US Open Tennis Day 3 Picks 2022 (August 31st)

Headlines have been earned by a number of underdogs over the first two days at the US Open and a relatively slow start for the Tennis Picks are probably appreciated with so much going on around the grounds.

The Women's defending Champion was beaten on Day 2 and Emma Raducanu will now be able to try and build on her fairytale run in 2021 by playing with less pressure going forward. It didn't do anything for her to be Ranked at Number 11 off the back of one strong tournament and the fact she will be slipping to at least World Number 80 and perhaps even lower may mean she can work on her tennis, rather than her commercial brand building, and try and get back to doing the basics.

I am not convinced we will see that to be honest- Raducanu is made for life after winning the US Open and I would not be surprised at all if she retires in her mid-20s if her Ranking is not vastly improved sooner rather than later. That may be a big statement to make about a Grand Slam Champion, but that was really a miracle couple of weeks and the tennis played over the last twelve months has truly not been good enough.

She is young enough to come again, but a complete change in mentality is likely going to be needed and someone who has gone through three or four Coaches in the space of twelve months suggests to me that the blame is attributed to others rather than someone looking inwards to improve. I might be wrong, time will tell...

The Men's draw is largely intact after the First Round, but the Women's draw looks as wide open as anticipated with a number of former Grand Slam Champions already exiting before the Second Round. Throw a dart onto a board- that may be the most productive way to pick a Women's winner over the next fortnight.

Day 3 looks to be another scorcher in New York City and it is going to be a tough test for all out on the courts. It is a much busier day for the Tennis Picks with the tournament really feeling lime it is underway now and I am hoping for an improvement in results too.

Daniil Medvedev - 8.5 games v Arthur Rinderknech: A dominant First Round win has gotten Daniil Medvedev's defence of his US Open title off to the perfect start and it was a positive day all around for the top Seed. Focusing on his own performance will be the kind of answer you would expect from Daniil Medvedev if you asked if he had seen the other results from the day, but I have no doubt that he will have noted the exit of Stefanos Tsitsipas to further enhance his own chances of making it through to the Final in a little under two weeks time.

The surprising loss for Tsitsipas will also make sure that Daniil Medvedev is very focused on each match as it comes and I do think it will make sure he is not overlooking any opponent that will be placed in front of him.

As one of the stronger hard court players on the Tour as well as being the reigning US Open Champion, Daniil Medvedev is likely going to be asked to cover some big numbers early in the tournament. He was able to do that with little fuss against Stefan Kozlov in the First Round, but the expectation is that Daniil Medvedev will be challenged by Arthur Rinderknech, despite the Frenchman having limited experience of this level of tennis.

Arthur Rinderknech reached the Final at the Vancouver Challenger and that run has to be respected, but he has suffered early losses in the main draw in Indian Wells, Miami and Montreal. Last year he was beaten in the Second Round at the US Open by Carlos Alcaraz and this is a very difficult test for Arthur Rinderknech who is going to have to serve very well to be competitive.

The return game is not really good enough to expect an upset, but Arthur Rinderknech does hold 85% of his service games played over a twelve month period on the hard courts and that makes him potentially awkward. It should be noted again that Daniil Medvedev is a very effective returner of serve and can nullify the rallies very quickly, but Rinderknech may be able to breeze through some of his service games and make it very difficult for the Number 1 Seed to cover.

Daniil Medvedev did make relatively comfortable work of some of his early opponents last year in his run to the US Open title and I do think he can find a way to earn the breaks to do the same here. I am finding it hard to ignore the early losses suffered by Arthur Rinderknech at Masters level on the hard courts, especially as those have not come against players of the quality of Medvedev, and I think there will be at least one set that gets away from the lower Ranked player and gives the defending Champion a chance to make it back to back wins and covers on his way into the Third Round.

Andy Murray - 6.5 games v Emilio Nava: An impressive win in the First Round was not as comfortable as the straight sets win would suggest, but the big question for Andy Murray is whether he can back that up at a venue where he won his first Grand Slam title. He has beaten one of the Seeds in the top half and a number of other Seeded players have already been dumped out of the US Open around the Andy Murray draw, although he is likely going to need at least one more really big win if he is going to return to the second week of a Grand Slam for the first time since the beginning of his big injury issues at Wimbledon in 2017.

In fact Andy Murray has not even reached the Third Round of a Grand Slam since then, but the draw looks to be one that should give him every chance of doing that.

Andy Murray is still a fiery competitor, but he is not at the level he once produced and that is most clear from his return numbers, which are considerably down on his peak levels. Over the last twelve months, Andy Murray has only broken in 21% of return games played on the hard courts, but back in 2016 that number was 35% and it has put additional pressure on a serve that always had one or two vulnerabilities about it.

While he may not be the player he once was, Andy Murray has been stronger in those matches played on the hard courts against players Ranked outside the top 20. Over the last twelve months, Andy Murray has been able to break in 25% of the return games played in that situation and he will certainly hold a considerable experience edge against Emilio Nava.

The 20 year old home hope will receive plenty of support from the crowd in this huge match, but Emilio Nava did have to dig deep and win in five sets in the First Round. The back and forth nature of that match will have taken something away from Nava both mentally and physically, while he has a 1-3 record against top 100 Ranked players on the hard courts this season.

In fact Emilio Nava had lost all six matches against top 100 Ranked opponents on this surface until beating Taro Daniel last week in Winston Salem and the American has struggled to be competitive in those matches. He has not been able to get himself into the return games as well as he would have liked, while Nava's serve has been a weakness as he continues to grow onto the main Tour.

Winning back to back matches has been a very difficult challenge for Andy Murray this season, but I do think he is going to have enough to find the breaks needed to win the match and cover this handicap mark.

MY PICKS: Daniil Medvedev - 8.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Andy Murray - 6.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Brandon Holt - 1.5 Sets @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Matteo Berrettini - 6.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina - 1.5 Sets @ 1.83 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Daniel Elahi Galan - 1.5 Sets @ 2.50 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Casper Ruud - 6.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Sebastian Korda @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Yibing Wu - 4.5 Games @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Maria Sakkari - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Alison Riske - 2.5 Games @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Madison Keys - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Anett Kontaveit - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Beatriz Haddad Maia @ 1.90 Bet365 (2 Units)

US Open: 6-8, - 6.50 Units (28 Units Staked, - 23.21% Yield)

Premier League Picks and Fantasy Football GameWeek 5 2022/23 (August 30-September 1)

The intense schedule for the top clubs in the top European Leagues will really begin this week with most of those teams playing twice a week through to mid-November when the break for the World Cup will begin.

Only a September international break cools things down a touch, but for most clubs that just means their players are on the field twice a week for their country rather than for their club.

It is going to mean a lot of rotation and that will impact the Fantasy Football selections, more of which is below.

Premier League Picks GameWeek 5

This has not been a very good start to the Premier League Picks as multiple moments that can change the entire feeling of a match have seemingly gone against my selections.

Penalty misses, early sendings off, or goals being conceded within five minutes of the start of a match have hurt.

World class finishing to erase winning selections with minutes remaining have also been a part of the deal and teams have also blown two goal leads.

It stings, but you have to believe some of those moments will naturally begin to turn back around.

Crystal Palace v Brentford Pick: It has been a difficult opening to the Premier League selections as late goals and Penalty misses sting, but the quick turnaround into a full midweek set of games will hopefully see a change in fortune.

A London derby will open the ten Premier League games to be played between Tuesday and Thursday and both Crystal Palace and Brentford will be feeling a little sore after the results on Saturday.

