NFL Divisional Round PlayOff Picks 2021 (January 16-17)

I have to say I love the NFL PlayOffs, but I did not love the way the Super Wild Card Round Weekend ended for the Picks.

We move into the Divisional Round which has been a little predictable in recent seasons with the rest that the top two Seeds used to get, but things have changed in the 2020 season and now only one team was resting last weekend from each Conference.

It will be interesting to see what kind of trends come out from the Number 2 Seed in each Conference in the coming years with their activity in the Wild Card Round, although I would expect the NFL to decide to expand the PlayOffs to eight teams from each Conference sooner rather than later. That is likely to happen even though the regular season will move to seventeen games, perhaps even as soon as 2021, although I do wonder if it will weaken the need for teams to push themselves for the Number 1 Seed in the years ahead.

There does look to be four very good looking games in the Divisional Round of the 2020 PlayOffs and I am looking forward to seeing them all. The second game on both Saturday and Sunday is the one I am most keenly interested in on both days, but it should be a very good weekend regardless.

Los Angeles Rams @ Green Bay Packers Pick: Super Wild Card Round lived up to the expectations, but the Divisional Round looks like it could be even better with the NFL down to eight teams who can win the Super Bowl. First up is the opening PlayOff game for the Number 1 Seed in the NFC as the Green Bay Packers face the Los Angeles Rams who upset the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Wild Card Round.

Winning any PlayOff game has to be celebrated, but it was not a perfect day for the Rams who lost their starting Quarter Back John Wolford very early on in the victory. John Wolford has already been ruled out for the Divisional Round game and that means Jared Goff will have to show he has overcome the pain and awkwardness that is associated with a broken thumb, although the Quarter Back is more positive about his diagnosis than Head Coach Sean McVay sounds like he is.

Regardless it is Goff who will be starting on Saturday, but the other key elements from the win over Seattle has to be the injuries sustained by Aaron Donald and Cooper Kuup. Both are not going to sit out the Divisional Round of the PlayOffs, but you do have to wonder if they are going to be anything near as effective as they can be at their best and that is an issue for the Rams against a rested Number 1 Seed.

Both Donald and Kuup have said they are feeling ok and are ready to go, and they are going to be very important for the Los Angeles Rams who will also be dealing with some incredibly tough conditions. It is doubly difficult when you are used to Californian weather in January rather than Wisconsin and I do think that will be an issue for the Rams that is much more difficult to factor in.

It is going to be difficult for Jared Goff and the entire Offensive unit when it comes to moving the ball with some consistency and it was the Defensive side of the ball which helped them see off the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Wild Card game. The entire Rams playbook is opened up by how well Los Angeles are able to run the ball so they will lean heavily on Cam Akers again this week and over the years it has been a weakness for the Green Bay Packers to shut down the run.

While the game is close and competitive I do think the Rams can have some success moving the ball on the ground and that will open up the game for Jared Goff. Even then I do have to wonder how Goff's thumb is going to feel in the cold of Green Bay in January, while he will also be well aware that the Packers pass rush has been efficient and the Secondary is the strength of this Defensive unit.

The Rams can thank their Defensive unit for helping the team score 30 points last week, but before that they had not scored more than 20 points in three consecutive games. That should underline the issues the team may have in this one in scoring enough points to win the game, although Los Angeles will be looking to lean on the Defense again in this big game.

Stopping Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers team which has scored at least 24 points in each of their last nine games is going to be a big challenge for the Rams no matter how well they have played of late. Aaron Rodgers has played like the MVP all season as he has continued to get the best out of the Receivers he is working with, while the Quarter Back is very much on the same page as his Head Coach despite some suggestions they don't see eye to eye last season.

That is a positive, but more of a concern for the Number 1 Seed is the injuries on the Offensive Line- that Line has been key to keeping Aaron Rodgers upright and also opening some big holes on the ground, but both aspects of the game could be challenged by this Rams Defensive Line which has been a huge success for Los Angeles this season.

There have been signs that the Defensive Line is now a little banged up and that is possible that the likes of Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams can have success running the ball, but that would have been a stronger feeling if Green Bay had their full Offensive Line available. Both Jones and Williams will be important to just give the Packers the balance they are going to need and to also keep Rodgers and the passing game in front of the sticks.

All season we have seen Aaron Rodgers produce some big drives as he targets Davante Adams, but that connection is likely to be disrupted by Jalen Ramsey. The lockdown Corner Back has been able to get the better of every Receiver he has faced this season and is expected to follow Adams wherever he lines up, although I do think Green Bay's Head Coach Matt LaFleur will be looking to scheme Adams open where he can.

It will mean others need to step up for Rodgers in the passing game, although the Rams Secondary have continued to play at a high level and finding spaces won't be easy. Aaron Rodgers will have to be careful of Interceptions, but I do think having the time to prepare and having Matt LaFleur's inside knowledge of Sean McVay's workings will give the Packers the edge.

Number 1 Seeds as the home favourite having not played well against the spread in the Divisional Round in recent seasons, but I do think there are enough factors to favour the Packers here. Key players are banged up for the Los Angeles Rams, the weather is going to be a really difficult one for the Rams to deal with and Aaron Rodgers has generally been very strong at home through his career with Green Bay.

The Rams do have a solid record as a road underdog and covered in that spot in the outright upset in the Super Wild Card Round, but Green Bay are 4-1 against the spread in their last five home PlayOff games. They are also 5-2 against the spread in their last seven as the PlayOff favourite and I do think Aaron Rodgers will be able to make a few more plays than Jared Goff which will make the difference on the day.

I did mention that Number 1 Seeds as Divisional Round favourites have not played well in recent seasons, but teams coming off an upset win in the Wild Card Round are 25-35-1 against the spread in their next game.

I also love the fact that teams who lost in the Conference Championship Game are 21-3 against the spread in their first PlayOff game the next season when facing an opponent off a double digit win.

Teams who are also playing consecutive road games in the PlayOffs are just 3-9 against the spread in the last twelve in that spot and I think Aaron Rodgers will make enough plays to win the game and cover the mark.

Baltimore Ravens @ Buffalo Bills Pick: There are some quality Divisional Round games in the NFL PlayOffs this weekend, but there is an argument to be made that this may be the best of the lot.

Both the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens have played really well in the 2020 season and I really don't think either will feel inferior to the other. That isn't always the case with teams even at this stage of the PlayOffs and I really do think the game could go down to the wire as both of their Super Wild Card Round games went last week.

The weather conditions may be the biggest factor of all with cold and potential snow around, conditions which have already worried Lamar Jackson who is simply not used to running on fields that have been affected like they could be in Buffalo on Saturday. At the end of the day there is nothing that Jackson can do about the weather and the key for the Ravens is making sure they can play their game as confidently as they can.

There is no doubt that Baltimore want to play a certain way Offensively and that is largely running the ball and having dual-threat Quarter Back Lamar Jackson keeping teams guessing with what he is going to do whenever he drops back. It was Jackson's legs which helped the Ravens see off the Tennessee Titans in the Super Wild Card Round Weekend, but only big plays from the Defensive unit covered up some of the Offensive difficulties.

If Jackson and company had some problems scoring against Tennessee, they are going to have a much more difficult time against the ever improving Buffalo Bills. Earlier in the season the Bills Defensive unit struggled, but they are improving at all levels and Sean McDermott is a Defensive minded Head Coach who will believe he can limit this Ravens Offense.

