Premier League Picks and Fantasy Football GameWeek 2 (August 13-15)

That truly was a disappointing Sunday at Old Trafford.

Losing is one thing, but seeing nine of the eleven starters from last season underlined the terrible transfer window that Manchester United have sleepwalked through and I do think Erik ten Hag may be regretting ever taking over and not listening to Louis Van Gaal who was prepared to warn him about the state of the club.

I will have more on Manchester United ahead of GameWeek 3 and the big fixture against the old rivals from down the M62.

Premier League Picks GameWeek 2

Aston Villa v Everton Pick: Two former England international midfield team-mates will be managing against one another for the first time when Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa host Frank Lampard's Everton.

While both have been given early chances with big name English clubs, there is a pressure building on both.

Steven Gerrard has spent quite a lot of money as manager of Aston Villa, but his win-loss-draw record is pretty poor and the 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth last weekend has to be concerning. Losing is one thing, but Aston Villa looked really poor on the day and it is imperative they bounce back and earn a victory this weekend.

Tougher games are going to be coming up for Aston Villa and so another setback could really see things begin to spiral. The fallout of removing Tyrone Mings as Captain and then leaving the English World Cup hopeful on the bench will be felt by Gerrard if his team keep failing to produce consistent winning efforts, while Aston Villa's poor home record last season will also add to the pressure.

Frank Lampard is not going to have it any easier- he is in charge of an Everton team that barely avoided relegation and who look to have serious questions to answer in the final third. Bringing in Conor Coady and Amadou Onana look like shrewd bits of business, but the injury prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin means Everton are short in the final third and may have to go with a 'false nine' system again.

It didn't really work against Chelsea and Lampard will be feeling the pressure if Everton make a poor start to the season.

The television cameras will arrive at Villa Park looking for some drama and I do think this has the makings of a tense clash.

However, I have to still believe that Aston Villa will be improved this season with the signings they have made and I expect a much better performance all around than the one produced in the defeat at Bournemouth. The home team have attacking talent that should be able to cause problems for injury-hit Everton and I do think Aston Villa were secure enough defensively to be able to contain their visitors.

Most believed Chelsea were not quite at their best last week, but they still managed to create plenty of chances against Everton and that has to be a concern. Conor Coady will give the team a solid partner for James Tarkowski at the heart of the defence, but there are still some problems in the squad and Aston Villa may have just enough to secure the three points behind their own attacking threats.

Aston Villa do look slightly short in the market, but I think that is much more down to the problems Everton are having and I do expect The Villains to be able to expose some of the softness associated with this current group of players in the Everton squad.

Arsenal v Leicester City Pick: A couple of seasons ago you would have likely seen many predict that Leicester City would finish above Arsenal at the beginning of a campaign, but those times have changed.

A strong summer of recruitment to back up their 5th place finish in the Premier League was followed by a good 0-2 win at Crystal Palace last week and that will have given Arsenal fans plenty of positive vibes to take into the first home game of the campaign. Mikel Arteta is getting a tune out of his young players and the fixture list is one that could see Arsenal build momentum into the campaign.

With their two main London rivals facing one another this weekend, Arsenal can get an early leg up on either Chelsea or Tottenham Hotspur. And after winning 13 home Premier League games last season, Arsenal will certainly feel they have the quality and the attacking output to hurt a Leicester City squad that has missed being able to add fresh faces.

Brendan Rodgers implied they needed to do that at the end of a disappointing season, but it sounds like Leicester City are balancing the books and even keeping the current players will be a challenge. Both Wesley Fofana and James Maddison have been linked with big money moves away from the King Power Stadium and these rumours will hurt all the more after the 2-2 draw with Brentford last Sunday.

Leicester City were 2-0 up that day, but conceded twice in the second half and the defensive vulnerabilities remain. They conceded the most goals in the top half last season and only six teams conceded more than Leicester City in the entire Premier League, which adds to the concerns of blowing the lead in the manner they did in their opening fixture.

Poor away performances hurt Leicester City throughout the 2021/22 campaign and Arsenal have really gotten the better of them in their most recent League fixtures.

You don't want to make sweeping statements from one League fixture played, but I do think Arsenal are the stronger of the two teams going into this season. While the transfer window is open, Leicester City fans may remain a little worried about the potential make up of the squad, but this would be a tough game anyway considering how well Arsenal have played at home over the last twelve months.

Arsenal have scored at least twice in 6 of their last 8 Premier League games overall, while they managed to reach that total in 12 of 19 home League fixtures last season. Facing this vulnerable Leicester City defence should only help and I think the home team likely win in a fixture that should feature at least two goals.

Brighton v Newcastle United Pick: When the England international job is next available, you have to figure the likes of Graham Potter and Eddie Howe will be high on the shortlist put together by the Football Association.

Two English managers continue to produce teams that play very eye-pleasing football, but both Potter and Howe have also produced the results needed to put Brighton and Newcastle United in strong positions.

Graham Potter has been doing a fantastic job with Brighton for some time and you would hope that some of the 'boos' heard after a few of the home games last season will all but disappear. The manager wasn't happy about those, but the fans were well and truly behind Potter in the 1-2 win over Manchester United to open the season and the first home game of the season should produce a very positive atmosphere for Brighton.

They have not won three home Premier League games in a row since November 2019, but Brighton will feel it is entirely possible to do that here. However, they will have plenty of respect for a much improved Newcastle United team who were very comfortable winners last weekend when hosting Nottingham Forest.

Eddie Howe has really turned things around for this group of players by improving those who had been here under the previous manager, but also adding the right talent and character to the first eleven. Since he arrived, Newcastle United have produced top six form in the Premier League and they have won 5 of their last 10 away League games.

It makes them dangerous and deserving of plenty of respect and I do think Newcastle United will cause problems for Brighton. While the win at Old Trafford has to be given every credit in the world, you cannot ignore the fact that Manchester United did create some strong openings and Newcastle United have a player in Callum Wilson who can punish the home team.

Losing a couple of key performers from the defensive side of their football last season will hurt Brighton and Newcastle United have only failed to score in 3 of their last 11 away Premier League games. Two of those failures were at Stamford Bridge and the Etihad Stadium so Newcastle United will feel they can do enough to breach the Brighton defences, although 3 away clean sheets all season will offer the home team plenty of encouragement when getting forward too.

When these teams met at St James' Park in March, it was a really entertaining, attacking game of football and I do think this one can follow suit. The expected heat-wave about to hit Falmer this weekend is a concern when it comes to the attacking side of the game as energy is potentially sapped a little quicker than normal, but I do think the managers both approach their football with the same forward thinking ideas.

An early goal could spark the fixture and see at least three goals produced for the fourth time in five Premier League games between Brighton and Newcastle United.

Manchester City v Bournemouth Pick: For those that like to make predictions as to how the Premier League may shape up next May, most would likely have Manchester City inside the top two places and most would have placed Bournemouth inside the relegation zone.

Scott Parker's men will hope the 2-0 win over Aston Villa to open the season will have had some pundits revising those predictions, but this is a much tougher game than the first one. For starters it is being played away from home and the defending Champions looked every bit the title favourites in comfortably winning 0-2 at West Ham United last Sunday.

Erling Haaland is off the mark and Manchester City are a team that could make Bournemouth work very hard in extremely hot conditions expected on Saturday. Keeping the ball and forcing Bournemouth to chase will be the approach used by Manchester City, although an early goal will be the key to making things comfortable.

Otherwise you can imagine Scott Parker will ask his players to sit very deep and just look to close the door on the Manchester City attack. His Fulham team were beaten 2-0 here a couple of seasons ago, while Bournemouth have not rolled over on their last two visits to the Etihad Stadium, which may encourage the very defensive approach.

You cannot really blame Parker for that either, although I do think Bournemouth are short of numbers and could be exposed by a team with the quality of Manchester City. Last weekend they created plenty of chances against a deep-sitting West Ham United who have a higher quality of player compared with Bournemouth and I do think it will be very difficult to contain Manchester City following that victory.

