Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football GameWeek 22 2022 (January 14-19)

It has been a few GameWeeks since I posted about the Fantasy Football and Premier League and that is largely down to the incredible uncertainty that we have been dealing with.

I know some people are managing to work their way through the difficulties, but it has been a really poor season for me and one in which I can't really imagine turning around to the level I would want.

There is a long way to go and things can change, but decisions have backfired on a regular basis and the crash ahead of the New Year Day fixtures has been an absolute killer.

More on that below as we get into what was supposed to be a pretty big Double GameWeek, but what looks like could become another in which postponements end any hopes of making use of the planned transfers.

Brighton v Crystal Palace Pick: There is no love lost between rivals Brighton and Crystal Palace as they meet in the latest M23 derby fixture on Friday evening in front of the television cameras.

Both of these clubs will be feeling pretty good about the first half of the Premier League season and Brighton and Crystal Palace will be targeting memorable campaigns. That will likely mean a top half Premier League finish and a real go at winning the FA Cup and the two clubs have had recent successes in the Cup to suggest those are realistic ambitions.

The African Cup of Nations is being played this month and that does remove some key players on both sides, although the squads are looking largely pretty healthy for this time of the season.

It should mean a good fixture between two teams that have liked to get the ball down and play attacking football this season. They create chances and both Brighton and Crystal Palace have to be pleased with their defensive efforts which has helped them into the top twelve in the standings and well clear of relegation issues.

Brighton did the Premier League double over Crystal Palace in 2018/19, but in recent meetings it is The Eagles who have gotten the better of things. Late goals have won the last two derby games played at the Amex Stadium and both in favour of Crystal Palace and I do think they are being underestimated here.

They haven't scored in 3 away Premier League games, but Crystal Palace could have earned positive results at Leeds United and Manchester United in that time. The lack of goals is a concern without Wilfred Zaha, but Crystal Palace have young, talented players in the forward areas that can make it tough for Brighton.

Graham Potter's team are very difficult to play, but they will offer some chances to opponents and Brighton don't overwhelm opponents as they have some inconsistency in the final third. That could leave them vulnerable as the short priced favourites and I will back Crystal Palace with the start to earn some kind of positive result.

Manchester City v Chelsea Pick: At the end of last season, Chelsea and Manchester City met three times in three different competitions and it was Thomas Tuchel's men who won all three times.

It meant Chelsea came into the season with a lot of momentum as European Champions, but the consistency needed to challenge for the Premier League title looks to be beyond them. A poor run has seen Chelsea draw 4 of their last 5 Premier League games and that has seen them drop to 10 points behind Manchester City.

The pressure is on Chelsea to win here and any feeling of confidence from those wins at the end of last season may have been erased when they were completely outclassed in a 0-1 home loss to Manchester City in September.

Now they have to face a Manchester City team who have won 11 Premier League games in a row and who look to have a squad that is healthy. Unlike recent seasons, Manchester City have not had to play a League Cup Semi Final in January and that means they should be fresh and ready to compete when hosting this big Premier League game.

Chelsea were in the League Cup Semi Final and wins over Tottenham Hotspur in both Legs will have them feeling positive about themselves. Covid issues and injuries look largely behind Chelsea now, but containing Manchester City will be a huge challenge and I can understand why the home team are such short favourites to win.

I doubt it will be easy for Manchester City after Chelsea have shown better defensive composure this month, but I do think the most likely result is a narrow home win.

Manchester City have looked really strong in defensive positions and I think Chelsea will find it tough to find significant gaps in the backline for the home team. They have scored 13 goals in their last two Premier League games here, but Chelsea are expected to set themselves up to be hard to beat and try and counter their hosts.

Barring a late Marcos Alonso strike, all four games between Pep Guardiola's Manchester City and Thomas Tuchel's Chelsea would have ended with two or fewer goals shared out. I think that is likely to be the outcome of this one too and the layers may be taking a chances with odds against quotes on there being fewer than three goals in the early kick off.

Newcastle United v Watford Pick: Relegation six pointers don't come much bigger than Newcastle United versus Watford and these two clubs will head into this weekend knowing how important this game is to both.

The bottom four look like they are being cut off from the rest of the Premier League and three of those will be playing in the Championship next season. Neither Newcastle United nor Watford are in the kind of form that makes it easy to trust them, although the expected financial muscle of Newcastle United is showing up with the signings of Kieran Trippier and Chris Wood.

Even then, a strong Newcastle United team were beaten by Cambridge United in the FA Cup Third Round last weekend and they are struggling. Eddie Howe is hoping to bring in defensive reinforcements, but for now Newcastle United are going to have a tough challenge in picking up the points they need to avoid an embarrassing drop into the second tier of English Football.

Newcastle United are home this weekend, which gives them an edge, and they are facing a Watford team that have lost 7 in a row in all competitions. Claudio Ranieri has not had the kind of defensive impact expected and Watford have looked short of confidence, although the squad is getting healthier and have had recent signings bolster their options too.

The next week could tell us all we need to know about Watford- amazingly they are facing all three teams inside the relegation zone over the next seven days and you have to imagine the veteran manager is targeting at least five points from the fixtures against Newcastle United, Burnley and Norwich City.

It is hard to trust Watford considering the amount of goals they have been conceding, but they look to have some important players back for this game. The effort in the narrow loss to Tottenham Hotspur in their last Premier League game is encouraging and Watford do have some talented forward players that can expose the holes in the Newcastle United defence.

Watford also have a decent record at St James' Park in recent visits and I think they may have enough to at least take a point from this fixture. The first goal is going to be absolutely massive considering the lack of confidence that the teams are both playing with, but Watford have the players that could provide that in what is a massive game at the bottom of the table.