When the Ravens won here last season, they only managed a total of 257 Offensive yards so McDermott will be confidence in the schemes his team can put together here. Having a tough field underfoot will only aid Buffalo's Defensive Line who have still struggled to really clamp down on the run as well as they would have liked, but I also believe they will be looking to make sure Baltimore have to try and beat them through the air in this game.

Lamar Jackson doesn't have the best Receiving corps, but there is enough talent here to believe he can have some successes throwing the ball down the field. I would expect the Quarter Back to have some time to make his throws and I do think the likes of Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown will be able to get open for him, although Jackson will find things much more difficult if he is stuck in third and long.

I do think Baltimore will have their Offensive successes, but it is also difficult to see them having consistent success considering how they have played in recent weeks. Add the tough conditions which don't really suit the Ravens and the Defensive mind they are facing, Baltimore will need their own Defensive unit to step up and try and slow what has been a very productive Buffalo Offense.

The last meeting between Buffalo and Baltimore saw the Ravens leave here with a seven point win, but Josh Allen had an awful game. He has come on leaps and bounds in 2020 barring a small run where the Quarter Back had struggled, and Buffalo have really aided Allen by providing him with some big time Receiving threats.

I would not get that carried away by Baltimore's recent performances in the Secondary because they have not played a team with the kind of passing capabilities as the Buffalo Bills. Even last week they faced a Tennessee team which likes to run first and hope that opens up the passing lanes, and there was a real opportunity for Ryan Tannehill to make some plays late on which may have turned that game in the favour of the Titans.

Simply put I am not sure Josh Allen will allow those same opportunities to pass him by with Stefon Diggs, John Brown, Cole Beasley and Dawson Knox all capable of having big games. That is not even counting Gabriel Davis who has played well as a rookie Receiver and I do think Allen is going to erase memories of the last time he faced the Ravens when he had just 105 passing yards.

Josh Allen is also capable with his legs, but he will predominantly be leaning on Devin Singletary now that Zack Moss has been lost for the season. At least Singletary will be fresh having split carries all season and he has shown he is capable of being the clear number one at Running Back so I do think the Bills will have decent balance Offensively which may give them the edge in what feels like a very competitive game.

I have a lot of respect for both of these teams and I do think it is going to be incredibly tense right down to the final pass.

However I do like the way Josh Allen has grown into his role at Buffalo and I do think Lamar Jackson may have one or two issues with the conditions expected as they are.

Lamar Jackson has led Baltimore to a 7-1 record against the spread in the last eight games as the road underdog which is not easy to ignore, while the Ravens are considerably more experienced with the post-season than the Buffalo Bills.

However the Buffalo Bills are 6-2 against the spread in their last eight as the home favourite, while I have already mentioned the trend that teams on consecutive road games in the PlayOffs are 3-9 against the spread in the last twelve in that spot.

I did think there were one or two nerves shown by the Buffalo Bills in their win over the Indianapolis Colts on Super Wild Card Round Weekend, but that may have been down to the inexperience. Coming through that game was very important to the development of the Bills and I think Josh Allen outplays Lamar Jackson at key times to help his team reach the AFC Championship Game, one they could host if the Cleveland Browns earn another upset on Sunday.

Cleveland Browns @ Kansas City Chiefs Pick: The Wild Card Round lived up to its billing with one of the wildest First Quarters you will see in the PlayOffs being produced in the final game of the weekend. The Cleveland Browns found themselves 28-0 in front of the Pittsburgh Steelers thanks to some monumental mistakes from their hosts and they eventually held on for the victory and a place in the Divisional Round.

The Covid-19 issues and the absence of the Head Coach looked like it would be too much for the Cleveland Browns to overcome, but they took full advantage of the unimpressive start made by the Steelers. There has to be a concern with the amount of success Ben Roethlisberger did have when throwing the ball though and that is especially the case as the Browns prepare to take on the AFC Number 1 Seed and defending Super Bowl Champions.

A well rested Kansas City Chiefs team will be very difficult to stop, especially at Arrowhead Stadium, but the Cleveland Browns have to focus on themselves and do what they do best when they have the ball.

Namely that is run the ball, score Touchdowns instead of settling for Field Goals and try and keep Patrick Mahomes and the powerful Kansas City Chiefs Offense on the sidelines for as long as possible.

A strong Cleveland Offensive Line is going to be the key for the Browns if they want to be competitive against what many will consider to be the team to beat in the post-season. The Browns have seen that Offensive Line open up some big holes for Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt and it may have been lost in the overall performance and result as to how well the Line played against the Pittsburgh Steelers last week.

I did mention in the break down of that game that the Steelers had shown vulnerability on the Defensive Line, but it is also an issue for the Kansas City Chiefs who have given up some big plays on the ground throughout the season. As long as this game is competitive, I would expect Cleveland to be able to keep the Offense in front of the chains by running the ball with Chubb and Hunt and both could also be key performers in the passing game as Cleveland look for some balance on this side of the ball.

Baker Mayfield played a largely strong game last week at Quarter Back and he will be feeling pretty good about his chances in this game too. There are some question marks about Mayfield and his accuracy and temperament at times, but I do think he has found a decent rhythm and should be given the time he needs to survey the field and look to attack this Chiefs Secondary.

He will have to be accurate when he does throw the ball down the field because the Chiefs thrive on picking up mistakes, but there are holes in the Secondary that can be exploited too. Odell Beckham Jr has missed much of the season, but his absence has not prevented Baker Mayfield being able to make plays down the field with the likes of Jarvis Landry and Austin Hooper becoming more important in each passing week.

The Browns should be able to move the ball, but the bigger factor in this game is whether they can stall Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs for long enough to potentially secure the upset. The Chiefs will be well rested having been the only team in the AFC with a Bye through the Super Wild Card Round, but it hasn't meant a return to the full complement of their starting Offensive Line and that may be a potential issue for the big favourites.

I really do focus on Mahomes because I think the Quarter Back is going to have to make the plays with his arm if Kansas City are going to win this game. They have lost Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Le'Veon Bell has proven to not be as effective a runner between the Tackles, although he is a threat in the passing game as we saw in his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Even if Bell had been playing better than we have seen, Kansas City's Offensive Line won't be able to blast holes through the Cleveland Defensive Line who have been able to clamp down on the run in recent games. Of course they might leave some more spaces up front as they drop men into coverage to slow Patrick Mahomes, although the injury report seems to be leaning towards the Browns having key Corners returning after missing some time.

That may give Cleveland more belief in their Secondary without the extra players dropping in, but even then this is a Kansas City team with a host of top Receiving threats that are likely going to have the edge in the game. Patrick Mahomes may have a bit more pressure around him with the issues on the Offensive Line, but not enough to believe the Quarter Back is not going to have another big post-season outing as he did when leading the Kansas City Chiefs to the Super Bowl twelve months ago.

It is a threat that demands massive respect even if the spread looks a very big one in this game and raises some doubts, but I do think Cleveland are being given too many points here.

While I have gone with the trend that sees teams on back to back road games struggling in the second of those games in the PlayOffs, Cleveland are also off an upset win in the Wild Card Round and those teams have really found it difficult when it comes to backing up the performance in the Divisional Round.

Double digit favourites have a 6-1 record against the spread in the Divisional Round of the PlayOffs over the last eleven years, and Andy Reid is coming off a Bye week when he usually is able to Coach his players to successes.

That all goes against Cleveland, but I do think this has the makings of a closer game than expected and this is a lot of points to be getting in the PlayOffs. Teams who have won eleven games in the regular season are 8-1 against the spread in their last nine PlayOff games when set as the double digit underdog and the Browns have to use the layers as motivation with a 'no one believes in us' mantra to drive them forward.

