Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2021 (April 30-May 3)

I can't believe I did not get around to posting my Wild Card team last week on Twitter, but in hindsight it probably wasn't a bad thing with some poor decisions coming back to haunt me.

I will have more thoughts on the Fantasy Football game below following my thoughts on the weekend Premier League games to come.

Southampton v Leicester City Pick: It has been nine days since Southampton have last played while Leicester City have played twice in that time and I think that is the only reason I can really provide for thinking that the home team may secure a positive result when these teams meet in the Premier League.

As well as Southampton played earlier this season, in recent months they have struggled in the Premier League for the kind of consistency that would be required.

Leicester City have momentum behind them with 3 straight wins in all competitions at a time when Southampton have lost 3 in a row. They have also gotten the mental advantage of beating Southampton twice in all competitions already this season including the narrow victory over them at Wembley Stadium in the FA Cup Semi Final.

It was a tight win and Southampton showed enough to prove they can be a dangerous team, but defensively there are issues that have not been resolved. Ultimately they give up too many chances and a team in Leicester City's form should be able to take advantage of that.

I would be stunned if we get anything near a 0-9 result that was the outcome of the corresponding fixture last season, but I am not exactly going out on a limb in saying that. Southampton's style should be one that still appeals to Leicester City though as they are unlikely to sit in and that opens them up to the counter attack and the pace Leicester City have.

The Foxes have won 3 in a row at St Mary's and I do think they are capable of adding to that run while taking another giant step towards the Champions League. It will be far from easy, but a narrow away win looks the most likely outcome of this fixture as Leicester City put the pressure on their top four rivals playing later this weekend.

Crystal Palace v Manchester City Pick: The big question this weekend is what kind of team will be selected by Pep Guardiola with the main focus being the Champions League Semi Final Second Leg which is going to be played on Tuesday.

A 10 point lead in the Premier League certainly makes the decision process easier for the manager of Manchester City and I do think some of the key names will be left out to rest and get ready for another tough game against Paris Saint-Germain.

However, this is a deep squad and I do think even a changed Manchester City team can continue getting the better of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. The home team will have their own motivation questioned, even if they played well at the King Power Stadium on Monday night, while Crystal Palace continue to look vulnerable defensively.

Chelsea exposed that to devastating effect in the 1-4 win here last month, but this one should be more competitive considering the likely changes in the away line up.

Even then, Manchester City should be able to keep the momentum going having won 3 in a row in all competitions and their last 10 away Premier League games. They have scored for fun in those away games, but Manchester City have also been secure defensively which has seen 7 of those 10 victories come by two or more goals.

I would certainly keep an eye out on team news if you are backing Manchester City to win this game on Saturday, but I am taking that into consideration. They have won their last 2 games here by a couple of goal margins and with the likes of Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus in attacking areas, I think they are likely to have the attacking players to keep that trend going through another season.

Crystal Palace did play well in the first half at Leicester City, but they can't seem to keep the back door shut with the amount of defensive injuries being dealt with. That is a major concern when playing Manchester City and the visitors can win and potentially be crowned Champions later this weekend.

Brighton v Leeds United Pick: Two teams that play eye pleasing football meet at the Amex Stadium on Saturday, but I can't help think Brighton look vulnerable as the favourite.

There is no denying the football that Graham Potter's men have been playing and the amount of chances they create, but Brighton continue to show a lack of composure in the final third. It was evident in the defeat to Sheffield United last weekend and Brighton can't afford to be as wasteful against a team like Leeds United.

It might not be as easy for them to create chances in this game either with Leeds United showing a little more resilience of late than they have for much of the season. Marcelo Bielsa is clearly tactically astute enough to know his team needed tightening up, but Leeds United have lost none of their attacking thrust and back to back away wins will give them confidence.

Leeds United do have a terrible record at Brighton which is hard to ignore, but a single goal could be enough to avoid a defeat here. Raphinha's continued absence is a big blow for Leeds United, but they still have enough in the final third to think they can score against Brighton, despite the two home clean sheets The Seagulls have produced in succession.

At some point you do wonder if things will click for Brighton as it did in their 3-0 home win over Newcastle United, but they have won 1 of their last 5 at the Amex Stadium. It is more than being unlucky at this point of the season and Graham Potter will likely be looking to bolster his front line in the summer, but for now Brighton may just struggle to earn more than a point from this fixture.

Chelsea v Fulham Pick: The Chelsea performances under Thomas Tuchel have been more functional than spectacular, but they are picking up result after result and a big season could be in the offing.

