Premier League Picks and Fantasy Football GameWeek 6 2022/23 (September 3-4)

The short turnaround between GameWeek 5 and GameWeek 6 is tough for Fantasy Football players as much as it is for the real life managers as they hope to keep some momentum going in what is a very tough opening to the new season.

European Football gets underway on Tuesday and we have GameWeek 7 and GameWeek 8 to get through before teams can break away for the September international break.

October looks an incredibly busy month so it is so important to keep the points ticking over.

Premier League Picks GameWeek 6

August was a horrific month for the Premier League Picks with upsets seemingly around every corner.

You do have to hope that things will settle down, but it is a difficult run towards the World Cup and the rotations can make things harder to predict. However, I would love to see a bit more luck behind my selections here considering some of the truly strange things that have occurred on a regular basis.

But don't worry, I don't believe there is a 'witch in the building' or that the weather has been too dry... A Paul Pogba inspired curse is clearly the issue!

Everton v Liverpool Pick: Both of these teams had different outcomes from their midweek fixtures as Everton blew a lead in a draw at Leeds United, while Liverpool came from behind to beat Newcastle United at Anfield.

However, Frank Lampard will arguably be the more pleased with what he has seen of late from his Everton team compared with Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool team. Chances are being created by Liverpool, but they continue to concede the first goal in games and that puts them under immense pressure to get things right.

Falling behind in the Merseyside derby at Goodison Park will be far from ideal for Liverpool, but this is always a challenging fixture for them. They may have won very comfortably here last December, but Liverpool had failed to secure the three points on 4 prior visits to Goodison Park and the home fans will certainly try and get on top of the visiting team making the short journey across Stanley Park.

Everton have scored first in both League games played this week, but have failed to hold on each time as they continue to show some defensive vulnerabilities. The chances being created is a positive for Everton, but those have come against Nottingham Forest, Brentford and Leeds United and you have to expect Liverpool to be harder to break down than those teams.

Recent results don't indicate that as Liverpool conceded first for the eighth time in nine games against Newcastle United, while Liverpool have also conceded the first goal in their last 5 away fixtures in all competitions. As much as Jurgen Klopp will be reminding his players of that fact, the return of Joel Matip cannot seem to come quickly enough.

He may be available for Saturday, but the bigger return for Liverpool could be Darwin Nunez for a team that has missed a focal point to their attacking play. The new signing has to be aware that defenders will have sensed a weakness in him after the way Darwin was hooked into a sending off against Crystal Palace, but I do think he will offer Liverpool a real threat going forward.

This is not going to be an easy game for Liverpool, but I do think they are the better team and will dominate the chances again. Everton may be a dangerous team on the counter-attack, but Liverpool's own attacking threat will be much stronger if Darwin and potentially Diogo Jota are back for them.

Avoiding going behind is the key for Liverpool and Everton have yet to lead at Goodison Park this season. If the visitors can edge in front, I think they have the quality to finally put in a much more rounded performance and secure a strong win on the day.

Brentford v Leeds United Pick: There isn't much love lost between Brentford and Leeds United, despite not being natural rivals, and the two teams will be heading into the weekend looking for a little better than recent results.

Over the last seven days, Brentford have earned two 1-1 draws against Everton and Crystal Palace, while Leeds United were beaten 1-0 at Brighton last Saturday before also drawing 1-1 with Everton.

An injury to Rodrigo will have dented the game-plan for Leeds United on Tuesday, but I do expect them to be a little more ready to play without their in-form striker. Patrick Bamford may not be ready to start, but he can give Leeds United a few more minutes than Tuesday, while the team are still producing strong attacking football that can create chances and hurt teams.

I think they will be able to do that against a Brentford team that have not defended as well as they would have liked, but Thomas Frank's team have been very good going forward. The manager has been a little disappointed with some of the lack of composure in the final third which has seen Brentford miss some glaring chances to win games over the last week, but The Bees can do more of the same on Saturday.

Ivan Toney is still a threat and Brentford will feel they can expose some of the vulnerabilities we have seen from Leeds United.

Both Premier League games between the teams ended with at least three goals shared out last season and both were games that featured some solid attacking football. An early goal could be key to the outcome of this one in West London and it could certainly spark the two teams to push forward in what could be an entertaining game for the fans in wet conditions.

Chelsea v West Ham United Pick: The Group Stages of their respective European competitions will begin during the week and both Chelsea and West Ham United are looking to find a bit more consistency in the Premier League.

The demands of the domestic and European calendar will be a huge test for every team ahead of the World Cup and this is a big game for the two clubs.

Thomas Tuchel and David Moyes will know what the other is likely going to want to do and they will have been trying to prepare their teams on a short week for this London derby. Chelsea have had an extra twenty-four hours to get ready, while they will also have Wesley Fofana available after finally getting his signing across the line.

I do think the extra time is going to be important for Chelsea and they have been playing pretty well in their two games at Stamford Bridge. The side have signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to offer a genuine threat down the middle, but Chelsea have scored two goals in each of their two home games and will be ready to integrate the ex-Arsenal striker into the line up later this month.

Chelsea should be able to create chances against a West Ham United team who have not completely convinced with their performances at the back. The Hammers looked much more threatening going forward against Tottenham Hotspur than we have seen for much of the season, but this is a fixture played away from home and West Ham United have lost 6 of their last 8 Premier League games on their travels.

The clean sheet at Villa Park is a positive, but West Ham United do not have the best recent record here and I think Chelsea's final third threat is hard to ignore.

With the goals being scored by The Blues, I think they can bounce back from the 2-1 loss at St Mary's by winning this home League game before the Champions League Group Stage gets underway.

Newcastle United v Crystal Palace Pick: After working as hard as they did on Wednesday, Newcastle United will have been disappointed to have returned home empty handed and Eddie Howe will be looking to pick the players up ahead of this game.

Playing at St James' Park has become a big help for the Newcastle United team with the fans firmly behind the style of football they are seeing under their current manager. They haven't just pleased the fans with the performances, but the results have also been impressive and Newcastle United have won 8 of their last 10 Premier League games here.

You do have to consider whether Newcastle United are now amongst the top teams in the Premier League, even without spending the kind of money that some expected under the new ownership. Eddie Howe's team play with confidence and they will feel they can compete with any team they face having given Manchester City and Liverpool a rough ride over the past month.

Not many will enjoy visiting St James' Park either, but this may be a good time for Crystal Palace even if they have struggled for consistency on their travels.

Injuries are limiting the options available to Eddie Howe and his team are playing with less time to prepare than Crystal Palace.

Patrick Vieira's team look healthier and they have shown how capable they can be in their 1-1 draw at Anfield followed by the 0-2 lead they had at the Etihad Stadium. Like their opponents in this fixture, Crystal Palace could not hold onto a two goal lead against Manchester City, although they were beaten 4-2 instead of earning the 3-3 draw that Newcastle United managed at home.