Patrick Vieira's team had travelled to Manchester and led the Champions 0-2, but capitulated in the last 37 minutes in an eventual 4-2 defeat. It will be tough to pick up the Crystal Palace squad after that result and they will be hoping that Wilfred Zaha can return to give them a boost in the build up to this one.

Thomas Frank's team came from behind to earn a point, but the manager believed wastefulness in the final third was costly for Brentford. The woodwork was hit multiple times in the 1-1 draw with Everton and Frank will be keen to see his strikers show a touch more composure when the big chances come their way.

Brentford have been creating plenty of chances in the first month of the season, but the defensive vulnerabilities on display at the end of last season continue to be an issue for the team. They have conceded at least twice in each of their last 4 away Premier League games, but scoring goals has not been a problem and Brentford have scored at least twice in each of their last 4 on their travels in all competitions.

I do think they can pose problems for a Crystal Palace team who have yet to earn a clean sheet this season and who have looked a little unsure of themselves at the back. However, Patrick Viera's team have scored in each of their last 3 Premier League games and have looked pretty good going forward in all of their fixtures played in August.

I can't ignore the fact that both League games between these teams finished goalless last season, but the underlying numbers of the defences early in this campaign has suggested there is some vulnerability about both Brentford and Crystal Palace. The 1-1 scoreline is perhaps the most dangerous against the selection, but I do think there will be at least three goals shared out between the teams on Tuesday.

Fulham v Brighton Pick: Both Marco Silva and Graham Potter have to be pleased with the Premier League performances from their respective teams in August, but there is still one more game to negotiate before moving in September.

They are heading into this fixture in slightly different form- Fulham have lost back to back away games in all competitions, while Brighton have won their last 3 in a row. However, Fulham's setbacks have been away from Craven Cottage and I do think they have been strong at home in their two Premier League games played here.

Defensively there are some questions, but Fulham have looked really good going forward and have been creating plenty of chances. Alexander Mitrovic has struggled at this level in previous years, but the Serbian striker has been in strong form to open this season including scoring the winning goal against Brentford.

In both games at Craven Cottage, Fulham have started really well and have scored the first goal which has been the key to picking up 4 points from a possible 6. However, there are some questions for a team who have conceded two goals in 4 of their 5 games played in all competitions this season and now have to face a Brighton team who finished last season in fine form.

Losing Marc Cucurella and Yves Bissouma will have hurt, but the squad have rallied behind Graham Potter and Brighton are playing with confidence. They have looked strong at both ends of the field over the first month of the season and Brighton are unbeaten in 10 in all competitions.

The away form has been particularly impressive and Brighton have won 5 of their last 7 away Premier League games. In 4 of those 7 away League games, Brighton have scored at least twice and I do think they can cause problems for Fulham as long as they can weather the expected early storm.

Both teams may hit the back of the net in this one, but I have to give the lean to Brighton with their long-term form away from home. The goals being conceded by Fulham is a concern, and Brighton have a pretty decent record at Craven Cottage in recent years which has seen them lose 1 of their last 5 visits.

Brighton have won 3 times in that stretch of games and I think on current form The Seagulls may have enough to leave West London with three more points on Tuesday evening.

Southampton v Chelsea Pick: Deep squads are going to be important for all Premier League clubs in the lead up to the World Cup, but it is especially the case for clubs competing in European competition who will have to become used to playing every three or four days until mid-November.

Thomas Tuchel has a couple of injuries in the squad which are making things difficult, but he will be frustrated by the sending offs that have led to suspensions. Conor Gallagher will be missing out on Tuesday, while Wesley Fofana may not be signed in time despite the fact that the transfer has moved forward.

At least Kalidou Koulibaly is back and Chelsea are coming in behind a victory over Leicester City.

However, you do have to question whether that win has sapped some of the energy in the Chelsea legs- they spent over 70 minutes playing with ten men on Saturday and a tough away game at St Mary's will present a real challenge for the visiting team.

Southampton are coming into the fixture off a home defeat and the team have struggled for performances at home going back to last season. They have lost 4 of their last 5 home Premier League games and Southampton are struggling for consistency under Ralph Hasenhuttl.

I do think Southampton showed enough on Saturday to be considered a threat and they will feel they can outwork Chelsea if there is any tiredness in the away dressing room. The Saints have created some decent openings in their fixtures played this month, but Southampton have yet to really convince defensively and I do think Chelsea are strong enough in the final third to find the goals to win this fixture.

Chelsea have won 6 of their last 7 games at St Mary's and they have scored at least twice in each of those victories. They are likely going to need to score at least two goals to win this Premier League game and I think Thomas Tuchel's men have shown they can find a way to scoring the goals to secure the victory.

Leeds United v Everton Pick: Two big clubs in English Football both flirted with relegation last season from the Premier League and Leeds United and Everton must be thinking about consolidation at this level over the next nine months.

The start made by Leeds United will have their fans believing they can achieve much more than that, but Jesse Marsch will want to keep his players focused on each match. The defeat at Brighton may be a reminder to the players and the fans that there is more work to do, but Leeds United have every chance of bouncing back in front of their own fans.

Last season was a challenging time for Leeds United at Elland Road, but they have won all three games played here this month and have scored at least twice in each victory. Jesse Marsch looks to have found a strong balance between attack and defence and that has shown up at home.

He will certainly feel his Leeds United team can do enough to beat Everton who have struggled for clean sheets and simply have not scored enough goals. Dominic Calvert-Lewin continues to be a big miss, while Neal Maupay will be making his debut having signed from Brighton knowing he has some big boots to fill.

I do think Maupay can make an impact for Everton who have been creating chances, but just lacked a finishing touch to some of the football played. However, Everton continue to look vulnerable at the back and I do think Leeds United are playing well enough to exploit that, especially at home.

Brentford should have beaten Everton on Saturday and I think this game will follow a similar path with the home team having the majority of the stronger chances. Frank Lampard's men have shown they can be pretty stubborn to beat, but Everton have not faced the toughest fixture list over the last two weeks and have still had to ride their luck at times.

The first goal will be important, but Leeds United can get that and that could lay the foundation for another three points at home.

Arsenal v Aston Villa Pick: Three wins from three relatively decent fixtures did not tell us too much about Arsenal, but the character shown in coming from behind to beat Fulham will have more people taking notice. There is no doubt that Mikel Arteta and the board have put together a strong squad and one that is young enough to grow together, but the manager will be the first to admit that bigger tests are yet to be faced.

At the start of the season some may have felt Aston Villa could provide that test, but Steven Gerrard's team have been underachieving all season. There are suggestions that Gerrard is not very happy and that the players are also not on the same page as the manager and these are the kind of stories that usually prelude a change in direction at a club.

I don't think the fans will be too disappointed if Steven Gerrard does leave the club as many are complaining that the football is as turgid as you will ever get to see. Some have even pointed out that the team looks to have gone backwards since the Sacking of Dean Smith and that despite the huge investment that has been made in the last two transfer windows.

The defeats to Bournemouth, Crystal Palace and West Ham United are made all the worse when you think those teams are a combined 0-1-8 when not playing Aston Villa this season.

There is quality in the squad that has to be respected, but if the players have fallen out with the manager, it can be difficult to imagine Aston Villa causing too many problems for Arsenal. Defensively they have been struggling and could be without Tyrone Mings and Diego Carlos for this one, while Arsenal are a team who are flying at home and playing with a swagger we have not seen for a long time.

Last season Arsenal beat Aston Villa 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium and I would not be surprised if The Gunners are able to match that margin of victory if they can score the first goal this weekend. The chances being created at home and Aston Villa's poor recent away record in the Premier League suggests Arsenal are going to be on the front foot for much of the fixture and they can win well.

Bournemouth v Wolves Pick: A month ago you would have seen plenty of predictions of how the Premier League will shake up over the course of the next few months and many would have tipped up Bournemouth for an immediate return to the Championship.