The Premier League title race was run by the time Tuchel took over as manager, but he has taken Chelsea to the FA Cup Final and they are favourites to reach the Champions League Final too. The Second Leg of the Champions League Semi Final is to be played during the week and it could be a big distraction, but Chelsea can't fully focus on that at the detriment of their League form.

Unlike Manchester City, Chelsea do not have a considerable advantage when it comes to finishing in the top four of the Premier League. They have recently dropped some silly points at Stamford Bridge which has kept West Ham United and Liverpool interested in breaking into the top four, but Tuchel will not want to offer more encouragement this weekend.

Fulham have proven to be a difficult team to break down away from home, but they have to take more chances now. Scott Parker's team need to win four of their last five Premier League games to have any chance of avoiding relegation and taking risks could leave them exposed to the pace and power Chelsea have in the final third.

It won't be easy and especially if Chelsea were to make some changes to the starting eleven, but this is a team that has been well organised under Thomas Tuchel. They have also been capable of creating chances and even with the changes I expect they will have too much for their West London rivals as they maintain their spot in the top four.

Everton v Aston Villa Pick: There is plenty of strong history behind Aston Villa and Everton and both clubs are chasing a return to being amongst the elite of English Football.

Everton feel much further along than Aston Villa and they have shown a touch more consistency than their visitors, although the most telling factor about these clubs is that they are consistently inconsistent.

The Toffees have been in poor form at home for months, but the 0-1 win at Arsenal should give Everton a real spark. At the same time Aston Villa have just lost their momentum and only a late goal prevented them from being beaten by West Brom last weekend as the clean sheets have dried up.

Losing Jack Grealish has been a big blow for Aston Villa and a healthier looking Everton may just edge to the points here.

It should be competitive and the first goal is going to be huge, but Everton have their best players available for the most part and that should help them. Nothing will come easy, but Everton can earn a vital three points to keep their European ambitions on track through another weekend.

Newcastle United v Arsenal Pick: Both of these teams are close to being involved in dead rubbers in the Premier League with Newcastle United pulling clear of the relegation zone and Arsenal in mid-table and unlikely to be involved in Europe next season without winning the Europa League.

That latter competition is the focus for all associated with Arsenal and the Semi Final Second Leg is going to be played next Thursday with the tie against Villarreal finely balanced. Mikel Arteta can't afford to risk key players in what is ultimately a meaningless Premier League game to the club and it is no surprise that the Arsenal price has been drifting to odds against.

Their own motivation can be questioned, but add the factor of the recent upturn in form produced by Newcastle United and an upset can't be ruled out. Steve Bruce has had a difficult season as manager of the club, but key injuries have been clearing up in attacking areas and that has helped Newcastle United earn 8 points from a possible 12 to pull clear of Fulham in the relegation zone.

There are now 9 points between them and Newcastle United are unbeaten in 5 at St James' Park. One concern is the amount of goals they have been conceding, but Newcastle United have been scoring plenty of goals over the last month and they can earn a positive result against an Arsenal team that may not be fully focused on Sunday afternoon.

Arsenal do have a very good recent record at St James' Park which has to be respected, but Newcastle United can pick something up here. They have created enough chances over the last month to believe they will have the goals to at least produce another point and the spot looks a bad one for Arsenal who have a Europa League Semi Final to overturn during the week.

Manchester United v Liverpool Pick: This game may mean more to Liverpool on the pitch than it does for Manchester United, but the historical rivalry between the clubs means there are plenty of bragging rights up for grabs.

Liverpool may have won the Premier League title last season, but Manchester United could push them out of the Champions League reckoning this time around if they can win this game.

The backdrop will be the protests organised by Manchester United fans which will take place on the forecourt of Old Trafford and it may just have the players feeling the atmosphere of the day that may produce a better game in front of the empty stands than some of these Big Six fixtures have produced so far this season.

Manchester United earned a tough 3-2 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup back in January and I do think the 6-2 win over Roma on Thursday means a strong team can be selected for this one. They will have the attacking pace to really hurt a makeshift Liverpool defence that has continued to look vulnerable in each passing week and Manchester United have scored at least twice in 4 straight at Old Trafford.

However, Liverpool have been creating chances and only poor finishing has been letting them down. They will approach this fixture with an attacking intent in this one as Liverpool chase the win they desperately need, but that may mean this is an open fixture in which chances are created at both ends of the field.

