Midweek Football Picks and Fantasy Football GameWeek 14 2021 (November 30-December 2)

I missed out on the Weekend post for the Fantasy Football GW13 and that is only good news after an awful performance from my team.

I ended up with more bookings than goals, but more on that below.

First, my thoughts on the full round of midweek Premier League games that will be played this week as the busy December schedule gets going for all in the top flight.

Newcastle United v Norwich City Pick: You don't really want to be talking about relegation six pointers at the end of November, but there is no disguising how important this fixture is to both Newcastle United and Norwich City.

Both are inside the relegation zone and both are operating under new management, although the feeling is that Newcastle United could make rapid progress up the Premier League table if they are in touch with those sides above them when the January transfer window opens up.

This week will go a long way to seeing them do that as Newcastle United look for a first win of the season- they face the two teams immediately above them in the Premier League standings over the coming days and I think Eddie Howe will be feeling very different pressures depending on the results earned.

The pressure is on Newcastle United, but they did play well in the 3-3 home draw with Brentford in Eddie Howe's first game in charge of the club. The Magpies created a lot of chances and they are facing a Norwich City team that is still a work in progress under Dean Smith and who have conceded plenty of away goals.

Dean Smith has led his team to four points from a possible six so the confidence will be better, but I expect Norwich City to be challenged by their hosts. The chances Newcastle United created in the game with Brentford is evidence of how Eddie Howe will want his team to play, but the defensive suspensions leave them vulnerable considering the amount of goals they have been conceding.

Newcastle United are vulnerable defensively, although you wouldn't be that encouraged in backing Norwich City to exploit them. The latter did create some decent chances against Wolves, but poor finishing has been letting them down and that does have me leaning towards the home team to earn a first win of the season.

However, the history of Eddie Howe suggests his teams will always give up chances even if they are able to create some and this may be a fixture that ends with at least three goals shared out. In their last away game, Norwich City did score twice in a win at Brentford and I think this is a game that could be sparked if there is a goal either way inside the first half hour.

When these clubs last met in February 2020, the fixture ended goalless here. That ended a run of five successive meetings between Newcastle United and Norwich City that ended with three or more goals scored and I think that is the most likely outcome of this one too.

Leeds United v Crystal Palace Pick: The midweek Premier League fixture list gives teams the chance to bounce back and build some momentum going into the very busy December month. Both Leeds United and Crystal Palace have to look at this as an opportunity and neither will be back in action until next Sunday so the two managers can urge their squad to produce a big performance.

This is a very tough match for both of these teams- Leeds United have underperformed this season, but they have saved some of their better performances for games at Elland Road. Losing key players at the top and bottom of the pitch has hurt Leeds United and prevented them building any consistency, while manager Marcelo Bielsa feels his squad have been overloaded by all of the football they have been asked to play.

Leeds United were poor against Brighton on Saturday and they can ill-afford to defend as poorly against a Crystal Palace team looking to bounce back from a 1-2 home loss to Aston Villa. Patrick Vieira's men have been in good form, but they continue to be vulnerable from set pieces and defensively there are more questions than answers under their new manager.

It is the change in mindset from Roy Hodgson to Patrick Vieira which has not helped, but it does mean Crystal Palace are posing more of a threat going forward. They are a team who can be very dangerous on the counter attack, but Crystal Palace have also been a little more confident with the ball and they have scored at least twice in 4 of their 6 away Premier League games this season.

Again, it is the defensive issues that have prevented Crystal Palace from winning more matches, but Leeds United have not been performing as they would have liked from an attacking point of view. They do have quality players in the home team that can cause problems with set piece play that has hurt The Eagles, but I also think Crystal Palace will head to Elland Road feeling confident about their own ability to create chances and score goals.

Crystal Palace do not have a good recent record at Elland Road with six straight losses here, but they are a team that is performing better than their results may indicate. I think they are capable of finding a positive result here with that in mind and to leave Leeds United perhaps scratching around for answers as to how they are going to pull clear of the bottom three.

Southampton v Leicester City Pick: For the second season in a row, Southampton were reduced to ten men inside 12 minutes in a home game against Leicester City, but this time they avoided an embarrassment.

The 0-9 home defeat will not be forgotten easily, but back in April Southampton battled and earned a 1-1 draw with Leicester City and they will need to do the same here after the 4-0 loss at Liverpool on Saturday. It was another naive team selection from Ralph Hasenhuttl, but the manager has guided Southampton to a pretty solid start to this season and he will be expecting a reaction.

Scoring enough goals continues to be the main concern around Southampton, but they are facing a Leicester City team who are conceding at an alarming rate. Even the 4-2 win over Watford won't have eased any concerns about the defensive performances and that was the 6th time in 8 Premier League games that they have conceded at least twice.

I expect the home team to have some joy going forward in this one, although Southampton are hard to trust as they continue to try and fill the Danny Ings sized hole at the top of the pitch. Che Adams and Adam Armstrong have shown flashes, but consistency is the key at the Premier League level and both need to improve.

The Saints are also not as strong defensively as some of their performances have suggested and six goals conceded since the November international break is a worry. Leicester City might be conceding goals, but they have been good in the final third at creating chances, while they had scored at least twice in 3 away games in a row in all competitions before the 1-1 draw at Leeds United.

Both teams may actually feel they are better off trying to get forward and hurt the other defensively and it could lead to a high-scoring game. That seems to be the lean most are having and I do think both teams will hit the back of the net in this one, while the three points should keep both motivated to push for a winner.

All 3 games between Leicester City and Southampton were low-scoring affairs last season, but on current form of the two defences, it would b a real surprise if that happens here on Wednesday evening.

Watford v Chelsea Pick: Games are going to be played every few days over the coming five and a half weeks and that puts pressure on every squad in the Premier League.

It has to be a big worry for Watford and their current manager when you think of the amount of injuries they are dealing with. Claudio Ranieri could be without key personnel at both ends of the pitch and that leaves Watford vulnerable, despite the fact that the fans will be back at Vicarage Road for the first time since hammering Manchester United.

Beating that English giant is not the same as beating the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, who both visit Vicarage Road over the next few days, and I do think Watford could find it difficult. They were battered by Liverpool in Claudio Ranieri's first game in charge of Watford, and the worry for the home team is that they have struggled defensively in Ranieri's time at the helm.

Watford conceded four times on Sunday at Leicester City and now they have to take on a Chelsea team that have been creating plenty of chances even if they have suffered another frustrating day that resulted in dropped points.

The 1-1 draw with Manchester United will have hurt, but Chelsea have a quick opportunity to make amends and they have looked largely secure at the back.

Chelsea have not conceded in any of their last 4 away Premier League games and 3 of those have ended in 0-3 wins with a lot more composure shown without the pressure of playing at Stamford Bridge. I think that could show up here against the injury hit hosts they are facing and Chelsea may even have Romelu Lukaku back to lead the line on Wednesday as they look to get back to winning ways.

Games at Vicarage Road have never really been easy for Chelsea, but this may be one of the more straight-forward wins they are able to produce. I think they are likely to come away with a comfortable win on the night with another strong defensive display helping lay the foundation for Chelsea to attack a vulnerable Watford backline.

