Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (September 26-28)

Two weeks of the Premier League might be in the books, but it has been a much more intense period than the players and the clubs are used to in normal circumstances.

Injuries and players still trying to improve their match fitness is where the majority of clubs feel they are at this stage of the season, although they only have another eight days before the UEFA Nations League returns.

You can't win the title at this stage, but teams won't want to be dropping too many points through the first four weeks of the new season and that does put pressure on the managers to get things right. The same can be said for Fantasy Football managers and I know how quickly things can change after a miserable GW2 following a reasonable start to the campaign.

I will have more thoughts about GW3 below following my thoughts on the Premier League games to be played from Saturday through to Monday.

Brighton v Manchester United Pick: Early goals were key for Manchester United in their 0-3 win at the Amex Stadium in June as they scored twice within the first half an hour and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be hoping for a much more intense start to this fixture than their opening Premier League fixture of the 2020/21 season.

Previous visits to this part of the south coast had been difficult for Manchester United who lost both of their previous games at the Amex Stadium.

Those came against Chris Hughton's Brighton who have tended to be a little more disciplined defensively compared with Graham Potter's team. That isn't to say that Brighton are not enjoying success under Potter, but it also means they are perhaps a little easier to play against for the top clubs who will know that their hosts won't sit deep, but instead will come out and try and get on top of them.

Chelsea punished Brighton 1-3 here, but it was only the extra quality in attacking areas which made them more clinical in a competitive game. The home team missed a big chance to equalise for a second time that day which may have changed the course of the fixture, but you can't ignore the fact that Brighton have lost to Manchester United, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea at home since June.

The home team will create chances and get forward, but they do leave spaces to exploit at the back and this Manchester United team should be capable of doing that. I don't buy the excuses for the performance last week and I would expect the manager to pick a stronger team than he did for the defeat to Crystal Palace and that pace in the forward areas have benefit from the spaces Manchester United tend to get away from home.

They have created chances in their recent away games and Manchester United have won 4 on a row on their travels in the Premier League and scored at least twice in each. Three of those wins came against clubs that finished in the bottom seven and I do think Manchester United will appreciate the way Brighton will approach this game.

Brighton have created chances of their own in defeats to Liverpool and Chelsea and they might have deserved more in those games. However, they have been porous at the back and I will look for Manchester United to get their Premier League campaign off and running with a win in a game that features at least two goals.

Crystal Palace v Everton Pick: There are only five teams who have won both Premier League games played so far this season and two of them are meeting on Saturday in a big game at Selhurst Park. Both Crystal Palace and Everton would love to keep the momentum going before the international break which will begin at the end of next weekend and I think this could be a better game than the layers think it may be.

The first point I have to highlight is that the last two games between these clubs at Selhurst Park have both ended goalless so there is every chance they cancel each other out again.

We have yet to see a draw in the Premier League, but 5 of the last 7 between Crystal Palace and Everton on this ground have ended that way.

It definitely makes Everton feel plenty short to win here at close to odds on and I do think Crystal Palace will be very confident having deservedly beaten both Southampton and Manchester United. Both of those clubs ended last season in much better form than Everton, while the latter benefited from a first half sending off last weekend in their 5-2 success over West Brom.

Everton are playing well though and they are creating chances, but Jordan Pickford feels like a liability in goal and that will always give opponents a chance... Just ask Fleetwood Town who took advantage of a couple of mistakes to give Everton a scare in the League Cup Third Round during the week.

Crystal Palace were short of goals last season, but Roy Hodgson has moved to try and fix that problem and his team have looked very dangerous going forward in both League games played. Injuries at the back have seen Southampton and Manchester United create chances too, but Hodgson may feel the best form of defence is attack in their current state.

With that in mind I do think Crystal Palace will get forward and look to challenge an Everton backline which has conceded twice in each of their two games played over the last week. Roy Hodgson's team have been resting and preparing for this game and I do think they have enough in the final third to get on the scoreboard in this one despite the poor recent history of goals in this fixture.

The last two may have finished goalless between the clubs at Selhurst Park, but Everton have not been short of chances and their extra quality signed in the summer will feel they can end the barren sequence. Those players have already had an impact on Everton in the first two Premier League games of this season and I do think both teams can find the net in this one with the way their first two fixtures have developed.

Players like Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Wilfried Zaha are in form and scoring goals and I think that will help here.

This may be the first drawn game in the Premier League if recent history between the clubs is anything to go by, but this time I would expect both teams to hit the back of the net.

West Brom v Chelsea Pick: There is a real optimism about the team Chelsea are building having spent as much on young, quality players as they did in the off-season. That expenditure has raised expectations and it was perhaps no surprise to hear some fans being critical of Frank Lampard for the approach and the eventual result against Liverpool last Sunday at Stamford Bridge.

I was a little surprised by the approach myself, but for long periods it looked like Chelsea had got things right before Andreas Christensen was sent off moments before half time. Ultimately that changed the entire game and Chelsea were seen off, while Lampard will also be better judged when he has his first team healthy as possible.

Key players are going to miss out again this weekend, but Chelsea's level of opponent is not as high as it was last week. During the past few days they have hammered Barnsley in the League Cup to show what they can do when they get going and Chelsea also have a win at Brighton under their belt.

Now they are facing a West Brom team that arguably were fortunate to earn promotion to the Premier League in July and who have looked porous at the back. They have conceded eight goals in their two Premier League games, although there are factors that can't be ignored (two penalties against Leicester City and a first half sending off at Everton).

Even then you do have to worry about the defensive approach of this team and I do think Chelsea are more than capable of exposing the West Brom backline. They showed their attacking qualities in winning at Brighton and I do think The Baggies have shown a much greater vulnerability in their opening games.

Leicester City ended up with a comfortable win at The Hawthorns on the opening weekend and ultimately I think Chelsea will be able to do the same. Kai Havertz scored three times during the week, but it may be the turn of Timo Werner to announce himself in England and I think the visitors cover the Asian Handicap in the victory.

Burnley v Southampton Pick: There was a real sense of expectation around Southampton both in reality and in fantasy terms ahead of the new season, but it has been a very poor start for the team. Ralph Hasenhuttl might be bemoaning a bit of poor luck/finishing, but Southampton have to be a lot better defensively if they are not going to be dragged into another relegation scrap this season.

It was some really shoddy work being done by the defenders last week in the 2-5 home loss to Tottenham Hotspur, but Southampton exited the League Cup in the Second Round and that means they have had a week to prepare for this fixture.

The manager will have wanted to make use of all that time having seen his team lose twice to Burnley last season in the Premier League. Burnley did not create a lot of chances to produce five goals, but this has become a feature of Sean Dyche's teams and I do think the performances over the last week shows they are a club that will be safe in the Premier League despite the rumours about the manager not being happy at Turf Moor.

Burnley scored twice at Leicester City last weekend, albeit in a losing effort, and they managed two more goals at Millwall in the League Cup to progress to the Fourth Round. I would be a little concerned by the fact that Burnley have not scored more than a single goal in any of their last 6 games at Turf Moor in all competitions, especially as they have only earned a single clean sheet in that time, and perhaps that is why they are the underdog here.

I can't be having Burnley as an underdog against an opponent that has lost 3 games in a row, but I also think this could be a game that continues the early trend in the Premier League over the first two weeks of the season. That trend has seen a huge amount of goals being scored in the English top flight as teams perhaps struggle with their fitness levels after a shortened pre-season than usual.