This is a very wide handicap mark for Manchester City to cover- at their best they are more than capable of doing that, but it is also hard to ignore that only 15 of their last 38 home Premier League games have ended in wins by three or more goal margins. Last season they managed that in 9 of 19 home League games, although 4 of those wide victories came against the teams that finished in the bottom five places in the Premier League.

Manchester City scored 22 home goals in those games against the bottom five last season and they only conceded once. A narrow loss would likely be seen as a win for Bournemouth fans, but I think it will be very difficult for Scott Parker's players in the heat and eventually the pressure may tell for the home team.

Wolves v Fulham Pick: A disappointing result would have been an understatement as to how Wolves were feeling after the 2-1 loss at Leeds United, especially as they had led that game very early on. Some of the defending was not really good enough, while Wolves continue to lack the bite in the final third that is going to be crucial for their chances of avoiding the drop.

I have not really seen Wolves mentioned too many times as a potential relegation candidate, but you cannot ignore the miserable final three months of the 2021/22 season. Norwich City, Watford and Southampton were the only clubs with a worse record in that time and the lack of goals has to be a real worry for the Wolves fans.

Goncalo Guedes has been signed to help out and could make his debut, but Wolves will be hoping Raul Jimenez can return as soon as possible. The side created chances at Elland Road, which will be encouraging, and Wolves are going to feel they can do the same against a Fulham team who are likely going to bring in at least one new face in their defensive backline.

However, Marco Silva is also likely going to be encouraged by what he saw from his Fulham team in their 2-2 draw with Liverpool last Saturday. Seeing Aleksander Mitrovic score twice will be a huge boost after the Serbian international's previous struggles in the top flight compared with his prolific form in the Championship.

I expect there will be plenty more service coming Mitrovic's way and Wolves will have to defend better than they did last week. On the other hand, I do think Wolves will feel they can get on the front foot and cause plenty of problems of their own and the feeling is that this is the kind of fixture that Bruno Lage and his players would have targeted for the full three points.

That does mean dealing with the additional pressure, but Wolves have a strong recent record against Fulham and can edge to the three points in this one.

Brentford v Manchester United Pick: There have been plenty of promises made by the new Manchester United board, but the proof is in the pudding and the failures of this summer's transfer window have once again reminded the fans how far the club have fallen.

Once again there are calls for the owners to sell up and allow someone with the love for the club to turn things back around. Protests have been organised before the defeat against Brighton, but the defeat followed by links with some seriously sub-par players in the aftermath have only increased the irritation within the fanbase.

Nine of the eleven starters last Sunday were a part of the squad that saw Manchester United end the season in miserable form. 5 losses in their last 7 Premier League games is a major concern for Manchester United, but they have embarrassingly been beaten in 6 away Premier League games in a row.

Losing is one thing, but Manchester United have conceded goals for fun in those games. Last Sunday the defending did not offer any encouragement that the new manager and coaching team have been able to have an impact like they would have wanted and this is a very difficult test for Manchester United in what are expected to be very hot conditions.

Brentford will miss Christian Eriksen, who could line up against them on Saturday, but they showed they can build on last season in their 2-2 draw at Leicester City last Sunday. The Bees came from 2-0 down that day, while they have won 3 of their last 5 Premier League games here and will be confident they can hurt their more illustrious visitors.

Last season Thomas Frank felt his Brentford team 'destroyed' Manchester United in the game played in West London, but the visiting team showed the composure to secure the 1-3 win. Confidence looks to be shot at Manchester United right now and Brentford may feel they can take advantage of that, although I do think the away team will create chances too considering some of the defensive injuries in the Brentford squad.

Manchester United look plenty short for a team that has lost 6 away Premier League games in a row.

Instead it may be best to back at least three goals being shared out by the two teams on Saturday in the second live televised offering from the Premier League. Last season both League games between the teams ended with at least three goals shared out, while both Brentford and Manchester United were involved in high-scoring games on the opening weekend.

I cannot ignore the fact that Manchester United have scored a single goal in their last 5 away Premier League games, but this feels like a game in which the attacking players can get on top. Brentford's style could lead to an open fixture with chances created at both ends and I do think we will see a relatively high-scoring game even in the heatwave that will be hitting London very hard on Saturday afternoon.

Nottingham Forest v West Ham United Pick: It would be a big mistake to judge a team on a single performance, but I have no doubt that Steve Cooper knows how much work it will take to keep Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. They have followed the Fulham route of two seasons ago by adding a lot of new faces to the dressing room, but that could mean it takes a bit of time for those players to buy into the culture and style that Cooper has put together.

Losing at Newcastle United will have stung, but the manner of the performance was most worrying for Nottingham Forest fans. They were well beaten on the day and the margin could have been much greater if Newcastle United had produced better finishing, but that fixture was played away from home.

The City Ground can be a tough venue for opponents to be able to express themselves and I do think the fans will be right behind their team in the hot weather expected on Sunday. Turning up the heat on The Hammers could see the visitors melt, and I do think Nottingham Forest's record here in the second half of the last season is encouraging.

Liverpool won here in the FA Cup last season, but Nottingham Forest had previously beaten both Arsenal and Leicester City and those results have to be respected.

The Tricky Trees are also facing a West Ham United team who had been well beaten on the opening weekend and one that has lost 6 of their last 8 away Premier League games. Most of those have been against top ten opponents though and I do think West Ham United's record against the bottom five away from home is more encouraging for David Moyes and his men as they look to get their Premier League campaign up and running.

West Ham United won't be the only team to be well beaten by Manchester City this season, but this is a squad with plenty of quality. The last two seasons have seen West Ham United improve under their current manager and I do think they have enough to secure a win here.

Playing at a newly promoted club in their home opener is always a big challenge to negotiate, and I do think West Ham United will have to weather some of the early storm. I cannot expect Nottingham Forest to be nearly as poor as they were last weekend, but this is a West Ham United team whose entire seven away League wins last season came against clubs that finished in the bottom half.

The Hammers drew 2 and lost at Brentford in the exceptions, but it shows that West Ham United are able to exert their quality at clubs they are expected to beat. This should be the mindset on Sunday in the first live game of the afternoon and I think West Ham United will edge to the three points.

Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: When these two teams met in January, the third straight win for Chelsea over Tottenham Hotspur in the space of eighteen days saw a frustrated Antonio Conte suggest there was a huge gap between the quality of the two squads.

The former Chelsea manager made it clear to his Tottenham Hotspur board that they needed better numbers and Antonio Conte cannot complain with how he has been backed. The winter deadline day signing of Dejan Kulusevski has been a huge boost for Tottenham Hotspur and more solid recruitment this summer means this is a team that is ready to compete on a much leveller playing field.

Chelsea have also spent plenty in the summer transfer window and yet more signings could be made before the close on September 1st.

Without a doubt there will be a real difference in the starting elevens compared with their last fixture in mid-January and I do think this is a big game for both Chelsea and Spurs. We should know a lot more about their capabilities for the next ten months at the end of this game, although Chelsea may be bolstering the squad further.

Both teams won on the opening weekend against opponents they would have expected to beat, but this is a much tougher test.

Those 4 wins for Chelsea last season will give them a mental edge and they have won 4 of their last 5 at Stamford Bridge against Tottenham Hotspur. However, I do think Tottenham Hotspur are much improved in the last eight months and Antonio Conte's men have earned a win at Manchester City and a draw at Liverpool since their last fixture at Stamford Bridge.

Antonio Conte's approach has seen Tottenham Hotspur get on the front foot and create chances and you cannot ignore the amount of goals they have scored against fellow 'Big Six' rivals since the close of the January transfer window. Tottenham Hotspur have scored nine goals in 4 games against those rivals since February and I do think they will pose problems for Chelsea in this one.

However, it cannot be ignored that Tottenham Hotspur have only kept a single clean sheet in those 4 games too and I do think Chelsea showed enough in the final third last weekend to be a threat in this one. The fans will expect better from the likes of Mason Mount after a quiet opening weekend performance, but this is a Chelsea team with plenty of talent in the forward positions and will be expecting to score at least once in this game.

I did consider backing Tottenham Hotspur with a start on the handicap, but their poor record here is a little concerning. I do think Antonio Conte has already had a massive impact on the players at the club and Spurs have been one of the better performing teams of the last five months of the previous campaign and so I expect them to challenge Chelsea much more than they did last season.