Baker Mayfield has a poor record as a double digit underdog, but Patrick Mahomes is only 5-7 against the spread when being asked to cover at least 10 points. His PlayOff performances from last season are intimidating and hard to oppose, but Cleveland do look to match up well with Kansas City as long as they don't overthink things.

The Chiefs have not covered the spread in their last four home games in the regular season and they did find themselves in tough positions in the PlayOff games last season before fighting back and destroying Houston and Tennessee. That would be a fear in this one, but I think the Browns will be able to lean on their running game and have Mayfield make enough big throws to stay with the Number 1 Seed.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints Pick: When Tom Brady decided he would move to the NFC South with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers it felt inevitable that we would see his team facing off against rivals the New Orleans Saints in the PlayOffs. This is the game with two former Super Bowl Champion Quarter Backs, and two future Hall of Famers at the position, facing each other for the right to play in the NFC Championship Game next week and I do think it is the game that will be bringing in the most eyes to the NFL on Divisional Round Weekend.

No one will doubt what Brady and Drew Brees have achieved, but I do think the latter will only really be happy moving into what looks like a retirement if he can get his hands on the Vince Lombardi Trophy for a second time. Most are expecting Brees to hang his helmet up for the last time at the end of this season regardless of how it finishes up, but he is playing well enough and has a bunch of talented, healthy team mates who will think the Saints deserve their spot back in the Super Bowl having been undone by a number of ill-timed plays over the last few years.

The Saints were comfortable winners on Super Wild Card Weekend and they have the mental advantage of not only hosting this Divisional Round game, but they have also swept the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the regular season. And while the Buccaneers were able to see off the Washington Football Team last week, most will accept it was a much closer game than they anticipated and there are some question marks about the health of some of the key players on the roster.

Casual fans will be looking out for how Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Ronald Jones have all been limited in practice this week, although it would be a surprise if the two Receivers are missing. Jones is already considered a game-time decision, but it does sound like Tom Brady will have his full complement of passing options.

However bigger news may be the injury on the Offensive Line which sees Alex Cappa missing and it is something that will concern Brady. In the past we have seen the teams who have had the most success against Tom Brady have been those who can get into his face without having to blitz, and New Orleans will certainly fit that bill and even more so with an Offensive Linemen missing for the Buccaneers.

The Saints should be able to bring the pass rush because the Defensive Line have remained very strong when it comes to playing the run and they should be able to keep Tampa Bay in awkward passing downs and distance. That will allow this Line to get after Tom Brady who may have to target Antonio Brown and Chris Godwin out of the slot as Mike Evans has regularly struggled to deal with the Saints coverage in his career and is banged up.

I find it very difficult to believe Tom Brady is not going to have some success in this game, but his performances against the Saints this season have to be a slight concern. While the Buccaneers are averaging almost 300 passing yards per game through the season, they have been held to 224 yards and 186 yards through the air against the New Orleans Saints and even the arrival of Antonio Brown is unlikely to really burst those numbers open.

Sean Payton will believe the Defensive side of the ball can look after themselves, but he will be looking for his own Offense to kick on and pick up from where Washington left off last week. Devin White is back for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and that cannot be underestimated, but the Buccaneers have been struggling Defensively down the stretch and the Football Team were able to move the ball effectively against Tampa Bay on Super Wild Card Weekend despite starting a third string Quarter Back.

Drew Brees is not a third string Quarter Back even if he does look like a player that is on the downward slope of his career. Over the course of the season the Buccaneers have played the run very well, but in recent games there have been signs of wear and tear on the Defensive Line and so Brees should be able to hand the ball off to Latavius Murray and Alvin Kamara and at least be placed in front of the chains.

I also expect this Saints team to scheme in some plays for Taysom Hill out of the Quarter Back position and so they may have more success on the ground than some may imagine. Even then, it is likely that Alvin Kamara will be a big threat sneaking out of the backfield and catching passes from Drew Brees and then producing solid yards after catch to keep the Saints moving.

A big piece of the Offense is back too and Michael Thomas looked good last week and can only be better with another week of practice under his belt. The Wide Receiver has had a difficult season with injuries, but Thomas is back at the right time and just opens up the passing lanes for the Saints with teams needing to make sure they double the top threat.

It should mean Drew Brees is able to pick up from where Taylor Heinicke left off last week and the Quarter Back was able to dissect this Defensive unit when helping the Saints crush the Buccaneers on the road in the regular season.

The veteran Quarter Back is well protected by his Offensive Line and I do think the Saints are the right play in this Divisional Round game.

Beating a team three times in the same season has regularly been seen as a difficult task, but teams have managed to do that more often than not in the PlayOffs in recent years. Those teams are 5-2 straight up in the last seven occasions we have seen the match ups occur and I do think the Saints showed they are a stronger team than the Buccaneers by a wide margin in the regular season.

It is not often you can take Tom Brady as an underdog and even rarer to see that in the PlayOffs, but the Saints do look to match up well with Tampa Bay on both sides of the ball. It should be key to the outcome and I do think the Saints are the right team to back. And make a note that Brady is 'only' 4-3 against the spread in the seven previous games he has been set as the underdog in the PlayOffs.

I am really looking forward to this game and I think it could be great viewing, but I think the New Orleans Saints will see their veteran Quarter Back make more plays than Tom Brady and it will see the home favourite win and cover.

MY PICKS: Green Bay Packers - 6.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Buffalo Bills - 2.5 Points @ 1.91 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Cleveland Browns + 10 Points @ 1.86 William Hill (2 Units)

New Orleans Saints - 3 Points @ 1.86 Bet365 (2 Units)

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2021 (January 16-23)

This thread is going to cover the entire Fantasy Premier League GameWeek and that means it will cover the Premier League games being played from Saturday through to next Thursday.

With Covid-19 cases ramping up throughout the United Kingdom, there is always a chance that there will be more postponements in the Premier League and there are already seven games that will definitely need to be re-arranged.

I will have some thoughts on how I believe the Premier League can try and put some of those games in the calendar over the next month and that is largely down to the fact that kicking these fixtures down the road could be really dangerous if there are more postponements and that feels inevitable at this moment.

You can read those thoughts below as we enter GameWeek 19 of the Fantasy Football season.

Wolves v West Brom Pick: There will be plenty of Wolves fans who will remember the last Black Country derby when they were embarrassed by West Brom in a 1-5 defeat at Molineux.

Much has changed for Wolves in the years since that defeat in February 2012 and the club is trending in a positive direction even if the results in the 2020/21 season have been largely disappointing.

Nuno Espirito Santo knows there is a transition period Wolves are moving through and the loss of Raul Jimenez to injury has been a major blow for the club. The players are not giving up, but losing their talisman up front has left them short of goals and Wolves are not defending as well as they have been in the previous two seasons.

That will be encouragement for struggling West Brom, but their own form has been disappointing. The Baggies have failed to spark under the guidance of Sam Allardyce and there are some suggestions that the expert in avoiding relegation from the Premier League may not even see out the month in charge at The Hawthorns.

He needs a result as much as the home manager does and I think West Brom will have benefited from having a few more days to prepare for this fixture than Wolves have been able to have. They should be organised and West Brom have to be respected for the fact they have earned draws at Manchester City and Liverpool in their last 2 away Premier League games, remarkable results considering the overall form of the team.

Since the draw at Anfield, West Brom have conceded nine goals in losing back to back home games against Leeds United and Arsenal. That is a major worry, but I think West Brom will look to make life much more difficult for a Wolves team that have looked toothless without Raul Jimenez leading the line.