Both games between these clubs produced three goals last season and the game at Turf Moor saw both create chances. Neither have defended as well as they would have liked to open the season, but I think the managers will be impressed with some of the attacking elements to their game and that may lead to a higher than expected amount of goals.

Sheffield United v Leeds United Pick: The Yorkshire derby games between Sheffield United and Leeds United were intense and competitive two seasons ago as both chased down a spot in the Premier League.

Both teams earned narrow away wins, but chances were created by both sides and that will encourage Chris Wilder and Marcelo Bielsa. Since their last meeting both clubs have now returned to English Football's top flight and there will be a real belief that both have enough to survive at this level.

The opening games have been more positive for Leeds United than Sheffield United, but Chris Wilder will not be panicking just yet. His Sheffield United team may have lost 5 League games in a row, but The Blades have remained competitive and arguably deserved more from their 1-0 defeat at Villa Park on Monday night.

They were not helped by the relatively early sending off, while Dean Henderson's return to Manchester United is also a blow to the club. A lack of goals will be a concern for Chris Wilder considering Sheffield United have scored once in their last 5 Premier League games and only managed 39 in total through the entirety of the 2019/20 season.

Only four clubs managed fewer goals than The Blades, but they should find spaces to exploit against Leeds United who have conceded seven times in two League games back in the top flight. That will encourage Sheffield United who have created chances and I do think they can pose problems which could make a mockery of the fact that Chris Wilder's men are the home underdog.

You have to respect Leeds United under their current manager though and the week to prepare is something Marcelo Bielsa will have made full use of. Having Pablo Hernandez sidelined is a blow, but Leeds United have shown they have pace and ability in the final third which will give them a chance against any opponent they face in the Premier League.

Defensively there are holes and I do think at the moment Leeds United feel they need to outscore teams to earn points. It should encourage an open and entertaining fixture on Sunday and I think the two teams may surprise the layers by combining for at least three goals.

My very narrow lean is with Sheffield United, but having Henderson return to Manchester United and losing John Egan to suspension tempers the enthusiasm for the home team. We saw The Blades look vulnerable when the key players were not in action for them at the end of last season and I think both teams are likely to hit the net in this one.

Sheffield United and Leeds United should both be pushing for the three points though and I think that will help produce a fixture with at least three goals scored.

Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United Pick: This is an important game for both Jose Mourinho and Steve Bruce as they look to manage their teams through the very busy first month of the 2020/21 season.

Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United have both earned 3 points from a possible 6 in the Premier League and both enjoyed Cup wins during the week. There is another similarity in that both clubs have lost their first home Premier League game of the season, and they have won more away games than at home so far.

That might encourage Newcastle United who beat Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 here last season and who have won 4 of their last 6 visits to a fixture hosted by Spurs. Steve Bruce is likely going to set his deep up to be very cautious defensively and make Tottenham Hotspur work for everything they get, and he certainly won't want to make the same start as last Sunday when his team were 0-2 down to Brighton inside seven minutes.

A strong win in the League Cup and a very winnable tie coming up should give Newcastle United confidence they can put a strong run together before the next international break. However, the defensive injuries are adding up and Newcastle United have allowed their two Premier League opponents to create some very good chances.

Now they have to deal with a Tottenham Hotspur team who were playing in Macedonia on Thursday evening and who are coming off 3 pretty good wins. The travelling is a concern, but Jose Mourinho was able to rotate his squad to some extent and that should mean the players are fresh enough to compete in this Premier League fixture.

Tottenham Hotspur have been creating chances in all of their games played so far this season and they have players like Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane in fine form in front of goal. I think that will give them the edge against something of a bogey team in North London, especially as Tottenham Hotspur won 1-3 at St James' Park in July.

I do think Steve Bruce's men can have an impact on the match too, but my feeling is that Spurs will have a little too much against a team missing their starting goalkeeper. The quick turnaround from the Europa League Qualifier is not ideal for Tottenham Hotspur, but they can edge to the victory on Sunday.

Manchester City v Leicester City Pick: This is one of the big Premier League games of the weekend as Manchester City and Leicester City look to show they are ready for the long and tough schedule of fixtures that are in front of them over the next several months.

Both clubs finished in the top five last season and there will be some feeling in the Midlands that Leicester City can use the experiences of last season to take another step forward this time around. Joining the title race might be too much for Leicester City, but the early season form is encouraging and Brendan Rodgers will want his team to show the rest of the Premier League what they are about in this one.

They were beaten in both Premier League games against Manchester City last season though and Pep Guardiola's men have come out this season with a pretty strong performance in seeing off Wolves at Molineux.

While more signings may yet be made, Manchester City know they have to be a lot more consistent this season if they are going to close the gap to Champions Liverpool. The win at Wolves shows the team are going to be up for the fight and I do think they will largely enjoy playing Leicester City even though the latter are going to be dangerous on the counter attack.

Manchester City did create a lot of chances in their two wins over Leicester City in the Premier League last season and they look like they will have too much for them again. As good as Leicester City have looked in their opening two games, they are now playing a team that is much stronger than West Brom or Burnley.

The home team should be able to come through with a relatively straight forward win by the time this one is in the books.

West Ham United v Wolves Pick: There will be some serious testing done at West Ham United in the coming days after two players and David Moyes came back with positive tests for Coronavirus ahead of their League Cup tie played last Tuesday.

A severe outbreak could see this live game on Sunday cancelled and postponed for another time, but for now the players will be focusing on their training and looking for a first League point of the 2020/21 season.

The Hammers will actually be looking for their first League points against Wolves since the latter returned to the top flight. In fact West Ham United have not scored in any of the 4 games played against Wolves in that time and it won't be easy to change that here.

However West Ham United have to be encouraged by the away performance at Arsenal last Saturday and they are a team that can create chances. They will be going up against a Wolves team that are transitioning the squad a little bit, but who continue to perform at a high level which makes them very difficult to beat.

In saying that, Wolves have not been watertight at the back and that should give West Ham United a chance to at least finally break their streak of failing to score against this opponent. They are a threat from set pieces and there is some pace in the West Ham United ranks, although defensively they remain vulnerable.

Wolves have shown they are certainly capable going forward and I would be surprised if they are not able to score here. They are favourites deservedly, but I do think West Ham United can finally break down the Wolves door for the first time since January 2016 and so expecting both teams to hit the net looks to the be the most likely outcome here.

Fulham v Aston Villa Pick: Two seasons ago Fulham had returned to the Premier League and made huge investments in the transfer market during the off-season to prepare for the top flight.

Things went horribly wrong for them and they were going to be inevitably relegated when Scott Parker was appointed as caretaker manager. He impressed enough to be given the permanent role and has helped Fulham earn promotion back to the Premier League at the firs time of asking, but a shortened off-season and not having the same policy as two years ago has made them favourites for relegation along with West Brom.

The early indications are not good as Fulham have looked miserable defensively, but they deserved more than they got at Leeds United last weekend. Scott Parker will be looking to build on that performance, although Fulham only won 6 of 19 home games at this level two seasons ago and look like one of the weaker teams in the Division.

In saying all that, I am not sure what Aston Villa have done to deserve favouritism in an away game in the Premier League. They were fortunate to eventually beat Sheffield United last week despite their visitors playing with ten men for the majority of the fixture, and I am not going to place a lot of stock in their two League Cup wins at Burton Albion and Bristol City.

Aston Villa have made some decent signings, but this is a team who won just 2 of 19 away games in the Premier League last season and were beaten at Bournemouth and Watford, two teams who eventually were relegated to the Championship.