West Ham United v Brighton Pick: Both of these teams had disappointing results this past weekend, but the Brighton management team have to be happier by what they have seen in terms of a performance.

On another day, Brighton would have comfortably seen off Leeds United, but poor finishing has become a feature of the club under Graham Potter. The overall football is very good to watch, but Brighton missed some golden chances and look like they are back to underperforming when it comes to converting good chances into goals.

Even with that in mind, it was a real surprise to hear the Brighton fans boo off their team and manager Graham Potter was clearly irritated by the supporters. It is a massive surprise that Brighton fans feel that way and perhaps they should speak to Charlton Athletic fans who got above their station at a time the club were overachieving.

Being away from home may not be a bad thing for Brighton this week, but they are facing a West Ham United team who have been performing well in recent games at the London Stadium. David Moyes will be demanding his team to bounce back from sub-par performances at Wolves and Manchester City which have led to deserved defeats, and this has been a tough match up for West Ham United.

Since Brighton have been promoted back to the top Division, West Ham United have failed to beat them at home. That might play on them at the back of their minds, while Brighton have continued to defend well enough to be able to give opponents some real problems.

They can't really be trusted in front of goal though, even with the amount of goals they have managed at the London Stadium, while West Ham United have looked a little lethargic in the final third in their last couple of Premier League games.

This could see this match develop into a tight, competitive affair and I would not be surprised if one of the teams fail to find the back of the net. Both have defended pretty well at times this season, but since returning from the November international break, both have also had some difficulties creating good chances.

My lean is with the home team to bounce back, but they may need a clean sheet to do that.

Wolves v Burnley Pick: Having a few extra days off from the intensity of a Premier League fixture may work in Burnley's favour, but they are also going to be missing a couple of key players in what may have been considered the more winnable of two games to be played.

James Tarkowski and Ashley Westwood are both yet to serve a suspension and I do think that could leave Burnley vulnerable, even if Wolves are unlikely to be a team to blow away any opponent they face.

Wolves have been better at home in recent weeks though and have won 3 Premier League games in a row here and I do think that will give them confidence. They were not at their best in the goalless draw at Norwich City on Saturday, but Wolves remain a pretty steady team defensively.

Bruno Lage is frustrated that he is only operating with a relatively small squad and that means freshening things up is not a great option for him. Wolves have a couple of big League games to come here over the next few days and the manager will be looking to manage the minutes as much as he can.

His team also played this past weekend, while Burnley ended up getting more rest than anticipated, and I do think Wolves are a plenty short price considering their lack of goals. Burnley have continued to churn out results away from home, even where they have had to ride their luck, but they won't find it easy to score against Wolves.

Goals may not be the order of the day in this fixture considering the attacking issues both have had. 3 of the last 4 between these clubs at Molineux have ended with one, or both, of the teams failing to score and I think that may be the outcome of this fixture too considering the struggles we have seen for consistency in the final third.

Aston Villa v Manchester City Pick: You have to be a little impressed with the way that Steven Gerrard's first two games managing Aston Villa have gone, but I also think this is a squad that have been underachieving this season. While we will never know if Dean Smith could have gotten a reaction from the squad, I do think Aston Villa are capable of stringing some positive results together.

The players are working hard for their new manager, but I also think Aston Villa have been fortunate to beat both Brighton and Crystal Palace. They are going to need to be a lot better to see off Manchester City, even with the injuries faced by the Champions, and this is going to be a test for the young, inexperienced Aston Villa manager who has rarely pitted wits with someone like Pep Guardiola.

It was part of the reason Steven Gerrard wanted to manage in the Premier League and he will be working on his team to show defensive discipline and try and frustrate the Manchester City attack. That has been the approach for Aston Villa in their wins over the last couple of games, but I do think it will be a different test to try and contain Manchester City.

Even without Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, Manchester City have created chances and looked capable of scoring goals. Raheem Sterling may not have been given a lot of opportunities to this point of the season, but he has taken his chances back in the starting line up and Manchester City have refused to miss a beat because of injuries.

Defensively they have looked largely secure and Aston Villa will have to take their chances on the counter attack and hope for something to break their way. Manchester City simply don't offer a lot of spaces, while the Crystal Palace blueprint has been difficult for teams to replicate.

Aston Villa may have the speed and quality to try and do that, but I think Manchester City have momentum. They have won 3 of their last 4 away games in all competitions, while Manchester City are dominating the chances in recent games that should be the direction this fixture ends up developing.

As much as the results have improved under their new manager, Aston Villa have yet to really convince and now they have to take on the hottest team in the Premier League. Aston Villa have a poor recent home record against Manchester City and I think the visitors will produce a big performance at Villa Park once again.

Everton v Liverpool Pick: The first Merseyside derby of the season comes at a bad time for Everton and their fans and even hosting the fixture may not be enough to earn a positive result.

Injuries and a loss of form for players has really hurt Everton and the feeling that Rafael Benitez may not be a very good fit here increases in each passing week. Another defeat in the Premier League on Sunday has seen Everton slump back towards the bottom three and you do have to wonder where the club will go if they are beaten by rivals Liverpool on Wednesday.

Rafael Benitez has not been helped by the injuries that have hurt the team right through the spine of the first eleven, but excuses are not going to cut it for a fanbase that links Benitez with their rivals from across Stanley Park. Everton have not been competitive enough in recent fixtures and I think they are facing a really tough night in the office.

In recent years Everton have made it very difficult for Liverpool at Goodison Park and the last 4 derby games here have ended in draws. However, they are now facing a Liverpool team that looks to be in rampant mood when it comes to their attacking output and back to back 4-0 home wins in the Premier League will only improve the mood of the visitors.

Liverpool have also scored 21 away goals in the Premier League already this season and they have been scoring goals regularly on their travels too. That is a real concern for an Everton team who shipped five home goals to Watford not too long ago and I do think they are going to struggle to contain Liverpool.

A Merseyside derby should mean you can throw some of the form guide out of the window, but I am not sure that is the case for this December meeting. Liverpool have been scoring so many goals that it is hard to imagine Everton being able to stay with them, while the fans could make it a very difficult atmosphere for the home team if they fall behind relatively early in this one.

Liverpool have not won by two or more goals at Goodison Park since October 2011, but a little over ten years later they can do the same as they keep the pressure on those above them in the League table.

Tottenham Hotspur v Brentford Pick: Extra preparation time has been afford to Tottenham Hotspur after the game with Burnley was postponed this past Sunday and Antonio Conte will be readying his players for three important home games to be played over an eight day period.

The manager was furious with some of the performances of his squad members last Thursday, but the first team have looked pretty good in the first two Premier League games under Antonio Conte. Tottenham Hotspur created plenty of chances in their win over Leeds United and there are continued signs that Harry Kane might be close to returning to his best form.

For all the negatives about this Tottenham Hotspur team, they are only 4 points off the Champions League places and have a game in hand. Home games with Brentford and Norwich City represent a good chance for Tottenham Hotspur to build momentum and I do think they are going to be too good for their visitors on Thursday.

Thomas Frank did oversee an important win for Brentford on Sunday, but his team have just found things a little more difficult of late. They want to play football in a certain manner, but Brentford are dealing with injuries to some key players and I think they have looked way more vulnerable at the back in their last couple of away games.

