Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (October 3-4)

The final weekend before a two week international break kicks off on Saturday morning with Chelsea looking for a victory and all ten Premier League games are going to have live television coverage in the United Kingdom through to Sunday evening.

I will have a few thoughts about the GW4 in the Fantasy Football game below, but before that you can read my thoughts about those Premier League games coming up.

Chelsea v Crystal Palace Pick: The first game in the Premier League this weekend comes from Stamford Bridge and Frank Lampard will be looking to just go into the international break with a little bit of positive momentum.

Going out of the League Cup at Tottenham Hotspur on Penalties and losing to Liverpool before falling 3-0 down at West Brom in the Premier League is not where Chelsea fans would have expected to see their team after a month of football considering the investment made into the side.

Individual errors have been a real problem for Chelsea, much as it was last season too, but they have been creating chances. Injuries are not helping them, but Lampard will be demanding one more big effort before reinforcements will return after the internationals.

They will have to be careful against a Crystal Palace team who have started the season better than expected. This is a team with pace and a real ability to get into positive positions on the counter attack as they showed in their win at Manchester United.

Controlling that counter attack won't be easy for Chelsea unless they are better collectively when it comes to defending, but they have enjoyed playing Crystal Palace in recent times. The Blues have beaten them 3 times in a row at Stamford Bridge and the last two wins have come by at least two goal margins.

With the squad still strong enough, I think Chelsea will be able to get the better of Crystal Palace again. There are goals in this Chelsea team and I expect Frank Lampard to be aware of the counter attacking ability of the visitors as he was last season.

I have to respect the performance at Old Trafford, but Chelsea should be able to cope a little better than Manchester United did that day. That should lead to a good win for Chelsea ahead of a very busy October and early November coming up.

Everton v Brighton Pick: You have to give Carlo Ancelotti some credit for the way Everton have opened up this season and the fans have to believe that their team are going to be able to maintain their 100% start to the season in this one.

They have a very good home record against Brighton in recent seasons and Everton have scored at least three goals in each of their home games over the last month. Granted two of those fixtures came in the League Cup and West Brom were reduced to ten men in the Premier League game, but Everton are creating chances and look to be playing with real confidence.

In players like Dominic Calvert-Lewin they have someone who doesn't look like missing at the moment and should have an extra bounce in the step after being called up by England for the first time.

Everton are also facing a Brighton team who have given up some big chances at the back, although there has to be a respect for the visitors who are unbeaten in 8 away Premier League games.

Graham Potter's men may have lost last weekend, but they deserved so much more against Manchester United and it could easily be argued that they are unfortunate not to have more points on the board. His style means Brighton will get forward and look to cause problems for Everton and I think the home team have shown a little vulnerability especially with Jordan Pickford in goal.

I expect the visitors to be in this game, but at the moment it is hard to oppose Everton. They look to be in form and if Richarlison is passed fit I think they will edge to the win in a game that does feature goals.

It did end 1-0 to Everton in the corresponding fixture last season, but there were a host of chances for both teams in that one. Both look to be showing a little more composure in front of goal at this moment and I will look for Everton to win a game featuring at least two goals.

Leeds United v Manchester City Pick: Marcelo Bielsa and Pep Guardiola famously spent several hours discussing philosophies during a time that the latter was just starting his Coaching career.

Ever since Guardiola has had an immense respect for his counterpart and described Bielsa as the best coach in the world.

Respect is one thing, but he won't have an inferior complex and Manchester City are going into Elland Road as a big favourite despite the heavy home loss to Leicester City. They bounced back from that defeat to beat Burnley in the League Cup during the week, and Manchester City have won 3 away Premier League games in a row while scoring plenty of goals in that time.

Losing the likes of Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus is a blow to the way Manchester City want to play, but they have shown they can cope with the performance at Burnley. Manchester City also should not be concerned about a team sitting in as they were when they played Leicester City last weekend and the spaces that Leeds United do leave behind should be exploited.

In saying that, Leeds United will also get forward in numbers and challenge a Manchester City defence that looked shot in their defeat last Sunday. Leeds United have scored plenty of goals and in their last two League games they have been creating chances, although the absence of Jack Harrison and Pablo Hernandez does hurt them.

I don't believe Bielsa will allow his team to sit and be hard to beat but instead will want to take the game to Manchester City. The evidence is the way they approached the FA Cup game against Arsenal last season and the opening League defeat at Liverpool and that should be music to the ears of the Manchester City players who are superior to their Leeds United peers.

It would be a real surprise if the home team do not cause problems of their own, but Manchester City should have spaces to exploit in this one and I think they win a high-scoring fixture with a little room to spare.

Newcastle United v Burnley Pick: If it wasn't for the staggered kick off times being used by the Premier League while the fans are not able to attend games, I don't think any of the broadcasters would have been rushing out to pick this one for television coverage.

That is no disrespect to Newcastle United or Burnley, but injuries are hurting both clubs and I think the managers would happily take the international break right now. It would give them time to bring back key names for the squad and both Steve Bruce and Sean Dyche will also be hoping their clubs are able to bring in some more bodies before the transfer deadline hits on Monday.

For now the concentration will be on trying to add to the points tally before the break in play.

Neither Burnley nor Newcastle United have been creating a lot of chances, but both managers will also set their team up to be difficult to beat and I do think goals will be in short supply. There was just a single strike across the two Premier League games between them last season and 4 of the last 6 has seen one of the clubs fail to hit the net.

With chances coming at a premium, I do think there will be a real possibility of one of the teams failing to score in this one. The new handball rule could change things very quickly, while set pieces are always a threat for both Burnley and Newcastle United, but the two defences have been on top so far this season.

Limited opportunities are being put together when these teams move into the final third and I think this may not be the most entertaining Saturday night game.

Leicester City v West Ham United Pick: Both of these teams will be very pleased with their opening performances even if it is Leicester City who have secured the more consistent results.

Better finishing and a bit more luck might have given West Ham United far more than the 3 points they have earned so far, but the 4-0 win over Wolves shows what this squad is capable of. The heavy loss at Everton in the League Cup also shows the defensive vulnerabilities that exist in the West Ham United squad and I do think that is where Leicester City have to try and get forward and put pressure on their visitors.

You don't always know what to expect from Leicester City when they are being asked to break down opponents, but the 4-2 win over Burnley in the first home League game will give them belief. Confidence has to be at a very high level after the win over Manchester City last weekend anyway and Leicester City did beat West Ham United twice last season.

The 4-1 win at the King Power Stadium before the suspension of League Football around Europe in March shows what Leicester City can do when they put their football together. Injuries are a slight concern with some key names likely to be absent on Sunday, but Leicester City should still have enough quality to get the job done and potentially go into the international break leading the Division.

I do think West Ham United will cause some problems with the levels they have been producing in the first month. They created a lot of chances in the last two games against Arsenal and Wolves so The Hammers won't be intimidated by this fixture, but this is a confident Leicester City team and I think they will edge a high-scoring game.

