English Premier League Football Picks Game Week 2 2026/27 (Friday 28th August-Monday 31st August 2026)

By the end of this weekend, fans of those clubs playing in Europe this season will be able to plot out the schedule until the end of January with only the League Cup creating extra games and with a single Round of the FA Cup to be played.

It is an exciting time, but things can change pretty quickly for all supporters if a poor opening weekend result turns into a longer slump as expectations remain pretty fluid at the end of August.

This season the calendar has changed so there are five Premier League games, the Third Round of the League Cup and one Match Day of the Champions League/Europa League to be completed before we get into the first international break of the season.

A decision was made to make that opening break a little longer than usual as the Nations League gets underway in the UEFA Confederation, but it does mean teams have an opportunity to build some early momentum and allow new signings to settle in before they head away with international teams.

There are a number of teams who will be looking to produce stronger results in the second week of the Premier League season, notably Manchester United and Aston Villa, and it is the opening home fixture of the campaign for ten of the twenty top flight clubs. Fans will arrive with huge smiles, but things can turn sour pretty quickly, even at this very early stage of the season, and so it is up to the players and management staff to make sure that is not the case.

It all adds up to another important week in the Premier League, which is once again 'blessed' with a Friday Night Football match (good news for supporters who have to work being forced to travel for a game where you are almost certainly not going to be able to get public transport back home).

Crystal Palace vs Manchester City: Late goals prevented the early Enzo Maresca era as manager of Manchester City beginning with a lot of critics asking questions of the tactics employed, but the Italian will be hoping for a much more comfortable experience in the weeks and months ahead.

Manchester City did not play badly, but they were wasteful early and the defensive issues were clear to see.

A response has been to spend another big fee on another midfielder and Manchester City continue to be linked with a move for Enzo Fernandez to bolster options further.

Enzo Maresca should have a more settled midfield for this fixture, but he will be aware that Crystal Palace will be looking to recover from a disappointing loss at Everton.

The Eagles deserved more than they got, but they need this transfer window to close if only to see squad players settle down and focus on the task at hand. Being without Ismaila Sarr is a blow, but Jean-Philippe Mateta will lead the line and they should have chances.

Games between the clubs have featured plenty of goals in recent times and this Friday night offering could be another.

Fantasy: Erling Haaland is not likely to miss the same chances he did last week, but the standout play for Manchester City may be Phil Foden, despite a quiet outing. He was getting into stronger positions in the second half after tactical shifts were made and Foden still has something to prove to keep Rayan Cherki out of the team.

Liverpool vs Nottingham Forest: It has been a tough opening week for manager Oliver Glasner and things are not going to get easier when taking his Nottingham Forest team to Anfield.

The players may be reminding the manager that they have won here twice in a row in the top flight, but a new system is still go through teething issues and Nottingham Forest have struggled to create much in the final third in the first couple of games.

They will have seen the vulnerabilities Liverpool have in defensive areas, and Nottingham Forest can be dangerous on the counter, but a first home game of the season under a new manager should mean a decent atmosphere is created for the Liverpool players to perform.

A 2-2 draw at Newcastle United may not be a bad result in the long-term, but Liverpool will feel they created enough to earn the three points and they can get the better of this visitor on Saturday in the early kick off slot.

Fantasy: A new £100 million plus signing is set to arrive at Anfield, but the fans need to see more from the two who arrived last summer- Florian Wirtz had another 'nothing game' last week, but Alexander Isak can benefit from the chances the team should be able to create.

Bournemouth vs Everton: The key for Marco Rose is keeping hold of key players before the transfer window and he will be hoping Bournemouth may be able to bring in a couple of signings that could ease the burden on the squad.

The extra Europa League games are going to be challenging for the club, but Bournemouth fans will be very excited about the coming months.

It will be easier to remain that way if Bournemouth can put some solid Premier League points on the board sooner than later and they will feel they should have earned a positive result at Manchester City last weekend.

