Midweek Football and Fantasy Football GameWeek 17 Picks 2021 (December 14-16)

Another round of Midweek Premier League matches have been scheduled, but the new variant of the Coronavirus is beginning to affect all walks of life.

Footballers are no different and that means the Brentford vs Manchester United game scheduled for GameWeek 17 has been postponed.

Brighton, Norwich City, Aston Villa, Leicester City and Tottenham Hotspur are all dealing with issues of their own, but the Manchester United game looks to be the only one that will be postponed.

Obviously health concerns are the most important factor, but it is also means difficulties for those playing the Fantasy Premier League game and more on that below.

Norwich City v Aston Villa Pick: Covid-19 issues are likely going to impact everybody and Premier League footballers are no different.

It does make it a little more difficult to make predictions when a sudden outbreak can impact the line up of teams up and down the country and both Norwich City and Aston Villa have had issues ahead of this fixture.

At the time of writing, this fixture looks like it will be played and it is an important one for both Norwich City and Aston Villa after going down to battling 1-0 defeats to top five opponents on Saturday.

Dean Smith's presence on the sidelines will add to the intrigue having managed Aston Villa a little over a month ago before being Sacked and taking up the position at Norwich City. He has made an impact with Norwich City, but the problems that Daniel Farke failed to resolve remain and that is namely a lack of clinical finishing in the final third.

Norwich City missed some big chances against Manchester United, but they will be at least pleased to see the football that is being played. The defensive issues is something that will make it more important to find an avenue to scoring goals consistently, but Norwich City should be able to create chances against Aston Villa.

At the same time, Steven Gerrard's team looks to be getting healthier, not withstanding the players that have had positive Covid tests, and they will feel this is a much more winnable fixture than the defeats suffered against Manchester City and Liverpool. However, I do think Aston Villa are still a work in progress when it comes to their attacking play under a new manager and that should give the home team a chance to earn a vital result.

Dean Smith should know the ins and outs about the Aston Villa squad that helps Norwich City here and I do think they will be able to have the attacking threat to expose any vulnerabilities the former Villa manager knows about. That may be enough for Norwich City to earn a good result and I think they can be backed on the Asian Handicap to do that.

Manchester City v Leeds United Pick: After taking the lead and then seemingly securing a late point, Leeds United have to pick themselves up following the 3-2 defeat at Chelsea on Saturday. An injury hit squad put in a huge effort into that game and Leeds United have continued to be competitive without key players involved, but this is a tough ask of them with so many missing on a short week.

Just days after losing at Stamford Bridge, Leeds United will be travelling to Manchester to take on the Premier League leaders and it will be difficult for the players to maintain the intensity that may be needed.

After putting in a huge effort and coming up short, you have to feel the stretched squad may struggle to stay with Manchester City here. The home team can make more changes to the starting eleven and have a relatively healthy squad, while they have had a few more hours to prepare for the fixture.

Manchester City narrowly beat Wolves here on Saturday, but they created the chances and could have won by a wider margin on another day. Once again they gave up very little defensively and I think they will be able to hold Leeds United at arm's length in this one too.

With the likes of Phil Foden, Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne and Riyad Mahrez expected to come in and freshen up the starting eleven, I think Manchester City will have too much for Leeds United. Pep Guardiola is unlikely to have forgotten the home loss to this opponent last season and I think Manchester City will secure another victory with a clean sheet as they look to keep the pressure on their title rivals.

Brighton v Wolves Pick: Covid issues are likely going to have a big impact on fixtures around European Football during the winter of 2021 and the Premier League has seen a rise in cases over the last week.

One of the clubs feeling it is Brighton, but this fixture is set to be played on Wednesday despite that. A growing injury list coupled with the Covid cases means Brighton have a squad that is being stretched as they bid to end a run of 11 games without a victory.

The fans have been a little impatient in recent games, although some would say they are being arrogant considering the football Brighton have been playing. Graham Potter certainly hasn't been pleased by some of the jeers he has heard, but his team continue to look decent going forward and they are a team that will create chances.

The question mark is always around whether they can put a finishing touch to the football they are producing and it is the main reason they have not been able to turn a few draws into victories. Brighton should be well rested for this fixture though and they should be well prepared, even though there are issues in the camp, and it may give them a chance to get back to winning ways.

Brighton will also benefit from having had a weekend off at the same time as Wolves were working hard to try and earn a result at Manchester City. Playing the entire second half with ten men will have sapped some energy of a small squad being used by Bruno Lage and Wolves are another team that play good, eye-pleasing football, but who have struggled to put an end product to that football.

They have scored just 12 League goals this season and none in their last 4 so the absence of Raul Jimenez is a bitter blow for Wolves. The Mexican striker was a little foolish to get himself sent off at Manchester City and making up for his absence will not be easy.

Games between these two teams have been surprisingly entertaining in terms of goals in the last couple of seasons despite the obvious issues both Brighton and Wolves have in the final third. However, I think Wolves have looked organised at the back and I am not sure they can make up for the absence of Raul Jimenez, while Brighton are down to the bare bones in the squad.

It could mean we return to what we should expect from these two teams- that is good football, but with a struggling end product and I think one of the teams will fail to hit the back of the net.

Burnley v Watford Pick: Claudio Ranieri has spoken about Watford's season starting now after steering his team through a difficult fixture list, but he has to be very frustrated with the points dropped at Brentford on Friday night in the Premier League. He will be looking for a big reaction against a relegation rival on Wednesday evening, but there has to be some encouragement by the kind of level Watford have produced in recent weeks even if the results have not been the best.

A win for Watford will see them earn some breathing space to the bottom three, but they are facing a Burnley team who have only lost 1 of their last 7 Premier League games.

Like Watford, Burnley look to be in the midst of a relatively good schedule, but they were beaten at Newcastle United and that has left them mired in the bottom three. A point against West Ham United is a positive result, but Burnley will have to show improvement if they are going to take the points away from this fixture.

It has not been a good year for Burnley at Turf Moor and they have won 1 of their last 17 Premier League games here. That was earned recently against Brentford, but Burnley have struggled for the balance needed in the final third at both ends of the pitch.

While they scored six goals against Brentford and Crystal Palace, Burnley have failed to score in 3 of their last 5 here and they are a team that struggles to create quality chances. I expect Burnley to have more success against this Watford team that have not defended well, but The Hornets will also offer a sting in the final third.

Burnley have not defended as well as they would have liked and Watford should be able to offer a real threat on the counter attack. That will give the visitors a chance of earning something from the match and I do think they are an underdog that can produce a bite to back up the bark.