Any derby game is going to see the form book thrown out of the window, but I do think the absence of fans takes a major piece out of these fixtures when it comes to the intensity of the match. The expectation is that this should be a low-scoring fixture as neither team have really been able to put things together in the final third as they would have liked.

Wolves could also be without key performers like Adama Traore and Daniel Podence and I do wonder if there is enough here for them to be such a short favourite.

Make no mistake, it is very hard to trust a West Brom team who have been hammered and looking completely out of their depth in home defeats to Leeds United and Arsenal. They were also beaten 0-3 by Aston Villa under Sam Allardyce, but the one away League game was that draw at Liverpool and I would be very surprised if The Baggies take another beating when Allardyce has had a week to work with the players on being defensively organised against a relatively weak attack that they will face.

Leeds United v Brighton Pick: This fixture has all of the makings of a very good game of football with both Leeds United and Brighton capable of playing an attacking game which will appeal to the neutrals.

I can't imagine either manager will change tact in this game with a vital three points on offer and the only surprise would be if we don't see goals.

However there is a disclaimer to that belief- both Leeds United and Brighton have been a little wasteful in the final third despite the football they have been able to produce and it may mean they are not taking advantage of the positions they are likely to get into.

Neither has really defended very well throughout the course of the season and even in games where they have managed to find clean sheets it has been down to wastefulness of the opposition.

The good news for those tuning is that both Leeds United and Brighton will likely be searching for more than a single goal and that should see an open game being produced on the day. The layers are well aware of that and I think goals will generally be offered at a short price when Leeds United are involved, but this looks like one of those fixtures when that price should be taken on.

Brighton did have a difficult game at Manchester City during the week and were 'only' beaten 1-0, but the home team had many chances to add to the single strike they managed. On the other hand Leeds United have had a week to prepare following the surprise defeat to Crawley Town in the FA Cup Third Round, and they also have another ten days before the next Premier League game which may mean they are able to outlast Brighton in this one.

I do lean towards the home win, but both teams can play their part in this one and I think there will be at least three goals shared out when two bottom half clubs meet on Saturday.

West Ham United v Burnley Pick: We might not be a the halfway mark of the Premier League season, but both Burnley and West Ham United have to be happy with what they have seen to this point. Both are on the right course when it comes to what they would have hoped to achieve in the 2020/21 season, but David Moyes and Sean Dyche will also be well aware that more work has to be done.

Despite Burnley's defeat to Manchester United during the week, both teams have been in decent form in recent weeks and I think it will be a fixture that both Burnley and West Ham United will believe they can earn a result from.

Burnley did the League double over West Ham United last season and kept clean sheets in both, but they have not been travelling as well as they have been playing at Turf Moor. A lack of goals is a major concern for the visitors and Burnley have not scored in 5 of their last 6 away games in the Premier League.

With that stat in mind you can see why West Ham United are favoured to win this fixture, but The Hammers have drawn their last 2 at home and those have come against Crystal Palace and Brighton. Both clubs are below West Ham United in the League table and West Ham United would have gone into both games as favourites, but failed to deliver.

Since bringing Craig Dawson into the line up, West Ham United have kept 3 clean sheets in succession and that includes 0-1 wins at Everton and Stockport County. David Moyes will be pleased to see those clean sheets and it may be important to this fixture and finding a way to the three points in this fixture.

Picking a winner won't be easy, but West Ham United and Burnley may both lean on their defensive capabilities to try and earn the points in this one. Burnley may not score a lot of goals away from home, but they have kept clean sheets in 4 of their last 6 away Premier League fixtures and I do think this is a game which will not produce a lot of goals.

4 of the last 5 between these clubs have ended with at least one of the teams failing to hit the back of the net and I think that may be the case on Saturday too. Set pieces could be important to both, but the two managers have usually prepared their teams to be effective at defending those too and so this feels like a tight fixture that may need a moment of magic to separate the two on the day.

Fulham v Chelsea Pick: The Premier League have made it clear that all twenty clubs have to be prepared for short notice changes in the scheduling as they look to work around the Coronavirus pandemic which continues to cause havoc.

The first West London derby of the season was originally set for Friday Night Football, but Fulham had a 'make up' fixture against Tottenham Hotspur placed in the schedule on Wednesday which means this game against Chelsea will be played twenty-four hours later than planned.

It shouldn't be a big issue for Chelsea, but Fulham manager Scott Parker has been anything but impressed with his team being forced to play games in quick succession. Scott Parker insists his team are still recovering from the Covid-19 outbreak which forced two Fulham postponements last month and the lack of time between games will stretch the squad.

A tough point was earned at Tottenham Hotspur, but Fulham were grateful for some wastefulness from the home team. Now they have back to back games against sides that finished in the top four last season and so it is a difficult balancing act for the manager if he is trying to keep players fit and ready to compete.

Fulham have definitely been a tough nut to crack in recent weeks with 5 consecutive draws played out, but I do think there has been an element of riding their fortune. Jose Mourinho believes his Tottenham Hotspur team should have beaten them comfortably on Wednesday, while the likes of Newcastle United and Liverpool created good chances to beat Fulham too.

You do have to think Chelsea will be well prepared with players returning from injury and giving Frank Lampard some solid attacking options. Like Fulham, Chelsea play twice in the Premier League over the next few days, but the team have had a week to prepare and I think they are going to be too strong for Fulham.

It is a concern for Lampard that his team have lost 3 away Premier League games in a row, but there is also an underlying feeling that Chelsea are creating enough chances to have deserved better results than they have managed. Frank Lampard will hope to see better defensive shape from his team, but again they have had time to work on that with the week between fixtures and I expect to see a good performance from The Blues.

Chelsea have won on their last 3 visits to Craven Cottage and I think they are likely going to extend that here as long as they show a touch more clinical finishing that Spurs did on Wednesday. Fulham won't make life easy and Chelsea will likely need to score at least twice to win here, but I think they will manage that and start moving back up the League table.

Leicester City v Southampton Pick: Go back to the end of October 2019 and it would have been very difficult to imagine Southampton would be capable of recovering from the embarrassing 0-9 home defeat to Leicester City without some major changes being made.

All credit has to be given to the Southampton ownership and board for sticking by Ralph Hasenhuttl and they have been rewarded in ways they could not really have imagined.

Fast forward almost fifteen months from that defeat to Leicester City and Southampton are now dreaming about European adventures over the coming months. They are flying high in the Premier League and have shown they can compete with the very best teams in the Division having beaten Champions Liverpool 1-0 in the last Premier League game.

Southampton have also been very difficult to beat away from home having not lost on their travels since the opening weekend. Draws at Chelsea and Arsenal show they can compete and Southampton have a very good recent record at Leicester City that will give the team confidence.

However it does have to be said that Southampton have not really been creating as many chances as they would have liked in recent games and they had played out back to back goalless draws and failed to score in 3 before the win over Liverpool which came courtesy of an early goal.

Now they have to face a Leicester City team who are playing with confidence even if they have not been as good at home as they have been on their travels. Despite the record, Leicester City should be respected and they have quality players capable of making a difference on the day, but even then they look short enough to win.

Defensively Leicester City have been pretty good even if the numbers don't bear that out in terms of goals being conceded. They have not given up too much despite conceding at Crystal Palace and Newcastle United, although surprisingly they have been a bit more vulnerable at home, perhaps because the onus is on them to get forward even in the absence of fans.

