Indian Wells Tennis Day 4 Picks 2026 (Saturday 7th March)

Some of the top names on the Tennis Tour joined the Indian Wells party on Friday and the remainder of the draw will now enter the fray on Saturday as the Second Round is completed.

There have been some mixed results with the last two days ending with 1-1 records, but there is a long week to go in the first of two Masters events to be played in North America this month.

Saturday looks to be a busier day for the Tennis Picks with four selections made, all from the ATP tournament, and this is when the tournament really begins to motor.

Carlos Alcaraz - 5.5 games v Grigor Dimitrov: Twelve months ago, Carlos Alcaraz crushed Grigor Dimitrov for the loss of just two games right here in Indian Wells, but that was a Fourth Round match and the World Number 1 had to snap a two match losing run to this opponent.

In 2026, Carlos Alcaraz is playing at a much higher level than Grigor Dimitrov on his return from an injury.

Even with that in mind, it is not expected to be as comfortable a win for Carlos Alcaraz as it was when these two met in 2025, although the Spaniard is right to be considered a significant favourite.

This is the first competitive match that Carlos Alcaraz will have played in Indian Wells this year, but he has been on the grounds for some time and that will help. Confidence is not going to be any issue considering Alcaraz has won all twelve matches played in 2026 and has picked up titles in Melbourne and Doha.

Grigor Dimitrov battled for almost two and a half hours to win his First Round match, but he was far from convincing and the level increases significantly in the Second Round.

The Bulgarian has yet to find his best form since his return from injury and he will be under pressure to serve well enough to contain the threat that Carlos Alcaraz brings onto the court.

There was nothing wrong with the Grigor Dimitrov performance in the First Round, and the signs of improving the return game will certainly give him belief.

However, this is a tough test for any player on the Tour and especially for one that. is perhaps not feeling quite at his very best.

Over the last twelve months, Carlos Alcaraz has been keeping opponents under constant pressure with his returning and that may see him break down the Dimitrov game on Saturday.

Luciano Darderi - 2.5 games v Rinky Hijikata: It is no surprise that Luciano Darderi took in the South American Golden Swing on the clay courts rather than the hard court events.

He had a successful time with a title secured and the World Number 21 will be looking to make a better transition onto the hard courts compared with last year. An early loss at Indian Wells means Luciano Darderi has plenty of Ranking Points to pick up with a couple of wins, even if he has struggled to put the consistency together on the hard courts.

2026 might be looking brighter having finished up at the Australian Open with a 4-2 record, but there is still room for improvement in his game on this surface.

Despite that, the Italian is rightly favoured to beat Rinky Hijikata who has slipped outside the top 100 of the World Rankings.

The Australian has always been pretty happy on the hard courts and he has won plenty of Qualifiers to earn spots in main draws, although without having a big impact in a tournament as he would have liked.

Rinky Hijikata has yet to win two matches in a row in the main draw of any ATP Tour event, but he will take aim at doing that in the Second Round here.

Out of the two players, Hijikata has been the one having more success on the return and that could be important on a surface like the one that tends to play at this hard court Masters event.

However, Luciano Darderi will take plenty of confidence out of beating Rinky Hijikata at a couple of Grand Slam events, including a crushing display at the US Open last year.

The Italian has won all six sets against this opponent and Luciano Darderi may do enough to edge past this spread.

MY PICKS: Carlos Alcaraz - 5.5 Games @ 1.53 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Luciano Darderi - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Cameron Norrie - 1.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (1 Unit)

Alex De Minaur - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Indian Wells Update: 2-3, - 1.10 Units (5 Units Staked, - 22% Yield)

UK Open Darts Day 2 Picks 2026 (Saturday 7th March)

It was a disappointing Friday at the Evening Session for the UK Open Darts Picks, but the tournament rolls onto the Fifth and Sixth Rounds on Saturday.

Picks from the Day Session will begin proceedings and those from the Sixth Round will be added to this thread later this afternoon when the draw has been made.

Ross Smith win & most 180s v Daryl Gurney: This should be a fun contest for those tuning in, but the edge has to be with Ross Smith who has really picked up his form over the last couple of weeks.

Winning a Players Championship event will always give a player confidence, but Smith was able to back that up with another positive run the following day.

He crushed Andrew Gilding, a former UK Open Champion, in the Fourth Round and the power scoring was evident once he got through a sticky opening.

In the best of nineteen Leg format, Ross Smith should have enough time to find his rhythm and scoring power in this one against the tenacious Daryl Gurney.

Superchin has been winning plenty of matches without having a seriously deep run in a tournament in 2026, but he is more than capable on his day. He produced a strong level on Friday evening which makes him dangerous, but Daryl Gurney may be the player having the few chances to get out of Legs and that may see him come up a little short in terms of winning the match, but also on the maximum hitting count in this one.

Gary Anderson over 5.5 180s v Martin Schindler: Both of these players can be huge maximum hitters, but the focus for the selection is on Gary Anderson.

The Flying Scotsman was in great form on Friday and he should have enough to get past Martin Schindler, although it is going to be far from easy.

Being up on the main stage will be a different feeling for both players, although Anderson is plenty experienced.

In a match that is likely going to need at least sixteen Legs before we find a winner, the match total for maximums is set at a 9.5 line.

There is every chance that could be surpassed, but Gary Anderson is likely going to have to lead the way and he can tally at least six of his own.

James Wade - 2.5 legs v Gabriel Clemens: Both of these players came through in final Leg deciders in the Fourth Round, but James Wade will be expecting to have a bit too much for Gabriel Clemens to deal with in the Fifth Round.

After a relatively poor run of form, James Wade should have taken a lot of confidence out of the win over an in-form Chris Dobey.

His doubling remains a big strength and Wade will certainly feel he scores well enough to stick with Gabriel Clemens and steal a few more Legs than the opponent.

Anyone who has won two matches on the same day will also have earned plenty of confidence and Gabriel Clemens is very dangerous at his very best.

We have just not seen enough of that over the last twelve months and the German may end up coming up a little short in what looks likely to be a 10-6 or 10-7 kind of win for the higher Ranked player.

