Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football GameWeek 12 2021 (November 20-21)

You wouldn't need more than one hand to count the number of times I have agreed with Jurgen Klopp and admitted to it, but I completely understand his feelings ahead of the return of the Premier League this weekend.

'I hate international breaks'.

His reasons are going to be different to mine, but the largely pointless World Cup Qualifiers are now in the books and it means the top clubs can get ready to embark on a very busy run through to the middle of January.

There is going to be another international break at the end of January, which is the return of the Winter Break for clubs in England's top flight, but between now and then there are going to be a mammoth TWELVE rounds of fixtures to be completed. That doesn't include the two European games that the top clubs in the Premier League will be faced with as well as the League Cup Quarter Final and Semi Final and the FA Cup Third Round all to be played.

Squads are going to be needed and the same can be said for those of us who are playing the Fantasy Football game. I will have a few more thoughts on that below, but first you can see what I think about the upcoming games in the Premier League this weekend.

Leicester City v Chelsea Pick: The last international break until January is now behind us and those playing in England are about to embark on a really intense part of the season. Over the coming six weeks, the Premier League title race could really see some twists and turns with games being played thick and fast.

Those involved in European competition and the League Cup Quarter Final have little time to breathe and the squads are going to need to be utilised to the maximin. It is a situation for both Brendan Rodgers and Thomas Tuchel to deal with, and both managers should be encouraged by the fact that their squads could be overcoming injury issues at just the right time.

It is key for both Leicester City and Chelsea who have plenty of big games to come over the coming weeks and it is important for the managers to see their team come out of the break with a big performance. Leicester City have not been in the best form of late with too many draws blighting their progress, while Chelsea will have been very disappointed after only securing a 1-1 draw with Burnley two weeks ago.

However, Chelsea have been very efficient away from home and they will feel that gives them an edge as they look for a positive response to the last Premier League fixture. They have not given up many chances and Chelsea have founded their success on being hard to break down, while Leicester City have failed to score in home defeats to Manchester City and Arsenal.

Chelsea may also have Romelu Lukaku back this week to lead the line and I do think they are going to be a little too good for their hosts.

Brendan Rodgers will feel his team can play a part, but Chelsea do not give teams a lot of encouragement and I would not be surprised if they can keep another clean sheet here. As good as Leicester City have been under Brendan Rodgers, they have been inconsistent this season and will potentially have to play without Youri Tielemens this weekend.

Jamie Vardy will be well rested and looking to exploit any tiredness in the Chelsea backline, but Leicester City have been inconsistent in the final third. They have been a little stronger at creating chances at home, but Chelsea should be able to hold them at arm's length and win a game that features fewer than four goals on the day.

Aston Villa v Brighton Pick: Things can change really quickly in football and just a little over a month after beating Manchester United at Old Trafford, Aston Villa were Sacking their manager Dean Smith.

They didn't really wait too long before announcing that Steven Gerrard had accepted the vacant job at Aston Villa after a strong tenure managing Rangers in the Scottish Premiership. It is a risky move for both the club and the manager as they look to come together and start moving away from the relegation zone.

A new manager bounce could be in play on Saturday and Gerrard may benefit from the squad returning from the international break looking healthier than when they went into the November break. Aston Villa have been underperforming, but Dean Smith had not been helped by the injuries and his new signings have yet to really settle in and replace Jack Grealish.

Steven Gerrard will have to find a way to get more from those players, but you have to imagine the atmosphere will give the squad another boost.

Aston Villa will have a tough outing against Brighton who have proven to be a difficult team to beat, but who can be vulnerable unless they find a way to be a little more productive in the final third. Earlier in the season they looked to have figured out the issues from last season, but once again Brighton have looked a team that will create chances without the consistency to take them.

It cost them two points in the home draw with Newcastle United and Brighton have only scored more than a single goal in 1 of their last 6 Premier League games. That did come in their last away game at Liverpool, but Brighton are hard to trust when they continue to lack a killer end product to their football.

They should be able to create chances at Villa Park considering what we have seen from the home team, but the new manager is someone who is keen on having a solid foundation. There hasn't been enough time to really imagine Steven Gerrard can have a serious impact on the defensive shape of Aston Villa just yet, but this feels the kind of game where the new manager bounce could really play out.

As inconsistent as Aston Villa have been and as much as the confidence will have been dented by the 5 game losing run, they are a team that has enough quality to score goals. Brighton will be without their first choice goalkeeper this week and I think Aston Villa will reward their new manager with a positive approach to produce a positive result this Saturday.

Burnley v Crystal Palace Pick: Neither of these teams will be considered as title challengers, but both have surprised leading clubs in the Premier League in the couple of weeks before the November international break.

Burnley weathered the storm to earn a 1-1 draw at Chelsea, but Crystal Palace did a little better all around when beating Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium the week prior to that.

No one will be that surprised to see Burnley picking up some big results under Sean Dyche and they look to be moving with some positive momentum behind them. The previous experiences under Sean Dyche suggested it would happen for Burnley if they remained patient, but Crystal Palace fans have to be pleasantly surprised by the early impact made by Patrick Vieira.

It is one thing if Vieira had come into Selhurst Park and just looked to operate in a similar way to Roy Hodgson, but the former Arsenal Captain has improved the football being played by Crystal Palace. He has been rewarded for that approach with some big results and Crystal Palace have been able to turn a few draws into the wins they have deserved.

The away record may not make for great reading, but Crystal Palace are arguably overachieving despite only earning 5 points from a possible 15 on their travels. Four of their five away games have been at the current top four in the Premier League and the other was a fixture at the much improved Arsenal so the points on the board show how well Crystal Palace are doing.