Plenty of others would have suggested that Wolves could slip into trouble too, especially as they had a miserable end to the last campaign.

Bruno Lage has to be a little worried considering the early season form, but the Wolves board have backed their manager with some signings made to strengthen the team. Holding onto Ruben Neves will be a huge achievement, but Wolves are still struggling for goals and they have now failed to win any of their last 11 Premier League games.

They have created some chances, but Wolves have not defended as well as they would have liked even if it took a world class strike to secure point against them on Sunday. Newcastle United did enough to deserve that result and Wolves will be under pressure in what should be a tough away game.

Bournemouth are another who are trying to recover from a disappointing result this past weekend and the 9-0 defeat at Anfield will have embarrassed all associated with the club. Scott Parker continues to let all know that he needs more help, but Bournemouth are unlikely to have new faces involved in this one on Wednesday.

The Cherries have beaten Aston Villa at home this season so have to be respected, but they are not a team that have looked as good going forward as they would have liked. Some of that may be down to the fact that Bournemouth have faced some of the toughest teams in the Division after the opening game against Aston Villa, but this is a much more winnable fixture.

The first goal feels like it will be massive- Bournemouth's poor defensive performances are a worry against a Wolves team that do have pace and some quality in the final third. However, Wolves have lost the winning feeling and this could be a close match.

I don't think there will be much between them on the night, but Wolves may have just enough to steal the points and I think they can be backed on the Asian Handicap.

UPDATE: I wrote this before the news of Scott Parker's departure from Bournemouth was being confirmed. It could impact the players in a positive way- they will feel the previous manager has thrown them under the bus with some of his comments and it may produced a big reaction from them.

I still think Wolves will edge to the points on quality alone, but the dynamics are a little different now.

Manchester City v Nottingham Forest Pick: Wins are all that matters at the end of the day, but Manchester City will not want to continue having to fight back from two goals down as they have been in each of their last two Premier League fixtures. Some late misses prevented Manchester City coming back to beat Newcastle United, but that was not the case on Saturday as they fought back in a 4-2 win over Crystal Palace.

Pep Guardiola will be demanding more control from his players before the Champions League Group Stage begins next week and Manchester City also have some tougher games coming up.

The manager will be demanding that control begins on Wednesday when hosting Nottingham Forest, a team who have looked really open at the back and yet to show a consistency in the final third.

Nottingham Forest played attractive football against Tottenham Hotspur, but they were not able to create great openings and were perhaps a little fortunate to only lose by two goals on the day. Dean Henderson saved a Penalty for a second home game in succession, but the Manchester United player on loan at the City Ground is going to be a busy player on Wednesday.

The Tricky Trees will need Henderson at his best, but Nottingham Forest were well beaten at Newcastle United in their first away game. Everton created a lot of chances against Nottingham Forest too and that has to be a major concern for Steve Cooper ahead of a game against the Champions who have scored at least three goals in their last 3 Premier League games.

At home Manchester City have been very dominant and scored at least three goals in 4 of their last 5 at the Etihad Stadium, while banging in four in both home games against Bournemouth and Crystal Palace this month. I expect some changes to be made to the starting eleven, but Manchester City should have plenty of quality on the field and they are capable of covering this big Asian Handicap mark.

West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: An early London derby between two teams who will be chasing European places in the Premier League come the end of the season will be played on Wednesday as the first month of the campaign draws to a close.

It has been a more productive month for Tottenham Hotspur, although Antonio Conte will be looking for improved performances even if the results have been pretty good. The win at Nottingham Forest will have given Tottenham Hotspur some confidence, but Antonio Conte will be asking his players to just show a bit more composure all around.

He will be the first to remind the squad that this is going to be a much tougher test against a West Ham United team who have finally won a Premier League game for the first time this season. It was far from a vintage performance from David Moyes' team, but they did enough to beat Aston Villa and will be looking to back that up.

New signings are still bedding in though and West Ham United look short of defensive numbers with injury issues meaning there are vulnerabilities that can be exploited by the visiting team. The attacking side of their football has not really been firing as the manager would have hoped either and I do think Tottenham Hotspur can snap their run of consecutive losses at the London Stadium.

You have to believe Tottenham Hotspur can create the chances to do that as long as they can weather what could be an early West Ham United storm. David Moyes had set his team up to be very effective against the top teams last season, but West Ham United have been well beaten by Manchester City and Brighton at the London Stadium this month and I do think Tottenham Hotspur are playing well enough to secure another away victory in the space of less than a week.

Liverpool v Newcastle United Pick: Eddie Howe is doing a very strong job as manager of Newcastle United, but there will be a frustration with some key injuries that have been picked up.

They lost Callum Wilson last week, while Allan Saint-Maximin picked up an injury against Wolves that is likely going to keep him out of this one. Alexander Isak could be involved for the first time since being signed from Real Sociedad, but Newcastle United may not have the same bite going forward as they did when facing Manchester City a couple of weeks ago.

I expect Newcastle United to be a threat from set pieces and their counter attack could hurt a Liverpool team that have played a high line under Jurgen Klopp. They have been able to do that with confidence previously, but injuries have left Liverpool a little more vulnerable and I do think Newcastle United can have some success.

However, Liverpool are going to be a lot more confident having thumped Bournemouth on Saturday and I do expect the home team to get forward and create chances. They have done that all season and Newcastle United are a team that allowed Brighton and Manchester City to create plenty against them.

Only an inspired Nick Pope has prevented Newcastle United from falling to defeat already this season, but they are likely going to need him at his best again. The Liverpool squad will begin to look much stronger in the next couple of weeks, but they have shown there is still enough quality to win matches.

Things have just seemed to conspire against Liverpool early in this season, while Newcastle United have perhaps had fortune on their side. However, I think Liverpool kick on from the win over Bournemouth and the injuries in key attacking areas may leave Newcastle United short in this one as Liverpool perhaps win by a big enough margin to cover this Asian Handicap line.

Leicester City v Manchester United Pick: Winning at St Mary's will have given the Manchester United players another shot of confidence, especially when you consider how poorly they have played away from Old Trafford for a number of months. 7 straight away losses underlines the point, but a gritty win at Southampton along with the clean sheet will keep the momentum going under Erik ten Hag.

Antony has been signed and that is a move endorsed by the manager, although he is unlikely to be playing on Thursday.

It will mean the starting eleven have to impress ten Hag with the likes of Casemiro and Cristiano Ronaldo others pushing for starts and I do think Manchester United have a few more options now. Regardless, Erik ten Hag has shown that reputations mean nothing and only form and doing what is expected on the field will be good enough to keep players in the starting line up.

Manchester United have not had the best of recent visits to the King Power Stadium, but they may not have a better chance to get the better of Leicester City.

Brendan Rodgers has seen his team look very vulnerable defensively and they have lost 3 Premier League games in a row. The last defeat came at Stamford Bridge despite the fact that Chelsea were reduced to ten men early on, while Leicester City have looked weak at both ends of the field in their opening three League games before the loss last Saturday.

Even in that one Chelsea created enough chances against Leicester City, which is going to be encouraging for Manchester United when noting that The Blues were down to ten men for 70 minutes.

James Maddison is a doubt and his absence would be a big blow for Leicester City, while Manchester United will feel they have the momentum behind them anyway. This is never an easy place to visit, but Leicester City have conceded two goals to both Brentford and Southampton here and Manchester United look a big price at odds against to win.

This won't be easy and I expect there will be tense moments to ride out for the visitors, but I am looking for the quality in the final third to just about give Manchester United the edge to earn the full points on offer.