Stephen Bunting win & most 180s v Mensur Suljovic: The biggest test in this Fifth Round match for Stephen Bunting is how he is going to deal with the pace that Mensur Suljovic plays with.

There is no doubt that the underdog is happy to get into a bit of gamesmanship by slowing things down even further and there was a disagreement with Jermaine Wattimena on the boards on Friday.

Mensur Suljoviv is capable of playing really good darts too, but he perhaps leans a little too much into disrupting others when things are not going his way.

Ultimately Stephen Bunting has to focus on his own performance and he will be very happy with his opening win in Minefield, which has backed up some strong recent performances in the Premier League.

Confidence has to be in a decent place and Bunting was hitting plenty of maximums in his win on Friday.

His opponent is capable of finding those big power shots too, but Stephen Bunting may have a bit more in the locker and come through this contest to take his place in the Sixth Round draw.

Danny Noppert win & most 180s v Peter Wright: Winning a match with a Nine Darter is about as good as it can get and that is what was achieved by Danny Noppert in the Fourth Round.

He continues to put up plenty of wins and Noppert has to be a player targeting a Premier League spot for next season having come close to joining the elite eight in 2026.

Peter Wright has shown something at the UK Open following a difficult start to the 2026 season and two wins will have given him confidence.

However, this is a big challenge for Wright at this current stage of his career and he will do well to match the improved scoring power Danny Noppert has been putting together over the last twelve months.

Maximum hitting has been a noticeable improvement from the World Number 11 and Danny Noppert can use that edge to help him win this match.

Mike De Decker & Rob Cross over 3.5 180s: After the upset over Gian van Veen, Rob Cross has to be feeling really good about his chances in this Fifth Round match.

He is down as the favourite, but Mike De Decker is capable of racking up the maximum hitting and this could develop into a fun contest.

Neither is likely going to pull away for a very easy win and the likelihood is that we will need to see sixteen or more Legs to decide which of the two will be going through to the Sixth Round draw.

With that said, both De Decker and Cross are capable of reaching at least four maximums each following strong showings attacking the treble 20 on Friday. Backing that up is not always easy, but both are capable and in a longer format match, these are achievable targets.

Luke Humphries win & most 180s v Dave Chisnall: No one will have to tell Luke Humphries twice about the threat that Dave Chisnall can pose, but it was the World Number 2 who got the better of the match when they met at the World Masters.

His strong win over Luke Woodhouse can only have increased the confidence and Humphries has been operating at a really high level throughout 2026.

The results have yet to follow as consistently as he would like, but the power scoring and strong checking out on Friday will make Luke Humphries tough to beat.

You have to expect Dave Chisnall to have his moments and he can go through incredibly strong scoring spells.

It does make the most maximums part of the equation a little more troubling, but Luke Humphries deserves the edge and he should have enough consistency to move past this opponent into the Sixth Round.

Stephen Bunting v Josh Rock: A very strong Day Session has just turned this tournament around for the Darts Picks, but the Sixth Round is a key moment.

Two Premier League participants have been drawn to face one another and it is perhaps a slight surprise that Stephen Bunting has been set as the underdog.

Out of the two players, Bunting has been playing at a more consistent level over the last month and his two wins here have been relatively stress-free, which is so important especially on days when you are being asked to play twice.

Josh Rock has shown some character to come through tougher matches, but he has to find another level if he is going to beat Bunting and he has yet to show that in the Premier League.

A best of nineteen format means having a bit more time to turn things around, but Stephen Bunting has been playing well enough to deserve favouritism.

Rob Cross win & most 180s v Daryl Gurney: The latter was the one selection in the Day Session that failed to return a winner, but it feels right to go against Daryl Gurney again.

He was fortunate that Ross Smith failed to find his feet with the doubles, especially late into the contest, but this looks a tougher match.

Daryl Gurney will have to be a little stronger in the scoring to get the better of Rob Cross who has impressed through his first two wins.

A decider was needed to get past Mike De Decker, but Rob Cross has shown flashes of his best form and the scoring power has been there.

Rob Cross won the sole meeting between the players in 2025 and he can get the better of Daryl Gurney and with more maximums in the contest.

Luke Humphries win & over 9.5 match 180s v Danny Noppert: Two wins at the UK Open have been secured without being put under much pressure, but the standard produced by Luke Humphries has to be respected.

Maintaining that level will give Humphries every chance of winning the title on Sunday, but he will be well aware of the growing threat posed by Danny Noppert.

A crushing win over Peter Wright has taken Noppert through to the Sixth Round and he continues to be one of the bigger maximum hitters on the Tour.

However, Danny Noppert needs to win a match like this one to show he really belongs amongst the best.

Five straight losses to Luke Humphries, including at the World Masters a few weeks ago, will have just reminded Danny Noppert of the level he still has to find to join the very best players and win the biggest titles.

That is not to say he has not been competitive though and Danny Noppert can certainly put Luke Humphries under pressure with his maximum hitting.

Both can get that part of the scoring going and we should see at least ten in this best of nineteen format with the assumption being that neither player blows past the other.

You still have to favour the World Number 2 to find a way to get to the winning line first and that is the third play from the Evening Session.

MY PICKS: Ross Smith to Win & Most 180s @ 1.80 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Gary Anderson Over 5.5 180s @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

James Wade - 2.5 Legs @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Stephen Bunting to Win & Most 180s @ 2.00 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Danny Noppert to Win & Most 180s @ 1.91 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Mike De Decker & Rob Cross Over 3.5 180s @ 2.20 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Most 180s @ 1.95 Bet365 (1 Unit)

SIXTH ROUND PICKS: Stephen Bunting @ 2.10 Bet365 (1 Unit)

Rob Cross to Win & Most 180s @ 3.00 Sky Bet (1 Unit)

Luke Humphries to Win & Over 9.5 Match 180s @ 2.15 Bet365 (1 Unit)

UK Open Update: 1-5, - 4.28 Units (6 Units Staked, - 71.33% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2021 (March 6-10)

The last major Double GameWeek is in the books for the players of the Fantasy Premier League game, but the deadlines come thick and fast and there is another full round of games to come this weekend.