Southampton v West Brom Pick: There were a lot of people tipping up Southampton as being capable of a strong season who would have been surprised by their opening two League defeats.

The win over Burnley last weekend was a big one for The Saints and they will be looking at matches like this one as being very important to their survival bid. Southampton were poor at home last season, but they did create chances and ended the season with 2 wins from 3 Premier League games.

Better finishing would have put Southampton in a strong position to perhaps beat Tottenham Hotspur, but they collapsed when the chances came and went in the 2-5 defeat. However there was enough positive vibes from the players to believe they can do better and I think they are going to enjoy playing West Brom if the latter keep defending as they have done.

Slaven Bilic was furious that Chelsea's equaliser was allowed to stand last week, but he should be pretty worried about the defending. Despite a 3-0 lead, it always felt West Brom were vulnerable to Chelsea and in the first three games The Baggies have given up some huge opportunities.

The fact is that they haven't gotten away with it either having conceded at least three times in each Premier League game played. They also conceded twice in the eventual Penalties defeat to Brentford in the League Cup and I do think Southampton are going to cause plenty of problems for them.

West Brom should play their part with their speedy counter attacks likely to find spaces, but I don't think Southampton will let them off the hook when they get forward. With Danny Ings the home team have goals in the squad and I think they win this one in another potentially high-scoring Premier League fixture.

Arsenal v Sheffield United Pick: There has been a trend of seeing some high scoring games in the Premier League since the resumption of play in September and I think that is partly down to the lack of fitness some clubs have.

A short turnaround between seasons was always going to be difficult to deal with and having four Rounds of the League Cup scheduled to be played within a month has not helped.

The short off-season also means momentum can seep into this campaign from the last even more so than normal. Chris Wilder has to be worried about that now Sheffield United have lost 6 League games in a row and the lack of goals is a real issue for The Blades.

It is not for the lack of chances either with Sheffield United guilty of missing some glaring opportunities in the last two games including a missed penalty. Those lack of goals is certainly one of the reasons they are the underdog in North London this weekend, although Arsenal are still making some defensive mistakes which are allowing teams to create chances.

Both West Ham United and Liverpool did that so Sheffield United should arrive at the Emirates Stadium believing they can get off the mark in the goals for and points column.

However it will be a challenge to keep Arsenal out considering the early levels being produced by Sheffield United. The Gunners should be well rested despite having been scheduled to play on Thursday and they have been creating chances even if not at the rate to suggest they deserve to have 6 points on the board.

Under Mikel Arteta Arsenal definitely seem to be playing with a bit more confidence in front of goal and they remain a clinical team which is unsurprising considering the attacking talents at their disposal.

Arsenal will want to get forward and they do have a team that will have success, but I am expecting Sheffield United to find a bit more fortune in front of goal if nothing else. They can't keep missing big chances and I think this will help this game produce at least three goals on the day.

Wolves v Fulham Pick: Now I know Fulham are not going to lose every Premier League game they play this season, but at the moment it is very difficult to see where they are going to get their points from.

Certainly not enough points to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

Scott Parker wants his team to play football, but the defensive mistakes being made are absolutely embarrassing and putting the manager under pressure. You can't concede three times in every League game played and expect to pick up results, but that is what Fulham have done after losing 0-3 at home to Aston Villa last week.

Defensive signings are likely to be made before the deadline, but those are not arriving just yet and Fulham look vulnerable.

To make matters more difficult, they are facing an angry Wolves team who were humiliated in their 4-0 defeat to West Ham United last Sunday. That is back to back losses for Wolves in the Premier League, but they have not lost 3 League games in a row since November 2018.

They have lost back to back League games four times since those three defeats in a row and Wolves have won 2 and drawn 2 the next time out. Being back at home should help and I do think Wolves have pace and power in the final third which will give them a real edge in this clash.

Wolves are simply going up against a team that offers up two or three really good chances every game they play and in Raul Jimenez they have someone who can gobble up those opportunities. Barring some huge turnaround in their defensive resiliency in the last couple of days, I think Wolves win this fixture.

Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: There have been some petty words back and forth between Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Jose Mourinho in the lead up to this huge fixture in the Premier League.

Those are going to mean nothing when Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur meet on Sunday and this is a massive game for the two clubs. While Tottenham Hotspur look to have gotten the majority of their business done in the transfer market, Manchester United are under pressure to back their manager and that will only increase tenfold if they were to lose another game at Old Trafford.

It won't be lost on Jose Mourinho that he can put his successor in a heap of trouble by winning here and while he will speak about Spurs alone, I have no doubt it is something he is thinking about privately.

The schedule is not ideal having played Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday and now Sunday again. However Tottenham Hotspur have built up some momentum with their wins in the Cup competitions and the side have played some good attacking football, albeit against teams not quite of the level of Manchester United.

It has not been the best start for Manchester United and their own defensive shortcomings have to be a worry ahead of this Premier League fixture. Brighton should have beaten United, let alone draw, last weekend and Crystal Palace showed how effective the counter attack can be.

Both teams will feel they are better on the front foot in this one and I do think that will be the approach they take. Manchester United have to want to play attacking football at Old Trafford and Tottenham Hotspur will sense a vulnerability in the home team.

With their own defensive issues clear to see in the opening month of the season, I would be surprised if we don't see three or more goals scored for the third time in a row between these clubs at Old Trafford.

Aston Villa v Liverpool Pick: The final game of the Premier League weekend comes from Villa Park where the improved hosts really get to test how far they've come along when they meet the Champions.

Aston Villa have definitely improved defensively since the three month break between March and June and Dean Smith's team have been able to produce a lot more positive results thanks to that. There is some quality going forward, although this is still a huge challenge for them against a club who have won 6 games in a row on this ground in the Premier League.

Last season Aston Villa came awfully close to cracking the code as they led Liverpool into the dying embers of the fixture, but two late goals turned things around for the visitors.

They deserve to win that day, but it was a much closer and more competitive meeting when they played at Anfield in early July. On that day Aston Villa were able to restrict the chances that Liverpool created, although it has to be said there is something of the inevitable about this Liverpool team.

Like many top teams before them, there is a real sense that Liverpool are going to get things right no matter the situation at the moment. Even when they are under pressure they seem to put the right football together to earn the victory, or they have a couple of big defensive moments to swing the momentum towards them.

That does make it very hard to oppose Liverpool as it was to oppose Manchester City two seasons ago.

With the quality Liverpool have going forward you have to favour them to win most games they play, but Aston Villa have shown resiliency and I think they can make this competitive. It is harder for the underdog without the fans in the Stadium, but Aston Villa have beaten Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Sheffield United in that time and pushed Chelsea all the way.

They were giving Manchester United as good as they got before a controversial penalty was awarded against Aston Villa and I do think Dean Smith will have his troops ready to compete.

I would be very surprised if Aston Villa were to capitulate and lose really heavily in this one, although opposing Liverpool is a hard task these days.