Norwich City v Everton Pick: You have to be aware that Norwich City look way short of the quality needed to avoid the drop back into the Championship and there wouldn't be many backing them to surpass the 21 points they earned a couple of seasons ago when finishing bottom of the top flight table.

They were well beaten at West Ham United on Wednesday which means 6 straight Premier League losses and all without scoring a goal and Norwich City will do well to double the 10 points earned so far.

However, I also can't help think Everton are massively over-rated for this trip to Carrow Road and there is nothing they have done to deserve being close to odds on to win here. Dean Smith has to be telling his players this is a big opportunity for them when you think Everton have won 1 of their last 13 games in all competitions in normal time.

Everton have been hit hard by injury and they are going to be without some key players, although the quality of Demarai Gray and Dominic Calvert-Lewin may give them the edge in this fixture. Even then, Everton look remarkably short in the market and they have vulnerabilities at the back that can be exposed by Norwich City, despite the horrific goal-scoring form of the home team.

I won't deny that Everton can create chances, but they have given up some big opportunities for opponents at the back and it may be enough for Norwich City to move into a position to earn a positive result. They were well beaten at Goodison Park, but Everton are not playing with the same confidence as earlier this season and it feels like the layers are just looking to oppose Norwich City regardless of opposition they are facing.

The recent form of Norwich City is not exactly encouraging, but they did push Manchester United at Carrow Road last month. With Covid issues now behind them, Norwich City may be in a better place to challenge Everton and I think Rafael Benitez' team have had enough difficulties away from Goodison Park to think it would be anything but a surprise if they were to drop points.

Wolves v Southampton Pick: Two teams in pretty strong form will meet at Molineux and both Wolves and Southampton will feel they are overachieving the expectations set out for them back in August.

Bruno Lage and Ralph Hasenhuttl have a clear idea of what they like to see from their teams and that should produce a good game of football.

Wolves deserve to be favourites when you think they have home advantage and the defensive strength they have displayed time after time this season. This is a team that will not give up a lot of big chances and Wolves will believe they can largely contain Southampton, despite the fact the visitors will be heading into the fixture having scored four times against Brentford on Tuesday.

The Saints have scored at least twice in 3 away games in a row too, so they are clearly dangerous at their best. However, they will find it tough to break down a well organised Wolves team and that despite having a pretty decent record at Molineux over the last couple of years.

Southampton will play their football and it should be an eye-pleasing game, but it feels like one in which there may not be as many goals as some may expect. While Southampton have been able to score goals away from home, they failed to do so at Manchester City and Liverpool who are some of the better defensive teams in the Premier League.

Wolves may not be as renowned as those two teams, but they are very tough to score against too and I think they can do enough to keep Southampton at arm's length in this match.

However, Wolves have also struggled for goals and the eye-catching football has missed an end product at times. They have not scored in their last 3 Premier League games here and the feeling is that one of these teams will fail to find the back of the net on Saturday.

That would have been a winning approach when the teams met earlier this season and also when they played at Molineux in the FA Cup last season. I think both Wolves and Southampton could have strong second halves of the season, but this is a game in which there could be some issues putting a finishing touch on the football being produced.

Aston Villa v Manchester United Pick: There will have been plenty of players and fans asking each other how Aston Villa managed to lose the FA Cup Third Round tie at Old Trafford on Monday. Redemption will be on the mind of the players when they take the field on Saturday afternoon in the Premier League, although this time Aston Villa will be the team hosting the game.

Playing Manchester United at Villa Park has been a really tough challenge for Aston Villa over the years and the fact they have won none of the last 22 against them here underlines the point. Since returning to the top flight, Aston Villa have lost both home games against Manchester United and conceded three goals in both defeats, but the visitors are not playing with much confidence at the moment.

The results continue to be churned out and Manchester United may feel they will have a much stronger team out on Saturday compared with the Cup tie. This time they should be able to call on Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo, but there is no doubt that the confidence looks to be shot right now.

Cristiano Ronaldo's interview suggesting younger players are not keen to learn and improve may not have gone down very well with his team-mates, despite the obvious standards the Portuguese star wants to set at Old Trafford.

It makes it very hard to see Manchester United as the favourite in this fixture and I am not convinced that they will be markedly improved on the performance on Monday. Yes, Cristiano Ronaldo is back, but the loss of Scott McTominay hurts in the middle of the pitch and better finishing from Aston Villa, as well as a little luck, would have seen Steven Gerrard's team earn the upset.

Aston Villa have not exactly been in good form themselves having lost 4 of their last 6 at Villa Park in the Premier League, but Manchester United's lack of goals away from home is a concern. The home team will also be boosted by the signings of Lucas Digne and Philippe Coutinho who will both be involved here, while the results have perhaps been more unfortunate than reflective of the Aston Villa level.

After struggles at Norwich City and Newcastle United, Manchester United look very short to win here and the feeling is that the layers are pricing them up on name rather than level being produced. That cannot be ignored and the value looks to be on the home team, as much as it pains me to say it.

Liverpool v Brentford Pick: If both of these squads were at full strength you would have to make Liverpool a significant favourite on current form and overall quality in this Premier League game at Anfield on Sunday.

However, the absence of Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah was felt by the home team in their goalless draw with Arsenal in the League Cup Semi Final First Leg on Thursday. Even the fact that Arsenal had been reduced to ten men fairly early on did not change the narrative of the fixture as Liverpool struggled to create good chances without their two best forward players.