I will get into the GameWeek 27 Fantasy implications below, but first I will get through my thoughts for the Premier League games to be played this weekend and then the one game to make up during the week.

Burnley v Arsenal Pick: The opening game of the Premier League weekend will see a rested Arsenal head to Turf Moor as a considerable favourite to beat Burnley.

On recent form you can understand Arsenal being favoured, but Burnley have not been playing badly themselves and I don't think they will be willing to roll over as easily as Leicester City did against The Gunners last weekend.

This should be a stronger Arsenal team taking to the field against Burnley compared with the one that began last Sunday and they are well rested ahead of an important Europa League tie next Thursday. Mikel Arteta will have seen the results go in favour of his club over the last week and Arsenal will want to at least finish in the European places in the Premier League which means finding some consistency in the English top flight.

It has not really been evident all season and the away record underlines the issue with Arsenal having won 6 and lost 6 of their 13 away League games played. They have been difficult to predict from week to week, but they should have more in the tank than Burnley who put in a huge effort in their 1-1 draw with Leicester City on Wednesday and who have played twice since Arsenal last took to the field.

Burnley's poor home record against Arsenal can't be ignored and the visitors will be motivated by the revenge factor having lost at home to this opponent earlier this season.

Either way it will likely be a tight game and goals have been hard to come by at Turf Moor this season, both for Burnley and their visitors.

Recent games between these clubs at Turf Moor have tended to be low scoring too and I do think Arsenal's erratic form could lead to another one. While they have been scoring goals, Arsenal have not always created the best of chances and will need clinical finishing to get the better of Burnley here, although defensively Arsenal have looked a little stronger of late.

My feeling is that the away team may do enough to win here, but I don't think there will be a lot in it. A low scoring game is the most likely outcome of this game with Burnley struggling for consistency in the final third, but largely being pretty good defensively and it would not be a surprise if this is the ninth time in 10 games between these clubs at Turf Moor that we see fewer than three goals shared out.

Sheffield United v Southampton Pick: The 1-0 win over Aston Villa will be seen as a hugely positive result for Sheffield United, but there is still a long road to tread towards safety and it is the longest of long-shots.

They will be feeling pretty confident going into this fixture, but Phil Jagielka's sending off has left Sheffield United with very few options in defensive areas. That will likely put some pressure on their forwards to score the goals that may be needed to secure a positive result and this is a big opportunity for Southampton to earn something to reverse their negative trend.

Amazingly Southampton have picked up a single point from the last 27 available in the Premier League and they would be foolish to believe they are out of a relegation battle. If Fulham have won on Thursday the gap to the bottom three will feel far too close and Ralph Hasenhuttl knows his team need to find a break or two very quickly.

In reality they haven't been playing badly of late, but it has been a switch from earlier this season when Southampton were earning points out of games they were perhaps undeserving of doing. Now the opposite has been happening with Southampton deserving more than they are getting, but continuing in their current vein should see a reversal of form.

Injuries have not helped Southampton so they won't be sympathetic to Sheffield United's issues, but there are going to be a couple of key players returning for them this weekend. That could prove the difference on the day as Southampton look to reverse the slump they are in and I think they are capable of doing that as long as they continue to attack with the verve they have been.

Kyle Walker-Peters return is hugely important to the balance of the team, while Southampton are a big threat from set pieces. I expect they will find the hosts a little tired after the effort put into their last game and I think Southampton take advantage as they look to move away from any late relegation problems.

Aston Villa v Wolves Pick: It isn't easy to predict what you are going to see from Aston Villa and Wolves from game to game and that has been underlined by the recent results and performances from both teams.

There have been times they have ridden their luck to earn positive results, but others when they have perhaps deserved a bit more than they have gotten and a derby game makes things a little more cloudy.

The feeling is that Wolves are still struggling defensively, but Aston Villa may be missing Jack Grealish again and showed how much they can miss him in the loss at Sheffield United. Without his creativity you do wonder how Aston Villa are going to go about breaking down Wolves, although defensively they have largely been in control in recent games and should be able to contain the Wolves threat.

Wolves have scored goals even when not creating too many golden chances and that makes them dangerous, but Aston Villa will be looking to bounce back from their poor last result. They have followed their last 4 Premier League losses with a victory in their next League game and I do think Dean Smith will get a reaction from his players.

It should be close and competitive being a derby, but Aston Villa may do enough to edge to the points.

Brighton v Leicester City Pick: Graham Potter must have been left scratching his head as to how Brighton have earned nothing from their last two Premier League games. Missed Penalties and some poor refereeing can be blamed, but Potter will surely be asking his players to look at themselves and find a little more composure to their play.

To be fair to Brighton, this is a team that have looked really good right up until the opposition penalty area, but the final ball or the finish has not been up to the standard of the rest of the football being played. It has meant the team have created some massive chances in their last few games, but failed to make them count.

In the last two games it would not be wrong to suggest that Brighton could have won by two or three goal margins each time with a little more composure in the final third. At this point of the season you have to wonder if this squad is capable of putting the finishing touches to the style Graham Potter has instilled at the Amex Stadium, but Brighton may not have a better opportunity to beat one of the top teams in the Premier League.

They are facing a Leicester City who have been hammered by injuries and likely need the international break at the end of the month to reset. The battling 1-1 draw at Burnley impressed Brendan Rodgers, but he knows his team need more if they are going to finish in the top four this season and any points dropped here will hurt.

Leicester City have struggled in the last three weeks though and they are hurt at the back which means teams have been able to create chances against them. I would be surprised if Brighton are not the latest to do that, although the key to the outcome of the fixture is whether Brighton can show more composure in the final third and score from the chances they will create.

Brighton do not have a good recent record against Leicester City, but again I say they will not have a better opportunity to change that. This looks like a fixture where the first goal will be hugely important considering the confidence of the teams, but Brighton have looked good enough to earn a big result and I think they can do that.

West Brom v Newcastle United Pick: The reports coming out of Newcastle United are extremely concerning for the fans who have seen their team slip into a relegation scrap over the last two months. Steve Bruce and Matt Ritchie had a bust up on the training ground days after the manager blamed Ritchie for not giving the right instructions to his team mates as a substitute in the 1-1 draw with Wolves last weekend.