They have scored at least twice in 3 of their 5 away games and that attacking threat has to be a problem for Burnley. As much as the results have improved of late, Burnley have still been a team that allows teams to create chances against them and Crystal Palace have also got to be respected for the way they have performed defensively.

Burnley did snap their 14 game run without a home Premier League win when beating Brentford here in their last game at Turf Moor. However, Crystal Palace are playing with a lot more confidence than Brentford at the moment and this is a team who can create the chances to win at Turf Moor on Saturday.

Newcastle United v Brentford Pick: A new manager arrives at Newcastle United and the fans have to be hoping that Eddie Howe can spark an upturn in form for their struggling club. The future looks bright for Newcastle United, but there could be a delay to the good times if the club are relegated to the Championship.

The main task for Eddie Howe over the coming six weeks is to make sure his team are in touch with those clubs outside of the relegation zone. That is when Newcastle United can use the January transfer window to bring in some real quality to ensure they are not dropping out of the top flight.

Eddie Howe won't be fooled by the task in front of him, but he has experienced a relegation battle before and that may stand him in good stead with Newcastle United. There are also a number of players he would have worked with previously and the fixtures coming up in the next two weeks look very winnable on paper.

After the recent Brentford results, this is another fixture that the home team have to be targeting. Thomas Frank has seen his team lose some momentum with 4 straight Premier League defeats, but the performances have remained relatively strong and that will be important for a club that really uses the statistical side of the game to their benefit.

The worst of the recent performances has been the 3-1 defeat at Burnley and that is a concern for Brentford ahead of this game as they look to douse the enthusiasm that will likely build at St James' Park. That has been an exception rather than a rule for Brentford though and I do think they will cause plenty of problems for their hosts who have conceded goals for fun for much of this season.

With that in mind it is perhaps a surprise that Newcastle United have appointed someone like Eddie Howe whose Bournemouth team used to concede an alarming amount of goals in the Premier League. I think the manager will make use of some of the attacking quality in the squad, but Newcastle United could remain a work in progress defensively and I think Brentford are capable of exploiting that.

Losing their starting goalkeeper to an injury has put some doubt into the Brentford defensive performances too though and I think both teams can find the back of the net. Neither is likely going to be satisfied with a 1-1 result and I think that will mean two teams playing with attacking intent throughout much of the afternoon which could spark into a lively fixture.

Norwich City v Southampton Pick: There is an irony in the fact that the last time Dean Smith managed Aston Villa came in a fixture against Southampton and that is the same opponent that will be in front of his new team, Norwich City, when he takes charge of this team for the first time.

It will be interesting to see how much Dean Smith learned from that experience in the 1-0 defeat at St Mary's which ended up being the result that decided his future as Aston Villa manager. And it was surprising to see the manager jump straight back in with Norwich City who have so much work to do to even be competitive at this level.

Norwich City do have some momentum having beaten Brentford two weeks ago before Daniel Farke was Sacked, but they are a team that have struggled at both ends of the field. At least this week they are facing an opponent that has rarely been able to score multiple times within the same match, although Southampton have been pretty secure defensively and that has enabled them to win 3 of their last 4 League games.

However, they don't score a lot of goals and it should give Norwich City a chance of securing a result. They have played better here than their results would indicate and a new manager could see the squad just put in the extra effort to show they are capable of being trusted.

Two seasons ago, Southampton beat Norwich City easily here.

However, they had stronger and more consistent attacking options that day and one goal may be enough for Norwich City to get the Dean Smith era off to a positive start. It may not be good enough for the three points, but Norwich City may be able to secure at least a point against a Southampton team who have not travelled that well and who continue to struggle for goals.

Watford v Manchester United Pick: It speaks volumes that Manchester United have allowed Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to remain in charge of the club despite embarrassing 0-5 and 0-2 losses at Old Trafford to Liverpool and Manchester City. Clouded thinking has become the norm at Manchester United from the very top of the club and the fans are becoming increasingly frustrated at what they see as poor planning.

The match-going fans are very unlikely to turn on the manager, but that does not hide the fact that many of those have begun to give up on their current manager. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is much admired by the fans, but even the likes of David Moyes and Jose Mourinho were supported to the very end.

However, it would be foolish of the manager and the board to believe that the inconsistent performances can continue indefinitely. Losing half of their last 12 games in all competitions is a real worry, while Manchester United have needed goals inside the last nine minutes to even manage 3 wins.

Away form has been a little stronger than at Old Trafford and that is important for Solskjaer and the Manchester United team ahead of a very big week out of the November international break.

This looks the 'easiest' of the three away games to be played, but Manchester United have lost 2 of their last 4 visits to Vicarage Road and can ill-afford to take Watford lightly. Claudio Ranieri has yet to work his magic to full effect at Watford and his team have failed to score in 3 of their 4 League games under their new manager, but there have been one or two signs of defensive improvement in the last couple of games.

Watford are still looking for the balance between attack and defence, but they will feel there are gaps in the Manchester United defence that can be exploited if they are able to build momentum. They have rattled Manchester United in home games over recent years, but Watford have to be aware of their own frailties and this feels like a match in which both teams will have their moments of success.

The last fixture between these teams here ended 2-0 to Watford, but the 7 prior to that at Vicarage Road have all ended with at least three goals shared out. Neither team can be too confident of being able to keep the other out in this one and I think goals are likely to be the outcome of the fixture.

It is a vital game for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and his Manchester United team, but they have looked far from sure of themselves of late and this has the makings of a 2-1 score... Which way? That's the question.