Making up for the absence of Mane and Salah is going to be a challenge for Liverpool through the remainder of the month and one that may be beyond them if the last game is anything to go by. You can forgive an off day, but Liverpool's impotence in the final third is a massive concern.

Liverpool may be facing the right opponent to change that feeling about them without their two star players and that is because Brentford have been conceding away goals in the Premier League at an alarming rate. Heavy losses at Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton are one thing, but Brentford have also conceded three times in a defeat at Burnley and the same amount at Newcastle United in a 3-3 draw at St James' Park.

It certainly makes it hard to believe Brentford can contain Liverpool, although this is a team that will get forward and cause one or two problems of their own. As porous as they have been defensively, Brentford have scored at least twice in half of their last 8 away Premier League games and they have also produced their best efforts against the top teams.

Just last month Brentford were narrowly beaten by Manchester City at home in the Premier League, while the likes of Arsenal and Liverpool have failed to win in West London. It has been a different story away from home, but Thomas Frank has to believe his team can do enough to be much more competitive than they were in the loss at Southampton on Tuesday.

I also expect much better from Liverpool after the lack of quality in the final third on Thursday, but the lack of time between games is not going to help them too much. The squad is stretched so rotation is not really something that Jurgen Klopp can do right now and it feels Brentford can do enough to at least avoid a big loss here.

The fans will be excited about this week with Liverpool and Manchester United the opponents in the space of a few days and I expect those matches to motivate the players to produce their best too. Earning a positive result at Anfield may be beyond Brentford in the first of those games and especially on current form, but Liverpool are without key striking options and it may mean having to settle for a close win on the day.

West Ham United v Leeds United Pick: The top three in the Premier League look on course to secure Champions League Football, but the race for the final place has the potential to go right down to the wire.

It feels like an open race and West Ham United should not be doubting their own abilities to scratch and claw their way into those positions. Momentum is a big part of Football and The Hammers have plenty of that after back to back wins over the last week at the London Stadium.

That means West Ham United have won 4 in a row in all competitions since the surprising 2-3 defeat to Southampton and they have forced their way back into the top four. A win on Sunday will see West Ham United cement that spot before the North London derby is played between the two teams immediately below them and West Ham United are a team that have been scoring goals for fun.

West Ham United pose an attacking threat that will cause plenty of problems for Leeds United and better finishing last weekend would have made the Cup tie much more comfortable.

Leeds United have struggled away from home this season and in recent weeks the stretched squad have had difficulties. They are struggling at both ends of the field and I think West Ham United will be too good for Leeds United for a second Sunday in a row.

I expect the visitors to cause a few more problems than last weekend with Raphinha and potentially Patrick Bamford back in the line up, but even that may not be enough to contain a West Ham United who are scoring plenty of goals.

Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal Pick: There are still some doubts that the North London derby will be played on Sunday with Arsenal facing a long injury list, Covid issues and players leaving for the African Cup of Nations. They put in a huge effort in the goalless draw at Liverpool on Thursday in the League Cup Semi Final Final First Leg, but that came at a cost with Granit Xhaka sent off and the likes of Cedric Soares and Bukayo Saka picking up knocks.

It would be really frustrating for the Tottenham Hotspur fans as they couldn't really ask for a better time to face their rivals.

Antonio Conte will have been disappointed with the effort made in the two defeats to Chelsea in the League Cup Semi Final First and Second Leg, but the manager has sparked positive form at home since arriving at the club. Tottenham Hotspur have won 4 of their 5 home Premier League games under Conte and they have scored at least twice in each of those games.

Spurs also have a very good recent home record against Arsenal with 5 wins in their last 7 North London derby games hosted by Tottenham Hotspur.

It can be difficult to get a good read on Arsenal who have been inconsistent away from home, but they do have back to back away wins in the Premier League. The loss at Nottingham Forest was an eye-opener, but Arsenal showed how resilient they can be in their draw at Anfield.

However, I do think they put in a huge effort in that game and now have twenty-four hours less than Tottenham Hotspur to prepare for this one. The players could be absolutely shattered during this fixture and I think Tottenham Hotspur would be able to take advantage if the game is played as scheduled.

With the goals Tottenham Hotspur have been scoring at home in the Premier League, I think they can be backed to earn revenge for the loss at the Emirates Stadium earlier this season.

Brighton v Chelsea Pick: It feels like the Premier League title race is run for Chelsea, but it would also take a real poor run of form for them to miss out on a top four place.

This could all mean that the focus for the manager and the playing staff is on the three Cup competitions they are going to be playing in over the next four months. Chelsea have already reached the League Cup Final and have FA Cup and Champions League commitments too, but Thomas Tuchel will know the Premier League is still important to build momentum.

He was not happy with the 1-0 defeat at Manchester City and was critical of forward players that day, but Chelsea largely contained their hosts too which is encouraging. Key players will soon bolster the squad and Chelsea can also add the World Club Cup to the trophy cabinet next month.

Heading to the Middle East means Chelsea have had this fixture brought forward to ensure there is not a major backlog of games to clear later this season. It provides the team an immediate chance to bounce back from the defeat at Manchester City, although no one associated with Chelsea will believe this is an easy fixture.

Brighton have been enjoying a very good season and showed their worth by coming from behind to earn a point at Stamford Bridge last month. They were not lucky to do so either and Graham Potter's men will feel they have nothing to lose whenever they come up against the top teams in the Premier League.

Defensive injuries are a concern for the home team, but Chelsea have only won 1 of their last 4 away Premier League games and they feel short in this one. Brighton have been very tough to beat at home and they are very rarely brushed aside, while they have also had a few more hours to prepare for this fixture having played on Friday night against rivals Crystal Palace.