Games between these clubs in recent times have leant towards the visiting team with 5 of the last 6 Premier League games ending in an away win including all 4 over the last two seasons.

That will have some ready to back a Southampton team who have been better away than Leicester City have been at home, but my feeling is that this could be a tight fixture. Both teams have performed pretty well from a defensive point of view in recent games and there has been something lacking in the final third for Southampton which does make it hard to believe in them here.

It leads me to think this game will be another in the Premier League this weekend which sees at least one of the teams fail to hit the back of the net. I could see a 1-0 victory either way in this fixture with my narrow lean being towards Leicester City, but my main feeling is that this will be a game where one of the sides earns a clean sheet.

Sheffield United v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: Frustration with another lost lead will have not only afflicted Jose Mourinho, but many of the Tottenham Hotspur fans watching who feel the team is not being decisive in finishing off matches in recent weeks. I can put the result in the Fulham game aside as Tottenham Hotspur created more than enough chances to win that one, but dropped points against Crystal Palace and Wolves have come in matches where Spurs have looked to protect a lead than actually trying to extend it.

There isn't much point in Mourinho bemoaning players not following his instructions or the lack of quality to see out results- his tactics have long been criticised for this approach to fixtures and ultimately it is beginning to cost Tottenham Hotspur who have lost ground on the League leaders.

They can't afford to drop more points here against bottom club Sheffield United even though Chris Wilder has seen his team win back to back games in the Cup and League. The win over Newcastle United will have given Sheffield United a huge boost, but the fortune was playing a team with ten men and even then it was hard work for the hosts.

For all the effort and grit being shown by Sheffield United, they are simply not creating enough chances and that has really hindered them this season. Last year they weren't exactly an attacking powerhouse, but Sheffield United have lost their defensive strength which means they need to score more goals to earn results than they did in the 2019/20 campaign.

Teams have perhaps also gotten to grips with the Chris Wilder tactics too and I think it has seen the hosts come up short.

However Sheffield United have been largely competitive and that has resulted in a number of defeats by narrow margins. They had lost 5 in a row at home in the Premier League before the win during the week, but all of those defeats came by single goal margins and Chris Wilder will believe his team will have a chance of an upset here if Tottenham Hotspur continue to struggle in the final third.

Only twice in the last 8 Premier League games played have Tottenham Hotspur scored more than one goal and both of those games were at home.

Remove the wins at Southampton and Manchester United and it is a baffling stat to see Tottenham Hotspur have scored 5 goals in their last 6 away Premier League games. So while they should have a little too much quality for Sheffield United, it is unlikely that Spurs will blow this team away.

That will encourage Sheffield United to earn a result here, but I think Tottenham Hotspur are looking dangerous enough going forward to expose what has been a vulnerable Blades defence. It is unlikely to be an easy win for Tottenham Hotspur, but I think they will be able to earn the points in what will be a relatively low-scoring fixture.

Where others have found a way against Tottenham Hotspur late on, Sheffield United still look a little short of options in the final third and I think that shows up here. This time Spurs may be able to hold onto their lead, although I doubt Jose Mourinho’s team will be looking to chase the third or fourth goals here.

Liverpool v Manchester United Pick: This will always be the glamour fixture in England regardless of the League positions of Liverpool and Manchester United, but fans and broadcasters can't ask for much more than they will receive this weekend.

A top of the table encounter between these old rivals and the two most successful clubs in English Football has not materialised in recent years. In that time Manchester United have not really reached the heights of their rivals across the city and a short journey down the M62, but this season there is a sense that something memorable is being put together by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men.

The 0-1 win at Turf Moor on Tuesday has maintained Manchester United's strong away record in the Premier League and this is a team who will feel they can create chances here. In fact the last time Manchester United were beaten away from home came here at Anfield twelve months ago, but that was a close game despite the eventual 2-0 win for Liverpool which was only secured after some key misses for Manchester United and with a Mohamed Salah goal deep into injury time.

Liverpool have to be respected with their very strong record at Anfield which stretches back a number of years. They have not been beaten here in the Premier League since April 2017, a run of 67 games, and Liverpool have won 49 of their last 56 League games here.

Those numbers are pretty incredible and this is a team who have found a way to win games even when not at their best, although West Brom did earn a 1-1 draw at Anfield in the last Premier League game here. That was played in front of 2000 fans, but Liverpool have since lost that advantage too and this is a team who have a defence that looks vulnerable.

Even if Joel Matip is back from injury, Manchester United should feel they can play their football here and cause problems for Liverpool. However they will challenged defensively too with Liverpool creating chances even if their finishing has let them down in their most recent Premier League games.

Like the layers I do think this is a fixture that will see both teams have chances to score, but I also think there is little to suggest either can keep a clean sheet. I genuinely believe Manchester United can earn some kind of result here with the way they have played away from home and they have scored plenty of goals on their travels.

It has been a long time since Manchester United won at Anfield, but this might be the most capable team of recent times. At the same time I do think Liverpool are more vulnerable than they have looked in three or four years and there looks to be a big opportunity in front of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team to open a gap on the current English Champions.

Any win may need at least two goals to be secured though and I think the best approach to this fixture may be backing a combined three or more goals to be shared out. I can't see Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane to continue misfiring in front of goal so this is a big test for Manchester United, but at the same time Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Edinson Cavani will arrive playing with a lot of confidence and can use their pace and movement to find spaces.

Both teams are likely going to hit the back of the net, although as a Manchester United fan I would very much take a 0-1 or a 0-2 win now.

However the feeling is that we are going to see plenty of chances created by both teams and it may result in one of the more high-scoring games between these rivals than has generally been the case in recent years.

Manchester City v Crystal Palace Pick: This is a congested season and so there are going to be times when there is very little recovery time between games and that is what Crystal Palace are dealing with on Sunday.

They had a tough away London derby at Arsenal on Thursday and now have to face an in-form Manchester City team. At least Crystal Palace will have nine days rest following this fixture so there is every chance they can put in another huge effort at the Etihad Stadium where they have won and drawn in their last 2 visits.

This Manchester City team look less likely to be exposed on the counter attack as they have looked in the last couple of years and that could be important in this fixture. John Stones and Ruben Dias are forming a very good partnership and the slight tinkering to the system has meant Manchester City have not really offered up a lot of chances for their opponents.

It does feel like people are beginning to notice how well Manchester City are playing from a defensive point of view, although the balance has been slightly lost as far as going forward is concerned. There have been some big wins for Manchester City, but they are not consistent in the final third without Sergio Aguero leading the line and that means Manchester City do have to work hard to ensure they are picking up the maximum points.

Manchester City have only scored 6 goals in their last 4 home Premier League games and those have been against Fulham, West Brom, Newcastle United and Brighton. None of those teams are particularly known for their strong defensive performances and underlines the point about Manchester City not being at their very best going forward.

Roy Hodgson will set his team up to be defensively well organised and so this has the feeling of being a tight game despite the amount of goals that have generally been produced when these teams have met at the Etihad Stadium.

There have been at least four goals shared out between the teams in the last 6 at the Etihad Stadium, but I think this fixture will be different. Crystal Palace have not scored in their last 3 away games in all competitions, while Manchester City have kept 4 clean sheets in their last 5 home Premier League fixtures.

On recent form it is hard to look past another Manchester City clean sheet here as they continue to restrict opponents to very little in the final third. The pace in the final third and the set pieces that Crystal Palace will look to exploit makes them dangerous, but I think Manchester City have found a solid base to their game and I will look for them to win another game without conceding.

