College Football Week 15 Picks 2025 (Friday 5th December-Saturday 6th December)

Championship Week is always going to be important to teams around the College Football landscape and there are some big games to be played in 2025.

This time there are a few teams who will be worrying that a defeat in the Championship Game would see them miss out on the Playoffs, while Seeding is still up for grabs.

Games will be played from Friday through Saturday before the College Football Playoff Bracket is released next week.

Kennesaw State Owls @ Jacksonville State Gamecocks: Neither of these teams are Ranked as far as the College Football Playoff goes so the winner is not going to be thinking about pushing their way into the top twelve positions at the end of Championship Week.

However, make no mistake about the importance of winning the Conference USA Championship for both and that is going to mean plenty of motivation and intensity on the field.

Both the Kennesaw State Owls (9-3) and Jacksonville State Gamecocks (8-4) finished with 7-1 records in the Conference, although it is the Gamecocks who get to host the Championship Game having beaten the Owls three weeks ago.

Despite that win, the Gamecocks have been set as home underdogs again, although the line has dipped below a key number 3 from the regular season meeting compared with this Championship Game.

Kennesaw State will certainly feel they were the better team when losing in this Stadium, but the four turnovers on the day proved costly and the stronger yardage produced could not make up for that.

The Owls bounced back as would have been expected from that setback, but the pressure will be on Quarter Back Amari Odom who threw 3 Interceptions without a single Touchdown pass in the loss to Jacksonville State. This is not going to be far from the mind when he steps back in this one, although even a slightly cleaner game from that Quarter Back position is going to give the Owls an edge.

As the season has wound down, the Gamecocks have just had a few more issues controlling the Line of Scrimmage on the Defensive side of the ball and that means an opportunity for Kennesaw State to keep the Quarter Back in third and manageable spots. This should also mean having a clean pocket from which to throw down the field, while not needing to force the ball so much against a Secondary that will give up some big passing numbers, but who have thrived on picking off some of those pass attempts.

Capitalising on mistakes will be the plan for the home team who have been much cleaner with their execution and who will not think a Punt is the same as a defeat. Instead there will be patience from the Gamecocks to keep playing the field battle if they have to, while Jacksonville State have to be hugely encouraged with the problems the Owls Defensive Line have been having when it comes to stopping the run.

This is something that Jacksonville State will feel they can exploit, especially as the Gamecocks were rushing at 6 yards per carry in the win over Kennesaw State in the regular season.

Caden Creel will then be asked to keep things simple in the passing game and the Jacksonville State Gamecocks will be confident in earning another upset.

It could be another back and forth affair in this Championship Game, but the narrow edge has to remain with the Kennesaw State Owls and that is largely by building on what they learned from the regular season defeat. You have to believe the turnover gap will not be nearly as large as it was in that loss, and Kennesaw State have been playing well enough to think that even halving the number will be enough to secure the road victory.

The key will be to take Jacksonville State out of their comfort zone and forcing them to get into obvious passing situations, although that won't be easy.

Instead it could be Amari Odom who can earn redemption with a cleaner game than the first time around against the Gamecocks and the Quarter Back can lead the Owls to a Championship.

Troy Trojans @ James Madison Dukes Pick: The Sun Belt Championship has to be the main aim for both of these teams, but the James Madison Dukes (11-1) potentially have more on the line when hosting the Championship Game.

They dominated the Conference with a perfect 8-0 record and the Dukes have been rewarded by being placed as the Number 25 team in the Rankings.

With that in mind, winning the Sun Belt Championship may yet see the James Madison Dukes earn a spot in the College Football Playoff, although they will need some results to go their way on Saturday. That does mean the team can focus on winning a Championship on Friday in front of the home fans, even if the likelihood is that Head Coach Bob Chesney is set to depart James Madison for the vacant role with the UCLA Bruins.

Bob Chesney has not been able to deny those reports with the expectation being that he will move on, but he has given a lot of credit to the school and the players who have represented him and the Head Coach will be desperate for a Championship.

His team are hosting the Troy Trojans (8-4) who finished 6-2 in the Conference and winning the West Division.

The two teams had very different experiences facing the Old Dominion Monarchs, but that won't count for anything in this one-off game.

The Trojans are not going to make the College Football Playoff even with a win, but a Conference Championship is a big achievement for any team and they can use the 'inferiority complex' to motivate the players in this one.

Instead of having to worry about potentially 'impressing' the Playoff Committee, the Trojans will simply having been working on a plan to impose themselves Offensively. One of the big problems this season has been an inability to run the ball with any kind of consistency and Troy will not be expected to have a lot of impact trying to run the ball against this James Madison Defensive Line.

Goose Crowder returning at Quarter Back has given the Trojans something of a spark, and he has led the team to important wins to merely make the Championship Game.

However, throwing from third and long is tough enough without facing a Secondary like this one at James Madison, and especially when the Trojans Offensive Line have not always been the most productive in pass protection.

The Trojans should still have some success when it comes to moving the ball, although drives are expected to stall at times.

You cannot make that argument with as much confidence when it comes to this James Madison team that have found considerable balance when it comes to running and throwing the ball. Making things more comfortable is the fact that the Troy Defensive Line have had issues stopping the run, which in turn has made it that much more difficult when trying to slow down drives.

Alonza Barrett III may not be asked to throw too often in what are expected to be cold and potentially snowy conditions, but he can keep this drive ticking over when he is needed to do that.

Despite that, the Dukes should be comfortable showcasing their Offensive power and they will be looking to show the Playoff Committee why they should be a surprise contender for a place in the post-season amongst the elite of the College Football nation.

Conditions will make things tougher, but this team has dominated the Sun Belt Conference and they can do enough to win a Championship behind a dominant win.

BYU Cougars vs Texas Tech Red Raiders Pick: The Big 12 teams that came through the pack to both finish with 8-1 records in the Conference will be competing in the Championship Game.

The Texas Tech Red Raiders (11-1) and BYU Cougars (11-1) both have the same record, but it is Texas Tech who have been Ranked higher by the Playoff Committee and they are going to be competing in the Playoff regardless of the outcome. However, the BYU Cougars have effectively been asked to 'prove themselves' by winning the Big 12 Championship, even though the Big 12 Commissioner and both Head Coaches in this game have made it clear that both of these teams deserve their spot in the final twelve.

It is the regular season win secured by the Red Raiders over the Cougars that has given them the edge and Texas Tech are rightly favoured in the Big 12 Championship Game.

Errors made a big difference in the regular season loss, but it is going be a challenge for the Cougars to change things dramatically.

A problem is that the Cougars may struggle to run the ball, as they did in the regular season game against Texas Tech- they only had 2.5 yards per carry in that game and the Red Raiders Defensive Line have continued to clamp down on the run as the season has wound down.

Bear Bachmeier may have to carrry the burden for the BYU Offense, although there has been so much to like about this Texas Tech Secondary and the way they have backed up the stout Defensive Line. The Quarter Back struggled in that regular season meeting for consistency and that may be the case again in the Championship Game, which gives Texas Tech a big advantage.

Much like the Cougars, Texas Tech's Offensive Line may have a few problems when it comes to consistently pounding the rock on the ground.

However, Behren Morton is expected to have a few more holes to exploit when it steps back to throw the ball down the field, even though he will have to look out for the Cougars pass rush. If the team have placed Morton in third and manageable spots, the Quarter Back should be able to expose spaces in the BYU Secondary and that will give the Red Raiders a chance to back up the regular season win with another in the Championship Game.

Beating a team twice in the same season is never easy, but the Texas Tech Red Raiders have looked the stand out team in the Big 12 and they can secure another relatively comfortable win over the second best team in the Conference.

Duke Blue Devils vs Virginia Cavaliers Pick: Two years ago, the ACC were incredibly upset when the unbeaten Conference Champion was not called up to take part in the then four team College Football Playoff.

In 2025 there is potentially another situation developing where the ACC would not have a representative in the twelve team Playoff and it all comes down the Championship Game.

If the Duke Blue Devils (7-5) were to upset the Virginia Cavaliers (10-2), there is a real chance that the ACC will not be included in the Playoff- the Blue Devils finished 6-2 in the Conference and came out on the right side of a number of permutations to face the Cavaliers, who finished 7-1 in the ACC, and Duke will be looking for revenge after being blown out at home by this team three weeks ago.