Both teams should be able to hit the back of the net, while the attacking approach of the two teams may lead to this fixture producing at least three goals, even in the expected very hot conditions in West London on Sunday afternoon.

Liverpool v Crystal Palace Pick: The last Premier League game of the weekend will be played on Monday night and the conditions are expected to be much more favourable compared with the Saturday and Sunday heatwave across much of England.

Thundery outbursts in Liverpool could mean a wet playing field, but there will be no excuses for Jurgen Klopp who complained that the surface at Craven Cottage was 'too dry' last week.

Perhaps it will be too wet this time, but Liverpool fans will know the team need to bounce back and end this one with the three points in the bag. It does feel two points were dropped in the 2-2 draw with Fulham, but the second half display was much stronger than the first and so Liverpool may feel they have some momentum to take into this opening League fixture at Anfield.

The opponent could be a good one for Liverpool who have won 10 Premier League games in a row against Crystal Palace, including the last 5 at home. Liverpool have managed to keep Crystal Palace at arm's length in those home wins having produced 4 clean sheets and they will feel they can largely do the same in this one.

The side are one of the better defensive teams in the Premier League and Liverpool will be disappointed with the way both goals were conceded last week. I do think they will be much better in this one, while Liverpool were the only Premier League team who conceded fewer than 10 goals at home through the entirety of last season.

There was enough to see from Crystal Palace in their 0-2 defeat to Arsenal to think they will pose a threat in this one. However, the finishing is going to have to be a lot more decisive if they are going to break down Liverpool and Crystal Palace did fail to score in 7 of their 19 away League games.

Crystal Palace failed to get on the scoreboard against 4 of the top six last season and I do think they will struggle to do so on Monday evening. I am not that concerned about how the season will go for Palace under Patrick Vieira and these are the games in which any points earned will be considered a bonus.

Ultimately I think Crystal Palace will be on the back foot more often than not in this fixture and Liverpool are likely to beat them with a clean sheet for the fourth season in a row at home.

MY PICKS: Aston Villa @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Arsenal & Over 1 Total Goal @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Brighton-Newcastle United Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.20 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Manchester City - 2.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.66 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Wolves - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.03 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Brentford-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

West Ham United @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Chelsea-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.92 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Liverpool Win to Nil @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)

August 2022: 2-6, - 8.88 Units (16 Units Staked, - 55.50% Yield)

Fantasy Football GameWeek 2

The first GameWeek of the official fantasy game is in the books and I think it was a pretty good weekend for most players.

With some of the big hitters coming through with good returns, the only people who may have suffered were those that decided to pick Harry Kane ahead of Erling Haaland.

Surprising results are par for the course early in the season so my decision to double up on the Liverpool defence turned out to be a bad one, although Luis Diaz failed to sparkle and so ultimately it was not one to regret.

This was my team after GameWeek 1 was concluded:

A return of 68 points was slightly above average, but I did feel it was a squad that wouldn't need too many changes in GW2 and ultimately that was the reason I had selected Haaland ahead of Kane.

I did leave some points on the bench with Robert Sanchez outscoring Danny Ward, while Andreas over either Liverpool defender would have also produced one extra point, but I am happy with the choices made.

Marcus Rashford missed a couple of big opportunities to put up some points as a player that was not selected by so many, while I am not surprised to see some jump off the Gabriel Jesus bandwagon after a relatively quiet GW1.

I am not planning any transfers in GW2 and have likely decided to go with Erling Haaland over Mohamed Salah as the Captain this week.

My goalkeeper will be switched around with Sanchez facing Newcastle United at home and Ward travelling to Arsenal, while I will likely have Andreas as first sub after a promising debut for Fulham against Liverpool.

Holding a transfer feels important with the likes of Leon Bailey, Marcus Rashford having something to prove, while injuries cannot be accounted for and having an extra transfer in GW3 means having a bit more data to look into.

Unlike last week, the majority of my players will be playing at home in GW2 so I am looking for the team to top the 68 points produced last week.

It will be a fuller post in GW3 with transfer decisions on the mind, but good luck to all in GW2.

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

So is everyone glad the Premier League is back?

It still doesn't sit right with me that the fans are not able to attend fixtures, although I am no conspiracy theorist and know exactly the kind of issues the Coronavirus pandemic is creating. Even then it is strange to see some of the NFL teams bringing in a number of fans with the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cleveland Browns managing to do that, although the fact that there was a positive test in the stands at the Chiefs can underlines the kind of problem the sporting authorities and the government are going to have dealing with a highly contagious disease.

News reports that a second 'short term' national lockdown is about to be put in place in the United Kingdom means any fans being allowed into the Stadiums is very likely to be pushed back from the October 1st date that many had targeted.

2020 has been a pretty miserable year, but there feels like at least another dip to come during the long winter months, and that is before any real hope of a stronger, longer term solution to be put in place.

I will have a small section about the Fantasy Football game below like I do usually, but before that you can read my thoughts from the Premier League games to be played in GW2 of the 2020/21 season.

Everton v West Brom Pick: You don't want to get carried about the performance of a team after one week but I was very impressed with the way Everton performed in North London in their 0-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur.

Carlo Ancelotti has brought in some real quality in the middle of the pitch and Everton may still be looking to do some business before the close of the transfer window. They will certainly feel the early fixture list is a bonus for them as they prepare to follow the win over Spurs by facing three clubs that many will tip up to finish in the bottom six of the Premier League next May.

Producing more consistency at Goodison Park is going to be key for Everton if they are going to push towards the top six and they will certainly feel a newly-promoted West Brom team are there for the taking in the early Saturday kick off.

Slaven Bilic's men might have earned promotion, but they were not at their best in the second half of last season. If it wasn't for Brentford's own failures in the final week of the season, West Brom would not have been automatically promoted and they virtually fell over the line.

Last weekend they played well at times against Leicester City, but lacked the quality to produce more in the final third. Defensively there were mistakes made and I think that is something that will concern former defender Bilic ahead of this fixture.

West Brom do have a decent recent record at Goodison Park, but this Everton squad looks to be better than those they would have faced in those games. I do expect Everton to kick on after two wins to open the new season and I will expect them to win this fixture.

There might be some chances for West Brom, but Everton look like they can create plenty of chances of their own with the quality from set pieces making them dangerous. With Richarlison, James Rodriguez and Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the final third, Everton should have the goals in the squad to make it three wins from three.

Leeds United v Fulham Pick: Newly promoted clubs would love to get off the mark at a higher level as soon as possible and both Leeds United and Fulham have to be targeting the full three points in this Premier League fixture.

Only six weeks ago both were playing in the Championship and both learned how quickly you can be punished at the Premier League level as they conceded at least three goals in defeats last weekend.

At least Leeds United showed some competitiveness in the 4-3 defeat at Anfield rather than the limp display Fulham produced in losing 0-3 at home to Arsenal. The two managers will respect the fact that they won't face that level of competition every week, but Leeds United have shown more than Fulham in the very, very early stage of the new season.

Leeds United also beat Fulham handily when these two clubs met at Elland Road in June and I do think they deserve to be favourites here. I don't want to make a snap judgement about Fulham after one game, but I do think they look very similar to two years ago when they were relegated from the top flight.

In that season Fulham were beaten in 16 of their 19 away Premier League games and defensively they look like a team that can be got at.

Scott Parker will believe his team can cause problems for Leeds United as they did when they met in June, but the home team had enough firepower to get past them on that day. I think that will be the case here too as they win a game featuring two or more goals.

Manchester United v Crystal Palace Pick: Most clubs have had a week of competitive action under their belts going into the middle of September, but Manchester United will have been preparing for the new season having been afforded an extra week off.

That came about thanks to a late finish to the 2019/20 season having reached the Europa League Semi Final, but there will be no excuses if they cannot get off to a strong start to the new campaign.

Fans are a little restless considering the lack of investment made by the owners, something that is far too common under this regime. While things look unlikely to change any time soon, it also means the reality of a title challenge looks to be some way away.