MY PICKS: Chelsea - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Everton & Over 1.5 Goals

Manchester City - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Newcastle United-Burnley Both Teams to Score- NO

Leicester City & Over 1.5 Goals

Southampton & Over 1.5 Goals
Arsenal-Sheffield United Over 2.5 Goals

Wolves & Over 1.5 Goals

Manchester United-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals
Aston Villa + 1.75 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 4

After a pretty solid GameWeek 1, the last two weeks have been disappointing to say the least with both finishing under 50 points for the week.

That is not going to cut it although I think this could be a week in which it may be wise for me to stay steady and have two transfers to use following the international break.

I do think there are a couple of players I need to replace in my squad and I can use a transfer this week to move one of those out, although at this stage I want to make sure I am in a position to make the right choices once the real life transfer deadline is hit.

The kind of names that can't be long for my team are Luke Shaw, Ben Davies, Ayoze Perez, Tomas Soucek, Che Adams and Timo Werner.

Take away the two defenders and the other four have had their opportunities to put a big haul on the board, but missed chances and some poor luck has accounted for that and unsurprisingly some of the value has already been lost.

I still believe Adams and Werner can come good and I am willing to give Perez one more chance knowing the injuries in the Leicester City line up and with a very good looking home game come.

At this point you can't win any major prizes in your Leagues, but with the Wild Card to be used this side of the New Year it may be the best time to play it before GW5.

There have been some frustrating moments in the first three GWs of the season, but I am hoping some of the luck returns to my eleven selected before the two week break to have a real think about how I want to approach my team going forward.

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2019 (November 8-10)

The latest European fixtures have been completed, but the Premier League begins on Friday evening this week which is always a hassle for those of us who play Fantasy Football.

The early deadline makes it that much harder to make decisions in terms of transfers needed with injury news perhaps more difficult to take on board. You can see my team going out for GW12 below as I look to have another decent week and keep the green arrows coming.

Before that you can read my Premier League Picks from the fixtures to be played as we get ready for the last international break until March next year. During that break I will have my latest thoughts about Manchester United, while the Fantasy section in the next thread for GW13 will be looking at a few players that I may be adding to the squad in the weeks ahead.


Norwich City v Watford Pick: The Premier League offers a Friday Night Football showing this week and this is a huge game for both Norwich City and Watford who sit inside the bottom two places in the League table.

A gap has already begun to develop between both clubs and those teams in the position of safety and the three points are very important already.

Norwich City will give their manager more time as Daniel Farke works through a poor time where injuries are hurting his squad. Defensively they have looked a mess and I am not sure they have the quality in those positions to really change things unless Farke moves away from his current philosophy.

That is unlikely to happen considering the success Norwich City have largely had over the last twelve months and they are still creating chances at the other end. Ultimately they have not been able to outscore opponents, but Norwich City will believe they can hurt this Watford team.

Quique Sanchez Flores is perhaps more desperate for the win on Friday as the Watford owners have shown they have little patience when the club is sliding in the wrong direction. While picking up some points under the new manager, Flores has not earned a win since replacing Javi Gracia and the pressure is on the manager.

Watford have created some good chances and looked a little better defensively, but the team is short of confidence. The Hornets have only scored two goals in their last 6 Premier League games, but Norwich City are about as weak defensively as any team I have seen in the top flight.

Both teams should have their moments as attacking units and I am not surprised the layers are expecting goals. Picking a winner is as difficult as the odds suggest and I don't think either will settle for a draw until the final ten minutes if that is the score going into that stage of the game.

With that in mind I do think an early goal can open this up to be an entertaining Friday fixture and backing at least three goals to be shared out looks the right play.


Chelsea v Crystal Palace Pick: The first of the live Saturday Premier League games comes from Stamford Bridge and this has been the ground for entertainment for the neutrals this season.

It has perhaps not been the kind of fortress Frank Lampard and the fans would have been hoping it to be, but Chelsea should have some momentum from coming back from 1-4 down to earn a draw with Ajax during the week. Granted the Dutch Champions had to be reduced to ten men before things changed in favour of Chelsea, but it will be seen as a positive result and that will give this young team confidence.

Defensively Chelsea continue to show some real vulnerabilities and you would have to expect even a goal-shy Crystal Palace team to have their moments. On the counter attack Crystal Palace have pace and they should be able to have their successes against a Chelsea team that has struggled for clean sheets all season.

Crystal Palace have scored in 7 of their last 8 visits to Stamford Bridge and I fully expect them to get on the scoreboard here. This season Crystal Palace's counter attacking has seen them score at Old Trafford and the Emirates Stadium and they have earned positive results from both fixtures, although the 4-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur will be a concern.

You have to expect Crystal Palace to sit in and try and catch Chelsea on the break, but I also have to respect the attacking verve with which Frank Lampard has his own team operating. They have created chances and scored plenty of goals just months after selling Eden Hazard and I think Chelsea have a better balance now rather than relying on the talented Belgian to make their plays.

Christian Pulisic and Callum Hudson-Odoi can back up Tammy Abraham for the home team and I think Chelsea will edge this one. I am expecting goals too and backing the home team to edge a game featuring three or more goals is the selection.


Burnley v West Ham United Pick: Teams that are currently occupying spots in the middle section of the Premier League table are not being separated by a lot of points and inconsistent results have been the issue for a number of clubs.

Both Burnley and West Ham United have been the victims of the swings and roundabouts in form and both are in the poorer moments at this stage of the season. Burnley have lost 3 in a row and West Ham United have lost 4 of 6 without winning a fixture in that time and confidence might be something of an issue here.

Neither has been defending as well as they would have liked and I do think Burnley and West Ham United have offered enough going forward to hurt the other. We have seen the two teams creating plenty of chances in recent weeks which might be a surprise to read, but I also think the defensive issues are going to leave both vulnerable.

I really can't pick a winner here but I would not be surprised if both teams score. I am expecting there to be chances at both ends to get into a position to see at least three goals shared out even if there have been lower scoring games that Burnley and West Ham United have played at home/away respectively of late.

The odds for at least three goals to be shared out are surprisingly shorter than I would have thought, but I think it is worth a play in this fixture.


Newcastle United v Bournemouth Pick: The layers are finding it very difficult to separate two teams coming in off big Premier League wins and I am no different.

Newcastle United and Bournemouth have both been struggling for consistent threats in the final third, but the slight edge might be with the visitors who have looked as good defensively as any period during their time in the Premier League.

They had won on two previous visits to St James' Park before losing here last season and I think Eddie Howe's men will cause problems. However I am not anticipating a high-scoring game and it might take a bit of luck to separate them on the day.

A draw might not be a bad option, but I am moving onto other games with options that are more appealing.


Southampton v Everton Pick: The players and fans will return to St Mary's for the first time since Southampton were beaten 0-9 by Leicester City and there will be some wounds that need to heal. They might have lost both games at Manchester City since that defeat to Leicester City, but the performances will have been encouraging for Ralph Hasenhuttl who will be looking for a big performance this weekend.

The Saints might be 3 points from the teams outside the relegation zone, but they can reduce that when they host 17th placed Everton on Saturday.

