players believing they can earn a result here.
On the other hand Newcastle United have not put too many wins on the board in recent away games, but 4 wins from their last 6 Premier League games has to have the players believing. They are also playing with considerably more attacking intent than six weeks ago and I think that should help this fixture produce the goods for the neutrals to enjoy.
Generally West Ham United versus Newcastle United games have meant goals and that is including in the Rafael Benitez era as manager of the latter. The last 4 between these clubs have all featured three or more goals being shared out and I think the performances of both teams in the final third over the last month suggests we will see that trend extended for one more game at least.
In recent West Ham United home games, both teams have managed to find the net in 5 of the last 7 Premier League games here, while Newcastle United have seen that outcome happen in 6 of their last 8 on their travels in the League.
The 1-1 scoreline is the one that worries me the most, but at this stage of the season I don't think West Ham United will settle for a point and that means there should be spaces in this fixture as time ticks on. It may be enough to see at least three goals shared out as there hasn't been a draw between these teams in 8 straight fixtures against one another and I think at the prices it can be backed.
Fantasy Star: Miguel Almiron- the new signing has been looking very sharp for Newcastle United and should have spaces to exploit on the counter attack.
Alternative: Michail Antonio- has scored in his last two home starts for West Ham United.
Watford v Leicester City Pick: Games played in the noon slot on a Sunday afternoon don't always spark into life and my slight concern for these two teams is that they may not mesh together that well and make it a stand off kind of fixture.
The weather just north of London is going to be wet by all accounts which may not help as a spectacle, but in general Watford and Leicester City have produced goals when they have played and I think that could continue here.
8 of the last 9 between these clubs at Vicarage Road have produced at least three goals and I do think there is plenty on the line when it comes to potentially finishing 7th in the Premier League table which should keep players motivated.
The arrival of Brendan Rodgers at Leicester City makes it a little harder to predict how the game will go as the players get used to a new voice and a new style of play. I do think Rodgers will want to use the pace Leicester City have on the counter attack to hurt Watford, but he will also be keen on seeing his players impose themselves on their opponents with a high press and passing game that should please the fans no end.
Watford were battered from pillar to post on Wednesday, but they have been in strong form and have shown they can bounce back from setbacks. The Hornets have not lost back to back games since early December and the motivation of a FA Cup Quarter Final to come in two weeks time should see the players wanting to remind Javi Gracia of how much he can rely on them to produce the results the manager will want.
Goals have been lacking in recent Watford games here, but they are facing a Leicester City defence that has struggled to keep clean sheets. The home team have back to back clean sheets here, but I also think Leicester City have shown plenty of attacking enterprise and these teams can produce a good game of football to open a busy Sunday afternoon of Premier League action.
The early start is a slight bother, but hopefully the defenders are sleepier than the strikers and I will back at least three goals to be shared out.
Fantasy Star: Jamie Vardy- I think the England international could have a very strong end to the season now Claude Puel has left and Brendan Rodgers will play to his strengths.
Alternative: Roberto Pereyra- a big influence for Watford in the final third who face a Leicester City defence that has not been playing too well in the last few weeks.
Fulham v Chelsea Pick: For the third time this season a new face will be leading Fulham out in the Premier League and it looks a very difficult period for a rookie manager like Scott Parker to make an impact.
With 10 games to go and Fulham 10 points from safety it is going to be more than a miracle for them to survive. The fixture list is doing them no favours and Parker has a big test when taking charge against one of his former clubs this weekend.
The only positive for Fulham could be the potential new manager bounce that many clubs experience as the players looked to have lost all faith in Claudio Ranieri. Add to that the really poor form Chelsea have been on away from home and the inconsistencies with form and performance in any derby game and this could be a competitive fixture.
However it remains a long shot as Fulham have been miserable defensively all season and continue to ship goals at an alarming rate. Chelsea may not have scored in their last 3 away Premier League games, but they should be much more confident after two big performances against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur over the last week.
They are also facing a team much weaker than Arsenal, Bournemouth and Manchester City who have beaten Chelsea in their last 3 away Premier League games. Fulham have lost heavily to Arsenal and Manchester United, while Tottenham Hotspur have also won at Craven Cottage as Fulham have conceded at least twice in each of those games.