Wolves v West Ham United Pick: A stunning 3-2 home win over Liverpool has kept the good times rolling at West Ham United and they are now up to 3rd in the Premier League table and with a real belief they can earn a Champions League spot at the least.

Strong performances on the field in all competitions they have entered will excite the fans, but a potential new owner off the field could take West Ham United forward very quickly. David Moyes won't be worrying too much about the impact that will have for him and his transfer budget just yet, but instead he will be looking for his team to continue building the momentum in each passing match.

The manager will not want his team to drop their intensity, but it can be a challenge out of an international break and that is something that West Ham United will have to face head on. They have really enjoyed playing away from home and West Ham United have been creating a lot of chances and scoring plenty of goals which makes them very dangerous here.

In recent games Wolves have looked a touch more vulnerable defensively and I do think West Ham United can expose those with their attacking intent.

However, Wolves have also been in good form and they have recovered from a slow start to the season to move into the top eight. Losing to Crystal Palace will have hurt, but Wolves had won 4 of 5 Premier League games before that and they have won their last 2 League games at Molinuex.

Both of those wins have come in 2-1 scorelines and Wolves have looked like a team that have more of an attacking edge under their current manager, but one that is not as secure defensively as they were under Nuno Espirito Santo.

It could lead to an exciting game with both teams looking to get forward in numbers and I do think we will see at least three goals shared out on the day. My edge has to be with West Ham United who look to have more of a consistent threat outside of their Number 9, but Wolves can play their part and both teams are likely to hit the net in a relatively high-scoring game on Saturday.

Liverpool v Arsenal Pick: After a really poor August, Arsenal have been motoring up the League table over the last couple of months.

There have been some impressive performances and results in that time, most notably being the 0-2 victory at Leicester City, but Mikel Arteta is going to find out plenty about his team this weekend. This time Arsenal will be significant underdogs when they head to Anfield to take on a genuine title contender, but The Gunners may be visiting at the right time.

Injuries have hurt Liverpool throughout the squad and they look like they could be down another couple of players after international duty. The squad is being stretched again and Liverpool have looked a little vulnerable of late, even if those cracks were papered over in the big win at Manchester United.

In their last couple of Premier League games, Liverpool have conceded five goals to Brighton and West Ham United and that is a major concern for them. They could be without Andrew Robertson this weekend too, while they are likely down at least one key midfielder too.

It gives Arsenal a chance here, but they will have to be careful with their defensive performance regardless of what their results may tell you. Arsenal have been earning clean sheets, but Leicester City and Burnley have created good chances against them and Liverpool are the form team in the Premier League when it comes to attacking output.

Sadio Mane would be a big absentee to add to Roberto Firmino and that is the one worry for Liverpool, but Mohamed Salah is available and should be good to go. He has played like the best player in the world and Salah has scored plenty of goals against Arsenal, as he has against most teams he faces.

Liverpool have been very creative at home and they are scoring goals for fun no matter where they play, so it is a big test for Arsenal and where they are at with their own football. The young players have performed without any fear, which makes Arsenal dangerous, but they might not be able to weather the Anfield atmosphere in the late kick off and Liverpool have largely dominated Arsenal in recent years.

In home games in the Premier League, Liverpool have scored a hatful of goals against Arsenal in recent seasons and they can come out and get the better of an overachieving team with a good looking win in front of the television cameras.

Manchester City v Everton Pick: The return to domestic action comes at the beginning of a really tough stretch for every club in the Premier League, but Manchester City have the squad to cope with the demands in front of them.

This is a big week for Manchester City with three home games to come and they can secure top spot in their Champions League Group with a win over Paris Saint-Germain during the week. However, Manchester City cannot overlook their Premier League commitments as they look to keep the pressure on leaders Chelsea having closed the gap after comfortably beating rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford two weeks ago.

Manchester City were beaten in their last Premier League game at home as they struggled to deal with Crystal Palace, but they were not helped by being reduced to ten men. Before that defeat, Manchester City had kept 5 home clean sheets in a row in the Premier League and they are likely to have much of the play in this one.

Rafael Benitez is managing a team with more quality than his Newcastle United team that used to be set up to limit the damage when facing Manchester City. However, I expect the manager to want his Everton team to be compact and try and exploit Manchester City on the counter attack and the tactic will be clear from the off.

However, his Everton team are lacking confidence of late and they created very little at home against Tottenham Hotspur. Now they face a better defensive team, while Everton continue to miss the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin which may mean they are not able to attack Manchester City as they would like.

I expect there to be a couple of dangerous moments for Everton, but the majority of the game is going to be played in their half.

Manchester City have only won 1 of their last 3 home Premier League games, but they should be able to create chances against an Everton team who had been conceding goals at an alarming rate before the goalless draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

It has been a case of feast or famine for Manchester City in front of goal at the Etihad Stadium, but they have mainly been very comfortable in games here. They have rarely been threatened and I think they can contain Everton in a home win to move into the big game with Paris Saint-Germain with confidence in their own level.

Tottenham Hotspur v Leeds United Pick: Some of the top managerial names in the world are operating in the Premier League and this is a match between two teams led by a couple of those.

Antonio Conte versus Marcelo Bielsa should be interesting to watch on the sidelines as much as what we will see on the pitch. Tottenham Hotspur have only just been taken on by Antonio Conte so this is a work in progress, but there has been enough from the first couple of games to believe the players will be much happier under the Italian than they were with Nuno Espirito Santo in charge.