Crystal Palace will feel they can cause problems for Newcastle United and the home team do look a short price when you think of the players that are likely to be missing. The effort put into the narrow loss at Liverpool will have taken something from the legs and Crystal Palace's pace and quality in the final third may be enough for a positive result on Saturday afternoon.

Nottingham Forest v Bournemouth Pick: Both Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth were promoted to the Premier League last season, but they have taken vastly different approaches to how they feel they can consolidate their returns to the top flight.

While Bournemouth have been prudent spenders, Nottingham Forest have brought in a huge amount of players and spent over £200 million in getting the squad ready for the big time.

Steve Cooper cannot complain, but will be under pressure to deliver results, while Scott Parker's complaining at Bournemouth meant he became the earliest Sacking in Premier League history. The 9-0 hammering at Anfield cannot have helped, but Bournemouth bounced back for a point against Wolves during the week.

This time it is Nottingham Forest who will be looking to bounce back having been thumped 6-0 at Manchester City, but being at home will be a huge help. Nottingham Forest have hosted two tough opponents at the City Ground, but they have played really well in those games and now they face a much more winnable game.

That also brings additional pressure on players to perform, but there has been enough from Nottingham Forest to think they will have too much for Bournemouth. Steve Cooper's team will get forward and they will create chances and I do think it will be a challenge for Bournemouth to stay competitive considering the lack of goals in the squad.

Winning both League games against Nottingham Forest last season will give Bournemouth confidence, but this is a much stronger Forest team.

Defensively there are some questions about Nottingham Forest that will need to be answered, but I think they will have enough in the final third to secure an important three points.

Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham Pick: Merely looking at the results will suggest Tottenham Hotspur are in pretty good form, but there has been a slight lack of energy about them at times.

Some of that may have been down to the early start to the season, while a couple of key players are not in the best of form. Heung-Min Son is still searching for his first goal of the season having finished as joint leading scorer last season, while Tottenham Hotspur have just struggled to put an end product to some of the football being played.

In saying that, Spurs are still creating plenty of chances and they have been a much more confident team at home. Picking up four points from consecutive away games at Nottingham Forest and West Ham United will have pleased the manager, even if Antonio Conte felt his team were unbelievably denied a Penalty in the first half at the London Stadium following a long VAR check.

Being back at home should see a better all around performance from Tottenham Hotspur as they prepare to host this London derby.

Fulham are the visitors and Marco Silva's men have made a strong start to their return to the Premier League. An important home win over Brighton will have given the whole squad a boost, but the underlying numbers are a little troubling considering the amount of chances Fulham seem to be giving up.

They have impressed going forward though and in Aleksander Mitrovic they have a player in really good form, while Fulham led at Arsenal last weekend. A mistake helped them get in front and Arsenal were deserved winners in the end and I think Tottenham Hotspur will be able to follow their rivals in earning a home win over Fulham.

At some point the chances being allowed by Fulham will hurt them and the attacking approach could leave them open in this one at a tough away venue.

The last time these clubs met here it ended in a draw, but I think Tottenham Hotspur are stronger now and they can find the goals to secure a comfortable win on the day.

Aston Villa v Manchester City Pick: In recent years Aston Villa have given Manchester City one or two things to think about and Steven Gerrard has pointed out how close they came to upsetting the Champions at least once least season.

Both fixtures ended in narrow wins for Manchester City, but Aston Villa are a team playing with little confidence at the moment. It is a complete contrast at Manchester City where the goals have been flowing very easily and with a striker in absolutely stunning form in Erling Haaland leading the way.

That lack of confidence makes it very difficult to imagine Aston Villa are going to be as competitive as they were at the Etihad Stadium on the final day of last season. To be blunt, Aston Villa took their chances when they came that day, but this is a team who have not been producing the best attacking form this season and that is a major worry for their manager.

To make matters worse, Aston Villa have looked very vulnerable at the back and only poor finishing from Arsenal prevented them from being at the wrong end of a heavy loss. Set pieces will be key for Aston Villa to try and hurt Manchester City, but I am not sure how they can contain a team who have scored three or more goals in their last 4 Premier League games.

Better defences have struggled with the attacking threat Manchester City have produced and I think this is going to be a very tough day in the office for the hosts. There is a chance that Erling Haaland will not start the game, but even then Manchester City have plenty of attacking threats on the pitch and I think they will be a little too good all around for an Aston Villa team who have had a miserable August.

The last 3 Manchester City wins over Aston Villa have come by single goal margins and it is never easy to win by two or more away from home. However, Aston Villa look really poor at the back and I think Manchester City may manage at least three goals here which should be enough for a comfortable away win.

Brighton v Leicester City Pick: Both of these clubs were beaten in the midweek round of Premier League fixtures, but you have to favour Brighton as the more likely to bounce back on Sunday in front of the television cameras.

For starters, Brighton have started the season in much stronger form than Leicester City. Secondly they have had two extra days to prepare for this Premier League game having played at Fulham on Tuesday, while Leicester City lost to Manchester United on Thursday.

Add in home advantage and the fact that Brighton got the better of Leicester City here twelve months ago and most factors are pointing at the home team as the most likely winners.

Backing Brighton at odds on is not easy considering their sometimes wastefulness in front of goal and that is the major issue that has prevented Graham Potter's team from even more success than they have had. It was more of the same on Tuesday at Fulham, while the goalless draw at home against Newcastle United was down to Nick Pope and some poor finishing from the Brighton forwards.

They did beat Leeds United here last weekend, but Brighton are not going to overwhelm teams and that gives Leicester City a chance.

However, it is very difficult to know where Leicester City are heading at the moment with an unhappy manager and a squad that needed fresh faces. The goals being conceded is a real concern, while Leicester City have looked far too open and you have to expect the intelligent Brighton forwards to find spaces to exploit.

James Maddison, Harvey Barnes and Jamie Vardy do give Leicester City some quality in the final third that has seen them score in their first 4 Premier League games before being shut out by Manchester United. I think they will pose problems for Brighton, but I cannot ignore the chances Leicester City are likely to give away and this feels like another home win, albeit in what is expected to be a tight game.

Manchester United v Arsenal Pick: These clubs met in April at the Emirates Stadium and you can get a feeling of the kind of turnover that has been made this summer from the starting line ups from that day.

Out of the eleven players that Arsenal selected, I would suggest only a maximum of six will be playing on Sunday.

From Manchester United, you could argue that seven of the eleven that began the game in April will be starting this one.

Both managers will be pleased with the form that Manchester United and Arsenal have been displaying ahead of this fixture, but injuries are beginning to crunch down on the visitors.

A strong start has been made to the season, but I do think we will learn a lot more about Arsenal following this fixture. The wins so far have been against teams Arsenal would be expected to beat following the investment made this summer and it is telling that four of the five Premier League wins have come against teams sitting in 13th or lower in the Division.