MY PICKS: Crystal Palace-Brentford Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Brighton - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.01 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Chelsea to Win & Over 1 Total Goals @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)

Leeds United - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.84 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Arsenal - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.06 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Wolves - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.87 Bet365 (2 Units)

Manchester City - 2.75 Asian Handicap @ 1.76 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Tottenham Hotspur @ 2.05 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Liverpool - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.84 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Manchester United @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

August 2022/23: 12-22, - 20.48 Units (68 Units Staked, - 30.12% Yield)

Fantasy Football GameWeek 5

Patience is always the key in playing any type of Fantasy game and not making any rash decisions when things have not gone to plan early is the absolute state of mind you have to maintain.

That isn't easy when big priced players are underperforming, but GameWeek 4 was a much stronger one.

In saying that, I am still not sure how my Captain failed to return even a single assist in a game in which his team managed to score NINE goals. The only saving grace is that many would have selected Mo Salah as their Captain for the week and the rest of my team made up for the lack of production from the Liverpool forward.

The couple of players that are of real concern are Leon Bailey and Gabriel Martinelli.

The latter has at least returned early and his price point has moved up markedly, but a couple of games in which he has not been as effective is something I have noted.

Arsenal have a solid squad of players and the likes of Emile Smith Rowe will be pushing Martinelli, although for now he is a keeper with other issues to address.

I have already mentioned how intense the schedule is between now and November and that is likely going to mean rotations- that means a strong bench is needed to make up for any players that are surprisingly rested.

With that in mind, my transfers this week are pretty easy having held one on GameWeek 4 to use ahead of the midweek fixtures. Leon Bailey has to leave the squad with the upcoming games and being out of favour under Steven Gerrard, while Zinchenko could miss out on Wednesday and then has a difficult game at Old Trafford to come, assuming he is back by the weekend.

I am looking to bring back Nico Williams of Nottingham Forest who has a good set of fixtures coming up after the visit to Manchester City and who looks like he could offer plenty of attacking returns. The Leeds United fixtures also look pretty appealing before the trip to Manchester United next month and so downgrading Zinchenko into a £4.1 million Williams opens the door to move Bailey into Rodrigo or Jack Harrison.

Patrick Bamford continues to miss time so Rodrigo looks the superior short-term choice and also is a potential player that can help to rebuild the bank after the drop in prices for both Bailey and Marcus Rashford hurt me early.

The Captain choice is a tough one this week- Erling Haaland's performance against Crystal Palace is obviously catching the eye, while Nottingham Forest have looked really weak defensively in the system being played by Steve Cooper. However, Pep Guardiola has already begun to troll the Fantasy players around the world by suggesting he will be rotating Haaland as soon as Manchester City have to play twice a week and this would be the perfect game to give Julian Alvarez the start.

It is enough to put me off Erling Haaland and give Mo Salah another chance- as disappointing as his return was on Saturday, he had a couple of great chances to score and I think he will have more against Newcastle United. Eddie Howe's team is much improved, but Brighton and Manchester City have created plenty of chances against them already this season and only an inspired Nick Pope has prevented defeat.

He will need to be as inspired on Wednesday and I think Mo Salah edges out Gabriel Jesus for the armband.

Good luck to all over the coming three days before GameWeek 6's deadline hits on Saturday morning.

US Open Tennis Day 2 Picks 2022 (August 30th)

There have already been some big upsets at the US Open and we have not even completed the First Round yet.

In recent years it has been a tournament filled with surprise runs, but I also think the ball they are using at the US Open is one that is largely alien to players and so levels the playing field between the very best and the rest.

This is going to be something to keep an eye on as a wide open tournament moves into Day 2.

A really poor start had me watching the remainder of the Tennis on Day 1 through gaps in the hands and I am feeling almost fortunate to escape a really bad start to the event.

Some of the picks were poor, but I was also a touch unfortunate with a couple of them and I am looking for an improvement on what looks a difficult Day 2 for the selections.

Carlos Alcaraz - 8.5 games v Sebastian Baez: You have to remember that Carlos Alcaraz is still a very young player on the Tour with his first real breakthrough coming at the US Open in 2021. He was Number 55 in the World Rankings ahead of the final Grand Slam last season, but Carlos Alcaraz reached the Quarter Final in fine style and this year he comes into the event as the World Number 4.

However, the fact that he is still relatively young has been highlighted by some of the comments made in recent events.

Carlos Alcaraz has admitted that he has not always coped very well with being a favourite in big events like the Canadian and Cincinnati Masters and it has led to some tougher matches than expected. There is no doubt that Carlos Alcaraz is not playing as well as he was earlier in the year and some may even suggest he is not quite over his French Open Quarter Final loss to Alexander Zverev as Carlos Alcaraz was looking to back up the expectations that had built on his shoulders in the lead up to that event.

The 19 year old may actually benefit from the relatively early losses in Montreal and Cincinnati and you should remember that Carlos Alcaraz has won the Miami Masters already this season. His hard court numbers look very impressive with a strong serve being backed up by a very strong return game and I do think Carlos Alcaraz can impress in this First Round as long as he can play the match with the aggression needed for a hard court.

I think that is the only way Carlos Alcaraz will want to play and it will also mean keeping Sebastian Baez running and preventing the clay court specialist from being able to defend as well as he would like. I really like how Sebastian Baez has played this season, but he is still learning his craft on the hard courts and I am not sure he has the tools to keep Carlos Alcaraz at bay.

Sebastian Baez has not won a hard court match since the First Round at the Australian Open and it should be said that he has largely been uncompetitive in the three losses suffered on the surface this summer. He has not won a set in any of those defeats and three of the six sets lost have been by the same 6/1 scoreline, which is a major concern for Sebastian Baez fans.

The World Number 37 is holding fewer than 70% of his service games played on the hard courts in 2022 and Baez has not been able to get into return games nearly as well as he can on the red dirt.

These two players met on a hard court at the Nxt Gen Finals last November, which are played in a different format to usual set tennis (first to four games to win a set for example), and it was a match dominated by Carlos Alcaraz. The Spaniard faced three break points in that match and managed to avoid being broken, while Carlos Alcaraz broke serve in 44% of return games played.

Barring the expectation getting on top of him, I think Carlos Alcaraz can get on top of this opponent on this surface in the First Round and he should be able to pull clear for a solid win.

Cameron Norrie - 8.5 games v Benoit Paire: Much of his formative years have been spent in the United States as Cameron Norrie decided to take the College route before entering the professional ranks. While many have chosen to turn professional as soon as possible, Cameron Norrie is the latest to come through the US College system to show that it is another effective avenue to success.

The conditions and courts in the United States should be very comfortable for Cameron Norrie who is the British Number 1 and a top ten player in his own right. Hard courts in general have been enjoyed by Cameron Norrie who has won a title and reached two more Finals on the surface, while he was a Semi Finalist at the Cincinnati Masters to underline his own credentials as a potential US Open Champion.

There will be plenty of challenges to overcome if Cameron Norrie is going to win this Slam, but the run to the Wimbledon Semi Final should have motivated him further. He will know it is important to try and get through the early Rounds as quickly as possible, especially in the hot conditions you tend to find at the US Open, and that means trying to get on top of Benoit Paire early and force the Frenchman to perhaps check out of the match.

It has been a big criticism of Benoit Paire throughout his career and I do think the Frenchman has underachieved, while he now sits well outside the top 150 in the World Rankings. I don't think Benoit Paire is someone who will regret his decisions, but all of the time he spent travelling the world and openly admitting that he was not bothered about winning matches has come back to bite him with the World Ranking dropping to where it currently stands.