Even then there is pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to build on what was a successful if not an outstanding season. Reaching three Semi Finals, but failing to win silverware is not really good enough for Manchester United, but earning a top four spot was important even if the owners and management of the club means they don't bother investing from a position of strength.

Things may change by the time you are reading this, but for now the squad will go into the season looking to have just recharged the batteries for what looks a relentless season. Manchester United will basically be playing every few days until late January at the earliest and that means the whole squad are going to need to step up.

I do think they will be too good for a Crystal Palace team who did win at Old Trafford last season, but who have injury concerns of their own. Roy Hodgson's men have to be credited for their deserved win over Southampton last weekend and Wilfried Zaha remains motivated, but injuries at the back make Crystal Palace more vulnerable even if back to back clean sheets over the last seven days makes a mockery of that statement.

At the end of the day Crystal Palace did lose their last 4 away Premier League games and they have not scored in 5 away games in all competitions. The club have tried to rectify that by bringing in Michy Batshuayi on loan from Chelsea, but this is a big test at Old Trafford where Manchester United only conceded 17 Premier League goals last season.

Defensively Manchester United don't always look secure, but they did manage a clean sheet in winning at Selhurst Park in mid-July and they largely restricted the home side that day. Even in the 1-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace in August 2019 came thanks to some clinical finishing from The Eagles and that is not something you can expect to see regularly.

They might not have lost either of their last 2 visits to Old Trafford, but I expect that run to come to an end on Saturday. Manchester United might not be at their fluent best, but I think they will contain Crystal Palace and that should lead to a win with a clean sheet.

Arsenal v West Ham United Pick: It is very easy to get carried away by the opening weekend results and make vast predictions as to how a season may develop.

Arsenal crushed Fulham at Craven Cottage so people are feeling bullish about their chances of earning a top four spot, while West Ham United were beaten at home by Newcastle United and might have had some putting some money down on them being relegated.

You are never as good or as bad as an opening result, but this does look like the start of a difficult run for West Ham United. They didn't play badly last week, but were punished at the back and I do think they remain defensively vulnerable which is a concern with the next set of six fixtures coming up.

David Moyes is an experienced manager though and the win over Charlton Athletic in the League Cup Second Round will have just given the squad a boost. They should be set up to be hard to beat and West Ham United are unbeaten in 3 away Premier League games which includes a visit to Old Trafford.

And as well as Arsenal played last week you do have to put into context- I think Fulham will struggle in the Premier League and the result might not be as impressive come May as it looked on the opening weekend.

Arsenal have shown improvement under Mikel Arteta and some of their Football really impressed, but I do think this is a team that is still more functional than one that will dominate as they did in their heyday under Arsene Wenger. Defensively they can still be exploited and that is what David Moyes will be asking his players to do with the pace they do have in the final third.

I do think West Ham United will have their chances in this one, and I think the underdog looks a little under-rated. Neither team can really point to their defensive strength and I think there will be goals in this one as long as the chances created are being taken.

I did lean towards West Ham United having enough to earn a result and both teams hitting the net, but Arsenal are unlikely to sit back if they need to chase the three points and I think the most likely outcome is that there will be at least three goals shared out.

Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: This might not have been the best week for either Southampton or Tottenham Hotspur, but it would have been much worse for the latter if they had been Knocked Out of the Europa League in the Second Qualifying Round.

The Europa League path back into the Champions League was the route Jose Mourinho took when managing Manchester United in 2016/17 and he will feel his Tottenham Hotspur team are capable of a very deep run as a back up to the top four aspirations.

A win in Bulgaria on Thursday will be a boost, but the bigger one might be the expected signing of Gareth Bale which is due to be completed before the weekend. That will give Jose Mourinho more attacking options and a real world class performer to pair up with Harry Kane in the final third.

For now they may have to give Bale a bit of time, but that won't mean Tottenham Hotspur can have any excuses for more dropped points having lost to Everton last Sunday. A trip home from Bulgaria is not ideal, but Spurs are playing a Southampton team who have lost 2 from 2 games and have failed to score in either.

The Saints did create chances at Selhurst Park last Saturday, but they looked vulnerable at the back and I do think Tottenham Hotspur will cause problems for them. However, I do believe Southampton can benefit from playing a team against whom they don't have to deal with the same type of expectations that they had in their first 2 matches.

The side have won their last 2 home Premier League games against Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton challenged them in all 4 meetings in the 2019/20 season. Having to go without Stuart Armstrong and Nathan Redmond is a blow for Southampton, but even then I think they can play their part in this early kick off and I think it will be a game which features at least three goals.

Newcastle United v Brighton Pick: If recent history is anything to go by, this may not be the most entertaining fixture to come on Super Sunday when four Premier League games are set to be played.

Both League games between Newcastle United and Brighton finished goalless last season and only four goals have been scored in the last 6 between them.

2 of the last 3 at St James' Park between these opponents have finished goalless and Newcastle United and Brighton have combined for 3 clean sheets in their first 4 games played this season.

Newcastle United did create chances in their win at West Ham United last weekend and also looked a little vulnerable at the back, but I am not sure Brighton have enough goals in them to hurt them here.

On the other hand Brighton did play well against Chelsea and may be more dangerous than some expect, but I do feel these teams cancel one another out. Steve Bruce will look for his Newcastle United team to be organised, while Graham Potter will want his Brighton team to dominate the ball.

The feeling is that Newcastle United can largely contain Brighton, but they will need their new signings to gel together to hurt their visitors when they do go forward. I think Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser are decent signings for Newcastle United and they may snap their poor recent record against Brighton, but I think the simple play here is expecting at least one of the teams failing to hit the back of the net.

Chelsea v Liverpool Pick: Both Liverpool and Chelsea got off to winning starts on the opening weekend of the season against clubs they would have been favoured to beat, but on Sunday they have a chance to announce their intentions to win the Premier League title this time around.

Liverpool did finish 33 points clear of Chelsea last season, but the latter have spent a lot of money to close that gap and Frank Lampard will know this is the chance for his team to produce a statement performance.

There is no love lost between the clubs in recent history and even their last Premier League meeting was very tetchy when Lampard and Jurgen Klopp seemed to fall out. Chelsea are potentially going to be missing a number of their new signings, but being at home means the expectation is going to be on them to show they are ready to take the next step in their development.

It is also a big game for Liverpool who have spoken about 'attacking the title' rather than 'defending' it and their 4-3 win over Leeds United was an important result. There have been some inconsistent performances from Liverpool in recent months and 2 wins from their last 8 away games in all competitions has to be a big concern for them.

They can't afford to defend as poorly as they did last Saturday and they will be very aware of what this Chelsea team can do having been a little fortunate to come away with a 5-3 win over them in the Premier League in July. Chelsea also created the better chances in the 1-2 home defeat to Liverpool twelve months ago and I do think they are a big looking underdog in this fixture.

The injuries to what are going to be key players is a worry though and the potential absence of Christian Pulisic is a real concern. His attacking thrust will be missed, but Chelsea should still pose questions for Liverpool, although defensively they do look very vulnerable themselves.

For me the most likely outcome is a 2-1 result either way or a high-scoring draw. With that in mind I would be very surprised if we don't see a few goals in what could be a very exciting fixture.

Leicester City v Burnley Pick: The final game on a long Sunday of Premier League action comes from the King Power Stadium as Leicester City look to back up their 0-3 win over West Brom last weekend. They host a Burnley team who are playing their first Premier League game of the 2020/21 season, and one who can't be underestimated.

There were all sorts of rumours that Sean Dyche would be leaving Burnley at the end of the 2019/20 season and I do think they could have been vulnerable if he did. While Dyche is here as manager, Burnley will continue to overachieve even if they eventually decide to cash in on James Tarkowski.

Burnley have been very hard to beat in their most recent away Premier League games and 1 loss in their last 8 on their travels has to be respected. That did come in a heavy defeat to Manchester City, but in the same run Burnley have won at Old Trafford and drawn at Anfield.

Their hosts struggled down the stretch which will concern them, but Brendan Rodgers has to be pleased with the way his Leicester City performed against West Brom.