In fact three of those wins have been against teams in the bottom five, including against the current bottom two and so we do have to question how far Arsenal really have come. I won't deny they have been impressive winners in the games played so far, but a trip to Old Trafford is the litmus test and may give us a much better idea of what to expect from Arsenal over the next nine months.

Arsenal don't have a bad recent record at Manchester United, but were beaten 3-2 here last season.

They are also facing a Manchester United team playing with more confidence after 3 wins in a row and back to back clean sheets. The home win over Liverpool is easily the best result either of these teams have produced so far this season and Manchester United have lost 1 of their last 11 Premier League games at Old Trafford, despite the negative vibe around the club towards the end of last season.

Erik ten Hag will still feel there is an improvement to be made by his team, especially in the forward areas, but he will be happier with the partnerships at the back. Overall the defence has looked better without Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire, while Casemiro will be an upgrade on Scott McTominay when it comes to protecting the defence.

Antony is unlikely to be given a start this Sunday, but he is another that should be able to improve a problematic position for Manchester United on the right wing and there is much encouragement from what we have seen.

Injury issues in the Arsenal camp certainly give Manchester United the edge in my opinion and I do think the home team can keep the momentum going.

I respect what Arsenal have done so far this season, but Crystal Palace could have easily taken a point from them in the opening weekend fixture. They have won 4 of their last 6 away Premier League games, but ignoring the exceptions which were heavy defeats at Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United will be dangerous.

My lean is that Manchester United's stronger defensive performances of the last couple of weeks will show up here and they can be backed on the 'Draw No Bet' market to secure the three points.

MY PICKS: Liverpool - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.89 Bet365 (2 Units)

Brentford-Leeds United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Chelsea to Win & Over 1 Total Goal @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Crystal Palace + 0.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.84 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Nottingham Forest @ 2.00 Bet365 (2 Units)

Tottenham Hotspur - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.09 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Manchester City - 1.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.92 Bet365 (2 Units)

Brighton @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Manchester United Draw No Bet @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

August 2022/23: 14-30, - 29.76 Units (88 Units Staked, - 33.82% Yield)

Fantasy Football GameWeek 6

I did say Pep Guardiola is a troll didn't I?

After previously mentioning that he will not be asking Erling Haaland to play every three days, the Manchester City manager has now stated that recovery is much easier at 22 years old than 32 years old and it sounds like rest and rotation is not a part of the future for Haaland after all.

Personally I couldn't trust Guardiola about anything he says in his press conferences and that statement actually has me thinking that he is more likely to have Erling Haaland on the bench at Villa Park instead of starting.

It's the go to move for Guardiola, but regardless I am unlikely to shift my Captain armband after another Erling Haaland super-show on Wednesday hurt me in GameWeek 5.

I can't really complain about a return of 79 points even noting that I got my Captain wrong, but the decision to bring in Rodrigo has backfired as he suffered a first half injury that will rule him out for the rest of the month.

Of course that means I am going to have to make a move in the market.

I did consider Leandro Trossard and Marcus Rashford, but I have Pascal Gross and did not want two Brighton players in attacking roles. I also think Rashford will soon be under pressure for his starting position in the Manchester United eleven after a couple of less than impressive outings and the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Anthony Martial, when he is fit, could be pushing to become the focal point for the club.

Marcus Rashford would be more appealing if he could put two or three quality games together, but it has been a long time since we saw him do that and I think the Arsenal game on Sunday may be his last hurrah with Antony coming in and United looking pretty good when Ronaldo came on against Leicester City.

Other options included the sideways move from Rodrigo to Jack Harrison, but ultimately I wanted a player I could use through to the September international break and the focus soon shifted to Nottingham Forest.

It came down to a straight decision between Morgan Gibbs-White and Jesse Lingard, but the latter was not involved in the 6-0 loss at Manchester City. Morgan Gibbs-White started and was withdrawn after 57 minutes, but I think that strengthens his chance of starting in GameWeek 6 and fixtures against Bournemouth and Fulham at home to sandwich a trip to Leeds United is an appealing run before the end of the month.

Steve Cooper has Nottingham Forest playing attacking football and they have been very impressive at the City Ground considering they have hosted West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur. The upcoming fixtures look much more manageable and the move to either Gibbs-White or Lingard at least leaves more money in the bank if I have to make more transfers in GameWeek 7.

Ideally I will then be able to move through that GameWeek without a transfer to have two to use in GameWeek 8.

The number of transfers made by Nottingham Forest makes it harder to trust them, but I do think they have done enough to suggest they can at least give Bournemouth, Leeds United and Fulham plenty to think about. That is all I can ask of them and I do think Morgan Gibbs-White/Jesse Lingard are differentials that can pay off here.

The Captain choice is tough for one reason only- I hate placing the armband on the first game of the weekend.

However, the return of Darwin Nunez is going to be a big plus for Liverpool and I do think it will benefit Mo Salah who has made a slower start than expected. He has scored three goals in his last two visits to Goodison Park and Everton are still defensively vulnerable, while I think Salah will win the minutes battle with Erling Haaland.

Going against the Norwegian has proven to be a big mistake over the last two GameWeeks, and it will be a tough day if Salah has not produced something in the early kick off.

A Merseyside derby is not an easy game to bring home a return, but I do think Liverpool are creating enough chances to believe they can break down their rivals and score at least two goals on the day.

Weekend Football and Fantasy Football GameWeek 6 Picks 2021 (September 25-27)

It was another decent, but unspectacular week for my Fantasy Premier League team.

At least my real life team are still picking up big wins in the Premier League and Manchester United have a big week ahead of them when they are due to play three games before the October international break.

All three will be played at Old Trafford, but the idiots in West London have drained the fuel garages and that means I will not be attending for the first time in the League this season. To say I am highly strung at the moment is an understatement, but hopefully it will have cleared up by the time the Champions League game with Villarreal is set to be played on Wednesday.

And almost certainly I will be back for the Premier League game with Everton next weekend.

Chelsea v Manchester City Pick: This looks to be the big game in the Premier League this weekend and it will be the opening live fixture of the scheduled matches to be played.

Both Chelsea and Manchester City are amongst the favourites to win the Premier League title this season and both have made relatively good starts to the season.

Chelsea have been producing better results, but it can be argued that Manchester City have largely had the stronger performances. That makes it more intriguing trying to pick a winner, although the mental edge is with Thomas Tuchel and his Chelsea team.

Since his arrival, Thomas Tuchel has beaten Pep Guardiola and Manchester City in all 3 meetings including in the FA Cup Semi Final to end the Quadruple hopes and in the Champions League Final. The games have been competitively played which should be the case on Saturday, although I do think the injury list at centre half is a worry for Manchester City.

The home team look stronger in the squad and they should be ready to compete in front of their own fans, although Chelsea are not creating a host of chances in matches they are playing. What they have been doing is being defensively responsible and I do think Thomas Tuchel will set Chelsea up to be hard to break down.