Benoit Paire did Qualify for the Canadian Masters, but failed to do the same in Cincinnati and also had very early losses in Atlanta and Washington. The Frenchman has not had a winning record on the hard courts since 2018 and is on his way to another losing season, while Benoit Paire has pretty average numbers on both the serve and return.

Over the last twelve months, Benoit Paire has really struggled when facing top 100 Ranked opponents on the hard courts and I do think he will struggle to be competitive in this one if he drops the first set.

The sole previous match between Cameron Norrie and Benoit Paire was won comfortably by the former and that was in January 2019- Cameron Norrie is much improved since then and I think he will have far too much for Benoit Paire, despite the talented Frenchman likely asking one or two questions of the top ten Ranked player.

MY PICKS: Carlos Alcaraz - 8.5 Games @ 1.70 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Cameron Norrie - 8.5 Games @ 1.66 Bet365 (2 Units)

Belinda Bencic - 5.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Petra Kvitova - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Karolina Pliskova - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

US Open Update: 4-5, - 3.64 Units (18 Units Staked, - 20.22% Yield)

US Open Tennis Day 1 Picks 2022 (August 29th)

The US Open begins on Monday and the tournament looks wide open on both the Men's and Women's side of the draws.

That feeling is backed up by the surprising names that have won the big titles in Canada and Cincinnati this past month and I do think we could have another in New York City over the next fortnight. In recent years, the US Open has been the hardest Grand Slam to predict with it being played eight months into a long season on the Tour and I do think that has to be noted.

No Novak Djokovic is a blow to the tournament, but defending Champions Daniil Medvedev and Emma Raducanu will be in action. In fact, the Men's tournament has three defending Champions in action in Medvedev, Rafael Nadal and Dominic Thiem as all play for the first time in New York City since lifting the US Open title.

Daniil Medvedev - 9.5 games v Stefan Kozlov: The defending Champion has arguably not been the same threat on the hard courts since blowing the Australian Open Final against Rafael Nadal. He will still be considered one of the favourites to win the title when the US Open gets underway on Monday, but Daniil Medvedev will know he will have to be better than what we have largely seen in the build towards New York City.

An early loss at the Canadian Masters was followed by a disappointing defeat in the Semi Final in Cincinnati, but Daniil Medvedev did win the title in Los Cabos.

The First Round should be a relatively serene moment for most of the top players in the draw and Daniil Medvedev will be a strong favourite to not only move through, but to do so without dropping a set.

He will be facing a home hope in Stefan Kozlov who has not really pushed on as a professional in the manner he would have hoped. At 24 years old, Stefan Kozlov has yet to crack the top 100 in the World Rankings and the numbers being produced on the hard courts suggest it would be an almost historic upset if he was to beat the defending Champion in the First Round.

The return of serve can be a strength for Stefan Kozlov, but his own serve has not been as effective as he would have liked and I do think he will be put under pressure by Daniil Medvedev and his ability to get balls in play and nullify rallies before turning into the offensive player.

With a much superior serve, Daniil Medvedev could have plenty of freedom to attack the Stefan Kozlov serve and I think that will help the World Number 1 win the match and by a comfortable margin on the scoreboard. In his run to the title here last season, Daniil Medvedev made easy work of his early opponents and I do think the defending Champion can lay a marker down early at the US Open in 2022.

Roberto Bautista Agut - 5.5 games v JJ Wolf: As a player that is pretty happy on the hard courts and who has reached the Quarter Final at the Australian Open, it is perhaps a surprise to note that Roberto Bautista Agut has not made it to the second week at the US Open since 2015.

He looks to have an opportunity to have a good run in 2022, especially after putting some decent efforts together at the Canadian and Cincinnati Masters. However, at 34 years old, Roberto Bautista Agut may have had his best days even if he is still a top 20 Ranked player.

Matches like this one should still be very winnable for Roberto Bautista Agut, although he is going to have to deal with the home crowd who will be firmly in JJ Wolf's corner. The young American has reached a career best World Ranking this month, but three straight losses on the hard courts is far from ideal for a player that is making his second appearance in the main draw at his home Grand Slam.

On his first appearance in 2020, JJ Wolf did reach the Third Round, but the crowds will feel much different in 2022 as the US Open is once again played in front of full capacity crowds. That brings a different pressure on those on the courts and I do think JJ Wolf will find it tough against someone as experienced as Roberto Bautista Agut.

Both have produced similar kinds of numbers behind the serve, but Roberto Bautista Agut has had the edge when it comes to the returning side of his tennis and that was also the case when these two met in Indian Wells earlier this season.

The match lasted well over three hours and was relatively tight on the scoreboard, but Roberto Bautista Agut created 18 break points on the day compared with JJ Wolf's 8. The Spaniard was simply not as efficient with the big points, but he did win 10% more points behind serve and it won't take a lot for those numbers to lead to a much wider win.

With a bit more confidence behind him having put some wins on the board over this summer series, I do think Roberto Bautista Agut will break down the JJ Wolf game and he can cover this big mark on his way through to the Second Round.

MY PICKS: Daniil Medvedev - 9.5 Games @ 1.61 Bet365 (2 Units)

Roberto Bautista Agut - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Pablo Carreno Busta - 5.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Alex De Minaur - 5.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Emil Ruusuvuori @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Francisco Cerundolo @ 2.20 Bet365 (2 Units)

Tommy Paul - 7.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Serena Williams - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Daria Kasatkina - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Premier League Picks and Fantasy Football GameWeek 4 2022/23 (August 27th-28th 2022)

The Premier League continues to move at a pace and we are very shortly going to add in European commitments for the top teams which means a huge amount of football will be played in a short space of time.

This is all down to the Winter World Cup in three months time and that is a problem for Fantasy players as much as the real life managers with rotation set to be pretty high.

It is the first test of the squads between GameWeek 4 and GameWeek 6 when three Premier League matches are played by each club in the space of eight or nine days. That will be a challenge for the deepest of squads and something that will mean needing a strong bench to negotiate the path through.

United Corner- Momentum, Momentum, Momentum

That was not a normal Monday night at Old Trafford.

It has been a long time since I've sat in such an inspired atmosphere and certainly the loudest the fans have been since the return to the stands following the Covid pandemic and I include the 5-1 mauling of Leeds United last season and the 4-1 win over Newcastle United as Cristiano Ronaldo made his second debut for the club.

I have to believe the that march to the ground that saw thousands of United fans come together certainly helped and the adrenaline was pumping at kick off. Anti-Glazer chants were shouted loud and proud before, during and after the game and Lisandro Martinez clearly captured the vibe around the Stadium by depositing Mo Salah to the turf within seconds of the start of the game.

I won't lie, I wasn't expecting much from United after their first couple of results, but it was a strong performance and a much deserved win, even if Jurgen Klopp was hesitant to admit that. Erik ten Hag got the big decisions right on the night and goals from Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford will hopefully begin to spark their careers at the club.

As I've wrote in the headline, now it's all about momentum, momentum, momentum.

The win over Liverpool will quickly be forgotten if Manchester United are unable to take maximum points from the away games at Southampton and Leicester City before the visit of Arsenal next Sunday. Yes, the away form has been miserable over the last few months, but Southampton and Leicester City are very much winnable fixtures for any club that is hoping to chase a place in the top four and this is the time for the players to stand up and be counted.

Beating Liverpool in an intense atmosphere showed character, but United fans expect and demand more.

That word 'momentum' is also very important when it comes to the protests- the club are doing all they can to douse those, either by editing videos to remove chants they don't like, or taking down banners using weak excuses to do so.

The march down to the ground on Old Trafford was far bigger than the one that began against Norwich City on Easter Weekend and I do hope 'The 1958' can keep it going. The Glazers have been rocking, but United fans cannot allow one or two shiny new toys and a big win over those lot from down the road to cloud our judgement.