The Cavaliers were dominant in that game, but they are well aware that this is a brand new day and the preparation has been to face a Duke team at their best.

However, it is the Virginia Defensive unit that looks very capable in shutting down the Duke Offense and that could be the key to the outcome, much as it was in the regular season.

Duke's Offensive Line is unlikely to have a lot of success running the ball against this Cavaliers team and that will mean Darian Mensah is going to have to step up for his team. He did have decent passing numbers in the first meeting, but Mensah will know how much of a challenge it is to keep the chains moving against this Virginia Secondary.

Of course the Blue Devils have nothing to lose and will pull out every play from the book to try and keep Virginia guessing, but the consistency they lack with the ball in hand is unlikely to be a similar problem for the Cavaliers.

Three weeks ago they piled up well over 500 Offensive yards against the Duke Blue Devils and the Cavaliers are likely to be very balanced when they have the ball in this one.

The Cavaliers Offensive Line is likely going to be the dominant force on the Line of Scrimmage and they should be able to make sure the team is in third and manageable spots for much of this game. This should only make things very comfortable for Chandler Morris at Quarter Back who will be aware of the issues Duke have had in the Secondary and the Cavaliers look like they can win well and make sure they earn their spot in the Playoff as the ACC representative.

Covering turned out to be pretty comfortable in the road win over the Blue Devils, but this one is likely to be closer with Duke pulling out all of the stops to try and keep up on the scoreboard.

With the strength of the Cavaliers on the Defensive side of the ball, Virginia should eventually begin to make the plays to pull away and earn a victory and cover to pick up the ACC Championship.

MY PICKS: Kennesaw State Owls - 1.5 Points @ 1.80 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

James Madison Dukes - 23.5 Points @ 1.85 Ladbrokes (1 Unit)

Texas Tech Red Raiders - 12.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Virginia Cavaliers - 4 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Week 14: 5-2-1, + 2.44 Units (8 Units Staked, + 30.50% Yield)

Week 13: 3-3, - 0.35 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.83% Yield

Week 12: 4-2, + 1.64 Units (6 Units Staked, + 27.33% Yield)

Week 11: 1-5, - 4.09 Units (6 Units Staked, - 68.17% Yield)

Week 10: 3-3, - 0.33 Units (6 Units Staked, - 5.50% Yield)

Week 9: 3-3, - 0.19 Units (6 Units Staked, - 3.17% Yield)

Week 8: 2-3, - 1.18 Units (5 Units Staked, - 23.60% Yield)

Week 7: 4-1, + 2.62 Units (5 Units Staked, + 52.40% Yield)

Week 6: 2-4, - 2.22 Units (6 Units Staked, - 37% Yield)

Week 5: 1-5, - 4.20 Units (6 Units Staked, - 70% Yield)

Week 4: 2-4, - 2.14 Units (6 Units Staked, - 35.67% Yield)

Week 3: 4-4, - 0.36 (8 Units Staked, - 4.50% Yield)

Week 1: 1-4, - 3.14 Units (5 Units Staked, - 62.80% Yield)

Week 0: 2-1, + 0.75 Units (3 Units Staked, + 25% Yield)

NFL Week 13 Picks 2021 (December 2-6)

The weeks keep rolling by and I will be adding to this NFL Week 13 thread in the coming couple of days.

But with a Thursday Night Football selection, it is straight into the Picks for the Week.

Dallas Cowboys @ New Orleans Saints Pick: It is increasingly unlikely that the New Orleans Saints (5-6) are going to be able to overcome Super Bowl Champions Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC South. Another loss on Thanksgiving Day saw the injury hit Saints slump below 0.500 and they have lost four in a row since Jameis Winston went down with an injury.

Having a full week off may have been beneficial for the Saints with some key performers returning on the Offensive side of the ball as they look to get back on track. They will be hosting this Thursday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys (7-4) who have lost two in a row, but who remain 2 games ahead of the Washington Football Team at the top of the NFC East.

Returning to the PlayOffs looks like something that will happen for the Dallas Cowboys in 2021, but those back to back losses will have just knocked some of the increasing confidence that surrounded the team. Another Thanksgiving Day disappointment will have hurt, but the Cowboys will be facing more hardship in Week 13 with a number of their Coaches missing this game with Covid-19 issues.

That means Dan Quinn will be acting as Head Coach in place of Mike McCarthy and it is far from ideal preparation for a team who have lost two in a row. However, the Cowboys will be bolstered by the return of their top two Receivers in Week 13 after it was confirmed that Amari Cooper will be travelling with the team, while Ezekiel Elliot was limited in Week 12 and has also determined that he will be able to hand a full workload in this big game.

Dallas are going to need Elliot to get somewhere back to his best if they are going to win this game on the road as the favourite- he has not been hitting the holes up front as well as he was earlier this season and even Tony Pollard has had some difficulties when it comes to running the ball rather than catching the ball out of the backfield. The Cowboys Offensive Line prides itself on being able to establish the run, but they may not get a lot of change out of the New Orleans Defensive Line and that will mean Dak Prescott needs to produce his best at Quarter Back.

Dak Prescott was not helped by his Receiving corps in Week 12, but he should have much more success throwing to Cooper and CeeDee Lamb who are both expected to suit up. Being in third and long spots may see the Saints put some pressure on Prescott, but the Quarter Back will feel he can look away from Marshon Lattimore and find open targets down the field.

In recent games, the New Orleans Saints Secondary have played the pass well, but over the last four weeks they have faced Josh Allen, Jalen Hurts, Ryan Tannehill and Matt Ryan and I think Dak Prescott is arguably better than all four of those Quarter Backs. Josh Allen had the most success and is closest in terms of ability to Prescott, so the Cowboys should be able to move the ball and score points here on the road.

The question is really for the New Orleans Saints Offensive unit if this game is going to be competitive- the Saints have spluttered all season, but they had next to no chance without Alvin Kamara in Week 12. The Running Back is set to play in this one alongside Mark Ingram, and that should be a boost for the Saints, while all signs point to Taysom Hill taking over from Trevor Siemian at Quarter Back.

A contract extension has been agreed with Hill and it continues to be something that raises eyebrows around the League considering the lack of belief the Saints seemingly have in him. Taysom Hill may help spark the rushing Offense for the New Orleans Saints which has been struggling in recent games, and with both Kamara and Ingram alongside him the feeling is they can have some success against the Dallas Cowboys up front.

Dan Quinn will be taking on a different role this week, but his Dallas Defensive unit have played well and they will potentially have DeMarcus Lawrence back on the Defensive Line to strengthen all around. They were worn down by the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12 and you have to imagine the New Orleans Saints are going to try and the same thing and hope that can open up the passing lanes.

It is hard to know how well Taysom Hill is going to play when it comes to passing the ball, but the aggressive Dallas Secondary does give up some big plays. The problem for the New Orleans Saints has been that they don't really have a very good Receiving corps without Michael Thomas and so it is an inconsistent passing attack at the very best.

Taysom Hill's ability to scramble should be able to ease some of the pass rush pressure and I do think the Saints can do enough to keep this close, even if I am unsure if they can win the game outright.

The Saints are 4-1 against the spread in their last five home games against Dallas and I do think Sean Payton can prepare them to bounce back from the one-sided loss to the Buffalo Bills.

Under Payton, New Orleans are 8-3 against the spread in their last eleven home games when placed as the underdog. The Dallas Cowboys have some very strong trends that need to be respected as they have played better than most anticipated in 2021, but the Saints are home and are expected to be blown out after their last performance and that should be motivation enough for a team that has some key players back.

Ryan Ramczyk and Terron Armstead are doubts, but if both are able to suit up on the New Orleans Offensive Line, I think the Saints can make use of the points being given to them as they try and get their PlayOff hopes back on track.

New York Giants @ Miami Dolphins Pick: They have both lost seven games already this season, but the extra game on the schedule means there is still an opportunity to reach the PlayOffs for both of these teams. Time is an issue and losing a game like this one could be a fatal blow, but confidence will not be an issue for the two teams.

The Miami Dolphins (5-7) are about to head into a Bye Week, but they have won four in a row to turn their season back around. After falling to 1-7 the fans may have turned their attention to 2022, but Brian Flores continues to enhance his reputation as the Head Coach and the four wins in a row comes at a good time for the Dolphins.