Leeds United will know exactly what Marcelo Bielsa will be expecting of them and there has been an improvement in their performances. However, they have missed Patrick Bamford in recent weeks and the England international may not be quite ready to produce a full effort in this system.

His absence would give Tottenham Hotspur the edge and the fans will be excited to have seen the impact Harry Kane had for England. He has yet to produce the goods for Spurs this season, but Kane could be ready to fire under their current manager and this is a chance for him.

As well as Leeds United have competed of late, they are a team that will give up some chances and that is where Tottenham Hotspur can expose them. In what has been a disappointing season, the bottom line is that Tottenham Hotspur have beaten the teams they would have expected to at home and this Leeds United team will fit under that category.

I do think the visitors can cause one or two problems of their own, particularly through Raphinha, but Tottenham Hotspur should create the majority of the chances. With the fans behind them as they welcome Antonio Conte in the Premier League, I think Tottenham Hotspur can beat Leeds United in a game that features two or more goals on the day.

MY PICKS: Chelsea to Win & Under 3.5 Goals

Aston Villa 0 Asian Handicap

Crystal Palace 0 Asian Handicap

Newcastle United-Brentford Over 2.5 Goals

Norwich City + 0.5 Asian Handicap

Watford-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals

Wolves-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals

Liverpool - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Manchester City Win to Nil

Tottenham Hotspur to Win & Over 1.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 12

It was far from an easy set of fixtures between the October and November international break and my Fantasy Premier League team had been suffering, but a solid GameWeek 11 has at least pushed my team back up the Overall Rankings.

I need more out of the selections being made, but I did manage to carry a Free Transfer over through the latest international break and that means I have two to play with in GW12.

Robert Sanchez was sent off in his last fixture against Newcastle United so the suspension means I am likely going to use one of those transfers on moving in a new Goalkeeper. With the fixtures coming up and with the form being shown by teams, my clearest option looks to be picking up Vincent Guaita from Crystal Palace considering the fixtures that are coming up for The Eagles.

Aaron Ramsdale is a popular choice, but Arsenal are overachieving defensively with the chances they have been giving up and I do think the fixtures look pretty tough to negotiate in the weeks ahead. The Gunners can earn a couple of clean sheets in their next six games and Ramsdale has proved himself capable of producing save points, but Vincent Guaita's Crystal Palace look to have the better run of games and I won't feel the need to remove him from my choices until the New Year.

But what about the other transfer? Before the Sanchez issue, I was thinking about finding the value to upgrade Kai Havertz to Heung-Min Son.

After Roberto Firmino was ruled out and looked like he could be missing a number of weeks, my focus was perhaps changing Havertz to Diogo Jota.

A couple of weeks ago it looked certain that Chelsea would have Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner available for the trip to the King Power Stadium, but both are now unlikely to start and that means Havertz can be kept around for the next GameWeek.

All in all it makes it a viable idea to roll the transfer again and have two Free Transfers in the pocket in GameWeek 13.

By then we should have much more information on the likes of Firmino and Andrew Robertson, and it will also mean I can focus on moves that I believe I have identified as being important.

For example, I would like to sell Michail Antonio, but I do think a visit to Wolves is not the time to do that. Another player is Cristiano Ronaldo, but Manchester United have a tough run after GameWeek 12 so this doesn't feel an ideal time to change him either.

I quite like the make up of my squad outside of the goalkeeper issue in GameWeek 12 and I think the options off the bench will cover any absentees. I am planning to post my team on Twitter at around 12pm on Saturday, half an hour after the deadline this week, but the starting eleven is very similar to the one I would have employed even if the international break had not created a gap between fixtures.

The Captain choice is perhaps the most difficult- a part of me is keen on picking Cristiano Ronaldo, but Mohamed Salah's record against Arsenal and being at home means it is hard to overlook the Egyptian.

However, the Watford defence have been truly terrible at home which is swaying me back to the Portuguese legend leading the line for Manchester United. You have to expect a more attacking approach from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, if only to ease the pressure that has built up on him, and that could suit Ronaldo who will be dangerous throughout and with a week off since last playing for Portugal in the World Cup Qualifiers.

In saying that, I have already mentioned that Arsenal's defensive numbers are perhaps papering over the actual performances. Even an injury hit Liverpool team should be able to create chances against them at Anfield and Mohamed Salah is likely to be a key player towards that.

It is a decision I am going to sleep on before making on Saturday morning, while any second transfer will also be used then. My strong lean in terms of the transfers is to simply bring in the Crystal Palace goalkeeper in place of Robert Sanchez as a set and forget until the New Year and that should mean having options to reshape the squad next week.

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (December 11-13)

The European competitions had their Group Stages completed this past week and that means the Champions League and Europa League can go into hibernation until next year, but for clubs in the Premier League there is little respite from the football.

Those seven clubs involved in Europe will be accustomed to playing twice a week and they will continue that trend with three rounds of Premier League fixtures to be played over the next ten days.

Even then some of those clubs will be preparing for League Cup Quarter Final matches before entering another ten day period where another three rounds of Premier League fixtures are going to be played.

It is always a hectic time of the year but there is no doubting that the 2020/21 season is busier than usual thanks to the late start for the majority of the top European Leagues. Squads are going to have to be utilised and that means us Fantasy Football players have to pay extra attention to managers and whether our 'star players' are going to need to have some rest.

No one can play all of the League games in the month ahead, but teams can ill-afford to lose ground on their ambitions for the campaign either and so it will be a challenging time for everyone.

More on my Fantasy thoughts below, but first my predictions for the Premier League weekend to be played which begins on Friday Night Football.