It has worked in the matches against Manchester City as Pep Guardiola has been guilty of overcomplicating his team selection and tactics in a couple of those defeats. They are still a team who can be very threatening going forward, but Chelsea have shown they can deal with all that comes their way and the feeling is that this will be another low-scoring game between these teams who will not want to give much away to the other.

Manchester United v Aston Villa Pick: Both of these teams were beaten in the League Cup Third Round during the week, but they will return to the more important Premier League schedule this weekend.

Manchester United and Aston Villa have some big ambitions in the League this season, although the former have made the much stronger start of the two teams. The fixture list has actually been pretty kind to both, but Aston Villa have had a couple of setbacks away from home which has left them in the bottom half of the table.

Those away defeats at Watford and Chelsea are a concern for Aston Villa considering the amount of goals Manchester United have scored in their last two Premier League games at Old Trafford. In the two League games with Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line, Manchester United have created some big chances and the Portuguese hitman has banged in four goals already since returning to the club.

His movement helps the entire Manchester United attack and I do think Cristiano Ronaldo can inspire the team to another three points.

Aston Villa cannot be underestimated considering how well they performed at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League earlier this month- the 3-0 defeat was incredibly harsh on them and Aston Villa do create chances.

However, they have not looked completely at ease defensively and that is where Manchester United should have the edge. Clean sheets have not been easy to come by for the home team, but they are making mistakes at times which have been punished and Manchester United have to pay plenty of attention to Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins.

The partnership will need time to really click together and Aston Villa have not really been creating a lot of good chances. They played well on the counter attack at Chelsea in the League and Cup and that will give them chances against Manchester United, but I expect plenty of the key players to be restored to the side and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can make it three wins out of three at Old Trafford in the League before a big Champions League and Premier League fixture to come leading to the October international break.

Everton v Norwich City Pick: Daniel Farke has to be questioned about his Norwich City tactics which look to be leading the club back into the Championship with little hope of much of a fight to avoid that. He wants his team to play on the front foot, but Norwich City have been really poor defensively and making some massive mistakes which have proved costly.

They are not consistent enough going the other way to make amends for those defensive vulnerabilities and I do think Norwich City are going to struggle to even avoid finishing with the fewest Premier League points in history.

It is important for Norwich City to show more and it could be argued that they could not have picked a better time to visit Goodison Park.

Everton were beaten 3-0 at Aston Villa last weekend and were then dumped out of the League Cup at Queens Park Rangers, while injuries have piled up for Rafael Benitez ahead of the October international break. Key names should be able to return immediately after that, but for now Everton are short of numbers and the players are going to have to dig deep to make up for the absentees.

They did show they can do that in the 3-1 win over Burnley a couple of weeks ago and Everton do still have enough in the final third to believe they are going to have too much for Norwich City. Recent history at Goodison Park is not that encouraging, but Rafael Benitez has made Everton pretty organised already and they are capable of blowing past teams at home with the fans behind them.

Players will have to step up with both Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison expected to miss out, but Everton have the squad depth to do that. It is especially the case against this opponent in my opinion and I think Everton will win a game that features a few goals.

Leeds United v West Ham United Pick: Injuries have really hurt Leeds United early in this season and they have looked vulnerable when teams have tried to get on top of them.

It has led to a couple of heavy defeats to Manchester United and Liverpool, while Leeds United have yet to secure a clean sheet. This week they are missing more key players as Diego Llorente and Patrick Bamford are expected to be absent and that leaves Leeds United vulnerable.

They will never be easy to beat at Elland Road and especially not with the fans back in attendance, but West Ham United are more than capable of taking advantage of any uncertainty in the home dressing room. Michail Antonio is back and West Ham United are coming in off a big win at Manchester United in the League Cup which means they have won 5 of their last 7 away from home in all competitions.

The Hammers have produced 3 clean sheets in a row away from home which has to be respected and Antonio means they have a significant goal-threat returning this week. I expect that to make the difference for West Ham United with Leeds United being without their first choice striker, although the home team are more than capable of making up for Patrick Bamford's absence.

However, Leeds United have not been in their best form at either end of the field, while West Ham United have still looked very strong despite not winning any of their last 3 League games. Away wins at Dinamo Zagreb and at Old Trafford will make West Ham United believe they have the quality to break down Leeds United and I think they can be backed on the handicap to secure the points.

Leicester City v Burnley Pick: There will be a feeling that both of these teams have underachieved so far in this Premier League season, but there has to be enough encouragement for both Brendan Rodgers and Sean Dyche to believe their teams can turn things around.

Strong League Cup wins during the week will help the confidence for both Leicester City and Burnley who will have felt hard done by when VAR decisions went against them in defeats last weekend.

Burnley may be the more unfortunate of the two teams with their lack of points considering their performances, but Leicester City will believe they have come out of their toughest point of the season already. Injuries were hurting Leicester City, but the majority have cleared up and that could see an upturn in form and fortune for them.

There is some negative form going against both clubs- Leicester City have lost 3 of their last 4 Premier League games at home, while Burnley have lost their last 3 away Premier League games. However, I think both teams are capable of causing problems for the other when they get forward and this may be the latest game between the clubs that ends with a few goals shared out.

The last 2 at the King Power Stadium have ended with three or more goals shared out, while 5 of the last 7 overall between Burnley and Leicester City have ended that way. After good Cup results, I think the two teams will be more confident this weekend and I do think defensive vulnerabilities can be exploited by each of the teams taking to the field.

It looks like a game that could produce goals.

Watford v Newcastle United Pick: It is far too early to be speaking about relegation six pointers, but you have to believe that both Watford and Newcastle United would have targeted matches against the other as being vital towards their survival bids.

The newly promoted club are in better form in the very early part of the Premier League season and Watford put a huge three points on the board by crushing Norwich City 1-3 at Carrow Road last weekend.

Being in mid-table is obviously a good thing, but Xisco Munoz knows the pressure is on to deliver enough strong results at all times. Watford have become known for chopping and changing managers very quickly when they feel things are going against them and so this is a big game for the manager to show he can keep the club in the top flight.

Playing away from home may suit Steve Bruce and his Newcastle United players with the fans clearly not happy with the direction of the club. They were booed off last week, but Bruce is maintaining he will not walk away from the job and there has been little to suggest Mike Ashley has lost faith in the manager.

Newcastle United need a win to ease growing concerns, but they are suffering with some key injuries and I do think they have continued to look vulnerable at the back.

Watford have been strong at home under their current manager, despite back to back losses at Vicarage Road, and I do think the squad is more settled. Only the starting goalkeeper is expected to sit out, but Ben Foster is more than a capable replacement and I do think Watford can create the chances to earn the win.

The Hornets also have a strong home record against Newcastle United in recent seasons and I think they do enough to win here.

Brentford v Liverpool Pick: The late Saturday kick off in the Premier League is a game that many Brentford fans would have never really expected to see.

Facing the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United has been a dream for people in the area for a long time, but Brentford are still getting used to having those clubs visiting this part of West London.