On either side of the Bye Week, the Dolphins face teams with losing records and winning both would mean they head into the final three weeks of the season at 0.500 and with every chance of breaking into the PlayOffs. They barely missed out in 2020 and Miami are a big favourite to see off the New York Giants (4-7) who have won three of their last five games, but who will be going into Week 13 without Daniel Jones at Quarter Back.

Mike Glennon will get the call to take over as starter, but you have to do wonder if that is going to have a big impact on what the Giants would have wanted to do Offensively. He does not have the same scrambling ability as Daniel Jones and the Giants Offensive Line could be under pressure from the Miami Dolphins considering what we have seen from Miami as a pass rushing team during this winning run.

It is not like Glennon can lean on Saquon Barkley and the running game either with the Offensive Line having issues in run blocking as much as they have had with pass protection. At one point the Dolphins Defensive Line really struggled to clamp down on the run, but they have been better of late and the Secondary is playing at a really high level as Miami turn their season around.

Running the ball is not going to be much easier for Miami, but they have a Quarter Back playing with a lot of confidence. Tua Tagovailoa has to be given credit for some of his recent performances, but he can be thankful to Jaylen Waddle who is showing why he was selected in the First Round by the Miami Dolphins last year.

I expect Waddle and Mike Gesicki to have decent games with the Dolphins relying on throwing the ball to keep the chains moving. They do have Myles Gaskin running the ball, but the Dolphins have shown little belief that the can expose some of the issues on the New York Defensive Line, which has struggled to contain the run, and instead it will be the passing game that is key for the home team.

Miami's Offensive Line is still a work in progress and likely going to have more investment in it over the next several months, but they have been playing a little better of late. They are also facing a Giants team that has struggled to get a push up front and so Tua Tagovailoa should have time to make his throws and lead the Dolphins to another win.

The Giants do have a strong record as a road underdog, but Miami are 4-1 against the spread in their last five as the home favourite. Add in the backup Quarter Back taking this game on for the New York Giants and I think the Miami Dolphins can enter the Bye Week with another good looking win behind them.

Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions Pick: They are not going to finish with a 0-17 record this season, but another late Field Goal was given up as the Detroit Lions (0-10-1) were beaten on Thanksgiving Day. The loss to the Chicago Bears has put the Lions on the edge of elimination, but Head Coach Dan Campbell will be keen to see his team at least find a way to win one of the close games that have gone against them and avoid a winless season.

They are facing the Minnesota Vikings (5-6) who fell below 0.500 after a close loss to the San Francisco 49ers and their own PlayOff hopes have been dented. The Vikings can get back on track with a win on the road, but they will know how tough even a winless team can make things having beaten the Lions by just 2 points at home.

Minnesota had almost 100 more yards than the Lions on the day and, even without Dalvin Cook, I would expect the Vikings to have the balance to win this game. Alexander Mattison is a capable backup for Dalvin Cook, but the Vikings will not have it easy pummelling the ball on the ground against a Detroit Defensive Line which has stood up to ground attacks in recent games.

With extra time to prepare, I expect the Lions to at least have the character to try and force Kirk Cousins to beat them through the air, although the Quarter Back is more than good enough to do that. He had a bad game at the 49ers, but Cousins has been playing well and the Lions have holes in the Secondary that his Receivers should be able to expose.

That should mean the Vikings will find enough Offensively to get past Detroit, but I do think the Lions can at least keep things relatively close with the way they are going to approach this Offensively. The key is to make sure the game is close because that should mean the Lions are able to hand the ball to Jamaal Williams who can pick up big gains on the ground, although it is a shame that D'Andre Swift is going to be miss out.

Jamaal Williams is a pounder and produced a solid game against the Bears when Swift went down with an injury, but the pass-catching ability of Swift will be missed. While the Lions can keep pounding the ball, they should be good to move the ball with some consistency, but they will not want to rely on Jared Goff and the passing game for too long.

Jared Goff has struggled in his first season in Detroit, but he doesn't have the best supporting cast and so it is vital to run the ball effectively. He may have more of an opportunity to make some plays down the field in this one against the Vikings Secondary, especially with the pass rush not working as well as the road team would like, and I think there is every reason to believe Detroit will keep this one close.

It is certainly hard to trust Minnesota who are 1-8 against the spread in their last nine games as the favourite and with a Thursday Night Football game coming up in Week 14. The Lions are 4-1 against the spread in their last five as the underdog, while they are 5-2 against the spread in their last seven against Divisional rivals and I think having more than a Touchdown worth of points is hard to ignore here.

MY PICKS: New Orleans Saints + 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Miami Dolphins - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet365 (2 Units)

Detroit Lions + 7.5 Points @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Boxing Picks 2020- Errol Spence Jr vs Danny Garcia (December 5th)

It has been a difficult year for every sport, but I have to credit for those involved in Boxing for giving us a solid end to 2020 with the hope that 2021 will be vastly different.

Things are beginning to change and that will be evident even with the small crowd that have been lucky enough to snap up tickets for Anthony Joshua's World Title defence against Kubrat Pulev in London next week.

We have already seen some crowds return in the United States despite the Covid-19 pandemic seemingly running amok over there and on Saturday the return of Errol Spence Jr will be in front of a crowd at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. It may not be anything like the numbers that were allowed for Spence Jr's win over Mikey Garcia inside the same Stadium, but it the start of something like a return to normal.

Next year will hopefully see the vaccine for this pandemic reaching the masses which should mean a return to greater numbers inside Stadiums and I am also hopeful that 2020 has been an eye-opener for many Boxers and Promoters. Time in the sport is limited and not guaranteed so there is no point marinating legacy fights until they are well done, but instead the big names should push to share a ring with each other and ultimately prove they are the best at what they do with their fists rather than fingers on social media.

It should gather momentum for the return of the fans in big numbers with some top fights that could be made, although I will likely delve into that either later this month or early in 2021.

Anthony Joshua and Canelo Alvarez are back later this month, but Saturday 5th December offers fans a couple of big main events and some decent Boxing to enjoy on the undercard too.

It begins in London and then shifts to Texas and I am looking forward to the whole evening- the best news for United Kingdom fans is that neither event is behind a PPV model this week too.

Michael Ramabeletsa vs Chris Bourke

A quick look at the records may suggest that this chief support bout on the London card is going to be a one sided victory for the unbeaten Chris Bourke.

After all Michael Ramabeletsa is 18-17 as a professional and at 39 years old has to be past his best.

However that is not factoring in how well Ramabeletsa has been performing in recent fights and how he has proven to be more than a simple gatekeeper for those prospects looking to move up the World Rankings. In fact he has won three fights in a row and all of those have come against unbeaten fighters so no one in Chris Bourke's camp can be overlooking the South African born opponent who is now residing in Preston.

Michael Ramabeletsa may only have won eight of his last eighteen fights inside the distance, but two of those stoppages have come in his last three fights. Joe Eko managed to get to the cards before he was beaten, but Ramabeletsa put him down in two of the ten Rounds they fought each other and I do think he is a very dangerous customer.

We will learn a lot about Chris Bourke who went beyond the Sixth Round for the first time in his last fight back in July when narrowly outpointing previously unbeaten Ramez Mahmood. However there is no doubting this is a big step up for Bourke who will look to make things awkward with his southpaw stance although I do think he is going to find it hard to fend off a naturally bigger opponent.

Chris Bourke has shown some pop in his previous bouts, but Michael Ramabeletsa is rough and ready and I do think he can things very awkward.

The layers feel Bourke should have too much and they may be right if he is as good as some think, but Michael Ramabeletsa is going to show us all what his opponent is about. The South African is tough and on a roll and I do think he is perhaps being underestimated to earn the upset win.

He might be on the wrong end of some controversy if it is close, but a small interest in the underdog at a big looking price looks justified as he looks to take a fourth '0' in a row.

Anthony Yarde vs Lyndon Arthur

This feels similar to Daniel Dubois versus Joe Joyce in the manner that most felt they had a pretty good idea about where both Boxers were.

Most anticipated the power to be with Dubois and perhaps underestimated the amateur pedigree of Joyce which turned out to be decisive on the night. It also helped that Joyce showed a tremendous chin taking some of the big power punches Dubois has become known for and I do feel that Lyndon Arthur is going to have to do the same to upset Anthony Yarde.