Leeds United v West Ham United Pick: On paper Leeds United versus West Ham United should be a decent game of football as both teams have tended to play some good attacking football, but at the same time have struggled defensively.

The home team will force West Ham United into that kind of game with Marcelo Bielsa unlikely to change his system or beliefs. For much of the season it has worked well for Leeds United who have created chances and looked capable of scoring goals every time they have got forward.

However that system has left Leeds United vulnerable at the back and this is a defence that has given up some massive opportunities to opponents. I fully expect West Ham United to use their pace and quality in the final third to be able to exploit Leeds United on the counter attack and it would be something of a surprise if both teams don't score in this one.

It does have to be noted that Leeds United have seemingly been more effective away from home, but that might just be an anomaly at the moment. The side have actually been able to create plenty of home chances and it has just been a little more luck that has been required to score more goals here.

Last time out at home, Leeds United dominated Arsenal and only poor finishing let them down. I expect they will create chances against this West Ham United team who have not been effective defensively, but I also think The Hammers will be a threat from set pieces and on the counter as I have mentioned before.

Recent games have seen both teams looking as likely to score as they are to conceded and Leeds United's philosophy to not take a backward step should make this a fun game for neutrals to enjoy on Friday evening.

Wolves v Aston Villa Pick: An unexpected break has given Aston Villa two weeks to think about the performances in the back to back 2-1 losses to Brighton and West Ham United. Both defeats were largely disappointing, but Dean Smith should also be aware that his team actually played very well in both games and perhaps just missed a bit of fortune or a better cutting edge which prevented them taking all three points.

While they will be looking to bounce back in this derby game, Wolves are also looking for a reaction after crumbling to a 4-0 defeat at Liverpool. They actually looked pretty comfortable before a Conor Coady mistake allowed Liverpool to take the lead and there were opportunities for Wolves to get back into the match while it was still 1-0.

The manner of the collapse is troubling though, while you can't ignore how big an absence Raul Jimenez is going to be for this team. The Mexican striker looked to knit everything together up front and without him Wolves decided on a 'false nine' approach last weekend which didn't go well to say the least.

I do think Nuno Espirito Santo will be looking for a more positive approach to this fixture and Wolves have certainly been a tough proposition to beat at this ground. I do think that gives them a chance, but Aston Villa are playing as well as anyone in the Division especially when they get forward and look to attack and that makes this a hard fixture for me to really get a firm grip on.

Simply put I can't really find any angle on the game in which I would be comfortable and this may be one to take a watching brief if only for Fantasy purposes.

Newcastle United v West Brom Pick: This feels like a big game for West Brom who will be looking to bounce back from the embarrassment of losing 1-5 at home against Crystal Palace last Sunday.

They have lost 4 of their last 5 Premier League games and Slaven Bilic is under some pressure as manager of the club, but West Brom may feel there is an opportunity for them here.

Recent form is not the best, but they are facing a Newcastle United team who had to postpone a fixture last week because of a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad. No one really knows what kind of long-term impact that is going to have on professional athletes, but you do have to wonder if the squad is going to be short-handed for this one.

It sounds like Newcastle United have had the majority of their squad back in full training on Wednesday though and this is a team who won 0-2 at Crystal Palace two weeks ago. The Magpies are a hard team to figure out as they can be very good going forward, but also have matches where they are struggling to really produce consistency in the final third.

However, I do think Newcastle United will find a way to create opportunities against a West Brom team who have been allowing far too many good chances for opponents. Even in the win against Sheffield United it was only poor finishing from the visitors that helped West Brom win that fixture.

I simply can't ignore the fact that West Brom have not created more chances or better scoring opportunities against any opponent in the Premier League this season. They are lacking some goals as evidenced by a single strike in their last 4 away League games and I do think defensively teams will always have a chance against The Baggies.

The home team should win here, but I would be a little careful in backing them with the uncertainty about the Covid-19 outbreak in mind.

Manchester United v Manchester City Pick: A little over twelve months ago Manchester United left the Etihad Stadium with a 1-2 win over their rivals Manchester City and some described it as the best performance under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Through the remainder of the season Manchester United would beat Manchester City two more times, although a 1-3 defeat at Old Trafford in the League Cup Semi Final First Leg cost them a place in the Final of that competition.

The last time they met at Old Trafford was the last time the fans were able to attend a game in this Stadium and Manchester United beat Manchester City 2-0 which should give the players some confidence.

They will need all the confidence they can get having been criticised for the slow start in Germany on Tuesday night which has cost Manchester United a place in the Last 16 of the Champions League. The defeat to Leipzig means Europa League Football returns to Old Trafford in the New Year and the pressure is back on the manager who will be desperate for another big result over their rivals to ease some of the criticisms he is dealing with.

Manchester United's poor form at Old Trafford has to be a concern with their sole League win coming against a really poor West Brom team. They failed to score against either Chelsea or Arsenal, although Manchester United at least showed better defensive efforts in those games and against West Brom than they did in their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.

Now they have to face a Manchester City who are unbeaten since losing to Tottenham Hotspur and who have continued to show a better balance than they did for much of last season. Pep Guardiola has tweaked his system to make them a little more solid at the back, but the absence of Sergio Aguero for long periods have meant the team have struggled to finish off the chances that they have been creating.

Manchester City have been more ruthless in the Champions League and beat Marseille 3-0 at home during the week, but this is not a team who have been hammering teams in the Premier League. They have beaten Wolves 1-3 at Molineux and earned their usual 5-0 win over Burnley at home, but Manchester City have been held to less than two goals in 6 of their 10 League games.