Since the three month break, Aston Villa have played better all around, but there is still a feeling that they don't score enough goals. They have purchased players to improve on the numbers, but I don't think Aston Villa are deserving of being away favourites at any ground in the Premier League.

Fulham have a strong record at home against this opponent and there was enough to like from them in their 4-3 loss at Leeds United. Defensively there will need to be improvements, but a fixture like this one might not see Fulham fully exploited anyway and being able to get behind the home underdog looks like the right approach.

The draw could be a real player in this one, but I would be surprised if Fulham were to be beaten. A defeat and they might already want to plan on how to prepare for life back in the Championship before the fans are invited back into the Stadiums.

Liverpool v Arsenal Pick: These two teams will become familiar with one another over the coming days having already met at Wembley last month and having two games to come in the Premier League and the League Cup Fourth Round at Anfield.

There are likely to be differing line ups used for the League and League Cup fixtures, but that won't lessen the desire of the two managers to oversee two statement wins.

Arsenal are clearly a side progressing under Mikel Arteta and they have been clinical under the Spaniard, even if the defensive performances have perhaps not been as strong as some of the results have indicated.

Those defensive performances will be tested to the fullest by a Liverpool team that scored 52 Premier League goals at Anfield last season and have already produced four in the win over Leeds United. Their victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge underlines why so many believe Liverpool can defend the Premier League title and they were able to rest many of their key players in the 2-7 win at Lincoln City in the League Cup on Thursday.

Mikel Arteta will also restore some key players, and his team are well drilled and can cause problems with the pace they have on the counter attack. Their wins over Liverpool in the Premier League and Community Shield under Arteta will only increase the confidence at a ground where Arsenal have suffered some heavy losses in recent seasons.

I do think Arsenal will be able to get forward and test a Liverpool team that have conceded at least three times in their last 2 Premier League games here. However, I also think Liverpool are not going to be as wasteful in front of goal as they were when losing 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium in July.

On another day Liverpool would have won very comfortably with the level of performance produced and I think that may be the case at the end of this one. While I don't underestimate Arsenal in their current form, Liverpool are still considerably stronger and look to have the goals and the confidence to hurt a team that does give more chances than the overall numbers being conceded will suggest.

Liverpool have scored at least twice in 9 of their last 10 Premier League games at Anfield and I think they will get to that mark in a winning effort on Monday Night Football.

MY PICKS: Manchester United to Win & Over 1.5 Goals

Crystal Palace-Everton Both Teams to Score- YES

Chelsea - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Burnley-Southampton Over 2.5 Goals

Sheffield United-Leeds United Over 2.5 Goals
Tottenham Hotspur & Over 1.5 Goals

Manchester City - 1.5 Asian Handicap

West Ham United-Wolves Both Teams to Score- YES

Fulham + 0.25 Asian Handicap

Liverpool & Over 1.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 3

GW2 was pretty brutal for a lot of people, but I have to be most disappointed with my late decision to bring in Marcus Rashford instead of Heung-Min Son.

It might not have changed the week into a really strong one, but it certainly would have made up for the fact that the majority of my starters offered nothing of significance.

In hindsight it looked an obvious miss, but I never would have expected Son to score four goals away from home while Rashford and Manchester United struggled as badly as they did.

After watching much of the Southampton collapse against Tottenham Hotspur I did really consider changing the plan and going with the early Wild Card... But instead of making a rash decision I stepped away, had a coffee and a spot of lunch and ultimately waited to see how the rest of the weekend would go.

It would be very easy to panic that some of my early differentials have not had the impact I would have wanted, but the underlying stats have given me enough belief to stick with the idea of not using the Wild Card this side of the next international break.

One decision I did want to make on Monday evening was removing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and bring in Kevin De Bruyne and to avoid waiting for the Belgian to increase in price. Fortunately that did end up being a transfer made before that was the case, although the unfortunate part is that De Bruyne picked up a slight worry against Bournemouth in the League Cup and is potentially going to miss out.

I won't lie, I have been frustrated by Che Adams for a second season in a row as he continues to find himself at the end of glorious chances but for some reason is attempting to hit through goalkeepers rather than either side of him. He isn't the best finisher, but the overall performances should mean Adams continues to earn a start for Southampton who have fixtures that can still be taken advantage of.

My patience will be running thin though and I am looking for more consistency from the eleven being picked- my bottom line at the moment is I picked a squad I believed in through the first four GWs which included using my transfers and I am sticking with the plan despite the kick in the teeth I took last week.

Hopefully the restraint will be rewarded over the next three days.

NFL Week 2 Picks 2020 (September 17-21)

It still doesn't feel right that the NFL has begun considering all of the problems that have been occurring in the United States around the pandemic, but credit to the sport for getting things going as long as they can keep their players and fans protected as far as possible.

Life can't really be put completely on hold and so I am not surprised things have gotten going.

A long week means this thread is not as full as I would have liked, but below you can read my thoughts on Week 2 of the 2020 NFL season.

Week 2 Picks

Week 1 is in the books an it was a good solid start for the NFL Picks. I didn't make a selection from the Thursday Night Football AFC North battle, but I have a number of Picks from the remaining games to be played on Sunday and Monday which you can see below.

I will have analysis of some of those games and Picks from the others that have caught my eye.

Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins Pick: The AFC East might not look like the playground of the New England Patriots as it has through the last twenty years and the team that looks most likely to take over has to be the Buffalo Bills. A comfortable win over the New York Jets in Week 1 is followed by another Divisional game in Week 2 and the Bills will feel they can't afford to slip against one of the other weaker teams in the AFC East.

They are up against a Miami Dolphins team which is definitely progressing in a positive direction, but who most fans will know are still at least a year away from really competing. They were beaten at the New England Patriots in Week 1 thanks to some poor Quarter Back play from Ryan Fitzpatrick, but there is yet to be a move made towards the rookie Tua Tagovailoa who has so much expectation on his shoulders.

I don't blame the Coaching staff for wanting to give Tagovailoa as much time as possible to acclimatise to the NFL having suffered that bad injury in his final year with the Alabama Crimson Tide. Add in the fact that the Dolphins are more than a Quarter Back away from really competing and it makes little sense to throw the rookie in with the wolves.

That is certainly what the Dolphins would be doing if they were to start him against the Bills Defensive unit which figures to be amongst the very best in the NFL. Last week they rattled Sam Darnold throughout the game with the Jets and the Defensive Line forced the Jets to drop back and have to throw the ball by shutting down the run.

It is unlikely that the Dolphins will have much success on the ground either which means the pressure will be on Ryan Fitzpatrick who may have to do without DeVante Parker at Receiver. That is a huge blow for a Miami Offensive unit that may not have much rushing support and it will only mean the Buffalo Defensive Line can pin their ears back and get after Fitzpatrick having had a lot of success doing that against the Jets Offensive Line last week.

Moving the ball is going to be a big challenge for the Miami Dolphins, but I don't think you can say the same about the Buffalo Bills. Last week only Josh Allen's mistakes at Quarter Back prevented the Bills from cracking the 30 point mark, but the young signal caller should have things his own way again for much of this Week 2 game.

One area of improvement that Sean McDermott will be demanding from his team is the way they run the ball in this game after being restricted by the New York Jets last week. Josh Allen has the wheels to help the team out, while they are going up against a Miami Defensive Line that were not able to slow down the New England Patriots on the ground in Week 1 and have to be more away of the threat the Bills have through the air compared with the long-time Divisional stand outs.

If Buffalo are running the ball effectively it may leave more one on one chances on the outside, but it can't be ignored the amount of investment Miami have made in the Secondary. John Brown is a potential absentee for the Bills having crushed Miami last season, but the Dolphins have had Xavien Howard banged up and it may all be a moot point if Buffalo are running the ball like they should be able to.