On paper there is no doubt that Yarde has operated at a much higher level than Arthur, but the Mancunian has a better amateur pedigree and will be looking to keep 'The Beast' at bay with a jab and out-Boxing him.

King Arthur has some power as evidenced by twelve stoppages in his perfect 17-0 record, but this is a big step up for Lyndon Arthur whose best win may be Dec Spelman.

That is the same opponent Anthony Yarde demolished and he has operated at the World level when barely coming up short against Sergey Kovalev. The 'Lions in the Camp' feel that is going to be the difference on the day and I do think this is going to be a fight that tells a lot about where Arthur can go in his career.

There will be times when I do think Lyndon Arther will just make Anthony Yarde's Boxing skills look a little ponderous, but the big questions will only be answered when Yarde finds him with some power shots. There is no doubting how hard Anthony Yarde hits and there aren't many who have been able to get through the early storm which means Lyndon Arthur has to answer questions quicker than he may want to.

Only a World Class operator like Sergey Kovalev has managed to get past Seven Rounds with Anthony Yarde and even the Russian was rocked to his very core in the Eighth Round and only barely escaped before recovering and finding the stoppage. That is going to be the test for Lyndon Arthur and I am not sure he is going to be able to prevent Anthony Yarde from firing away when he does get on top in this fight.

The early Rounds may be cagey, but I would not be that surprised if Anthony Yarde asks the big questions of Lyndon Arthur in the middle of this one and eventually finds enough firepower to put this opponent away. I like Arthur and think there is a quality fighter there, but I do think Anthony Yarde's experience will tell and backing him to find the stoppage in the mid-Rounds looks a decent enough price.

Sebastian Fundora vs Habib Ahmed

This should have been a much more important fight for Sebastian Fundora, a Boxer who stands at 6 feet 5 inches, but manages to operate at the Light-Middleweight level. At 22 years old there is likely going to be a move up one or two Divisions for Sebastian Fundora in the years ahead, but for now he is looking to show he is the best 154 pounder in the world, although I am not sure many will want to take him on unless they have to for World Titles.

The key for Fundora is to force his way into the position of a mandatory spot, but this is no longer a final eliminator after initial opponent Jorge Cota was forced to withdraw from this fight.

In steps Habib Ahmed who has a solid 27-1 record on paper, but who has never fought below 160 pounds and who has fought as high as Super Middleweight. The sole loss on Ahmed's resume comes at Super Middle against Gilberto Ramirez when he was stopped in the Sixth Round, but he is going to be at a height and reach disadvantage in this one too and I do wonder how he is feeling having sapped himself down to a new low in fighting weight.

Habib Ahmed was fighting at 166 pounds just four months ago and you do wonder if there is going to be much to him in this one. He is going up against an opponent who has been comfortable at the weight and who will likely target the body and use his range to really let go his hands and I do think Sebastian Fundora will be looking to make a statement on a big card.

Two of his previous opponents have managed to get out of the Sixth Round, but I do think Sebastian Fundora is facing someone that won't be hard to find and who may not have a lot of will to stay up to heavy shots if he is feeling weak at the weight. Losing as much as Habib Ahmed likely has in a short period of time has to have affected how much punch resistance he may have and that should encourage Fundora to find his range early and then begin to tee off on the Ghanaian.

You do have to credit Ahmed for the career he has put together so far, but Sebastian Fundora should be the more comfortable in this bout and it may lead to a relatively early night for The Towering Inferno.

Errol Spence Jr vs Danny Garcia

The picture above comes from a simpler time as Errol Spence Jr had just earned the Split Decision win over Shawn Porter and retained his IBF World Title and added the WBC belt to his collection too.

Even then most wanted to see Spence Jr find a way to go in with Terence Crawford, but the Texan was set to go against Danny Garcia early in 2020 before finding a way to the Unification super-fight with Crawford later in the year.

Before even the Covid-19 pandemic raised havoc, Errol Spence Jr was involved in one of the more horrifying car crashes that have been caught on CCTV and there was every chance his career was over... At one point some feared Spence Jr would even survive the accident.

In the last fifteen months Errol Spence Jr has been working his way back and it is saying a lot about the character of the man that he hasn't taken an easy path back to the top of World Boxing. Instead of facing an overmatched opponent, Errol Spence Jr has decided he will go in with the dangerous Danny Garcia and there is only one question most will have.

What has Errol Spence Jr lost and how much has he retained after the near fatal accident?

My feeling is that if this fight took place soon after the September win over Shawn Porter that Errol Spence Jr would have been a big favourite against Danny Garcia who has come up short against Porter and Keith Thurman. Danny Garcia has to be respected because he is a solid Boxer, has a good chin and he has thrived as an underdog before in his career.

There is no doubting that Garcia is going to test Errol Spence Jr, but I do think that is mainly because we are not sure that Spence Jr is going to be at the same level he was pre-accident.

If Spence Jr is anywhere near the level he once was I do think he is going to be able to box at range and steer clear of the 'no look' left hook that Garcia is going to search for. The intrigue comes from whether he has lost a step and not able to get out of the way as he once could or whether his punch resistance is gone, but I really like Errol Spence Jr and I think he finds his way to a Decision win.

I do think he can out-Box Garcia for large parts of this one and I will look for Errol Spence Jr to not take too many unnecessary risks as he shows he is back to take his place at the top of the 147 pile.

MY PICKS: Michael Ramabeletsa @ 4.20 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Anthony Yarde to Win Between 5-8 @ 3.25 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Sebastian Fundora to Win Between 1-6 @ 2.20 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Errol Spence Jr to Win by Decision/Technical Decision @ 1.80 Sky Bet (2 Units)

College Football Week 14 Picks 2020 (December 5th)

The College Football season is scrambling my mind when it tries to work out what time of the year it is- instead of looking forward to Championship Games and the end of the regular season, we still have two weeks to play.

Covid-19 has really made a big impact on the scheduling too which may mean one or two big schools miss out on their goals because they haven't played enough games to be eligible for a Championship, but all we can do is keep on trucking and hope the season is completed without too many more disruptions.

Penn State Nittany Lions @ Rutgers Scarlet Knights Pick: 2020 has been a difficult year for many, but the Penn State Nittany Lions will be aware that they have underachieved so far this season. While the pandemic has made it challenging for teams up and down the nation, both professional and collegiate, that isn't an excuse for James Franklin as Head Coach.

He will be keen to see his team finish with a flourish having opened 2020 with a 0-5 record before beating rivals Michigan Wolverines last week. Keeping the players focused on this game between a battle with the Wolverines and the Michigan State Spartans won't be easy though and the Nittany Lions are up against a feisty Rutgers Scarlet Knights team.

Greg Schiano might not have made the impact in the NFL that he would have liked, but he has returned to Rutgers as Head Coach having had considerable success in his first stint with the team. The Scarlet Knights might have a 2-5 record, but they have pushed the likes of the Indiana Hoosiers and Ohio State Buckeyes and none of the seven opponents faced will feel they had an easy day.

The most disappointing loss has to be the one to the Illinois Fighting Illini, but Rutgers are surpassing expectations having been an underdog in six of the seven games played. They are a big underdog again in Week 14, but the Scarlet Knights are coming in off an upset of the Purdue Boilermakers and they may feel that Penn State are going to overlook them.

Rutgers were beaten comfortably on the road in Happy Valley last season, but I do think they are capable of making this one a much more competitive outing.

Much is going to depend on the trenches and which team is able to come out on top and I do have to give Penn State an advantage there. While the Nittany Lions are expected to have some success running the ball, the key for Rutgers is trying to establish the ground game in this one having struggled for consistency behind the Offensive Line all season.

I do think both teams are going to be able to throw the ball with some success too, although once again there has to be a slight advantage to Penn State and it is the reason the layers believe they are going to win and have them down as a big favourite. However the Nittany Lions have not enjoyed that tag this season and have lost as a big favourite already once this season and not taking Rutgers as seriously as they should may prove costly for Penn State.

They are 1-6 against the spread in their last seven Conference games and Penn State are 2-5 against the spread in their last seven as the favourite.

On the other side Rutgers are 5-1 against the spread in their last six as the underdog and I do think the Scarlet Knights have played tough all season to take the points in this game.