The two Premier League games between these teams last season were decent to watch and I do think the return of James Maddison is huge for Leicester City. They won't have things completely their own way, but Leicester City have won 3 of their last 4 at home against Burnley and that has to be acknowledged.

My feeling is that the home team will edge this one and another 2-1 scoreline between these teams is not out of the realms of possibility.

Aston Villa v Sheffield United Pick: This was the first fixture that was played after the three month suspension of English Football back in June and it proved to be a pivotal one when the final points were tallied up in July.

The goalless draw meant the point earned by Aston Villa kept them in the Premier League, although rivals Bournemouth and Watford will be aggrieved that the point was secured thanks to an error in the goal-line technology. Instead of awarding Sheffield United what was a clear first half goal, the technology was bamboozled and the eventual point earned was a huge one for the hosts.

Aston Villa now come off another break in the Premier League to meet Sheffield United having not played on the opening weekend of the 2020/21 season. They have won at Burton Albion in the League Cup to get some competitive football back in the legs of their key players, but this is a big game for Aston Villa to show what they have learned from last season and whether the new additions to the squad can make it a relatively more comfortable season.

Scoring goals was a problem for Aston Villa, but they showed some real improvement defensively following the three month break. That could be key for them here against a Sheffield United team that can be dangerous from set pieces, but who have had some of the confidence knocked after losing 4 Premier League games in a row and scoring a single goal in that run.

Chris Wilder will not be happy with the first week of the new season as his side lost their opening Premier League game and were also beaten in the League Cup Second Round. The manager has usually gotten a pretty good reaction from his team, but he will want to see a little more stubbornness in the defensive areas where Sheffield United were strong for much of last season.

Losing Dean Henderson will have hurt, but I do think Sheffield United should be good enough to contain this Aston Villa attack. However, The Blades have lacked some sharpness of their own and I would not be surprised if at least one of these clubs can keep a clean sheet.

Wolves v Manchester City Pick: In the early weeks of this 2020/21 season I do think we are going to see some up and down performances from teams who are still at different stages of their recovery for a new campaign. The short off-season and the heavy schedules are going to play havoc and managers are already admitting that within their own squads players are further along with their progress than others.

To compound the issue will be the fact that some of the Premier League clubs playing this weekend have yet to play a competitive fixture while others have had two games in the legs. That could certainly have an impact in the results and it is something Wolves will be looking to take advantage of when they face Manchester City on Monday night.

It has not all be plain-sailing for Wolves who beat Sheffield United last week, but were then upset at Molineux by Stoke City in the League Cup Second Round. Nuno Espirito Santo did pick a relatively strong team for that League Cup tie so will be disappointed, but Wolves have shown they can raise their levels when facing up to some of the better teams in the Premier League.

They will need to do that on Monday night in the final Premier League in this round of fixtures as they prepare to host Manchester City. Revenge will be on the mind of Pep Guardiola's squad having lost twice to Wolves in the Premier League last season, although there hasn't been the kind of investment in the playing staff that so many believed there would be.

It remains a strong squad, although the absence of Sergio Aguero is a blow, and Manchester City will be itching to get out there and set the record straight against this opponent.

The players will also want to erase those memories of their last performance when beaten in the Champions League Quarter Final by Lyon. That result would have stung all at the club, but Manchester City are still very much a title contender and there is enough here to think they can close the 18 points to Liverpool as long as they stay healthier than last season.

This fixture might be a tough one for them as they have not looked like they have matched up well with a Wolves team that has pace on the counter attack to get to Manchester City's soft underbelly. However, Manchester City created plenty of chances in both Premier League games against Wolves last season and it was the Ederson sending off in the 12th minute at Molineux which really meant it was a tough day in the office.

Even then Manchester City led here twice before eventually succumbing to a defeat.

Wolves were beaten by Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Molineux last season and needed to come from behind to earn results against both Manchester clubs. While Manchester City were not at their best on their travels last season when it comes to the consistency levels, I do think they can find a way to edge to the three points here with their superior attacking quality likely to give them the advantage.

It should be a very good way to close the latest round of Premier League games in what should be an entertaining fixture.

MY PICKS: Everton to Win & Over 1.5 Goals

Leeds United to Win & Over 1.5 Goals

Manchester United Win to Nil

Arsenal-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals

Southampton-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals

Newcastle United-Brighton Both Teams to Score- NO

Chelsea-Liverpool Over 2.5 Goals

Leicester City & Over 1.5 Goals

Aston Villa-Sheffield United Both Teams to Score- NO

Manchester City & Over 1.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 2

The first week of the Official Fantasy Football game is in the books and it is an easy time to have plenty of knee-jerk reactions to what you have seen on the opening weekend.

At this point I imagine everyone wants to get off the trendy Southampton Hype Train, while Tottenham Hotspur players are no longer facing a positive run of fixtures to begin the campaign and those assets need to be sold, sold, sold!!

On the other side an upset win for Everton in North London and three good looking fixtures means their assets are being purchased at a huge rate, while both Manchester clubs are back in action.

Ultimately it is GW1 though and there is a long season ahead of us with twists and turns to come which makes me think this is not the time to panic. My own squad looks a little more vulnerable than I felt it did when I picked it ten days ago, but I don't want to deviate from the plan although some of the parts of said plan may have been pushed forward a week.

Personally I don't want to take a hit right now having found a reasonable path to bring in at least one strong Manchester United and Manchester City in time for the start of GW3. They may not be the same assets I had targeted before GW1 began, but a part of the reason for that is one name in my fifteen.

DELE ALLI.

Like many I am sure the 'All or Nothing' Tottenham Hotspur documentary on Amazon has made for interesting viewing ahead of the new season and it did have me convinced that Dele Alli was going to be an important player for Jose Mourinho.

However he was subbed off at half time in the 0-1 defeat to Everton, missed the trip to Bulgaria in the week and has been linked with a move away after Spurs look to have secured the signing of Gareth Bale.

Unsurprisingly his value has dropped as many owners jump off the bandwagon and what I am going to do with him is the big question ahead of this GW- if not for the uncertainty I was looking to bring in a Manchester United and Manchester City asset before GW3 and Alli was going to be the player I would have sacrificed having kept some money in the bank to make changes, but the drop in price was very much unforeseen.

It's not going to ruin my plans as such, but I do think it is a little frustrating to have left myself in this position.

I am very much going to be considering my transfer plans right up until the deadline on Saturday morning, but at this stage it would be a surprise if I didn't choose to make one.

Timo Werner looks like he will be passed fit to play against Liverpool so the squad is largely in a good position aside from Dele Alli's situation. At this stage I can't really recommend any Tottenham Hotspur attacking assets outside of Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son as we will need to see how Gareth Bale is going to be added to the mix and whether a change in formation is going to be needed to incorporate the Welshman and Sergio Reguilon who is also looking like he will be signed by Spurs from Real Madrid.

Last week I can mainly look to Mohamed Salah as to the reason my GW1 score ended at 74 points with 40 of those coming from the Egyptian who had been handed the Captain armband. I am never as happy to do that when Salah is playing away from home like he is this week, but I am not sure I understand those who are talking about selling him right now?

Liverpool are one of the stronger teams in the Premier League which means they are largely fixture proof and Mohamed Salah looked the sharpest of their attacking options in their win over Leeds United.

Outside of Salah it was a pretty 'meh' week to be honest having seen Che Adams resort to the kind of form he showed when I selected him last season by missing a chance that looked easier to score. Dele Alli's issue has already been spoken about, and I am going to need more consistency from those I have selected to make up for the fact that Chelsea play Liverpool this weekend.

In the FPL Community there has been a lot of talk about what to do with the first Wild Card this season which has to be used before GW16- some had planned a GW1 team knowing they would use it in either GW2 or GW3, especially with four clubs not in action on the opening weekend of the season.

My personal approach was to pick a team I could largely rely upon through GW4 of the FPL game knowing I would be able to use up to three transfers to fight any fires that have popped up (looking at you again Dele!)