It could be a tough, competitive game, but Watford have goals in the side and I think the extra preparation time for the fixture may also be a key to the outcome of this one.

Crystal Palace v Southampton Pick: It would be harsh to discredit the kind of football that Southampton like to play under Ralph Hasenhuttl, but the lack of quality has held the club back. They are pleasing on the eye and Southampton can create chances, but losing Danny Ings has hurt and they have not been able to put the finishing touches on their football as the manager would have liked.

He may be facing more issues this week when Southampton travel to South London without Adam Armstrong, Che Adams and Armando Broja. All are doubtful and that means Southampton may be lacking a cutting edge even more than usual.

It comes at a bad time for Southampton as they get set to meet a Crystal Palace team who will be feeling very good about themselves after their 3-1 victory over Everton on Sunday. Patrick Vieira is really getting a tune out of his squad, but the results have not always backed that up and so the win on Sunday was vital for Crystal Palace having lost 3 Premier League games in a row prior to the fixture last time out.

I do have to say that Crystal Palace have been difficult to back considering the amount of leads they have blown and the fact that half of their home fixtures have ended in draws. However, they have won 2 of their last 3 at Selhurst Park and Crystal Palace have attacking players in form who will feel they can hurt a Southampton team that has begun to leak goals.

Patrick Vieira has been keeping his attacking players fresh with rotations and I think Crystal Palace can back up their win on Sunday. They should create chances and Southampton being without their top attacking players should only aid The Eagles even more.

Crystal Palace do tend to score plenty of goals here and have made it a habit of scoring first having done so in 3 of their last 4 at Selhurst Park. Doing so here should see Crystal Palace have enough to secure another three points and I think they can be backed to do that.

Arsenal v West Ham United Pick: This is the headline fixture on Wednesday evening in the Premier League and both Arsenal and West Ham United will be looking for the result that will see them end the night inside the top four.

Both earned clean sheets this past weekend, but Arsenal scored the goals to see off Southampton, while West Ham United had to settle for a goalless draw with Burnley. David Moyes was a little disappointed by the result and is demanding his players return to the kind of levels they have shown they can produce this season.

West Ham United have tended to reserve their better performances for the top teams they have faced, but those have largely been played at home. They were not really competitive in the defeat at Manchester City and so there are some questions to answer for a team that has been considered to be having a successful season to this point.

If they have a genuine ambition to reach the Champions League for next season, The Hammers have to show they can win big games away from home. In recent weeks they have hit the wall on their travels, especially in front of goal, but West Ham United are facing an Arsenal team that have been vulnerable against the best teams in the Premier League.

Defeats at Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United and another at home to Chelsea underline the point, but Arsenal have won 5 in a row at the Emirates Stadium. Many would consider Arsenal to be underachieving, but it says plenty that they could move above West Ham United with a victory and The Gunners will be looking for a seventh home success in a row against this London rival.

Arsenal have been dangerous going forward at home in recent weeks and they have largely been pretty solid defensively. That will be encouraging for Mikel Arteta, but West Ham United should offer a much more consistent threat compared with Watford, Newcastle United and Southampton.

Both Premier League fixtures between these clubs ended with three or more goals last season and I do think that could be the outcome of this one. Arsenal will attack and that will leave spaces for West Ham United on the counter attack, but I also think the home team will create chances against this opponent who have defensive injuries to deal with.

An early goal could really get this fixture going and I think there will be at least three goals shared out.

Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: At the time of writing, this Premier League fixture is trending towards being given the go-ahead rather than being postponed despite the Covid issues that both Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City are dealing with.

Leicester City have been able to battle through their issues, but Tottenham Hotspur are hoping to return after seeing two matches postponed/cancelled.

They are still going to be short of a number of players who will be in self-isolation and there have been reports that another first team player has been handed a positive test, but Tottenham Hotspur are back on the training ground and expected to head to the Midlands for the fixture.

Brendan Rodgers will not be feeling too sorry for Tottenham Hotspur considering the amount of players he will be missing, but Leicester City did have a confidence boosting win over Newcastle United last time out.

Since losing to Chelsea here, Leicester City have been finding plenty of attacking joy with 3 wins in a row at the King Power Stadium and scoring at least three goals in each win. I think despite the issues in the home camp, Leicester City will be better prepared than Tottenham Hotspur for this Premier League game and it should mean the home team are able to get the better of the London club.

It will be close and Tottenham Hotspur have been good under Antonio Conte, but Leicester City have momentum from the win on Sunday and I think they can back that up.

Chelsea v Everton Pick: Injury issues and a loss of form have been hurting both Chelsea and Everton in recent weeks, although the quality of the Chelsea squad has helped them produce some big wins through sheer effort.

The 3-2 win over Leeds United will have really bolstered the confidence of the Chelsea group, but Thomas Tuchel will be looking for much better defensively. Individual mistakes continue to be costly for Chelsea, but they could soon have their full choice of midfield options which should make Chelsea tougher to play against.

It won't be the case in time for this game, but Chelsea could be facing Everton at the right time considering the struggles of the visitors. They lost for the fourth away game in a row at Crystal Palace on Sunday and Everton have lost more key players, which leaves them incredibly vulnerable here.

Rafael Benitez won't get much respite from the away fans if Everton start poorly, but the Chelsea fans won't be offering any sympathy. Even as a former manager here, Benitez and the Chelsea faithful did not really see eye to eye and they will relish putting him under pressure.

As porous as Chelsea have been defensively of late, they have been scoring plenty of goals and I do think they can hurt this Everton team. Thomas Tuchel would love to see his team produce more in open play having been a big threat from set pieces, but they should have more joy against a struggling Everton team.

Everton will try and counter against a vulnerable Chelsea defence, but I think it will be difficult for them without the quality of Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin. The fixture list gets a little easier after this game, but Everton may have to suffer another tough night in London before heading into those matches and I think Chelsea can win by a comfortable margin.

Liverpool v Newcastle United Pick: There have been some classic Premier League matches between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield, but it feels like a stretch to think this may be one of those.

A huge gulf exists between the clubs at this moment and Liverpool have been attacking with a real threat. They may not have been rewarded with the goals, but on their current pace you would expect someone could take a real thumping from them.

Newcastle United may be the poor victim.

They were poor at the King Power Stadium on Sunday and Eddie Howe has proven to be a manager that will not want Newcastle United to sit back. It is a real problem against Liverpool, but even defending deep may not be good enough with the issues the visitors have had at the back all season.