3 of the last 4 between Manchester United and Liverpool at Old Trafford have finished up with less than three goals shared out. However, I think the situation for both teams likely leads to a more open game and one that is closer to the 3-2 FA Cup win for United than the tight affairs we have seen in recent seasons.

This looks like a game that could become very open if there is an early goal and three or more goals may be provided on the day.

Unbelievably Manchester United are the home underdog, but that has more to do with the situation for Liverpool who 'need' the points more than United do.

I think that will tempt enough in to back the home team who have won 5 in a row at Old Trafford, but any win will likely come in a high-scoring game.

Tottenham Hotspur v Sheffield United Pick: Ryan Mason would have heard the criticisms of his team over the last week after a meek surrender to Manchester City in the League Cup Final, but he can still help Tottenham Hotspur produce a strong end to the campaign.

Finishing outside of European competition would be a huge blow for Tottenham Hotspur and would put the pressure on the club to keep some of their big name players. Harry Kane is already wondering whether it is time to search for a new club where he may win trophies and play consistent Champions League Football, while others in the squad need to be shifted too.

It is a difficult time for any new manager taking over at Tottenham Hotspur, but they can get back on track in the Premier League with a win over Sheffield United.

This looks the perfect opponent for Spurs to face considering how badly Sheffield United have travelled for much of the season. The Blades have lost 7 away games in a row in all competitions and they do offer up some big chances to teams they face.

Last weekend it was only poor finishing from Brighton which allowed Sheffield United to get away with a win, but they have to expect better from Tottenham Hotspur. And for all the negatives around Spurs, they have won 6 of their last 7 games here in all competitions and have the players who can put Sheffield United to the sword.

Defensively Tottenham Hotspur are hard to trust, but they should have enough to keep Sheffield United at arm's length and that should be enough for a relatively comfortable home win on the night.

West Brom v Wolves Pick: This may not be one for the neutrals, but the local bragging rights between clubs separated by eleven miles should provide plenty of motivation for West Brom and Wolves.

Over the last month there have been some positive moments from both teams, but it looks to have come too late for West Brom who are almost certainly going to be relegated.

Sam Allardyce will be looking for his team to fight as far as they can though and a win for West Brom will keep them alive for another week as they look for a third win in 5 Premier League games since the March international break. They have been scoring goals for fun in those games, but West Brom continue to look vulnerable at the back.

The attacking side of their game will be encouraging against this Wolves team who just conceded four times to Burnley at Molineux. They have shown a big more solidness in recent weeks, but Wolves don't really control the chances and West Brom may be able to hurt them.

However I would also think West Brom's defence will be tested by Wolves who have scored in 4 of their last 5 away games. They don't create nearly as much as The Baggies have been, but Wolves should be able to have some success here and another high-scoring game could develop.

The last 4 between these clubs at The Hawthorns have finished with fewer than three goals shared out, but there were five goals when these teams met at Molineux. An early goal should get things going and West Brom have to take risks as they look to claw back towards 17th place in the Premier League table and that may leave spaces for the visitors in what could be a decent game all things considered.

Burnley v West Ham United Pick: The recent upturn in form produced by Burnley was finally rewarded with a victory over Wolves last week and the team continue to create chances in their fixtures. It has been important because they have not looked as secure defensively and they are certainly going to be tested by a West Ham United team that are looking to get closer to the top four in the Premier League.

Both teams will be looking to play on the front foot on Monday and that should mean this is a decent watch for those tuning on.

The two teams have been scoring goals frequently, but neither has looked secure at the back and that should mean there are opportunities in the final third for both. An early goal would spark the entire contest, even in the sanitised setting of playing behind closed doors, and there are attacking players on form that can play their part in this fixture.

Burnley would likely accept a point a little more readily than West Ham United, but the latter's need may see the game remain fairly open throughout the ninety minutes.

Goals have been hard to come by at Turf Moor, but the last 5 Premier League games that Burnley have been involved in have seen at least three goals shared out. Before the defeat to Chelsea, West Ham United had been involved in 4 high-scoring League games in a row and I think there will be at least three goals produced in this one too.

MY PICKS: Leicester City - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Manchester City - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Leeds United + 0.5 Asian Handicap

Chelsea - 1 Asian Handicap

Everton - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Newcastle United + 0.5 Asian Handicap

Manchester United-Liverpool Over 2.5 Goals

Tottenham Hotspur - 1.5 Asian Handicap

West Brom-Wolves Over 2.5 Goals

Burnley-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 34

I had plans last Friday which meant I was not able to put up my Wild Card team that was created for the final weeks of the season.