The players have not really begun the season with an inferiority complex though and that makes Brentford dangerous, while back to back wins gives them confidence. They are well organised under Thomas Frank and Brentford don't give a lot away, while their front two will make defenders work hard all day long.

However, this is a big test for Brentford against a Liverpool team that has picked up from where they left off at the end of last season. They have been winning plenty of games and Liverpool have been scoring goals away from home for fun.

Liverpool have also been pretty good at the back and the return of Virgil Van Dijk has been a huge boost for them. The regularly back line should all be available for this tough game, while Liverpool will feel they have the players capable of a touch of magic in the final third that can make the difference in what is expected to be a tight, competitive match.

I still think there is a little bit of work to do for Brentford if they are going to score a lot of goals at this level, despite the good football they are asked to play. This is the toughest test they would have had on their return to the top flight and I think Liverpool will just underline the difference between the very top clubs, and those expected to be finishing in the bottom half of the table.

Goals may not be as free-flowing as recent Liverpool away games, but I think the reality is that they have enough to secure the narrow victory on the day.

Southampton v Wolves Pick: If teams were going to be rewarded points for their performances rather than the goals they have been able to score, I think both Southampton and Wolves would be much higher up the Premier League table.

However, that is not how it works and this is a big game for both teams who have 4 and 3 points respectively.

At least Wolves have earned a victory in the League this season, but the 0-2 home loss to Brentford would have hurt. Southampton have yet to win, but they have had a much more difficult fixture list having played three matches against teams that finished in the top six last season.

Avoiding defeat in all of those is a bonus for Ralph Hasenhuttl's team, but it is a different mindset that is needed to win games Southampton will be expecting to. They would not have expected much change out of Manchester United, West Ham United and Manchester City and that has allowed Southampton to dig in, but the fans will be looking for their team to get forward more in this fixture.

That could leave Southampton vulnerable to the counter attack and Wolves certainly have plenty of pace in the forward areas to take advantage of any spaces left behind. We have yet to see Wolves really display a cutting edge to their football, but they have created chances and they looked better in their last away game at Watford a couple of weeks ago.

Wolves also have good memories of playing at this stadium with wins in 4 of their last 5 visits, although they have not always been easy.

The first goal is going to be key to the match, but I do have to favour Wolves very slightly in that regard. They have been a little stronger than Southampton at both ends of the field and a bit of composure should see Wolves motoring up the standings in the weeks ahead.

As a very slight underdog, Wolves could surprise this weekend with a victory to move above their opponents and leave Southampton waiting for their first Premier League win of the season.

Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: It hasn't been that long since the North London derby would be seen as one of the top games in the Premier League, but these days it feels much more about bragging rights than about deciding Champions League positions.

Not many would tip Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur to be good enough to secure a top four finish this season, but the fans will care little for that ahead of the first derby of the campaign.

If the game had been played at the beginning of September, I imagine the odds would have been much tighter. At that point Arsenal had lost all 3 Premier League games played and Tottenham Hotspur had won all 3, but a month later it is all change.

Now it is Arsenal who have won back to back League games, while Spurs have been thumped by Crystal Palace and Chelsea. It also means Arsenal are considered a pretty strong favourite to win this game and I think there are plenty of reasons to believe they can do that.

However, Arsenal have yet to really convince with their play and Tottenham Hotspur manager Nuno Espirito Santo has a pretty good record here with his Wolves team. The defeat at Crystal Palace came off the back of a sending off when the game was goalless and I expect Tottenham Hotspur to be set up to play on the counter attack.

They have yet to find the balance Wolves had under the manager and that has meant Tottenham Hotspur have struggled to create a lot of good chances. Being without Steven Bergwijn and Lucas Moura will not help and I do think this is going to be a tight game where goals could be at a premium.

4 of the last 6 North London derby games have finished with three or more goals shared out, while the last 3 here have all ended the same way. You have to respect that, but both of these teams have struggled in the final third in the early part of this season and I do think that shows up in this Sunday afternoon fixture and I expect it to result in a lower scoring derby than the fans have gotten used to seeing.

Crystal Palace v Brighton Pick: Both Patrick Vieira and Graham Potter do like their teams to get down and play attractive, attacking football and that could mean a good game develops on Monday Night Football.

The atmosphere should be intense at Selhurst Park and I do think Crystal Palace are being a touch under-rated in this one.

They were well beaten at Liverpool last weekend, but Crystal Palace have produced some decent numbers in other games as they find the balance between Roy Hodgson's and Patrick Vieira's style. Crystal Palace might have done enough to win at the London Stadium and deserved the win over Tottenham Hotspur and I do think the points will be reflecting the performances soon.

Brighton know that it can take some time for that to happen having underachieved for much of last season, but they look all the better for it now. Wins have been coming frequently this season, but the numbers suggest they have been a touch fortunate this time around.

Both Burnley and Brentford will feel they did enough to avoid defeat against Brighton and I do think Crystal Palace have played well enough here to expect that to be the case. However, they might have a narrow edge with the home crowd behind them and Crystal Palace look a worthy underdog to bounce back from last weekend and beat their rivals at home for the first time since April 2018.

MY PICKS: Chelsea-Manchester City Under 2.5 Goals

Manchester United - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Everton & Over 1.5 Goals

West Ham United 0 Asian Handicap

Leicester City-Burnley Over 2.5 Goals

Watford - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Liverpool & Under 4.5 Goals

Wolves 0 Asian Handicap

Arsenal-Tottenham Hotspur Under 2.5 Goals

Crystal Palace 0 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 6

After picking up 61 points in GameWeek 5, my team has had a slight drop in the overall Rankings.

However, the key is that the team are still performing well enough and producing at least 60 points per week, an average across the season that will bring in a very good OR.

This week I had two transfers to use and I honestly would have been happy to roll it over another week if the game would allow me to put three transfers in the bank.

Unfortunately it does not do that so my only choice was to use a transfer or lose a transfer.

There are three players that I have considered changing and all are midfielders- Diogo Jota, Mason Greenwood and Said Benrahma.

My reasons for those players are below:

Diogo Jota- he is due a big return, but Liverpool have a pretty tough game in West London at Brentford and will then face Manchester City. With Roberto Firmino on the road back, I think Jota will be rotated again.

Mason Greenwood- a lethal finisher, I do think Mason Greenwood is someone who will out-perform his underlying numbers. However, Cristiano Ronaldo's return means Manchester United have been playing a little differently and I think Greenwood won't be having the same kind of opportunities that he got in the first three weeks.

Said Benrahma- his numbers are not that impressive of late and I do think he was very fortunate to have been given the goal against Manchester United last Sunday. However, the fixtures look kinder than for the other two players mentioned.

One of those are going to have to be moved out and I think the best replacement may be a midfielder in the 5.4 to 5.6 million range.

Andros Townsend, Conor Gallagher and Bryan Mbeumo may be the leading contenders. Demarai Gray looks to be heavily owned now, but Townsend could be a differential way into the Everton attack against Norwich City.

