This week the latest round of Premier League fixtures are being played across six days with live offerings on each one. That is because it is also the weekend when the FA Cup Quarter Finals are played and so there is a situation where eight teams are playing twice in very short order and often against clubs who have had a few more days to prepare than they will at any other point through the next several weeks.
It does not make things easy for those of us playing the Fantasy Football game because injuries from the Cup or manager's rotating players in the League games to come could mean the eleven selected will need to be boosted by the bench. The problem is that usually we would have some inkling as to what managers will be thinking, but press conferences for the midweek games won't be taking place until at least two days after the deadline for GW32+ has already passed.
I will have further thoughts on the latest GameWeek below, but on top of that will be the thoughts on how the latest round of games may go. Those thoughts do have a real impact on how I want to set up my Fantasy team for the week.
Over the coming days I will add thoughts from the midweek set of Premier League games which are being made up by those clubs involved in the FA Cup Quarter Finals.
I fancy Manchester United, Sheffield United, Chelsea and Manchester City to make up the final four in the FA Cup, but I do think the last three Cup ties may all be highly competitive affairs.
And finally, I do know there has been a decisive moment in the Premier League in the last couple of days, but I couldn't care less and won't talk about it much... And that is most definitely the United fan in me speaking.
Aston Villa v Wolves Pick: One team is chasing a place in the top four and the other is simply chasing a place in the Premier League and that means there are a big three points on offer at Villa Park when Aston Villa host Wolves on Saturday lunchtime.
The majority of the League games in this round of fixtures will be played in midweek and so there is a big chance for these two clubs to put some real pressure on their rivals around them.
For Aston Villa things are most simple- a win would see them out of the bottom three and 3 points clear of the likes of Bournemouth and West Ham United below them. They have been a little unfortunate to not have more than the 2 points earned from three League games in the restart of English Football.
The underlying statistics have displayed the fact that Aston Villa have arguably created the better chances in each game and it is just a lack of a goalscorer which is letting them down. Defensively they do make mistakes which are proving to be costly, but they have limited the opportunities for Sheffield United and Newcastle United and Dean Smith has to be reminding his players how close they are coming to some real success.
Of course it is going to be far from easy against a Wolves team who could enter the top four if Chelsea have been beaten by Manchester City on Thursday. Regardless Nuno Espirito Santo will be looking for his team to make it three wins from three against clubs currently in the bottom four places after Wolves saw off West Ham United and Bournemouth with clean sheets in both games.
Defensively they have come out of the three month break with some real stubbornness that has become a feature of the Wolves team since the returned to the top flight under their Portuguese manager. They have simply not given West Ham United or Bournemouth much encouragement, but Aston Villa have looked a little more threatening than both of their relegation rivals.
And on the other side of the pitch, Wolves have relied on some magic from Adama Traore and clinical finishing of Raul Jimenez to earn the points they have. It would be foolish to criticise that combination, but Wolves have not been creating a lot of chances in their opening two games and that makes them vulnerable at short odds to win this fixture.
I think this is a real chance for Aston Villa who are unbeaten in 4 at home against Wolves and I do think they could earn an upset result. They are playing a little better than the results would indicate and Wolves have not dominated either match so having a strong start with the hosts is my feeling on the fixture.
I simply won't be surprised if Aston Villa avoid a defeat here on the form out of the break.
Watford v Southampton Pick: At this stage you would think Southampton have enough points to avoid relegation, but Ralph Hasenhuttl will be looking for his team to earn a big win on Sunday which would effectively confirm their spot in the top flight.
Make no mistake about, this is a huge game for Watford too who were beaten 1-0 at Burnley on Thursday. That follows a home draw with Leicester City, but Watford can't keep relying on the teams below them to falter as they have been and home form is going to be critical with the early signs from the Premier League being that the empty stands are not having the same kind of effect as they did in the Bundesliga.
In the next few weeks Watford host Southampton, Newcastle United and Norwich City and these are games they need to take advantage of. The short turnaround is a bit of a concern, but at least their opponent's also played in very hot weather on Thursday and Watford have been creating chances and playing well at Vicarage Road under Nigel Pearson.