The three Leicester City players and Mohamed Salah were the only good though and the 57 points overall was far below what I would have wanted.

I also made sure I left enough money in the bank to make sure I can upgrade Diogo Jota to Heung-Min Son this week and I will then be hoping to avoid having to make any transfers in GW35, which has become the confirmed double we anticipated.

It also means Man United, Leicester City, Chelsea and Arsenal are going to be blanking in GW36, but I have been prepared for that to be the outcome and that meant I have only picked five players from across those two teams.

However, Everton, Aston Villa, Southampton and Crystal Palace are all going to have doubles in GW35 and will also be playing in GW36 so it will be no surprise that I have five players from across those teams involved in my Wild Card too.

The only reason I want to bring in Son for Jota is the fixtures being played this week and I do wonder if that is overthinking things- Spurs have a tougher game at Leeds United than Liverpool have hosting Southampton in GW35, but I also think Jota's position is a little more unsure than Son's.

I think there is every chance I will bring Diogo Jota back in GW36 when some of the midfielders I have will be blanking, but that is a thought for another day.

And one more thing, I really hate the Friday deadline!

Midweek Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (July 7-9)

July is going to be a strange month for English Football fans as the Premier League and Championship wrap up their 2019/20 seasons with games being played almost every day until the 26th.

It does mean the Fantasy Football deadlines for each GW are at times when we won't have the full team news from each and every Premier League game as we would usually get, although my decision to Wild Card and Bench Boost across three GameWeeks turned out to be a positive move.

More on that later.

Before that you can read my thoughts about the upcoming Premier League games below.


Crystal Palace v Chelsea Pick: The first game of the latest round of Premier League fixtures gives Chelsea a big chance to stamp their authority on a top four place when they visit London rivals Crystal Palace.

In usual circumstances a trip to Selhurst Park would be seen as a big test for any club in the Premier League, but Roy Hodgson has admitted things are not quite the same without the fans. It doesn't help that his Crystal Palace team have lost 3 in a row without scoring a goal and a couple of the defeats have been by wide margins, but The Eagles are normally much more resilient than they have shown in defeats at Anfield and the King Power Stadium.

At home that is certainly the case and Selhurst Park has not been blessed with a lot of goals this season- Crystal Palace have scored 12 and conceded 14 in their fourteen Premier League games here, but they were beaten 0-1 by Burnley last time out and Roy Hodgson will be looking for a big reaction from his players.

He should get that in a local rivalry game and Crystal Palace were unfortunate to lose to Burnley last time out here. They have players who can cause problems for teams and the set pieces could be huge against a Chelsea team that have struggled defensively in their 2 away games played since the restart of English Football.

Chelsea did win at Villa Park, but Aston Villa did enough to earn a positive result, while West Ham United exposed the defensive problems which have been a feature of the season for The Blues.

Frank Lampard will be aware that this is going to be far from an easy game for Chelsea who concede far too many away goals. Even though Crystal Palace are not exactly flourishing in the final third, they have created chances in their last couple of games and the attacking options should be better for having the fixture against Leicester City under their legs.

You do have to wonder if Crystal Palace can keep Chelsea out with the amount of away goals Frank Lampard's men have scored, but I do think The Eagles can keep this close. They don't concede a lot of chances and I do think Crystal Palace will score and that should make it very difficult for Chelsea to beat them by a comfortable margin if they do win at all.

Chelsea have a good record here, but only 1 of their last 6 visits to Selhurst Park have been won by two or more goal margins. I think Crystal Palace could potentially cause an upset here, but at worst I don't believe they will be blown away by a Chelsea team who have simply not defended as well as they would have liked.


Watford v Norwich City Pick: The last couple of performances may not have been up to the level that Nigel Pearson would have wanted, but the manager remains convinced his Watford team have enough to avoid the drop.

Things may become much clearer in the next three Premier League games as Watford get ready to face Newcastle United and West Ham United following this home game.

Make no mistake, this is a must win game for Watford as they take on a Norwich City team who have been struggling at both ends of the field and who look to be playing with little to no confidence. Hosting the game only gives Watford more of an edge even without the fans in the stands and Nigel Pearson knows his team need the points which would give them a healthy gap to Aston Villa and Bournemouth below them.

Watford were beaten well by Southampton in their last game here, but they arguably deserved more in their 1-1 draw with Leicester City. Under Nigel Pearson The Hornets have been much better at home and the second half performance at Stamford Bridge is encouraging enough to make me believe they will be good enough to win this one.