The real issue remains at the club, but I have faith that 'The 1958' will continue to swell in terms of support and the momentum is with them and us as we continue to remind the world how much the Glazer family have hurt the club over their seventeen year ownership.

Remember, Glazers Out.

Leaving Old Trafford on Monday night, you couldn't help but smell the change in the air with the fans pumped and the adrenaline coursing through each and every one of us.

I will admit that I have not been convinced with some of the early decisions made by Erik ten Hag, especially having Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire starting the first two League games, but I was feeling much better on Tuesday morning.

The manager has not only made some big decisions in his team selection, but his position to do so will have been strengthened after the 2-1 win over Liverpool and I was impressed with some of the football played. Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia were excellent on Monday, as was Raphael Varane, and I was enjoying the fact that all three were willing to make passes into players in front of them rather than always turning back or playing square as Shaw and Maguire have tended to do.

Some of that is down to shot confidence, but Manchester United need braver players and I think Martinez and Malacia have laid down a marker.

Now it is about backing it up.

I'd give them ample time to do that and not just remove either if they have a game short of what we saw on Monday- too many like Shaw and Maguire have had multiple chances and need to be reminded that form and performance levels, not reputation, gets you selected at a big club.

The manager is likely going to pick the same eleven that started on Monday night with the only question being which Anthony to go for- Elanga or Martial?

Regardless, I do think Erik ten Hag will feel much more settled as the manager of this club after the last game and stamping his authority on the squad is key.

Premier League Picks GameWeek 4

There is no hiding place- I've had an absolutely miserable start to the season.

Not much has broken my way, but there have also been some bad Picks.

It's not all going to come back at once, but a winning week is important with the fixtures coming round thick and fast and I am expecting much better than the production so far.

Another poor week may mean a reset is needed before going again, but these are my thoughts for the fixtures scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

Southampton v Manchester United Pick: A win over Liverpool will always be appreciated by those who follow Manchester United, but for most this cannot paper over the cracks at the club and there will be a continued protest against the Glazer family who have been so damaging in their time in charge.

This is something that is likely going to drag on, but the fans still made sure they were firmly behind the team and the club rather than the owners on Monday night. A pumped atmosphere at Old Trafford was added to by the intensity of the Manchester United players and they deservedly came away with a first win of the season and of the Erik ten Hag era.

The manager made some big decisions in his starting line up having left out the likes of Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo, but those were justified in the 2-1 win. It is unlikely that there will be wholesale changes after that performance, but Casemiro is ready to make his debut and could come in for Scott McTominay, while the main question for ten Hag is which Anthony to start- Elanga or Martial?

Regardless, Erik ten Hag has to be spending the time between Monday night and Saturday lunchtime to remind his players that the win over Liverpool will mean nothing if they don't back it up at St Mary's. The effort and intensity shown has to be produced in every game and Manchester United will also be tested having lost their last 7 away Premier League games going back to last season.

Avoiding the early mistakes that proved devastating at Brentford will be important, but Manchester United will also have to match the intensity that Southampton will be playing with.

Rumours that the players were no longer behind Ralph Hasenhuttl were rampant and there would have been some real discontent in the stands as Southampton trailed Leeds United 0-2 in their first home game. However, the players showed considerable character to come back and earn a deserved draw and then backed that up with a strong performance and win at Leicester City.

Confidence won't be a problem in the home team and I do think Southampton have shown they can at least give Manchester United plenty to think about in recent years. Yes, they have taken a 9-0 thumping at Old Trafford in that time, but Southampton have drawn 3 of their last 4 at home against Manchester United and will feel there are still some vulnerabilities that can be exploited.

In saying that, Manchester United will be encouraged by the chances that both Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United have created against Southampton and this could be a fairly entertaining game on the south coast to open the fourth round of Premier League fixtures.

Both teams scoring would not be a surprise, but I do think Manchester United will be able to play with much more swagger in this away game than we have seen in recent months. The win over Liverpool coupled with the players knowing that their manager is capable of making big decisions in terms of team selection should help and I do think Manchester United can snap their really poor recent away record.

From a confidence stand point, it is important for Manchester United to score first and I do think they can create enough chances to do that. As long as they don't give away goals like they did at Brentford, Manchester United can win this game that should produce two or more goals.

Brentford v Everton Pick: Thomas Frank will not have been happy with the early attitude and then some of the defending in Brentford's 3-2 loss at Fulham last weekend, but the attacking side of the game does give The Bees a real sting.

They have now scored at least twice in all 4 games played in all competitions this season and more impressive is the fact that 3 of those have been away from home. The manager won't ignore some of the help that Manchester United gave his Brentford team here in a 4-0 win two weeks ago, but Thomas Frank has to be pleased with what he has seen from his team when they do go forward.

Finding a balance between attack and defence is not going to be easy, while I do think Frank is someone that wants his team to get forward and express themselves. I certainly think they can do that against an Everton team who have lost 9 of their last 11 away Premier League games and who have not had a clean sheet in the top flight so far this season.

Some credit has to be given to Frank Lampard and his team about the way they have defended and Everton have not conceded a lot of goals. However, both Chelsea and Aston Villa created plenty and I do think that offers Brentford encouragement.

A bigger question for Everton is whether they can pose much of a threat when they have the ball- while the team have played some good football into the final third, the lack of a clinical and composed finisher has hurt Everton. It would be surprising if they were not able to cause problems for Brentford, but in the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and the departure of Richarlison, the lack of a goalscorer has been a problem.

Demarai Gray has scored two in two, which will give him confidence, but the more consistent threat in this fixture is likely to come from Brentford.

With the goals being scored by Thomas Frank's men, I do think Brentford can do enough to secure a vital three points as they look to avoid second season syndrome in the top flight. Ivan Toney is showing he can produce at this level and he is the player that could make the difference and the feeling is that Brentford can make it three Premier League victories in a row against an Everton team still looking for consistent answers in the final third.

Brighton v Leeds United Pick: Both Brighton and Leeds United have made very strong starts to the Premier League and they have shown off a little of the squad depth as much changed starting elevens won League Cup ties against lower League opponents.

With unbeaten records to protect, the two meet on the south coast on Saturday and I think this will be a confident and entertaining match to watch. The two sides have both earned 7 points from a possible 9 in the Premier League, although something has to give on Saturday.

Brighton have won 3 times this season and all of those victories have been away from the Amex Stadium, while Leeds United have won 3 times and all at Elland Road. Both teams have settled for a draw in their sole home/away game respectively, although I do think both Graham Potter and Jesse Marsch will feel their teams could have won the game where they had to settle for a point.

The chances being created by both teams have to be respected, although I do think the early form has slightly favoured Brighton over Leeds United. While the two teams have been confident in the final third, Brighton have been a bit more convincing with their defending and have limited the chances that opponents have been able to create against them.

Last season both Premier League games between these teams ended in draws, but that was largely down to Brighton's wastefulness in front of goal. Previously they had found a finishing touch to their football when hosting Leeds United, and Brighton had won 5 in a row at home against them before the goalless draw between them here in November 2021.

Brighton's wastefulness and the Nick Pope performance means they failed to score in their first home game, but they have scored at least twice in the other fixtures played this season. As solid as the Leeds United results and performances have been, they have perhaps been a touch more fortunate than their hosts and I think that may show up here.

I expect Brighton to dominate the chances in front of goal and I think they can win this one, although this Leeds United team have to be respected. They are dangerous and have scored plenty of goals, but Brighton have looked pretty solid in the defensive third and I feel they can edge to the three points in this match between unbeaten opponents.

Chelsea v Leicester City Pick: You can sense there is a growing feeling that the Leicester City board and Brendan Rodgers could decide to part way, unless there is something significant that changes ahead of the final week of the transfer window.