Josh Allen will still look to move around the pocket and see if he can hit Brown, if available, and Stefon Diggs down the field and I do think Buffalo can move to 2-0.

Running the ball should control the clock and the Defensive unit can make the big plays to really move things in favour of the Bills who have won five of their last six against this Divisional rival.

The Bills have won two of their last three visits to South Florida and they would have covered this number in both of those successes. Brian Flores has really got his Miami team playing well as the underdog and that has to be respected, but Buffalo are 7-2-1 against the spread in their last ten road games and I think they will have too much on both sides of the ball for the progressing Dolphins.

A Thursday Night Football game can also be a distraction for teams and that is another factor that the Miami Dolphins will have to deal with ahead of a big Week 2 home opener.

Detroit Lions @ Green Bay Packers Pick: I will put my hands up here and admit I backed the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1 to beat the Green Bay Packers, but perhaps I should have put more stock into the amount of anger Aaron Rodgers is going to be playing with in the 2020 season. This is not a man who is capable of letting go of perceived slights and Rodgers had arguably his best game since 2018 when absolutely crushing the Vikings on the road.

It might not have the same feel as usual, but the home opener is always a big deal in Green Bay as the Packers look to move 2-0 for the season and within the competitive NFC North. The Division might not be as close if the Detroit Lions cannot pick themselves up from their collapse in the Fourth Quarter against the Chicago Bears in Week 1 which is only going to increase the pressure on the Coaching staff.

Matt Patricia is perhaps a little fortunate to still be the Head Coach for the Lions having compiled a 9-22-1 record in his three seasons and the manner of the defeat to the Bears will have really stung the entire organisation. The Lions go into their Bye Week in Week 5, but there has to be a real fear that they could be 0-4 at that point and that is when Patricia may finally be let go.

Two tight wins for the Green Bay Packers over the Detroit Lions in the 2019 season should keep the home team focused, while the visitors will head to this famous Stadium knowing they may actually match up with the Packers on the Offensive side of the ball.

In Week 1 the Lions really did have a good time running the ball with Adrian Peterson leading the way for them. As good as the Packers were Offensively in the win over the Vikings, they did allow Minnesota to rack up 134 yards on the ground and at 6.1 yards per carry and I do think the Detroit Lions will look to pound the ball to keep Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines and tire out this Defensive unit.

All Day showed there is still something left in the tank after leaving the Washington Football Team, while having Matthew Stafford behind Center means the Packers can't sell out to stop Adrian Peterson. D'Andre Swift is another dangerous weapon coming out of the backfield for the Lions and that should at least mean the team are able to move the chains.

Matthew Stafford will miss the presence of Kenny Golloday though and especially against the Green Bay Secondary which is the strength of the Defensive unit. They did give up some yards in garbage time as they protected a big lead and the Vikings were forced to throw, but the Packers are a dangerous team who can create turnovers and have pressure up front that might be able to rattle Stafford if he doesn't trust the remaining Receivers he will be forced to turn to.

The Lions should have a chance to move the chains, although the same can be said of the Green Bay Packers especially if Aaron Rodgers continues to play angry. He decimated the Minnesota Vikings and the really bad news for the Detroit Lions is how banged up their Secondary are ahead of this Week 2 game.

They allowed Mitchell Trubisky to look pretty decent in the Fourth Quarter in Week 1 and dealing with Aaron Rodgers fresh off a 364 yard, four Touchdown day will be a huge challenge for a banged up team. To make matters even more difficult for the Lions is that they were not really able to control the line of scrimmage which means the likes of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams are able to rip off some big gains on the ground to keep things pretty open for the other Aaron standing behind the Offensive Line.

I am surprised the Packers haven't been asked to cover a bigger spread than this one even though their two wins over the Lions came by a combined four points last season. They look healthier of the two teams and in a shoot out you have to favour Aaron Rodgers after the performance in Week 1 and with the huge chip on the shoulder that he is currently playing with.

The Lions have not covered in their last four road games as the underdog and you do have to wonder if the players are still playing for Matt Patricia. Green Bay are 4-1 against the spread in their last five games as the home favourite, and the favourite in this series has compiled a 12-4 record in the last sixteen games between these Divisional rivals.

Detroit also have a pretty poor record covering when they are set as an underdog of 6 or more points and I do think the Green Bay Packers can move to 2-0 in what I figure to be another big Aaron Rodgers day.

Carolina Panthers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers Pick: The opening game of Tom Brady's career outside of Foxboro might not have gone to plan, but there has to be elements of the first start that will please the future Hall of Famer and his Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Some poor mistakes have to be eradicated by Brady, which I am sure he will be able to do, but the game time with his new Receivers will build the chemistry in each of the next few weeks, particularly as they have not had the usual pre-season reps to do that.

Tom Brady is likely going to have to make do without Chris Godwin who is in the concussion protocol, but that should not be a major problem for a team with as many weapons as the Buccaneers have around their star Quarter Back. There is no doubt that Godwin is a top player, but Mike Evans is set to go and Tampa Bay are facing a Carolina Secondary which is not the same as previous years.

In fact the entire Panthers Defensive unit has taken a step back as injuries, age and transitions are taking place at this NFC South team. They gave up 34 points in a defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 1 and the argument could easily be made that the Buccaneers are a much stronger team Offensively than Jon Gruden's club.

There should not be the same type of pressure around Brady that we saw in their Week 1 loss to the New Orleans Saints and having a bit more time should mean making less mistakes. The Buccaneers would love to get something going on the ground too so they can ease some of the pass rush pressure and keep Tom Brady in third and manageable spots at the very least and there was enough positive running from Ronald Jones to think they can do that.

Last week the Offensive Line struggled with their consistency, but in Week 2 they are not facing a Defensive front like the one the Saints bring to the field and that should be music to the ears of their veteran signal caller.

The Panthers haven't just made changes on the Defensive side of the ball, but a new Coaching staff is in and the Offense is now being run by Teddy Bridgewater rather than Cam Newton. There isn't a rookie pressurising Bridgewater who has shown he can manage teams very well, although the the Panthers may need him to do more in games like this one to get them over the line.

That might be surprising to hear about a team that will lean on Christian McCaffrey, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Defensive Line did well against Alvin Kamara in Week 1. In the two games between these Divisional rivals in 2019, the Buccaneers managed to restrict the Carolina Panthers to fewer than 60 yards and that will be encouraging for Tampa Bay looking to bounce back from a loss.

It does mean Teddy Bridgewater will have to deal with the Buccaneers pass rush pressure from third and long spots at times. He might look to get the ball into the hands of his playmaker McCaffrey as much as possible, but the Tampa Bay Secondary are coming off a decent performance against a much more powerful Offensive unit and that should see one of the favourites to win the Super Bowl bounce back with the victory.

Some of the injuries around Tom Brady is a concern, but the Panthers are learning on the job having not had the chance to learn from a new Coaching staff as they would have had in usual circumstances. There is an additional factor that Carolina Head Coach Matt Rhule has previously gone in and seen Bruce Arians work to learn more about NFL Offenses in the past, although I am not sure that will be enough for the Panthers to keep this competitive.

Breaking in a new Quarter Back won't have been easy for the Buccaneers either, but Tom Brady is vastly experienced and I do expect that to show up. The Panthers are 1-4 against the spread in their last five games as the road underdog, while Tom Brady is usually pretty strong coming in off a loss and I expect that all comes together here.