Liverpool have had 1-0 wins in back to back Premier League games, but Newcastle United have been well beaten at Arsenal and Leicester City. The team they are facing this week are a lot stronger than those two and I think Liverpool will have far too much for Newcastle United who are trying to scratch and claw their way out of the bottom three.

An early goal for Liverpool would really spell trouble for Newcastle United and I do think this is going to be a game that is comfortably won at the end of the evening. Liverpool have created enough chances in their last two Premier League games to have won those by much wider margins and I think they can punish a Newcastle United team that have struggled to keep teams from getting on top of them.

MY PICKS: Norwich City + 0.25 Asian Handicap

Manchester City Win to Nil

Brighton-Wolves Both Teams to Score- NO

Watford + 0.25 Asian Handicap

Crystal Palace - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Arsenal-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals

Leicester City - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Chelsea - 1.5 Asian Handicap

Liverpool - 2.5 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 17

Covid issues were always going to be a problem in the FPL game this season, but it has been a frustrating time for my team.

I selected Tottenham Hotspur players who have had one game postponed thanks to snow and another because of a Covid outbreak.

Of course I replaced them with two Manchester United players, but again I have been hit with a postponement, while I have too many players who are not getting the minutes I would have liked them to.

Andreas Christensen looks out of favour, but the Christian Benteke rotation has really been a frustration- he scored twice at Burnley, but I brought him into my team following that outing and his minutes have been managed since.

Leaving 22 points on the bench in GW16 summed it up after Benteke, Christensen and Diogo Jota all managed to be used as subs and earned my a combined 3 points.

Making decisions is difficult with a Covid outbreak seemingly impacting a number of clubs and we simply don't know which players have been affected and which have not. That makes it more challenging and there are going to be tough moments through the next two months before the booster shots and the improving weather begins to turn the tide on the new variant.

At the time of writing I am going to have ten players that are expected to play after Joao Cancelo was booked and will serve a suspension. I don't think this is the time to take a hit, but it is a good opportunity to move out Bryan Mbeumo as Brentford hit a more difficult portion of their schedule.

He can be brought back when the DGW is announced, if I want him back, but I am going to keep my powder dry other than that move.

The bigger question is who is best to target and I think my final decision will come down to a Manchester City midfield asset or a West Ham United one. Manchester City have the easier game in GW17, but Pep Roulette is a miserable game to play and one I have been happy to avoid for much of the season.

West Ham United have a more difficult game, but fixtures ease after the game at Arsenal, although any final decision on a transfer doesn't mean much with a fluid virus ripping through the nation.

Changes need to be made to my team, but I am going to use the week between GW18 and GW19 to really get a better feel as to the direction I want to take.

Midweek Football Picks and Fantasy Football GameWeek 14 2021 (November 30-December 2)

I missed out on the Weekend post for the Fantasy Football GW13 and that is only good news after an awful performance from my team.

I ended up with more bookings than goals, but more on that below.

First, my thoughts on the full round of midweek Premier League games that will be played this week as the busy December schedule gets going for all in the top flight.

Newcastle United v Norwich City Pick: You don't really want to be talking about relegation six pointers at the end of November, but there is no disguising how important this fixture is to both Newcastle United and Norwich City.

Both are inside the relegation zone and both are operating under new management, although the feeling is that Newcastle United could make rapid progress up the Premier League table if they are in touch with those sides above them when the January transfer window opens up.

This week will go a long way to seeing them do that as Newcastle United look for a first win of the season- they face the two teams immediately above them in the Premier League standings over the coming days and I think Eddie Howe will be feeling very different pressures depending on the results earned.

The pressure is on Newcastle United, but they did play well in the 3-3 home draw with Brentford in Eddie Howe's first game in charge of the club. The Magpies created a lot of chances and they are facing a Norwich City team that is still a work in progress under Dean Smith and who have conceded plenty of away goals.

Dean Smith has led his team to four points from a possible six so the confidence will be better, but I expect Norwich City to be challenged by their hosts. The chances Newcastle United created in the game with Brentford is evidence of how Eddie Howe will want his team to play, but the defensive suspensions leave them vulnerable considering the amount of goals they have been conceding.

Newcastle United are vulnerable defensively, although you wouldn't be that encouraged in backing Norwich City to exploit them. The latter did create some decent chances against Wolves, but poor finishing has been letting them down and that does have me leaning towards the home team to earn a first win of the season.

However, the history of Eddie Howe suggests his teams will always give up chances even if they are able to create some and this may be a fixture that ends with at least three goals shared out. In their last away game, Norwich City did score twice in a win at Brentford and I think this is a game that could be sparked if there is a goal either way inside the first half hour.

When these clubs last met in February 2020, the fixture ended goalless here. That ended a run of five successive meetings between Newcastle United and Norwich City that ended with three or more goals scored and I think that is the most likely outcome of this one too.

Leeds United v Crystal Palace Pick: The midweek Premier League fixture list gives teams the chance to bounce back and build some momentum going into the very busy December month. Both Leeds United and Crystal Palace have to look at this as an opportunity and neither will be back in action until next Sunday so the two managers can urge their squad to produce a big performance.

This is a very tough match for both of these teams- Leeds United have underperformed this season, but they have saved some of their better performances for games at Elland Road. Losing key players at the top and bottom of the pitch has hurt Leeds United and prevented them building any consistency, while manager Marcelo Bielsa feels his squad have been overloaded by all of the football they have been asked to play.

Leeds United were poor against Brighton on Saturday and they can ill-afford to defend as poorly against a Crystal Palace team looking to bounce back from a 1-2 home loss to Aston Villa. Patrick Vieira's men have been in good form, but they continue to be vulnerable from set pieces and defensively there are more questions than answers under their new manager.

It is the change in mindset from Roy Hodgson to Patrick Vieira which has not helped, but it does mean Crystal Palace are posing more of a threat going forward. They are a team who can be very dangerous on the counter attack, but Crystal Palace have also been a little more confident with the ball and they have scored at least twice in 4 of their 6 away Premier League games this season.

Again, it is the defensive issues that have prevented Crystal Palace from winning more matches, but Leeds United have not been performing as they would have liked from an attacking point of view. They do have quality players in the home team that can cause problems with set piece play that has hurt The Eagles, but I also think Crystal Palace will head to Elland Road feeling confident about their own ability to create chances and score goals.