I am not going to be carried away by the nature of the loss to Leicester City, but Southampton have to defend better than they have been and they could be hurt by Everton. Marco Silva is another manager under immense pressure at the moment, but his team have won 2 of their last 4 games in all competitions and the late equaliser against Tottenham Hotspur last weekend will be a boost.

Everton have not been as strong away from home and have lost 4 away Premier League games in succession. That run includes losses on the south coast at Bournemouth and, more controversially, Brighton where Everton have conceded at least three goals each time. They have also lost on 3 successive visits to this ground and Everton's defence will be vulnerable to a Southampton team who score goals at home.

It might be a cautious game at times with the importance of the points not lost on either manager. However I do think both teams have had issues at the back which makes it hard to believe they can keep a clean sheet in this one and backing goals in yet another Premier League fixture is my pick here.

8 of the last 10 Premier League games at St Mary's have ended with three or more goals shared out. 2 of the last 3 Everton away games have ended that way too and 4 of the last 5 League fixtures between these clubs have also finished with three or more goals shared out including both played last season.

The 1-1 is perhaps the score that will let me down, but I think both teams will have chances to do better than that and I will back at least three goals to be shared out.


Tottenham Hotspur v Sheffield United Pick: If this match had taken place in August and the prices were the same as we see for this weekend then I would have had no hesitation in backing Tottenham Hotspur to win.

However in November it is much harder to trust them to beat Sheffield United who have impressed as much as any team in the Premier League this season. I've had my fingers burned opposing them at Bournemouth, Chelsea and West Ham United and the way The Blades have come from behind in all of those games shows a team that won't lose heart if they fall behind here.

Tottenham Hotspur are off an impressive win in Belgrade, but that is a long journey and Sheffield United won't be as poor defensively as Crvena Zvezda were. It is also hard to trust a Tottenham Hotspur team who have lost to Newcastle United and drawn with Watford in their new Stadium this season, while Spurs only just edged out Southampton.

I think the home team likely win, but I think the Asian Handicap is right on the money here and I will have a watching interest in this fixture.


Leicester City v Arsenal Pick: Go back to last weekend and you would have had a much bigger price on Leicester City to win this game, but the oddsmakers are taking no chances as we approach the weekend.

Even a few months ago when Leicester City hosted Arsenal under Brendan Rodgers the home team were a much bigger price than where you find them now, but it has not tempered my enthusiasm too much.

Leicester City are playing with a lot of momentum and seem to be very much on board with what Brendan Rodgers wants from each individual. That has produced a 4 game winning run and Leicester City were unfortunate to lose at Anfield too, while they have been much stronger at home under Rodgers too.

Now they face an Arsenal team who have not lost many games recently, but who have struggled defensively and failed to hold onto a number of leads. It was more of the same in Portugal on Wednesday in the Europa League and Unai Emery continues to field questions about his future which has to be impacting the players.

I won't read too much into Leicester City beating Arsenal in back to back seasons at home because both times The Gunners have lost a player very early on and then fallen apart. However I do think Leicester City have the pace to exploit a backline that doesn't seem to enjoy defending and I would be very surprised if the home team were to lose this fixture.

Backing Leicester City on the Asian Handicap will return half the stake in the event of a draw- they have already beaten Tottenham Hotspur here as they came from behind to do so and I think Leicester City will have too much attacking verve for Arsenal to cope with. I don't completely want to disregard an Arsenal team who still can attack pretty well, but they have been nothing more than an average away team under Emery and Leicester City look worth getting behind.


Manchester United v Brighton Pick: While most Manchester United fans will accept the inconsistent performances that are coming from a squad that is lacking the kind of quality expected, there will also be another school of thought to suggest these players are better than being a mid-table Premier League team.

The top four positions are already slipping away from Manchester United who find themselves 10 points off those places. Another setback on Sunday might mean all of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's eggs could be in the Europa League basket for a return to the Champions League, but it would be disappointing if Manchester United could not win this fixture.

That is not being disrespectful to Brighton who are above Manchester United in the Premier League table, but this team has been Jekyll and Hyde when it comes to the venue of their fixtures. While being very impressive at home, Brighton have not won any of their last 4 away Premier League games and have scored a single goal in that time.

I am sure Brighton will look to bed in and try and hit Manchester United on the break, while most teams will feel a single goal could be enough to earn a result at Old Trafford these days. With Manchester United likely having two of the regular back five missing there will be chances for Brighton on the counter attack.

Those increase if Scott McTominay is also absent as Manchester United are short of numbers in the middle of the park, but for the most part the home team have not defended too badly this season. Keeping clean sheets has not been a regular occurrence for them, but Manchester United might be looking to place the foundation for success in this fixture on making sure they limit what Brighton are able to do in the final third.

Manchester United's attacking performance on Thursday against Partizan was impressive for the most part. The return of Anthony Martial does give them a different kind of threat in the final third and I do think Manchester United will edge this game.

I would be surprised to see a really high-scoring game, so backing Manchester United to win a game which has fewer than four goals is a good shout at odds against.


Wolves v Aston Villa Pick: One team whose matches I have rarely been involved in is Wolves who have been so hard to read.

They are pretty good to watch, but they don't score a lot of goals and playing in the Europa League on Thursday before a Sunday Premier League game is always a tough spot. At least Wolves were at home on Thursday and that might give them a narrow edge in this one.

However I have been largely impressed with Aston Villa who create chances against the teams they play and that includes in their defeats to Manchester City and Liverpool in the last couple of weeks. They should be able to at least ask some serious questions of Wolves this weekend and I am finding it hard to find a real edge in this fixture.

It is a derby game too so there should be plenty of motivation on both sides too. I will be at Old Trafford so won't be watching this game, but it will be interesting to see how it pans out at the end.


Liverpool v Manchester City Pick: There is no doubt that this is the biggest game of the season so far as Liverpool take on Manchester City in the Premier League with 6 points separating last season's top two in the table.

Like when these teams met at the Etihad Stadium last January, Liverpool are leading the way and have a chance to put some real distance between themselves and Champions Manchester City. If they can win, 9 points will look a huge gap already and playing at Anfield has to give the players real belief they can do that.

Liverpool are a much stronger team at home than they are on their travels and they have had one extra day to prepare for the game. The injury to Joel Matip has actually left them a little more vulnerable defensively than I thought it would though and I think Manchester City have the attacking players to really hurt them here.

Tactically it will be interesting to see how Pep Guardiola approaches the game having been very respectful of the Liverpool front three in the goalless draw last season. This time injuries are really hurting Manchester City at the back and I am not sure Guardiola could trust his team to keep a clean sheet which may suggest attack is the best form of defence.

If Ederson is not fit I would fancy Liverpool to win this game- Claudio Bravo does not just make his fans a little nervous, but the defence looked short of confidence with the Chilean between the sticks so this is a key piece of team news that will come out in the coming days.

I would expect Liverpool to take an approach where they look to make a fast start and catch Manchester City before they can get set into a passing rhythm. They should be more direct and I do think they can expose the Manchester City defensive shortcomings without Aymeric Laporte to lead them.