Being able to back Brighton with a start looks hard to ignore and especially after Chelsea took the knock they did on Saturday. Some of the players may just have lost some focus after effectively seeing the Premier League title drift away and this is a tough place to try and steal a result.

The first goal is going to be important, but Brighton should be competitive and have shown Liverpool and Chelsea that they don't lose faith even when they fall behind. Chelsea do have a very good recent record here, but a couple of seasons ago Brighton held them to a draw and I think there is every chance they can do the same on Tuesday evening.

Brentford v Manchester United Pick: When a club with the resources of Brentford are able to make the right decisions to move up into the top flight of any of the top European Leagues, the matches against the biggest names are the ones that leap off the page.

Brentford fans have already seen their team host Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea and Manchester City in the Premier League this season, but there is a different feeling knowing Manchester United are coming to town. The Stadium is already one with an intense atmosphere and I think the Wednesday night setting for the game will only make that atmosphere even better.

The home team have lost heavily at Southampton and Liverpool, but they are going to be inspired and motivated by the crowd behind them. It has clearly made a difference for Brentford who have won 3 of their last 4 Premier League games at the Brentford Community Stadium, while they have beaten Arsenal here.

Liverpool escaped with a 3-3 draw, while both Chelsea and Manchester City may feel they were fortunate in their 0-1 League wins here.

All of that points to a huge test for a Manchester United team that have been lacking confidence in recent games and who have just blown a 0-2 lead in an eventual 2-2 draw at Villa Park. Manchester United were also looking vulnerable at Norwich City and Newcastle United and I do think the players are going to be tested by a Brentford team that will look to get on the front foot and put them under pressure.

The absence of David Raya is a big blow for Brentford as the understudy has not performed as well as they would have liked. Alvaro Fernandez made some big saves at Anfield, but the defence does not look as confident with him behind them as when David Raya played and I do think Manchester United can cause problems.

However, I think they will also struggle to contain Brentford and this is another fixture that may feature at least three goals on the night.

Brentford have been strong at home and you can make a case for them being the side to back on the Asian Handicap when you think of their performances at home. However, I do think The Bees have had some issues defensively which could be exposed by Manchester United and a narrow victory for the visitors in a high scoring contest could be the outcome of this game.

Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: This was a fixture that was supposed to be played a few weeks ago and both Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur are still having some issues with injuries.

It is Leicester City who are suffering more out of the two teams, but both had fixtures postponed this weekend and should be fresh and ready to compete. A few players have returned, but it has been a difficult season for Brendan Rodgers as he manages the squad, although there is every chance this could finish up being a successful campaign.

Cup competitions offer Leicester City a chance to win more silverware, but the side are still very much in the race for the top four places. If they win their games in hand, Leicester City would be level on points with West Ham United, but Tottenham Hotspur may be the team with the edge as far as the final Champions League place is concerned.

Home form has been important for Tottenham Hotspur, but Antonio Conte needs more from his squad if they are going to improve their inconsistent away form. They scored a late winner at Watford on New Year's Day, but Tottenham Hotspur have been a touch wasteful in recent away games in the Premier League and being without Heung-Min Son is a blow to their chances.

A strong recent record at the King Power Stadium will offer some encouragement, while Leicester City have been vulnerable defensively.

At the moment the tactics seem to be to try and out-score teams and Leicester City have been successful doing that at home which could make this a really good game. They will concede goals, but Leicester City should be able to hurt Tottenham Hotspur and 4 of the last 5 between these clubs here have ended with at least three goals shared out.

Tottenham Hotspur have struggled to put a finishing touch to their football away from home, but they should be able to create chances here and both teams are likely to hit the net in a high-scoring game.

MY PICKS: Crystal Palace + 0.5 Asian Handicap

Manchester City-Chelsea Under 2.5 Goals

Watford + 0.5 Asian Handicap

Norwich City + 0.5 Asian Handicap

Wolves-Southampton Both Teams to Score- NO

Aston Villa + 0.25 Asian Handicap

Brentford + 1.5 Asian Handicap

West Ham United & Over 1.5 Goals

Tottenham Hotspur - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Brighton + 0.75 Asian Handicap

Leicester City-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals

Brentford-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 22

I've not had much luck, but decisions have not been good enough with my Fantasy Football team and now I look at my squad and have very few reasons to be happy with it.

There are plenty of people having successful seasons so clearly my decision making has not been good enough, but this is way below par and being outside the top million is embarrassing to be perfectly honest with you.

Postponements have clearly not helped- I've been on the wrong end of a number of them- but I've also had to look in the mirror in some of the selections made. Players have also let me down by suddenly losing the confidence of their manager and I have to find a way to get the better of this team, even if it means moving away from traditional approaches to the second half of the season.

In saying that the added Free Transfer Chip given by the game is a bit of a joke and it covers those people who have not been hit hard by postponements which means those games are hitting those of us with the players missing out double than those who have avoided postponements. That doesn't seem very fair and the FPL should be questioning their decision making, especially after the site went down ten minutes before the deadline on Boxing Day.

I think my decisions are going to be a little more risky over the coming weeks and months to try and get things turned around, but I have a number of players that need to be removed.

Andreas Christensen, Diogo Dalot, Christian Benteke and Josh King are high on my removal list- the likes of Christensen and Benteke have really bothered me to my core- but it is just one of those years and I am going to need some luck to avoid my worst ever finish!

As you can imagine, it is pointless me thinking about weeks ahead with postponements continuing to hit hard and all transfers will be made as late as possible with the hope that the site doesn't decide to crash again!

Midweek Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2021 (February 2-4)

The congested nature of the 2020/21 season is being felt the most at this time of the campaign with games being played every few days until the end of February.