Most will be able to see that from the fact that Brentford conceded three times to both Burnley and Newcastle United, but the real worry has to be the amount of chances that both of those struggling teams created. Now it is up to Brentford to try and contain a Tottenham Hotspur team with more talented attackers than Burnley and Newcastle United and I do think the home team will prove to be too strong on the day.

Last season Tottenham Hotspur secured a 2-0 win over Brentford in the League Cup Semi Final and I do think something similar will occur here. Antonio Conte is still trying to put his own stamp on the Tottenham Hotspur team, but the first team have responded pretty well to the manager and I think those players will be restored after the squad players underperformed as badly as they did at Mura in the Europa Conference League.

Tottenham Hotspur's first team should be good enough to expose the issues Brentford have been having at the back in recent away games and I will look for the home team to win a game featuring at least two goals on the night.

Manchester United v Arsenal Pick: There is a renewed optimism around Manchester United after the appointment of Ralf Rangnick on an interim basis, but the fact that the German will be sticking around on a consultancy basis should mean there is a uniform direction in which the club wishes to travel.

It has been a long time since Manchester United have had a clear plan so fans are cautiously optimistic that they have finally realised they need to do this in order to get back to the top of the pile both in England and in Europe.

The new manager will not be taking charge on Thursday, but I expect him to have an input into the team selection. Michael Carrick will be leading the team out as he looks to complete an unbeaten tenure in caretaker charge of Manchester United, but his team will have to be a lot better than they were at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

A defensive game plan saw Manchester United take advantage of a big Chelsea mistake to take the lead, but they never looked comfortable in looking to defend that for the victory. On another day Manchester United would have lost with that level of performance, while they return to Old Trafford looking to erase recent negative memories.

The Theatre of Dreams was turned into a nightmare by Liverpool and Manchester City who have won the last 2 games played here without breaking a sweat.

At least this week Manchester United are not taking on one of the elite clubs of European Football and instead facing an Arsenal team who are still looking for a statement win and performance. Mikel Arteta has to be given a lot of credit for helping his team win games they are expected to win though and that has seen Arsenal move to the edge of the Champions League places in the Premier League.

Arsenal have won 5 of their last 6 games in all competitions so confidence should not be a problem. They also kept 3 clean sheets in a row away from home in the Premier League, but Arsenal have been thumped at Manchester City in August and, more recently, at Liverpool a little under two weeks ago.

That shows there is still work to be done to bridge the gap to the top teams, but, like Manchester United, Arsenal will feel this opponent is not up to those levels.

It could lead to a tight game and matches between Arsenal and Manchester United have not been as free-scoring as they were when these two clubs were the leading Premier League teams. Last season they shared out a single goal in 2 Premier League matches and the last 5 between these two clubs have all featured fewer than three goals on the day.

Manchester United have been looking to be a little more responsible defensively and they may be able to keep Arsenal at arm's length. However, that approach has meant Manchester United are not as efficient going forward and Arsenal may feel they can at least contain the attack they face.

The first goal is going to be massive in this game and I think there is going to be little between them on the day. Both have talented attacking players that may be able to create something out of nothing, but I think the defences will largely be on top of this one and the layers may not appreciate that right now.

MY PICKS: Newcastle United-Norwich City Over 2.5 Goals

Crystal Palace + 0.25 Asian Handicap

Southampton-Leicester City Over 2.5 Goals

Chelsea - 1.5 Asian Handicap

West Ham United-Brighton Both Teams to Score- NO

Wolves-Burnley Both Teams to Score- NO

Manchester City - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Liverpool - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Tottenham Hotspur & Over 1.5 Goals

Manchester United-Arsenal Under 2.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 14

Weather was supposedly going to play havoc with some of the games in the North West of England, but those conditions were largely expected to be calmer on Sunday.

However, it did not work out as expected and the Burnley vs Tottenham Hotspur postponement really hurt- especially as one of the Free Transfers I used in GW13 were to replace Cristiano Ronaldo with Harry Kane.

Ultimately it was a longer term move and Kane can make up for the missed game with back to back home games against Brentford and Norwich City, but it did not make me feel much better after an awful return from my team.

Picking up more yellow cards than goals is never going to end well and I frustrated myself by waiting another week before making the move from Kai Havertz to Diogo Jota- that indecision has proved costly, but that is the sole transfer I am making in GW14 with a solid looking squad... Well as far as I am concerned anyway.

Finishing up with only 10 starters was a massive blow and I am a little down on the way I have approached things.

I am certainly going to rebalance some of the squad with a couple of hits over the coming GWs, which are turning around pretty quickly in December. The likes of Andreas Christensen, Teemu Pukki and Nelson Semedo are high on my hit-list, but I am not going to be targeting those high owned players like Trent Alexander-Arnold.

I have an idea as to my approach, but Fantasy Football changes quickly and you can never look too far ahead.

However, I do think it is key for a strong squad and a couple of hits should ensure I have eleven starters in most weeks.

Looking at the fixture lists coming up, Manchester United assets look really appealing, but a new manager means there are going to be new ideas that need to be incorporated. It may take a couple of games to figure out what Ralf Rangnick wants to do with the current squad, but we may not see his first team selection until the home game with Crystal Palace on Sunday in GW15 and I will have to make some assumptions about this approach if I want to bring in the United assets for the start of a really good run of games.

It is something I will be thinking about in the coming days, but any move won't be until GW16 and I have some idea about which players I really think will thrive under the interim manager.

That's for another day though and the quick turnaround between GW13 and GW14 means it is a deadline that could catch some out this week.

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (December 19-21)

A power cut in the area has meant I have not been able to write out as full a post as I might have been considering.

Add in the short turn between the two rounds of Premier League fixtures and this is a week in which there is not much thinking time for those of us playing the Fantasy Football game, although I am coming off a decent week.

More on that down the page.

Crystal Palace v Liverpool Pick: There may be one or two fatigued players in both the Crystal Palace and Liverpool camps after putting in big shifts on Wednesday night.

Both were rewarded for the efforts which should be a boost for the players, but this is another tough game.

On paper you would have Liverpool as favourites having won on their last 6 visits to this part of South London and they will be coming off the late winner over Tottenham Hotspur to give the team a shot of confidence in the arm. They are unbeaten in 6 overall and in their last 7 away games in all competitions, while Crystal Palace will be missing the fans that did help drag them back into the game with Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday.

However it is hard to ignore the fact that Liverpool are far from firing on all cylinders at the moment and they were perhaps a little fortunate to win on Wednesday. Defensively they are still giving up some big chances and they have drawn their last 4 away games by the same 1-1 scoreline.

Take away the draw with Manchester City and those have come at Brighton and Fulham in the Premier League and at Midtjylland in the Champions League and it would not be harsh to say all four of those home teams arguably deserved to win.

Losing Christian Benteke is a blow for Crystal Palace, but they have pace in the final third and will challenge this Liverpool team. The counter attack could be dangerous and Crystal Palace have outperformed the last three Premier League opponents since losing to Newcastle United.

Roy Hodgson should have Crystal Palace organised and hard to beat and they should create one or two good chances to hurt Liverpool.