Bryan Mbeumo looks to have a tough game this week and Brentford are in a difficult portion of their schedule, but you can never ignore a player that is playing out of position when operating further up the pitch than the FPL game has expected.

The last player mentioned is Conor Gallagher who looks capable of thriving under the guidance of Patrick Vieira at Crystal Palace. He has got into some very good positions in the final third for his new club and Gallagher has produced some good looking numbers already, while also having a fixture list that looks appealing on paper.

The move to bring in a player of that kind of value will also put my squad in a good position to bring in the Chelsea players I want, especially with the fixtures coming up from GameWeek 7. I have mentioned before that they are a team that has to be targeted with the run of games coming up, plus the extra money in the bank does offer an opportunity to shape the squad in the manner I like.

I will have two transfers going into GameWeek 7 and will be having a real think about whether I will use both, or whether I will roll one over to the GameWeek after the next international break.

My team will be on Twitter just after the deadline on Saturday morning.

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (October 23-26)

There are only a couple of weeks to go before we get to the November international break, but if you have a quick look at the fixtures of the top teams before that you can see how congested this 2020/21 season is going to be.

That is at least the case through to January with games played every few days by those clubs involved in European competition so it will be important to find the right balance for each upcoming game and make sure the squad remains as fresh as possible.

Watch out for the early deadline in the Fantasy Football this week with a Friday Night Football offering in GW6 and also in GW7... The game is frustrating at times and you can read my thoughts below.

Aston Villa v Leeds United Pick: The early Premier League season has seen a huge amount of goals being scored, but there may be a feeling that things are returning to the mean if you go by the results last weekend.

While there were still some high-scoring fixtures, the last 3 played over the weekend produced a total of two goals.

Two of those fixtures involved Aston Villa and Leeds United and I think we may see another tight affair on Friday Night Football.

That isn't to say that Dean Smith or Marcelo Bielsa are 'negative' managers that will look to keep things tight, but I do think both Aston Villa and Leeds United have struggled to create consistent chances.

Both teams have scored plenty of goals in one match- against Champions Liverpool no less- but the other 3/4 Premier League fixtures played by the two teams have been less dynamic in front of goal.

Aston Villa's other 3 League games have produced a single goal in 2 of them, while the last 2 Leeds United games have both finished 0-1.

A look at the numbers suggests Aston Villa have been the better defensive team and that should give them the edge on Friday Night Football. However I do think Leeds United are a team that can't be underestimated and instead the best approach may be expecting a game where goals are not free-flowing.

It would not be a major surprise if we see one of these teams fail to find the back of the net considering recent defensive performances. There are some talented attackers on display, but I do have to respect the way Aston Villa and Leeds United have defended too.

My edge is with Aston Villa to continue their stunning start to the Premier League season, but the more likely outcome may be one of the teams failing to score. I would also look for the recent trend of Premier League fixtures to continue at least through one more game and that is for this one to finish with less than three goals shared out.

Barring an early goal which would seriously open this fixture up, I am suggesting goals will be at a premium at Villa Park. I am not sure Leeds United will be able to make up for the loss of Kalvin Phillips in the short-term and that may give Aston Villa the narrow victory here.

West Ham United v Manchester City Pick: There have been some impressive early performers in the Premier League in the 2020/21 season and a number of those clubs have been surprising the pre-season predictions for them.

One of those has to be West Ham United who had a horrific opening set of fixtures in the Premier League.

They were beaten by Newcastle United and Arsenal and it looked like David Moyes' team were going to struggle to pick up too many points in the weeks ahead. However they hammered both Wolves and Leicester City and the fight from 3-0 down to earn a draw at Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday was very, very impressive.

West Ham United have pace and quality in the final third which has seen them create plenty of chances and they are hugely dangerous from set pieces. That has to be a concern for Manchester City who may be without both Aymeric Laporte and Nathan Ake for this fixture and there have been moments where Pep Guardiola's men have been looking vulnerable when teams have gone at them.

I fully expect West Ham United to try and do that, although the mental barrier of facing Manchester City at home is a tough one for this group of players. The Hammers have been outscored 22-1 by Manchester City in the last 5 between these clubs at the London Stadium and the visitors have scored at least four times in each of those meetings.

While not being at their free-flowing best, Manchester City have been creating chances and they remain very dangerous when going forward. As impressed as I have been with West Ham United, defensively there are still some holes that can be exploited and Manchester City are as good as any team to be able to do that.

It would be a big surprise if West Ham United crumble in the manner they have in recent seasons against this opponent, but I do still have to give the visitors the edge. They could be boosted by a returning Kevin De Bruyne and Manchester City have Sergio Aguero back amongst the goals during the week.

His presence up front is a key one for Manchester City and I think the visitors will win a high-scoring game on Saturday to open the Premier League schedule for the day.

Fulham v Crystal Palace Pick: The London derby between Fulham and Crystal Palace could have major implications for both clubs in May even though the game is being played in October.

I absolutely expect both Scott Parker and Roy Hodgson to circle fixtures like this one as games in which their respective teams have to pick up points if they are going to survive in the Premier League.

Out of the two managers I would expect Crystal Palace to be the happier if they were offered a point right now, but Fulham are under pressure to earn a first win of the season. In a congested campaign, players don't have time to reset and try and turn the momentum around and that means Fulham can't wait too long for a first win of the season.

They should have really got it last week at Bramall Lane, but a late penalty from Billy Sharp cost Fulham who can't see to escape one or two defensive clangers per game. However, Fulham looked much more threatening going forward than they have for much of the Premier League season and that has to be encouraging when facing a Crystal Palace team who have been hit hard by injuries.

Gary Cahill only just returned, but he could miss out again this weekend having taken a bad tackle from Lewis Dunk at the end of the 1-1 draw with Brighton last weekend. Losing the former England international would be a blow for Crystal Palace who have to deal with the physical presence of Aleksander Mitrovic on Saturday.

Defensively Crystal Palace have not looked that sound, or as sound as Roy Hodgson would want, and I do think Fulham can get on the board here. However, I would expect Crystal Palace to have spaces to exploit on the counter attack and that should see them hurt a Fulham team who have not kept a clean sheet in the Premier League and who have conceded 6 times at home.

There have been better looks defensively from Fulham in the last couple of games, but Crystal Palace have the pace to exploit any gaps left behind. Picking a winner is not easy, but I would not be surprised if both teams hit the net at least once in this one.

Manchester United v Chelsea Pick: It seems the papers and the media are much more interested in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's position as manager of Manchester United than they are about Frank Lampard's at Chelsea, but make no mistake the pressure will be on the latter if his team are beaten at Old Trafford on Saturday.

Neither manager can be completely comfortable in their current roles, but Manchester United have picked up 2 huge wins for Solskjaer this past week which gives them considerable momentum. The win at Paris Saint-Germain was particularly impressive and Manchester United will feel they can snap their poor run at Old Trafford at the start of another very important week.

