Tennis Picks 2022 (April 21st)

It really felt like a day when the Tennis Picks deserved a better return than they got, but things could have been worse on another day.

While I anticipated Wednesday to be a busy day, weather conditions and the strange way some of the tournaments are managing their schedules means Thursday is a busier day than expected. The Tennis Picks follow suit with a number of selections from the four tournaments being played this week and you can read my thoughts on a few of the matches below as well as the full Tennis Picks from another day on the clay.

In the Friday thread I will have a few thoughts about the decision made by Wimbledon and the LTA in banning players from Belarus and Russia from taking part in the grass court season in the UK.

Fabio Fognini - 3.5 games v Aljaz Bedene: No one can beat Aljaz Bedene eight times in a row!

After seven straight losses to Fabio Fognini, Aljaz Bedene beat the Italian for the first time when they met on the clay courts of Cordoba in 2019, but a lot has changed in the last three years. Both of these players are now veterans of the Tour, while Aljaz Bedene has only made his return to the Tour last month after missing the rest of 2021 from July with injuries piling up.

As you can imagine, Aljaz Bedene has not really performed as well as he would have liked while trying to rebuild his match fitness, but the victory over Mikhail Kukushkin in the First Round in Belgrade will help. For a long time, Aljaz Bedene has saved his best tennis for the clay courts and the next six weeks could be important for a player that has slipped down to Number 164 in the World Rankings, even if this match up is a tough one for him.

Fabio Fognini is clearly coming to the end of a long, successful career, but he can still be very effective on the clay courts and that will encourage him in the lead to the French Open. Last week he was well beaten by eventual Monte Carlo Champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, but Fabio Fognini may feel much more comfortable at the ATP 250 level on this surface and he has reached the Quarter Final in Buenos Aires and the Semi Final in Rio de Janeiro on the clay courts in 2022.

The numbers on the clay courts over the last twelve months have been largely average, but Fabio Fognini has been the superior return player of the two and I think that gives him an edge. He is also much more match hardened than Aljaz Bedene who has spent a number of months off the Tour and I expect that to also factor in favour of the Italian.

In their previous clay court matches that have largely been dominated by Fabio Fognini, the difference in the returning departments have been clear and I think that will be the outcome of this match in Belgrade too. I will be the first to admit that I rarely back Fabio Fognini because he can be an erratic player, but this is one of those moments where I think the veteran enigma can be looked at as a potential strong winner in the Second Round.

Aslan Karatsev - 1.5 games v Oscar Otte: 2021 was a special year for Aslan Karatsev, but 2022 has proven to be a much more difficult one through the first four months of the season. That may sound a little harsh considering Aslan Karatsev has won a title on the hard courts in January, but he has only reached one Quarter Final since Sydney and has suffered a number of disappointing early losses in recent weeks.

The World Ranking has slipped back to Number 30 and Aslan Karatsev has plenty of points to defend in Belgrade having reached the Final in 2021. That does increase the pressure on someone who has not really performed as well as he would like and who may be suffering with confidence issues, but Aslan Karatsev has to feel this is a winnable match.

The Second Round brings a match up against Oscar Otte who has reached a career high of World Number 67 earlier this month. You have to respect someone who is clearly raising his level of performance, but Oscar Otte has yet to take his game up from the Challenger level to the main ATP Tour with any real consistency and the same can be said for his clay court performances.

Oscar Otte was a strong winner in the First Round, but he was beaten twice in Monte Carlo having been given a reprieve for a Qualifier defeat to lose again as the 'Lucky Loser' in the First Round. Last year he did have some solid runs on this surface at the Challenger level, but Oscar Otte is just 2-2 against top 100 Ranked opponents on this surface over the last twelve months.

In those four matches, Oscar Otte has really struggled with his serve and held just 66% of service games played and I do think Aslan Karatsev can put him under some pressure in this one.

However, you do have to question whether Aslan Karatsev has the confidence to take advantage when the chances come his way, while the Russian has a serve which can be a little erratic. He has largely backed that up on the clay courts with success, but Aslan Karatsev has only broken in 19% of return games played on this surface over the last twelve months and I do think the confidence levels are a major concern.

At least Aslan Karatsev can use the fact he has beaten Oscar Otte twice before, once on the clay, to fuel his confidence in this one. With the strong run produced in Belgrade last year, you have to feel Karatsev will be happier in the surroundings and it can lead to a win over Oscar Otte here.

In their two previous matches, the Aslan Karatsev serve has been the more reliable of the two and I think he can use some heavy serving to move into another Quarter Final in Belgrade.

Holger Rune - 3.5 games v Taro Daniel: Any player that has come through the Qualifiers and won three matches in a tournament has to be respected and there has to be a confidence in the Taro Daniel tennis that makes him dangerous. The last twelve months have been pretty solid for Taro Daniel who is edging back towards the top 100 of the World Rankings, but he has not always been at his best on the clay courts.

The come from behind win over Dusan Lajovic in the First Round will be a boost for Taro Daniel, although it was a tough match that would have taken something out of his legs. He needed almost a full three hours to win that First Round match and so the day off on Wednesday will have been welcomed, but Taro Daniel will need to be a little better all around if he is going to win this Second Round match too.

Over the last twelve months, Taro Daniel has produced some solid clay court numbers, although it should be pointed out the majority of those matches have been played against players Ranked outside the top 100. When you only look at his matches against the better players on the Tour, Taro Daniel has held 71% of service games played and broken in 23% of return games, numbers which dip significantly from his overall clay court performances in the last twelve months.

Now he has to face Holger Rune, an improving young player who has been very comfortable when playing on the clay courts. A narrow loss to Casper Ruud in Monte Carlo will only have boosted the confidence of Holger Rune who crushed Cristian Garin in the First Round for the loss of just four games.

The Danish player has served pretty well on the clay courts, but it is the return of serve where he has been most dangerous and I expect that to make the difference for him on Thursday.

In 2022, Holger Rune has broken in 37% of return games played on the surface and I do think he can impose his will on Taro Daniel. That was the case when he played Taro Daniel on the clay in 2021 and Holger Rune won that match in pretty routine fashion after holding in 81% of service games played compared with Taro Daniel's 60% mark.

Taro Daniel will take confidence from the fact he created more break points in that match Szczecin, but he won 57% of service points played compared with Holger Rune's 65% mark and I think the younger player will be fresher for the match too. Holger Rune looks to be the superior clay courter and I think he will be good enough to beat Taro Daniel by a good margin on his way through to the Quarter Final in Belgrade.