This is an opportunity for Norwich City too who can move to within 4 points of Watford if they win this game, but Daniel Farke's team have looked desperate. 5 Premier League losses in a row is one thing, but Norwich City have not scored in any of those and they were hammered 4-0 at Arsenal in their most recent away game.

They will offer effort and look to play some football, but Norwich City have looked vulnerable at the back and are making mistakes which are proving costly. At Vicarage Road Watford do create chances and I think they can bounce back from some poor results with a big victory on Tuesday which can lead the team into a strong position to avoid the drop with four more Premier League games to come.

Watford have won 4 of their 7 home Premier League games under Nigel Pearson and all of those wins have come in games in which they have scored two or more goals. They have the attacking players to take advantage of Norwich City in this one and could hurt their visitors if they have to chase the game and so I believe this is a game that Watford can win and win well.


Arsenal v Leicester City Pick: This looks to be a fascinating fixture on Tuesday evening and one that many other managers will be keeping a close eye on.

Even before the three month suspension of the Premier League there had been signs that Leicester City were slipping and struggling for consistency. That has continued over the last month to the point where they are no longer strong odds to finish in the top four.

Brendan Rodgers would have felt the easing of some pressure when his team beat Crystal Palace 3-0 on Saturday, but they were helped by some awful defending from the visitors. The manager will be hoping the victory has given his team some momentum, but the absence of both Ben Chilwell and James Maddison would be a huge blow.

At least Leicester City have looked a little more threatening in their last two Premier League games and they will need to be at their best in their final third to pick up a vital result at the Emirates Stadium.

It is not going to be easy against an Arsenal team who arguably produce their best performance under Mikel Arteta when winning 0-2 at Wolves on Saturday. That means the team have bounced back from defeats at Manchester City and Brighton in the space of a few days to win 4 in a row in all competitions and only conceding once in that time.

The defensive record looks good on paper, but Arsenal have been far from watertight and that will encourage Leicester City. The Gunners did have too much for Norwich City in their last game at the Emirates Stadium, but prior to that teams have created arguably the better opportunities in games against Arsenal on this ground and that will boost Leicester City's belief.

I do think Leicester City will have their chances here, even without James Maddison. Jamie Vardy may be back in form and I think the Arsenal defence is yet to really convince despite the final results of recent games.

On the other side Arsenal will believe in their own attacking qualities and feel those can make the difference as they look for a ninth home win in a row against Leicester City. The Gunners have some dangerous attacking options and I do think they will cause problems for the Leicester City defence and I am not surprised most are expecting goals at both ends.

There will be a real push for the three points from both teams and I think that could see an attacking game produced. Recent Leicester City away games have not been the most entertaining, but Arsenal may make this a fairly open affair and I do think this could be the eighth game in nine at the Emirates Stadium where at least three goals are shared out when these two teams meet.


Manchester City v Newcastle United Pick: Too many times in the 2019/20 Premier League season Manchester City have dominated a game in terms of chances, but have failed to convert those and ended on the wrong side of a defeat.

Nine Premier League games is a shocking return for a squad that has dominated this Division in the last two seasons and returned 198 points from a possible 228 available.

It has allowed Liverpool to run away with the Premier League title, but Manchester City are still set for a 2nd place finish and they will be looking to bounce back from their upset loss at St Mary's. The likes of Kevin De Bruyne should be restored to the starting line up and Manchester City are unlikely to be as wasteful in their own Stadium as they were on Sunday evening.

Manchester City have won 3 in a row here since the resumption of play and they have out-scored Arsenal, Burnley and Liverpool by a 12-0 aggregate. The side have been creating chances and they should do the same against this Newcastle United team who have looked a little vulnerable at the back in their last 3 Premier League games.

Those have been played against teams with weaker attacking threats than the one Manchester City bring to the table. Steve Bruce's team may have nothing to lose, but the absence of Allan Saint-Maximin is a huge blow to their attacking intentions and I feel the game will flow in a similar way to their Cup tie at the end of June.

That day Newcastle United sat back and hoped to soak up the pressure, but Manchester City created some very good chances and they are likely to do the same here. With the goals Manchester City are scoring and the motivation to bounce back from an upset, I do think it is reasonable to believe Manchester City will win this one by a slightly more comfortable margin than they did in the FA Cup tie.

Manchester City are at home this time too and it is the same Handicap mark which is perhaps a surprise. In the Cup I thought Newcastle United would do enough to stay within the mark at home, but they have not travelled well to the Etihad Stadium, are missing arguably their biggest attacking threat and face a motivated Manchester City who have dismissed their first three opponents faced here since the restart of play.