Everton arrive after putting two wins and two clean sheets on the board, but they were not at their best in seeing off Crystal Palace.

Work is being done to try and give David Moyes more options, but this has regularly been a tough place for Everton to visit and they need to be much more solid defensively if they are going to pick up any points this week.

Fantasy: There may be better games to target, but if Bournemouth are going to have success, Marcus Tavernier may have to maintain the form he has been producing for some time.

Coventry City vs Hull City: Two promoted clubs earned opening three points in the Premier League, but it is the Champions of the second tier who missed out.

Coventry City clearly had the toughest assignment, but it is Hull City who head into the second weekend of the season with the biggest upset having beaten Manchester United at home.

Frank Lampard will know this is a very important game for his team, but losing at Arsenal is not going to define them like a fixture like this one and that is what the players will be reminded of all week.

Both fixtures between these clubs ended goalless last season and there may be little between them again- Coventry City had been the stronger team when they met at the CBS Arena and that may see them win a tight fixture.

Fantasy: If you have selected defenders from either of these teams, there is a real opportunity to play them this weekend... The lean would be with the Coventry City defenders and Ben Thomas should retain his place in the starting eleven even after Ethan Pinnock arrived from Brentford to give the squad some Premier League experience.

Tottenham Hotspur vs Newcastle United: The fans of both of these clubs may be a little unsure what to expect after the opening weekend results, although Tottenham Hotspur entered the season with the greater expectations overall.

Any team that has spent like Spurs will have raised expectations, but Roberto De Zerbi may need some time to mould the starting eleven together and facing Newcastle United has regularly been challenging in recent seasons for the North London club.

Tottenham Hotspur will sense the visitors have vulnerabilities at the back, but the pace in the forward areas makes Newcastle United dangerous and this is a fixture that tends to produce plenty of goals.

Picking a winner is not easy, but Newcastle United have enjoyed recent games at this Stadium and ultimately a 2-1 scoreline either way would not be a surprise.

Fantasy: The signings of Savinho (or Savio as he is now known) and Omar Marmoush gives Tottenham Hotspur some solid options in the forward areas, while the likes of Micky van de Ven and Pedro Porro should shore them up at the back. One of the key performers in the pre-season was Mathys Tel and he may be ready to have an impact in what is looking like a potentially high-scoring fixture.

Chelsea vs Brighton Pick: These two teams could not have asked for a better opening to the new season and that should mean a confident match is produced when Chelsea host Brighton.

The last 8 Premier League games between the teams have all ended with at least three goals shared out and this has every chance of following that trend considering some of the attacking players that will be on the pitch.

It also helps that Chelsea are still looking vulnerable at the back, while Brighton play a high-line that can be exploited by the front three that the home team are likely to employ.

An early goal could really spark the occasion, although it is a shame for Brighton that Jack Hinshelwood is unlikely to be available after picking up an injury in training.

Fantasy: You could pick any of the Chelsea front three and be pretty happy, but Maxim De Cuyper has made a strong start to the season for Brighton and may be able to exploit some of the early defensive issues that have been highlighted in the home side.

Leeds United vs Brentford: Games between Leeds United and Brentford have tended to be very competitive and with little between them and it would be a surprise if that changes on Sunday.

Opening wins with clean sheets will have done both squads very well and they have backed that up by progressing in the League Cup during the week.

Brentford have displayed some really strong firepower in the opening week, but they have yet to find the balance needed away from home under Keith Andrews and that is the challenge for the manager to meet.

We know Leeds United will be tough to beat at Elland Road, but it would not be a surprise if these two teams end up cancelling one another out.

Fantasy: In the weeks and months ahead, both Leeds United and Brentford could offer some very good Fantasy choices, but this is expected to be a tight fixture and it may be a week where a moment of magic is needed... Where that comes from is anyone's guess!

Sunderland vs Fulham: There is a real concern about whether Sunderland have enough to compete with the added commitments of the Europa League and the late goal to lose at Portman Road will feel like a bitter blow to open this season.