They will need to be playing well to see off a Southampton team who have been better away from St Mary's in the Premier League. A 0-3 win at Norwich City to open 'Project Restart' has been followed by a 0-2 home loss to Arsenal, but Southampton have played some neat football in both games and have a player in Danny Ings who can be very clinical when the chances open up for him.
Both teams should want to be playing on the front foot and I do think it could lead to a decent game. Goals are slightly down on the small sample of games since the resumption of play, but Watford and Southampton have both created chances while looking vulnerable at the back.
They shared out three goals when meeting at St Mary's earlier in the season and both teams have scored in 3 straight meetings here. A 1-1 isn't out of the question, but Southampton have looked to be positive under Ralph Hasenhuttl and a point for Nigel Pearson is perhaps not the most suitable result either.
It should mean both are pushing for the three points and 8 of the last 10 between these clubs at Vicarage Road have ended with three or more goals scored. That is the direction I think this live Sunday fixture will be heading and my narrow lean is that Watford might come away with the three points.
Crystal Palace v Burnley Pick: There is no doubt that football being back is providing some entertainment for people in the United Kingdom on an almost daily basis, but some fixtures look to have all of the hallmarks of a tight, competitive affair with limited chances expected at either end of the pitch.
Crystal Palace versus Burnley looks to fit that mould, especially with the likes of Christian Benteke, Wilfried Zaha, Jay Rodriguez, Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes all looking like they may miss out.
Neither team is one that creates a lot of chances anyway, but when you remove that kind of attacking threat for both and it really becomes difficult to see where the goals will be coming from.
Even set pieces that both Roy Hodgson and Sean Dyche would look to take advantage of will be going into the defensive strengths of their opponents and I am expecting little action.
Those could be famous last words, but recent games for both have shown that chances come at a premium. Crystal Palace did have 4 clean sheets in a row before their thumping at Anfield, while Burnley had kept clean sheets in 2 of 3 away Premier League games before their own hammering but at the Etihad Stadium.
5 of the last 6 between Crystal Palace and Burnley have seen one or both teams fail to score including in the 0-2 win secured by The Eagles earlier this season. 8 of the last 9 at Selhurst Park between these clubs have done the same including the last 4 in a row and I think there is every chance that there will be at least one clean sheet in this game.
A single goal may be enough to take the three points, but picking a winner is not easy. I have to give a narrow edge to Crystal Palace who have won back to back games at Selhurst Park by the same 1-0 scoreline, but the empty stands and key injuries makes this a much more difficult game to pick a winner from.
Brighton v Manchester United Pick: Four points from six could easily have been maximum points for Brighton who missed a penalty at the King Power Stadium in a goalless draw with Leicester City. Despite that, Graham Potter has to be very glad of the 6 points that are now between Brighton and the bottom three and with seven games remaining it feels like The Seagulls are well on their way to a fourth consecutive season in the top flight.
Home games against Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City to come are going to be difficult for Brighton to negotiate, but they have beaten Manchester United twice in a row here. Brighton have also lost 1 of their last 6 at the Amex Stadium in the Premier League which includes earning a draw with Chelsea and beating Arsenal, while the players have had a week to recover and prepare for this fixture.
Under Graham Potter Brighton do create chances and they play with positivity and any points earned from this fixture would be bonus ones in the fight to avoid the drop. Defensively there are some questions, but they are facing a Manchester United team who have drawn 4 of their last 6 away games in normal time and all by the same 1-1 scoreline.
1-1 has been a popular score in recent Brighton home games and only a Neal Maupay injury time goal against Arsenal prevented 4 of the last 5 at the Amex Stadium finishing with that final score.
It does suggest 1-1 is a player in this League game despite Manchester United's 14 game unbeaten run. I have already mentioned the 4 draws in 6 away games in all competitions in normal time which includes visits to Club Brugge and Norwich City and Brighton are arguably as good or better than both of those.
Manchester United have a poor record here having lost on back to back visits since Brighton were promoted to the top flight and they have won 2 of their last 14 away games in the Premier League when set as the favourite.