The recent head to head is a concern, but I would not be massively surprised if Crystal Palace can get a result here. Liverpool are playing like Champions at home, but they have not been at their very best on their travels and this is not a team scoring or creating a high amount of chances at the moment.

If there is any tiredness in the Liverpool squad, Crystal Palace have the skilful players and the pace to hurt them and I will be looking for the home team to surprise some.

Southampton v Manchester City Pick: How many would have predicted Southampton would be higher than Manchester City in the Premier League table when this fixture was going to be played after the schedule was released? Just days before Christmas that is where the two clubs find themselves and it says quite a bit about both.

While Southampton are clearly overachieving and producing some big results, Manchester City are underachieving as they sit in mid-table and 8 points behind the leaders.

Both earned 1-1 draws during the week, but there is no doubt that that result would have been more acceptable to Southampton at kick off than Manchester City.

On first glance you do have to feel that Manchester City are plenty short to win here and they are playing a Southampton team who are dangerous from set pieces. That has to be a big concern for Pep Guardiola, but his team have largely defended well since the 2-5 home loss to Leicester City and they will note that Southampton have not been creating a hatful of chances of late.

Southampton do find a way to score goals though and with Danny Ings, Che Adams, James Ward-Prowse and Theo Walcott all showing good form the home team are going to be dangerous.

However not many teams have created a lot of big opportunities against Manchester City and I do think that will encourage the visitors. A lack of clinical edge has been costly for Manchester City, but they have earned 5 clean sheets in their last 6 away games in all competitions, while West Brom became the first team since mid-November to score against them.

Manchester City have not been scoring a lot of goals themselves as they have perhaps focused on earning the balance between attack and defence, although they do create more chances than Southampton who look to be overachieving in the final third.

Goals have tended to flow when these two teams have met of late, but that has largely been the case at the Etihad Stadium. At St Mary's 3 of the last 4 have seen one of the teams fail to find the back of the net and that looks a pretty big price this weekend.

The home team have been keeping plenty of clean sheets and the same can be said for Manchester City so a tight game could be in the offing here. One goal may be enough to steal away the points and I do think both managers will be respectable of the other to not ask their team to take too many unnecessary risks here.

Everton v Arsenal Pick: There can't have been many times over the years that Arsenal would have been pleased to end a home game with Southampton having earned a single point. Another sending off didn't help their cause, but Mikel Arteta will also just be pleased to see Arsenal end a miserable run of form.

The manager will still need a win to ease the pressure which has been building for some time as Arsenal have slipped back towards the relegation zone.

No one will really believe that Arsenal are going to be in a relegation battle, but that doesn't mean Mikel Arteta can continue to see his side struggle to earn results.

Now they have to visit one of the few Football grounds that are still allowed to have at least 2000 fans in attendance and Everton have been flying over the last week. Wins over Chelsea and Leicester City will have given the players confidence, but the clean sheets in both wins will only further that belief and Everton will be expecting to win a game like this one.

They have been playing some strong attacking football even with the injuries they are dealing with and I do think that will be something we see on Saturday afternoon. The onus is on Everton, but they have been creating some strong chances in recent games and could have easily beaten Burnley which would have meant having 4 wins from the last 5 Premier League games.

If they had been on that kind of run I would have expected Everton to be a stronger price than what we see, but I can't ignore how poorly Arsenal have been playing. Defensively they have looked vulnerable, but Mikel Arteta's system has not created a lot of chances either and I think Everton will edge to the three points.

Newcastle United v Fulham Pick: Two teams in the bottom six of the current Premier League table meet on Saturday night, although Newcastle United will be happy with the 17 points they have earned compared with the 9 earned by Fulham.

Being at home should be an advantage for Newcastle United, but they have been as inconsistent here as anywhere so far this season.

Simply put you can't really know for sure which Newcastle United team will turn up from game to game.

One thing I do know is that they can't be as poor as they were at Leeds United during the week and I expect a reaction from them. The Magpies have not won consecutive home games in the Premier League since December 2019 though and last time out they did manage to just about edge past West Brom here.

They are favourites to do the same against Fulham, but the visitors are much improved in recent games. Scott Parker has some pace to use in the wide areas and up front and it has led to a number of chances being created, although Fulham have not had the clinical touch the manager would have liked to have seen.

With the defensive issues that Newcastle United have had, I do think Fulham can create chances here. They didn't do a lot of attacking at Manchester City, but Fulham have created chances at Sheffield United and West Ham United before cracking through for a first away win at Leicester City.

I expect they will create chances here, but Fulham have yet to be truly secure at the back and that is especially away from home. Newcastle United have scored in 4 of their 6 home games this season, and they have conceded in all of those games, while Fulham have not had an away clean sheet in the League this season.

The last time here it ended goalless and a draw can't be ruled out. However I expect both Newcastle United and Fulham to score at least once in this fixture in what could be a better affair in reality than some may feel it will be on paper.

Brighton v Sheffield United Pick: The results just can't be ignored, but Chris Wilder is still full of belief that he can turn things around for Sheffield United.

He was much happier with the battling display his team produced in their 2-3 home loss to Manchester United on Thursday, but another defeat leaves The Blades in a desperate position.

At this moment not many teams will be expected to drop points to Sheffield United, but I can't have Brighton as a odds on favourite considering they have failed to beat Burnley and West Brom in that spot at the Amex Stadium this season. The home team do feel like they are stronger in the final third, but Brighton have struggled for consistency when it comes to taking those chances and they are plenty short here.

You can't really trust Sheffield United at either end of the pitch though and so I will just take a watching brief here.

Tottenham Hotspur v Leicester City Pick: This may be a clash between two of the current top four, but the erratic form of Leicester City makes it hard to see them in that light. Another home loss during the week has once again dented the momentum Leicester City had picked up and they do look a team that is hard to trust.

Playing away from home should suit Leicester City who have some quality and pace on the counter attack which makes them very effective on their travels. That has already led to a big win at Manchester City and Leicester City will believe they can snap their poor run against this opponent too.

However it isn't too difficult to predict how Leicester City are going to want to get after Tottenham Hotspur and I expect Jose Mourinho to set up to make sure those counter attack situations are not very frequent in the match.

The manager will also be looking to do the same against Brendan Rodgers' system and so far Tottenham Hotspur have largely been clinical enough to make it work. In the last couple of games they have been creating more chances though which is encouraging and Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed playing in this Stadium where they have won 6 in a row and been scoring a lot of goals.

They've been clinical with the chances but with Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane in their current form there is little to believe it will change.

And as good as Leicester City were in beating Manchester City, they did need three Penalties that day and also had a naive defensive performance to exploit. I just don't think Tottenham Hotspur will be as generous and Leicester City were comfortably dismissed in their defeat at Anfield last month.

The first goal is likely to be huge in this, but I think Tottenham Hotspur have shown better all around form than Leicester City and they can bounce back from the defeats both suffered during the week.

Manchester United v Leeds United Pick: This is a huge game on Sunday afternoon in the Premier League as two old rivals finally meet in a League fixture for the first time in over sixteen years.

There is never going to be any love between Manchester United and Leeds United, but the atmosphere will not be the same without the fans. Last weekend a methodical and slow Manchester derby was allowed to drift without any encouragement from the stands, but I don't think Marcelo Bielsa will allow this fixture to be anything but an open one.