The reasoning I have for this approach is that I feel I can have a pretty strong team for the first four rounds of the season and it would also cover the transfer window which is open until October 5th. GW4 is the final one before the international break so I would be happy to break out my Wild Card either ahead of GW5 if the transfers have changed the outlook for the players I have in my squad, or having that option in the weeks ahead when we will begin to find out which of the clubs are going to have a 'DGW' in January when the League is split across two match days.

At that stage we should also have a lot more information about tactics, positions of players and whether there are a few bargains to be had, but a lot can change (injuries, needing multiple hits to change the squad as I would like) which may impact when that WC is used.

But overall it isn't one I wish to use this side of the next international break if I can help that at all.

Over the coming hours I will have a good think about what to do with the Alli problem- I think I have a lean, but need to wait for final pressers to really knuckle down on it.

Good luck to all in GW2.

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2019 (August 17-19)

The first round of Premier League Fixtures are in the books and it can be very easy to get carried away from one set of results and make sweeping statements behind them.

Rarely are the results alone reflective of the way a game developed and it would be foolish to read too much into those at this stage. A small sample, in this case a one game sample, is not the position from which you should ignore everything you perhaps thought before a ball had been kicked.

Wins for Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur won't have surprised too many people with all three tipped to be in the top four for much of the season, but the results achieved by Arsenal and Manchester United would have been very encouraging.

Some have already relegated Norwich City off the basis of a heavy loss at Anfield, but things can quickly change in terms of perceptions especially as The Canaries were much better than the 4-1 defeat suggested. They have a big game this weekend against Newcastle United and I do think we will see a reaction, while the other newly promoted clubs also make their Premier League bows in front of their watching faithful.

Watch out for another round of snap judgements from those you are reading on Monday morning, but that isn't all bad for those who are making selections off the basis of a deeper look into the way things have gone. Hopefully that will give me an edge going forward as I try and the best plays from the weekend.


Arsenal v Burnley Pick: You never want to read too much into an opening weekend performance, but both Arsenal and Burnley will be very happy with the results they achieved last time out.

Both teams have gotten off to winning starts, although neither was perhaps convincing enough to really deserve the full three points. That won't matter to Unai Emery or Sean Dyche who know the importance of trying to make a fast, positive start to the season after what had been an inconsistent end to the 2018/19 season.

Emery in particular would have been extremely satisfied with the defensive performance his Arsenal team put together. They earned just one away clean sheet in the Premier League last season so to match that on the opening day of the 2019/20 campaign is a huge boost, especially as they can now add David Luiz' experience to the backline.

Sead Kolasinac and Mesut Ozil could also be back, but the biggest boost would be if Dani Ceballos, Nicolas Pepe and Alexandre Lacazette all can get a full week of training under their belts to be ready to make their first starts of the campaign. This is an Arsenal team who deservedly finished with the third most home goals in the Premier League last season and I do think the boost from those attacking players gives them a big edge over Burnley.

Like Unai Emery, Sean Dyche will be very pleased with an opening weekend win coupled with a clean sheet for Burnley, but this is a side who were much more vulnerable defensively when playing away from Turf Moor last season. The team is going to be settled and everyone is going to know what to expect from Arsenal and what they need to do, but Burnley conceded six goals in two Premier League games against them last season and have conceded in eleven in the last three versus The Gunners.

I expect the attacking arsenal available to Unai Emery to be a difference maker on the day, pardon the pun. Last weekend Arsenal were missing the really clever players in the final third, but I expect a number of those to be available this weekend and I think Arsenal will be able to maintain their 100% start to the new season.

12 of Arsenal's 14 home Premier League wins came by two more goals last season and 8 of Burnley's 10 away losses came by the same margin.

One concern has to be that Arsenal did struggle to see off the teams right at the bottom with narrow wins over Cardiff City and Huddersfield Town and a draw with Brighton at home, while Burnley did draw at Stamford Bridge and Old Trafford. However even with that in mind I can't ignore the fact that Arsenal have had too much firepower for Burnley in their recent matches and I will back the home team to win by at least two goals on the day.


Aston Villa v Bournemouth Pick: You can't really learn a lot about teams from the opening weekend of the season especially a newly promoted team like Aston Villa who faced a very difficult away game at a club that has become a consistent top four one. While fans can have excuses for the defeat there, they will be less forgiving when hosting a team like Bournemouth who could be a rival when it comes to avoiding relegation in May.

Last week Bournemouth could only earn a 1-1 draw with Sheffield United at home as both teams gave it a good go and it was a fair reflection of the game. Defensively there remain some big questions about Bournemouth who conceded 45 away Premier League goals last season and Aston Villa will believe they are a team with enough goals in the squad to earn their points at home.

Aston Villa only scored fewer than Norwich City and West Brom at home in the Championship last season and there was enough vibrancy in their attacking play at Tottenham Hotspur to be encouraged if you support them. Now they will be expected to get forward and challenge a Bournemouth team who only conceded less than two goals in 5 of their 19 away Premier League games.

However they can't afford to be gung-ho in their approach considering Bournemouth are still capable of creating their own chances in the final third. They finished as the 8th highest away scorers in the Division and Bournemouth were not unfortunate with that stat considering the chances they created on their travels.

It is pointing to a potentially high-scoring game at Villa Park on Saturday. 4 of the 6 away games Bournemouth played against teams that finished below them in the Premier League table ended with at least three goals shared out with the two exceptions both producing two goals. Last time here between these clubs we saw a game featuring three goals and I think the approach of both managers could set up this fixture to follow suit.


Brighton v West Ham United Pick: One team won 0-3 away from home and the other lost 0-5 at home, but it would be silly to think that is the way things are going to be for Brighton and West Ham United respectively.

Brighton were a touch fortunate last week to win, let alone win by such a margin. On the other hand West Ham United will know they are not going to face teams as strong as Manchester City every week and I expect a big reaction from them.

However it is The Seagulls who have won back to back home games against West Ham United since being promoted to the Premier League and so it feels this is a fixture that is worth a watching brief to add to the information we have on them. I can see all three results occurring, so I will move past this one.


Everton v Watford Pick: It was perhaps the biggest surprise result of the opening Premier League weekend when Watford's defeat to Brighton at home came through. Of course it is one thing losing, but another all together to be beaten 0-3, although the underlying statistics show that it was a harsh scoreline on The Hornets.

Javi Gracia has to pick his players up who have followed a poor end to last season with a poor start to this one. The three goals conceded to Brighton means Watford have conceded 18 goals in their last 5 in all competitions and that doesn't make for very good reading no matter which may you cut things up.

In recent years a trip to Goodison Park has been fairly productive for Watford who have been unlucky not to earn their first ever win on this ground. Last season they had to settle for a point thanks to Lucas Digne's injury time equaliser for Everton, while the season before they blew a 0-2 lead in an eventual 3-2 defeat.

Watford also led here until the 86th minute in August 2015 before having to settle for a point so Everton should have plenty of respect for the visitors.

However Everton have been in very strong form under Marco Silva in the latter stages of last season. There is still a worry that there are not enough goals in the squad despite the arrivals of Alex Iwobi and Moise Kean, but Everton fans know Goodison Park was a tough place to visit in the final months of last season having won 4 in a row here without conceding a goal.

Even Liverpool had to settle for a goalless draw as Everton followed that result in the Merseyside derby with comfortable wins over Chelsea, Manchester United and Burnley and a 1-0 win over Arsenal. Marco Silva has to believe his team are solid enough defensively to cope with Watford better than they did last season and Everton have been much better in front of goal here in the closing stages of the 2018/19 campaign.

My feeling is that we are going to see a lot better from Watford than what they produced last weekend, but I also think Everton have the edge being at home. It might need a couple of goals to earn the three points though and I think backing Everton to win a fixture with two or more goals produced is a decent looking price at odds against.

Everton's poor recent home record against Watford has to be in the back of the mind, but the home team might be playing with a little more confidence than their visitors and secure their first three points of the season.


Norwich City v Newcastle United Pick: I was hoping that the Norwich City result at Liverpool would have had the layers making this something of a pick 'em match, but instead Norwich City come into the weekend as a healthy favourite.

I considered backing them, but Norwich City have to show massive defensive improvements and Newcastle United have shown they can win games like this one in the last couple of years. It has been a key reason they have avoided the drop, but Rafael Benitez is gone and Steve Bruce will be under pressure to deliver.