They should be able to create chances against this Chelsea team despite the improved defensive performance produced by The Blues during the week. I am not sure whether that says more about Sevilla and their sometimes lack of a cutting edge than it does about Chelsea, but it will be a big test for Lampard to find the right balance on Saturday.

His team have conceded at least three times in 2 of their last 3 away Premier League games and also conceded three times to Southampton last weekend. That has to be a worry for him against a Manchester United team who have scored in their last 8 home Premier League games.

However, Chelsea have scored three times in each of their last 3 away Premier League games and have pace and quality in the final third which can't be dismissed. They will be encouraged by the fact that the likes of Newcastle United are still finding plenty of shots against this Manchester United defence and the fact that both Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur came to Old Trafford and left with at least three goals scored.

3 of the 4 games between these clubs last season ended with at least three goals shared out and I do think that will be the outcome of this one. In the 4-0 win for Manchester United at Old Trafford on the opening weekend of the 2019/20 season, chances were created by both teams and I do think we will see that here especially if an early goal opens things up.

No Anthony Martial and potentially Mason Greenwood is a blow to Manchester United, but they still managed four goals at St James' Park. Chelsea should be given a bit more license to attack here as they were in their 5-3 loss at Liverpool at the end of last season and I think the two teams will combine for the goals with the edge going to the home team in my opinion.

Liverpool v Sheffield United Pick: Both Liverpool and Sheffield United will be missing key defensive stalwarts in this Premier League fixture, but you have to believe the greater strength in depth comfortably favours the former.

While Liverpool have not made the greatest start to the defence of their title, they are still a team with goals throughout the front line up and that makes them dangerous. Even prior to Virgil Van Dijk's injury, Liverpool have not been defending as well as they would have liked, but the performance in Amsterdam on Wednesday will give them some belief.

They may still have to use Fabinho as a makeshift centre half, but he has played well for Liverpool in that position and has to be comfortable with the kind of opponents they are facing this weekend. While not at their best at the back, Liverpool are meeting a Sheffield United team struggling for goals and at the moment they have not been creating a host of chances either.

Chris Wilder has to be a little worried about the Sheffield United slump in form which has seeped into the new season after a poor end to the last one. That did come to a kind of end in the 1-1 home draw with Fulham last Sunday, but even that result needed a late Penalty to secure it as goals continue to be an issue for them.

I think that is going to be the case on Saturday evening and Liverpool should have enough going forward to secure the points. The front three all got a relatively early rest on Wednesday so should be ready to go and Liverpool are creating chances.

With Jack O'Connell out and Dean Henderson back at Manchester United, Sheffield United have not looked as convincing at the back as they did in the 2019/20 season. It would be a surprise if they were able to clean sheet in this fixture and I do think Liverpool are likely to have picked up some momentum from their win over Ajax as they look to move past the Merseyside derby and everything that came out of that.

Southampton v Everton Pick: This is one of the matches that has been picked for television coverage in the Premier League this weekend and I am not talking about the rubbish PPV that UK fans have to deal with.

In all honesty it looks like an excellent pick on paper with both Southampton and Everton playing some very good, attacking football which will please the neutrals. Both are in good form too which means confident players and I think it would be a big surprise if we were not treated to a few goals from the fixture.

Southampton have bounced back from a poor start to the season which culminated in the drubbing at the hands of Tottenham Hotspur and their 3-3 draw at Chelsea shows this is not a squad intimidated by 'big clubs'. After the resumption of play they beat Manchester City at home and Southampton have won 3 of their last 5 at St Mary's as they look to take the game to the League leaders.

It is still a little funny thinking of Everton like that, but they remain top of the pile after coming out of the controversial Merseyside derby with perhaps an undeserved point. For long periods they played well, but Everton are continuing to show a vulnerability at the back and will be missing a key attacking piece in Richarlison for the next few games.

Jordan Pickford has not been in the best form and will be dealing with the additional scrutiny after the tackle which looks to have ended Virgil Van Dijk's season. He is playing behind a defence which has not kept a clean sheet in their last 6 in all competitions and have conceded at least two goals in 4 of those games.

That is an area Southampton look capable of exploiting, although the home team are also one that can be gotten at. With James Rodriguez and Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the form they are in, I would expect Everton to threaten even without Richarlison and both teams hitting the net has to be expected.

They are creating chances, but neither defence looks that impressive- even Southampton's two clean sheets came against goal-shy West Brom and Burnley- and the last 7 between these clubs has seen both teams hit the back of the net.

5 of the last 8 have ended with three or more goals shared out including the last time Everton visited St Mary's and I think that is the likely outcome of this one. Losing James Rodriguez and Richarlison is a potential huge blow to Everton, but they can still play their part in this fixture.

Wolves v Newcastle United Pick: The second Premier League game to be broadcasted live in the UK on Sunday comes from Molineux and it may not be as entertaining as I believe the first one is going to be.

Both Wolves and Newcastle United have made a positive start to the 2020/21 season, but neither is a side you would consider as being blessed with a lot of goals.

Wolves are hard to back when you think of their struggles to create chances with their new approach, although they have been stout at the back and secured back to back 1-0 wins. Even then they can't really be appealing at odds on to win any game, although I do think they are deserving of being the favourites in this one.

Steve Bruce has done well as manager of Newcastle United, even if the fans are not easily impressed, and he is achieving what he is tasked to do. His team have played well enough in the early stages of the new campaign, but the 1-4 defeat to Manchester United would have hurt last week.

They were also very fortunate to come away from Tottenham Hotspur with a draw thanks to a controversial Penalty awarded in injury time, but Newcastle United have to be respected for managing three 1-1 draws in a row against Wolves.

Wolves have largely outplayed Newcastle United in those games and have offered up very few opportunities, but The Magpies have been clinical. In the back to back 1-1 draws at Molineux, Newcastle United have scored from their few chances and managed to hang on for the point and you have to think there is a possibility of that happening again considering the lack of goals in the home team.

However I do think Wolves will edge to the victory here, although I would not anticipate a lot of goals. Two might be enough to secure the points and Wolves created enough in their last home game with Fulham to believe they can do that here.

Wolves have won 19 Premier League games at home since returning to the top flight, but only 2 of those have featured more than four goals. I would be surprised if this one was to do that and I think a narrow Wolves win is the most likely outcome against a Newcastle United team who have only conceded 1 goal in their last 3 away Premier League fixtures.

Arsenal v Leicester City Pick: A lot of the clubs involved in European competition will know how important it is to make sure the squad is as fresh as possible with games being played every three or four days through to January.

Both Arsenal and Leicester City won important games on Match Day 1 of the Europa League Group Stage, but they return to Premier League action on Sunday. The two teams were both narrowly beaten last weekend, but they are both in the top five of the early Premier League table and will feel this is a big chance to build some momentum.

No one will be surprised that Arsenal are the favourites for the fixture, but I also think they are a team that are hard to trust.