Leeds United have been a real boost to the Premier League thanks to their manager and the style of football he insists they play. This is a team who have come up from the Championship though and that means some of the team is perhaps not ready to really compete at this level and maybe some would argue that the manager needs to be more pragmatic with his requirements than he has been.

I don't think Bielsa will ever change to please others though and it has meant Leeds United have created chances in every game they have played. Unfortunately for them, it has also meant Leeds United have been ripe for the counter attack and the likes of Leicester City and Crystal Palace have exposed spaces left behind.

If Manchester United's display on Thursday night is anything to go by, this is a team capable of exploiting gaps too.

Marcus Rashford, Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and Anthony Martial impressed as an attacking unit in the 2-3 win at Sheffield United and they should have spaces to attack here. Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Manchester United have been very good going forward on the counter attack when teams overcommit and I think they are going to be able to take advantage of Leeds United.

In 4 of 13 League games played this season, Leeds United have conceded at least three times and that has to be a worry. Liverpool, Leicester City and Chelsea are some of the leading teams who were able to hit that number and I do think Manchester United have some momentum behind them with quiet talk that a Premier League title challenge may be within their grasp.

Games like this will tell us plenty about their title chances, but I think the players will be appreciative of the kind of space Leeds United will leave them. I expect the visitors to cause problems for the Manchester United backline too, but my feeling is that the home team will be able to come through a high-scoring game with another three points on the board.

West Brom v Aston Villa Pick: Sam Allardyce is finally back in the Premier League as West Brom turn to the manager who has regularly gotten clubs out of the bottom three in the Division.

It has been a while since we have seen him, but Allardyce takes over as West Brom manager from Slaven Bilic despite the fact they earned a 1-1 draw at Manchester City during the week. He should be given some funds to turn the fortunes around in January, but before that Sam Allardyce has to get the best out of his current squad with plenty of football to be played before the transfer window opens.

Aston Villa will have been frustrated with their goalless draw with Burnley on Thursday, but it was poor finishing which cost them. The side created a lot of good chances, hit the woodwork multiple times, but were also guilty of failing to hit the target on enough occasions.

They have been better away from home, but Aston Villa look a short price to win here.

A boost of a new voice in the dressing room could inspire the home team, but this looks like a derby game that could go any number of ways.

Burnley v Wolves Pick: If you were going to pick the Premier League that is most likely to finish goalless this weekend I am sure a large number of people would pick this fixture as being the one.

Both Burnley and Wolves have had some solid results over the last week, but neither is the most productive in front of goal.

That has to mean we are in line to see a tight, competitive fixture where the two defences are likely to be on top and I think the layers have gotten on top of this match. Backing there being few goals is a short price and I do think you can make a case for all three results.

Like a couple of other fixtures, this one might actually give us better indications of where these two teams are ahead of the very busy Christmas week and it is one where I will not be expecting a lot of big chances for either team.

Wolves are off a big win over Chelsea which will have given the team confidence, but they are erratic at the moment and the absence of Raul Jimenez is a blow.

It would be no surprise if a single goal wins this one.

Chelsea v West Ham United Pick: I have to admit I have been very impressed with the level that West Ham United have largely produced this season and they are a team who have given the best teams a lot of problems.

Both Liverpool and Manchester United had to come from behind to beat them, while West Ham United led Manchester City before being pegged back for a draw. They have also visited Tottenham Hotspur and recovered from 3-0 down to earn a draw and this is a team who have pace in the final third and produce a real threat from every set piece they earn around the opposition box.

It is going to be an area that David Moyes will be looking for his team to exploit, but defensively there are still some vulnerabilities in this West Ham United team. While those performances I have mentioned deserve respect, teams have been able to create some good chances in front of goal against them and Crystal Palace had the better of the opportunities in the 1-1 draw at the London Stadium on Wednesday.

Whether Chelsea are in the right frame of mind to take advantage has to be the question as they also have to deal with the mental hurdle of having lost both League games to West Ham United last season.

The consecutive losses to Everton and Wolves has just taken away some of the momentum Chelsea seemingly had built up and they have only won 1 of their last 3 at Stamford Bridge. However this is a team with quality in the attacking areas and Frank Lampard will feel his side were a little unlucky not to have more earned more points than they did in visits to Everton and Wolves.

It will be important to make a good start to this fixture to just ease any tension the players may be feeling. Chelsea are missing some key attacking players and there are one or two players who are not in the kind of form Frank Lampard would have been hoping to see going into the busy Christmas period.

In saying that I do think Chelsea create enough to believe they can do the same against this West Ham United defence.

It would not be a massive surprise if West Ham United play their part in this one especially with their recent head to head meaning they have only lost 1 of their last 6 against this London rival. I am just not convinced The Hammers can defend well enough to contain a Chelsea team who had been scoring plenty of goals here and I think the home side will be able to produce enough in the final third to cover the Handicap.

MY PICKS: Crystal Palace + 1.25 Asian Handicap

Southampton-Manchester City Both Teams to Score- NO

Everton - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Newcastle United-Fulham Both Teams to Score

Tottenham Hotspur - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Manchester United & Over 1.5 Total Goals

Chelsea - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 14

Last week I was fortunate enough to bring in Marcus Rashford who was handed the Captaincy to give my team the best possible week, although Ollie Watkins continues to frustrate me.

With the Blank GameWeek and Double GameWeek announced for early January there are a couple of ways to approach it, but the power cut I mentioned at the top of the page means I am going to have more thoughts about that in the next Weekend thread ahead of GameWeek 15.

I do have one transfer to use this weekend and I am considering upgrading my second goalkeeper while keeping Alex McCarthy who does have a good looking Double GameWeek coming up. However Southampton have some difficult games before that and I do think it is possible to bring in someone like Nick Pope or Aaron Ramsdale who look to have the best games coming up over the next few weeks.

The latter may be the choice for those who don't want to use their Free Hit Chip to cover the Blank GameWeek coming up as Sheffield United won't be receiving a free week, but it is hard to trust Sheffield United on their current form. They also are getting a lot of saves out of Aaron Ramsdale at the moment which limits his appeal.

I will have a think right up until the Saturday deadline as I look to make sure my team is ready to keep the positive vibes going after cracking at least 57 points in four GWs in a row.

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2019 (November 30-December 1)

Everyone who knows anything about English Football will understand the importance of December to clubs around the country with games being set to come thick and fast.

Over the next ten days there are three full rounds of Premier League fixtures with the first of those being played on Saturday and Sunday this weekend.

On Tuesday through Thursday there is another full round of fixtures and then next Saturday a third round begins which is going to be concluded on Monday. That means a busy time for managers and also for fans and Fantasy Football players and I will have three separate threads ready to go.

This one is out on Friday and my next two will hopefully be out on Tuesday and Friday in the coming days.


Teams coming out of the European action might be a little more cautious with their team selections in this round of fixtures compared to those clubs who have had a week to prepare for fixtures. It was an important week for Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur who join Manchester United and Wolves with a guaranteed spot into the Knock Out Rounds of the Champions League and Europa League respectively. The first two of those clubs have also secured their spots within the Group which will make Match Day 6 fixtures meaningless and likely means a number of first team players will be given a chance to get some rest.