Fulham have been more competitive at home in general and I think Parker taking over the club will give them a positive feeling, but Chelsea should be too good. It might be wet in West London on Sunday afternoon, but the attacking players for the visitors should have a strong day in the office and I think Chelsea will win a game featuring three or more goals.
I considered backing them on the Asian Handicap, but Fulham could be more competitive than in recent weeks and a 1-2 scoreline would not surprise me in the slightest.
Fantasy Star: Gonzalo Higuain- has not scored since the double against Huddersfield Town, but he has looked like he is getting sharper all the time.
Alternative: Pedro- scored against Tottenham Hotspur during the week and was the focal point of Chelsea's 2-0 win over Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
Everton v Liverpool Pick: The final game of the Premier League weekend comes from Goodison Park where Everton will be hosting the latest Merseyside derby. Some will suggest this is the biggest game left for Everton as they look to dent their rivals' push for the title, but Everton have things to achieve this season like finishing 7th and possibly getting a spot in the Europa League for the next campaign.
Marco Silva has been under pressure in recent weeks as Everton suffered an upset in the FA Cup Fourth Round at Millwall and have been in pretty miserable form in the Premier League. The win over Cardiff City during the week will have eased some of the tensions at the club and there is no doubt the fans will be fully invested getting behind the team.
Liverpool also earned a morale boosting win during the week as they crushed Watford at home, but they seem to have something of an Indian Sign over that club. It is the third time in a row they have beaten Watford by a five goal margin at Anfield, but games at Goodison Park have been a battle for them in recent years.
They don't lose often here, but Liverpool have had to leave Goodison Park with a point in 5 of their last 7 visits. One of the exceptions was a game in which Sadio Mane scored in injury time to win 0-1 here, while the other was a 0-2 win where Jack Rodwell was sent off after 23 minutes and Liverpool struck twice in the final 20 minutes to win.
It has proven to be hard work and Everton should be fresh having had a 17 day break in the middle of this month and also having had an extra day to prepare for this fixture than Liverpool have had. In recent weeks Liverpool have just had a few issues in the final third in putting teams away and they have only won 1 of their last 5 away games in all competitions.
I would be keener on backing Everton if they had not lost 4 of their last 5 games at Goodison Park in the Premier League. Some of those losses have come by wide margins because they have conceded too many goals, but the squad is perhaps in a better place both mentally and physically for this fixture. They can cause problems for a Liverpool team who have not been entirely convincing defensively and I would be surprised if this is an easy day for the visitors.
Having a full goal start with Everton knowing the stake will be returned if they lose by a one goal margin looks the play here. In recent years they have proven to be a tough team to beat, while Marco Silva has managed Hull City to a home win over Liverpool and Watford to a home draw with this opponent in his time in England.
He has been under pressure at Goodison Park, but Marco Silva can earn himself some leeway from the fans by guiding Everton a big result here. It won't be easy if Liverpool have found their form, but Everton with the start looks the play.
Fantasy Star: Sadio Mane- the last time Liverpool won here it was thanks to a Sadio Mane injury time winner and a change in system could see him leading the line as he did in his two goal performance against Watford on Wednesday.
Alternative: Gylfi Sigurdsson- if Everton are going to dent Liverpool's title hopes, they need the best out of their Icelandic midfielder who also scored twice during the week.
Fantasy Advice
We are down to the final ten GameWeeks in the Official Fantasy Football game and this is the time of the season when mini-Leagues can be won and lost as we have to negotiate blank weeks and Double GameWeeks. Those will begin to have an impact later this month with the FA Cup Sixth Round in two weeks time meaning half of the Premier League fixtures have to be re-arranged for next month so preparation and best use of your Chips in the official game will make all the difference to winning and losing your Leagues.
Below I have identified some options for GameWeek 29 in another busy weekend in the Premier League from Saturday lunchtime through to Sunday late afternoon.