It has certainly been the case away from home as Manchester City have scored three goals in their last 4 away Premier League games, although they have been pretty good defensively too. Mistakes were costly in the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, but they controlled last parts of that match and it will be all about containing the Manchester United counter attack in this one.

Picking a winner isn't easy- in the two years Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been in charge he has overseen big wins when seemingly under the most pressure, but Manchester City also look much better than the team who lost 3 of 4 derbies in the 2019/20 season.

I think all three results are in play, but I won't be as surprised as the layers if this fixture ends with fewer than three goals shared out. The last 3 Manchester United home Premier League games and the last 4 Manchester City away Premier League games have finished that way.

Even the last 2 Manchester derbies have finished with two or fewer goals shared out between the rivals, while 3 of the last 5 Premier League games between the clubs at Old Trafford have done the same. Manchester City have looked pretty good at both ends of the field and I think this will be a tight, competitive derby game where neither manager will want their team to make the mistakes that could prove costly on the day.

Everton v Chelsea Pick: 2000 Everton fans will be allowed into Goodison Park to offer support to their club who have fallen off the fast pace they began this season with.

After winning 7 in a row in all competitions which saw Everton top the Premier League and progress to the League Cup Quarter Final, injuries and suspension have begun to affect preparation. That has led to a run of 1 win in 7 League games and Everton have slipped down the League standings, while they have lost their last 2 at Goodison Park and may need the support of the fans to turn things around.

In the 2 losses to Manchester United and Leeds United, Everton have been outplayed and the visitors have deserved their wins. Leeds United in particularly could have won by a much wider margin than their 0-1 victory here and I do think Chelsea are playing well enough to hurt the home team if they are not at their best.

Everton have played well against Chelsea at Goodison Park in recent years and have beaten them twice in a row here. That will offer some encouragement for the players, but I do think this Chelsea squad may be stronger than recent visiting squads to this ground.

Frank Lampard has struck a fine balance between attack and defence away from home and Chelsea have won 5 in a row on their travels in all competitions. They have scored at least twice in each victory, while Chelsea have only conceded a single goal in their last 6 away games.

I am not sure they can contain an Everton team that had scored in 8 home games in a row before the defeat to Leeds United. While they were looking poor at the back, Everton did create chances in that game so they will feel they can challenge Chelsea, although, as I have mentioned, I am not sure they can contain this attacking line up.

It could be a decent football game on Saturday evening, although I will be watching the Boxing, and I think Chelsea may win a sixth away game in succession while scoring at least twice to do so. Snapping their recent poor run of visits to Goodison Park would also underline Chelsea's credentials as a potential Premier League title winner.

Southampton v Sheffield United Pick: The early Sunday Premier League kick off sees Southampton host Sheffield United and recent form suggests there is only one winner of the fixture.

Chris Wilder has to be given credit for the raising of the profile of Sheffield United in recent seasons, but that doesn't mean he is going to be given a lot more time to find a positive result. Another late goal cost Sheffield United last weekend, while they continue to show defensive vulnerabilities that were not highlighted last season.

Losing Dean Henderson and Jack O'Connell has really hurt the side and it has meant the lack of goals has really been a major problem for Sheffield United. Even last season they didn't score a lot of goals, but this time around the clean sheets are not coming and that means Sheffield United have struggled to snap their poor Premier League form.

The Blades have lost 13 of their last 14 Premier League games and have lost 7 in a row away from home. While they are creating chances, Sheffield United may struggle to do that at St Mary's where Southampton have kept 3 clean sheets in 5 home League games.

Add in the fact that Danny Ings is back for Southampton and this is a team who have been creating chances and scoring goals and I do think the home side will have too much for their visitors. They have scored two goals in every League game played here this season and I do think Sheffield United will struggle to contain the home team.

Southampton have not been creating as many chances as they would like, but they are a threat on the counter and from set pieces. I think that will show up here too and The Saints are likely to win this game while maintaining their run of goals being scored.

Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: Jose Mourinho may be insisting his team are not in the Premier League title race, but Tottenham Hotspur have plenty of experience in their squad. Many of the members will have been playing with the club when Tottenham Hotspur pushed Leicester City in 2015/16 and this is a team which has reached the Champions League Final.

Those achievements means the players should believe that their manager can push them on a little further and build on what Mauricio Pochettino had put in place with Tottenham Hotspur.

Games like this will really tell us a lot more about Tottenham Hotspur, but they already in the midst of a tough run and remain on top of the Premier League. Home wins over Manchester City and Arsenal and an away draw at Chelsea are impressive, but making it more so is that Spurs have kept clean sheets in all of those games.

They look like a Jose Mourinho team, but I do think people are perhaps not as aware that Tottenham Hotspur are not creating a host of chances in their recent games. Even in a win at Burnley at the end of October Tottenham Hotspur showed a clinical edge to their performance which perhaps led to an undeserved win.

Whether that is sustainable has to be a concern, but you have to credit the organisation they have shown at the back. Neither Chelsea or Arsenal created a lot against Tottenham Hotspur and Mourinho will remind his team that you can't lose matches if you keep clean sheets.

Crystal Palace will feel they can test Tottenham Hotspur having scored five times against West Brom last Sunday and with Wilfried Zaha and Christian Benteke both scoring twice. Those two players will give Roy Hodgson's team and attacking threat, but I do think Jose Mourinho will be prepared by not allowing too much space for Crystal Palace to counter attack into.

I do think Roy Hodgson is the kind of manager that won't allow his team to be as naive as Arsenal last weekend and that should mean they offer more protection against the Tottenham Hotspur counter attack too. They will look to make it difficult for Tottenham Hotspur to exploit spaces with the feeling that Spurs have not been as effective when it comes to breaking down a low block, although with the quality in this team it can't be dismissed.