Ohio State Buckeyes @ Michigan State Spartans Pick: The College Football PlayOff Committee and the Big Ten Conference have different criteria for the end of the regular season and that has put some pressure on the Ohio State Buckeyes. They are unbeaten in four games, but the Buckeyes have to play at least six games to be eligible to play in the Big Ten Championship Game, although the College Football PlayOff selections don't ask for a minimum number of games to be completed.

Of course they will have to factor in everything before deciding their final four and there is a suggestion that the Buckeyes will be in danger of missing out on the PlayOffs if they are not able to win a Championship.

The more immediate concern for the Buckeyes is that they need to make sure they play the remaining two games on their regular season schedule. Last week they had to postpone a Conference game and will be facing Michigan State Spartans and Michigan Wolverines to finish the season, but the Buckeyes have admitted they are going to be short-handed for this Week 14 game on the road.

While Ohio State are unbeaten and looking to earn their spot in the Championship Game, the Michigan State Spartans are at 2-3 and been a hard team to predict. They have been upset in their first game and the Spartans have been blown out by Iowa and Indiana, but they have also been able to upset Michigan on the road and also beat Northwestern which has ended the Wildcats unbeaten start to the 2020 season.

Head Coach Ryan Day will not be travelling with his team, but as long as Justin Fields is playing Quarter Back the Ohio State Buckeyes will feel they can win this game. They will certainly be able to move the ball with their Quarter Back who is likely to go either Number 1 or Number 2 overall in the next NFL Draft with Fields set alongside Trevor Lawrence as the top prospects in that position.

Justin Fields did not have his best outing against the Indiana Hoosiers, but you can't deny his performance at clutch times in that game. This game should be much better for Fields who is not playing a Secondary like the one that Indiana have trotted out onto the field, although the feeling is that he will be leant on in this game.

Like many Spartans teams of the past, the Defensive Line is pretty good when it comes to stopping the run. However you do have to wonder if paying too much attention to Justin Fields will open things up on the ground especially with the way the Buckeyes have been running the ball all season.

It is something to consider because Michigan State are not likely to stop Justin Fields when he throws into their Secondary, although the Spartans can have some success trying to bring the Quarter Back down.

Ohio State should be able to move the ball with successes throughout this game and the real challenge for Michigan State is being able to the same with an inconsistent Offense they have displayed all season. The Spartans have not had any consistency running the ball in 2020 and this Buckeyes Defensive Line has been able to clamp down on Running Backs and force teams to become a little one-dimensional against them.

Again the question is how many of the starters are not going to be able to suit up, but the Buckeyes should have the schemes to at least slow down the Spartans and make Ricky Lombardi beat them from the Quarter Back position. There are holes in the Buckeyes Secondary that other teams have exploited, but Lombardi has struggled to avoid turnovers and I do think some of the drives will be ended by mistakes from Michigan State rather than anything special produced by Ohio State.

Ricky Lombardi is also going to be put under intense pressure by the Ohio State pass rush as he has not been protected by the Michigan State Offensive Line as much as he would like. Running out of time has led to mistakes from this Quarter Back and I think that will help the Buckeyes make a statement and try and impress the PlayOff Committee even if they are not able to complete the regular season and play the Big Ten Championship Game.

The Buckeyes are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight at Michigan State and they are also 5-2 against the spread in their last seven games as the road favourite.

Michigan State have struggled at home for some time now and they are 2-8 against the spread in their last ten as the underdog. While this is a big number, I do think Ohio State will be looking to score as many points as possible to underline their status as one of the best teams in the nation and that should see them make enough plays to cover.

Oklahoma State Cowboys @ TCU Horned Frogs Pick: The Iowa State Cyclones and the Oklahoma Sooners have the inside track to the Big 12 Championship Game, but that does not mean the Oklahoma State Cowboys are going to allow themselves to give up their chase. At the moment they are only outside of the top two in the Conference because of the head to head with their rivals Sooners, but the Cowboys have the tie-breaker over the Cyclones and they are only a game behind them.

All of that can't be taken for granted for the Oklahoma State Cowboys and they can't afford to overlook the TCU Horned Frogs who are 4-4 and looking to end their season with a flourish. It may afford the Horned Frogs a chance to play in a Bowl Game, and they have won three of their last four games which should give TCU some real confidence.

Gary Patterson has admitted that his team are struggling in the trenches, but that has not stopped them from performing at the kind of levels that we have become used to seeing from TCU.

Injuries will have affected so many teams up and down the country so Patterson will not be feeling sorry for his players and instead will be demanding the end of the season keeps the momentum behind them. Four wins in five will see TCU have plenty of experience to take into 2021 and they will also want to have those extra practices that come with Bowl Games.

The Head Coach has to be confident after what he has seen from his Offensive unit and especially the way that TCU have been running the ball. In recent games there have been signs that the Oklahoma State Defensive Line have just been worn down and I do think Zach Evans and Darwin Barlow can pick up from where they left off in Week 13 and perhaps go into the 2021 season as the best Running Back tandem in the Big 12.

An ability to run the ball as efficiently as TCU have been able to do in recent games will certainly give them a real chance to not only keep themselves in front of the chains throughout this game, but also control the clock. The Cowboys Defensive Line have given up over 220 yards per game on the ground on average in their last three and the Horned Frogs should have a strong day.

It is important they are able to run the ball as they have because the Horned Frogs have not been as strong when it comes to throwing the ball. Some of that is down to the control they have had on the ground though and there may be one or two holes to exploit in the Secondary, especially as TCU should have plenty of time to throw the ball with a strong run established.

Running the ball has been a key for Oklahoma State this season, but Chuba Hubbard and LD Brown have been missing and both may be absent for this one. The Cowboys were not slowed down against the Texas Tech Red Raiders even without Hubbard and Brown, but that is going to be a big challenge against the Horned Frogs Defensive Line which has really clamped down on Offenses up front.

Spencer Sanders has not really had to do a lot for the Cowboys in recent games, but the Quarter Back may need to do more if Oklahoma State are not able to run the ball as they are used to. His numbers are not leaping off the page of late, but Sanders should have some success against the TCU Secondary which has given up one or two big plays.

However it is the TCU pass rush which may be able to make the big difference in this game and I think that is the reason the Horned Frogs will be able to secure a minor upset.

The underdog is 5-0 against the spread in the last five of this Divisional series and the home team is 6-2 against the spread in the last eight.

Some of the recent trends from TCU are not that impressive, but I think they may be able to run the ball more effectively than Oklahoma State and that should give them every chance to win this game.

Texas Longhorns @ Kansas State Wildcats Pick: Tom Herman has to know his time at Texas is drawing to a close as the Longhorns finished on the wrong end of a tight loss to the Iowa State Cyclones in Week 13. That has left Texas with a disappointing 4-3 record in the Big 12 and it is going to take a strange set of results for the Longhorns to be playing in the Championship Game.

Ultimately that is the sole goal for the Longhorns who expect to be National Championship contenders every season, but under Herman they have come up short. We will know how much the players still want to play for him in their remaining two regular season games beginning with this trip to Manhattan to face the Kansas State Wildcats who have lost four in a row to drop to 4-4 in the Conference.

There is work to do for the Kansas State to earn enough wins to finish Bowl eligible, but recent narrow losses to Oklahoma State and Baylor will at least encourage the players.

However it would be hard to ignore the fact that the Wildcats have not been looking as effective Offensively since losing leading Quarter Back Skylar Thompson and that may show up against a Texas Defensive unit that have kept their team competitive. Will Howard has not really shown he can replicate the passing that Thompson may have given Kansas State and it does feel like the Wildcats Offense does not match up very well in this game.

While they have been able to run the ball and struggle to throw, the Texas Longhorns Defensive Line has been able to clamp down on the run but have struggled in the Secondary. I am not sure Will Howard can really exploit the holes in the Secondary and he has been loose with the ball which has meant turnovers and mistakes and those can be very costly for any team.

In saying that this may still be a difficult number for Texas to cover with their season almost certainly over after losing to Iowa State. This is a team who have not run the ball as well as they would have liked which means all the pressure is on Sam Ehlinger at Quarter Back and he has simply not been able to play at a level consistently enough to help Texas overcome their issues.

Sam Ehlinger hasn't played badly and he is capable of scrambling for First Downs as well as throw the ball effectively. I do think the Quarter Back will have some successes, but he has to be worried about the Offensive Line when it comes to protecting Ehlinger from the pass rush and Kansas State have shown enough on the edges to believe they can get to the Quarter Back.