That is a worry for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as he looks to push Manchester United back into the Champions League, but the recent performances have been encouraging. Breaking down Brighton won't be easy so it is important to make a fast start, but there have been enough chances in recent games at this Stadium to believe goals could be the outcome.
As alluded to above, 1-1 is a dangerous scoreline which would suit Brighton much more than Manchester United. All 4 of Manchester United's away draws in their last 6 on their travels have ended 1-1 in normal time, but an attacking line up will be selected and I do think Manchester United are creating enough to get at least one more here.
Even that may not be enough to win the game if Brighton are anything near as good as they can be under Graham Potter. There were four goals shared out when these teams met at Old Trafford back in November 2019, and I am going to be expecting at least three here. The chances in recent home/away games respectively for both teams suggest both can score and it may be an open encounter if the first goal comes in the first half hour of this one.
Bournemouth v Newcastle United Pick: Five of the final six games Bournemouth will be playing will be against clubs that are chasing European positions and so you have to feel that time is running out for them in their bid to escape the drop. Losses to Crystal Palace and Wolves without scoring a goal has to be a massive concern for a squad that might be missing Joshua King in a week where Callum Wilson is suspended.
This is not the time for excuses though and Bournemouth have had plenty of time to work on things ahead of what looks to be a winnable fixture at the Vitality Stadium. Eddie Howe has to be pleased his team have not lost touch with those sides above them despite the consecutive losses out of the restart, but games are running out and Bournemouth will really begin to fear the worst if they can't win this one.
It looks to be coming at a good time with Newcastle United essentially safe from relegation and having been chasing shadows for large portions of the late Sunday evening defeat to Manchester City. The FA Cup has been lost to Steve Bruce's men, but Newcastle United have to be respected with nothing to lose.
Motivation might be an issue, but some of these players are looking to prove they could be kept around if the rumoured takeover occurs at St James' Park. That should keep them honest and Newcastle United will believe they can take create chances here, although their own defence has not been nearly as effective away from home as it has at home.
Bournemouth are without key attacking talents, but they have generally been a team who do create chances in their own Stadium. The lack of fans is a blow for The Cherries, but excuses have to be left in the dressing room as they fight for their lives at the bottom of the table.
The last two times these teams have met at this ground have both ended 2-2 and I do think both will hit the net in this one too. With so much on the line for Bournemouth, I expect the last week to have been one in which they have worked on making sure they get things right in the final third and I expect the hosts to make this an open contest.
5 of the last 6 between these clubs have finished with three or more goals shared out including the last 2 at the Vitality Stadium. The assumption being made is that this one won't go the same way, but I am not sure that is the right thinking with Newcastle United showing they can score goals on their travels but conceding too many.
Chances in recent home/away games respectively suggest this one could go the same way as the recent trend indicates.
Arsenal v Norwich City Pick: A place in the FA Cup Semi Final will be welcomed by all associated with Arsenal, but Mikel Arteta will want to improve the League position and be in a position to earn a European spot through the final standings.
With the four that make up the Semi Final, Arsenal know they are likely to have two paths back into European competition. They could win the Cup and do that, but even if they don't, the final Europa League place looks set to fall down to 7th place in the Premier League and Arsenal are 2 points behind Tottenham Hotspur in that spot.
No one needs to get too far ahead of themselves and all Arsenal will want is to finish strongly and as high as possible in the Division. This looks like being one of the more straight-forward fixtures they are going to face down the stretch and Mikel Arteta will want a third straight win to give his players some momentum.
Following this home game against bottom club Norwich City, Arsenal play Wolves, Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool so dropping points here could be fatal for Arsenal's European bid from their Premier League finish.
Arsenal have won 4 of their last 5 Premier League games at the Emirates Stadium and they have kept 3 clean sheets in those victories. They looked like they could be vulnerable from set pieces against Sheffield United and Brighton, but The Gunners have largely defended well enough in their last 3 games to believe they can control what has been a goal-shy Norwich City.