On the other hand it would be a surprise if Manchester City can't create chances when you think of how Liverpool have been defending for much of the season. They have yet to have a clean sheet at Anfield this season and Manchester City have been scoring plenty of away goals with most factors pointing to a game with goals here.

5 of the last 7 games between these clubs have ended with at least three goals shared out and I think the defensive shortcomings of both will be exposed by very good attacking units. Picking a winner is not easy and I do think team news is going to be key with Liverpool likely a solid favourite if Ederson is missing.

I expect both teams will hit the mark in this one and I am going to back at least three goals to be shared out between them.

MY PICKS: Norwich City-Watford Over 2.5 Goals @ 
Chelsea & Over 2.5 Goals @ 
Burnley-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals @ 
Southampton-Everton Over 2.5 Goals @ 
Leicester - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 
Manchester United & Under 3.5 Goals @ 
Liverpool-Manchester City Over 2.5 Goals @ 

November 2019/20: 3-6, - 6.46 Units (18 Units Staked, - 35.89% Yield)
October 2019/20: 16-14-2, + 6.14 Units (62 Units Staked, + 9.90% Yield)
September 2019/20: 13-9-1, + 8.82 Units (46 Units Staked, + 19.17% Yield)

August 2019/20: 14-17-2, - 8.78 Units (64 Units Staked, - 13.72% Yield)

Fantasy Football GameWeek 12

In usual circumstances I would have had this post scheduled to be posted early on Friday morning, but the injury to Ederson on Wednesday night means I wanted to wait a while and make sure all the press conferences have been heard.

Realistically I don't imagine he will miss this game at Anfield anyway, but I could not really go into the GW without a goalkeeper playing so it is where we are. (EDIT- after writing this out on Thursday, I was waiting for team news and it was announced that Ederson is indeed out this weekend and potentially for longer than that too).

The 72 points earned last week was way above the average in the GameWeek again, but I am getting frustrated with my continued misses on the 'Captain' selection. Raheem Sterling earned me a grand total of two points last weekend and my position would be much better if I was not picking the wrong player more often than not.

This week the 'Captain' selection is a fairly easy one considering the fixtures and I am largely happy with the shape of the squad. I also made the mistake of leaving Caglar Soyuncu on my bench last week so to pick up 72 points with a couple of decisions going wrong is a positive, although I also recognise the week could have been much stronger too.

I will have a fuller thread for GameWeek 13 off the back of the international break. You can read my team for GameWeek 12 below.


My only transfer this week has to be used on the goalkeeper Ederson after he was ruled out for the game against Liverpool. I do think he will be back in GW13, but I can't really go without a goalkeeper and I had already been considering bringing in a Manchester United defender for the next three games at the least.

That makes the transfer an easy one as I pick up David De Gea with the knowledge I will be keeping him until at least GW14 now. It does mean going without a guaranteed Manchester City defender for the next three weeks, but I am not sure I would trust them to keep too many clean sheets anyway. Having Benjamin Mendy in the squad means I can use him against any team I want, although even his place at left back is far from assured despite Oleksandr Zinchenko being absent of late.

David De Gea- I've used my Free Transfer to bring in the Manchester United number one in place of Ederson who is out this Sunday. Games against Brighton, Sheffield United and Aston Villa are next on deck for United so I did want a defender brought in anyway with this being the easiest move to make in light of the injury suffered by the Manchester City goalkeeper.

Andrew Robertson- the lack of clean sheets for Liverpool have been surprising and I doubt they earn one this weekend against Manchester City. However the left back has continued offering big attacking points including scoring last weekend.

Caglar Soyuncu- I was not convinced about Leicester City's chances of keeping clean sheets in their last couple of away games so have left 20 points out there with Soyuncu on my bench. It's going to be a tough home game with Arsenal this week, but being at home means he will get the start ahead of John Lundstram playing at Tottenham Hotspur.

Fiyaki Timori- Chelsea have simply not been keeping a lot of clean sheets, but they have managed two at Stamford Bridge against Brighton and Newcastle United. Playing Crystal Palace isn't the best home game to continue that run, but again I pick Timori ahead of Lundstram.

Sadio Mane- Manchester City have been far from convincing defensively and Mane remains in hot form in 2019.

Raheem Sterling- playing at Anfield has been difficult for former Liverpool player Raheem Sterling, but he is going to be an important part of any success Manchester City have here.

Youri Tielemans- scored the opener against Arsenal last season at the King Power Stadium and people are beginning to recognise the importance of his place in the Leicester City starting line up.

Anthony Martial- Manchester United's Number 9 as a midfield option can't be ignored. The Frenchman has been key to the revitalised attacking displays produced by Manchester United in the last couple of weeks.

Callum Hudson-Odoi- I have to admit this player is in danger of being replaced in my Fantasy team. No one will doubt how good Callum Hudson-Odoi is going to be, but at the moment he is not being given a lot of starts with Christian Pulisic and Willian the two preferred options. I will give CHO one more chance this week.

Joshua King- scored the winner against Manchester United and back playing up front for Bournemouth. Scored both goals against Newcastle United at home in the last Premier League meeting between these teams and has scored at St James' Park before too.

Tammy Abraham (C)- the easy choice for Captain is Tammy Abraham in a home game against Crystal Palace. He has been boom or bust this season which is a concern and I have him edging out Anthony Martial for the amount of points expected this week.

Bench- Michael McGovern, Benjamin Mendy (an away game at Liverpool does look a tough place to earn a clean sheet even though Manchester City did that last season. He could offer an attacking return if starting, but the other options in my squad look more appealing), John Lundstram (plays in an attacking position for Sheffield United, but this is a difficult game at Tottenham Hotspur), Xande Silva.

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2019 (November 2-3)

There are two more rounds of Premier League Football matches to be played before we head into the next international break of the season and the final one before the draw for the Euro 2020 Finals is made at the end of the month.

Before that we have some big games to get through with the most notable at the top of the table being the Liverpool vs Manchester City game a week on Sunday which is the final League game before the international break.

We also have another round robin of Champions League and Europa League fixtures to get through as Match Day 4 is placed in the books. Some of the teams involved in those matches will be looking to secure their passage through to the Knock Out Rounds which will give managers the chance to rotate the squad and ensure players are fresh for a hectic run out of the November internationals that lasts through to the Winter Break in the Premier League which comes in February.

In this thread I am going to have my Picks from the Weekend Premier League fixtures as well as the Fantasy Football opinions and team for GW11.


Bournemouth v Manchester United Pick: Football can be a funny game and it is one in which things can look a lot rosier for teams and managers very quickly. That is where things stand for Manchester United who looked to be close to having to make a decision about the future of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager of the club before turning around their form with 3 away wins on the bounce.

The win over Partizan wasn't the most impressive, but performances against Norwich City and Chelsea have been much more positive and there is some momentum behind them. They are still 7 points off the top four, but Manchester United will feel they can close that gap in the weeks ahead with League games against Brighton, Sheffield United, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur to come.