That failure led directly to the equaliser for Wolves and the report has suggested the players no longer believe in Steve Bruce.

For now the management staff have remained behind Bruce, but injuries are piling up and if the players have downed tools a move is likely to be made to replace Steve Bruce sooner rather than later. The attack looks lightweight when you think the likes of Allan Saint-Maximin, Miguel Almiron and Callum Wilson are going to be on the sidelines and that leaves Newcastle United vulnerable.

They can't really afford to lose at The Hawthorns on Sunday and open the door to those below them to drag Newcastle United back into the bottom three. We will learn a lot about what the players think of the manager depending on their performance and West Brom have to feel they can take advantage if there is any element of 'downing tools' from the visitors.

Sam Allardyce will feel his side deserved more from the 0-1 defeat to Everton, but they had plenty of luck in their victory over Brighton last week. It may take a bit of fortune to decide the winner of this one too, but West Brom have to be encouraged by recent performances as they have created more opportunities than the likes of Manchester United and Everton despite not winning either game.

In this fixture West Brom may feel their own defensive issues are less likely to be exposed with the injuries Newcastle United are dealing with and Allardyce's team had kept clean sheets in back to back games before the narrow loss to Everton.

The first goal is going to be huge in this game and I think this is going to be a tight fixture with the players knowing exactly what is on the line. However I do feel the West Brom players are perhaps a bit more behind their manager than Newcastle United and it may lead to a victory for The Baggies that just gives them a glimmer of hope of avoiding the drop back into the Championship.

Liverpool v Fulham Pick: Both Fulham and Liverpool were beaten on Thursday by the same 0-1 scoreline and they will be looking to bounce back this weekend. At least Fulham have been in better recent form than Liverpool, but visiting Anfield will still be a test for the relegation threatened West London club.

There will be some encouragement from the fact that Liverpool have not won any of their last 7 home Premier League games and have been beaten in 5 in a row here. The likes of Burnley and Brighton, two fellow relegation rivals of Fulham, have both secured narrow wins at Liverpool over the last two months and Fulham have also been pretty difficult to beat in recent weeks.

A lack of goals is concerning for Scott Parker, but his team will look to make life difficult for a Liverpool team that has struggled for chances let alone goals at Anfield. At some point you would have to feel that Liverpool will get things turned around, but further defensive problems have come out of the 0-1 defeat to Chelsea and Fulham have some pace in the final third which will make them dangerous.

Much will depend on how much Fulham believe they can secure a positive result here- if they believe they are a Premier League club that can survive at this level I do think Fulham will have their opportunities against a Liverpool team that have lost a lot of confidence.

However, if Fulham don't believe in themselves there is every chance Liverpool can get back on track as their top four ambitions look to be slipping.

Liverpool's own confidence has to be in a poor place with the lack of chances they are creating and with their top strikers all looking a little fatigued both physically and emotionally. A big Champions League game is coming up, which may take away some of the focus, and Liverpool do give teams a chance to get at them.

An early home goal could make life very difficult for Fulham if they have to come out and take risks, but the longer the visitors can stay in this the more chance they have of becoming the latest team to earn a positive result at this ground. Fulham's last away Premier League defeat came at Manchester City when they were 2-0 down inside thirty minutes, but they have since earned a point at Tottenham Hotspur and won at Everton.

I would be disappointed for Fulham if they are blown away here even if they were to lose and I think the visitors could cause enough issues for Liverpool to have chances for bonus points this weekend. The lack of goals is the major concern for Scott Parker's team, but they have created enough to believe they can do the same here against a Liverpool team that could be down another couple of defenders on Sunday.

Manchester City v Manchester United Pick: The last time fans were allowed into a Premier League Stadium in Manchester was almost exactly a year ago to this date.

That game at Old Trafford saw Manchester United win the derby 2-0 against Manchester City, but twelve months on the fans are still waiting for a chance to return. The second Manchester derby of this season will be played on the same weekend, but this time it will be played at the Etihad Stadium and Manchester City are trying to stamp their authority on the destination of the Premier League title.

In reality it doesn't matter what the result of the fixture is with Manchester City 14 points clear and with 11 League games left to be played by their nearest rivals. Even a defeat won't be a setback for the Champions elect, but Pep Guardiola will still be demanding a big performance from his players who have won 21 straight games in all competitions.

Both West Ham United and Wolves have scored here over the last week and Manchester United will be encouraged by that. However it is hard to know what to expect from Manchester United who have failed to score in all but one of their Big Six games in the Premier League this season and who created next to nothing in recent away games at West Brom and Crystal Palace.

Defensively Manchester United have at least been better in those big games, but they will have to work very hard to keep this Manchester City team at bay. Teams have created some decent openings against Manchester United and I do think Manchester City have found their rhythm going forward, but the poor recent home record in the Manchester derby has to be a slight concern for the Premier League leaders.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was convinced Manchester United were not in a title race when they topped the table in January, but now the suggestion is they want to push Manchester City all the way. The horse has bolted as far as that is concerned and there is a real concern that Manchester United are slipping into a top four battle thanks to some poor recent results.

There have been elements of fatigue in the play and I think Manchester United are going to find it very hard here. They have won their last 2 visits to the Etihad Stadium which is encouraging, but I would not be surprised if one of these teams failed to score on Sunday with the likelihood being that that team is Manchester United.

The last 4 Manchester derby games have ended with at least one team failing to find the back of the net and this fixture feels like it will follow suit. Manchester United have failed to score against Chelsea (twice), Arsenal (twice), Manchester City (twice) and Liverpool so far this season and the chances are they won't move the scoreboard in this one either.

Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace Pick: After a long run of poor results the feeling was that Tottenham Hotspur could soon prioritise the Europa League over the Premier League in their bid to return to the Champions League. That may still be the case in the weeks ahead, but back to back Premier League victories while teams above them slipped up have brought Spurs back in contention for a top four finish.

Jose Mourinho will be looking for his team to keep the positive run going after wins over Burnley and Fulham this past week. They were fortunate against Fulham who played well in the second half and had a harsh goal disallowed, but Tottenham Hotspur will be pleased with the clean sheets in both wins too.