I also considered backing over 2.5 goals after the way Norwich City played at Liverpool, but ultimately I feel like this is a game that could be the surprise result in the League. Newcastle United might be looking to bunker down and make life difficult for Norwich City and they might secure a positive result in a low-scoring game.

They have presented enough of a doubt to make me want to move past this one too.


Southampton v Liverpool Pick: If it was up to Jurgen Klopp I am sure Liverpool would have not travelled to Istanbul for the UEFA Super Cup between the first two Premier League games to be played in the 2019/20 season. Winning the trophy would have helped, but Liverpool won't have returned home until Thursday morning and have little time to prepare for a big League game at Southampton on Saturday afternoon.

If you simply looked at the results last week you would perhaps think Liverpool are in for a comfortable ride, but Southampton were a touch unfortunate to lose, let alone lose 3-0 at Burnley. They have been much better at home under Ralph Hasenhuttl, although Liverpool did come from behind to win 1-3 here in April.

I do think Southampton will cause problems for Liverpool who have looked rocky defensively even before Alisson went down with an injury. Now they have to rely on someone who was the backup goalkeeper at West Ham United last season and Liverpool have conceded in all 3 games they have played so far this month.

Southampton scored the vast majority of their home goals once Hasenhuttl took charge of the club and they are a team that will give it a go against Liverpool. It will take a much better effort than we have seen so far from Liverpool to keep a clean sheet and I do think Southampton have to be respected for scoring in every home Premier League game that Hasenhuttl has taken charge of.

Clean sheets were much more difficult to come by though and Southampton earned just one in the 13 games the Austrian has been in charge of at St Mary's. Last weekend we saw Southampton can be a little weak mentally if they fall behind, but I expect a much better showing this weekend and the fact that Liverpool are travelling back from Istanbul should most certainly help their cause.

It is hard to imagine Southampton keeping Liverpool out at the other end and I am going back to a market that I selected in April when these teams met and that is backing both teams to find the net.

Liverpool have been tough defensively over the last twelve months, but they have looked shaky to open this season. With the potential tiredness in the legs, I think Southampton will challenge them here and backing both teams to score looks the best approach to this fixture.


Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: By far and away the biggest game in the Premier League this weekend comes from the Etihad Stadium as Manchester City host Tottenham Hotspur so expect to hear plenty about the Champions League Quarter Final epic played between these teams a number of months ago.

Even though they have played in the Premier League since the Quarter Final, both clubs know how important that tie was.

Manchester City did win the Second Leg at home and they have won 3 in a row against Tottenham Hotspur here which should give them the mental edge. The absences of Heung-Min Son and Dele Alli are real blows to Tottenham Hotspur, especially the former who scored three of the four goals Spurs managed against Manchester City in the Champions League tie.

There is a real energy about Tottenham Hotspur even without those two players, but Christian Eriksen can't begin this one on the bench if Mauricio Pochettino really wants to oversee a stand out win. Last season Tottenham Hotspur lost here as well as Stamford Bridge, Anfield and the Emirates Stadium and I do think they can't really call themselves title contenders unless they do better in those big away games.

Manchester City simply have been dominant at home over the last couple of seasons with 34 League wins from 38 played here. At the end of last season they became pragmatic in their play with a number of 1-0 results secured, but Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United all conceded at least twice here and Tottenham Hotspur conceded four in the Champions League Quarter Final.

I do think this will be a good game of football with Tottenham Hotspur likely to give it a go, but they have to show a better defensive resiliency than they did in big away games last season. Those issues were perhaps not highlighted as Spurs made a strong run in the Champions League to the Final, but they had conceded at least twice here and in Amsterdam before doing the same in the Final. They also did that in the Premier League at Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea and in the League Cup Semi Final at Stamford Bridge too.

Ultimately I do think the defensive side could let them down here and I will back Manchester City to cover the Asian Handicap as they remind the rest of the Premier League that they remain the team to beat in 2019/20.


Sheffield United v Crystal Palace Pick: The television cameras will arrive at Bramall Lane for the first time in the Premier League for over a decade. Sheffield United and Crystal Palace both picked up a point on the opening Saturday of the Premier League season and so there is something for them to build on here.

This looks a really tough game to call with both clubs looking like they have positives that could see them earn the victory. A draw would not surprise, but I have to respect how well Crystal Palace played away from home last season with plenty of wins on their travels.

Sheffield United were very strong at home in the Championship and will feel their home form will determine whether they can survive in the top flight and I think it is a game that could be interesting to watch.

It is definitely a tough one to have a strong feeling about, but I think it could be an intriguing watch ahead of the Chelsea-Leicester City game in the second half of Super Sunday.


Chelsea v Leicester City Pick: Like Liverpool, Chelsea have had to do a lot of travelling in the last seven days and they would have appreciated not having to have played Extra Time and then Penalties in their UEFA Super Cup defeat on Wednesday evening. At least Chelsea have an extra day before they are due to be out for Premier League action, but the negative side compared with Liverpool is suffering a defeat in Istanbul.

After the 4-0 defeat at Manchester United, Frank Lampard would have been much happier with the performance against Liverpool. To be fair Lampard wasn't critical of the performance at Old Trafford either and the big question for Chelsea through the next ten months is whether they have enough goals to really compete for a top four place.

In the first two games they have played Chelsea have impressed with the number of chances they have created, but the finishing touch has been lacking. I also think they have a few issues at the back to deal with, while the transition from attack to defence has been very poor.

That could be a really big issue for them on Sunday when they face Leicester City who are going to look to try and frustrate their hosts and hit them on the counter attack. There is plenty of pace in this Leicester City team and plenty of quality too which makes them a very dangerous opponent off a tough fixture in Eastern Europe as the one Chelsea just faced.

Leicester City have a decent recent record at Stamford Bridge too with a single defeat in their last 4 visits and I do like The Foxes in this spot. Before the thumping at Old Trafford Chelsea looked a very short price in this fixture, but even now I can't be having them at odds on to win this game.

A start with Leicester City on the Asian Handicap means a single goal loss will return half our stake and I would be surprised if Brendan Rodgers' team capitulates here. The counter attack should give them a chance of springing a surprise throughout this fixture and I will back the visitors to find a way to the upset result here.


Wolves v Manchester United Pick: The final game from the Premier League this weekend comes from Molineux on Monday evening in what is a big couple of weeks for Wolves. While most clubs will have one game a week at this stage, Wolves are playing between Europa League commitments and Nuno Espirito Santo knows he has to manage his squad very well before the international break in early September.

Hammering Pyunik away from home in the Europa League Third Qualifying Round First Leg meant the manager could rest the majority of his first team players so Wolves will have no excuses ahead of this League fixture. Motivation should not be a problem for fans and players in the Premier League opener, but those levels can only be added to as Wolves look for a third straight win over Manchester United.

Last season they beat United twice at home in the space of three weeks and both by the same 2-1 scoreline. After a solid opener to the season I am very surprised Wolves are considered such an underdog in this fixture, but a part of the issue may be the 4-0 scoreline Manchester United produced.

It was a fantastic result against Chelsea, but the game was much closer than the scoreline suggested and this is a really big challenge for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer who noted the two losses he has managed at Wolves a few months ago. Defensively Manchester United will have to be better and I do think spaces won't be as free in this fixture as they were in the win over Chelsea.

Wolves have shown their methods are very effective against the top sides and if I didn't support Manchester United I would absolutely suggest they can be backed to win this one. Last season Manchester United (twice), Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea were all beaten at Molineux while only Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur left with wins.

On the other hand Manchester United lost 4 of 7 away fixtures at the top eight clubs in the Premier League and had that loss here in the FA Cup too. They did win at Chelsea and Arsenal in the FA Cup, but Manchester United are going to need to show considerable improvement to get a result here.

I know there will be plenty who will take Wolves with the start on the Asian Handicap that returns a profit if the home team avoids defeat and I couldn't really argue against that.

However my selection is going to be on at least three goals to be shared out.