That does raise some doubts about the road favourite and Texas have had a poor time when visiting Kansas State.

The Longhorns also have a poor record as a favourite, while Kansas State are 20-8 against the spread in their last twenty-eight games as the home underdog. You can only respect the Wildcats for that, but I am not sure I can trust Will Howard to avoid the mistakes that will eventually give Texas the chance to pull clear.

I am not that happy to back Texas, but I think they can at least play hard for their Head Coach a couple more times before the Bowl season and a late turnover or two could lead to the cover in this big game.

Syracuse Orange @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish Pick: I know it would be easy to suggest the unbeaten Notre Dame Fighting Irish could overlook their remaining regular season games in the ACC as they have already secured a spot in the Championship Game. The usually Independent Notre Dame Fighting Irish do have a potentially huge rematch against the Clemson Tigers to come so they won't want to risk players that are banged up, but Brian Kelly will be aware of the importance of finishing this season with a maximum of one defeat if they are going to have any chance of making the College Football PlayOff.

Assuming they play the Clemson Tigers close again, even a narrow defeat may not put the PlayOff Committee off from picking Notre Dame to play in the National Championship Semi Final. However it is clear a defeat to either the Syracuse Orange or Wake Forest Demon Deacons will definitely mean the Fighting Irish would have to win the ACC Championship Game to earn a top four place.

That should focus the players who also hold a clear talent edge over Syracuse and I expect that to show up in a relatively comfortable win.

Relatively comfortable doesn't mean cover though.

The Orange might be 1-8 in Conference play this season and Dino Babers will already be looking for his team to build experience that will stand them in better stead in 2021, but Syracuse showed enough fight last week to believe they won't roll over in this one. They have suffered some blow out losses, but Syracuse have not been beaten by more than 30 points and that includes playing Clemson and the North Carolina Tar Heels who are right in behind Notre Dame as the best teams in the Conference.

Rex Culpepper won't have heard the end of his strange decision to clock the ball last week when he was at Fourth Down, but it was a mistake from the Quarter Back and it was arguably his best game of the season. This is another top Defensive team that Culpepper is going up against, but the Fighting Irish have given up some big yards through the air in recent games and that has to encourage the Syracuse Quarter Back in being able to have a strong showing in this one too.

Even then it is hard to imagine a player with eight Touchdowns and seven Interceptions is going to have enough to beat the Fighting Irish, especially without the balance Offensively that will have aided him. Rex Culpepper will not have much of a running game to fall back upon and his Offensive Line have not protected the Quarter Back very well so the key for Culpepper is to try and play as clean a game as possible.

In recent games he has done that, but it is still a big challenge for Rex Culpepper although I do think he can make enough plays to put some scores on the board.

Scoring points won't be a real issue for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and I expect Ian Book to have another big game at Quarter Back as he continues to raise his personal stock to those watching in the professional ranks. I expect Book to have some very good numbers, but the Fighting Irish will also be looking to impose themselves in the trenches as they look to pound the ball against a Syracuse Defensive Line that have played well.

Ian Book will also be aware that while he has been well protected by his Offensive Line, the Syracuse pass rush has been effective in recent games. They might at least give Book something to think about and if the Fighting Irish are forced to slowly grind their way down the field with their running game it could the Orange an opportunity to at least stay within this big number.

The Orange have a 5-2 record against the spread in their last seven games when playing a team with a winning record. Notre Dame have been a very good favourite to back in recent times, but they have rarely been asked to cover a number like this one and only twice this season have they won games by more than 18 points.

The Fighting Irish beat Syracuse by 33 points when last playing them two seasons ago, but this one may be a touch closer than that and that means I will be taking the points on offer.

Baylor Bears @ Oklahoma Sooners Pick: A win over an overmatched non-Conference opponent wouldn't have given anyone goosebumps, especially not as the Oklahoma Sooners followed up with back to back Conference losses. It felt like their long-time dominance of the Big 12 was coming to an end, but the Sooners have won five games in a row now.

That means they are going to be playing in the Conference Championship Game is they can win out over the next two weeks, although the biggest opponent for the Sooners may actually be Covid-19. While they are following as many of the protocols as they can to as high a level as they can, but they had to postpone the game with the West Virginia Mountaineers and these are the kind of times when an outbreak is never too far away.

At the time of writing Oklahoma are going to be taking to the field and opposing the 2-5 Baylor Bears who are still getting used to the schemes that have been put in place by a first year Head Coach. It is a far cry from 2019 when Baylor played the Big 12 Championship Game against Oklahoma under Matt Rhule, but their former Head Coach is now in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers and Dave Aranda has had a difficult first season.

While the Oklahoma Sooners were being forced to postpone a game, the Baylor Bears have at least doubled their win total in Week 13. That may give them some confidence and belief, but the Bears have to hope the Sooners have been cooled down from the levels they have been producing with their unexpected break in the schedule.

Defensively there have been some real signs of improvement from Oklahoma and they will feel they can have a strong day against Charlie Brewer and this Baylor Offensive unit. The Defensive Line has clamped down on the run and it has been a challenge for Baylor to establish that element of their Offense anyway which means the pressure is on Brewer at Quarter Back.

Charlie Brewer has had some successes throwing the ball, but his Offensive Line has not been able to protect him like they would wish and I am not sure how Baylor are going to keep the Sooners from infiltrating the backfield. A really strong pass rush has protected the improving Oklahoma Secondary who have also been taking advantage of the pressure to pick off stray passes.

It all suggests the Sooners can force extra possessions and short fields and that should make things fairly easy for them when they do have the ball. Oklahoma have found a real balance in their Offensive output and I am not sure the Baylor Defensive Line will be able to do enough to slow them down on the ground which is going to open up the playbook for the favourites.

Spencer Rattler had a very big game when helping Oklahoma win Bedlam, but he may not need to do as much in this one if his team are able to establish the run. The Baylor numbers in the Secondary have been pretty good in 2020, but some of that has to come down to the fact they have not been able to stop the run and I think the Sooners will put a statement win on the board as they close in on their own place in the Championship Game.

Both games between these teams were close last season and Baylor have a strong 6-1-1 record against the spread in their last eight games as the road underdog. However Oklahoma have covered in their last five as the favourite and crushed the Oklahoma State Cowboys in their last game here.

I expect they will find the spark from some big Defensive plays to open things up for the Offense and the Sooners may eventually pull clear for a very big win. If Charlie Brewer can't escape the pressure, I expect Oklahoma to have some short fields for Touchdowns and I will look for the home team to cover this line.

MY PICKS: Rutgers Scarlet Knights + 11.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Ohio State Buckeyes - 23.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

TCU Horned Frogs + 2.5 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (1 Unit)

Texas Longhorns - 7.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Syracuse Orange + 33.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Oklahoma Sooners - 20.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Purdue Boilermakers - 1.5 Points @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Missouri Tigers - 2.5 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Duke Blue Devils + 15.5 Points @ 1.91 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (December 5-7)

There is still one more round of European Group Stage matches to be played, but the English Premier League clubs involved in either the Champions League or Europa League couldn't have asked for a better week.

Well I mean all but Manchester United sadly.

While Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool all earned the results they need to not only Qualify, but actually win their Champions League Groups, Manchester United had to suffer a really disappointing 1-3 home defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

The performance wasn't terrible, but the result was and Manchester United will be under pressure on Tuesday when they visit Leipzig looking to earn at least a draw to progress to the Last 16 of the Champions League. A defeat would mean Manchester United are sent back into the Europa League and the pressure will build on the manager, but the situation is also a difficult one to deal with as Manchester United have some big Premier League games to come.

Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Leicester City have also progressed to the Knock Out Rounds of the Europa League and the managers of those six clubs will get a chance to utilise the squad in what is going to be a busy month of football for all of the English clubs.

Over the coming weeks Fantasy players will have to watch out for the increasingly strange deadline times for each GameWeek coming up, but more on that later.

Before I get to that you can read my thoughts on the Premier League games to come this weekend, although there are nine games scheduled and not the usual ten after the Aston Villa-Newcastle United game was postponed due to a Covid-19 outbreak in the latter's squad.