MY PICKS: Fabio Fognini - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Aslan Karatsev - 1.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Holger Rune - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Thiago Monteiro + 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Cameron Norrie - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Pablo Carreno Busta - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Casper Ruud - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Carlos Alcaraz - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Weekly Update: 5-7, - 4.54 Units (24 Units Staked, - 18.92% Yield)

Tennis Picks 2021 (April 21st)

I honestly don't know where the first two days of this week have gone and my time has largely been dominated by other aspects rather than having the time to put down full thoughts on the Tennis that has been played so far this week.

I will be disappointed if I don't get back on top things by Thursday, but for now I will add my selections from the day's play below.

MY PICKS: Ashleigh Barty - 5.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Petra Kvitova - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Nikola Milojevic + 4.5 Games @ 1.87 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Albert Ramos - 4.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Lorenzo Musetti @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Jaume Munar + 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Cristian Garin - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Diego Sebastian Schwartzman - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2021 (April 16-22)

We are down to the final seven games for most Premier League teams, but a few of them have additional Cup commitments which have to be managed around those League games.

This weekend the FA Cup Semi Finals are set to be played on Saturday and Sunday, but the congested season means the Premier League games that have been postponed so those can be played have only been pushed into the midweek. That has an implication for Fantasy Premier League players too with GameWeek 32 being played from Friday through to Thursday next week and then GameWeek 33 beginning next Friday.

I will have a few thoughts on what was a difficult personal GameWeek 31 and my feelings for GameWeek 32 below, but first I will put down my analysis of how I feel the Premier League fixtures will go across the next six days.

I will add my opinion regarding the fixtures that have been postponed from this weekend and set to be played on Tuesday through Thursday after the deadline for GameWeek 32 has passed as far as the Fantasy Football game is concerned.

Everton v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: It hasn't been that long since both Everton and Tottenham Hotspur would have had genuine ambitions of finishing in the top four of the Premier League table. However, neither team has been consistent enough over the last several weeks to keep up with the sides above them in the table and this is almost a 'loser goes home' kind of contest.

Those are normally reserved for the PlayOff Series in American sports, but you do have to think the losing team here will be struggling for a European place let alone pushing towards the top four. Everton are 8th and Tottenham Hotspur are 7th in the Premier League table and there is already a considerable gap between both and the six teams above them.

The situation should mean this is an attacking game of football considering the draw does very little for either, while the other factor is that neither Everton nor Tottenham Hotspur can really have a lot of faith in their defensive strength to hold onto a narrow lead if they get into that position.

Everton are also being hurt by a huge injury list and they have a number of key players that are hoping the few days between Monday and Friday is enough for them to be passed fit for selection. The most notable is Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and it does make it feel like this is a fixture that a relatively healthier Tottenham Hotspur can take advantage of.

They are not easy to trust on current form though having blown leads in back to back Premier League games against Newcastle United and Manchester United. In saying that, Tottenham Hotspur have the attacking players that can cause plenty of problems for Everton even if there is a feeling they are defensively extremely vulnerable.

I can't imagine it will be as high-scoring as the FA Cup tie these two played in back in February, but I can see another game with at least three goals shared out. 3 of the last 4 at Goodison Park between Everton and Tottenham Hotspur have ended up that way and I don't think this is a fixture in which either team can afford to sit back and hope things work out for them.

My lean is that Tottenham Hotspur will find a way to secure the win, but it could be a fun fixture for the neutral to watch. With the defensive problems that have been evident for both teams, I think it would be a surprise if there are not at least three goals shared out between two outsiders for the top four places.

Newcastle United v West Ham United Pick: If you go back seven days this would have been a huge fixture for both Newcastle United and West Ham United, but after results last time out it now begins to feel like a fixture where there is a lot more on the line for the visitors.

A Newcastle United win and a Fulham defeat last weekend means the home team are now 6 points clear of the bottom three, while just 2 points separates Leicester City in 3rd and Chelsea in 5th place with West Ham United sandwiched between those two clubs.

The early kick off on Saturday afternoon could be a good game to watch for the neutral though and that is largely down to the performances of the two teams in the last couple of weeks. Both Newcastle United and West Ham United have been scoring goals for fun, but they have also displayed a huge amount of defensive vulnerability and that should mean an attacking fixture is in the offing.

Games between these two clubs have tended to be high-scoring ones and 6 of the last 8 overall have ended with at least three goals shared out. The last 4 at St James' Park have all ended that way too and Newcastle United and West Ham United head into this weekend having conceded at least two goals in 3 straight Premier League games either side of the international break.

Add in the fact that both have scored at least twice in both games since the March internationals and chances have tended to be created at a good clip and you do have to expect this fixture to be an exciting one. Neither team has looked capable of keeping a clean sheet and injuries are not exactly going to help on that front and this feels like another Premier League game that should produce goals.

16 of the 20 Premier League games played since the final international break of the 2020/21 season have ended with at least three goals shared out and I think this one will follow that short-term trend. An early goal will really kick the fixture off and the recent performances of the two teams suggest goals are the most likely outcome of the fixture.

Wolves v Sheffield United Pick: There isn't much on the line for Wolves and Sheffield United and it can be difficult for managers to keep players focused when that becomes the case.

I do think both sets of players do have something to prove in their remaining seven Premier League games to make sure they are still relevant next season when changes are expected at both Wolves and Sheffield United.

A lack of goals has really hurt Wolves this season and ever since Raul Jimenez went down with a serious injury, while the same can be said for Sheffield United who simply have displayed a lack of quality. Poor signings have not helped and the departure of Chris Wilder has not really sparked anything from the players either as Sheffield United have lost 5 in a row overall and 6 away games in succession.

It is very difficult to trust Wolves to win any game of football at odds on, but they have been creating chances in recent home games. Losing Pedro Neto is another blow for this team, but even without their talented creative force you do have to believe Wolves will have just enough to edge past a Sheffield United team who have been porous defensively.

The most likely outcome looks to be a narrow home win for Wolves- I do think Sheffield United will try and make life difficult, but they have not been good enough at the back and teams are creating a lot of good chances against them which is likely going to be the case again this weekend as Wolves earn the three points on the night.