There will be more time for rest and recovery as we enter March and April, at least for the majority of the Premier League, but for now every team is in the same boat and managers are having to rotate players. That is not an ideal situation for us Fantasy Premier League players as we try and second guess what kind of teams will be selected, while also planning to get the very best out of our teams.

More on that below, but first my thoughts on the latest round of Premier League games to be played from Tuesday through Thursday. The latest Fantasy deadline comes on Tuesday afternoon so be aware of that.

Sheffield United v West Brom Pick: The term 'relegation six pointer' might be overused, but it is hard to think of Sheffield United versus West Brom as anything else.

The two teams currently prop up the rest of the Premier League and both Chris Wilder and Sam Allardyce can't afford to drop any points in this fixture. It should mean an attacking intent from both knowing a point doesn't really do anything for them long-term and that should produce a decent game of football.

Neither manager can really rely on the defence to keep a clean sheet and so it will be about scoring goals to win this game. When these teams met at The Hawthorns it was a remarkable game in which some huge chances were missed and you have to remain a little concerned by the lack of firepower we have sometimes seen from Sheffield United and West Brom.

However there have been some positive signs from both in recent weeks, at least when it comes to getting forward and creating chances. The last couple of League games at Bramall Lane have seen Sheffield United looking pretty threatening going forward, although the continued defensive vulnerabilities have prevented The Blades cutting a stronger path up the League table.

It is those vulnerabilities that Sam Allardyce will be targeting to exploit and his West Brom team have had to score a fair few goals to make up for their own defensive issues. West Brom have scored at least twice in 3 of their last 5 games in all competitions, but they have only won once in that time and needed three goals to win at Wolves.

The lack of wins comes down to the fact that West Brom have conceded at least twice in their last 7 games in all competitions including in their last 6 Premier League games.

Chances have been created against West Brom at an alarming rate, but in the more winnable games in that run The Baggies have threatened at the other end. That is going to be key here and I do think the layers may be underestimating the chance of seeing goals.

Neither team can allow the game to drift and I expect plenty of effort from both, but the defensive problems for both clubs will likely see chances created.

4 of the last 5 between these clubs at Bramall Lane have ended with at least three goals shared out, while the game earlier this season saw a massive amount of chances created by both. Better finishing will be important, but I also expect this game to be chased to the final minute and it should leave spaces to exploit.

Wolves v Arsenal Pick: Things have changed massively for both Wolves and Arsenal since they met at the Emirates Stadium at the end of November in a game that Wolves won 1-2.

That was the fourth win in 7 games for Wolves in the Premier League, while it was a result in the middle of Arsenal's 7 game run without a League win during which time they lost 5 times.

Back then Nuno Espirito Santo would have been comfortable and Mikel Arteta was under immense pressure, but it was also the fixture in which Raul Jimenez suffered a serious injury. The fractured skull has meant Wolves have been without their talisman number nine, and the form in the Premier League has been really poor since then.

Wolves have won 1 of their last 11 Premier League games since the win in North London and they have struggled for goals. Defensively they can still be very stubborn, but Wolves haven't even been able to rely on that side of their game in recent weeks with the manager changing a system and dealing with plenty of other injuries outside of Jimenez.

The side have conceded five goals in their last 2 Premier League games at home and now face an Arsenal team which has been improving. The form has been turned out just when it felt like Arteta was about to be relieved of his role as manager of the club and Arsenal have only conceded two goals in 7 Premier League games.

Arsenal have won 3 away League games in a row for the first time since October 2018 and this is a team playing with a decent balance as the young players being called upon have thrived.

Injuries are an issue for Arsenal too with key players like Kieran Tierney, Bukayo Saka and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang all potentially missing. So far the side have still managed to keep the points ticking over, but you do have to wonder if Arsenal create enough chances to keep getting the better of games.

With the recent form of both clubs, I would not be surprised if one of the teams fail to find the net. However the layers feel the same and the better approach may be looking for this fixture to have two or fewer goals shared out.

Both have shown they can be pretty solid defensively and I do think some of the attacking players that could be absent on Tuesday will help the defences out a little more.

An early goal could open things up and that is always the concern, but the longer this is tight, the less chance we will see a massive tactical rethink from either manager. I think both will want to keep it as tight as possible and punish any mistakes they find from the other and this could lead to a relatively low-scoring fixture.

Manchester United v Southampton Pick: This is a really intriguing game and that is largely because both Manchester United and Southampton have played well at times in the 2020/21 season, but have perhaps not been in the best form of late.

The Southampton slump has been evident for a bit longer than Manchester United's, but they will believe anything like the performance on Saturday against Aston Villa will see results turn around sooner rather than later.

However it is also impossible to ignore how stretched the squad feels at the moment and Southampton have just been regressing to the mean in the final third. Earlier this season they were being very clinical in front of goal, but recently Southampton have not been taking advantage of the chances they have been creating.

The regression comes from the fact that Southampton were perhaps scoring more than they deserved earlier in the season and now they face a Manchester United team who have looked a little better defensively.

Individual mistakes and some sloppiness cost Manchester United against Sheffield United, but they have been largely restricting what opponents have been able to produce over the last month. That has seen the clean sheets pick up and Manchester United have also looked pretty threatening going forward.

Poor finishing from Edinson Cavani cost two points on Saturday at Arsenal, but Manchester Unite will believe they can create more opportunities against the defence they are facing in midweek. The recovery time is not ideal as well as the travel, but Southampton will be feeling the same and there is no doubt that Manchester United have the superior squad on paper at least.