Tottenham Hotspur have won 3 in a row at home and have kept clean sheets in each, while Jose Mourinho has picked strong, attacking line ups in the last couple of League games. That might be a change in policy for the manager as he looks to guide Tottenham Hotspur up the Premier League standings and a similar line up here will cause all sorts of problems for Crystal Palace.

Roy Hodgson will organise his team, but Crystal Palace have not really produced a huge attacking threat. Even then they have produced results thanks to a bit of luck as teams have not punished them defensively as they perhaps should have, but it will be hard to contain Tottenham Hotspur on their current form.

Wilfred Zaha is edging towards a return, but he may not be risked here and so the onus will be on Tottenham Hotspur to get forward and create chances. They should be able to do that at home and Tottenham Hotspur have every chance to build some real momentum towards the North London derby next weekend when hosting the next two games in the Premier League and Europa League.

I expect Tottenham Hotspur to have the better of this game and they can beat Crystal Palace for a sixth time in a row at home in the League. The home team should have learnt from the mistakes of allowing Crystal Palace to stick around and steal a point from when they met earlier this season, and I do think Spurs will have the chances to end up securing a victory by a comfortable margin as they edge a little closer to the Champions League spots in the Premier League.

Chelsea v Everton Pick: Two teams chasing a top four spot meet on Monday and they will believe there will be an opportunity to take advantage of what could likely be a couple of slips from the teams above them.

Both Chelsea and Everton secured valuable 0-1 away wins on Thursday in their last Premier League fixtures and there will be a confidence in the way both are playing to take into this game.

Thomas Tuchel has really gotten Chelsea playing efficiently and they are a team that creates chances, but offers up very little going the other way. You would think a team like Everton could test that having scored at least twice in recent away games at Old Trafford and Anfield, but Carlo Ancelotti's men have perhaps been overachieving in some games and their away record may be much better than it should be.

They can create chances, but Everton have not looked that secure at the back and it is the main reason I would give Chelsea the edge. While the home team have been pretty solid defensively and giving up very little, Everton look like a team that will be 'easier' to break down.

My feeling is that Chelsea may nick the points and another clean sheet can't be ruled out, but Carlo Ancelotti could make this a tactical battle. Everton have not been at their best defensively when facing the best teams in the Premier League and in the last few weeks they have conceded at least three goals against Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, but Chelsea look like a team that is still learning the attacking side of the game under Tuchel.

Like the game on Thursday, this may not be as high-scoring as some suggest and I think the two managers will be looking to cancel the other team out before moving forward and looking to nick the points.

West Ham United v Leeds United Pick: There has been so much to like about the Leeds United performances in the 2020/21 campaign and Marcelo Bielsa continues to stand by his philosophies.

The system and the style have been eye-pleasing to say the least, but Leeds United don't have the same quality as some of the other teams in the Premier League and that has perhaps contributed to the inconsistent results. There is some serious talent in the squad, but you can't really rely on Leeds United to perform to a high level week after week and that is largely down to average players overachieving.

It sounds harsh, but I think the next step for the development of the club is going to be bringing in some higher quality players than those who took the club out of the Championship. The second season back in the top flight will be a big test for Leeds United without some investment in the squad, but this is a team that can cause problems when finding their best.

They will need that at the London Stadium against a West Ham United team who will feel hard done by in their 2-1 defeat at Manchester City. David Moyes has to be proud of the level of performance they produced at the Etihad Stadium and West Ham United are playing with a confidence that has rarely been seen in this part of London in recent seasons.

Defensively they have been well organised, but West Ham United have found some quality in the final third to make the difference. Jesse Lingard and Michail Antonio have found their groove together and West Ham United should be able to expose Leeds United on the counter attack in this game.

They did that when these two met at Elland Road and I think West Ham United will edge to the points here before big games against Manchester United and Arsenal to come. Overlooking Leeds United would be a big mistake, but David Moyes won't allow that to happen and I think a team that is creating chances without giving too many big ones away can earn the victory on Monday evening.

Manchester City v Southampton Pick: 

MY PICKS: Burnley-Arsenal Under 2.5 Goals

Southampton - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Aston Villa 0 Asian Handicap

Brighton 0 Asian Handicap

West Brom - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Fulham + 1.5 Asian Handicap

Manchester City-Manchester United Both Teams to Score- NO

Tottenham Hotspur - 1 Asian Handicap

Chelsea-Everton Under 2.5 Goals

West Ham United

Fantasy Football GameWeek 27

I had to take two hits last week after missing the deadline ahead of GameWeek 25, and that means the 105 points earned in GameWeek 26 hasn't quite broken the triple digit mark when including the negative points to open the week.

It was still a strong week, although I have yet to really push my Overall Ranking in the way I would have liked and the decisions now become more critical with games running down.

Last week FOMO stopped me picking Richarlison ahead of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and I was punished for that with the Brazilian scoring twice and picking up significant bonus points while DCL did pretty much nothing barring missing a good opportunity in the win over West Brom.

I do still have a couple of Chips under my belt and I also have the second Wild Card to go, but the plan looks pretty simple- I am going to be using my Free Hit Chip in GW29 and that means my next two transfers are really geared towards shaping my team for at least the remainder of the month.

At this stage I am still not sure whether I will be using my Wild Card ahead of GW30, which is right out of the international break, or whether I will wait until GW31. The Triple Captain Chip is seen as a major one, but I always feel it is the least valuable of the three Chips we begin the season with and I still feel there will be at least one good opportunity to use it with Aston Villa's game against Everton and Tottenham Hotspur's game against Southampton to be rescheduled.

There is a small chance that there isn't a DGW left for any team in the Premier League, but that's a very small chance and so the TC Chip is still expected to be maximised.

My transfer is pretty simple this week and that is removing Ross Barkley from the team (of course he will start this week having earned about 20 minutes across the Double GameWeek).

There are some decent midfield options at this price range and I think the decision will come down to a few names that stand out- I didn't think I'd ever admit this, but Jesse Lingard is one name, although mot being able to play in GW28 is putting me off slightly.