Arsenal v Fulham Pick: There should still be plenty of motivation in the home dressing room after Arsenal made it through to the Europa League Semi Final and Mikel Arteta is trying to get his team to put a consistent run together.

Playing European Football is important for the development of the young players and there is still a hope that a strong end to this season will be good enough for Arsenal to at least be able to do that. Of course winning the Europa League would be a huge boost as it would mean a return to the Champions League, but Arsenal can't really afford to place all their eggs in one basket and have to keep the momentum of the last week behind them.

The Gunners have scored seven goals in back to back games over the last seven days, but the home form has been a little erratic. Arsenal have not won any of their last 3 at the Emirates Stadium, but that won't have Mikel Arteta drop his standards and he will be keen for his team to secure two more wins before they head to Villarreal in the Europa League Semi Final First Leg.

Returning from Prague to play this Sunday game is not an easy spot for Arsenal, but they have won 3 of their last 4 Premier League games after a Europa League tie. Ironically the one exception was after a Europa League tie played at the Emirates Stadium and the 3 wins have come when travelling back from mainland Europe, so there really are no excuses that the manager will offer for his team if they don't win this game.

Arsenal have been really good going forward in their last 3 games in all competitions and have backed that up with good looking defensive performances. The consecutive clean sheets will build confidence and there is plenty of pressure on their visitors after results last weekend.

Those results have left Fulham in 18th place in the Premier League table as they were beaten for a fourth Premier League game in a row. A win for Newcastle United means Fulham are now 6 points from safety with six Premier League games left to play and Scott Parker will have to pick a side that will eventually have to take risks.

It is hard to imagine that will be enough for Fulham to find the points they need to avoid relegation especially as they have continued to struggle for goals. While they have improved defensively from the early weeks of the season, Fulham are still guilty of too many mistakes and that has seen them punished.

This club have never won at Arsenal and I do think it is going to be difficult for Fulham to change that this weekend. They have had a week to prepare, but you do have to wonder if the confidence of the squad has been destroyed by the results of last weekend which means they could also be vulnerable to an Arsenal team looking to keep the wins coming.

I expect Fulham to be plenty motivated as they search for the points, but the quality has been lacking and Arsenal can hurt them on the counter attack if the visitors have to take risks. Returning from European action to play a team who have had a week off is not easy, but Arsenal have managed to produce a number of wins in that situation already this calendar year and can do the same here.

Manchester United v Burnley Pick: A 2-0 win in Spain had put Manchester United in command of their Europa League Quarter Final and the early goal on Thursday night made the Second Leg a comfortable evening at Old Trafford for the players. It has given Ole Gunnar Solskjaer the chance to rest some of his squad who have been stretched by this congested season and having no travel should mean no excuses for Manchester United when returning to Premier League action on Sunday.

They are almost certainly going to earn a top four spot in the Premier League, but the manager would love to see his team try and put some late pressure on Manchester City. There are 11 points between these rivals, but a win for Manchester United would mean they are back to single digits behind their rivals and with 18 points still to play for.

It is very unlikely that Manchester United could win the title now, but winning games is also important to maintain the momentum that has been earned since the March internationals were completed. Manchester United have won 4 in a row in all competitions since then and that includes back to back wins at Old Trafford against Brighton and Granada.

Manchester United have won 4 of their last 5 Premier League games here, but they won't be taking anything for granted when facing Burnley. In recent years Manchester United have played well at Turf Moor, but amazingly they have not led against Burnley at Old Trafford since February 2015 and they have met them 4 times here following that 3-1 victory.

3 of those had ended in draws before Burnley won here last season- in fact Burnley have led 0-2 in each of their last 3 games at Old Trafford but the first 2 saw Manchester United rally late for draws and they were not able to do that in their 0-2 defeat to Burnley in January 2020.

Burnley have led 0-2 in their last 2 away Premier League games at Everton and Southampton, but the last of those ended up with a 3-2 win for The Saints. With their recent history at Old Trafford, Burnley have to be respected here despite their current position in the League table and they have also won half of their last 6 away Premier League games.

However, this is a team that has given up some big chances in recent games and the potential absence of Nick Pope could make it more difficult for Burnley to earn a result against an in-form Manchester United team. They may cause some problems from set pieces and getting the ball into the box from wide areas, but containing Manchester United won't be easy.

The home team have been creating chances in recent games and have attacking threats who should be feeling good about themselves. The poor record against Burnley in recent fixtures at Old Trafford has to be one that Manchester United want to change and I think they will be too good in the final third for their visitors as the home team win and cover the Asian Handicap mark.

Leeds United v Liverpool Pick: The playing surface at Elland Road is far from the best in the Premier League and there is going to be changes made between this season and the next, but it should not be one that prevents Leeds United and Liverpool producing a game filled with goals on Monday Night Football.

These two teams still have some real ambitions to fulfil in the 2020/21 season and this is a big game for both clubs, while both teams are in decent form. Leeds United and Liverpool have both won 3 Premier League games in a row, but it should be noted that the underlying statistics suggest the visitors are playing at a consistently higher level in those games than Leeds United.

All credit has to be given to Leeds United for their wins over Fulham, Sheffield United and Manchester City, but they were a touch fortunate in 2 of those victories. On another day they would have been beaten comfortably at Manchester City last weekend having punished their hosts with their limited attacks, but Leeds United do play an attacking brand of football which will challenge this makeshift Liverpool defence.

There is no denying that Liverpool are missing some key players in their backline, but they have still been able to produce better than some would have expected. The centre half pairing are not being chopped and changed as much and there is an understanding developing, even if the young defenders are not able to completely erase defensive mistakes.

It wouldn't be a massive surprise to anyone if Leeds United were to score in this fixture, but they could be without Raphinha and that is a big blow for the home team. Defensively they are without Liam Cooper and I do think this Liverpool team are looking like they are not too far away from their best in the final third.

The visitors have been creating good chances and the fixture list remaining looks like one that will give them every chance of finishing in the top four of the Premier League. This is one of the more difficult games left on their list, but Liverpool are good enough to out-score Leeds United and I think they are likely to pick up a win in a fixture that sees at least two goals shared out.

Chelsea v Brighton Pick: European Football has been rocked by the news that twelve clubs have decided they are going to push forward with a 'Super League' and six of those clubs are playing in the English Premier League.

Emotions are high at the moment and my personal thoughts would involve a lot of expletives- I am a Manchester United fan, but I would chuck them, along with the other five, out of the top Division and let them rot in their mess.