Arsenal v Newcastle United Pick: The games in the Premier League are being spread out so they are all receiving full televised coverage and it is Arsenal and Newcastle United who will be competing on Monday Night Football this week.

Neither team is playing at the level that either set of fans would have been expecting and there is some pressure on both Mikel Arteta and Steve Bruce.

Both Arsenal and Newcastle United are underachieving and coming off disappointing Premier League results which leaves them both in the bottom half of the table. There is a real concern for the home team that they will miss out on European Football this time around, while Newcastle United's form is seeing them slip back towards the relegation zone.

For now Mikel Arteta and Steve Bruce retain the support of the key decision makers at Arsenal and Newcastle United respectively, but this is a very important game for both. They need to find a way to earn the three points and that does put some pressure on the two sets of players who are not creating as many chances as they would like to see.

I think this fixture is likely going to be the same and similar to the FA Cup Third Round tie earlier this month- Arsenal had the majority of the play but Newcastle United had their opportunities too, but both lacked a consistent threat going forward.

With that in mind I do think this has the feeling of a fixture which could be decided by a single goal.

Arsenal have not scored in normal time in either of their last 2 home games, but have kept clean sheets in both, while Newcastle United have not scored in their last 2 away games and rarely created a threat.

The last 4 games between these clubs have seen at least one of the teams fail to score and I would not be surprised if one of the two fail to score on Monday.

West Ham United v West Brom Pick: Both of these Premier League clubs were able to earn important three points on Saturday, but David Moyes and Sam Allardyce have a short turnaround with their teams back in action on Tuesday.

There will be confidence that comes out of victories and the West Brom win at Molineux will certainly have their players believing that they can escape relegation. It was a battle, but The Baggies scored three times and came from 2-1 down to win 2-3 and it can be the kind of result which can begin to turn a season.

Sam Allardyce will be very happy to see three points produced, but he will be looking for better defensively. That has been his foundation for avoiding the drop throughout his managerial career in the Premier League, but West Brom continue to offer up too many chances.

I imagine it is something he will be working on ahead of this fixture, but there isn't much time for Allardyce and he will be looking for his players to try and frustrate West Ham United.

As positive as the results have been, West Ham United are not creating a host of chances themselves and so there will be a chance for West Brom to earn more points. However you have to credit David Moyes who has set his team up well enough to earn 4 clean sheets in a row and produce 1-0 wins in 3 games in a row.

He will likely rotate some of the players having had the limited time to recover between games, but West Ham United are playing with more confidence than we have seen for a while. They may not score a lot of goals or create a lot of chances, but West Ham United have looked pretty secure defensively and will feel they can restrict West Brom as long as they deal with the crosses and direct style in front of them.

I expect David Moyes to have worked on that with his players and this could be a tight game with both managers capable of setting up their teams to be tough to beat. Goals have been scored at both ends of the field when West Brom have played in recent away games, but that run looks set to come to an end here with the way West Ham United have been approaching fixtures.

It is still hard to rule out the visitors defending well enough to earn a result, but I would not be surprised if one of these teams fails to score here. Both managers will be well aware of how the other will want their team to play and I think that should mean they give their players the knowledge to deal with what they see.

Set pieces are likely to be crucial to the outcome of the fixture, but the feeling remains that there won't be a huge amount of goals shared out.

Leicester City v Chelsea Pick: Two clubs who will believe there could be at least one opening in the top four for them will meet on Tuesday and it is an important three points on the line for Leicester City and Chelsea.

Last season Brendan Rodgers and Frank Lampard's teams competed for top four spots until the final day of the campaign, but Leicester City came up short as Chelsea and Manchester United edged them out.

That came at the end of a season in which Leicester City had overachieved for large portions, but that experience will also have aided this squad as they look for an even stronger 2020/21 season. Brendan Rodgers has big ambitions for himself and this club, but so far Leicester City continue to churn out the results they need to stay in touch with the leaders of the Premier League.

A win on Tuesday might have a few more people paying attention to how well Leicester City are playing, but Rodgers won't be out there looking to impress anyone. Instead his focus is improving the players day by day and making sure Leicester City extract every ounce of potential from his decent squad.

They dominated Southampton on Saturday and deserved their win and I do think Leicester City won't be worried about facing Chelsea in their current form. Even the late goal to win at Craven Cottage won't have covered up some of the lack of confidence we have seen from the players and Chelsea need to pick up their consistency if they are going to return to the Champions League.

That is the minimum aim for Frank Lampard with the amount of investment made at the club in the summer, but Chelsea have not really been at their best of late. Even then they are creating chances and Chelsea will have been boosted by the clean sheet earned at Fulham, even if it was partly down to facing a ten man team for the majority of the fixture.

It sounds like Jamie Vardy will be available for Leicester City and I do think that will be key for the hosts who should create chances. However I also think Chelsea will be able to do the same and there may be more goals in this fixture than has generally been the case when Leicester City and Chelsea have met in recent seasons.

6 of the last 7 between these clubs have ended with two or fewer goals shared out, but the Premier League fixture between them at the King Power Stadium last season did end 2-2. A tighter FA Cup Quarter Final was played out, but that was played in June shortly after the League resumed following the three month suspension.

I do think both teams have shown enough going forward to believe there will be chances created in this one and neither Leicester City nor Chelsea have looked that good defensively of late. Both Everton and Manchester United have scored two goals in recent League visits to the King Power Stadium, but Chelsea have also been conceding goals on their travels and I think at least three will be seen here.

Fulham v Manchester United Pick: This is an important game at the top and bottom of the Premier League table, but you do have to favour Manchester United to leave London with an important three points.

That does not take anything away from Fulham who have been hard to beat under Scott Parker over the last month and were only undone by Chelsea on Saturday largely because they had been reduced to ten men. Even then Fulham showed enough to believe they can get themselves out of trouble inside the bottom three of the Premier League and this is a team who will look to get forward and pose problems for the current League leaders.

In recent weeks Fulham have drawn with Liverpool here and also managed to pick up a point from a hastily arranged away game at Tottenham Hotspur. All credit has to be given to the team for those results, but Fulham have not scored in their last 3 games at Craven Cottage and now face a Manchester United team who have been strong away from home all season.

Manchester United have really gotten used to beating those teams they should in the 2020/21 season and it is the foundation for their current position in the Premier League table. This is a team who can score goals and I do think they will create chances against Fulham, although the final score will depend on how clinical they are in the final third.

On Sunday Manchester United may feel better finishing would have resulted in a win at Anfield, but they should feel less tense about winning at Craven Cottage. The club have won their last 4 visits to this part of West London and I do think it is hard to ignore the amount of chances that Fulham are still giving up even if they have largely avoided punishment for them.

There is a big FA Cup tie coming up for Manchester United this weekend, but this Premier League game is more important so I expect a very strong team to be selected. Players like Paul Pogba are driving the team forward at the moment, but I do think Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes are not that far away from finding some of their own better form.

I expect Manchester United to be too strong for Fulham who have invested a lot of energy in their last two games. Having an extra day of rest will help, but perhaps not enough for this fixture and I will back the visitors to find a way to cover the Asian Handicap on their way to another three points.

Manchester City v Aston Villa Pick: This is a fixture that was originally supposed to be played on the opening weekend of the 2020/21 season, but Manchester City's late participation in the Champions League meant a postponement was offered by the Premier League.

It has perhaps not come at an ideal time for Aston Villa who have been affected by a Covid-19 outbreak which has reportedly been the worst of any Premier League so far this season.