Southampton are on the DGW this week, although one of those is at Manchester City, while Mason Mount looks to have won the trust of Thomas Tuchel and has been in very strong form for Chelsea.

If he had returned to the team a little earlier, Diogo Jota could be a difference maker with a home game against Fulham followed by a trip to Wolves, but I do wonder if he will be risked for both fixtures having only just recovered from a long-term injury.

My decision on the Wild Card will very much depend on how the FA Cup Quarter Finals are completed and where the fixtures are likely to be placed in the calendar. I will have further thoughts on that in next week's thread where I will hazard a couple of guesses as to how the Premier League may solve the dates in which to put the fixtures that need to be rescheduled.

That will have a big impact on the Wild Card because it will also mean the chance to potentially use the Triple Captain Chip and it has to be remembered that both cannot be used in the same GameWeek.

The Captain selection is arguably the most difficult part of the week- the Manchester City double makes their assets very appealing, but who can really predict which of the players are going to play twice.

I am very, very tempted to go with Ruben Dias with the two home games to come and the Portuguese international looking like the first name on the Manchester City team sheet these days. However the return of Nathan Ake brings up some issues and you would think that Pep Guardiola will want to give Dias a rest at some point having been involved in the majority of fixtures this season.

The game against Southampton looks a good chance to do that, and that clouds the selection here.

Ilkay Gundogan and Raheem Sterling both were given long rests in the last DGW just passed, but the options at Manchester City are frightening and it is a hard choice, but one that could make a huge difference over the coming week.

Some will feel the single GameWeek players are as good a choice- Harry Kane at home to Crystal Palace could be very intriguing, but I think the focus has to be on the DGW that is going to be played.

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (March 7-9)

I was away for a few days which meant I was not able to post a thread here, but Twitter followers would have seen my move from Jack Grealish to James Maddison for the FPL game... A move that didn't work out as well as I would have wanted.

It was still not a bad week, but I will get back to that at the bottom of this post.

Before we get into GW29 of the FPL game I will have my thoughts down for the Weekend Premier League Football, although those are feelings rather than anything more forceful.


Liverpool v Bournemouth Pick: There is no doubt that Liverpool have hit a slightly awkward patch in what has been a strong season for them, and it is going to take a serious turnaround if they are going to at least find some momentum to take into their Champions League Last 16 Second Leg to come.

Losses at Atletico Madrid, Watford and Chelsea would have stung as much for the level of performance as the actual result.

However it should be noted that all have come away from Anfield and this ground is still a fortress for Liverpool even if they had to rely on some big West Ham United mistakes to beat The Hammers 3-2 last time out here. Key players have been rested by Jurgen Klopp for the loss at Chelsea during the week and I expect they will have been itching to get back on the field and make up for the defeat at Vicarage Road last Saturday.

The opponent also looks a good one for Liverpool as Bournemouth continue to look haphazard at the back and have been struggling on the road for much of the last three months. Last weekend Bournemouth almost did enough to beat Chelsea, but the game was at home and they have lost 5 away games in succession while conceding a host of chances in those matches.

Goals have been flowing against Bournemouth too and I do think they could face something of a backlash here. The match up with Liverpool has not been a good one with 5 losses in a row by three or more goal margins, and I do think Liverpool are still playing well enough at Anfield to build some steam behind them.

I can’t completely ignore the form that Liverpool find themselves in, but losing back to back games has been rare for this team and I think they can bounce back with a comfortable win on Saturday afternoon. It is hard to imagine Bournemouth being able to defend well enough to contain the home team and so another big win would not be a surprise in favour of Liverpool.

Score: Liverpool 3-0 Bournemouth


Arsenal v West Ham United Pick: Both of these clubs have shown signs of improvement under new managers at different times, but it may be West Ham United who come into this League game with a little more spring in the step.

A solid performance at Liverpool was followed by a win over Southampton and that has dragged West Ham United out of the bottom three. However you have to be concerned with the amount of goals they continue to ship and now they face an Arsenal team who have looked in decent shape when they go forward.

The bigger issue for Arsenal has also been at the back and making sure they keep the door locked, From set pieces they have been a mess so it would not be a big surprise if David Moyes is able to set something up to give the home team problems to deal with.

Ultimately it feels like an entertaining and goal-filled afternoon is going to develop and that is my feeling from the fixture. Arsenal have scored plenty of goals, but look unlikely to keep a clean sheet, while West Ham United have also struggled at the back.

The level produced at Anfield is encouraging for the visitors, but I think they continue to have problems in conceding too many goals and that is where Arsenal should be able to take advantage. The Gunners have won 4 in a row at home against West Ham United and I think they continue that streak by winning a fixture featuring at least two goals scored on the day.

Score: Arsenal 3-1 West Ham United


Crystal Palace v Watford Pick: If Crystal Palace had not taken maximum points from their last 2 Premier League games they would have been firmly involved in the relegation battle that is developing. Instead they are now likely just a single win away from guaranteeing another season in the top flight, although Roy Hodgson won’t be taking anything for granted.

How could he after seeing the performance Watford produced in their 3-0 hammering of Liverpool last weekend?

Nigel Pearson will hope that gives his team some momentum with four good looking fixtures in front of them. Watford have been much improved under his watch and they have some exciting players that will believe they can win this game having beaten Crystal Palace 3 times last season.

Earlier in this campaign they had to settle for a draw, but Watford won’t be intimidated and they have the pace in the forward areas to cause problems.

Ultimately they have not been at their best at the back and that is where even a goal-shy Crystal Palace team can have some success. Goals have not been the order of the day at Selhurst Park this season, but these teams have tended to match up well with each other and it feels like being the case on Saturday too.

7 of the last 8 between Crystal Palace and Watford at this ground have ended with at least three goals shared out. That may be pushing things a bit, but the 1-1 is a real player and I do think both teams will be looking to get forward and can hurt the other when they do.

Both teams to score looks the play despite the low scores we have seen at this ground this season.

Score: Crystal Palace 1-1 Watford


Sheffield United v Norwich City Pick: Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United all failed to win last weekend while Sheffield United had the time off and that will have given the fans further belief that this could be one of the most memorable seasons in the history of the club.