The Premier League will be able to get past the loss of clubs who have long lost their soul, and it is going to be interesting to see how players will react going forward.

For now the focus for Thomas Tuchel and his Chelsea players is to make sure they take advantage of the West Ham United defeat on Saturday. This means Chelsea are in control of a top four place and a return to the Champions League (if UEFA allows them to compete next season) and Tuchel will be looking for his team to take some momentum into the big game at the London Stadium coming up.

A win over Manchester City in the FA Cup Semi Final was impressive, but Chelsea will likely make some changes for this fixture. Even then they have shown quality at both ends of the field that makes Chelsea favourites to beat a Brighton team who play attractive football, but who will give up opportunities for their opponents.

I do think Brighton can cause problems for Chelsea with their approach and if the players in the home camp have been distracted even slightly after the revelations of the last forty-eight hours then this could be a potential upset.

However, I think Tuchel is a manager who will find a way to keep the group focused on what they can control and that is this football match. The stunning loss to West Brom has really been an outlier as to the levels being produced by Chelsea and I think they have bounced back effectively from that.

This won't be easy against a rested opponent, especially as Chelsea have had two tough games since Brighton last played, but the top four race is back on. While I would love to see all of the six clubs that have signed up to this awful Super League proposal suffer massively, I think Chelsea will prove to be too good for Brighton and secure a victory behind another stingy defensive performance.

Tottenham Hotspur v Southampton Pick: The new European Super League has some of the big names in European history attached to it, but it is laughable that a club like Tottenham Hotspur are a part of that- if that isn't proof of a money grab then I don't know what is!

Only twice have Tottenham Hotspur been English Champions and the last of those came in 1961 so you can easily put them in amongst the top twenty European clubs(!) Personally I think they are joke and any little respect for this club has vanished.

I have to take a neutral approach to this Premier League fixture though and my pick as to how it will end.

The Sacking of Jose Mourinho would have been headline news a couple of days ago, but this is just another big headline on a day when European Football has descended into a civil war. Tottenham Hotspur's poor run has been cited as the reason for the decision, although it has surprisingly been made just days before the club are looking for their first trophy since 2008 (what an elite club hey?!)

Ryan Mason will take over until the end of the season and Spurs are still in a position where they can challenge for a top four place in the Premier League, although whether they are allowed to take part in the Champions League is another discussion to be had. Anything less than a win would likely be the end of those ambitions on sporting merit, but Tottenham Hotspur could be relaxed and able to play their best game if the players were indeed fed up with Mourinho.

Harry Kane could be out, but the likes of Dele Alli and Gareth Bale may have something to prove and Tottenham Hotspur could take advantage of the disappointment that Southampton may be feeling after losing their FA Cup Semi Final against Leicester City. Southampton didn't play badly and were a touch unfortunate, but they have lost 7 of their last 8 away Premier League games and continue to concede too many goals.

Southampton will be dangerous when getting forward against a Tottenham Hotspur defence which has to be short of confidence. However, their own defence is likely to be tested and I think the home team will likely win a game that features at least two goals on the night.

Aston Villa v Manchester City Pick: The defeat in the FA Cup Semi Final will have hurt, but talk of the Quadruple will no longer be a distraction to Manchester City who may not have too many more chances to become proper European Champions.

Pep Guardiola will also want to put any lingering doubts about winning the Premier League to bed as soon as possible as they hold an 8 point lead over rivals Manchester United with six League games to play. A win on Wednesday will put them well on the way and Manchester City should be focused despite the League Cup Final to be played on Sunday.

More changes than expected were made for the FA Cup Semi Final and the manager has made it clear that he will be rotating his squad to maximise their ability to perform. Pep Guardiola got it wrong on Saturday, but he won't mind as long as his team performs as they should and there should be a reaction from them on Wednesday.

They will head to what should be a motivated Aston Villa squad who will be amongst a number of Premier League clubs sickened by the European Super League proposals that the 'Big Six' have joined up. It closes the shop to the elite for clubs like Aston Villa who ironically have one more European Cup in their trophy cabinet than Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur combined.

Aston Villa are well rested, but the team are struggling for form and losing Jack Grealish is a real blow to their chances. A strong team will be selected, but even a Manchester City team with changes should be too good on the night as long as their own players are focused on the football to be played rather than the fallout from the European Super League announcement.

I expect the players to be able to do that and I think Manchester City likely win by a couple of goals here as Tottenham Hotspur did last month.

Leicester City v West Brom Pick: This feels like a bigger game for Leicester City than West Brom when these two meet in the Premier League on Thursday and that is largely because the latter's survival hopes have been dented by Newcastle United's upturn in form.

West Brom may have won back to back Premier League games, but they are still 9 points behind Burnley in 17th place and there are just seven League games left to be played.

The pressure is on them, but you can double that for Leicester City who are still clinging onto a top four spot in the Premier League after an inconsistent run. They faltered badly down the stretch last season and Brendan Rodgers was hoping those experiences would just strengthen the resolve of his squad this time around, but the pressure has been put on Leicester City by West Ham United, Chelsea and Liverpool.

The latter two teams play on Monday and Tuesday and if both win then Leicester City will really have to deal with the memories of last season. They simply cannot afford to drop points in a fixture like this one and I do think Leicester City are playing well enough to edge to the points, especially with James Maddison back and likely to play a part in this one.

West Brom have looked good of late, but this is a team who have long struggled and I don't think they can be fully trusted. They may cause some problems for Leicester City, but West Brom have continued to struggle defensively and that is where the home team can edge to the points.

It is a Midlands derby so there may be some factors that are hard to judge, while Leicester City have a miserable home record against West Brom down the years. However, this Leicester City team are off a confidence boosting FA Cup Semi Final win and I think they can be backed to edge to the points in a big Premier League game.

MY PICKS: Everton-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals

Newcastle United-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals

Wolves & Under 3.5 Goals

Arsenal

Manchester United - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Liverpool & Over 1.5 Goals

Chelsea - 0.75 Asian Handicap

Tottenham Hotspur & Over 1.5 Goals

Manchester City - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Leicester City - 0.75 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 32

A poor decision...

Bringing in Marcos Alonso turned out not to be the correct transfer after the Spaniard was left out of Chelsea's win at Crystal Palace and it was not only compounded by the other option, Trent Alexander-Arnold, banging in a winner for Liverpool against Aston Villa.