Only a Todd Cantwell strike has bothered the scoreboard since Norwich City returned to competitive action and the worry for Daniel Farke is the very small amount of chances created. That is a real worry for a team who have scored just 6 away goals all season and Norwich City are also going to have to deal with potential fatigue issues having played Extra Time with ten men on Saturday.
Timm Klose's suspension means the defence is missing yet another player and I think it would be a real surprise if Norwich City are able to contain Arsenal. They have only scored a single goal in their last 6 away Premier League games and unsurprisingly Norwich City have been beaten 5 times in that run.
This feels like a game in which Arsenal should be too strong and I would expect them to win the fixture. The defence can be a concern, but Arsenal may make it 4 clean sheets in 6 home Premier League games and that is the most likely outcome of this one in my opinion.
Everton v Leicester City Pick: At this stage of the Premier League season games do take on added significance and this is a huge one for both Everton and Leicester City who are trying to fulfil European ambitions.
When the season kicked off in August 2019, Brendan Rodgers and Leicester City would have been very pleased with a Europa League spot in absolute honesty. A strong run in Autumn and Winter meant Leicester City were massively overachieving as they entered the top four and looked pretty secure in those positions, but Leicester City have looked like a club that have peaked.
1 win from 7 Premier League games is an indication of that and Leicester City are arguably fortunate to have escaped with draws against Watford and Brighton since the restart. With Chelsea, Wolves and Manchester United improving, Leicester City suddenly see just 3 points between them and 5th place and 6 points between them and 6th.
Games are far from easy to complete the season and a visit to an Everton side that are unbeaten in 9 at home in all competitions is another huge test. That is especially so when playing on Sunday in a tough Cup tie while Everton were resting and recovering and preparing for this one.
Everton have drawn 3 of their last 4 here, but one of those saw them inexplicably concede twice deep in injury time in a 2-2 draw with Newcastle United. A late VAR intervention prevented Everton beating Manchester United in a 1-1 draw and they had much the better chances in their goalless draw with Liverpool to restart their League campaign after the three month break.
Put all together it suggests Everton are a very dangerous prospect for Leicester City and there are real aims of finishing in the top seven which may be enough for a Europa League spot. Win this one and they would only be a point behind Tottenham Hotspur who currently hold 7th place and I do think Everton's numbers are impressive enough to be respected.
Carlo Ancelotti should have the team ready to go and I do think Leicester City are vulnerable. The Foxes did win 0-1 here last season, but Everton might be able to expose any fatigue that may be lingering in the Leicester City legs after losing to Chelsea on Sunday and I do think the home team might have enough to edge to the three points.
West Ham United v Chelsea Pick: David Moyes will likely have appreciated the additional time to get his West Ham United team refocused after their latest defeat in the Premier League. While the manager felt his team were hard done by in their defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United looked largely toothless and presented too many good chances for the hosts to pass up.
Defensively they were a little better when hosting Wolves, but West Ham United were dismissed that day too. The Hammers have been scoring more goals at home, but this is a team who have struggled defensively and it is not good news ahead of facing a Chelsea team that have only scored fewer away goals than Manchester City in the Premier League this season.
The 0-1 win at Leicester City will have given Chelsea another boost of confidence and they have now won 5 in a row including all 3 out of the three month break. They have created some very good chances, although there are always concerns about Chelsea at the back and especially if they are going to be missing Andreas Christensen this week.
It is difficult to see how West Ham United can exploit those vulnerabilities considering their recent performances. The squad look short of confidence and even the fact they have won 3 of their last 5 at home against rivals Chelsea is not really comforting at the moment.
The Hammers did win at Stamford Bridge earlier this season, but Chelsea look in a much better position now. Poor finishing cost Chelsea that day and recent games suggest that won't be the case now and I do very much believe The Blues win this one.
Chelsea had scored at least two goals in 4 away games in a row before the win at the King Power Stadium on Sunday. They should be able to hit at least two at the London Stadium against this West Ham United team and I expect that will be enough for Chelsea to maintain their gap to the Champions League chasing sides in 5th and 6th place.