Crystal Palace do not have a good recent record at Elland Road with six straight losses here, but they are a team that is performing better than their results may indicate. I think they are capable of finding a positive result here with that in mind and to leave Leeds United perhaps scratching around for answers as to how they are going to pull clear of the bottom three.

Southampton v Leicester City Pick: For the second season in a row, Southampton were reduced to ten men inside 12 minutes in a home game against Leicester City, but this time they avoided an embarrassment.

The 0-9 home defeat will not be forgotten easily, but back in April Southampton battled and earned a 1-1 draw with Leicester City and they will need to do the same here after the 4-0 loss at Liverpool on Saturday. It was another naive team selection from Ralph Hasenhuttl, but the manager has guided Southampton to a pretty solid start to this season and he will be expecting a reaction.

Scoring enough goals continues to be the main concern around Southampton, but they are facing a Leicester City team who are conceding at an alarming rate. Even the 4-2 win over Watford won't have eased any concerns about the defensive performances and that was the 6th time in 8 Premier League games that they have conceded at least twice.

I expect the home team to have some joy going forward in this one, although Southampton are hard to trust as they continue to try and fill the Danny Ings sized hole at the top of the pitch. Che Adams and Adam Armstrong have shown flashes, but consistency is the key at the Premier League level and both need to improve.

The Saints are also not as strong defensively as some of their performances have suggested and six goals conceded since the November international break is a worry. Leicester City might be conceding goals, but they have been good in the final third at creating chances, while they had scored at least twice in 3 away games in a row in all competitions before the 1-1 draw at Leeds United.

Both teams may actually feel they are better off trying to get forward and hurt the other defensively and it could lead to a high-scoring game. That seems to be the lean most are having and I do think both teams will hit the back of the net in this one, while the three points should keep both motivated to push for a winner.

All 3 games between Leicester City and Southampton were low-scoring affairs last season, but on current form of the two defences, it would b a real surprise if that happens here on Wednesday evening.

Watford v Chelsea Pick: Games are going to be played every few days over the coming five and a half weeks and that puts pressure on every squad in the Premier League.

It has to be a big worry for Watford and their current manager when you think of the amount of injuries they are dealing with. Claudio Ranieri could be without key personnel at both ends of the pitch and that leaves Watford vulnerable, despite the fact that the fans will be back at Vicarage Road for the first time since hammering Manchester United.

Beating that English giant is not the same as beating the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, who both visit Vicarage Road over the next few days, and I do think Watford could find it difficult. They were battered by Liverpool in Claudio Ranieri's first game in charge of Watford, and the worry for the home team is that they have struggled defensively in Ranieri's time at the helm.

Watford conceded four times on Sunday at Leicester City and now they have to take on a Chelsea team that have been creating plenty of chances even if they have suffered another frustrating day that resulted in dropped points.

The 1-1 draw with Manchester United will have hurt, but Chelsea have a quick opportunity to make amends and they have looked largely secure at the back.

Chelsea have not conceded in any of their last 4 away Premier League games and 3 of those have ended in 0-3 wins with a lot more composure shown without the pressure of playing at Stamford Bridge. I think that could show up here against the injury hit hosts they are facing and Chelsea may even have Romelu Lukaku back to lead the line on Wednesday as they look to get back to winning ways.

Games at Vicarage Road have never really been easy for Chelsea, but this may be one of the more straight-forward wins they are able to produce. I think they are likely to come away with a comfortable win on the night with another strong defensive display helping lay the foundation for Chelsea to attack a vulnerable Watford backline.

West Ham United v Brighton Pick: Both of these teams had disappointing results this past weekend, but the Brighton management team have to be happier by what they have seen in terms of a performance.

On another day, Brighton would have comfortably seen off Leeds United, but poor finishing has become a feature of the club under Graham Potter. The overall football is very good to watch, but Brighton missed some golden chances and look like they are back to underperforming when it comes to converting good chances into goals.

Even with that in mind, it was a real surprise to hear the Brighton fans boo off their team and manager Graham Potter was clearly irritated by the supporters. It is a massive surprise that Brighton fans feel that way and perhaps they should speak to Charlton Athletic fans who got above their station at a time the club were overachieving.

Being away from home may not be a bad thing for Brighton this week, but they are facing a West Ham United team who have been performing well in recent games at the London Stadium. David Moyes will be demanding his team to bounce back from sub-par performances at Wolves and Manchester City which have led to deserved defeats, and this has been a tough match up for West Ham United.

Since Brighton have been promoted back to the top Division, West Ham United have failed to beat them at home. That might play on them at the back of their minds, while Brighton have continued to defend well enough to be able to give opponents some real problems.

They can't really be trusted in front of goal though, even with the amount of goals they have managed at the London Stadium, while West Ham United have looked a little lethargic in the final third in their last couple of Premier League games.

This could see this match develop into a tight, competitive affair and I would not be surprised if one of the teams fail to find the back of the net. Both have defended pretty well at times this season, but since returning from the November international break, both have also had some difficulties creating good chances.

My lean is with the home team to bounce back, but they may need a clean sheet to do that.

Wolves v Burnley Pick: Having a few extra days off from the intensity of a Premier League fixture may work in Burnley's favour, but they are also going to be missing a couple of key players in what may have been considered the more winnable of two games to be played.

James Tarkowski and Ashley Westwood are both yet to serve a suspension and I do think that could leave Burnley vulnerable, even if Wolves are unlikely to be a team to blow away any opponent they face.

Wolves have been better at home in recent weeks though and have won 3 Premier League games in a row here and I do think that will give them confidence. They were not at their best in the goalless draw at Norwich City on Saturday, but Wolves remain a pretty steady team defensively.

Bruno Lage is frustrated that he is only operating with a relatively small squad and that means freshening things up is not a great option for him. Wolves have a couple of big League games to come here over the next few days and the manager will be looking to manage the minutes as much as he can.

His team also played this past weekend, while Burnley ended up getting more rest than anticipated, and I do think Wolves are a plenty short price considering their lack of goals. Burnley have continued to churn out results away from home, even where they have had to ride their luck, but they won't find it easy to score against Wolves.

Goals may not be the order of the day in this fixture considering the attacking issues both have had. 3 of the last 4 between these clubs at Molineux have ended with one, or both, of the teams failing to score and I think that may be the outcome of this fixture too considering the struggles we have seen for consistency in the final third.

Aston Villa v Manchester City Pick: You have to be a little impressed with the way that Steven Gerrard's first two games managing Aston Villa have gone, but I also think this is a squad that have been underachieving this season. While we will never know if Dean Smith could have gotten a reaction from the squad, I do think Aston Villa are capable of stringing some positive results together.