No, what hurt the most was removing Stuart Dallas for Alonso after the Leeds United defender not only scored once, but twice in the win at Manchester City.

Remarkable, but that has been my feeling for much of the 2020/21 Premier League season with the congested nature seemingly meaning you can't really plan for events as much as you may feel you can.

Stuart Dallas has done virtually nothing for weeks and that was despite his Leeds United team facing two of the bottom three teams, but not for the first time the returns have come in fixtures where you may not feel the player is likely to have a big impact. Lucas Digne, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Luke Shaw and Diogo Jota have all hurt me in those situations at various times over the last two months too, but it is just the way things have gone in general in 2020/21.

The suggestions are that the Premier League are very close to ratifying the change to the end of the season which is going to see the current GameWeek 35 moved back a few days and a new GameWeek 37 beginning in the midweek before the final weekend of the season. That was originally looking like being a free week in which any games left that need to be scheduled would be played, but the changes are likely to be made so every team has at least one home game in front of limited fans in the 2020/21 season.

For the Fantasy game the impact is that we do have at least one more really big Double GameWeek coming up and that is expected in GameWeek 35 as those teams involved in the FA Cup Final will have their Premier League game pushed forward a few days. There are at least two fixtures that are expected to be slotted into that GameWeek 35 to make a double for four clubs, while that number could increase to eight clubs depending on how the FA Cup Semi Finals go this weekend.

That decision by the Premier League should be confirmed before the end of next week and makes the Wild Card I want to play before GameWeek 33 a little easier to manage, although for now the focus has to be on GameWeek 32.

Only Tottenham Hotspur are on a Double GameWeek this week and the decision on a Captain is obviously going to be backing one of those players.

I am chasing a higher spot and that means I want to go with the differential- I imagine most will pick Harry Kane, but I am thinking of bringing Heung-Min Son and potentially even Triple Captaining him this week.

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin ruled out by Carlo Ancelotti, I can bring in Kelechi Iheanacho and upgrade Ilkay Gundogan for the South Korean, although it would mean taking a hit. My original plan had me moving Raheem Sterling for Son as my sole transfer this week, but there is some doubts about whether Ruben Dias, Gundogan and Marcos Alonso and whether they will start this week which means I can't afford to have a weak bench having only had ten starters last week.

This is my thinking so far, and I am unlikely to reach the deadline with plans to be out of the house on Friday afternoon (the beer gardens are finally open and I've spent far too long at home).

Activating the Wild Card in GameWeek 33 is still the most likely plan considering the likes of Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur are playing a blank, but I need to have a good think about how I want to manage my resources down the stretch. It has been a hard season, but there is still time for a very strong finish and at least have some confidence to take into Euro 2020 Dream Team and FPL play in the 2021/22 season.

Weekend Football Picks 2019 (April 20-22)

So put your hand up if you were one of the Fantasy players that put their faith in Brighton last week knowing they had two home games with Bournemouth and Cardiff City to come... Mine is high in the air and it was a shocking decision.

The Wild Card I had been saving to make sure I have a full selection for GW35 with a team loaded with players who have two games did not work out anywhere near to how I had hoped.

I am looking for a bounce back week after what was arguably my worst GW since September and my positive progression up the standings has been well and truly halted with that terrible GW34.

Below you can read my Fantasy advice for the week as well as my thoughts on the Premier League games to be played from Saturday through to Monday as the race for the title, the top four and the final relegation place hits the final run in.


Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: Both Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur put a huge emotional effort into the Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg that was played between these teams on Wednesday night. It was a remarkable game with five goals inside the first twenty-two minutes and the drama of a late winning goal from Manchester City being ruled out by VAR saw the atmosphere burst like a bubble in injury time.

The fans are going to be feeling the emotional exertions of Wednesday too and Pep Guardiola has a big challenge to pick his players up for a third meeting with Tottenham Hotspur in ten days.

I have no doubt that Tottenham Hotspur will be feeling a slight lack of energy themselves, but they have the positive of getting through to the Champions League Semi Final to give them a boost of adrenaline. However I can't ignore what has been a miserable away form for Spurs in recent weeks that has seen them lose 7 of their last 8 on their travels including a defeat here in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Some poor mistakes from Manchester City in defensive positions cost them the away goals that ended their participation in that competition, but I think they can respond with another win over Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. This time I believe the margin may be a little more comfortable for Manchester City who have not let negative emotions take over their performances in the last twenty months.

Last season they recovered from their Champions League exit by securing an impressive 1-3 win over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley Stadium and I do think Manchester City will be looking for a strong end to retain the Premier League title. Ultimately they did win the game on Wednesday and will feel they were more unlucky than deserving to go out of the Champions League and a stronger depth of squad can give Manchester City the edge in this big Premier League fixture.

Last season Manchester City beat Tottenham Hotspur comfortably in both League games. This season their two wins have been tighter, but Manchester City have been the better team in arguably all three games played between these teams and I will back Manchester City to make a statement of their intent for the rest of the season by earning a measure of revenge over Spurs.

I will back the home team to win by two or more goals on the day.

Fantasy Star: Raheem Sterling- has two games this week, but the Champions League exit to Tottenham Hotspur should mean Manchester City play their strongest XI both times.

Alternative: Kevin De Bruyne- could be the key cog in the title race and earned three assists in the Second Leg against Spurs during the week.


Bournemouth v Fulham Pick: There may not be a lot for Bournemouth and Fulham to play for at this stage of the season, but I think there is enough ambition in both camps to make this a decent game of football.

Last weekend Bournemouth responded to Eddie Howe's demands for a strong finish to the season by dismissing Brighton by a remarkable 0-5 scoreline at the Amex Stadium. While that has ended suggestions the players are already looking ahead to their holidays, there should also be motivation to apologise to the fans who were unhappy watching Bournemouth go down to a 1-3 defeat to Burnley in their last game here.

Eddie Howe made it clear he was not unhappy with the response of the fans as they had been behind the team throughout the ninety minutes and only voiced discontent at the final whistle. He will be urging his players to produce a big performance in front of those fans this weekend and they are facing a poor travelling Fulham team.

The motivation for Fulham is clearly making sure they finish at least 19th in the Premier League table, but the players won't want to go through the entire League campaign without an away win. They are trying to snap a run of 7 successive away defeats this weekend, but Fulham's defensive issues have let them down and I think that is going to play a part in another defeat away from Craven Cottage.