Sheffield United v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: The restart to the Premier League season has not gone as planned for Sheffield United who have created very little and struggled for goals. They did finally look more threatening in their FA Cup tie against Arsenal, but even then Sheffield United were unable to secure a positive result and they have lost 3 in a row.
Chris Wilder will be proud of his players for the way the season has gone, but he will be demanding they don't end this season with a whimper. Being at home is a plus for Sheffield United if their performance against Arsenal is anything to go by and this Tottenham Hotspur team are far from watertight at the back.
Tottenham Hotspur did earn a clean sheet against West Ham United, but there were opportunities for the visitors that day. Jose Mourinho has had a lot of time to prepare his team for this difficult away game, but Tottenham Hotspur have looked anything but secure at the back and I think they will do very well to keep a clean sheet.
It is also hard to see Spurs at such a short price to win considering how they have been performing away from home before the break. You can't really read into form when the last away matches were so long ago, but Jose Mourinho has to be happy with his attacking options that are available for him now compared with March.
Those attackers will cause problems for Sheffield United who have not looked the same defensively without Jack O'Connell who could still be missing on Thursday.
Both teams hitting the net would not be a big surprise as was the case when these teams met in North London earlier this season. There should be chances and I am not sure why either manager would want to settle for a 1-1 draw considering they have ambitions of wanting to play in Europe next season.
An attacking game could quickly be in the making if we get another first half goal as we saw on Sunday and I think it could be a fixture that features at least three goals.
Manchester City v Liverpool Pick: There are some real unknowns ahead of this Premier League fixture between the top two in England and that does make things a little murkier when writing out a prediction for how I anticipate things to go.
Both Manchester City and Liverpool may already be thinking about how best to prepare their squads for other things at this point of the season- the former want to win the FA Cup and Champions League while the latter will be thinking about how they can defend their title in the 2020/21 season and making sure the whole squad is ready to kick on immediately knowing there is limited time for 'pre season' this time around.
In saying that I do think both Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp will pick strong teams as they look to make a statement for the next season. The Spaniard will want to show his Manchester City team are ready to fight back having lost their grip on the title, while Klopp will want his team to show this season was anything but a flash in the pan.
Manchester City being at home should be an advantage, but Pep Guardiola's team have regularly found things difficult when facing Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool. The pace of the front three that the visitors have expose Manchester City's defensive shortcomings, but for large portions of matches here it is the home team who dominate the ball.
No Sergio Aguero is a blow, but Manchester City do have plenty of quality to call upon and I do think they have had time from Sunday to recover and put in a big performance.
They have been strong at home out of the break in play and you can't forget Liverpool were just struggling away from home when that break came. Even in their sole away game at Everton since then it was the home team who had the better chances and Liverpool have not scored in their last 4 away games in all competitions while losing 3 in a row before escaping with a draw at Goodison Park.
A draw is not out of the realms of possibility in this one, but I do think Guardiola will be telling his players they can at least prevent Liverpool from earning the points they need to break their record haul of 100 points set a couple of seasons ago.
That should be motivation for Manchester City who might be more focused than the Liverpool players celebrating being Champions and I believe that will lead to a narrow home win.
MY PICKS: Aston Villa + 0.75 Asian Handicap
Watford-Southampton Over 2.5 Goals
Crystal Palace-Burnley BTTS NO
Brighton-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals
Bournemouth-Newcastle United Over 2.5 Goals
Arsenal Win to Nil
Everton 0 Asian Handicap
Chelsea to Win & Over 1.5 Goals
Sheffield United-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals
Manchester City - 0.25 Asian Handicap
Fantasy Football GW 32+
99 points in GW30+ followed by 98 points in GW31+ is pretty much the perfect way for the FPL game to restart for my team, but this is when things are going to get a little more difficult.
With the Premier League title race already over, you can imagine the top two are going to be doing a lot of rotating over the coming weeks which means their top names might not be getting the minutes they would usually. Effectively it will be similar to a pre-season for those two clubs knowing there is likely going to be a very short break between the 2019/20 season and the 2020/21 campaign which is rumoured to start on September 12th.