Without a doubt Mikel Arteta has improved the squad and made them a bit more resilient, but his style of football has not led to an overload of shots and defensively there has been holes that opponents have not fully exploited. I am not sure Leicester City will be the one to do that considering their own recent form and the potential absence of Jamie Vardy, but The Foxes are a pretty solid team defensively even without Caglar Soyuncu.

That has to at least give them a chance to stay in this game and try and earn a result, while Leicester City's best results have come away from home in the early weeks of the season. They showed some toughness to come away from the Emirates Stadium with a point in July in what was a tight game and I am expecting this one to go the same way.

A narrow home win can't be ruled out and Arsenal games at the Emirates Stadium has seen both teams get on the scoreboard in recent times. However those goals have come from limited chances and I am expecting this one to be a bit tighter between two clubs who will be looking for a top four finish in the Premier League this season.

The last 3 games between Leicester City and Arsenal have all ended with less than three goals shared out and I think that may be the outcome of this one. Those games have tended to see late strikes and it would not be a big surprise if one of these teams is leading late when either the team pushing gets back into things or concedes another to end the contest.

Brighton v West Brom Pick: Better finishing would have had Brighton flying much higher up the League table than they currently are, but the performances will encourage Graham Potter. It would have been hard to pick his players up if they had lost at Crystal Palace last Sunday, but the late goal to secure a draw should have the team ready to go this week.

They deserved more than that in reality, but the point snapped a poor run of form and that is important. Brighton have lost both home League games played, but they have pushed both Chelsea and Manchester United and there is no doubt the level of competition comes down significantly on Monday.

That is no disrespect to West Brom, but Slaven Bilic's men have struggled at this level and were fortunate to even earn promotion at the back end of last season. That poor ending has seeped over into the new campaign and The Baggies were perhaps unsurprisingly involved in the first goalless draw in the Premier League when hosting Burnley last week.

West Brom have simply not been creating a lot of chances and that puts additional pressure on them defensively. Unfortunately for them, The Baggies have looked far from watertight at the back and I do think this Brighton team can expose those issues.

It does have to be noted that for all the chances that Brighton do create, they can be a little hit and miss in the final third. The two goals scored against Manchester United is only the fourth time in 15 home Premier League games Brighton have scored more than a single goal and that has to be a worry for the manager despite the improved playing style and chances that have been created.

They are facing a defensively weak West Brom team and I think that gives Brighton the edge, although odds on quotes are tough to swallow. The home team have conceded a lot of goals this season, but those have come in the defeats to Chelsea, Manchester United and Everton.

In the win over Newcastle United and the draw with Crystal Palace, Brighton have conceded a total of 1 goal and I think they are going to edge to a low(ish) scoring win.

I simply don't believe West Brom can create a lot of chances and score more than a single goal here and that should be good enough for Brighton to earn the victory as long as they are a touch more clinical in the final third.

Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: The final game of the Premier League weekend comes from Turf Moor and both Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur will be looking for a spark to their domestic season.

That might be a surprising statement about Tottenham Hotspur, but 8 points from a possible 15 is not the greatest return considering the fixture list Jose Mourinho's team have had. A late controversial Penalty and then a stunning collapse has seen Spurs drop four home points against Newcastle United and West Ham United, but Tottenham Hotspur have been comfortable in their system away from home.

Defensively there are question marks, but no one will be worrying about the attacking intent Tottenham Hotspur have played with. They are scoring plenty of goals from the huge amount of chances being created and Tottenham Hotspur have managed at least three in their last 4 games in a row in all competitions.

That is going to be a challenge for Burnley who are missing key defensive players and who have struggled out of the gate. They have shown some resiliency at times, but Sean Dyche will know his team are unlikely to pick up points in the short-term unless they can find a better cutting edge in the final third.

We may see that in the weeks ahead, but Burnley will struggle with the balance in this one as they look to contain a free-scoring Tottenham Hotspur team. They do have a decent home record against Tottenham Hotspur which should give the players a boost in confidence, but I do think Mourinho's team will prove to be a little too good on the day.

With the goals Tottenham Hotspur have been producing, I think they will be able to pick up the three points on a ground where they have not always enjoyed their experiences.

MY PICKS: Aston Villa-Leeds United Both Teams to Score- NO

Manchester City - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Fulham-Crystal Palace Both Teams to Score

Manchester United-Chelsea Over 2.5 Goals

Liverpool Win to Nil

Southampton-Everton Over 2.5 Goals

Wolves & Under 4.5 Goals

Brighton & Under 4.5 Goals

Tottenham Hotspur & Over 1.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 6

It's only a game...

But it can be one of the more frustrating First World problems and one that I am feeling in the last month.

Making decisions that will make or break the week is a common feeling for Fantasy players throughout the world, whether it is those playing the NFL, Premier League, NBA or other Leagues.

When should you hold and when should you twist? It can make a Overall Ranking or break it and after playing my WildCard last time out I have to admit I was still left feeling short.

After losing 400K on my team value from my three forwards I had to make changes up front- the idea to bring in Harry Kane and Captaining him worked, but losing faith in Che Adams and Timo Werner came back to haunt me as both combined for three goals and two assists in Chelsea's 3-3 draw with Southampton.

The kicker was bringing in Richarlison and having him sent off in the last minute of the Merseyside derby after hitting the post earlier in the day. I also removed Andy Robertson (an assist) and Marcus Rashford (a goal) and I have to admit I have been left largely frustrated despite picking up my best points tally since GW1.

I am usually a pretty calm player though and I think that has to be the case going forward- the only transfer I am going to make this week is removing Richarlison who is not available for three weeks anyway.

Do I go back to the Che Adams well and expect it to be largely dry despite the underlying numbers being as impressive as they are? Or do I perhaps pick a Penalty taker in Aleksander Mitrovic who is leading the line for Fulham ahead of three fixtures that look positive on paper.

I have yet to take a hit this season and I am going to maintain that streak with the squad looking capable of handling the next couple of weeks and rolling a transfer through the international break.

Any decision I make will be with GW8 in mind when Manchester City host Liverpool and Everton host Manchester United. It is also a day when Aston Villa have to play at Arsenal so any attacker I bring in here will be coming in as a starter for that GW.

With the way my luck has gone through the first six weeks of this crazy season I am sure whoever I pick will have a grand total of 3 points over the next three weeks compared with the other option who will bang in two hat-tricks!

The Captain choice was fairly simple for me this week- it is either Mohamed Salah facing Sheffield United at home or Harry Kane in supreme form heading to Burnley. Both had enough rest during the week to be expected to be given the start in the upcoming fixtures, but my lean is towards Salah who is playing at home.

Either wouldn't be a bad pick, while those looking for a risk may target Jack Grealish against an attack minded Leeds United who are without Liam Cooper and Kalvin Phillips this week. That defensive cover may leave Leeds United more vulnerable, but I think we are early enough in the season to not need to take too many risks here and going with Salah looks the sensible choice.