While no one will be looking too far ahead inside Bramall Lane, you can't help but see there is a real path towards the Champions League places that Sheffield United can perhaps take control of over the next few weeks. They will play the likes of Wolves and Manchester United around them, but those matches will not mean so much if they can't beat Norwich City this weekend.

For all the positives about Chris Wilder and his team, you do have to wonder if they have enough goals in the squad. It is most evident when they have played the 'lesser' clubs in the Division and the likes of Southampton, Newcastle United, Watford and Brighton have all avoided losses here.

West Ham United almost stole a point too before a late VAR intervention, and in all of those five games mentioned Sheffield United have not scored more than one goal.

They might need more to win this game against a Norwich City team who have been creating chances even if they are not as clinical away from Carrow Road as they would like to be. There is a real confidence at the bottom club that they can surprisingly pull away from the bottom three, and Daniel Farke won't lose his principles now which means Norwich City will at least give this a go.

Defensively there remain some major questions that Sheffield United will be looking to have answered and I do think the home team might have just enough. While they are not completely easy to trust with the lack of goals an issue, Sheffield United have beaten Burnley, Bournemouth and Aston Villa here and in all of those games they did find the two goals needed to secure the points.

I will look for them to do that this weekend too.

Score: Sheffield United 2-1 Norwich City


Southampton v Newcastle United Pick: Both Southampton and Newcastle United may look relatively comfortable with ten League games to play, but both Ralph Hasenhuttl and Steve Bruce will be reminding their players how quickly things can change.

Neither team is in great form and the improvements that Bournemouth, Watford and now West Ham United are showing means the 5 points to Newcastle United and 7 points to Southampton is a bridgeable gap.

That makes this a very important game for both teams and I do think there will be chances at both ends.

Newcastle United earned a morale-boosting win at The Hawthorns on Tuesday, but both of these teams look capable of creating chances and struggling defensively at times.

It is particularly the case for Newcastle United away from home and I think it could mean a repeat of the earlier meeting between these teams and at least three goals being shared out. Before the goalless draw last season, that had happened the previous 4 times Southampton had hosted Newcastle United and the defensive performances of the two teams in recent weeks suggest we could see this one go back to that trend.

Tension and fear of a defeat could take some of the effective play out of this fixture, but I can see it ending 2-1 either way and I will back at least three goals to be the outcome of this one.

Score: Southampton 2-1 Newcastle United


Wolves v Brighton Pick: This is a pivotal game at the top and bottom of the Premier League as Wolves continue to chase down a surprise Champions League berth and Brighton look to reverse the slide into the bottom three.

There has been plenty of talk about Manchester United and Chelsea failing to take advantage of the slips each are making, but Wolves have quietly moved into their slipstream. The fixture list looks much kinder to Wolves than United over the next few weeks too and I do think this is a team capable of handling the pressures of Premier League and Europa League Football as they have all season.

A home game with Brighton has to be the kind of fixture Wolves have to take advantage of especially as Manchester United and Chelsea have much tougher looking games this weekend. However it is not always easy to trust Wolves to get the job done as you would imagine.

Newcastle United, Southampton and Burnley have all avoided losses here already this season and Brighton are a team who have been creating chances in recent games despite the 0-1 setback to Crystal Palace last weekend.

Brighton have the character that has seen them come from behind and draw with both West Ham United and Sheffield United in the last couple of away games played in the League, while they are also unbeaten in 5 against Wolves since October 2016.

That has to be respected, but Wolves look to be in good form and scoring plenty of goals. In what could be a surprisingly high-scoring affair, I do think Wolves can edge to a win in a game featuring at least two goals on the day.

Score: Wolves 2-0 Brighton


Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: The live game on Saturday evening comes from Turf Moor and it is a huge test for Jose Mourinho and his Tottenham Hotspur team who have been in a miserable run of form.

They had lost 3 in a row in all competitions prior to the FA Cup Fifth Round tie against Norwich City and Tottenham Hotspur have found themselves dumped out of that on Penalties. Injuries are piling up to the point that Mourinho has suggested he is going to speak to the board and ask them which competition he wants to prioritise this week with a Premier League and Champions League fixture to be played.

After losing 0-1 at home to Leipzig it could be argued the Premier League has to be the priority for Tottenham Hotspur who can close the gap to 4th placed Chelsea by winning twenty-four hours before The Blues are due to kick off against Everton. That makes this game even more important for Spurs to try and regain some lost momentum, but Burnley are anything but a soft touch and especially if the focus is not at 100%.

Tottenham Hotspur will create chances against this Burnley team, but I have little doubt the home team are going to do the same against a team that has just 3 away clean sheets in 20 games played in all competitions (and one of those was at League Two Colchester United). However the other side of the coin shows that Tottenham Hotspur have only failed to score in 4 of those 20 away games and I do think they can cause problems for their hosts too.

Burnley have been in the better form and they have narrowed into the home favourites- winning 4 of 6 Premier League games will do that- and I do think they are the more likely winners on the day.

In saying that I do think the defensive issues have not been underlined as much as they should have been and it may take two goals to win the game. Backing at least three goals to be shared out at odds against is a very appealing price, and 4 of the last 6 between Burnley and Tottenham Hotspur have ended that way.

1-1 is perhaps the most dangerous scoreline, but I can see there being enough chances on the day to see the total goals hitting at least three goals.

Score: Burnley 2-1 Tottenham Hotspur


Chelsea v Everton Pick: The first of the live games to be played on Sunday comes from Stamford Bridge and it may be a big opportunity for Chelsea to pull away from at least Manchester United in the race for the Champions League places.

If Frank Lampard’s men can win, it will put pressure on Manchester United to respond in the derby against Manchester City later in the same day. However it is no guarantee with Chelsea being a little inconsistent as it is and now suffering with a number of key players looking set to miss out.

That will have given Everton a chance anyway, but this is a team in good form and who will take the game to Chelsea.

Under Carlo Ancelotti Everton have been creating chances and they showed that again in the 1-1 draw with Manchester United last weekend. They should have perhaps gotten more out of the 3-2 defeat at Arsenal last month and Everton will certainly believe all the pressure is on their hosts.