The players are working hard for their new manager, but I also think Aston Villa have been fortunate to beat both Brighton and Crystal Palace. They are going to need to be a lot better to see off Manchester City, even with the injuries faced by the Champions, and this is going to be a test for the young, inexperienced Aston Villa manager who has rarely pitted wits with someone like Pep Guardiola.

It was part of the reason Steven Gerrard wanted to manage in the Premier League and he will be working on his team to show defensive discipline and try and frustrate the Manchester City attack. That has been the approach for Aston Villa in their wins over the last couple of games, but I do think it will be a different test to try and contain Manchester City.

Even without Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish, Manchester City have created chances and looked capable of scoring goals. Raheem Sterling may not have been given a lot of opportunities to this point of the season, but he has taken his chances back in the starting line up and Manchester City have refused to miss a beat because of injuries.

Defensively they have looked largely secure and Aston Villa will have to take their chances on the counter attack and hope for something to break their way. Manchester City simply don't offer a lot of spaces, while the Crystal Palace blueprint has been difficult for teams to replicate.

Aston Villa may have the speed and quality to try and do that, but I think Manchester City have momentum. They have won 3 of their last 4 away games in all competitions, while Manchester City are dominating the chances in recent games that should be the direction this fixture ends up developing.

As much as the results have improved under their new manager, Aston Villa have yet to really convince and now they have to take on the hottest team in the Premier League. Aston Villa have a poor recent home record against Manchester City and I think the visitors will produce a big performance at Villa Park once again.

Everton v Liverpool Pick: The first Merseyside derby of the season comes at a bad time for Everton and their fans and even hosting the fixture may not be enough to earn a positive result.

Injuries and a loss of form for players has really hurt Everton and the feeling that Rafael Benitez may not be a very good fit here increases in each passing week. Another defeat in the Premier League on Sunday has seen Everton slump back towards the bottom three and you do have to wonder where the club will go if they are beaten by rivals Liverpool on Wednesday.

Rafael Benitez has not been helped by the injuries that have hurt the team right through the spine of the first eleven, but excuses are not going to cut it for a fanbase that links Benitez with their rivals from across Stanley Park. Everton have not been competitive enough in recent fixtures and I think they are facing a really tough night in the office.

In recent years Everton have made it very difficult for Liverpool at Goodison Park and the last 4 derby games here have ended in draws. However, they are now facing a Liverpool team that looks to be in rampant mood when it comes to their attacking output and back to back 4-0 home wins in the Premier League will only improve the mood of the visitors.

Liverpool have also scored 21 away goals in the Premier League already this season and they have been scoring goals regularly on their travels too. That is a real concern for an Everton team who shipped five home goals to Watford not too long ago and I do think they are going to struggle to contain Liverpool.

A Merseyside derby should mean you can throw some of the form guide out of the window, but I am not sure that is the case for this December meeting. Liverpool have been scoring so many goals that it is hard to imagine Everton being able to stay with them, while the fans could make it a very difficult atmosphere for the home team if they fall behind relatively early in this one.

Liverpool have not won by two or more goals at Goodison Park since October 2011, but a little over ten years later they can do the same as they keep the pressure on those above them in the League table.

Tottenham Hotspur v Brentford Pick: Extra preparation time has been afford to Tottenham Hotspur after the game with Burnley was postponed this past Sunday and Antonio Conte will be readying his players for three important home games to be played over an eight day period.

The manager was furious with some of the performances of his squad members last Thursday, but the first team have looked pretty good in the first two Premier League games under Antonio Conte. Tottenham Hotspur created plenty of chances in their win over Leeds United and there are continued signs that Harry Kane might be close to returning to his best form.

For all the negatives about this Tottenham Hotspur team, they are only 4 points off the Champions League places and have a game in hand. Home games with Brentford and Norwich City represent a good chance for Tottenham Hotspur to build momentum and I do think they are going to be too good for their visitors on Thursday.

Thomas Frank did oversee an important win for Brentford on Sunday, but his team have just found things a little more difficult of late. They want to play football in a certain manner, but Brentford are dealing with injuries to some key players and I think they have looked way more vulnerable at the back in their last couple of away games.

Most will be able to see that from the fact that Brentford conceded three times to both Burnley and Newcastle United, but the real worry has to be the amount of chances that both of those struggling teams created. Now it is up to Brentford to try and contain a Tottenham Hotspur team with more talented attackers than Burnley and Newcastle United and I do think the home team will prove to be too strong on the day.

Last season Tottenham Hotspur secured a 2-0 win over Brentford in the League Cup Semi Final and I do think something similar will occur here. Antonio Conte is still trying to put his own stamp on the Tottenham Hotspur team, but the first team have responded pretty well to the manager and I think those players will be restored after the squad players underperformed as badly as they did at Mura in the Europa Conference League.

Tottenham Hotspur's first team should be good enough to expose the issues Brentford have been having at the back in recent away games and I will look for the home team to win a game featuring at least two goals on the night.

Manchester United v Arsenal Pick: There is a renewed optimism around Manchester United after the appointment of Ralf Rangnick on an interim basis, but the fact that the German will be sticking around on a consultancy basis should mean there is a uniform direction in which the club wishes to travel.

It has been a long time since Manchester United have had a clear plan so fans are cautiously optimistic that they have finally realised they need to do this in order to get back to the top of the pile both in England and in Europe.

The new manager will not be taking charge on Thursday, but I expect him to have an input into the team selection. Michael Carrick will be leading the team out as he looks to complete an unbeaten tenure in caretaker charge of Manchester United, but his team will have to be a lot better than they were at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

A defensive game plan saw Manchester United take advantage of a big Chelsea mistake to take the lead, but they never looked comfortable in looking to defend that for the victory. On another day Manchester United would have lost with that level of performance, while they return to Old Trafford looking to erase recent negative memories.

The Theatre of Dreams was turned into a nightmare by Liverpool and Manchester City who have won the last 2 games played here without breaking a sweat.

At least this week Manchester United are not taking on one of the elite clubs of European Football and instead facing an Arsenal team who are still looking for a statement win and performance. Mikel Arteta has to be given a lot of credit for helping his team win games they are expected to win though and that has seen Arsenal move to the edge of the Champions League places in the Premier League.