Games between these clubs have been competitive since Ralph Hasenhuttl took over at St Mary's and I have no doubt Southampton will cause some problems in this one too. They have energy and intensity which has to be respected and if they are underestimated Southampton will punish their hosts in this game.

After the defeat to Sheffield United I would be extremely disappointed if we don't see an all around better Manchester United who created some very good chances at Arsenal. I think those will eventually start being converted into goals and with plenty of time before facing Everton, I think a strong Manchester United may have too much for a Southampton team who have been just struggling of late.

The away team could play a part if Manchester United give the ball away in the final third as they have been doing at times, but for the main I do think United will be too good. With the quality in the final third, I think Manchester United will be able to get after a Southampton team that could be without a couple of key players in defensive areas and it will result in a more comfortable scoreline than the actual ninety minutes will be.

Newcastle United v Crystal Palace Pick: Both Newcastle United and Crystal Palace have earned important wins for Steve Bruce and Roy Hodgson this past weekend and both earned clean sheets too which will really make the managers smile.

Now they meet each other as another round of Premier League fixtures quickly comes around and both clubs will be targeting a positive result which will maintain a healthy gap to the bottom three.

Both teams have a similar style- they would love to be organised defensively and then look for the magic from the wide players to create something going the other way. Callum Wilson is the best forward so will give Newcastle United hope, but Wilfred Zaha and Eberechi Eze arguably give Crystal Palace a better balance in the wide areas than Newcastle United can rely upon.

It does make for a competitive fixture and both teams will be looking to cover up for defensive absentees which may leave them vulnerable.

There are similarities and that is perhaps why games between Newcastle United and Crystal Palace have been as competitive as they have been. Nothing much has separated the teams in recent times and the last four games between them have seen both win twice.

Goals have been hard to come by and there have been just nine goals in total from the last 8 between the clubs. Only one of those games has seen both teams move the scoreboard and I do think this is going to be another tight, competitive fixture with nothing much between them.

It might lead to at least one clean sheet on Tuesday, although you do have to wonder about the run of quick fixtures and whether some tiredness leads to more mistakes than we would normally see. Even then I think these two teams rely on some real magic to break the door down in the final third and both Newcastle United and Crystal Palace will believe they have the schemes to close down the other.

With a lack of goals between these clubs in recent times, I think the trend may continue on Tuesday.

Burnley v Manchester City Pick: The games come thick and fast in the Premier League at the moment and February is looking like another incredibly busy month for teams in the top flight.

With that in mind rotation is going to be important, but it is much more difficult for those in the lower half to do that and maintain standards compared with those in the top half.

Sean Dyche might have a busy summer with the new investment at Burnley, but for now he has to focus on his team and making sure they are at their best in each passing game. With that in mind you do think they will avoid risking players that may be carrying knocks knowing there is a much more 'important' League game to come this weekend against fellow relegation rivals Brighton.

Ashley Barnes and Chris Wood should both miss out and I do think that will only aid Manchester City who have dominated Burnley over the last few seasons.

Pep Guardiola made a number of changes to his first eleven in the 1-0 win over Sheffield United on Saturday, but that means the likes of John Stones, Joao Cancelo, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling are well rested. I expect those four to play on Wednesday, although the manager will also have one eye on the big Sunday fixture at Anfield which could see Manchester City take complete control of the destiny of the Premier League title.

Changes will be made, but Manchester City have found the system which has given them strong balance between attack and defence. They continue to offer up very little in their own final third, while creating chances going forward and I think we will see yet another game where Manchester City keep a clean sheet.

6 of the last 7 against Burnley have ended with a win to nil for Manchester City including both played this season.

They have only conceded 1 goal in their last 3 visits to Turf Moor and that was an 89th minute consolation in a 1-4 win here.

With Burnley perhaps focused on the big fixtures coming up, Manchester City should be able to take control and keep the clean sheets coming in another victory.

Fulham v Leicester City Pick: This is an important game at the top and bottom of the Premier League between two clubs who have suffered poor results this past weekend. Fulham will feel they dropped two points in their draw at West Brom, which leaves them stuck in the bottom three, while Leicester City blew a 1-0 lead in their 1-3 home defeat to Leeds United.

Both Scott Parker and Brendan Rodgers will be looking for much better on Wednesday evening with the quick return to Premier League action. At least Fulham have had twenty-four hours longer to prepare, but Parker has to be concerned with the amount of chances Fulham continue to give their opponents.

They were fortunate to draw at Brighton last week, but Fulham have been punished in home losses to Chelsea, Manchester United and Burnley. They have given up plenty of opportunities in those defeats and Fulham will likely feel some pressure from a Leicester City team looking for a reaction to a couple of bad results.

Brendan Rodgers will note his team have had the better of the chances against Everton and Leeds United, but he will also be hoping to see more composure in the final third. Jamie Vardy is still missing, but that can't be an excuse for some of the poor finishing we have seen.

However he will be encouraged by the chances created and Leicester City earn a measure of revenge for the home loss to Fulham earlier this season.

As poor as Fulham have been at the back in recent games, they are also not creating as many chances as Scott Parker would hope. The injuries in the Leicester City defensive areas will be something Parker will feel his team can exploit, but I think there is a real gap in quality here and Leicester City can underline that.

The Foxes have been very good away from home all season and Fulham have faced five of the current top ten in the Premier League and lost 4 of those games with the draw coming against Liverpool. I expect Leicester City to have the best moments in this one over ninety minutes and they can become the latest of the top clubs to win at Craven Cottage while plunging Fulham into further relegation trouble.