The record at the Stadium of Light was impressive last season, but the underlying data is a little more concerning and Sunderland have struggled to deal with Fulham in recent years.

Alvaro Arbeloa's men earned the first win of the season against Wimbledon in the League Cup, but they will need to be better defensively than they showed against Chelsea and this is yet another team that will be having to get through some growing pains.

Fulham still retain some real quality though and both of these teams may have to share the points to get off the mark in the top flight in 2026/27.

Fantasy: This is another fixture where there is little between the teams, but Gonzalo Garcia has made a strong start to the campaign and looks like he will do a very good job for Fulham. The West London club have a decent record in recent visits to Sunderland and it may be Garcia who helps them edge this one as well, if they are going to earn an edge.

Manchester United vs Ipswich Town: The big concern for Manchester United in the aftermath of the loss to Hull City is that the performances during Michael Carrick's time at the club suggested a result like that one was not too far away.

Once again Manchester United have not been able to exert their strength on a team they should beat, but the results and performances away from home have now become a serious concern with little sign that the former will be sustainable without the latter.

Manchester United are back at home this weekend and it should be said that they have generally been a lot better at Old Trafford compared with playing away from home. The numbers back that up and a reaction is expected from a squad that has enough talent to win a game like this one.

Ipswich Town have nothing to lose and an early Premier League win will have done the squad the world of good, but they are going to do well to contain Manchester United on Sunday.

Set pieces looks the best avenue for Ipswich Town after seeing fellow promoted club Hull City exploit those last week, but Manchester United have tended to be pretty comfortable at Old Trafford and that can be underlined by the final score.

Fantasy: Any time Manchester United play at home, Bruno Fernandes will stand out for fantasy purposes, but it was Bryan Mbeumo who produced the biggest threatening moments last week and he is likely going to be a focal point of the attack again.

Aston Villa vs Arsenal: Opening weekend results can lead to grand statements being made about prospects of teams going forward and you will likely hear everyone suggesting Arsenal will win comfortably at Villa Park on Monday night.

Aston Villa lost 4-0 at Brighton forty-eight hours after Arsenal opened the new season with a 3-0 home win over Coventry City and those contrasting fortunes have meant the Champions go into this fixture as big favourites.

It has been feast or famine for Arsenal when visiting Villa Park since Unai Emery took charge of Aston Villa and this is a manager who will have been working his players to extract a big reaction from them.

The gut feeling is that we will see a big reaction from Aston Villa, but Arsenal still have a lot of quality and new signing Christos Tzolis has made an early impact.

He does not shy away from getting into shooting positions and Aston Villa were hurt on the right side of the defence in the heavy defeat at the Amex Stadium. Instead of backing a winner, backing Tzolis to hit the target with what is likely to be at least two or three efforts on goal looks the best way to be involved this Bank Holiday Monday.

Fantasy: The name has already been mentioned and it is Christos Tzolis who can continue to make an early impact for Arsenal having already been involved in creating goals against Manchester City and Coventry City.

MY PICKS: Crystal Palace-Manchester City Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.65 Bet Victor (1 Unit)

Liverpool - 1 Asian Handicap @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Bournemouth @ 2.10 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Coventry City-Hull City Under 2.5 Goals @ 1.91 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Tottenham Hotspur-Newcastle United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.65 William Hill (1 Unit)

Chelsea-Brighton Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.61 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Leeds-Brentford Draw @ 3.50 Bet Fred (0.5 Units)

Sunderland-Fulham Draw @ 3.40 Bet Fred (0.5 Units)

Manchester United - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.88 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Christos Tzolis Over 0.5 Shots on Target @ 1.61 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Premier League 26/27: 4-6, - 0.18 Units (9 Units Staked, - 2% Yield)

2026 World Cup: 57-45-1, + 8.63 Units (103 Units Staked, + 8.38% Yield)

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.