Goalkeeper 4.8 Million and Above
David De Gea (Manchester United- 5.7 Million): He looks the best placed of the top six clubs to earn a clean sheet this weekend.
Tom Heaton (Burnley- 4.8 Million): It was the first game that Tom Heaton has started and been on the losing side for over eighteen months during the week. Burnley have been solid enough at home to believe they can potentially keep a clean sheet this weekend.
Goalkeeper 4.7 Million and Below
Mat Ryan (Brighton- 4.4 Million): A home game with Huddersfield Town is always a good chance for a clean sheet even if Brighton have been struggling of late.
John Ruddy (Wolves- 4.2 Million): Nuno Espirito Santo announced John Ruddy as his starter ahead of Rui Patricio in preparation for his likely FA Cup Sixth Round appearance against Manchester United. Wolves host Cardiff City this weekend so a clean sheet opportunity is here.
Defender 5.1 Million and Above
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool- 5.3 Million): The assists created on Wednesday shows the attacking threat you can have by picking the England full back as well as a spot in the tough Liverpool defence.
Luke Shaw (Manchester United- 5.1 Million): Under the new manager at Manchester United Luke Shaw is finding his attacking potential again.
Defender 5 Million and Below
Ben Chilwell (Leicester City- 5 Million): I think Ben Chilwell could flourish under the system that Brendan Rodgers likes to employ and he could be a real source for assists going forward.
Jose Holebas (Watford- 4.8 Million): Another big source of assists and back in the Watford team after serving a two game suspension.
Lewis Dunk (Brighton- 4.4 Million): Same reason as Mat Ryan in the goalkeeper section, Brighton have a real chance for a rare clean sheet this weekend. His centre back partner Shane Duffy has been amongst the goals, but Lewis Dunk is capable of chipping in too and is a cheaper option.
Jeffrey Schlupp (Crystal Palace- 4.4 Million): A defender playing much further up the pitch and Jeffrey Schlupp has been in fine form with a goal and two assists in his last four Premier League games.
Midfielder 6.7 Million and Above
Raheem Sterling (Manchester City- 11.4 Million): Could be the main attacking option for Manchester City this weekend and has a wonderful record against Bournemouth.
Eden Hazard (Chelsea- 10.8 Million): Playing at Fulham who have been conceding goals for fun.
Midfielder 6.6 Million and Below
Pedro (Chelsea- 6.3 Million): If you don't want to invest too much in the Chelsea midfield and Eden Hazard, Pedro could be a much more reasonable pick having scored in the win over Fulham at Stamford Bridge.
Diogo Jota (Wolves- 6.1 Million): Came close to scoring at Bournemouth last week and will likely have one or two chances against Cardiff City.
Forward 6.8 Million and Above
Gonzalo Higuain (Chelsea- 9.5 Million): Has been looking sharper week by week, game by game and I would expect him to have some opportunities to score against this Fulham defence.
Jamie Vardy (Leicester City- 8.9 Million): Scored during the week and I think he could have a very strong end to this season under Brendan Rodgers.
Forward 6.7 Million and Below
Glenn Murray (Brighton- 6.3 Million): Brighton are still creating chances and I don't anticipate Glenn Murray to lack the composure he did when missing a glaring chance at Leicester City.
Solomon Rondon (Newcastle United- 5.8 Million): His value has been going up over the last couple of GameWeeks, but Solomon Rondon might still be value to free up funds elsewhere.
Troy Deeney (Watford- 5.8 Million): Has been anything but prolific, although I like the chances for Troy Deeney to get on the scoreboard against a Leicester City team who have conceded two or more goals in 3 of their last 4 away games.
MY PICKS: Tottenham Hotspur @ 2.10 Bet Victor
Manchester City - 1.75 Asian Handicap @ 1.80 Bet Fred
Brighton @ 1.85 Bet Victor
Burnley-Crystal Palace Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.10 Bet Fred
Manchester United - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.75 Bet Victor
Wolves & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.85 Bet Fred
West Ham United-Newcastle United Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.05 Bet Victor
Watford-Leicester City Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.05 Betfair Sportsbook
Chelsea & Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.20 Bet365
Everton + 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.85 Bet Victor
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