Leeds United v Everton Pick: On the face of things you have to expect there will be goals when Leeds United host Everton and that is largely down to the manner in which the home team approach games. Leeds United love pushing forward in numbers, but that can leave them open to the counter attack and so the layers are not going to take risks in the prices for goals.

That is the main expectation of neutrals whenever Leeds United play, but it is perhaps down to the performances Marcelo Bielsa's team have had against the top clubs. Those fixtures linger longer in the memories for most football fans, but I think there is every chance that goals are not as free-flowing as some may believe.

Both Rodrigo and Raphinha could miss out and Patrick Bamford is also a doubt which would remove some key attacking players for Leeds United. It also should be noted that Leeds United have had 9 home League games this season and 5 of those have finished with two or fewer goals produced, while Elland Road's playing surface did not look the best in the 0-1 home defeat to Brighton in the last fixture played here.

Everton have played well away from home so they will be expecting to bounce back having scored just two goals in their last 2 Premier League games, both played at Goodison Park. Defensively they have looked decent in recent games too, although Newcastle United found considerable success attacking Everton on Saturday.

3 of the last 5 Everton away games have finished with less than three goals scored and this is a team that haven't been creating a lot of chances in recent games. The results have perhaps covered up those shortcomings and the best avenue to success for Everton in this one may come from the quality they produce from set pieces.

Everton have struggled for good chances in their last 6 Premier League games and I would not be surprised if one of the two teams fail to score. Teams have had more successes going forward against Everton in that time, but Leeds United might be without key attacking players which will just reduce their threat somewhat.

Most will be expecting goals and an early one will spark this fixture, but I think the value is looking for this to be a low-scoring game. It has happened more than some may think in recent Leeds United and Everton home/away games respectively and the game at Goodison Park saw plenty of chances created but only a single goal scored on the day.

With potential fatigue building in both camps and squads stretched, I think goals may be in shorter supply than expected.

Aston Villa v West Ham United Pick: There will be some disappointment and hurt around the London Stadium after the poor performance in the 1-3 home loss to Liverpool, but David Moyes will be looking to pick his players up and steady themselves for the big games ahead.

This will be a real test for West Ham United who will still think they are good enough to earn a European berth through their final League position. The Champions League is likely going to be beyond them, but West Ham United can only focus on things one game at a time and Moyes will feel his team have enough to challenge Aston Villa.

That will especially be the case if Aston Villa are as porous defensively as they were on Saturday. A clean sheet might argue against that, but VAR really did come down on Aston Villa's side having disallowed a Southampton goal for the tightest of offside decisions and also bafflingly not awarding the home team a Penalty in the first half.

Southampton created a lot of chances against Aston Villa and this West Ham United have been very productive in the final third which should make them dangerous. Prior to the defeat to Liverpool, West Ham United had largely been defending pretty well with the limited chances being offered out to opponents and that sparked their 6 game winning run in all competitions.

Keeping Aston Villa quiet is not an easy task with the quality and confidence in the home squad and I do think this is going to be a really good game to watch. Both Dean Smith and David Moyes will believe their team have enough attacking threat to produce the goals to win this game and I can see these teams sharing out at least three goals between them for the second time this season.

This corresponding fixture ended goalless last season, but both Aston Villa and West Ham United are playing with a real attacking threat. Both have been creating a lot of chances and this game may be sparked by an early goal as two teams chasing European places become involved in an entertaining game.

Liverpool v Brighton Pick: The momentum looks to be back behind Liverpool after 1-3 wins at Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, but they will be looking to snap the poor form at Anfield. Confidence has been restored behind the wins in the capital though and Liverpool are now taking advantage of the chances they have been creating.

It will be a challenge against this Brighton team who have been well organised in recent games and who have earned 3 clean sheets in succession in the Premier League. During that time Brighton have earned 7 points from a possible 9 to put some distance between themselves and the bottom three, but the games are coming at a rapid rate at the moment and Graham Potter may choose to make some changes.

You wouldn't really blame him if he did that because Brighton put in a huge effort to beat Tottenham Hotspur at home on Sunday evening. They have a trip to Burnley to come this weekend too and that has to be the priority as a fixture against a relegation rival and so Graham Potter and his players could easily look beyond this one.

Liverpool do have a huge game on deck themselves when they host Manchester City, but the 4 point gap to the leaders is one they cannot allow to get out of hand. Manchester City also have a game in hand so it is imperative for Liverpool to put some wins together and see if the pressure can cause their title rivals to crack even a little bit, while Jurgen Klopp will also look for a third win in a row to give the team confidence before the big game on Sunday.

They haven't always had it easy against Brighton and I do think the visitors can make things awkward if they choose to sit in and hit Liverpool on the counter attack. Defensively there are still some questions for Liverpool to answer, but they have looked more secure in the last two League games and they did restrict the amount of chances Spurs and West Ham could create.

Brighton could use set pieces to hurt their hosts, but Liverpool should have the edge and I expect them to beat this opponent at Anfield again.

The last 2 between these teams at this ground have been tight, but I think Liverpool are playing well enough to break down Brighton even if it takes some time to do so. Sadio Mane's absence could hurt, but Liverpool managed without him on Sunday and I think they will likely win this one by a couple of goals on the night.

Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea Pick: Both Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea will feel failure to return to the Champions League would make this a hugely unsuccessful season. Even a League Cup success for Spurs would not improve the mood too much, despite the long wait for silverware at the club, and so there is some pressure on Jose Mourinho to turn things around.

He does have two routes back into the Champions League with the other being the Europa League. Jose Mourinho did the League Cup/Europa League double in his first season as manager of Manchester United so there is previous if that is the best avenue for Tottenham Hotspur to return to the Champions League.