Set pieces could be huge in the game for both teams, but I am expecting a low-scoring fixture.

9 of the last 10 between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur have finished with less than three goals shared out. The 1-1 draw these two played out here on the final day of last season is the first time in 10 games that both teams have hit the net in the same game too.

On that day, Tottenham Hotspur scored early but created very little else and I do think chances will be at a premium in this one. Tottenham Hotspur have shown they are clinical enough to take them, but I think there won't be many goals here and the first one could be crucial either way.

The last 3 Tottenham Hotspur away games have all finished with less than three goals shared out and I think the players have bought into Jose Mourinho's system. I don't think he will change here and it is all about managing the game ahead of the big one at Anfield, while Roy Hodgson is smart enough to know he wants his team to be hard to beat rather than enterprising going forward with a point likely to be an important one for his club.

The two managers may not want to give too much away here.

Fulham v Liverpool Pick: If all things were equal you would make Liverpool a really big favourite to beat Fulham whether they play them at Anfield or at Craven Cottage, but this Liverpool team are not playing at their top level of late.

That is especially the case away from home as Liverpool had to settle for a third straight 1-1 draw when finishing with that scoreline at Midtjylland during the week. The last 2 away Premier League games have both ended 1-1 at Manchester City and Brighton, although the latter needed a late Penalty to secure a point against Liverpool.

However both Brighton and Midtjylland did create chances against a Liverpool team that are still potentially without some key performers. I expect Fulham to be able to do the same with their recent performances in find outside of the 2-0 defeat at Manchester City, although it is still hard to imagine an upset considering the porous defence Scott Parker has had to rely on.

Teams have been able to create chances against Fulham and I think it would be quite an incredible day if Liverpool were not able to do that and score goals here. They still have their much respected front three available for selection, but Liverpool have found it hard to build the consistency away from home and they did not create much at the Amex Stadium.

Brighton have shown they have more defensive strength than Fulham though and I expect Liverpool to hurt a vulnerable backline.

The real question is how the remainder of the game will go and I think the layers are on top of things with their Asian Handicap- I could make a case for Fulham with the 1.5 goal start, but also feel Liverpool could make a mockery of the line considering Arsenal, Aston Villa and Everton have all scored three times at Craven Cottage this season.

Fulham have created home chances in recent games here and I do think they can get after a Liverpool team who are not showing complete faith in their ability to keep opponents from scoring goals. The title favourites have been more vulnerable away from home and I would not be surprised if both teams hit the back of the net.

An early goal could really spark this fixture and there is every chance we are going to see one.

In 6 of the last 8 Liverpool away games the first goal has been scored before the 17th minute, while in only 1 of the 6 games played at Craven Cottage have we had to wait until after the 10th minute for the first goal.

A fast start is likely to be in play on Sunday when these teams meet too as both managers look for their team to get on the front foot in what could turn out to be a high-scoring fixture.

Arsenal v Burnley Pick: The rumour mill is suggesting that Mikel Arteta could be sacked by the end of next weekend if the results are not what the Arsenal board expect.

The fixtures in front of Arteta and his team are not the most appealing and you would really worry for Arsenal if they were to lose this one. Southampton visit during the week and they then go to Everton before facing Manchester City in the League Cup and you do have to think that Mikel Arteta needs to find at least 5 points from the next three games.

Even that may be a sign that Arsenal have let standards slip again, but that is where a club in 15th place would have to be realistic about their chances. Teams like Everton and Southampton are operating much higher up the League table, while an improving Burnley have shown resiliency that has been missing from some of Arsenal's recent performances.

2000 fans will be inside the Emirates Stadium, but they won't forget that Arsenal have lost 3 in a row here in the Premier League. Wins over Dundalk and Molde in the Europa League won't paper over the cracks and there is a pressure on Arsenal who have not created a lot of chances while also looking vulnerable at the back.

However I do have to say that Burnley have not really been a huge threat going forward and they have not been defending as well as we may have become accustomed to seeing. They have not scored in their last 3 away games in the Premier League, although Burnley have only lost at Manchester City in that time, and I do think Arsenal have created enough at home to believe they can at least score once.

It will be a nervy game at the Emirates Stadium and we may learn if the players are still behind their manager. My feeling is that Arsenal will win, although I am not anticipating a lot of goals.

Arsenal have only scored more than two goals in 1 of their last 8 home Premier League games, while they have not kept a clean sheet in that time. I am just not sure Burnley can test the backline as they would want and The Gunners may come through a nervy game with a very narrow win to ease the pressure on Mikel Arteta for a few days.

Leicester City v Brighton Pick: I think there will be plenty of people who see Leicester City at odds against and will be rushing out to back them this weekend.

Personally I say 'not so fast my friend'.

There has been much to like about Leicester City this season and their late winner at Sheffield United last Sunday coupled with topping their Europa League Group on Thursday should mean the squad are feeling very good about themselves.

However the enthusiasm for those wanting to back Leicester City has to be balanced against the fact that this team has proven to be one that doesn't seem as comfortable trying to break teams down on the front foot. And that is something any team that is chasing Champions League spots in the Premier League has to anticipate they are going to have to do, especially at home.

Leicester City have managed to do that at the King Power Stadium in the Europa League, but it has been a much different story in the Premier League. They have lost 4 League games this season and 3 of those have come at home.