The home team should create enough chances throughout this one and I would expect better all around finishing from them.


Sheffield United v Wolves Pick: This is a fascinating game between two teams who have proven to be very tough to break down, but perhaps still lacking some consistency in the final third to really kick on up the Premier League table.

I may be being a little harsh on both Sheffield United and Wolves when you consider their lack of experience at the Premier League level, but that also highlights how impressed I have been with both Chris Wilder and Nuno Espirito Santo.

Both managers deserve a lot of credit for guiding their clubs into the positions they are in having been in the Championship recently. The two managers have solid foundations from which they like to spring forward and I do think this is the kind of fixture in which the first goal could be absolutely massive.

Much of that is down to the fact it is really difficult to break down these teams when they go in front and also the somewhat inconsistent attacking performances of both Sheffield United and Wolves.

I did mention that Wolves are not really creating a lot of chances even though they had won 3 Premier League games in a row following the resumption of the League. They had been clinical, but that caught up with them in their 0-2 home defeat to Arsenal.

Now they have to face a Sheffield United team who have looked pretty impressive going forward in their last 3 games in all competitions. They beat Tottenham Hotspur comfortably in their last fixture here, although Sheffield United did get a huge slice of luck in the first half, and The Blades cut out some fine openings in their 1-1 draw at Burnley.

I do think Sheffield United are being a touch under-rated here, as they were against Tottenham Hotspur, and so I am going to select the hosts with the start to earn a positive result.

The draw looks a major player in this one, but I do think if Sheffield United get the first goal they can go a little better and reinvigorate their push for a European berth.


West Ham United v Burnley Pick: The next three games look to be the ones that West Ham United can use to make sure of their place in the Premier League next season and they do go into those matches with some momentum.

A surprising win over Chelsea last week followed by the draw with Newcastle United has opened up a nice gap to the bottom three and with five games remaining it might already be too much for the likes of Bournemouth and Aston Villa to pull back.

However David Moyes won't want to see West Ham United back their way into the new season and picking up the points to secure safety themselves will give the squad a boost ahead of the 2020/21 campaign.

In the last two games West Ham United have shown they can create a lot of chances and they should be able to exploit some of the defensive injuries that Burnley are dealing with.

That can't be ignored, but Burnley have been a stubborn team under Sean Dyche and the 'next man up' mentality has seen the squad pick up results even at a time when you would think the motivation and the injury list is too much to handle. The side have lost 1 of their last 11 Premier League games and they have won 3 of their last 5 away from home which has to be respected.

With nothing to lose Burnley can try and get forward and create chances of their own and I do think they can do that against this West Ham United defence which is anything but watertight. They have scored at least two goals in their last couple of visits to the London Stadium and Burnley have been looking decent in the final third in their last couple of League games.

Unsurprisingly Burnley have been a little weaker defensively with the likes of Ben Mee, Matthew Lowton and Jack Cork all ruled out. They were perhaps fortunate to get away with a point against Sheffield United on Sunday, but ultimately I have to respect how tough Burnley have been to beat over the last few months.

Both teams look like they are capable of creating chances against the other in this Premier League game and I think that is going to lead to goals. 4 of the last 6 between Burnley and West Ham United have ended with three or more goals shared out and the last 2 at the London Stadium have ended that way too.

Recent defensive performances from both teams suggest that trend can continue here.


Brighton v Liverpool Pick: Both teams look very much on their way to achieving their goals set out for the 2019/20 season, although Brighton may have a touch more work to do to make sure they hit their marks.

They should be motivated to respond to their 0-3 home loss to Manchester United having bounced back on Saturday to win at Norwich City, but facing Liverpool is another difficult test for Graham Potter's team.

Liverpool have won their first title in thirty years, but they have looked a little lethargic in their last two Premier League games. However the quality was still on display as late goals secured the win over Aston Villa and Jurgen Klopp has made it clear he won't be sending out 'weak' teams to maintain the integrity of the Premier League.

There is some motivation in the Liverpool camp as they look to snap a really poor away run of form- the side have not won any of their last 5 away games in all competitions and have been beaten 4 times in that run. Even more surprising is that Liverpool have not scored in that set of fixtures and now face a Brighton team that can be stubborn to break down.

It would be a surprise if Brighton were to upset Liverpool though because this is a team that have not created hosts of chances. While Liverpool have not exactly been watertight in recent away games, they are a team who should have a settled back five going into the fixture and that should be enough to at least control their hosts.