Manchester United and Wolves can still win their Groups but will need home results on Match Day 6, while Arsenal are almost certainly going through to the Last 32 of the Europa League barring an embarrassing defeat at Standard Liege.

Chelsea should also be very confident having earned a 2-2 draw in Valencia meaning a home win over Lille is enough to progress to the Last 16 of the Champions League.

However Champions League winners Liverpool are perhaps in the stickiest of positions after a 1-1 home draw with Napoli. Instead of winning and guaranteeing top spot in the Group, Liverpool have to either earn a positive result in Salzburg or score at least four goals to control their own destiny.

Any other result and Liverpool will need Genk to upset Napoli in the other game in the Group and at least earn a point in Italy to have any hope. It is not ideal for a club who have a lot more games in December than the other Premier League clubs and the missed opportunity to make wholesale changes to a squad and also progress to the Last 16 is now passed them. I still would expect Liverpool to do enough to get through, but Salzburg have shown they are far from an easy touch.


For now all of the managers are focusing on the Premier League and earning a result this weekend. I am also looking for a strong end to November after a bit of an unfortunate time for the selections last week.

I have no idea how the Aston Villa versus Newcastle United game ended with less than three goals shared out considering the chances created, but it is what it is and I can only look to bounce back this week.


Newcastle United v Manchester City Pick: The opening Premier League game of the weekend comes from St James' Park and I think Manchester City look plenty short in the outright market when you consider their recent form.

A single win from the last 4 games in all competitions is a concern and Sergio Aguero's absence will be magnified if Manchester City can't get back to scoring goals. They have only scored more than once in the victory during that poor run and Manchester City are not creating the chances that they were.

It won't be easy to get things right at Newcastle United where Manchester City have only won once in their last 3 visits. Even an opening goal inside sixty seconds could not change that narrative last season in Manchester City's 2-1 defeat here and I am intrigued in backing the home team with a start.

That might sound a little strange considering Newcastle United's below par performance against Aston Villa on Monday Night Football. The scoreline might have read 2-0, but Aston Villa had plenty of chances to really embarrass Newcastle United on the day and so I can see why people might think they are going to be blown away in this one too.

However Newcastle United have long been a more effective home team than an away one and they have avoided defeat in all games played since the opening weekend 0-1 loss to Arsenal. They have been pretty good in those games for the most part and Newcastle United have pace in the final third and also a big team that can be dangerous from set pieces which has to worry a Manchester City team that have not kept clean sheets in recent weeks.

Steve Bruce has to be brave enough to take advantage of the clear vulnerabilities Manchester City have and I do think the home team will cause problems if they are brave in their play. It is still difficult to believe Manchester City will lose, but I would be disappointed if Newcastle United can't push them all the way and having a two goal start on the Asian Handicap should be good enough for us to at least receive the stake back.

I don't often want to oppose a Manchester City team who are capable of wiping out any opponent when at their best- however, we have not really seen them firing on all cylinders in the last three weeks and the absence of Sergio Aguero may mean a tight win is on the cards for the visitors at best.


Burnley v Crystal Palace Pick: On paper there will be plenty who think this will be the last game shown on any highlights programme you may watch on a Saturday night, but I am not sure that the layers are underestimating the chance of a few goals being shared out in this one.

Out of the two teams Burnley have been better form than Crystal Palace, but I don't really want to criticise Roy Hodgson's men considering the fixture list that has been negotiated. The performances have been a little mixed, but things are easing up from this week and I think Crystal Palace will be encouraged by how well they played against leaders Liverpool in their 1-2 defeat last weekend.

If they can produce those levels in the upcoming fixtures I think Crystal Palace will win more games than they lose and there is a considerable threat they can pose for teams with the forwards they have.

Burnley will certainly be respecting the challenge in front of them, but they can't help but be feeling confident after back to back 3-0 wins in the Premier League. Sometimes results can cloud the levels being produced, but Burnley have been creating a lot of chances in recent games and in Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes they have players who can score goals for the club.

The home team have scored at least two goals in 3 of their last 4 at Turf Moor and they should be able to create chances against this Crystal Palace defence which has been far from watertight. However Crystal Palace have also found an attacking threat in their away games and they have scored at least two goals in 3 of their last 5 on their travels despite the tough Stadiums they have visited.

This is another, but I do think these teams can provide the chances to share out at least three goals on the day. The odds against quotes for that look very appealing when you consider 3 of the last 4 between Burnley and Crystal Palace at Turf Moor have seen that number hit and that will be my play this weekend.


Chelsea v West Ham United Pick: If Valencia had some composure in the final third Chelsea would have been in big trouble in their Champions League Group, but Frank Lampard's men returned from Spain with a valuable point.

They will have to beat Lille at Stamford Bridge to ensure progress through to the Last 16 of the competition, but Lampard will turn his attention back to the Premier League before that. Chelsea will play three League games in a row before that Champions League Match Day 6 game and The Blues have to feel they can earn at least seven points from the fixtures in front of them.

First up is this very winnable looking fixture against West Ham United who have lost 3 League games in a row and conceded at least three goals in each of those defeats. Manuel Pellegrini is feeling the pressure and his team showed little fight until it was too late in the 2-3 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last week.

Reports suggest West Ham United have put a shortlist together of potential replacements for Pellegrini, although he can end those rumours by guiding West Ham United to a win at Stamford Bridge. That looks a tall task for a team who have struggled defensively and who have scored just 2 goals in their last 5 away games in all competitions.

Chelsea are a team who can create chances and I do think we will see more of that on Saturday. The injury to Tammy Abraham is a blow, and he could be absent this weekend, but I expect Chelsea to still have enough in the final third to win and win well.

In recent years hosting West Ham United has been a challenge for Chelsea who have won 3 of the last 6 here against them. One of those was last season when Eden Hazard scored twice in a 2-0 win for Chelsea, but I think others can step up and help see off an opponent lacking confidence and with players wondering whether their manager has much of a future at the club.


Liverpool v Brighton Pick: The 1-1 home draw with Napoli in the Champions League has just given Liverpool a problem while there has to be a concern with the lack of clean sheets being produced by the team. As long as they remain on top of the Premier League I don't think any of the fans will be overly concerned, but Liverpool will need to be better defensively to make sure they are not putting too much pressure on their strikers to score the goals to win games.

At Anfield it has not been a problem for Liverpool who have won 13 League games in a row here and they have scored at least twice in each of those victories. They should be able to create plenty of chances against this Brighton team who have looked very weak defensively in losses to Manchester United and Leicester City either side of the international break.

Liverpool should be at full strength for this one despite the upcoming Merseyside derby that is coming up during the week and I think that will lead to a relatively straight-forward win for the home team.

I have been impressed with Graham Potter's impact at Brighton so I don't want to disrespect them, but it has been clear this is a team that is very different when it comes to games at the Amex Stadium and those on their travels. Last week even being at home could not help Brighton, while the team have lost comfortably at Manchester City, Chelsea and Manchester United in the Premier League already this season.

Brighton did beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-0, but that game was at home and I think they are going to struggle to contain Liverpool at Anfield.