A team creating chances like Everton are will be dangerous- but add to that the inconsistency of Chelsea and I can’t help feel they are a touch short here. Everton did beat Chelsea at home already this season and a weaker team earned a result at Stamford Bridge last season.

Being able to back Everton with the start looks very appealing here and I will do that as I look for the underdog to perhaps spring a surprise.

Score: Chelsea 1-1 Everton


Manchester United v Manchester City Pick: In the next few weeks I do think Pep Guardiola will turn his full attention to the Cup competitions Manchester City are involved in as they are closing on a top four finish in the Premier League. At that point they can only await the judgement set out by the CAS in terms of whether they will be playing in the Champions League again next season.

For now there is still motivation to keep the wins being churned out in all competitions which will give the Manchester City squad some momentum. It is a deep squad and that means rotations are being made, but I expect the Manchester derby to earn the full attention of the visitors especially as Manchester United have won 2 of the 3 games between these clubs this season.

The exception did come at Old Trafford where Manchester City ran out 1-3 winners in the League Cup Semi Final First Leg, the foundation for progressing to the Final, and Manchester City have won 4 of the 5 games played at this ground under Guardiola.

However Manchester United are coming into this one in fine form too with a 9 game unbeaten run to protect. They have won 6 of those games including the last 2 at Old Trafford, although it does have to be pointed out that it has been a good portion of the fixture list which has been negotiated and facing their cross city rivals is a different test for them.

Manchester United have looked threatening going forward with the arrival of Bruno Fernandes a real boost, while they have also been pretty effective at the back. Harry Maguire's potential absence is a blow, but I do think Manchester United will be confident regardless and it could be a very good game.

I do think United can have some success playing against this Manchester City defence which has struggled, and they will be even more confident if Kevin De Bruyne is missing. The Belgian is a major creative force and Manchester City have been producing plenty of threatening play in the final third in their wins over Leicester City and Real Madrid away from home.

I'd love to be wrong, but I do think Manchester City will find the win in this one- as well as Manchester United have been playing, they are still a team that looks like they could be vulnerable if Manchester City are at their best. In all of the games played it is Manchester City who have dominated the chance count and I think that is likely to come through for them again.

Sergio Aguero has hit some positive form with goals in the last two games and he has always impressed at Old Trafford. My lean is that Manchester City will win and they can do that in a game featuring two or more goals.

Score: Manchester United 1-2 Manchester City


Leicester City v Aston Villa Pick: Recent form will have made Brendan Rodgers very glad for the long run of wins at the back end of the 2019 calendar year which has given Leicester City some room for error in the race for the Champions League spots.

That room is closing all the time though and Leicester City have to find a way to get back to winning ways after another disappointing Premier League setback at Norwich City last weekend.

At least being at home should give them a real chance to get back on the horse and Leicester City are also going to be benefit from having Jamie Vardy return. This should boost their chances and coupled with the poor run Aston Villa are on it is no surprise the home team are favoured to win this one.

Aston Villa beat Leicester City with a late goal in the League Cup Semi Final Second Leg, but they have lost 4 in a row in all competitions since then and have been conceding far too many goals. Back to back away losses at Bournemouth and Southampton and the kind of performances produced are a massive concern for Dean Smith who saw his team slip to 19th in the Premier League table after results last weekend.

The confidence of beating Leicester City in the League Cup will help, especially as those memories are quite fresh, but this is a tough test for Aston Villa.

Asking relegation threatened clubs to out-score opponents to win games is a hard way to make a living and I do think Leicester City will be too strong. Motivation won't be a problem and the chance to regain complete control of one of the Champions League places on offer in the Premier League should focus the mind too.

The amount of goals conceded by Aston Villa in recent weeks means I will back Leicester City to get back to winning ways in the League and cover the Asian Handicap in the process.

Score: Leicester City 3-1 Aston Villa

Fantasy Football GameWeek 29

*KLAXON* It's time for another DGW!!

Manchester City and Arsenal are both playing twice this week after seeing their Premier League game rescheduled for Wednesday.

Most are going to have at least one player involved, but I would not be surprised if hits have to be taken to bring in a second or third player.

Clouding things is the status of Kevin De Bruyne who was set as a doubt by Pep Guardiola and that has to be a concern for all owners. I am one of those, although it was not enough to make me think removing him from my team was the right play.

Pep Guardiola has taken over from Sir Alex Ferguson in being very difficult to second guess, the new 'Tombola Operator' if you will.

In saying that my decisions were made much easier when the news broke that Alisson had been ruled out- it meant I could bring in a City defender (goalkeeper in this case) which would allow me to have just enough funds to move Roberto Firmino into Sergio Aguero.

Taking a hit is not ideal, but I am comfortable enough doing it in this case even if it is hard to trust Pep Guardiola to resist making wholesale changes between games. However it is a risk worth taking with the way things are shaking up and of course Aguero will be given the Captaincy armband.

Next week I am going to look at potential plans for the chips I have remaining, and that includes holding onto my Triple Captain chip for another week.

My GW29 Team

Ederson- two games this week and needed a definite replacement for an injured Alisson.

Serge Aurier- not sure I think Tottenham Hotspur are a good thing when it comes to clean sheets, but Aurier does produce attacking returns.

Caglar Soyuncu- home game against Aston Villa might see Leicester City turn things around defensively.

Enda Stevens- looks to be passed fit for a Sheffield United home game.

Mohamed Salah- has a good record against Bournemouth.

Kevin De Bruyne- would have been the easy Captain choice if his overall fitness was better going into the weekend.

James Maddison- good fixtures and I do think Leicester City can bounce back.

James Ward-Prowse- home game against Newcastle United and midfielder on set pieces.

Troy Deeney- not an easy game for Watford but Troy Deeney scored and assisted last weekend and will be a threat.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin- a tough away game at Chelsea, but this is a player in the form of his life and can be a threat regardless of fixture.

Sergio Aguero (C)- his record speaks for itself against Manchester United and Arsenal and two goals in two games should mean Aguero is given a chance to play both fixtures.

Bench- Michael McGovern, Adama Traore (injury concern means he might not earn the start), Federico Fernandez, Harry Maguire