However it is unlikely that Aston Villa will be offered another postponement having played as many as three game fewer than the majority of the Division. The training ground was reopened on Sunday and Dean Smith has spoken about the staggered return of players which should mean Aston Villa have a much more recognisable team than the one that was beaten by Liverpool in the FA Cup Third Round.

Even then it is a very difficult test for the visitors despite the very strong away form in the Premier League. Aston Villa were beaten 2-1 at Manchester United in their last fixture in the League, and they are not likely to get a lot of joy from this Manchester City team who have won 8 in a row in all competitions and who have been limiting teams from creating any sort of chances against them.

Aston Villa did play well against Manchester United, but they created a lot less in their 1-1 draw at Chelsea and this is a club that have struggled when visiting the Etihad Stadium in recent years. Dean Smith's team have been playing with confidence this season, but you do have to wonder how much the Covid-19 outbreak will have affected them and Manchester City are on a roll right now.

They can keep the clean sheets going and I will look for Manchester City to win with another one as they look for a fifth straight win to nil at the Etihad Stadium.

Liverpool v Burnley Pick: You have to believe that Liverpool will rediscover their form sooner rather than later and so being 3 points off the leaders is not a bad position to be in.

However you can't help but be critical of Jurgen Klopp's reaction to the goalless draw with Manchester United. Like many managers he is trying to disguise the issues in the Liverpool camp by taking aim at tactics other managers are using, but if he was frustrated by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's Manchester United, Klopp has another difficult evening to come against Sean Dyche's Burnley.

At the end of the day Liverpool have not scored in their last 3 Premier League games and they were pushed much harder than they would have imagined by Aston Villa's youth team in the FA Cup Third Round earlier this month. Defensively Liverpool have been largely settled, but they are not taking the chances that are coming their way and there is a pressure to respond.

I do think eventually an opponent is going to take something of a hammering by Liverpool, but Burnley have drawn on 2 of their last 3 visits to Anfield. They will be looking to frustrate their opponents here, but Burnley have lost 3 of their last 4 Premier League games and all by the same 1-0 margin.

Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes will be looking to challenge the Liverpool centre halves more than they had been last Sunday, but Joel Matip could return to bolster the home team. With Alisson in goal Liverpool do feel confident in their ability to still keep teams out, but they have to rediscover their clinical edge in front of goal.

Chances are being created, but there does look to be a lack of confidence in the strikers which is a worry for the manager while Diogo Jota is on the sidelines. I still think Liverpool will end up being too strong for Burnley and they will take the opportunities when they are presented here, although they may need a bit of luck to just open the door and then push on.

The feeling is that a single goal may be enough to earn the three points and I think Liverpool will find a way to break through what is going to be another deep lying defence. Burnley may not have the same attacking threat as Manchester United though and Liverpool should find a way to the points as they look to keep in touch with those teams above them in the table.

Aston Villa v Newcastle United Pick:

MY PICKS: West Brom + 1 Asian Handicap

Leeds United-Brighton Over 2.5 Goals

West Ham United-Burnley Both Teams to Score NO

Chelsea & Over 1.5 Goals

Leicester City-Southampton Both Teams to Score NO

Tottenham Hotspur & Under 4.5 Goals

Liverpool-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals

Manchester City Win to Nil

Arsenal-Newcastle United Both Teams to Score NO

West Ham United-West Brom Both Teams to Score NO

Leicester City-Chelsea Over 2.5 Goals

Manchester United - 1 Asian Handicap

Manchester City Win to Nil

Liverpool Win to Nil

Fantasy Football GameWeek 19

One moment ruined GW18 as far as I am concerned.

That might sound a little silly when coming up with 45 points despite knowing there was not a full eleven playing having kept hold of my Free Hit, but it could have been so much better.

The moment? Raheem Sterling blazing his Penalty over the bar which meant being down at least 11 points and possibly more as it would have also presented Kevin De Bruyne with his second assist as my Captain on the day.

It's frustrating when it could have been so much better, but I have seemed to be on the wrong end of these moments far too often in the first half of the season. However, things 'even out over the course of the season' so I am looking for a bit more luck to move up the Rankings like I would want to over the remainder of the season.

GW19 is a big one as it is a Double GameWeek for so many teams and again it would have been a possible Bench Boost week for my team until late postponements have changed my plans. The Leeds United-Southampton game has meant my team has moved from thirteen players on a Double down to nine players and now I feel it can be better used some time later this season.

I will likely still have eleven players who have two fixtures coming up and I will do that with a hit as I look to move Fabian Balbuena out... I will also replace Heung Min-Son as was going to be the decision I had hinted at when bringing in the South Korean earlier this month, and the minor hit should be balanced by having players that should get a minimum of three points over the next week.

I have been looking at bringing in a West Ham United defender (which would have been Balbuena before he suddenly lost his place in the team) and I think I am going to decide between a Chelsea or an Aston Villa asset for the midfield spot.

Both Chelsea and Villa have good looking fixtures, but there are question marks around both that are slightly concerning- I still don't believe Frank Lampard knows his best eleven and the Chelsea squad can be rotated, while the Covid-19 outbreak at Aston Villa has left us unsure as to which of the players have been most affected by the illness.

However it does feel like the best way to approach this week which will give me a solid bench to back up the team, although late postponements could leave my plans in tatters.

Those are some decisions to be made over the coming hours, but I have also been looking at the seven postponed games that are likely going to be fit into the schedule in the coming weeks as the Premier League look to avoid a backlog.

The teams that need to be most worried are Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur who have two games that need to be re-arranged, but who are also involved in the FA Cup with a good chance to make the Quarter Final and potentially needing a third game to be moved. Both managers know their teams are involved in Europe at the moment too which is really limiting the Premier League options, but UEFA have made it clear that they are not going to worry if matches have to be played on the same night as their main competitions.

It is a decision that makes the life of Pep Guardiola much easier than Jose Mourinho who has to navigate the extra Knock Out Round that comes in the Europa League and I do think it is very important for the League to try and help as much as possible.

What does that mean? I think Manchester City are likely going to play Everton in mid-February which will mean a double fixture in GW24, while I can see the League bringing the game against Southampton forward to GW26. That fixture against Southampton was scheduled for later in the season, but that is the same weekend as the League Cup Final and I do think Manchester City will be looking to complete as many games this side of the March international break as they can manage.

The Tottenham Hotspur fixtures are harder to arrange because one of those Manchester City games are likely to be played on the same night as the first half of the Champions League Last 16 ties in February. However that is a week in which Tottenham Hotspur will be playing in the Europa League Last 32 and so I can only see the Aston Villa vs Spurs game being played in GW26 to offer Spurs a double fixture.

Any early exit in the Europa League or FA Cup will give the Premier League more options when it comes to Tottenham Hotspur, but if not the Fulham vs Tottenham game set for League Cup Final weekend will be hard to place in the calendar. That is something I will look to address after the FA Cup Fourth Round ties are played and then again after the FA Cup Fifth Round.

Other games that need to be re-arranged are involving clubs that are not playing in Europe so it should be easier to manage- I can see the Leeds vs Southampton and Aston Villa vs Everton games being played on the same night as the Champions League/Europa League fixtures have been scheduled and that will at least open the door for the Premier League to arrange those Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur fixtures in GW26.

Over the next month I would not be surprised to see a schedule something like this:

DGW24: Everton vs Manchester City and Leeds United v Southampton

DGW25: Aston Villa vs Everton

DGW26: Manchester City vs Southampton, Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur and Burnley vs Fulham.