Atlanta Falcons @ Dallas Cowboys Pick: This is a huge NFC game even in Week 2 of the 2020 season as two teams coming off losses look to bounce back and move back up to 0.500 for the year. Both the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys will be disappointed with their defeats in Week 1, but they will believe they have the strengths to get past their opponent in this game.

Injuries are always a critical factor in NFL games and in this one you do have to worry about the Dallas Cowboys who look to be down key personnel on both sides of the ball. That has seen the sharp money come down on the side of the Atlanta Falcons, but they may still be worth backing while the spread is above a Field Goal mark.

Leighton Vander Esch has suffered another injury and the Dallas Cowboys were not at their best at stopping the run at key points of the defeat to the Los Angeles Rams last week. This might be a problem further down the line, but in this game I am not sure Todd Gurley and the Falcons Offensive Line is going to open up enough holes to get the former Rams Running Back going like they would hope.

He will still have his moments and the key is keeping the Offensive unit in front of the chains and making sure the Dallas pass rush is not able to get after Matt Ryan in obvious passing situations. The Quarter Back may not be one of my favourites, but Ryan is coming off a strong showing and he is facing a Dallas team who do have questions in the Secondary and looked rusty in Week 1.

With Calvin Ridley and Julio Jones as big time targets to aim at, Matt Ryan should have a strong day although he has to avoid the big mistakes which can sometimes blight his game. I do think this is a good match up for the Falcons who had a strong end to the 2019 season and I believe Matt Ryan and company are going to force Dallas to try and beat them in a shoot out.

Dallas can certainly have some success in that situation, although they could be missing both starting Tackles on the Offensive Line which has to be a worry. Last week the Cowboys were not able to keep Dak Prescott upright as they would have liked and there was enough out of the Falcons Defensive Line when it came to rushing the passer to believe they can take advantage of the injuries on the Dallas Offensive Line.

Getting Ezekiel Elliot going on the ground could be a huge boost for Prescott to ease some of the pressure he will likely see otherwise. The Running Back had a strong Week 1 and I do think he can have another good outing against the Falcons Defensive Line which is better when pinning their ears back to get after the Quarter Back than clamping down on the run.

Dak Prescott will likely have a very good day too if he is given time in the pocket having seen Russell Wilson decimate the Falcons Secondary in Week 1. With the Receiving corps he has and with Ezekiel Elliot showing his own pass catching ability out of the backfield last week, Dak Prescott won't have too many excuses if he is not able to have a strong day in the office in the Dallas home opener.

Both teams are expected to have a very good Offensive day and I do think this will be one of the higher scoring games of the Week 2 schedule. Getting the hook with the Falcons still looks enough to back the road team especially if the Dallas Offensive Line is not able to protect Dak Prescott, while I do think Matt Ryan is going to have a strong day too.

The Atlanta Falcons have covered in their last four games as the road underdog and both teams coming off a loss should keep the game competitive throughout this one. Even if Matt Ryan is trailing late, I would not be surprised if he can lead the Falcons down the field to get within this number even though the mark would have looked so much more appealing if it had stayed where it was at the start of the week.

Washington Football Team @ Arizona Cardinals Pick: It was all change in the summer at the Washington Football Team which finally removed the nickname that had been a controversy for a number of years, but it seemed like being the same old story on the field. They were behind by three scores in Week 1 to NFC East rivals Philadelphia, but the Football Team rallied in the second half and are the only team within the Division who have a 1-0 record.

They face another 1-0 team who are coming in off a big upset in Week 1 when they take on the Arizona Cardinals in the desert, but there are much bigger expectations around the Cardinals in Kyler Murray's second year at Quarter Back.

That might be a surprise considering the 5-10-1 record in 2019, but the Cardinals did look very good at times and I do believe Murray is going to be a very strong Quarter Back at this level. He will also benefit if the Offensive Line can take a step up in their own level and offer much better protection than they did a year ago and give Murray time to find his new weapon DeAndre Hopkins down the field.

Last week the Offensive Line played well against a powerful San Francisco Defensive Line, although they are missing one of the starters on the line this time around. That will present a challenge for the Arizona Cardinals against another red-hot Defensive Line that the Washington Football Team have and one coming in off a dominating performance against the Eagles.

I do think Murray's ability to scramble will help the Offensive Line and it will just ease the pass rush that Washington are able to send towards him. That scrambling did help the Cardinals rip off some big runs against the 49ers who had a strong Defensive Line against the run in 2019 so I do think Arizona will have success against the Washington Football Team too.

Establishing the run should also open up the field for Murray to exploit with his arm and I do think the Cardinals will be able to move the chains and score the points to back up their upset win on the road in Week 1.

The Washington Football Team and Dwayne Haskins are coming off a big win of their own, but I do think there were other factors in play which gave them the chance for the upset. I had backed the Football Team with the start on the handicap and at one stage felt it was going to be a long day in the office, but the Defensive unit stepped up and really gave Washington the chance to not only cover, but win outright.

Offensively they did struggle and it is hard to imagine that is going to drastically change after a single week of Football is in the books. They didn't run the ball well and Haskins struggled with the pass and now has to face an Arizona team that looks better all around on the Defensive side of the ball.

The Cardinals were not able to completely shut down the San Francisco 49ers, but that is the team that reached the Super Bowl a few months ago while the Washington Football have long been a struggling organisation. And while Washington should have some success with their pass rush, the Football Team's Offensive Line has plenty of holes that can be exploited by a strong Arizona pass rush which should be able to rattle Dwayne Haskins and perhaps force him into a couple of errant throws to turn the ball over.

For me the Arizona Cardinals are clearly the better team, although their 1-5 record against the spread the last six times they have been favoured at home has to be a worry. I just don't believe Washington can have the same Offensive impact on this game as the Cardinals can and that should give Arizona the better chances to move to 2-0.

If they can play a relatively clean game, Arizona should be able to cover too.

New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks Pick: Two teams coming into Week 2 off Week 1 wins meet in the Sunday Night Football game, although a lot has changed since the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks met in the Super Bowl at the end of the 2014 season. The Legion of Boom have all moved on, while the Patriots are no longer led by Tom Brady at Quarter Back.

Even then both teams will feel they can have a strong 2020 season and look to be challenging for PlayOff spots and potentially even more. They both impressed in different ways in Week 1 of the 2020 season, but I do feel the Seattle Seahawks are the better all around team and can show that at home, even if the 12th Man is not going to be in attendance.

The Seahawks look to have changed some of their Offensive direction if Week 1 is anything to go by as they allowed Russell Wilson to 'cook' in their big win on the road at the Atlanta Falcons. He destroyed what is a weak Secondary, but that is not the case in Week 2 against the New England Patriots whose main Defensive strength is in that part of the field.

It may mean Seattle go back to something of a more familiar Offensive plan which is to run the ball down the throat of the Patriots and then use play-action to rip off chunks of yards through the air. That won't be an easy game plan against this Patriots Defensive Line, but it may be possible for the Running Backs to come out of the backfield and at least pick up short passes from their Quarter Back and move the chains that way.

Russell Wilson is also a big upgrade on Ryan Fitzpatrick which is another reason I do imagine this Seattle team have more successes through the air than the Miami Dolphins did in Week 1 and the Patriots having to travel across the country is also another factor in play.

While people in New England are trying to get used to their new look Offensive plans, the Seahawks will be very familiar with Cam Newton at Quarter Back and that should aid them when formulating a plan on the Defensive side of the ball.