Bournemouth won by a wide margin at Craven Cottage when in much better form earlier this season, but I imagine this one is a little more competitive. However I think the home team will use the momentum of their victory last weekend to propel them forward down the stretch in the 2018/19 season and I will look for them to win this game.

Backing them to do so in a fixture containing at least two goals is the call as they will likely need to hit that mark themselves considering Fulham have scored in 5 of their last 7 away League games. There will be confidence in the away side having won last weekend too, but the away day blues may continue for one more game at least and I will back Bournemouth to win a game featuring two or more goals.

Fantasy Star: David Brooks- a source of goals and assists for the home team who should be making most of the play.

Alternative: Callum Wilson- scored and grabbed two assists last week, Callum Wilson could be in line for a strong end to this season.


Huddersfield Town v Watford Pick: A huge effort was put into their last Premier League fixture by Watford who had a lot of things conspire against them in the defeat to Arsenal. The overall performance was strong despite playing with ten men for the large majority of the fixture and Watford may feel a little unlucky not to have picked up a positive result on the day.

They will be looking to bounce back on Saturday with a visit to the bottom club Huddersfield Town and even the absence of Troy Deeney should not bother the visitors. For the most part this season Watford have been a dangerous team on their travels with some talented players in the final third capable of exposing spaces.

Both Roberto Pereyra and Gerard Deulofeu are expected to be back in the squad for this fixture and they can supply the bullets for Andre Gray to hit the target. Gray has not been in great form, but he has been in the right positions and can take advantage of a Huddersfield Town team who have conceded at least four goals in 3 of their last 4 games.

Huddersfield Town have been struggling at this level and the players seem unconvinced about Jan Siewert's tactics. It could mean another big decision is needed by the Huddersfield Town board before the Championship season starts and I think the recent effort in games has not been to the standard they would have expected.

Playing at home should get the players pumped, but Huddersfield Town were crushed 1-4 by Leicester City in their last game here. They are conceding too many goals and Watford can take advantage by winning a game featuring two or more goals which was the same recommendation I made when Leicester City won here earlier this month.

Fantasy Star: Andre Gray- has two games this week and sure to be leading the line now Troy Deeney is suspended. A chance to cement a place for the FA Cup Final.

Alternative: Gerard Deulofeu- is back in training and can follow up his starring appearance in the FA Cup Semi Final as Watford chase 7th place.


West Ham United v Leicester City Pick: Injuries and uncertainty about the future of many of the West Ham United players has perhaps been a factor in some of the performances in recent weeks, but they were very unfortunate to not earn a positive result at Old Trafford last weekend.

Manuel Pellegrini will be looking for more of the same from his players, but the injury to Manuel Lanzini is a blow to their chances of bouncing back and ending a run of 3 consecutive losses. A loss of that kind of creativity makes it very difficult for West Ham United whose players don't look particularly keen on putting in the kind of shift they need to if they want to win football games at this level.

West Ham United have conceded at least twice in 5 straight games and that makes it very difficult to win games, while they were beaten 0-2 by Everton in the last game at the London Stadium. The Hammers are also facing a Leicester City team who are very keen on returning to European competition and who had been in fine form under new manager Brendan Rodgers before their 0-1 defeat to Newcastle United in their last game.

That may have ended a 4 game winning run, but Leicester City are looking for a third straight win away from home. They have scored two or more goals in wins at Burnley and Huddersfield Town and Leicester City have a decent recent run at West Ham United where they have won twice and drawn in their last 3 visits to East London.

Winning here won't be easy if West Ham United play as well as they did at Old Trafford, but Leicester City have also been in good form and I will back the visitors on the Asian Handicap. At least that will return half the stake in the event of a draw, but I think Leicester City can take advantage of an injury-hit host to earn a victory on Saturday.

Fantasy Star: Jamie Vardy- limited chances last week, but a player in form and facing a team struggling with injuries.

Alternative: Felipe Anderson- scored last week at Old Trafford and the main creativity force for a team missing Manuel Lanzini.


Wolves v Brighton Pick: Losing games is a concern for any team in a relegation battle at this stage of the season, but losing in the manner Brighton did against Bournemouth and Cardiff City over the last seven days is a major worry for Chris Hughton, the players and the fans.

Back to back home losses while failing to score and conceding seven goals against a team out of form and one that is directly below them in the Premier League table is not what Brighton fans, or Fantasy players, would have been hoping for. They are now under intense pressure to bounce back, but the fixture list looks kinder to Cardiff City than it does to Brighton and there is every chance that The Seagulls are going to be relegated.

They will be hoping that Wolves are still suffering from the FA Cup Semi Final hangover which seemed to afflict them in their 3-1 defeat to Southampton last weekend. It was one of the poorer performances Wolves have produced all season, but Nuno Espirito Santo is not going to allow negative thoughts to linger and having another week to prepare for this fixture should help.

Wolves have also been significantly better at home than they have on their travels in recent weeks and that makes them a very dangerous opponent for Brighton to deal with. The home team have won 7 of their last 8 games at Molineux and they have scored at least twice in each of those wins while creating plenty of chances and really putting teams under pressure.

The ambition to finish 7th in the Premier League table should be motivating the Wolves players to bounce back from the defeat last week and I think they are going to have too much for Brighton who have conceded at least twice in 6 of their last 7 away Premie League games.

Brighton do have a decent record here in recent visits, but this Wolves team is much improved from the one that Brighton last played at Molineux in April 2017. I expect a much better performance from Wolves than what they produced at St Mary's and I think the lack of confidence in the Brighton squad may see them fall to a defeat in a fixture that produces two or more goals.

Fantasy Star: Raul Jimenez- has two home games this week and Wolves have been so strong here in recent weeks. Raul Jimenez has been scoring points for fun at home with goals and assists.

Alternative: Diogo Jota- the main strike partner to Jimenez and also a source of goals and assists when playing at home.


Newcastle United v Southampton Pick: The second of the five live televised Premier League games to be played this weekend comes from St James' Park and both Newcastle United and Southampton can play with an element of freedom as they search for a vital three points that will all but secure their spot in the top flight for another season.

It already feels like the two teams have enough to avoid relegation, but Cardiff City's win at Brighton on Tuesday night has tightened things up again. Both managers will recognise that and urge their players to focus on their own performances with decent form suggesting they have the quality to avoid the drop.