Brendan Rodgers felt his squad needed some new blood at the end of last season, but Leicester City have not had the finances to support him and the potential sale of Wesley Fofana will be a blow. Teams have been circling James Maddison and Jamie Vardy too, while Youri Tielemens is another being linked with a move away and you do have to wonder if Rodgers may feel he can't take the squad any further.

The poor results and performances will not help.

Leicester City blew the 2-0 lead over Brentford on the opening day in an eventual draw, but they have deservedly lost at Arsenal and to Southampton last weekend. The latter defeat is really worrying as Leicester City were leading in that one too, but the departure of Kasper Schmeichel has left them vulnerable at the back and perhaps lacking some inspiration in attacking areas.

James Maddison is doing his best and has been a key player for Leicester City from an attacking sense, but the chances being given up are really worrying.

I think Chelsea will have their opportunities to take advantage, even if they have been lacking a Number Nine in their early fixtures. Creativity has not been a problem, but Chelsea need someone who can consistently provide the end product and that does not seem to be any player currently on their books.

Things are likely to change before September, but this current Chelsea squad should be able to manage against Leicester City. In recent seasons they have not enjoyed hosting The Foxes, but Leicester City look really vulnerable and short of confidence and a first goal for Chelsea could see them largely dominate the match.

Thomas Tuchel will be demanding a reaction from the 3-0 loss at Leeds United last Sunday and you have to believe a similar level to that produced against Tottenham Hotspur will be more than good enough for Chelsea against Leicester City.

The Foxes could play their part, but the goals being conceded makes it hard to believe they can earn a positive result for the fifth time in six visits to Stamford Bridge. Instead I expect Chelsea to have enough chances and eventually quality to convert and cover the Asian Handicap on their way to a first home three points of the season.

Liverpool v Bournemouth Pick: They travelled to Old Trafford as very, very strong favourites to beat rivals Manchester United again, but Liverpool were clearly second best on Monday night.

Now all the attention is on Liverpool who have surprisingly yet to have won a Premier League game this season and that despite facing Fulham, Crystal Palace and Manchester United. Jurgen Klopp's team have been favourites in all three games, strong favourites, but they have continued a bad habit from last season in conceding the first goal.

Jadon Sancho's strike on Monday means Liverpool have fallen behind in each of their last 7 Premier League games and injuries are not helping the cause. However, that would be a pretty poor excuse to use when you think of the quality still available and Klopp and the players will be demanding a much more focused effort all around.

Going forward Liverpool are still creating plenty of chances, but they do look to be missing Sadio Mane. Both Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez being on the sidelines hasn't helped as it has meant an over-reliance on Roberto Firmino who looks to have seen his best days in a Liverpool shirt.

I don't think the absences should be a factor on Saturday as Liverpool prepare to host a Bournemouth team who have conceded seven goals in losses to Manchester City and Arsenal combined. Scott Parker's team were well beaten in both games and he will be concerned with the early goals that his team have conceded in those defeats, especially as the approach has to be to frustrate Liverpool and see if defensive vulnerability remains in the home camp.

The Bournemouth players should certainly listen to Parker... I mean he was the last Premier League manager to earn a victory at Anfield from his time with Fulham.

After containing Liverpool early, Fulham broke to score on the stroke of half time and Scott Parker got his tactics spot on that day. That victory was against an injury hit Liverpool team too so there are similarities ahead of this fixture, although I do think Anfield will help the home players produce a big performance.

You ultimately cannot expect Liverpool to continue to be as wasteful in front of goal as they have been nor as sloppy as they have been in defensive situations. Bournemouth have not really shown much as a threat in the final third in any of their Premier League games this season in terms of number of chances created, and the defensive issues that were highlighted before the season have reared up in the defeats to Manchester City and Arsenal.

The same could potentially happen here if Liverpool can score the first goal and just play with a bit more confidence and I do think Jurgen Klopp's team will win their first League fixture on Saturday in some style.

Manchester City v Crystal Palace Pick: The dominance of Manchester City in recent seasons means they are going off plenty short in almost every Premier League fixture they will be playing and that is the case again on Saturday.

It fails to account for the fact that Crystal Palace took four points from Manchester City last season and Patrick Vieira's team did not concede a goal against one of his former clubs. Of course you will have to ride out some rough moments in being able to do that, but Crystal Palace were really solid in their game on this ground.

The 0-2 win at the Etihad Stadium means Crystal Palace have lost 1 of their last 4 visits to Manchester City and have to be considered something of a bogey team. That is especially the case considering The Eagles have won twice in that time and they have managed to score at least two goals in 3 of their last 4 games here.

After seeing Newcastle United hurt Manchester City last weekend, Crystal Palace have a further blueprint in how to attack the Champions and I do think they have quality in the final third. They showed that in the 1-1 draw at Anfield two weeks ago when only better finishing from Wilfried Zaha was needed to add to the goal he scored and perhaps earn Crystal Palace the win.

Pep Guardiola will be well aware how dangerous Crystal Palace can be and he will be looking for his Manchester City team to be much more resilient than they showed in the 3-3 draw at Newcastle United. There are clearly plenty of goals in the squad so you have to expect Manchester City to score in every game they play, even if they didn't against Crystal Palace last season, and the addition of Erling Haaland should help.

The injury to Nathan Ake to add to Aymeric Laporte is a blow, but Manchester City have looked very controlled in the games before the trip to St James' Park. I expect them to try and get back to basics in this one and avoid leaving Crystal Palace's wingers in one on one situations as they allowed Allan Saint-Maximin to dominate in the first half last Sunday.

This time Manchester City should be more settled without a first half injury to deal with and I do think they will be better for it.

Crystal Palace did score at Liverpool two weeks ago, but they did struggle for goals at the big six last season. They lost at Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur without scoring last season and even this very good looking attacking side produced by Patrick Vieira may struggle for the chances at the home of the Champions looking to show much better in their own final third than last week.

I do think Crystal Palace need to be respected when you think of the amount of goals they have plundered at the Etihad Stadium in recent years, but their sole defeat in their last 4 visits came in a game where they failed to score. I think that could be the outcome of this one with a much more focused Manchester City likely to be playing after the two fixtures between the clubs last season.

In fact Manchester City have earned 4 clean sheets in the last 6 between these clubs and a home win to nil looks a decent price.

Arsenal v Fulham Pick: A strong pre-season raised expectations, but the win at Crystal Palace on the opening weekend of the campaign has really gotten people to sit up and take notice.

After only just missing out on a top four place last season, Arsenal look to have done the business in the transfer market to not only close that gap, but to feel anything less than a Champions League spot is a failure. That does place some pressure on Mikel Arteta's shoulders as manager of the club, but he looks happy and the players look very comfortable as the last remaining team with a perfect record in the Premier League.

The win at Palace was very impressive, even if Arsenal had to ride their luck at times, but backing that up against Leicester City and Bournemouth was important. I am still not sure what I truly think of Arsenal because it has been a relatively kind start to the campaign, but momentum can be very important and back to back home games gives them a chance to build on the foundation already laid down.

You would expect Arsenal to beat Fulham and Aston Villa, but expectations are not always met.

They will have to respect a Fulham team that took a point from Liverpool already, although I do think Arsenal will be excited to attack a Fulham defence that has looked plenty leaky. Both Liverpool and Brentford scored twice at Craven Cottage and this Arsenal team have been creating plenty of chances in their first three wins in the League.

Fulham may feel the best approach is to fight fire with fire and that has worked in their opening games as they remain unbeaten on their return to the top flight. Defensively there may be questions, but Fulham did create plenty of their own attacking chances in the games played in the Premier League and they may feel they can play a part in this fixture.