That will mean the whole squad being managed, while there is also the issues that come with having games every three or four days that is going to be make it difficult for every manager in the Division.
It seeps down to us playing the FPL game and it is the main reason I have decided against playing my Free Hit Chip in GW32+ as I suggested I may do earlier this week.
Instead I am comfortable enough with my options for the starting eleven and knowing I have decent bench players to come in if they are needed. This is all very much with GW33+ in mind when I want to use the squad I have to play my Bench Boost on a weekend when Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all host bottom five clubs and Manchester City play at Southampton.
In GW31+ it was the decision to Captain Anthony Martial that proved to be a huge reason I ended up with as many points as I did. His hat-trick as a midfield option in the game, but one who is playing up front in reality, was a huge boost and I also managed to secure the clean sheets from the defensive players targeted.
I was close to using a transfer this week to bring in a Burnley defender who have Crystal Palace away and Sheffield United at home in their next two games. I would have looked to replace my Newcastle United defender, Federico Fernandez, who are playing at Bournemouth just a couple of days after hosting Manchester City in the Cup. A rested Bournemouth team might cause more problems, but ultimately I feel it is not something I will end up doing so I can have two transfers to use in GW33+ if they are needed (injuries and suspensions could occur before that and I want fifteen players all getting minutes for the Bench Boost).
So at the time of writing and with not much time before the GW32+ deadline is locked down, this looks to be the team I am going with. I am toying with changing my Captain, but that might literally come down to a decision on Saturday morning moments before the deadline comes down.
Emiliano Martinez Arsenal (v Norwich): A cheap goalkeeper option opened up when Bernd Leno went down with an injury, but he does have to get through the Cup tie at Sheffield United.
Federico Fernandez Newcastle United (@ Bournemouth): This might have been a better looking game if Bournemouth did not have a full week to prepare and Newcastle United were not playing in the Cup on Sunday.
Harry Maguire Manchester United (@ Brighton): This has not been the best venue for Manchester United to visit of late, but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has United in form and playing with confidence. Another who has to get through a Cup game before the Premier League outing.
Willy Boly Wolves (@ Aston Villa): My feeling is that Aston Villa can get a point out of this one, but I can't ignore the Wolves clean sheets in both games since the restart. I don't want to misjudge the early kick off and miss out on another if Wolves can keep the momentum behind them.
Kevin De Bruyne Manchester City (v Liverpool): There are four days between Manchester City's game at Newcastle United in the FA Cup and this Premier League game against Liverpool. I have to expect Pep Guardiola will pick a team to lay down a marker for the new season having lost his grip on the Premier League title.
Anthony Martial Manchester United (@ Brighton) [C]: A hat trick last time out and I have to expect the Frenchman to start here as Manchester United continue their push for the top four. Plays up front, and has scored in four of his last six Premier League games.
Bruno Fernandes Manchester United (@ Brighton): A kind fixture list, strong form, and a potential assist/goalscorer for Manchester United. Also on penalty duties.
Harvey Barnes Leicester City (@ Everton): This is a difficult game for a slumping Leicester City just a few days after a big Cup Quarter Final. Harvey Barnes has some strong underlying stats over his last few games, but I will be keeping an eye on him having not started last time out.
Mason Mount Chelsea (@ West Ham United): Has looked in good nick out of the break in play and Chelsea been creating chances and scoring goals. Mason Mount was a potential Captain choice, but yet another player having to complete a Cup tie and avoid injury.
Joelinton Newcastle United (@ Bournemouth): The home team are far from convincing at the back and have to take risks in a big fixture to try and avoid the drop. It could give Newcastle United some opportunities and Joelinton does find himself in good positions, even if he has had problems with his finishing.
Raul Jimenez Wolves (@ Aston Villa): As I have said above, I think Aston Villa have a chance in this game. However Raul Jimenez has proved to be clinical when the chances have come his way in the first two games since the restart and looks the biggest danger for relegation threatened Villa... A team who give up chances.
Bench- Alisson, Roberto Firmino, Virgil Van Dijk, James Justin
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