Newcastle United have been very impressive at home in the Premier League where they had won 5 in a row before the 0-1 defeat to Crystal Palace. They scored at least twice in each of those wins at St James' Park and they are facing a Southampton team who can be vulnerable defensively despite the clean sheet in the 0-1 win at Brighton in their last away game.

Ralph Hasenhuttl has his players performing with some belief and Southampton have been much improved under the Austrian. The attacking threat has become clear with Southampton scoring in 13 of their last 14 games in all competitions, but the worry is always the fact that they have kept only 2 clean sheets in the same run of games.

Both teams will feel they have the attacking threat to produce goals in this one and I think there is an element of freedom for the two teams who have been in decent form of late. The 5 points between Southampton and Cardiff City look huge with four games remaining for the latter and the biggest threat to my selection for this game has to be the 1-1 draw.

I think they can go a little further and am going to challenge the big quotes for three or more goals to be shared out despite the goalless draw between these teams earlier in the season. Prior to that result, Newcastle United versus Southampton fixtures had produced three or more goals in 7 straight between these clubs and I will look for that trend to get going again this weekend.

Fantasy Star: Solomon Rondon- three of his last four goals for Newcastle United have come at St James' Park and Southampton can be vulnerable defensively.

Alternative: James Ward-Prowse- didn't have an impact in the 3-1 win over Wolves from a Fantasy perspective, but has been important for Southampton.


Everton v Manchester United Pick: This is a vital fixture for Manchester United in their bid to get into the top four and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made it clear his team need to win at least 4 of their remaining 5 games if they are going to get into the Champions League spots. One of those wins has to come against Chelsea at Old Trafford in seven days time, but Manchester United will also be looking for some momentum to take into the remaining games having struggled for consistency over the last month.

Ever since beating Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United have lost 5 of 7 games in all competitions and that includes defeats in their last 4 away games during which time they have conceded at least twice each time.

It is an issue when going to Goodison Park where Everton have been in fine form of late- in their last 3 games here, Everton have drawn with Liverpool (0-0) and beaten both Chelsea (2-0) and Arsenal (1-0) and all three of those clubs are above Manchester United in the League table. Marco Silva should be confident his team can add another scalp to their collection at home, but Everton need to bounce back from their 2-0 defeat to Fulham last Saturday.

They have been better at home in general and Everton will be challenging a Manchester United team who may be lacking in confidence and have been having issues keeping clean sheets. In the final third Everton have some real quality and this is a huge test for Manchester United just days after exiting the Champions League in Barcelona.

A win is important, but I think Manchester United may be just about ok if they don't lose although that will put some pressure on them when facing Manchester City and Chelsea in back to back games at Old Trafford over the next week. They will finish up facing two of the current bottom three, while the teams above them in the race for the top four have some challenging fixtures to negotiate too.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be targeting a big win here and Manchester United are unbeaten in 8 against Everton, which includes winning on 2 of their last 3 visits here. I think Manchester United will have to score at least twice to earn the victory at Goodison Park this weekend though considering the defensive issues and I think this will be a fixture that produces three or more goals.

Everton's run of clean sheets at home against three of the top five is going to challenge the Manchester United attack, but the visitors have found goals away from home under Solskjaer and my biggest concern to see this pick as unsuccessful has to be a 1-1 scoreline. I think there is enough for both clubs to chase the three points though and it could be a fun game for the neutrals on Easter Sunday, although a tense one for the Manchester United fans and players that know the importance of a return to the Champions League.

Fantasy Star: Gylfi Sigurdsson- has been integral to Everton's successes in recent weeks and will be a danger throughout this one.

Alternative: Jesse Lingard- a severe lack of goals in the last couple of months as injury have slowed him down, but will likely start and does seem to get into those forward positions to cause problems.


Arsenal v Crystal Palace Pick: A couple of tough away games have resulted in back to back 0-1 wins for Arsenal at Watford and Napoli and they should be feeling confident now they return home for their latest Premier League fixture. With the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United facing difficult away trips to Manchester City and Everton respectively, Arsenal may feel this is a big chance to really take hold of one of the top four places which will mean a return to the Champions League.

My one concern for the players is that there could be some fatigue in the legs considering they have played those two tough away games since Crystal Palace last took to the field. Now they also have to deal with an opponent that has fantastic speed in the final third and who have been very confident away from home where Roy Hodgson can employ some counter attacking tactics that see Crystal Palace at their best.

Their recent results at the Emirates Stadium are not very encouraging, while Arsenal have won 8 in a row at home while scoring two or more goals in each of those. The last 7 wins have come by two or more goal margins too as Arsenal have shown defensive strength that has not really been a feature of their season in general.

I think the confidence of being back at home will help Arsenal overcome any tiredness they may be feeling and this Crystal Palace team have not been at their best in recent games. They were comfortably beaten at Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month and Crystal Palace have not been creating as many chances away from home as they would like.

With the run Arsenal are on at home with the streak of wins and the streak of winning by two or more goals I think they can do enough to beat Crystal Palace on the day. 4 of the last 6 games between these teams at the Emirates Stadium have ended with an Arsenal win of two or more goal margins and my feeling that the Crystal Palace players are perhaps mentally shutting down means I will back the hosts to cover the Asian Handicap.

Fantasy Star: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang- scores a large majority of his goals at home and has two games to come this week.

Alternative: Sead Kolasinac- Arsenal have had back to back clean sheets this past week and have been stronger at home.


Cardiff City v Liverpool Pick: This is a vital fixture at the top and bottom of the Premier League table and it won't surprise anyone to know it was one that was picked for television coverage.

In all honesty it is going to take a brave person to tell me that Liverpool are not going to win considering their recent form and the fact that Cardiff City have struggled when they have met the very best in the Premier League. The home team did give Arsenal and Chelsea some scares, but they have conceded at least twice in their home games with both of those London clubs mentioned as well as Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Manchester United and doing that against Liverpool will likely mean the three points are heading to Merseyside.

Cardiff City will offer a lot of fight and will battle with a Liverpool team who are travelling back from Portugal, but the lack of quality is likely going to cost them a victory.

However there is every chance they can play their part in this fixture on the scoreboard as Liverpool have conceded in each of their last 4 away games. One of those came at Fulham, another side in the bottom three, while relegation threatened Southampton also scored against Liverpool in a recent home Premier League game.