West Ham United, Aston Villa and Fulham have all won League games at this Stadium and anyone who has been following Brighton at all this season will tell you that their team is much better than the points tally may suggest. A home defeat to Southampton last Monday would have hurt, but Brighton continue to find a way to drop points from strong positions and that is the one reason I can't really back them for a result here this weekend either.

Brighton will cause problems as they do carry a threat going forward, while they have been better organised than their defensive numbers may suggest. I think they are a team that will be underestimated by those looking at their League position alone and the layers clearly respect them enough to dangle the Leicester City price out there.

In the summer these two met here and it ended goalless, but Brighton missed a first half penalty that day and were largely untroubled. There is absolutely no reason to believe they couldn't pick up a point at the least considering Leicester City's home form, but I also have to acknowledge that The Seagulls are finding ways to lose matches they shouldn't at the moment and so I will just have to follow the fixture and see whether that gives me anything to go with when these teams continue their hectic December schedules.

MY PICKS: Leeds United-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals

Newcastle United - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Manchester United-Manchester City Under 2.5 Goals

Chelsea & Over 1.5 Goals

Southampton & Over 1.5 Goals

Crystal Palace-Tottenham Hotspur Under 2.5 Goals

Fulham-Liverpool Time of First Goal Before 23 Minutes

Arsenal & Under 3.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 12

Like with any Fantasy game you may play in any League, you have to have the courage of your convictions at times even when things have conspired against you.

After a difficult GW10 with missed Penalties and VAR taking points away from players, GW11 was a true bounce back week in which I was able to keep Jack Grealish and Ollie Watkins on the bench, but still find a way to churn out 86 points.

I am still over par for the season, but it is encouraging and the next few weeks could be a pivotal time as we learn the January schedule (which is going to include a DGW and a blank GW for some teams), while trying to be in front of managers and their rotations is key especially when it comes to the big priced options in the Fantasy squads.

There are some managers who I truly believe will do little rotation, but there are others who seem to bring out the tombola an hour and a half before kick off and choose their elevens from that (hello Pep).

That is something we have to manage and I am going to have more thoughts on that on Tuesday when GW13 is set to begin before a full round of midweek League games.

Short turnarounds do mean there is a greater risk of injury, suspensions and rotations coming into play but that is something we have to look to manage.

A couple of weeks ago I had one or two comments about the fact I had left Harry Kane on my Fantasy bench in favour of the likes of Ollie Watkins, Che Adams and Tomas Soucek, but it was largely a decision made with a number of goals in my mind. It was all a moot point by the end of the GW as Raheem Sterling didn't play against Burnley so Kane was first sub in, but I did reply that my reasoning was that I did not believe Tottenham Hotspur would score more goals than Southampton, West Ham United or Aston Villa that weekend.

It turned out right- Spurs played out a goalless draw at Chelsea, while the other three teams combined for five goals (a bit of honesty here, my players missed one penalty, had a goal chalked out by VAR and didn't play a part in any of those goals so came back with either the same or fewer points than Kane).

If not for a missed penalty from Ollie Watkins, it would have been a really good decision and comes back to having some courage to make decisions which others will mock you for if you get them wrong.

Opposing Harry Kane to score in any fixtures is always likely going to leave you open to despair, but in Fantasy it is about balancing the squad and making sure you are ahead of the curve and not joining a move when others have already benefited greatly from a player.

It can also be described as stubbornness and may be the main reason I have not selected Heung-Min Son and Dominic Calvet-Lewin so far this season. The former definitely has numbers that look to be unsustainable, but that belief has cost me big points in the past and I have learned from those (really I have, even though I've admitted that I've had neither player).

This season has perhaps been a little easier to do avoid jumping on a bandwagon as so many clubs seem to have players producing decent returns. Both Son and Calvert-Lewin are in the top five performers to this point of the season, but even then I have managed to improve my Ranking without them and over the next few games they are both not really on my radar with the fixtures coming up.

And that leads me into my likely transfer for the week- I am going to remove Harry Kane from my team!

There is no doubting how well Kane is playing and he is clearly buying into what Jose Mourinho is selling along with his team mates, but the next four fixtures look difficult to say the least. Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Wolves away and Leicester City at home is coming up for Spurs who have been picking up points despite facing a tough run prior to these games.

However I think we are going to see classic Jose Mourinho performances and that is tough to beat systems with the counter attack being key. With that in mind I do think Kane may not be producing as many points as you would want from a near 11 million asset, although I am likely going to look to either bring him or Son back later this month.

I do think there are other teams who have been creating chances and look to be heading into a positive set of games and the one that catches the eye the most has to be Leeds United.

Who is going to doubt that Marcelo Bielsa is going to attack every game they play this season? And who will ignore the underlying stats that have Leeds United down as one of the more productive teams going forward, albeit one that is not at clinical as the manager would like.

With Kane about to be removed, the easiest option looks to be Patrick Bamford- I was not sure he was going to really be able to produce at this level and I am still not convinced he is a striker that will be a long-term solution for Leeds United, but you can't ignore the fact he leads the line for a team who create chances and he has been scoring some of the big opportunities that have come his way.

The striker faces West Ham United, Newcastle United and Burnley at home with trips to Manchester United and West Brom over the next five GWs and I do think Leeds United may score more goals than Tottenham Hotspur. While Kane is sharing the scoring with Son, Patrick Bamford has been the biggest threat for Leeds United although the one shame is that he is not on Penalties.

However he does save some considerable cash for my team and with other clubs about to enter what look to be productive portions of their schedules, I can at least balance out my squad.

I have mentioned DGWs are coming up and a potential Blank GW for some teams in early January, but I will delve into that a little more across the next two threads which should be out on Tuesday and then Friday next week.

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.