For now Mourinho will not want to lose any more ground on the top four teams in the Premier League having seen Tottenham Hotspur suffer back to back defeats to Liverpool and Brighton. They have created very little in those defeats which will be a real worry for Mourinho, while defensively Tottenham Hotspur have been sloppy to say the least.

This has the makings of a tactical game between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea with the visitors being led into the fixture by Thomas Tuchel. The Blues won for the first time under their German manager on Sunday, but there is still a feeling out process between the players and Tuchel and Chelsea didn't create a lot of chances despite the dominance of the ball.

It was the same story against Wolves, but in that fixture Chelsea were not able to break the door down.

At least defensively they have been stronger and this does feel like a game that might be tight and competitive. Both teams will want to stifle the other and then exploit gaps, but it won't be the first fixture between those clubs expecting top four finishes to end up lacking some goalmouth action.

The edge has to be given to Chelsea simply because of Tottenham Hotspur's current form, and especially with Harry Kane absent, but I would not be surprised to see a reaction from the home team. At the same time Chelsea are hard to trust to win here as they are still learning the methods of a new manager at the helm and games between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea have been tight.

Both fixtures this season have seen two or fewer goals shared out and the last 3 games hosted by Spurs have failed to see three or more goals scored. This has the makings of another low-scoring game on Thursday with the potential of a draw quite high, a result that may not be nay good to either team in the long run.

MY PICKS: Sheffield United-West Brom Over 2.5 Goals

Wolves-Arsenal Under 2.5 Goals

Manchester United & Over 1.5 Goals

Newcastle United-Crystal Palace Both Teams to Score- NO

Manchester City Win to Nil

Leicester City

Leeds United-Everton Under 2.5 Goals

Aston Villa-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals

Liverpool - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Tottenham Hotspur-Chelsea Under 2.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 22

I can't really complain with the return from the latest GameWeek in the Fantasy Football season, but I still feel I am leaving some points out there which is creating frustration.

The decision to bring in Harvey Barnes worked out well enough with a goal this weekend, but Lucas Digne and Everton largely disappointed. However the feeling is that Everton vs Manchester City will produce a Double GameWeek sooner rather than later, assuming Manchester City beat Swansea City in the FA Cup Fifth Round, and that will make those assets valuable.

Guessing the Manchester City rotations will be difficult though as they look to balance the FA Cup with Premier League and Champions League commitments this month and that was the case in GW21. The likes of Joao Cancelo, John Stones, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling are popular assets that were rested against Sheffield United and you would imagine some changes will be made whenever Manchester City play and especially with the loaded February schedule to come.

I do think they will have at least two extra games this month, once again assuming Manchester City will be too good for a Championship team in the FA Cup, and that is why I am holding the players I have. There has been some consideration about how to best arrange the squad for what is likely to be a very busy GW26 as fixtures are made up from the early postponements and with the upcoming FA Cup Quarter Finals also seeing some Premier League games needing to be moved from GW29, but the Manchester City assets stay for now as they are.

That GW26 does look like being a loaded one, although I am a little surprised the Premier League have not decided to at least re-arrange some of the earlier postponed games. The Covid-19 cases being picked up by the League have reduced in each passing week since the high of early January, but you can't rule out further outbreaks which would really restrict spaces in the calendar and so I was expecting more fixtures to be played when they could.

UEFA have already given the green light for Leagues to re-arrange games on nights reserved for their big European competitions and so there are spaces for Aston Villa and Everton to have their games made up before GW26, but for now the Premier League is perhaps waiting to see how the FA Cup Fifth Round shakes up.

They have previously re-arranged games at short notice so that won't be a surprise if they do that again, but that lack of clarity is making it that much harder to prepare than we would usually have in a 'normal' League season.

In the last GameWeek I mentioned I would love to roll a transfer over, but I feel that is impossible after Hakim Ziyech was left out of the Chelsea squad in their 2-0 win over Burnley. It has been suggested that he was rested having hit the 'red zone' but I am not sure where Thomas Tuchel stands with his team and the transfer was made before Frank Lampard was Sacked.

At his price range I feel I am carrying Ziyech at the moment despite the good looking fixtures in front of Chelsea and I can't count on him from week to week. With rotation at a high level at this time of the season, I do think you need a full bench to fall back upon just in case and so it is an easy decision to move Ziyech from the squad.

My focus has fallen on Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Everton as the best teams to use to cover for Ziyech.

It is hard to trust Crystal Palace despite the good looking schedule in front of them and it is mainly down to the fact they have not created a lot of chances. However you would have to say that both Wilfred Zaha and Ebrechi Eze are most likely to be involved in any goals they score and there is a possibility of being covered with an additional player expected to play twice in DGW26.

Both Aston Villa and Everton have a high chance of being asked to play twice in that week and both have other fixtures that also need to be re-arranged. The latter is more likely to be involved in an early Double which is tempting, but Aston Villa have been creating more chances and I think they are the best team to look to when adding a midfielder to the squad.

That is especially the case with money to be saved by removing Ziyech for one of their players and both Ross Barkley and Bertrand Traore do offer some value in my opinion. They both have decent underlying numbers over the last few weeks and playing in an attack minded team helps, while the two players are involved in set pieces too.

Jack Grealish is the best player and his numbers are pretty hard to ignore, but using Barkley or Traore does open the door for the squad to be improved in other areas in the weeks ahead. It will also give me some more options as I think about what to do with the likes of Marcus Rashford and Che Adams who continue to disappoint more than they should.

Both players will be given an opportunity to turn it around, but we are now at the stage of the season where you don't want to to wait too long for players to fulfil their potential and instead need to make sure your squad is performing as it should be.