Earlier this season Cardiff City scored a consolation goal in their 4-1 defeat at Anfield and this is a team who have scored in 3 of their 5 home games against the 'big six' clubs with Liverpool yet to host. The Bluebirds can be a threat from set pieces and Liverpool have been far from invulnerable defensively and at the prices it looks like the right play.

If it wasn't for some recent heavy defeats at home I would have considered backing Cardiff City with the start on the Asian Handicap, but I think they are going to need to score if they are going to cover. I do think that is possible and backing both teams to score is the selection in this fixture.

Fantasy Star: Mohamed Salah- back in the goalscoring form and can lead the charge towards the title.

Alternative: Sadio Mane- both have scored in each of the last two games and they can pose a threat to Cardiff City throughout this League fixture.


Chelsea v Burnley Pick: The Monday Night Football offering has a lot more on the line for Chelsea chasing a Champions League spot than it does for Burnley who look to have earned the points to avoid the drop. However Sean Dyche is not someone who is going to allow his players to slack off with four games remaining and I think Burnley could provide a threat that comes from a team that have won 3 League games in a row this side of the last international break.

It does seem like Chelsea are struggling to put in full performances and after half time they have been having difficulties in recent games. They beat West Ham United 2-0, but the visitors were the better team in the second half, while Everton, Liverpool and Slavia Prague have all won in the second half in recent games.

That is definitely an issue that needs to be resolved if Chelsea are going to return to the Champions League, but they can earn the three points on Monday. Both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United will have played earlier this weekend, but both have tough away games so Chelsea can take advantage of any slips although I am not sure it is going to be a comfortable day at Stamford Bridge.

I think Burnley can play their part with the two forwards they use and the danger posed from set pieces. Burnley managed to score at Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool in the Premier League and they can cause Chelsea problems who have been playing plenty of big football in the last few days while Burnley have been resting and recuperating.

Chelsea don't concede many at home, but they have conceded in 2 of their last 3 home games with Burnley and teams are creating chances here. It would be a huge surprise if the home team don't score at least one and I will back both teams to get on the scoreboard in this one.

Fantasy Star: Ruben Loftus-Cheek- an advanced midfield spot and can take advantage of spaces created by Eden Hazard.

Alternative: Chris Wood- if Burnley are to score, it could be the New Zealander whose two goals last week almost certainly secured their place in the Premier League for the 2019/20 season.

Fantasy Football

Last week was a real body blow to my FPL team after putting my faith in Brighton who responded with a 0-5 and 0-2 defeat in the space of a few days. The decision to pick Kieran Trippier over Jan Vertonghen also backfired as he was rested, while Captaining Hueng-Min Son was barely a reward as he played three minutes (although did earn an assist).

Miserable times at a critical time of the season, but GW35 offers the chance of a bounce back with double games for a number of teams.

Goalkeeper 4.8 Million and Above

Bernd Leno (Arsenal- 4.9 Million): Has two games this week and Arsenal have earned back to back clean sheets. A decent option.

Goalkeeper 4.7 Million and Below

Ben Foster (Watford- 4.6 Million): Two winnable games for Watford and a real chance to add at least one clean sheet.

Rui Patricio (Wolves- 4.5 Million): Two games this week and Wolves have been much stronger at home than on their travels.

Defender 5.1 Million and Above

Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City- 6.1 Million): Will likely play both Manchester City games. Can be a threat from set pieces too.

Matt Doherty (Wolves- 5.3 Million): A real chance of at least one clean sheet and also an attacking threat in the system used by Wolves.

Defender 5 Million and Below

Sead Kolasinac (Arsenal- 5 Million): Like I mentioned in the goalkeeper section, Arsenal have had back to back clean sheets. Sead Kolasinac is also an attacking threat capable of providing assists.

Willy Boly (Wolves- 4.7 Million): A cheaper option to get into the Wolves defence and a serious threat from set pieces.

Yan Valery (Southampton- 4.1 Million): Have two games this week and Valery could be a forward thinking option from defence.

Midfielder 7.1 Million and Above

Raheem Sterling (Manchester City- 11.5 Million): Has been in seriously good form and Manchester City are all in to go for the Premier League title. Should play both games this week and scored twice against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City- 9.7 Million): Could be the key player in determining the destiny of the Premier League title. Had two assists against Crystal Palace last week and surpassed that with three against Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League.

Heung-Min Son (Tottenham Hotspur- 8.8 Million): Scored twice at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, but definitely a risk when it comes to rotation.

Midfielder 7 Million and Below

Henrikh Mkhitaryan (Arsenal- 6.7 Million): Could be having a big impact for Arsenal with Aaron Ramsey expected to be ruled out for the remainder of the season.

Diogo Jota (Wolves- 6.2 Million): Has scored in the last two League games at home and also managed to add another in the FA Cup Quarter Final against Manchester United at Molinuex. Serious threat with back to back games here to come this week.

Jordan Henderson (Liverpool- 5.3 Million): Does not have two games this week, but Henderson is being used in advanced positions for Liverpool and a cheap way to get into their midfield after he was rested in Portugal.

Forward 6.4 Million and Above

Sergio Aguero (Manchester City- 11.7 Million): Scored in the Champions League and should lead the line for both Manchester City games. Also scored twice in his last start at Old Trafford which is stunningly four years ago.

Raul Jimenez (Wolves- 6.9 Million): Two home games in a row and Raul Jimenez has scored the majority of his goals here.

Forward 6.3 Million and Below

Andre Gray (Watford- 5.9 Million): No Troy Deeney gives Andre Gray a chance to cement his place in the FA Cup Final starting eleven. Games against Huddersfield Town and Southampton should provide an opportunity to add to his five Premier League goals.

Danny Ings (Southampton- 5.4 Million): A favourite of Ralph Hasenhuttl and plays twice this week.

MY PICKS: Manchester City - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.76 Bet Victor
Bournemouth & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.85 Ladbrokes
Watford & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.30 Ladbrokes
Leicester City - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.03 Bet Victor
Wolves & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.30 Bet Fred
Newcastle United-Southampton Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.45 Betfair Sportsbook
Everton-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.90 Betfair Sportsbook
Arsenal - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.91 Bet Victor
Cardiff City-Liverpool Both Teams to Score @ 2.30 Paddy Power
Chelsea-Burnley Both Teams to Score @ 2.10 Paddy Power