The lack of goals and chances Liverpool have been creating away from home has to be a concern, but they have largely played stronger teams than Brighton so I do think the away team will be better in this one.

Even then the feeling is that this is a game that won't feature a lot of goals and I do believe we will see at least one clean sheet. Brighton have not been giving up loads of chances, but they have not produced a consistent threat in the final third either and Liverpool have been lacking some intensity in the final third in their last couple of Premier League games.

I am surprised that the layers don't follow that thinking, especially when noting that one or both teams have not scored in the last 7 Liverpool away games. It has also happened in half of Brighton's last 6 home games in all competitions and looking for at least one clean sheet in this one is where I am leaning.


Bournemouth v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: Eddie Howe was happy to see some of the attacking potential of his Bournemouth team come to the fore in their last game at Old Trafford, but the season long defensive problems were evident again too. That resulted in Bournemouth losing 5-2 which means they have lost all 4 games played since the restart of the Premier League and they have conceded four goals in back to back games.

That is a real problem as Bournemouth's goal difference has taken a hammering and dropped them down to 19th in the Premier League table. If Watford beat Norwich City on Tuesday like most would expect, Bournemouth will be 4 points from safety with just five League games left on their slate and that is likely going to lead to a lot of pressure on their players in this one.

Callum Wilson is back from a suspension which will add to the attacking potential of this Bournemouth team, but injuries at the back should mean Tottenham Hotspur have their chances too.

Spurs did not create a lot against Everton on Monday Night Football, but they did win the game and that will give the players a boost. There is a big North London derby to come on Sunday, but Tottenham Hotspur can't afford to slip up as they did at Sheffield United in their last away game and so the focus should be on this fixture.

There are enough attacking options to believe Tottenham Hotspur can become the latest club to create chances and score goals against this Bournemouth team. On the other side I do think Tottenham Hotspur have still not fully got on board with Jose Mourinho's tactical approach and that has meant they have yet to look fully secure at the back.

They did play well defensively on Monday night, but Bournemouth have to take chances and I think they will put more pressure on Tottenham Hotspur than Everton did.

2 of the 4 games played between these teams at Bournemouth since The Cherries were promoted to the Premier League have been tight affairs. But the other 2 have seen at least three goals shared out and on current form of both Bournemouth and Tottenham Hotspur I do think there will be goals produced in this one.


Everton v Southampton Pick: Both Everton and Southampton will be chasing top half finishes in the Premier League and have every opportunity to do that with a strong end to the month.

Carlo Ancelotti may still believe a European spot is a possibility for his Everton team despite the 1-0 defeat on Monday night at Tottenham Hotspur, but they can't afford to drop too many more points.

Everton have been very strong at Goodison Park since the Italian took over as manager of the club and that record looks more impressive when you think of some of the teams that have visited here. The side beat Leicester City 2-1 here last week and they will believe there are going to be more spaces to exploit against this Southampton defence.

However this is a Southampton team who are off back to back wins and who will be bouncing after holding off Manchester City for a 1-0 win on Sunday. They have won back to back away games in the Premier League since the resumption of play and Southampton have scored three times in both wins at Norwich City and Watford.

Ralph Hasenhuttl will understand that Everton are a much stronger team than those two, but his players have nothing to lose and are playing with pace and confidence in the final third. In Danny Ings they have a clinical goalscorer chasing down the Golden Boot and I do think Southampton will pose problems for Everton in this one.

Both teams hitting the net is a distinct possibility and I do think there is no real need for either to sit back and accept a point. That may produce an open game between two clubs who have shared three or more goals in 5 of their last 7 against one another.

3 of the last 5 at Goodison Park between Everton and Southampton have ended in 1-1 results and that may be the biggest threat to three or more goals being shared out on Thursday.


Aston Villa v Manchester United Pick: After scoring at least three goals in 3 successive Premier League games in a row for the first time since December 2018, Manchester United are big favourites to beat Aston Villa in the final Premier League in this round of fixtures.

There is no doubting the importance of the fixture at both ends of the Premier League table and I can imagine Manchester United will make up a key part of a number of accumulators this week.

They are playing with fluidity in the final third and have some exciting talents that are capable of creating chances and breaking down teams. The deep defensive teams that have given Manchester United problems are now having to deal with players like Bruno Fernandes and Paul Pogba who can find the right passes to open things up, while Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood have all be amongst the goals.

It is easy to think this is going to be a relatively routine win for Manchester United in their current form.