Before that Manchester United will be looking for a fourth away win in a row when they head to the Vitality Stadium on Saturday. They have won 3 in a row over Bournemouth here and might be catching the home team at the right time with Eddie Howe's men just having one or two difficulties at the moment.

Bournemouth might only have lost 1 of their last 6 Premier League games, but they have failed to score in any of their last 3 which is something you don't associate with Eddie Howe teams. Back to back goalless draws with Norwich City and Watford are not great results considering both are in the bottom three and the lack of chances being created has to be a concern for the manager.

There has been an improvement in the defensive side of the game, but that is going to be tested by Manchester United who have suddenly found their goalscoring boots again. The return of Anthony Martial has been important to them and Marcus Rashford's confidence should be high having scored three goals in the last two games.

Even before the win over Chelsea I had Manchester United on my shortlist this week and that has as much to do with their improvement as it does with Bournemouth's recent poor form. The Cherries have been stubborn, but they have not faced too many top teams during their their recent games and I think Manchester United have enough momentum to keep it going here.

Backing the away team on the Asian Handicap will return half the stake in the event of a draw, but Manchester United have won three in a row at the Vitality Stadium and I expect them to extend that run.


Arsenal v Wolves Pick: This is a really important game for Unai Emery to just ease some of the rumours that Arsenal are preparing to move on and potentially bring in Jose Mourinho as a replacement. The issue has been that not many are seeing the kind of stamp Emery was expected to put on this Arsenal squad following on from Arsene Wenger and instead it feels like more of the same but with a new manager.

There have been plenty of positive results as Arsenal still hold a very attacking threat, but defensively it has been a mess for far too long. Last Sunday was the 4th time in 7 home games that Arsenal have conceded at least two goals, and only late winners against Aston Villa and Vitoria have papered over the cracks.

It is going to need an all around performance to beat a Wolves team who fought back for a 1-1 draw at Newcastle United last Sunday. Since returning to the top flight, Wolves have really given some of the big names huge problems and only last month they won 0-2 at Manchester City in the Premier League to show what they are capable of.

Unlike Arsenal, Wolves have generally been defensively sound and that is going to hold them in good stead against a team they earned 4 points from last season. You have to believe Wolves will have their chances to score here and even in the absence of Willy Boly I don't believe they are going to capitulate defensively.

With that in mind I do think Wolves are a decent looking play with the start on the Asian Handicap. It will return half the stake if this fixture ends with a narrow Arsenal win, but I do think Wolves are good enough to avoid defeat on their current form.

Over the last fifteen months, Wolves have drawn at Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge, while beating Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley and Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. They also drew 1-1 here having led until the 86th minute and I am going to back Wolves with the start to do just about enough to earn a positive result again.


Aston Villa v Liverpool Pick: When you think of how the Premier League has developed over the last fifteen months I think it is going to be very few days in which Liverpool and Manchester City are anything other than short price favourites when they visit clubs expected to be in the lower half of the table come May.

That is the case on Saturday when the League leaders travel to Villa Park, but I do think there is a case to be made for Aston Villa to at least keep things competitive.

For one Aston Villa are creating a lot of chances and they are unbeaten at home in their last 5 games in all competitions. They challenged Manchester City last weekend and things might have been different if not for a sloppy opening to the second half and then a controversial VAR moment when Manchester City were able to make it 2-0.

There is energy in this Aston Villa team and they are facing a Liverpool defence that has been nothing like as watertight as the one they had last season. With Joel Matip ruled out, Dejan Lovren becomes a serious weakness that can be exploited and I do think Aston Villa will cause problems here.

Backing them with the start on the Asian Handicap looks the play despite their poor record against Liverpool in the more recent years. As well as Liverpool have played to move 6 points clear at the top of the Premier League, only 1 of their 5 away League games have resulted in a win by two or more goals.

A deeper look shows only 3 of their last 14 away games have seen Liverpool win by two or more goals and 2 of those games saw that margin reached in the last ten minutes.

There is no doubt in my mind that Liverpool are capable of blowing past Aston Villa, especially with the defensive performances of Dean Smith's team. Aston Villa do give up chances, but Liverpool tend to do just enough away from home to win games and it is a formula that has clearly been working for them.

I do think Aston Villa can score here and if they do they should be good enough to at least avoid a comfortable defeat. Backing the home team with the Asian Handicap start is the call for me here.


Brighton v Norwich City Pick: Even if you do fancy Brighton to beat Norwich City this weekend, the odds on quotes have to be very off-putting. They have beaten Tottenham Hotspur and Everton in games here, but Brighton could have easily failed to do that in the latter and both West Ham United and Burnley have earned positive results here.

This Norwich City team might not be as strong away from home and they are off a very heavy home defeat to Manchester United, but they did recently draw 0-0 with Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.

That result is hard to shift from the back of the mind and one that makes me think Brighton are plenty short here. Other options look much more appealing over the weekend and I will just say that I do think Brighton are the likely winners for anyone who asks me with a gun to the head.


Manchester City v Southampton Pick: It would have been hard enough to deal with the embarrassing 0-9 home loss suffered last weekend without thinking about having back to back away games at the Champions Manchester City. However that is the position Southampton and Ralph Hasenhuttl have found themselves and the pressure is on the manager.

Losing by the biggest margin at home in the English top Division of ALL TIME is going to be hard to forget for everyone associated with Southampton. The capitulation would have stung, but the manager has to be much happier with the kind of effort produced in the defeat in this Stadium on Tuesday night in the League Cup.

Ultimately Southampton are continuing to concede too many goals though and I really do worry for them on Saturday. The likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling did not play on Tuesday and will be raring to go and I really don't fancy Southampton's chances much of containing Manchester City who continue to rack up the opportunities in the final third and score plenty of goals.

Even getting to half time goalless did not prevent Aston Villa from suffering a 3-0 defeat here last weekend in the Premier League and I have to imagine Manchester City will reach that kind of margin again. The price is not as appealing as it was last weekend and Southampton have to be respected for posing a threat in the final third too, but I can't see anything but another comfortable home win for the Champions who have scored 11 goals in 3 games here since their 0-2 defeat to Wolves.

I won't be that surprised if Southampton have their moments, but Manchester City should see enough quality players chomping at the bit to make this a relatively straight forward day in the office.


Sheffield United v Burnley Pick: Another battling performance saw Sheffield United come from behind to earn another away point in the Premier League and that is already the third time this season they have recovered from being behind on their travels.

All credit has to be given to the players belief and the Chris Wilder tactics, but it has been more of a struggle at home. Scoring enough goals is a real issue for Sheffield United and they are going to be tested by a Burnley team who have made it a habit to earn results in these types of games which has helped them maintain top flight status.

Sheffield United had failed to score in 3 straight home games before the 1-0 win over Arsenal and they are facing a Burnley team who have proven to be stubborn opponents on their travels. Barring a somewhat controversial decision to disallow a Chris Wood game at Leicester City, Burnley would have been coming in with a run of 4 away draws in a row in the League.