Arsenal have won 5 of their last 6 games in all competitions so confidence should not be a problem. They also kept 3 clean sheets in a row away from home in the Premier League, but Arsenal have been thumped at Manchester City in August and, more recently, at Liverpool a little under two weeks ago.

That shows there is still work to be done to bridge the gap to the top teams, but, like Manchester United, Arsenal will feel this opponent is not up to those levels.

It could lead to a tight game and matches between Arsenal and Manchester United have not been as free-scoring as they were when these two clubs were the leading Premier League teams. Last season they shared out a single goal in 2 Premier League matches and the last 5 between these two clubs have all featured fewer than three goals on the day.

Manchester United have been looking to be a little more responsible defensively and they may be able to keep Arsenal at arm's length. However, that approach has meant Manchester United are not as efficient going forward and Arsenal may feel they can at least contain the attack they face.

The first goal is going to be massive in this game and I think there is going to be little between them on the day. Both have talented attacking players that may be able to create something out of nothing, but I think the defences will largely be on top of this one and the layers may not appreciate that right now.

MY PICKS: Newcastle United-Norwich City Over 2.5 Goals

Crystal Palace + 0.25 Asian Handicap

Southampton-Leicester City Over 2.5 Goals

Chelsea - 1.5 Asian Handicap

West Ham United-Brighton Both Teams to Score- NO

Wolves-Burnley Both Teams to Score- NO

Manchester City - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Liverpool - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Tottenham Hotspur & Over 1.5 Goals

Manchester United-Arsenal Under 2.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 14

Weather was supposedly going to play havoc with some of the games in the North West of England, but those conditions were largely expected to be calmer on Sunday.

However, it did not work out as expected and the Burnley vs Tottenham Hotspur postponement really hurt- especially as one of the Free Transfers I used in GW13 were to replace Cristiano Ronaldo with Harry Kane.

Ultimately it was a longer term move and Kane can make up for the missed game with back to back home games against Brentford and Norwich City, but it did not make me feel much better after an awful return from my team.

Picking up more yellow cards than goals is never going to end well and I frustrated myself by waiting another week before making the move from Kai Havertz to Diogo Jota- that indecision has proved costly, but that is the sole transfer I am making in GW14 with a solid looking squad... Well as far as I am concerned anyway.

Finishing up with only 10 starters was a massive blow and I am a little down on the way I have approached things.

I am certainly going to rebalance some of the squad with a couple of hits over the coming GWs, which are turning around pretty quickly in December. The likes of Andreas Christensen, Teemu Pukki and Nelson Semedo are high on my hit-list, but I am not going to be targeting those high owned players like Trent Alexander-Arnold.

I have an idea as to my approach, but Fantasy Football changes quickly and you can never look too far ahead.

However, I do think it is key for a strong squad and a couple of hits should ensure I have eleven starters in most weeks.

Looking at the fixture lists coming up, Manchester United assets look really appealing, but a new manager means there are going to be new ideas that need to be incorporated. It may take a couple of games to figure out what Ralf Rangnick wants to do with the current squad, but we may not see his first team selection until the home game with Crystal Palace on Sunday in GW15 and I will have to make some assumptions about this approach if I want to bring in the United assets for the start of a really good run of games.

It is something I will be thinking about in the coming days, but any move won't be until GW16 and I have some idea about which players I really think will thrive under the interim manager.

That's for another day though and the quick turnaround between GW13 and GW14 means it is a deadline that could catch some out this week.

Midweek Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2021 (May 18-19)

The short turnaround from GameWeek 36 to GameWeek 37 is a difficult one for players, but I expect the home teams to be given a huge boost from the returning fans.

You can read my thoughts on the fixtures to be played over the next two days as well as my Fantasy plans for this GameWeek having been hit with another injury.

Manchester United v Fulham Pick: The Premier League is winding down over the next few days and this is the last home game Manchester United will be playing this season.

Like the rest of the clubs in the Division, the final home game will be played in front of the supporters who have been locked out of their grounds since March 2019 and there sounds like being around 10,000 Manchester United fans at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Unlike other clubs, those fans might be ready to remind the owners of their disgust at their stewardship, but I also think they will get behind the players who are looking to end this campaign with silverware. Manchester United have lost back to back games at Old Trafford, but they will be looking for some momentum to take them towards the Europa League Final and this looks a very good opportunity to get back to winning ways.

I expect Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to pick a strong line up in a bid to get back to winning ways, and he might not have been able to select a much better opponent.

Fulham have gone down with a whimper and the team are really struggling to be competitive at both ends of the field. They are allowing big chances and not creating as much as they were a few weeks ago and it is no surprise that recent defeats have come in comfortable fashion on the scoreboard.

The latest was the 3-1 defeat at Southampton and I do think the Fulham squad are perhaps not very focused at the moment. Many of them will be returning to their parent clubs having been on loan at Fulham and that means there is some uncertainty about their futures, a distraction that could see Fulham struggle in their remaining two fixtures.

Defeats in 7 of their last 8 Premier League games and in 3 of their last 4 away Premier League games is a huge blow for Fulham's confidence. They have a really poor record at Old Trafford and I think the push from the supporters will see Manchester United come through with a relatively comfortable win on the day.

Manchester United had won 5 in a row at home before the back to back losses to Champions League chasing Leicester City and Liverpool, but Fulham are not of that quality. The home team should have the attacking players to break down the Fulham defences and I think it will result in a win by a couple of goals on the day.

Southampton v Leeds United Pick: Both Southampton and Leeds United might still be chasing spots above them in the Premier League table, but in the main these two clubs have nothing to lose when they face each other on Tuesday afternoon.

That can only be good news for the neutrals with two managers who like to see their teams get forward and cause problems for opponents in the home and away dugout. Both Ralph Hasenhuttl and Marcelo Bielsa like to see their teams press the opponent into mistakes, but also get forward in numbers and I think Southampton and Leeds United could produce some fireworks for the home fans who are finally back at St Mary's.

There are some quality attacking players on the field playing in both home and away colours and an early goal would really spark the fixture.

Goals have been flowing in recent Southampton and Leeds United games and you would think an early goal would really open this entire fixture up. The two teams are scoring plenty, but they are looking far from watertight at the back which makes picking a winner a little more difficult, although everything is pointing to this being one of those high-scoring end of season games.

When Leeds United hosted Southampton, three goals were shared out.

In each of their last 2 Premier League fixtures coming into this one, there has been four goals shared out in those and the chances are that this fixture leans towards that mark again. Neither team is likely going to sit on a lead unless we are down to the final minutes and that attacking enterprise should see a few goals shared out on the day.