It is clear what has to be expected from the Patriots- they will try and run the ball and keep control of the clock and Newton in manageable positions, but I also would not be surprised if they try and loosen the Seattle Defensive Line with some early throws. The Secondary gave up some big numbers to the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, but Newton isn't the same kind of thrower as Matt Ryan nor does he have those big weapons in the Receiving corps that Ryan can focus on.

With Seattle looking stronger on the Defensive Line I do think they will make a much job of clamping down on Cam Newton and his Running Backs to try and force New England to rely on the Quarter Back's arm. That is not really ideal for the Patriots and I do think Seattle are rightly favoured and in a position where they can win this game and cover the spread.

Bill Belichick's teams have to be respected as the underdog and I think that does raise some questions about the way this game will go. Seattle can sometimes be over-rated as the home favourite too and without crowds this Stadium may have a very different feel about it, but even then I think Russell Wilson can outplay Cam Newton and help his team win and cover the mark.

It is the first time the teams are meeting since 2016 when Seattle won on the road and I think this time they win at home by around a Touchdown margin.

MY PICKS: Buffalo Bills - 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Green Bay Packers - 6 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - 7.5 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Atlanta Falcons + 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Philadelphia Eagles - 1.5 Points @ 2.00 Sky Bet (2 Units)

New York Giants + 5.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Arizona Cardinals - 7 Points @ 1.91 William Hill (2 Units)

Baltimore Ravens - 7.5 Points @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Kansas City Chiefs - 8.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Seattle Seahawks - 3.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Week 1: 6-3-1, + 4.62 Units (20 Units Staked, + 23.10% Yield)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2020 (September 19-21)

So is everyone glad the Premier League is back?

It still doesn't sit right with me that the fans are not able to attend fixtures, although I am no conspiracy theorist and know exactly the kind of issues the Coronavirus pandemic is creating. Even then it is strange to see some of the NFL teams bringing in a number of fans with the Kansas City Chiefs, Jacksonville Jaguars and the Cleveland Browns managing to do that, although the fact that there was a positive test in the stands at the Chiefs can underlines the kind of problem the sporting authorities and the government are going to have dealing with a highly contagious disease.

News reports that a second 'short term' national lockdown is about to be put in place in the United Kingdom means any fans being allowed into the Stadiums is very likely to be pushed back from the October 1st date that many had targeted.

2020 has been a pretty miserable year, but there feels like at least another dip to come during the long winter months, and that is before any real hope of a stronger, longer term solution to be put in place.

I will have a small section about the Fantasy Football game below like I do usually, but before that you can read my thoughts from the Premier League games to be played in GW2 of the 2020/21 season.

Everton v West Brom Pick: You don't want to get carried about the performance of a team after one week but I was very impressed with the way Everton performed in North London in their 0-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur.

Carlo Ancelotti has brought in some real quality in the middle of the pitch and Everton may still be looking to do some business before the close of the transfer window. They will certainly feel the early fixture list is a bonus for them as they prepare to follow the win over Spurs by facing three clubs that many will tip up to finish in the bottom six of the Premier League next May.

Producing more consistency at Goodison Park is going to be key for Everton if they are going to push towards the top six and they will certainly feel a newly-promoted West Brom team are there for the taking in the early Saturday kick off.

Slaven Bilic's men might have earned promotion, but they were not at their best in the second half of last season. If it wasn't for Brentford's own failures in the final week of the season, West Brom would not have been automatically promoted and they virtually fell over the line.

Last weekend they played well at times against Leicester City, but lacked the quality to produce more in the final third. Defensively there were mistakes made and I think that is something that will concern former defender Bilic ahead of this fixture.

West Brom do have a decent recent record at Goodison Park, but this Everton squad looks to be better than those they would have faced in those games. I do expect Everton to kick on after two wins to open the new season and I will expect them to win this fixture.

There might be some chances for West Brom, but Everton look like they can create plenty of chances of their own with the quality from set pieces making them dangerous. With Richarlison, James Rodriguez and Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the final third, Everton should have the goals in the squad to make it three wins from three.

Leeds United v Fulham Pick: Newly promoted clubs would love to get off the mark at a higher level as soon as possible and both Leeds United and Fulham have to be targeting the full three points in this Premier League fixture.

Only six weeks ago both were playing in the Championship and both learned how quickly you can be punished at the Premier League level as they conceded at least three goals in defeats last weekend.

At least Leeds United showed some competitiveness in the 4-3 defeat at Anfield rather than the limp display Fulham produced in losing 0-3 at home to Arsenal. The two managers will respect the fact that they won't face that level of competition every week, but Leeds United have shown more than Fulham in the very, very early stage of the new season.

Leeds United also beat Fulham handily when these two clubs met at Elland Road in June and I do think they deserve to be favourites here. I don't want to make a snap judgement about Fulham after one game, but I do think they look very similar to two years ago when they were relegated from the top flight.

In that season Fulham were beaten in 16 of their 19 away Premier League games and defensively they look like a team that can be got at.

Scott Parker will believe his team can cause problems for Leeds United as they did when they met in June, but the home team had enough firepower to get past them on that day. I think that will be the case here too as they win a game featuring two or more goals.

Manchester United v Crystal Palace Pick: Most clubs have had a week of competitive action under their belts going into the middle of September, but Manchester United will have been preparing for the new season having been afforded an extra week off.

That came about thanks to a late finish to the 2019/20 season having reached the Europa League Semi Final, but there will be no excuses if they cannot get off to a strong start to the new campaign.

Fans are a little restless considering the lack of investment made by the owners, something that is far too common under this regime. While things look unlikely to change any time soon, it also means the reality of a title challenge looks to be some way away.

Even then there is pressure on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer to build on what was a successful if not an outstanding season. Reaching three Semi Finals, but failing to win silverware is not really good enough for Manchester United, but earning a top four spot was important even if the owners and management of the club means they don't bother investing from a position of strength.

Things may change by the time you are reading this, but for now the squad will go into the season looking to have just recharged the batteries for what looks a relentless season. Manchester United will basically be playing every few days until late January at the earliest and that means the whole squad are going to need to step up.

I do think they will be too good for a Crystal Palace team who did win at Old Trafford last season, but who have injury concerns of their own. Roy Hodgson's men have to be credited for their deserved win over Southampton last weekend and Wilfried Zaha remains motivated, but injuries at the back make Crystal Palace more vulnerable even if back to back clean sheets over the last seven days makes a mockery of that statement.

At the end of the day Crystal Palace did lose their last 4 away Premier League games and they have not scored in 5 away games in all competitions. The club have tried to rectify that by bringing in Michy Batshuayi on loan from Chelsea, but this is a big test at Old Trafford where Manchester United only conceded 17 Premier League goals last season.

Defensively Manchester United don't always look secure, but they did manage a clean sheet in winning at Selhurst Park in mid-July and they largely restricted the home side that day. Even in the 1-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace in August 2019 came thanks to some clinical finishing from The Eagles and that is not something you can expect to see regularly.

They might not have lost either of their last 2 visits to Old Trafford, but I expect that run to come to an end on Saturday. Manchester United might not be at their fluent best, but I think they will contain Crystal Palace and that should lead to a win with a clean sheet.

Arsenal v West Ham United Pick: It is very easy to get carried away by the opening weekend results and make vast predictions as to how a season may develop.

Arsenal crushed Fulham at Craven Cottage so people are feeling bullish about their chances of earning a top four spot, while West Ham United were beaten at home by Newcastle United and might have had some putting some money down on them being relegated.