Burnley v Everton Pick: If anyone can tell me what Everton team are going to turn up from week to week I would have a better idea as to how this game is going to go.

Will it be the side who scored early and often against Fulham in a recent 2-3 win at Craven Cottage? Or will it be the Everton side that were largely outplayed and perhaps fortunate to lose 0-1 at home to Leeds United last weekend?

Carlo Ancelotti may not be entirely sure what to expect, while the injury to Lucas Digne is a blow to the Everton balance. I still think they will be dangerous going forward, but Everton have not been very good at the back and I do think Burnley may be under-rated here at the moment.

It has not been the start to the season that Sean Dyche would have wanted, but Burnley have perhaps deserved more than they have gotten, especially at Turf Moor.

The first goal feels so pivotal in this fixture with both Burnley and Everton perhaps lacking some confidence, but don't ask me who gets that!

Manchester City v Fulham Pick: Ever since Chelsea won the Premier League in the 2016/17 season, this has been a Division which has been dominated by two clubs.

Manchester City ran away with the title in 2018 and Liverpool managed to do the same last season, while both clubs won at least 30 games in the season between those Championship successes.

The 2020/21 Premier League is shaping up to be much more competitive and we have seen Manchester City sitting down in 11th place in the League table after nine games have been played. That is one fewer than the majority of the Division and Manchester City have picked up 15 points from a possible 27, a far cry from their performances in 2018 and 2019, but Pep Guardiola has to still believe his team are favourites to win the title along with Liverpool.

A convincing win over Burnley last week might be the spark Manchester City have been waiting for as they have regularly struggled to show a clinical side to their game despite chances being created. Sergio Aguero is still absent, but Manchester City look healthier and they should be able to take the game to Fulham who have been struggling at the back despite improved performances and results.

Manchester City have been pretty effective defensively and I do think their upcoming fixture list gives them a chance to close the gap on the leaders who look to be dealing with tougher games. At the moment all the home team can do is concentrate on themselves and Manchester City have shown they are playing well enough to punish Fulham if Scott Parker's team are not able to be a little more organised.

Fulham have been creating chances and they could be dangerous on the counter attack if Manchester City are overexposed, but I do think it will be tough to back up the win at Leicester City.

The West London club have not really been able to compete with the better teams they have faced at this level and Manchester City have beaten them 6 times in a row at home.

Like last weekend, an early goal would really set Manchester City on their way in this one and I think they are likely to produce a comfortable win on the day.

West Ham United v Manchester United Pick: You can question the tactics, the in-game management and whether the resume of the manager is good enough for a club of the stature of Manchester United, but it would be a little harsh on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to completely ignore the performance against Paris Saint-Germain this past week.

The chances created early in the second half with the game balanced at 1-1 should have been taken by Manchester United and effectively they were punished by the French Champions.

The pressure is back on the manager who can't really afford another sub-par Premier League performance and then potentially exiting the Champions League in the Group Stage next week.

However it can't be ignored that Manchester United have saved some of their best performances away from Old Trafford and the next two fixtures are both going to be played on their travels. Manchester United have won 11 of their last 12 away games in all competitions and they showed their battling qualities in beating Southampton last weekend from 2-0 down.

That result means Manchester United have won 8 away Premier League games in a row going back to last season, although the one concern is that they have conceded first in each of the 4 played this season. There are only so many times you can expect a team to respond to those setbacks, but Manchester United have shown they don't know when they are beaten and that is a good character to have.

Playing at the London Stadium has not been easy for Manchester United and West Ham United have won their last 2 against them here. David Moyes would love to remind the Manchester United fans of his quality despite a poor time in charge at Old Trafford and his West Ham United team have won 3 in a row in the Premier League.

West Ham United have won their last 2 games at the London Stadium, although they have needed Fulham and Aston Villa to miss late penalties. A VAR intervention prevented an equaliser for Aston Villa last Monday too and the underlying stats suggest West Ham United are not defending as well as they would like.

Their visitors are certainly capable of exposing those defensive areas and I do think Manchester United have shown they can bounce back when the pressure is on them to earn a result. When you think factors are going against Manchester United it is the time they have found a big result under their current manager and I think that will be the case on Saturday afternoon.

The Hammers will be boosted by the return of 2000 fans, but I do think they have been riding their luck a touch on their 3 game winning run.

Manchester United have to make sure they don't concede first which has become the norm in the Premier League for them, especially away from home, but I do think they will create chances here. The results might not be very consistent, but recent performances have seen Manchester United create chances and I think they will 'surprise' by winning here.

Chelsea v Leeds United Pick: The final game on Saturday in the Premier League sees two clubs with serious history against one another facing off for the first time at Stamford Bridge in sixteen years.

Both Chelsea and Leeds United will be very happy with the way they have been playing in the 2020/21 season and I think this is going to be an attacking game.

Frank Lampard and Marcelo Bielsa have set their teams up to get on the front foot and I do think both Chelsea and Leeds United will be able to create chances.

Chelsea have been in very good form and they have a fully fit squad to choose from ahead of this fixture. Key players have been well rested during the week and I do think that will help Chelsea who won't expect Leeds United to sit back and defend in numbers.

I do think Leeds United will play the same way they have all season- they will look to break in numbers and that has seen Leeds United put teams under pressure at home and away. The best results have come on their travels, but Leeds United's style has also led to conceding four goals to Liverpool and Crystal Palace and this Chelsea team are certainly playing well enough to get on top of them here.

As well as Leeds United have played going forward, it has left them vulnerable defensively and teams have been able to create chances against. Liverpool and Palace scored four at home, but Leicester City managed to hit that many in a recent fixture at Elland Road and this is a Chelsea team with depth in the squad and with a serious amount of goals being scored of late.

It should be an enjoyable game of football for the neutrals, but I think Chelsea will be too good on the day and can win a high-scoring fixture. They have looked more likely of the two to keep a clean sheet and I think they can limit Leeds United while exposing some of the soft underbelly Marcelo Bielsa's team have had.

West Brom v Crystal Palace Pick: Two teams that have struggled to show any consistency in the final third meet in the early Sunday kick off in the Premier League and it is another one of those fixtures where you could make the case for all three results.

Both Slaven Bilic and Roy Hodgson are under some pressure to earn a result, but Crystal Palace will at least be boosted by a returning Wilfred Zaha this week. His presence gives the entire squad a lift and in recent years this is the kind of game Crystal Palace would win and make sure they steer clear of relegation concerns.

At the same time you have to feel West Brom will be given a shot in the arm thanks to their 1-0 win over Sheffield United last weekend. They should be encouraged by the result, but this is a team who needed some wastefulness from their visitors to secure the points and the fixture feels very similar to the Burnley-Everton one in the sense that the first goal is going to be massively important.

I do lean towards Crystal Palace getting a result, but they have underachieved in recent games and I simply can't trust them to do that. At the same time West Brom don't feel like a team who are going to be able to earn consistent results at the Premier League level and there look to be better options out there this weekend.

Sheffield United v Leicester City Pick: This is an important game at the top and bottom of the Premier League as two clubs in poor form look to find some momentum as we enter a very busy December.

Sheffield United have been in miserable form for months now and 12 losses in 13 Premier League games during which time a single point has been earned is simply not good enough. Chris Wilder has to be tearing his hair out about some of the chances his team are creating and missing, but the lack of goals has been a long-term problem for the side and very little suggests it is going to change.

They should be able to have some success getting forward against this Leicester City team who have been so inconsistent, but still sit in 4th place in the Premier League. That says more about the quality of the Division than it does about Leicester City who have been beaten at home by West Ham United, Aston Villa and Fulham this season.

The Foxes were beaten in the Ukraine on Thursday, but they have produced their most effective results away from home over the last two months. Defensively there are questions to be answered, but Leicester City do create chances and they have shown better composure in the final third compared with their hosts this weekend.

That composure could be the difference and Leicester City did score twice in both Premier League games against Sheffield United last season and picked up maximum points against them. Travelling to the Ukraine on Thursday is not ideal, but key players have been rested completely and I think Leicester City can snap their poor form out of the November international break.

It will be close and Sheffield United will surely see their luck turn soon, but it may have to wait a few more days. Leicester City can't always be trusted, but they should have the goals to win this fixture.

Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal Pick: Over the last few generations there have not been many times that Tottenham Hotspur would have gone into the North London derby in a higher position than Arsenal. In recent years it has become a more consistent sight though and Tottenham Hotspur are deservedly favourites to win.

2000 Tottenham Hotspur fans will be back in the Stadium for the first time since March and there is no doubting the boost it will give to the players. Even those who may not have appreciated the fans as much before the pandemic will know how important they are to the spectacle and I do think it will give this North London derby a good atmosphere.

Both teams made a huge number of changes to their Thursday night Europa League starting line ups and both have progressed to the Last 32.

It is Tottenham Hotspur who have shown a lot more consistency of late and 4 straight wins at home in all competitions will have given them further belief. Spurs are creating chances and scoring goals and I do think that is going to be very difficult for Arsenal to overcome.

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal have shown defensive improvements, but they are struggling to find the balance between attack and defence. Even the improvements have not been enough to produce a lot of games where they have deserved their clean sheets and a similar performance to the one at Elland Road will be costly for them here.

I do think Tottenham Hotspur will be able to find spaces to exploit in this game and I simply don't believe Arsenal have shown enough in the final third to believe they can keep up with their rivals. Tottenham Hotspur have scored at least twice in 6 home games in a row in all competitions and if they hit that mark I would expect it will be enough for the three points on Sunday.

The underlying stats are suggesting that Arsenal are simply not doing enough in the final third at the moment and I will look for Tottenham Hotspur to raise more questions about the suitability of Mikel Arteta to oversee an Arsenal rejuvenation project.

Liverpool v Wolves Pick: The final Premier League game on Sunday evening sees two teams missing some influential players facing one another as top seven clubs going into the weekend fixtures.

Both Liverpool and Wolves are just trying to navigate their way through a difficult period and both will be pretty pleased with their results in recent weeks.

Raul Jimenez could be a huge loss for Wolves having led the line so effectively for them over the last couple of years. The sickening injury he suffered would have hurt his team-mates, but Wolves showed they are willing to huddle together to earn results in their 1-2 win at Arsenal last weekend.

This is a tougher test, but Liverpool could be without four of their first choice back five and Wolves have to feel they won't have many better chances to end their run of League losses to this opponent. They were narrowly beaten in both League games last season and Wolves have to believe they will create chances here.

Liverpool have managed to just hold themselves together and earn some big results even through their injury crisis. There is no doubting their attacking threat, but I do wonder if they can keep picking up results with so many defensive problems to deal with.

Diogo Jota would love to get one over his former team and I do think Liverpool will be dangerous, but they are conceding a lot of chances of late. Ajax did enough to deserve more than a 1-0 defeat here during the week and prior to that Atalanta did win 0-2 at Anfield.

The home side have not lost in 64 Premier League games at Anfield though and they have 2000 fans to boost the team in this one. That should be a real help to Liverpool, but I do think Wolves are getting a big enough start on the Asian Handicap in what should be a close game.

Liverpool have won all 5 games at home in the Premier League, but only 2 of those wins have come by comfortable margins. At the same time Wolves are still well organised and they have pace and quality in the final third which should mean they can create chances here.

I would be surprised if the away team are blown away here and Wolves may even have enough to earn a point at the least.

Brighton v Southampton Pick: A south coast derby deserves to be witnessed by the fans in the stands and there will be 2000 back at the Amex Stadium for Monday Night Football as Brighton take on Southampton.

On paper this has all the makings of a decent game of football between two teams who are managed by managers that have an attacking philosophy.

We have seen plenty of evidence of that this season with both Brighton and Southampton creating chances, although the latter have been the more clinical and consistent of the two. Graham Potter and Ralph Hasenhuttl will actually be pleased with the balance they have largely shown too as they have not compromised themselves defensively while taking the opportunities to get forward.

Southampton have perhaps been a little looser at the back and have conceded at least three goals to Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Aston Villa and Manchester United this season. However you can't ignore the fact that 14 of the 16 Premier League goals conceded this season have come in those four matches and they have been pretty good outside of that.

On the other side Brighton did concede 10 goals in their first four Premier League games, but have only given up a further 4 goals in their next six. Only one team have scored more than a single goal against Brighton in the last 6 Premier League games played and that came at Premier League leaders Tottenham Hotspur, while the last 3 at the Amex Stadium have all ended with two or fewer goals shared out.

An early goal could really change the entire complexion of the fixture, but I do think Brighton and Southampton will play out a competitive game and one that may not feature a lot of goals. Both teams can create chances, but both are also pretty decent at the back and that should be the case again on Monday night.

These teams have met 7 times since August 2017 when Brighton returned to the top flight of English Football and 6 of those games have finished with two or fewer goals shared out. Brighton have not scored in their last 3 at the Amex Stadium against Southampton, but The Saints have only scored more than a single goal in 2 of their 7 games against Brighton.

A 2-1 scoreline wouldn't be the biggest surprise either way, but I do think there this will be a competitive fixture where both defences are largely on top. Goals may not be as likely as some of the layers think and I would not be surprised by any of the low-scoring options in this fixture.

MY PICKS: Manchester City - 2.25 Asian Handicap

Manchester United - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Chelsea - 1 Asian Handicap

Leicester City - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Tottenham Hotspur - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Wolves + 1.25 Asian Handicap

Brighton-Southampton Under 2.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 11

I had some questions about my Fantasy Football line up for GW10 moments after posting the team on Twitter, but I can't blame people for doing that.

I mean not many would have picked Tomas Soucek, Ollie Watkins and Che Adams to start the week and leave Harry Kane on the bench, but my feeling was that Tottenham Hotspur were not going to score as many goals as the teams that the other three players were performing for.

Effectively my theory was right- Tottenham Hotspur didn't score, while Southampton, West Ham United and Aston Villa all got at least one and combined for five goals.

Sadly that didn't mean anything when it came to the totals as Watkins missed a Penalty and then had a goal chalked off for offside, while Adams and Soucek failed to be involved in the two goals that both of their teams managed to score.

Even the Kane subbing meant nothing as Pep Guardiola continues to use his tombola frustrate FPL players having left Raheem Sterling on the bench- at least he didn't bring him on for five minutes and offer my Captain a single point, but the 57 points earned in GW10 did nothing to appease me or the feeling that I have left some points out there.

I was actually looking forward to GW11- I had a solid eleven players starting and two players on the bench ready to come on if needed.

However I didn't account for Covid-19 causing havoc for my team and the Premier League, but that is the case after the Aston Villa-Newcastle United game was postponed. Three players are out this week and that includes my goalkeeper which means any hope of carrying a transfer over is not going to be possible.

More frustrating is that my bench no longer offers protection for players that may not start and there are some flags surrounding Sergio Reguilon, Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane.

I would be surprised if Kane didn't play in the North London derby and I certainly don't think he will be a substitute- he will either start or not play at all and he looks to be the best Captain choice this week if my predictions above are anything to go by.

I really feel Liverpool may struggle against Wolves, but Mohamed Salah is due a goal and he is the only other player I have considered for the Captaincy option.

It would have been Sterling if not for Guardiola raising doubts about whether he will start despite being questioned about the England international's absence last weekend in the 5-0 win over Burnley. The home game against Fulham would make a Manchester City asset an easy Captain choice, but I made the choice to pick Sterling as a difference maker over Kevin De Bruyne and so I have to go with either Harry Kane or Mohamed Salah.

As of writing it looks to be Kane leading the way for me against an Arsenal team he has enjoyed scoring against in the past.

And what of the transfer? I have been forced into the goalkeeper change knowing the backup I have is not going to play and that means removing Emiliano Martinez this week.

I am going with Alex McCarthy at Southampton who has been in good form and his team have defended pretty well, while fixtures against Brighton, Sheffield United, Arsenal, Manchester City, Fulham and West Ham United should mean I don't have to make another change at that position until the New Year (barring any more unexpected postponements, injury or suspension).

I did think about Matt Ryan for Brighton, but the gut feeling led me to McCarthy despite the similar looking fixture list. The main reason is I think Southampton are more likely to earn the clean sheet on Monday night against Brighton than the other way around, although those could be famous last words.

You can see the team I have gone with in GW11 on Twitter just after the deadline on Saturday morning. Barring any late changes of mind, Harry Kane looks to be the man with the armband this week and I will be keeping my fingers crossed that I have eleven starters as I look to improve on the 57 points scored last weekend.