Brighton v Manchester City Pick: This should be a decent game of football with the styles that both Graham Potter and Pep Guardiola implement on their teams.

When Manchester City and Brighton met earlier this season, Guardiola was very complimentary with the performance of the latter although his Manchester City team continue to get the better of Brighton.

Manchester City have won all 7 Premier League games and also a FA Cup Semi Final against Brighton since the latter returned to the top flight. The 1-0 win earlier this season was closer than expected, but Manchester City have won 1-4 and 0-5 in their last two visits to the Amex Stadium and injuries in the home camp certainly make them vulnerable.

Brighton did dig in and earn a result against West Ham United, but Manchester City showed against Newcastle United that standards have not slipped despite winning the Premier League title. That was a much changed Manchester City team, but I would expect the manager to pick stronger elevens in the final two Premier League games to make sure key players are well prepared for the Champions League Final.

Both Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez look to be influential figures for Manchester City in the Champions League Final but have played very few minutes in the last couple of Premier League games. That rest should mean they are available for selection and ready to go in the final two Premier League games and I expect Manchester City to have a bit too much for a Brighton team who have just slowed down in the underlying numbers in recent games.

Brighton are unbeaten in 4 at home which makes them a confident team, but they were a little fortunate to hold West Ham United on Saturday.

Now they face a Manchester City team who have won 12 in a row away from home in the Premier League and I do think the visitors will have a bit too much for them here. Chances should be created by the Champions and I think their performances in visits to the Amex Stadium suggests they will be able to win this game by a couple of goals on the day.

Chelsea v Leicester City Pick: The FA Cup Final has been won by Leicester City and they should have a big mental edge going into this pivotal top four clash at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday.

Brendan Rodgers will know he is still going to be judged on whether or not his Leicester City can avoid another late collapse to fall out of the top four places and this is a big game for them. The results over the last eight days have given Leicester City control of one of the top four positions, but a defeat would leave them vulnerable and they are likely going to be without Jonny Evans.

The leadership will be missed, but Leicester City will feel they were able to defend against Chelsea with a lot of success on Saturday even after Evans was forced off. That will be encouraging, although Leicester City will want to pose more of an attacking threat having scored a special goal to win the Cup Final but not really creating a lot else.

Thomas Tuchel's team are under pressure after back to back 0-1 defeats with the lack of consistency in the final third hurting Chelsea. They play a lot of good football, but the final pass or finish has let them down and anything less than a win on Tuesday will give Leicester City and Liverpool the advantage in the race for a top four finish.

Pressure has only increased after losing the FA Cup Final, but Chelsea will feel they have been defending well enough to at least contain Leicester City in this one.

The Cup Final was a tight, competitive contest and I can only see this Premier League game following suit. Chelsea had the better of the chances on Saturday and I would not be surprised if they did win this one, but Leicester City can dig in and try and counter their hosts which will suit their game.

An early goal could spark the game, but Chelsea games have been tight in recent weeks and the margins are very fine in their performances. I expect the manager to still want his team to be largely secure defensively and hope for something to break in the final third, but Leicester City can keep this one close and then look to exploit spaces if Chelsea get desperate.

Goals might end up being at a premium on Tuesday evening and I think another tight final scoreline will be in the offing.

Everton v Wolves Pick: Two out of form teams meet on Wednesday in the Premier League and ambitions for both Everton and Wolves have not been met so far this season.

Ultimately it is too late for Wolves who are set for a bottom half finish as injuries have hurt what has been small squad in recent seasons. That was always the worry for Wolves and this summer the transfer window is going to be important to strengthen in order to perform much higher up the standings next time around.

There is still the faintest of hopes for Everton to earn a top seven finish and a return to European Football, but the 0-1 defeat to Sheffield United has likely ended those barring upsets and other results going their way. At this point the sole focus has to be on winning this Premier League game, but it is very difficult to trust Everton considering their lack of goals and performances at Goodison Park.

However, there is the boost of playing this fixture in front of supporters and that may just push Everton to ending their run without a victory here. They are also facing a Wolves team who are struggling for consistency and who have had a hard time scoring goals without Raul Jimenez.

Pace in the final third makes Wolves potentially dangerous, but Everton should be able to create chances in this game. They have not capitalised on those in recent games, and the first goal is going to be critical in this one between two out of form and unconfident teams.

Everton should have the slightly superior attacking options though and I think they may just edge this. They are not easy to trust considering form at home, but the supporters can push Everton over the line in this one and I think they can earn the three points.

Newcastle United v Sheffield United Pick: You would be foolish to ignore Sheffield United’s win at Everton on Sunday, but the underlying numbers suggest this team have been out of their League this season and on another day they would not have secured a positive result.

The squad are trying and they are playing with relative ease, but Sheffield United were fortunate that Everton made some big mistakes which ultimately cost them at both ends of the field.

They may have the same outcome on Wednesday when travelling to Newcastle United, but the home team have been playing with real attacking intent and have been creating and scoring chances. Losing Callum Wilson is a blow for Steve Bruce and his team, but Newcastle United have been scoring goals and that makes them very dangerous.

It is a significant edge over Sheffield United who simply don’t offer the same attacking threat on a consistent basis and I think that is going to be the key difference here.

A place in the Premier League has been secured so the Newcastle United fans should be fully behind their players without putting them under undue pressure and that is key for the home team.

Winning has not been easy for Newcastle United all season, but they do score goals and that is likely going to help them secure the points here against a goal-shy Sheffield United team. At St James’ Park in particular Newcastle United have got forward and scored goals and I think they will secure a narrow victory on Wednesday.

Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa Pick: The Europa League may not be a top priority for clubs in England, but playing in any kind of European competition is important for Tottenham Hotspur with the extra revenue generated for the club not to be ignored.

The new format of the competition may also make life a little easier for those clubs involved in the Europa League and Tottenham Hotspur will be looking for two wins this week to confirm their top six finish in the Premier League.

This does look the 'easier' of the two fixtures left as Tottenham Hotspur complete their home schedule with fans back in the stands. The side have won 6 of their last 7 at home in the Premier League which includes all 3 games played here under Ryan Mason and the manager has tended to pick attacking teams to get Spurs on the front foot.

Aston Villa's poor second half of the season has seen them struggle having overperformed the numbers earlier this campaign. They have returned closer to the mean over the last couple of months, although losing Jack Grealish to injury was a severe blow for the team.