However, keeping Arsenal out is going to be very difficult with the approach set out by Marco Silva and I don't think the manager is going to be changing his principles too far from what he likes to see. That worked against Liverpool, but at the Emirates Stadium it could leave Fulham open to the Arsenal final third threat and I do think the home team will win again and by two or more goals for the fourth time in August.

Aston Villa v West Ham United Pick: Both Steven Gerrard and David Moyes have some big expectations to meet this season, although the latter's recent successes means he has a bit more goodwill in the bank.

The rumours are that the Aston Villa board are getting a little worried about Steven Gerrard and the direction of the club. The fans are not happy with the style of football being produced, while the huge investment made in the last two transfer windows have yet to turn into much improved results on the field.

A falling out with Tyrone Mings had threatened to split the dressing room in two and Gerrard is under pressure after another capitulation from his team in the 3-1 defeat at Crystal Palace.

At least Aston Villa have won their sole home Premier League game and they are facing a West Ham United team who played on Thursday night and who have struggled for form in the Premier League. The 3 losses in the League without scoring a goal is a worry, although David Moyes will feel his team have shown enough in the final third to change that as quickly as this weekend.

West Ham United were unfortunate to lose at the City Ground earlier this month, but you cannot ignore the fact that they have lost 6 of their last 7 away Premier League games. The poor end to last season has seeped into this one and I do think that West Ham United have looked vulnerable at the back, which should be very encouraging for Aston Villa.

The Hammers have won on their last 2 visits to Villa Park and scored at least three goals in both of those wins.

I do think David Moyes will be encouraging his team to get on the front foot and they can cause problems for Aston Villa, but the home team should also be able to have their successes when getting the ball into the final third.

The last 4 Premier League games between the clubs have all seen both teams score and all have also ended with at least three goals shared out. With some of the defensive issues that have been clear to see in both the home and away performances, I think this is another that should see goals flowing.

Wolves v Newcastle United Pick: The first live game on Sunday involves Newcastle United, but it would be a real surprise if this matches the intensity and attacking output we saw when they hosted Manchester City.

The fixture ended 3-3 with so much quality on display in the final third, but Newcastle United may not find it so easy to find the energy to bring that intensity to the field again.

Eddie Howe has clearly got a tune out of the squad, but Callum Wilson could be a big miss for Newcastle United. They did not create very much in their goalless draw at Brighton a couple of weeks ago and only Nick Pope's brilliance ensured Newcastle United were able to leave with a point.

Defending may be a little more comfortable against a Wolves team who have been struggling for goals and who have been in poor form towards the back end of last season which has seeped into the new campaign.

Alexander Mitrovic missed a Penalty in the last Premier League fixture at Molineux and that is the only reason Wolves have earned a point so far this season. If Mitrovic scores, there is every chance Wolves would have been heading into this fixture with 3 losses from their last 4 Premier League games.

I expect Wolves to have some chances if Newcastle United defend as poorly as they did at Brighton, but I also don't think Wolves are as effective going forward.

They do have some talented attackers and I think they will be dangerous when they click together, but Wolves and Newcastle United should feel they can largely contain the other. Set pieces are going to be key, but no Callum Wilson is a blow for Newcastle United and Wolves are still struggling for goals.

Games between these clubs have seen both teams regularly find the net against one another and the layers feel that may be the case again. However, their most recent game ended with a clean sheet produced by Newcastle United and I do think we will see one of these teams fail to find the net with the defences expected to be on top.

Nottingham Forest v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: If the first game at the City Ground with Nottingham Forest back in the Premier League is anything to go by, this is going to be an incredibly difficult ground to visit.

The fans made it a raucous atmosphere and Nottingham Forest played some very strong attacking football which will make them dangerous regardless of who they host.

However, it would be a mistake to forget some of the fortune that seemed to favour Nottingham Forest in the 1-0 win over West Ham United. The visitors hit the woodwork twice, missed a Penalty and also had at least one effort cleared off the line, while the Nottingham Forest goal was scrappy to say the least.

Steve Cooper won't care too much about that and neither will the fans, but the former will be aware that it may not be a sustainable approach. He will be looking for his Nottingham Forest team to be a threat going forward, but Cooper will want a better balance defensively if Nottingham Forest are going to earn another big result.

They are facing a Tottenham Hotspur team who have started slowly in all three Premier League games played before turning the screw. Antonio Conte will be demanding his players begin much more confidently as they are likely going to have to deal with the early Nottingham Forest pressure, but I do think the quality can tell in favour of the visiting team.

If they create anything like West Ham United, I would expect the likes of Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son to produce better composure in front of goal. Scoring first will be important for Tottenham Hotspur and I do think it will be a tough time for Nottingham Forest if they do fall behind, even with the home fans behind them.

All three of their Premier League opponents have been much stronger when it comes to the chance creation numbers in matches played by Nottingham Forest this season. They were well beaten at Newcastle United, and I do think Tottenham Hotspur can just remind their hosts about the level they have to find in every Premier League fixture they play.

Nottingham Forest will never roll over at home, not with the fans giving the players a lift, but I do think the big six clubs will cause plenty of problems for them barring a big improvement defensively. We have yet to see that and Tottenham Hotspur may be able to cover the Asian Handicap in a win in the second of the two live games being played on Sunday.

MY PICKS: Manchester United & Over 1 Total Goal @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Brentford @ 2.05 Bet365 (2 Units)

Brighton @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Chelsea - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Liverpool - 2.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.90 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Manchester City Win to Nil @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Arsenal - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.92 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Aston Villa-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Wolves-Newcastle United Both Teams to Score- NO  @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Tottenham Hotspur - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.09 Bet Victor (2 Units)

August 2022/23: 9-15, - 13.28 Units (48 Units Staked, - 27.67% Yield)

Fantasy Football GameWeek 4

Go big at the back... Go big at the back, you can't go wrong.

Well things went wrong, they went massively wrong last weekend.

That's right, my 'big at the back' team produced nine points between the six of them!

With that in mind, I am just glad to get out of GameWeek 3 with 47 points and look for much better in GameWeek 4.

I am going to hold a transfer in what is a very busy time of the season as teams choose to rotate players in a bid to keep everyone as fresh as possible.

Pep Guardiola has made it clear that he will not be expecting Erling Haaland to play every three days and so the premium striker becomes a question mark for me. Yes, Manchester City create enough chances to think that Haaland could get twenty minutes in any game and likely bring in significant points, but he becomes an uncertain Captaincy choice.

This week that comes down to Mo Salah or Gabriel Jesus, but my lean is towards the former. I expect Jesus to have a very strong game, but Bournemouth have looked slightly weaker than Fulham and the extra point for a midfielder scoring cannot be dismissed.

I've also moved Andy Robertson to my watch list- he has not played well this season and I would not be surprised if he is given a rest at some point. Unfortunately for my team, that looks most likely to happen this weekend against Bournemouth, although Liverpool's poor start should mean Jurgen Klopp picks a very strong team.

Joao Cancelo is another- he is not playing nearly as far up the field as last season and at the prices it feels that money can be spread around to improve the whole squad.

My really big decision this week comes down to who should be the first player I bench- Leon Bailey scored during the week and assisted Ollie Watkins last weekend and has a good looking home game against West Ham United, but Pascal Gross continues to return and plays a vulnerable Leeds United team.

It is not an easy choice, but the lean at this time is with Gross, but only just.

I will have two transfers to use before the Tuesday deadline, although at this stage I think it is good to have a few more games to add to the data before needing to make any decision as to who to bring in. It is a big weekend for some of the players in my squad and I am expecting a lot more points than GameWeek 3 brought home.