You are never as good or as bad as an opening result, but this does look like the start of a difficult run for West Ham United. They didn't play badly last week, but were punished at the back and I do think they remain defensively vulnerable which is a concern with the next set of six fixtures coming up.

David Moyes is an experienced manager though and the win over Charlton Athletic in the League Cup Second Round will have just given the squad a boost. They should be set up to be hard to beat and West Ham United are unbeaten in 3 away Premier League games which includes a visit to Old Trafford.

And as well as Arsenal played last week you do have to put into context- I think Fulham will struggle in the Premier League and the result might not be as impressive come May as it looked on the opening weekend.

Arsenal have shown improvement under Mikel Arteta and some of their Football really impressed, but I do think this is a team that is still more functional than one that will dominate as they did in their heyday under Arsene Wenger. Defensively they can still be exploited and that is what David Moyes will be asking his players to do with the pace they do have in the final third.

I do think West Ham United will have their chances in this one, and I think the underdog looks a little under-rated. Neither team can really point to their defensive strength and I think there will be goals in this one as long as the chances created are being taken.

I did lean towards West Ham United having enough to earn a result and both teams hitting the net, but Arsenal are unlikely to sit back if they need to chase the three points and I think the most likely outcome is that there will be at least three goals shared out.

Southampton v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: This might not have been the best week for either Southampton or Tottenham Hotspur, but it would have been much worse for the latter if they had been Knocked Out of the Europa League in the Second Qualifying Round.

The Europa League path back into the Champions League was the route Jose Mourinho took when managing Manchester United in 2016/17 and he will feel his Tottenham Hotspur team are capable of a very deep run as a back up to the top four aspirations.

A win in Bulgaria on Thursday will be a boost, but the bigger one might be the expected signing of Gareth Bale which is due to be completed before the weekend. That will give Jose Mourinho more attacking options and a real world class performer to pair up with Harry Kane in the final third.

For now they may have to give Bale a bit of time, but that won't mean Tottenham Hotspur can have any excuses for more dropped points having lost to Everton last Sunday. A trip home from Bulgaria is not ideal, but Spurs are playing a Southampton team who have lost 2 from 2 games and have failed to score in either.

The Saints did create chances at Selhurst Park last Saturday, but they looked vulnerable at the back and I do think Tottenham Hotspur will cause problems for them. However, I do believe Southampton can benefit from playing a team against whom they don't have to deal with the same type of expectations that they had in their first 2 matches.

The side have won their last 2 home Premier League games against Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton challenged them in all 4 meetings in the 2019/20 season. Having to go without Stuart Armstrong and Nathan Redmond is a blow for Southampton, but even then I think they can play their part in this early kick off and I think it will be a game which features at least three goals.

Newcastle United v Brighton Pick: If recent history is anything to go by, this may not be the most entertaining fixture to come on Super Sunday when four Premier League games are set to be played.

Both League games between Newcastle United and Brighton finished goalless last season and only four goals have been scored in the last 6 between them.

2 of the last 3 at St James' Park between these opponents have finished goalless and Newcastle United and Brighton have combined for 3 clean sheets in their first 4 games played this season.

Newcastle United did create chances in their win at West Ham United last weekend and also looked a little vulnerable at the back, but I am not sure Brighton have enough goals in them to hurt them here.

On the other hand Brighton did play well against Chelsea and may be more dangerous than some expect, but I do feel these teams cancel one another out. Steve Bruce will look for his Newcastle United team to be organised, while Graham Potter will want his Brighton team to dominate the ball.

The feeling is that Newcastle United can largely contain Brighton, but they will need their new signings to gel together to hurt their visitors when they do go forward. I think Callum Wilson and Ryan Fraser are decent signings for Newcastle United and they may snap their poor recent record against Brighton, but I think the simple play here is expecting at least one of the teams failing to hit the back of the net.

Chelsea v Liverpool Pick: Both Liverpool and Chelsea got off to winning starts on the opening weekend of the season against clubs they would have been favoured to beat, but on Sunday they have a chance to announce their intentions to win the Premier League title this time around.

Liverpool did finish 33 points clear of Chelsea last season, but the latter have spent a lot of money to close that gap and Frank Lampard will know this is the chance for his team to produce a statement performance.

There is no love lost between the clubs in recent history and even their last Premier League meeting was very tetchy when Lampard and Jurgen Klopp seemed to fall out. Chelsea are potentially going to be missing a number of their new signings, but being at home means the expectation is going to be on them to show they are ready to take the next step in their development.

It is also a big game for Liverpool who have spoken about 'attacking the title' rather than 'defending' it and their 4-3 win over Leeds United was an important result. There have been some inconsistent performances from Liverpool in recent months and 2 wins from their last 8 away games in all competitions has to be a big concern for them.

They can't afford to defend as poorly as they did last Saturday and they will be very aware of what this Chelsea team can do having been a little fortunate to come away with a 5-3 win over them in the Premier League in July. Chelsea also created the better chances in the 1-2 home defeat to Liverpool twelve months ago and I do think they are a big looking underdog in this fixture.

The injuries to what are going to be key players is a worry though and the potential absence of Christian Pulisic is a real concern. His attacking thrust will be missed, but Chelsea should still pose questions for Liverpool, although defensively they do look very vulnerable themselves.

For me the most likely outcome is a 2-1 result either way or a high-scoring draw. With that in mind I would be very surprised if we don't see a few goals in what could be a very exciting fixture.

Leicester City v Burnley Pick: The final game on a long Sunday of Premier League action comes from the King Power Stadium as Leicester City look to back up their 0-3 win over West Brom last weekend. They host a Burnley team who are playing their first Premier League game of the 2020/21 season, and one who can't be underestimated.

There were all sorts of rumours that Sean Dyche would be leaving Burnley at the end of the 2019/20 season and I do think they could have been vulnerable if he did. While Dyche is here as manager, Burnley will continue to overachieve even if they eventually decide to cash in on James Tarkowski.

Burnley have been very hard to beat in their most recent away Premier League games and 1 loss in their last 8 on their travels has to be respected. That did come in a heavy defeat to Manchester City, but in the same run Burnley have won at Old Trafford and drawn at Anfield.

Their hosts struggled down the stretch which will concern them, but Brendan Rodgers has to be pleased with the way his Leicester City performed against West Brom.

The two Premier League games between these teams last season were decent to watch and I do think the return of James Maddison is huge for Leicester City. They won't have things completely their own way, but Leicester City have won 3 of their last 4 at home against Burnley and that has to be acknowledged.

My feeling is that the home team will edge this one and another 2-1 scoreline between these teams is not out of the realms of possibility.

Aston Villa v Sheffield United Pick: This was the first fixture that was played after the three month suspension of English Football back in June and it proved to be a pivotal one when the final points were tallied up in July.

The goalless draw meant the point earned by Aston Villa kept them in the Premier League, although rivals Bournemouth and Watford will be aggrieved that the point was secured thanks to an error in the goal-line technology. Instead of awarding Sheffield United what was a clear first half goal, the technology was bamboozled and the eventual point earned was a huge one for the hosts.

Aston Villa now come off another break in the Premier League to meet Sheffield United having not played on the opening weekend of the 2020/21 season. They have won at Burton Albion in the League Cup to get some competitive football back in the legs of their key players, but this is a big game for Aston Villa to show what they have learned from last season and whether the new additions to the squad can make it a relatively more comfortable season.

Scoring goals was a problem for Aston Villa, but they showed some real improvement defensively following the three month break. That could be key for them here against a Sheffield United team that can be dangerous from set pieces, but who have had some of the confidence knocked after losing 4 Premier League games in a row and scoring a single goal in that run.