With that in mind the draw is a real player here, but I think Burnley have to be backed with a start on the Asian Handicap at the prices here. I am really surprised that Sheffield United are as short as they are considering the issues in front of goal and they have not been as watertight at the back as their clean sheets this season would suggest.

Teams are creating chances against them and Burnley have shown they have goals in the side. Burnley have scored in all 5 away games in the Premier League this season and I really do think one goal is going to be enough to secure at least a point here especially as Burnley have defended better than their results may suggest.

There won't be much between these teams on Saturday afternoon, but backing Burnley with a start looks the play for me and at a reasonable price too.


West Ham United v Newcastle United Pick: Recent performances from both West Ham United and Newcastle United won't be that encouraging, but it should mean that there is plenty of belief that they can earn a result against the other this weekend.

Something will have to give at some point over the ninety minutes as a vulnerable West Ham United defence faces a goal-shy Newcastle United attack. The home team do give up a few opportunities but Manuel Pellegrini will point out 2 clean sheets in 4 Premier League games at the London Stadium this season, although the 1-1 draw against Sheffield United last weekend shows the vulnerabilities West Ham United have.

What has been evident is that West Ham United continue to be a very positive team going forward and I do struggle to see how Newcastle United contain them. The Magpies might have won at Tottenham Hotspur, but they have suffered some heavy away losses and had to be very grateful to their goalkeeper in the 1-0 defeat at Chelsea.

They will need more of the same to earn a result here, but I am not convinced that is going to happen. West Ham United should have enough in the final third to at least create the chances to win this game comfortably and they have needed at least two goals to secure their two wins here already this season.

I think that is going to be a number they need to reach again on Saturday if they are to earn the three points against Newcastle United. There should be enough opportunities to do that and I can't really see Newcastle United scoring more than once having failed to do that away from home this season and only once in their last 9 away Premier League games.

West Ham United have a solid home record against Newcastle United in recent seasons with 3 wins from the last 4 times they have hosted them. They have scored at least two goals in the last 3 against them at home and I will back West Ham United to win a game featuring two or more goals at odds against.


Watford v Chelsea Pick: There will have been some understandable disappointment in the Chelsea dressing room that they were not able to progress in the League Cup, but Frank Lampard won't be allowing the players to lose any belief in their performances. It was a changed team that were beaten and Chelsea have shown they can produce some big performances away from home already this season.

I fully expect Chelsea to bounce back this weekend when they visit Watford in the late Saturday Premier League fixture, although it won't be an easy fixture. The home team are fighting and scratching for points and Chelsea have not defended that well away from home which may offer an opportunity for Watford, although a slim one.

Watford have simply not fired under Quique Sanchez Flores as the fans and the board would have hoped and I do think he is under some pressure for a result before the international break. Going out of the League Cup won't have been a big concern, but Watford need Premier League wins and back to back goalless draws with Sheffield United and Bournemouth will feel like points being dropped.

A lack of confidence has been part of the problem for them, but that isn't the concern of Frank Lampard or his Chelsea players. They have been very clinical in the away games played so far this season and that might be key for this team again.

Chelsea have scored at least two goals in their last 4 away Premier League games and those have resulted in 12 points earned. They can get to that margin again as they look for a third win in four seasons at Vicarage Road and I do think it will be difficult for Watford to match that attacking output.

This will be closer than the layers may think, especially when you think of the recent Chelsea defensive performances and without the protection of N'Golo Kante either. However I think Chelsea will have enough goals to edge it and I will back them to win a game that features at least two goals on the day.


Crystal Palace v Leicester City Pick: Brendan Rodgers looked frustrated and irritated with some of the football he was watching Leicester City play last Friday night as he refused to let the players drop their standards- the funny part of that is they were winning 0-4 at Southampton at the time.

His body language and half time team talk clearly was taken on board by his Leicester City players who ended up with a record breaking 0-9 away win at St Mary's and they are now being genuinely talked about as a potential top four team.

I have no doubt about the quality in the Leicester City squad and being without European Football this season might be a blessing in disguise if they are going to upset the odds again. They might not be a 5000-1 Premier League title winner, but Leicester City were a huge price to finish in the top six let alone the top four and anyone who backed that has to be pleased.

The layers are taking no chances with Leicester City this weekend knowing the freshness of their win over Southampton will be on the minds of all looking to add them to accumulators. However for me they are a very short price to win against a club that has proven to be something of a bogey team for them in the last few seasons.

Crystal Palace are not like Southampton- expect Roy Hodgson's men to sit deep and invite Leicester City onto them before hitting them on the break with the likes of Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend. That will constrict the space for Jamie Vardy, while the Crystal Palace players are likely be well aware they have beaten Leicester City 5 times in a row in the Premier League.

Unlike last season, Crystal Palace also look much more comfortable when playing at home in the Premier League this time around. They have deserved to beat Norwich City and are creating chances, while Leicester City had a rare clean sheet away from home last week thanks mainly to Southampton being reduced to ten men very early on.

As much as I like the way Leicester City are performing, I do have to make a point that this is not a team who have been excelling away from home. Take away the win at Southampton and Leicester City have struggled for goals away from home and I do think they look a touch overrated this weekend to win at Selhurst Park.

My feeling is that Crystal Palace can surprise in front of their own fans and one goal might be enough to avoid a defeat. There is no doubting the talent that Leicester City have, but Crystal Palace are far from an easy touch and I would not be surprised at all if they can win this outright.

Instead I like the chance of being able to back Crystal Palace to avoid defeat at the price I have seen and that is my selection.


Everton v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: The last game in the Premier League this weekend will be broadcast from Goodison Park and some wags out there might describe this as a 'Sack Match' with the losing manager likely to be under intense pressure.

Both Everton and Tottenham Hotspur are underachieving this season and Marco Silva and Mauricio Pochettino are having their ability to take the respective clubs forward being questioned. For the former it is not getting enough out an Everton squad in which he has invested plenty, while for the latter there are people wondering whether his Tottenham Hotspur team have peaked and need a new voice in the dressing room.

The venue looks to be important with at least Everton keeping their best performances for their fixtures at Goodison Park. They were a touch unfortunate to lose to both Sheffield United and Manchester City here and back to back wins since will have given them a shot in the arm.

It has been far different for Tottenham Hotspur away from home with 1 win from 13 away games in all competitions, and failing to win any of their last 11 on their travels in the Premier League and slipping to defeat 9 times in that run. There is one aspect of losing games, but the other is that Tottenham Hotspur have looked very weak defensively and are conceding far too many and putting that together means confidence can't be in a good place.

At least Tottenham Hotspur will have good memories of facing Everton having won on 2 visits in a row to Goodison Park. That should help a team who are creating chances, but who seem to lack the mental strength to recover from setbacks within matches.

The first goal could be crucial in determining which of these teams win on the day, but an early one could really open up the fixture. The last 5 fixtures between Everton and Tottenham Hotspur have all featured at least three goals shared out and plenty points to that being the outcome of this one when you see how both clubs are performing from attacking and defensive dynamics.