However this is a team that have not always been at their best away from home this season and even with the boost that Bruno Fernandes has clearly given them. Manchester United did crush Brighton in their last away game as the early goals opened the game up for them, but I do think this Aston Villa team have shown plenty of stubbornness and defensive discipline since the restart of the Premier League that they have not shown for much of the season.

While I can't ignore that Aston Villa have the worst defensive record in the Premier League with five games remaining, I also have to accept that they have been preventing teams creating a lot of chances in their games since the restart. The last 2 against Wolves and Liverpool have seen Dean Smith's men produce strong efforts at the back and I expect the home team will want to make life as difficult as possible for as long as possible for their visitors.

Aston Villa have struggled in the final third to create chances of their own though and Manchester United had been pretty solid before the two goals conceded against Bournemouth. Victor Lindelof's absence could be a concern because Eric Bailly has not been at the races in recent performances, but Manchester United will feel they can deal with what Aston Villa will throw at them.

All in all it feels like it could be a much tighter game than the layers believe and it might not be one that features a lot of goals. Manchester United's attacking intentions have impressed and they could blow past Aston Villa as they did against Brighton, but I think the home team are defending well enough to restrict chances and a narrow victory for the top four chasing visitors may be the outcome.

MY PICKS: Crystal Palace + 1.5 Asian Handicap
Watford to Win & Over 1.5 Goals
Arsenal-Leicester City Over 2.5 Goals
Manchester City - 2.25 Asian Handicap
Sheffield United + 0.5 Asian Handicap
West Ham United-Burnley Over 2.5 Goals
Brighton-Liverpool Both Teams to Score NO
Bournemouth-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals
Everton-Southampton Over 2.5 Goals
Aston Villa-Manchester United Under 2.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 34+

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned using my Wild Card in the hope of having a strong squad that would also be effective in GW33+ when I would look to use the Bench Boost Chip.

The 98 points in GW31+ were followed by 91 points in GW33+ and that has at least boosted the team, although I do feel the squad I have is still one that can be significantly improved for the final weeks of the season.

However it is a situation in which I would have to take some hits to do that and that may be a fatal mistake with so little time to make those points back. This is something that I have been considering over the last couple of days with one of the improving teams in my mind being West Ham United who have a very strong fixture list remaining.

Watford have not been in good form, but they have three winnable games in front of them, while trying to work out Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City selections from game to game is anything but easy. At this stage of the FPL game it does make it that much more important to make the right decisions in order to push on as high as possible in any Leagues you are playing and that is where I am reluctant to take a hit.

The players who are most interesting me in GW34+ have to be Phil Foden, Jarrod Bowen and Troy Deeney with all three players having good looking home fixtures to be played.

For the main I am quite happy with the squad, even if I would like to make some adjustments. If I am going to make the transfers the most likely candidates to be removed are Mason Mount and Dwight Gayle this week. However my feeling with the deadline fast approaching is that I want to keep the strikers as they are and simply move Mount out ahead of two tough looking away games.

I do think Mount will get his minutes, but he is playing with Ross Barkley and Chelsea's main threats are still coming from the former Everton man as well as Willian and Christian Pulisic. If you read my thoughts above I think Crystal Palace could make life difficult for Chelsea so it makes sense to remove one of the two players I have from that squad that make up my midfield.

Out of the two, I think Christian Pulisic is likely to offer better returns.

The transfer or transfers I will make will likely go down to the wire, but the majority of my starting eleven for the week have been set.

I think Kevin De Bruyne is a good choice as Captain this week because I think Manchester City will be coming out with some fire after losing on Sunday and the Belgian was rested. He has been on penalties and free kicks and De Bruyne looks capable of a double digit return in this fixture.

I picked him ahead of the Manchester United options even though United have been in fine form. My feeling is that the game at Villa Park may be tighter this week so the edge has to be given to Kevin De Bruyne for me.

My likely GW34+ team is going to be as follows with a single transfer likely to be made:

Alisson (Liverpool v Brighton)

Virgil Van Dijk (Liverpool v Brighton)

Harry Maguire (Man United v Aston Villa)

Willy Boly (Wolves v Sheffield United)

Christian Pulisic (Chelsea v Crystal Palace)

Bruno Fernandes (Man United v Aston Villa)

Anthony Martial (Man United v Aston Villa)

Kevin De Bruyne (Man City v Newcastle United)

Raul Jimenez (Wolves v Sheffield United)

Roberto Firmino (Liverpool v Brighton)

Bench: Emiliano Martinez, Justin James, Dwight Gayle, Federico Fernandez.