Chris Wilder will not be happy with the first week of the new season as his side lost their opening Premier League game and were also beaten in the League Cup Second Round. The manager has usually gotten a pretty good reaction from his team, but he will want to see a little more stubbornness in the defensive areas where Sheffield United were strong for much of last season.

Losing Dean Henderson will have hurt, but I do think Sheffield United should be good enough to contain this Aston Villa attack. However, The Blades have lacked some sharpness of their own and I would not be surprised if at least one of these clubs can keep a clean sheet.

Wolves v Manchester City Pick: In the early weeks of this 2020/21 season I do think we are going to see some up and down performances from teams who are still at different stages of their recovery for a new campaign. The short off-season and the heavy schedules are going to play havoc and managers are already admitting that within their own squads players are further along with their progress than others.

To compound the issue will be the fact that some of the Premier League clubs playing this weekend have yet to play a competitive fixture while others have had two games in the legs. That could certainly have an impact in the results and it is something Wolves will be looking to take advantage of when they face Manchester City on Monday night.

It has not all be plain-sailing for Wolves who beat Sheffield United last week, but were then upset at Molineux by Stoke City in the League Cup Second Round. Nuno Espirito Santo did pick a relatively strong team for that League Cup tie so will be disappointed, but Wolves have shown they can raise their levels when facing up to some of the better teams in the Premier League.

They will need to do that on Monday night in the final Premier League in this round of fixtures as they prepare to host Manchester City. Revenge will be on the mind of Pep Guardiola's squad having lost twice to Wolves in the Premier League last season, although there hasn't been the kind of investment in the playing staff that so many believed there would be.

It remains a strong squad, although the absence of Sergio Aguero is a blow, and Manchester City will be itching to get out there and set the record straight against this opponent.

The players will also want to erase those memories of their last performance when beaten in the Champions League Quarter Final by Lyon. That result would have stung all at the club, but Manchester City are still very much a title contender and there is enough here to think they can close the 18 points to Liverpool as long as they stay healthier than last season.

This fixture might be a tough one for them as they have not looked like they have matched up well with a Wolves team that has pace on the counter attack to get to Manchester City's soft underbelly. However, Manchester City created plenty of chances in both Premier League games against Wolves last season and it was the Ederson sending off in the 12th minute at Molineux which really meant it was a tough day in the office.

Even then Manchester City led here twice before eventually succumbing to a defeat.

Wolves were beaten by Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal at Molineux last season and needed to come from behind to earn results against both Manchester clubs. While Manchester City were not at their best on their travels last season when it comes to the consistency levels, I do think they can find a way to edge to the three points here with their superior attacking quality likely to give them the advantage.

It should be a very good way to close the latest round of Premier League games in what should be an entertaining fixture.

MY PICKS: Everton to Win & Over 1.5 Goals

Leeds United to Win & Over 1.5 Goals

Manchester United Win to Nil

Arsenal-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals

Southampton-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals

Newcastle United-Brighton Both Teams to Score- NO

Chelsea-Liverpool Over 2.5 Goals

Leicester City & Over 1.5 Goals

Aston Villa-Sheffield United Both Teams to Score- NO

Manchester City & Over 1.5 Goals

Fantasy Football GameWeek 2

The first week of the Official Fantasy Football game is in the books and it is an easy time to have plenty of knee-jerk reactions to what you have seen on the opening weekend.

At this point I imagine everyone wants to get off the trendy Southampton Hype Train, while Tottenham Hotspur players are no longer facing a positive run of fixtures to begin the campaign and those assets need to be sold, sold, sold!!

On the other side an upset win for Everton in North London and three good looking fixtures means their assets are being purchased at a huge rate, while both Manchester clubs are back in action.

Ultimately it is GW1 though and there is a long season ahead of us with twists and turns to come which makes me think this is not the time to panic. My own squad looks a little more vulnerable than I felt it did when I picked it ten days ago, but I don't want to deviate from the plan although some of the parts of said plan may have been pushed forward a week.

Personally I don't want to take a hit right now having found a reasonable path to bring in at least one strong Manchester United and Manchester City in time for the start of GW3. They may not be the same assets I had targeted before GW1 began, but a part of the reason for that is one name in my fifteen.

DELE ALLI.

Like many I am sure the 'All or Nothing' Tottenham Hotspur documentary on Amazon has made for interesting viewing ahead of the new season and it did have me convinced that Dele Alli was going to be an important player for Jose Mourinho.

However he was subbed off at half time in the 0-1 defeat to Everton, missed the trip to Bulgaria in the week and has been linked with a move away after Spurs look to have secured the signing of Gareth Bale.

Unsurprisingly his value has dropped as many owners jump off the bandwagon and what I am going to do with him is the big question ahead of this GW- if not for the uncertainty I was looking to bring in a Manchester United and Manchester City asset before GW3 and Alli was going to be the player I would have sacrificed having kept some money in the bank to make changes, but the drop in price was very much unforeseen.

It's not going to ruin my plans as such, but I do think it is a little frustrating to have left myself in this position.

I am very much going to be considering my transfer plans right up until the deadline on Saturday morning, but at this stage it would be a surprise if I didn't choose to make one.

Timo Werner looks like he will be passed fit to play against Liverpool so the squad is largely in a good position aside from Dele Alli's situation. At this stage I can't really recommend any Tottenham Hotspur attacking assets outside of Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son as we will need to see how Gareth Bale is going to be added to the mix and whether a change in formation is going to be needed to incorporate the Welshman and Sergio Reguilon who is also looking like he will be signed by Spurs from Real Madrid.

Last week I can mainly look to Mohamed Salah as to the reason my GW1 score ended at 74 points with 40 of those coming from the Egyptian who had been handed the Captain armband. I am never as happy to do that when Salah is playing away from home like he is this week, but I am not sure I understand those who are talking about selling him right now?

Liverpool are one of the stronger teams in the Premier League which means they are largely fixture proof and Mohamed Salah looked the sharpest of their attacking options in their win over Leeds United.

Outside of Salah it was a pretty 'meh' week to be honest having seen Che Adams resort to the kind of form he showed when I selected him last season by missing a chance that looked easier to score. Dele Alli's issue has already been spoken about, and I am going to need more consistency from those I have selected to make up for the fact that Chelsea play Liverpool this weekend.

In the FPL Community there has been a lot of talk about what to do with the first Wild Card this season which has to be used before GW16- some had planned a GW1 team knowing they would use it in either GW2 or GW3, especially with four clubs not in action on the opening weekend of the season.

My personal approach was to pick a team I could largely rely upon through GW4 of the FPL game knowing I would be able to use up to three transfers to fight any fires that have popped up (looking at you again Dele!)

The reasoning I have for this approach is that I feel I can have a pretty strong team for the first four rounds of the season and it would also cover the transfer window which is open until October 5th. GW4 is the final one before the international break so I would be happy to break out my Wild Card either ahead of GW5 if the transfers have changed the outlook for the players I have in my squad, or having that option in the weeks ahead when we will begin to find out which of the clubs are going to have a 'DGW' in January when the League is split across two match days.

At that stage we should also have a lot more information about tactics, positions of players and whether there are a few bargains to be had, but a lot can change (injuries, needing multiple hits to change the squad as I would like) which may impact when that WC is used.

But overall it isn't one I wish to use this side of the next international break if I can help that at all.

Over the coming hours I will have a good think about what to do with the Alli problem- I think I have a lean, but need to wait for final pressers to really knuckle down on it.

Good luck to all in GW2.