The lack of clean sheets will make this selection look unappealing to some, but I do think Liverpool have defended well enough in recent home games to think those are going to come. Teams have just been clinical in front of goal and I am going to back Liverpool at odds against to win this one with a clean sheet as Brighton have struggled for consistency in the final third.

Aaron Connelly could be back to give them a boost and Brighton should provide a threat from set pieces, but Liverpool should control much of this game. At some point that control is going to be enough to limit teams in the final third and produce the clean sheets which should have arrived from the statistical breakdown of their games.

At odds against it is worth chancing that Liverpool can earn a fourth clean sheet in a row in a winning effort against Brighton.


Tottenham Hotspur v Bournemouth Pick: Games are coming thick and fast at this time of the Premier League season and that is especially the case for Jose Mourinho who is the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur. Instead of having some time to really put his ideas across to his squad, Mourinho is working with limited days between games at the moment and that means it is a real work in progress despite inheriting a decent enough squad.

The main problems for Tottenham Hotspur all season has been defensively and that is an area that will be irritating Mourinho even two games into his tenure with the club. In both games Tottenham Hotspur have conceded two goals and even the huge recovery against Olympiacos won't have given the new manager much relief as he looks to imprint his standard on the team.

I do think Tottenham Hotspur will improve under Mourinho's guidance because his teams have always been pretty secure defensively, but we might not see that impact for a few weeks. In the meantime the manager will rely on a strong set of forwards who have provided seven goals in his first two games in charge and I think there could be more scored on Saturday.

Tottenham Hotspur have played well when they have hosted Bournemouth and they might be catching them at the right time with injuries and back to back defeats for The Cherries.

Eddie Howe's men have had a good season to date, but they were well beaten by Wolves last weekend and this is a difficult ground to visit. Bournemouth being without Josh King is a blow for a team who will look to capitalise on the chances that may come their way, while Eddie Howe's future is once again being discussed as the likes of Everton show interest in the English manager.

I have been impressed with the defensive work that Bournemouth have done this season, but they have been in a poor run away from home. The lack of goals in those games is a concern too and I think Jose Mourinho might be able to enjoy a more serene home game in the Premier League than he had in the Champions League.

My feeling is that Tottenham Hotspur can win a fifth home game in a row against Bournemouth and I think they can win fairly comfortably on the day. Bournemouth have just lacked a real threat in recent away games and missing Josh King will make that much tougher for the visitors, while Spurs have scored seven goals in two games under the new manager. With that in mind I think Tottenham Hotspur have enough in them to cover the Asian Handicap and win at home in the Premier League for the first time since the end of September.


Southampton v Watford Pick: Two managers who have to be feeling the pressure will guide their teams into the late Saturday Premier League kick off and I don't think it is too far-fetched to suggest the losing team will be getting their P45 ready at full time for either Ralph Hasenhuttl or Quique Sanchez Flores.

The concern for Southampton and Watford is that they will be in danger of being cut off in the bottom three with a loss. With the money involved in the Premier League neither club will want the drop into the Championship and both owners have shown they are ready to make an immediate change if they feel their current manager is not going to get the job done.

The late goal conceded at Arsenal was a huge blow for Southampton as they dropped two points, but the performance will be encouraging. However the players have struggled at St Mary's all season and the 1-2 loss to Everton last time out here continued a worrying trend of conceding far too many goals.

Southampton do get on the scoreboard here, but that isn't enough if you are conceding at least two goals in every game and Watford do have players who can take advantage of that as they did in the 0-2 win at Norwich City.

That has been the one moment of light in an otherwise cloudy beginning to Flores' second tenure in charge at Vicarage Road. The 0-3 home loss to Burnley would have hurt everyone associated with Watford and I think the manager will be well aware that his time will come to an end if they can't earn a result here.

Games between these clubs have not featured a lot of goals in recent seasons, but both look capable of scoring and unlikely to keep a clean sheet. The 1-1 scoreline is a real player, but I think the motivation for the three points will be extremely high in both camps and the attacking players could have spaces to find a way to share out three goals on the day at a decent enough price.


Norwich City v Arsenal Pick: There are rumours that Unai Emery could lose his job as soon as Friday after Arsenal were beaten by Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League and the manager does look like a man who knows he does not have long left now. The Arsenal board are in meetings on Friday so the entire feel of this club might be a lot different by the time this fixture kicks off.

Right now the players look as disillusioned as some of the fans with the tactics run by Emery and even if he is in charge on Sunday I would worry about how much effort the Arsenal team want to put into this one. On the other hand he could be sacked by then and even then there will be some uncertainty as players wonder who the new manager is going to be and where they are going to stand and all of this adds up to being an opportunity for Norwich City.

The Canaries won't be worrying about problems others have considering the injuries they have been dealing with throughout this season. A newly promoted club who have not spent a lot of money in the summer were always going to find it difficult to plug the gaps, but Norwich City have not allowed themselves to be mentally worn down.

A lack of quality might cost them when it is all said and done in May, but the team are playing for the manager and the 0-2 win at Everton last Saturday is a big boost in confidence for them. They will be looking to back that up here, but you can't ignore how poorly Norwich City have defended at Carrow Road as Watford became the fifth Premier League club to leave the ground having scored at least two goals.

Norwich City have unsurprisingly lost 3 in a row here when you think of the goals they are conceding, but in general they do create problems of their own too. I expect that to be the case against an Arsenal team who have looked vulnerable any time a team has gone after them and I expect Norwich City to really want to pressure them from the opening minutes.

I can't completely ignore Arsenal's lack of away goals in the Premier League, but this is a team who can create chances and have some quality players in the forward line. I expect those to play their part in this fixture and I think a high-scoring game is in the offing.

The first 5 Norwich City games at Carrow Road all featured at least four goals shared out, while 2 of the 6 Arsenal away games have also hit that mark. If there is an early goal in this one, I can see an entertaining game played out with both teams creating a host of chances and those opportunities can lead to a game that features at least four goals shared out.


Wolves v Sheffield United Pick: The 3-3 draw at Sporting Braga on Thursday night underlines why I find it hard to really back Wolves with any confidence and I certainly have to be a lot more sure about their chances if I am going to consider them at odds on to win a game.

It is especially the case this Sunday when Wolves host Sheffield United who are unbeaten away from home and that includes them visiting Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. Chris Wilder will have had a full week to work with his players and the energy they use can certainly make things difficult for a squad that were playing in difficult conditions on Thursday in Portugal.

Wolves have shown they can handle the pressure of playing both the Europa League and Premier League within days of each other and they are in fine form. You can understand why some would want to back them, but the newly vacated job at Arsenal has to be a potential distraction for manager Nuno Espirito Santo who is considered amongst the favourites to be given the job at the Emirates Stadium.

I don't think the manager is one who will lose focus, but Wolves are not a massively high-scoring team and that will give Sheffield United a chance in this one.

I can make enough of a case for both teams here and that means I won't be having an opinion on this one that will be backed.


Leicester City v Everton Pick: Football can always throw a curveball into the equation when you think you have got a good read of a fixture, but I really can't see anything but another Leicester City win this weekend.