Jack Grealish may start this game which will give Aston Villa more of a threat going forward and especially against a vulnerable Tottenham Hotspur defence. However, Spurs will definitely feel confident in breaking down the Aston Villa defence which has given up some big chances in recent matches and who have lost 3 of their last 5 away Premier League games.

The visitors are conceding too many goals of late and Tottenham Hotspur have the attacking talent to hurt them. Spurs have won their last couple of games at home with comfortable scores and they have been creating enough chances to believe they can win this one with some relative comfort too.

Crystal Palace v Arsenal Pick: In general terms this looks like a London derby with very little on the line for both Crystal Palace and Arsenal, although the latter will be looking to keep the pressure on those teams in the European places and at least have a chance of a top seven finish on the final day of the season.

Some of that is out of their hands, but Arsenal have won their last 3 away Premier League games without conceding a goal and will believe they can earn a victory here and then hope Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United slip up.

Crystal Palace have secured Premier League Football and they are not able to finish in the top half, but motivation for the players will be playing in front of supporters. The fans have been missed at Selhurst Park, while another motivation is giving Roy Hodgson the send off he deserves after the manager announced he will be leaving Crystal Palace at the end of the season.

On Sunday the players showed they are willing to fight for their manager even with very little to play for and they came from behind to beat Aston Villa 3-2. In their last few Premier League games, Crystal Palace have been playing with attacking freedom and creating chances and they have given Arsenal plenty to think about in recent matches between the clubs.

Arsenal have been finishing the Premier League season with momentum which makes them dangerous, but they were a touch fortunate to secure a 0-1 win at Chelsea last week. The team are well rested which makes life more difficult for Crystal Palace, but I think the motivation to perform for their retiring manager will see The Eagles put up plenty of fight and I would be surprised if they are seen off easily on their current form.

Burnley v Liverpool Pick: You do have to wonder if fate is on Liverpool's side having scored a late winner at West Brom and through the goalkeeper no less.

That victory means Liverpool are favourites to finish in the top four positions in the Premier League, but Jurgen Klopp will be looking for a little more composure when it comes to the final third. His team created enough chances to win at The Hawthorns without the need for an injury time strike, but Liverpool need to be more clinical in the final third.

They could be facing the right opponent on Wednesday as they take on a Burnley team that have conceded eight goals in their last 3 at Turf Moor. The latest result on this ground saw Burnley beaten 0-4 by Leeds United this past Saturday, although Sean Dyche will feel his team did enough in the final third to have scored on the day and at least put some pressure on their visitors.

Burnley have posed an attacking threat and will feel this Liverpool defence is plenty vulnerable to their front two. It will give Burnley a chance of an upset and the fans will also be in the Stadium to give the players another boost, but Burnley have struggled when hosting Liverpool who have plenty of attacking threats of their own.

In recent games Burnley have struggled defensively and could be without Nick Pope again which is a huge blow for them.

I do think Burnley will cause problems for Liverpool, but the visitors are creating plenty of chances and a little more composure could lead to a comfortable win on the day. Liverpool have won 1-3 and 0-3 in their last couple of visits to Turf Moor and I think they are likely going to match those margins in this fixture as they look to move into the top four before the final fixture to be played this Sunday.

West Brom v West Ham United Pick: There might not be much for West Brom to play for, but they showed their desire in the narrow defeat to Liverpool on Sunday. The big question has to be how much that fixture has taken out of the players, although any sense of fatigue can only be replaced by the adrenaline boost the fans should be able to give the squad on Wednesday.

Returning fans is huge for clubs and players and I do think West Brom will be able to cause some problems for West Ham United. At home they have been creating chances, although defensively it has been hard work for The Baggies and Sam Allardyce has not been able to make them much tougher at the back.

The manager will be looking to get one over one of his former employers though and I think he will pick a West Brom team that will look to make life tough for a West Ham United team who need the points.

That need does bring a pressure of its own and West Ham United have struggled just as it looked like they might surprisingly push for one of the Champions League places on offer in the Premier League. They have won just 1 of their last 5 Premier League games and West Ham United have lost 3 of those which makes it difficult to pick them to win at odds on.

I imagine those prices are based on West Ham United 'needing' to win, but this is a squad that has just struggled in recent weeks. They are still favourites to earn a place in Europe, but West Ham United are under pressure to pick up a result before hosting Southampton in front of their fans this weekend.

West Ham United did play well at Brighton and create the better chances, but they are vulnerable at the back and they could be exposed by their hosts if getting desperate.

This has the makings of a tense game and I think both teams will have their chances with the first goal likely to be very important. Either way I would be surprised if West Brom capitulate in their final home game and with the fans behind them and I think they can at least push West Ham United all the way.

MY PICKS: Manchester United - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Southampton-Leeds United Over 3.5 Goals

Manchester City - 1 Asian Handicap

Chelsea-Leicester City Under 2.5 Goals

Everton

Newcastle United

Tottenham Hotspur - 1 Asian Handicap

Crystal Palace + 1 Asian Handicap

Liverpool - 1.75 Asian Handicap

West Brom + 1 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 37

I had to take a hit in GameWeek 36 with the four teams blanking on FA Cup Final Weekend, but even then I ended up with only nine players producing minutes.

To pick up 47 points (- 8 for hits) was a decent enough return, but the injury sustained by Diogo Jota has ruled him out of the season so it really was a poor transfer decision.

Unsurprisingly Jota is going to be replaced by me this week and I am targeting Raphinha from Leeds United as the replacement- I mentioned last week that Leeds United had three relatively good looking fixtures to play and the 0-4 win at Burnley on Saturday suggests Marcelo Bielsa has his team ready to produce a big finish.

Raphinha has only recently returned from an injury which may mean minutes being managed over the last week, but I would be surprised if he does not start both remaining games. Bringing him in also means I can likely make solid changes for the final GameWeek of the season and produce a strong eleven to conclude this Fantasy season, especially as I get to leave some money in the bank ahead of GameWeek 38.

I will put up my GameWeek 37 team on Twitter at around 5:30pm, but remember the deadline is an hour earlier on Tuesday.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MY PICKS: Sheffield United-West Brom Over 2.5 Goals

Wolves-Arsenal Under 2.5 Goals

Manchester United & Over 1.5 Goals

Newcastle United-Crystal Palace Both Teams to Score- NO

Manchester City Win to Nil

Leicester City

Leeds United-Everton Under 2.5 Goals

Aston Villa-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals

Liverpool - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Tottenham Hotspur-Chelsea Under 2.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 22

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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