The layers have set that as an odds against shot and 12 of Wolves' 19 home Premier League games finished with less than three goals shared out last season. However 4 of the 6 League games at Molineux against teams that finished above them in the League table all produced at least three goals, while Wolves had a 2-1 win over Liverpool and Manchester United in the FA Cup here too.

Manchester United saw 5 of the 7 away Premier League games at the top eight in the Premier League finish with at least three goals shared out last season. While Harry Maguire and Aaron Wan-Bissaka can make an impact on them defensively, United still looked vulnerable at the back in the win over Chelsea and the clean sheet perhaps glosses over the actual performance, one that Wolves will punish if a similar level is produced.

There were plenty of chances created in the Premier League game between these clubs here when Manchester United were unfortunate to lose considering chances they created. I expect both to do the same here and it should be the fourth consecutive fixture between these clubs that finish with at least both teams scoring.

I do think that both teams won't want to settle for a draw so we should see plenty of attacking football here and I will back at least three goals to be shared out for a third consecutive game at Molineux between Wolves and Manchester United.

MY PICKS: Arsenal - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 2.05 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Aston Villa-Bournemouth Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)
Everton & Over 1.5 Goals @ 2.10 Coral (2 Units)
Southampton-Liverpool Both Teams to Score- YES @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)
Manchester City - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Leicester City + 0.75 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet Fred (2 Units)
Wolves-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.15 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Season 2019/20 Update: 4-4-1, - 0.18 Units (18 Units Staked, - 1% Yield)

Fantasy Football (GameWeek 2)

I am sure I was not the only one out there that decided to make a last minute change to their Fantasy Football team in GW1 before the deadline meant we could no longer make unlimited changes.

My decision to move out Diogo Jota in favour of Joshua King didn't have the impact I desired, but I still finished with 84 points in GW1 thanks to Raheem Sterling's huge performance at the London Stadium.

Mohamed Salah, Anthony Martial, Ederson and Caglar Soyuncu all added multiple points, but it was the Sterling hat-trick that really motored the points forward.

Without a doubt the biggest disappointment was Bernardo Silva being left on the bench by Pep Guardiola. Riyad Mahrez had a big game which puts pressure on Bernardo, but I would be surprised if the Portuguese midfielder is not in the line up this weekend.

Below I will show you the team I am going with in GW2 having decided I will hold my transfers until next weekend when I will be able to make two.

However before that I will identify some players that you may feel could be targeted if you are thinking of making some changes this week.

Goalkeeper

The injury to Alisson would have had many fantasy managers ripping out their hair just minutes into a new season, but most will be looking to transfer the Liverpool goalkeeper out now he is expected to miss the remainder of the month.

He is the joint most expensive Goalkeeper in the game so plenty of options are available to replace him.

Adrian (4.5 Million- Liverpool): In usual circumstances I am guessing most would make the like for like change, but Jurgen Klopp's warning about an injury suffered by Adrian on Wednesday evening is a big concern. I would rather wait for Adrian than bring in Andy Lonergan as another change would need to be made very quickly and it would likely result in a hit to the the points tally.

Jordan Pickford (5.5 Million- Everton): A strong set of games to open the season and Everton have actually been a solid team defensively for months under Marco Silva. They have kept clean sheets in their last 5 League games here and Watford, Wolves and Sheffield United are the next three visitors. With away games at Aston Villa and Bournemouth in between those home games, Pickford has to be a big shout.

Defender

I have to admit I would be a touch concerned about the way Liverpool have opened this season defensively and there may be better options out there. Players I am monitoring are below.

Fabian Delph (5.5 Million- Everton): A potential player who will be playing much further up the pitch than his defender status in the game would suggest. I have mentioned Everton's run of clean sheets and the fixtures that are in front of them, plus it would give me the chance to reinvest funds elsewhere if removing a Liverpool defender.

Harry Maguire/Aaron Wan-Bissaka (5.5 Million- Man United): The clean sheet against Chelsea was a boost and both could offer some attacking threat too.

However I would keep a watching brief on the way United perform defensively even though the fixtures look decent on paper. Might be worth bringing in one next weekend for the remaining August fixtures against Crystal Palace and Southampton.

Midfielder

Riyad Mahrez (8.5 Million- Man City): After Leroy Sane was ruled out for the next several months, it was interesting to see Mahrez get the nod in one of the three forward spots. His performance against West Ham United won't be ignored by Pep Guardiola and I am going to have a watching brief as to the kind of main starting line up that the Spaniard will be using.

Paul Pogba (8.5 Million- Man United): While the European transfer window is open you do wonder if Paul Pogba will try and force a move out of Old Trafford. I doubt that at this stage, but until then I will keep the Frenchman on my watch list. It is a blow that he is seemingly off penalties this season.

Gylfi Sigurdsson (8 Million- Everton): A third Everton player is on the list thanks to their strong early set of fixtures. The Icelandic midfielder scored 13 goals last season and came closest for Everton at Crystal Palace last week.

Forward

Ashley Barnes (6.5 Million- Burnley): They are not a fashionable team but I had Barnes on my solid performer list for much of last season, especially at this price. The August fixtures are far from easy, but from September I think Barnes will be joining my team as Burnley get set to face Brighton, Norwich City, Aston Villa, Everton and Leicester City between games against Liverpool and Chelsea.

Teemu Puuki (6.5 Million- Norwich City): Scored last week so showed he can take his form up a level. Norwich City look like an attacking team and Puuki could have chances in the next few weeks to add to his total. Definitely a player worth considering.

Roberto Firmino (9.5 Million- Liverpool): If you find space for a third Liverpool player after removing a defender, Firmino could be the man to target. Looked in hot form in the first three games played and looks a source of goals and assists.

GameWeek 2 Team

Like I said, I am holding onto my squad this week with the knowledge that I can make two transfers next week. I had put a Fantasy squad together that I did not want to change in the first couple of weeks and the injury to Alisson has perhaps meant a change in having multiple Liverpool defenders. I have a feeling they won't be able to keep Southampton out this weekend and then face an attacking Arsenal team before a trip to Burnley.

However I don't like making snap judgements on a team and so I want to see how they perform this week before deciding on moves to improve the squad with multiple transfers in GW3 or GW4.

The eleven I am starting with this weekend is below:

Ederson- Manchester City had two clean sheets against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League last season and Ederson has been picked as my firm Goalkeeper considering the back up is a cheap option who won't start.

Virgil Van Dijk- a threat from set pieces even if Liverpool concede.

Andrew Robertson- another Liverpool defender despite my feeling that Southampton will score this weekend. Andrew Robertson always an attacking threat and assists are a big part of his game.

John Lundstram- Sheffield United defender who started much higher up the pitch and created a couple of good chances for his team. Home game with Crystal Palace is a chance for what may be a rare clean sheet for The Blades.

Youri Tielemans- it is a tough away game at Stamford Bridge for the Leicester City midfielder, but Chelsea have looked far from watertight. He plays in an advanced position and will be key to any upset Leicester City earn here.

Mohamed Salah (C)- the Egyptian has scored in the Premier League opener and has looked very threatening in all three games played for Liverpool. Hard to ignore his claims to be Captain considering he scored in both League games against Southampton last season.

Raheem Sterling (VC)- hat-trick to open the season and almost the first choice on the Manchester City team-sheet. Has scored twice in two of the last three home Manchester City games against Tottenham Hotspur.

Bernardo Silva- missed out last week, but I think Bernardo will be back in action this weekend and always involved in either producing or scoring goals. Expect a big game in response to Riyad Mahrez' performance last week.

Che Adams- he had his chances last week for Southampton and could be the biggest threat to a Liverpool team that may be down to a third choice goalkeeper. I do believe he is a striker who will score goals at this level.

Josh King- I made a last minute decision to pick King ahead of Diogo Jota. It didn't work out last weekend, but he should have space to operate in against an attacking Aston Villa team and is one of the top choices for penalties.

Bench- Michael McGovern (Norwich City back up), Tyrone Mings (could have a clean sheet chance, but Bournemouth have a strong attack), Caglar Soyuncu (Chelsea have looked good going forward, clean sheet unlikely), Xande Silva (West Ham back up).