Yerry Mina being out weakens the Everton defence further and I would not be surprised if both teams score here. A 1-1 draw would do little for either and I am going to back at least three goals to be shared out in the second of the live Sunday offerings.

MY PICKS: Manchester United - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Wolves + 0.75 Asian Handicap @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Aston Villa + 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Manchester City - 2.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.70 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Burnley + 0.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.66 Bet Victor (2 Units)
West Ham United & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.15 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Chelsea & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.91 Ladbrokes (2 Units)
Crystal Palace + 0.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.80 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Everton-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.75 Bet Victor (2 Units)

October 2019/20: 16-14-2, + 6.14 Units (62 Units Staked, + 9.90% Yield)
September 2019/20: 13-9-1, + 8.82 Units (46 Units Staked, + 19.17% Yield)
August 2019/20: 14-17-2, - 8.78 Units (64 Units Staked, - 13.72% Yield)

Fantasy Football GameWeek 11

It was another week in which my team earned more than the average points in GW10 as I secured 64 more points which put a few more green arrows next to the team.

The Leicester City 0-9 win over Southampton was the one that hurt the most with only one of my eleven players involved in the game after I benched Caglar Soyuncu. Obviously it was a move I regretted while watching the game, but the stats suggested Southampton would have had chances to score and I can't really factor in the red card they received very early on.

It was a damaging result as Leicester City kept a clean sheet and Jamie Vardy banged in three goals, but overall I have to be pleased having had a number of players produce the goods for me. One of those that let me down was Todd Cantwell (as a Manchester United fan I wasn't bothered) and he has been a poor selection since I brought him into my squad. With one Free Transfer this week, Cantwell has been on my 'cut' list and a former squad member is ready to return.

Before I get onto my team for GW11, I will just have a few thoughts about some Fantasy Football options that people are taking up.

Are Leicester City worth Trebling Up?- this seems to be the big question in the FPL Community ever since the hammering of Southampton and many will be picking at least two and possibly even three Leicester City players in their squads.

I already have two secured so would be something of a hypocrite to suggest others shouldn't do it, but it is a case of 'Buyer Beware'. While The Foxes are very pleasing on the eye, I do think they have shown they don't have a massive cutting threat and that is especially away from home.

That might sound crazy after what we saw at St Mary's last week, but it really was something of a one-off. In previous four away games Leicester City have struggled to create a lot of chances so I wouldn't really want multiple attacking players from this team in the belief they are going to provide big returns week after week.

Having a defender is not a bad shout as Leicester City have proven to be about as good as any other team in the Premier League when it comes to restricting chances, but attacking wise I don't think I would be prepared to have more than one of James Maddison, Youri Tielemans and Jamie Vardy.

All should have their moments, but last week was an aberration and even the positive fixture list in front of them is not changing my mind yet... Beat Palace by three or four goals and my tune is one that could be very different by the time GW12 and GW13 roll around.

Anthony Martial is Back- a missed penalty at Norwich City was a disappointment, but Anthony Martial's return is proving to be important for Manchester United who scored more than once in a single game for the first time since beating Chelsea 4-0 at Old Trafford in August.

The Frenchman has made two starts since returning from an injury against Liverpool and has scored two goals, while also freeing up Marcus Rashford from the Number 9 spot.

I think this is crucial return for the way Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants Manchester United to play and it also boosts the FPL potential of both Martial and Rashford. With games against Bournemouth, Brighton, Sheffield United, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur to come, I think these players as well as Daniel James become valuable assets.

Going Big at the Back- this was the template I had for my FPL team back in August and the lack of clean sheets suggest it might have been the wrong decision despite the strong returns so far this season.

Some have moved away from it, but I think I have found the balance with the likes of Caglar Soyuncu and John Lundstram meaning I can invest some wealth on other defenders without losing value in other areas of my squad.

I do think Manchester City are still quite vulnerable with injuries they have suffered and especially away from home, but I honestly am expecting Liverpool to turn a corner following the international break when they might be worth investing in again.

It has helped that Leicester City and Sheffield United have the joint best defensive record in the Premier League alongside Liverpool which has made those players I mentioned real value.

My GW11 Fantasy Team

After a solid week my mindset did change slightly with the tactics I wanted to use with my Free Transfers in the FPL GW11.

Last week I mentioned that I was planning to save two transfers that I would then use in GW12, but Anthony Martial's performance in GW10 as well as Todd Cantwell's hamstring issue has made the one transfer for this week an easy one to use.

The Frenchman comes in with a good run of fixtures ahead of him and he could be back on penalty duties if Marcus Rashford is not passed fit. I expect Martial to have chances against the next four opponents Manchester United face and I would expect the designated midfielder in the FPL game to be leading the line in all of those.

His inclusion has meant making a difficult decision on the formation for the week, but I have settled on a 3-5-2 with two bench players who should have the minutes to at least provide make up points if any of the starters i have selected cannot play.

My GW11 team is as follows:

Ederson- a home game with Southampton should give Manchester City a chance of a second Premier League clean sheet in a row.

Benjamin Mendy- with injuries in the Manchester City defence, Mendy should be starting having been rested in the win over Southampton in the League Cup. Always the potential for attacking returns too.

Andrew Robertson- this looks a tough away game at Aston Villa and a clean sheet is far from assured. However Robertson has made up for a lack of those by creating a few chances and earning assists.

John Lundstram- it came down to a straight choice between Lundstram and Fiyoki Timori. I think both teams may struggle for a clean sheet this weekend, but Lundstram might always come away with some attacking points as he continues to be used in midfield.

Raheem Sterling (C)- scored in the win over Aston Villa to maintain his hot form for club and country. Being rested on Tuesday night in the League Cup must surely mean Sterling starts this one against a defensively weak Southampton team.

Sadio Mane- Liverpool may struggle for a clean sheet this weekend, but Aston Villa's poor defensive record will likely be exploited too. Sadio Mane is undroppable at the moment for club manager and Fantasy players alike.

Youri Tielemans- 20 points from the last two GW's is unsustainable, but Tielemans also scored in the League Cup during the week. A huge part of whatever attacking threat Leicester City can provide.

Anthony Martial- a Number 9 for Manchester United as a midfield option in the FPL game. This is a 'no brainer' to select Martial while he is first choice striker for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Callum Hudson-Odoi- he did not start last weekend at Burnley, but Hudson-Odoi should be back in this week. Faces bottom club Watford and Chelsea have scored plenty of away goals all season.

Tammy Abraham- goals seem to have dried up a bit, but Tammy Abraham remains the first choice for Frank Lampard at Chelsea. Like CHO, Abraham has a very good looking match to get back amongst the goals this weekend.

Joshua King- my patience is beginning to be lost with Josh King who has only returned positive points three times this season. He is on penalties and faces a Manchester United defence that might be without both Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof this weekend.

Bench- Michael McGovern, Fiyaki Timori (away game at Watford is potentially a clean sheet spot, but Chelsea have not had one away from Stamford Bridge in the League all season which makes others better options), Caglar Soyuncu (I might be burned for a second week in a row, but Crystal Palace should score against Leicester City), Xande Silva