The last live Premier League game of the weekend comes from the King Power Stadium where Leicester City are looking for a seventh win in a row in all competitions. They are facing an Everton team coming off a really poor 0-2 home defeat to Norwich City and with the future of manager Marco Silva being heavily discussed.

It isn't just media rumours about the manager, but it has sounded like the Everton board came close to sacking him earlier this week. Only a failure to agree on a potential replacement has given Silva a stay of execution, but the fixture list looks very menacing and it is hard to believe the Portuguese manager survives for much longer barring some big upsets.

Everton play at the top two in the space of a few days before hosting Chelsea and then visiting Manchester United. The Merseyside derby next week looks very intimidating and the players are not full of confidence at the moment despite having been unbeaten in 3 games in all competitions prior to the loss to Norwich City.

Where Leicester City have been very strong at home, Everton have only just snapped a 4 game away losing run in the Premier League when beating Southampton at St Mary's. They do have a decent record here in the last few seasons, but Leicester City are playing with a real belief in the system set up by Brendan Rodgers and I do think the Everton players might be considering what is going to happen at the club.

That uncertainty could lead to a fairly comfortable win for an in-form Leicester City who have scored at least two goals in the last 5 at the King Power Stadium. Backing the home team to win a game with at least that many goals produced on Sunday is a very appealing price here.


Manchester United v Aston Villa Pick: I am not going to dwell on any negatives about the 2-1 defeat at Astana for Manchester United, but instead say a number of the young players looked comfortable playing in Europe for the first team. Many of those were making their debuts at senior level and I think they can be proud of their performance while also be deserving of further opportunities.

It is less likely that fans are going to be able to gloss over any defeat in the Premier League this weekend when Manchester United host Aston Villa ahead of a big week for the club. On Wednesday Jose Mourinho will return to Old Trafford with his new club, while we are less than a week away from the Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium.

Those are big games for Manchester United and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and the manager will want some momentum to take into those fixtures by beating Aston Villa. The last few games have seen Manchester United rediscover some of their goal-scoring form and that is not good news for Aston Villa who have not been defending anywhere near the level that Dean Smith would have wanted.

I do expect Manchester United to score goals and create a lot of chances, but that does not mean they are going to win this game easily.

As poor as Aston Villa may defend, they have been very good the other way and have caused issues for the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City in recent games. Dean Smith is the kind of manager who will want his team to have an attacking intent in the fixture and I do think Aston Villa will have some chances of their own as they have shown an ability to create opportunities over the last month.

They might even score here, but Manchester United have kept their first team fresh for this fixture without the need to travel to Kazakhstan. They have been a little better in the last couple of games at Old Trafford and I think Manchester United will enjoy some of the spaces that Aston Villa allow them to operate in and I will look for the home team to win a game featuring two or more goals on the day.

MY PICKS: Manchester City & Under 3.5 Goals @ 2.25 Paddy Power (2 Units)
Burnley-Crystal Palace Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.20 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Chelsea - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Liverpool Win to Nil @ 2.10 Sky Bet (2 Units)
Tottenham Hotspur - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)
Southampton-Watford Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.95 Betfair Sportsbook (2 Units)
Norwich City-Arsenal Over 3.5 Goals @ 2.10 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Leicester City & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.95 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Manchester United & Over 1.5 Goals @ 1.72 Coral (2 Units)

November 2019/20: 6-10, - 7.66 Units (32 Units Staked, - 23.94% 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 14

I am off my worst Fantasy Football GW of the 2019/20 season and I have to admit I was extremely frustrated by the nonsense of VAR last week.

I have made it clear I am not a fan of a system that only should appeal to those who are lacking any real passion for Football- there is no one who can say they are willing to lose themselves in the sport who want to see some fool with a protractor out trying to work out if someone's nose hair was less than a millimetre offside.

Twice I was done in by the system last week with Raheem Sterling's goal ruled out when it looked like he was level at best and the system is guessing his starting point. But to make matters worse was the Jamie Vardy twice taken penalty which saw countless owners who had captained him luck into points they simply didn't deserve.

Getting my Captain wrong again is becoming a feature of the season and I finished with a number that was below the average for the week which frustrates to say the least.

Injuries over the last couple of weeks are beginning to pile up and I am almost forced to take a hit in GW14 as my best laid plans have gone awry. This will only be the second hit I have taken this season, but it has to be done to make sure I am still able to capitalise on the first Wild Card of the season as I have planned to do for some time.

The two transfers I am making this week can be seen in my GW14 team which can be read below. Over the next couple of Rounds it is difficult to write out full Fantasy portions of this thread with the games coming thick and fast over the next week.

I have decided to keep Tammy Abraham despite him being ruled out for the game against West Ham United this weekend. Frank Lampard should have an update on his condition in the coming days and I don't really want to drop him unless he is missing out again during the week as I would then wonder if we see him before GW17.

Joshua King is another injury I am dealing with and I had decided to try and go big at the back one more time in a season when clean sheets have simply not been forthcoming for the top teams. I am doing that while replacing Benjamin Mendy who has not nailed down the left back role along with the Bournemouth striker and Abraham will be the next player out of the squad if he is going to be missing another couple of games.

My GW14 Fantasy Team

David De Gea- the decision to bring in a Manchester United player was somewhat enforced when Ederson went down with an injury, but it was also a statistical play which hasn't paid off so far. Keeping a home clean sheet against Aston Villa is far from straight-forward.

Andrew Robertson- Liverpool have struggled for clean sheets all season but a home game against Brighton is another good chance. The left back has been very successful at earning assists and goals which means he has continued producing even without the clean sheets.

Trent Alexander-Arnold- I have brought in the other Liverpool full back in place of Benjamin Mendy who I simply don't believe plays both games this week (although he will probably have a clean sheet in the one he does play now I've dropped him for a hit). Trent Alexander-Arnold is a source of assists, but home games against Brighton and Everton followed by a trip to Bournemouth should be a chance for at least one clean sheet to go with potential attacking returns.

Caglar Soyuncu- a home game against an Everton team who likely know manager Marco Silva is about to be sacked. Four clean sheets in a row for Leicester City.

Fikayo Tomori- was rested during the week in the 2-2 draw at Valencia but I expect to be restored to the starting line up.

Sadio Mane (C)- relatively easy choice for Captain in a home game against Brighton.

Raheem Sterling- hasn't been at his best this past week, but a key attacking performer for Manchester City who head to Newcastle United.

Youri Tielemans- doesn't grab the headlines likes Jamie Vardy and James Maddison, but the Belgian is always in and around the attacking areas for Leicester City.

Anthony Martial- Manchester United have scored six goals in their last two at Old Trafford and the Frenchman leads the line.

Andrea Pereira- another risky selection made because of position he tends to be selected in rather than the quality I believe he has.

Danny Ings- the transfer was one I was considering anyway as Southampton continue to create a lot of chances. He has been in form for Ralph Hasenhuttl and Southampton face Watford, Norwich City, Newcastle United, West Ham United and Aston Villa across the next five GWs. I am happy selecting him knowing he will start for my team more often than not.

Bench- Michael McGovern, John Lundstram (difficult away game at Wolves, but I don't mind if I have to bring him into the first eleven), Tammy Abraham (injured), Xande Silva (injured)