Any of those teams exiting the FA Cup before the Fifth Round could open up potential for that midweek to also have a Premier League game or two played- both Leeds United and Aston Villa are already out of the FA Cup so there is a chance that there is another place for those postponed League games to go.

It is certainly something to consider with more postponements likely to come, but also to factor in a way to maximise your point grabbing capabilities from the Fantasy Premier League game.

Unfortunately it is one of those seasons where there are so many outside factors influencing things that you could make the best plans and yet there is nothing you can do if games are being forced to be postponed. It happens for the weather in most years, but Covid-19 is much more dangerous and hard to predict compared with the forecast and so teams may be forced into playing fixtures at relatively short notice, especially at a time when the fans are yet to return to the Stadiums.

I am going to keep those assets who should have had those Doubles for a few weeks at least in anticipation of games being scheduled before we get into GW27, but this is a season where it is more unpredictable than ever.

Even then I am glad to have all my Chips in my pocket because my hope is that the final few weeks will take a more familiar path and I will have an opportunity to take advantage of the blanks that are almost certain to come up. After the FA Cup Fourth Round we may have a better idea of the amount of games that will need to be postponed for the FA Cup Sixth Round, but that may also see some brought forward to DGW26 in a bid to reduce too many fixtures being left over for what is likely to be a very busy last two months of the season.

I will think more about that in the next thread which comes out a week on Tuesday.

Midweek Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2021 (January 12-14)

It has been a hectic couple of weeks in my personal life which meant it was not possible to put up a thread over the festive period, but things have settled down again and we are going into another round of Premier League games and another GameWeek in the FPL game.

The last couple of weeks have seen steady scores from my team, but it has not been as smooth as I would have liked and much is down to the uncertainty of this season with late postponements making things a little more awkward to manage.

I will have further thoughts on that below, but first you can read my thoughts on the six Premier League games that are to be played over the next three days.

Sheffield United v Newcastle United Pick: The Premier League is back on Tuesday and there are fixtures to be played virtually every day through to the following Thursday ahead of the FA Cup Fourth Round weekend.

With Covid-19 cases on the rise throughout England, there is a need for flexible scheduling although the feeling remains that elite sport will not need to be postponed.

It does mean that fixtures are likely to be changed at short notice, especially with no fans being allowed into Stadiums, but that does also make it difficult for players and managers to prepare as they would like.

At least Chris Wilder and Steve Bruce would have been well aware of this fixture on Tuesday which looks a big one for both Sheffield United and Newcastle United. The latter were knocked out of the FA Cup on Saturday and have been in poor form, while the former are trying to use their Third Round Cup win as a spark for their Premier League form.

Wilder is definitely going to be more disappointed with the League form that Sheffield United have displayed compared with Steve Bruce and Newcastle United. It looks a long road back to avoid relegation, but Chris Wilder is still being supported by the board and the players although he needs results not pats on the back.

A win on Tuesday will at least give Sheffield United some belief to take into fixtures going forward, but it won't be easy as they continue to struggle in front of goal. For all the criticism of Newcastle United's recent results, they have defended pretty well and they should make life tough for their hosts.

However Newcastle United have also struggled for goals having failed to score in their last 3 away games in all competitions. The last two of those have been at tough grounds against Manchester City and Arsenal, but it chances are not being created in abundance and the feeling is that this is a fixture that may see one of the teams fail to score.

Both should feel like they can pose a threat from set pieces and look to pressure the other with some pace on the counter, but both League games last season finished with one failing to score (both Sheffield United in the 2019/20 season) and I do think a lack of goals could be the outcome of this Premier League fixture where the first goal could prove to be the winner.

Burnley v Manchester United Pick: There are plenty of things that have occurred over the last twelve months that many would not have believed if you had told them what was to come in January 2020.

For those leaving Old Trafford on the night of the 22nd January 2020 there must have been a feeling that Manchester United were a long way away from where they wanted to be. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was under intense pressure after a 0-2 home defeat to Burnley and Manchester United had played two more games than leaders Liverpool, but were a mammoth 30 points behind their great rivals.

Flash forward to the 12th of January 2021 and Manchester United could finish the night top of the Premier League table if they can earn a measure of revenge over Burnley, albeit this time at Turf Moor. Any point earned would mean Manchester United will make the short journey to Anfield on Sunday as the Premier League leaders and that is a remarkable position considering where the side were just a couple of months ago.

Much of that is down to a very competitive Premier League in what has been a strange season, but no one associated with Manchester United will care as they feel their decision to stick with the manager has been vindicated.

However it does have to be said that this is a fine line the club are treading and you would see a totally different narrative if Manchester United are to lose their next 3 League games which are all played away from home. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is not getting carried away with the League position in January and it is important for Manchester United to give Burnley all the respect they deserve.

Burnley have been in decent form for a number of weeks and the side have won 3 of their last 4 Premier League games at home. A new owner is promising a bright future for Burnley, but those recent solid results at Turf Moor have come against clubs that are not competing at the top of the Premier League.

Sean Dyche himself has admitted this is a much bigger challenge for Burnley who have a few injuries to contend with. They have also struggled to compete with the top clubs in the last couple of years and that has seen some comfortable home defeats to the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

Manchester United have a good record here and I do think they score too many goals for the hosts to stay with a team looking to move to the top of the table. The side have scored at least twice in 16 of their last 17 away games in all competitions and Manchester United had scored at least three away goals in every Premier League game this season before the 2-2 draw with Leicester City.

I do have to respect the Burnley results of late, but Everton created a lot of chances here and deserved more than they got. I expect the home team to cause problems from set pieces and they will be putting a lot into this fixture which will make them push Manchester United, but I do think the recent results of the visitors makes them a strong enough favourite here.

4 of the 7 away Premier League games played by Manchester United have ended in either a draw or a win by a single goal margin, but 3 of their last 4 wins at Burnley have come by at least two goal margins.

Over the last eighteen months Burnley have lost 13 home games in all competitions and 8 of those have come by two or more goal margins. I will back Manchester United on the Asian Handicap to add to that here.

Wolves v Everton Pick: This looks to be a really difficult game to call between two clubs who will feel they should be operating much higher up the League standings in the weeks and months ahead.

Injuries makes the fixture more uncertain and I think you could make a serious argument for any of the three results- Wolves should feel good playing at home having won their FA Cup Third Round tie against Crystal Palace here last week. They have also beaten Chelsea in recent weeks at Molineux, but Everton have produced their better results away from home over the last couple of months.

However it sounds like Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be missing and that is a big issue for Everton.

He has been leading the line very well for Everton all season and I do think the drop to Cenk Tosun is a considerable one.

With that in mind I do give a narrow edge to Wolves, but they are not the same team without Raul Jimenez and the best approach may be to give this one a wide berth.

Manchester City v Brighton Pick: If you are a Manchester City fan (and I've been told there are a few out there) you have to be really happy with where the team sits as we move into the second week of the 2021 calendar year.

While the media will focus on the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United ahead of a big game between those great rivals this weekend, Manchester City can move right behind the leading teams in the Premier League in the next eight days.

They play three home games in that time and Manchester City will believe they may even end up top of the pile by the end of those if they can secure three wins. No one associated within the dressing room will be looking too far ahead and Manchester City are trying to take it game by game as they look to put wins together and keep the momentum behind them.

I would expect Manchester City to be too strong for Brighton on Wednesday even though Graham Potter's team have only lost 1 of their last 5 away games in all competitions. The absence of Yves Bissouma looks a tough one for Brighton and you would not be massively surprised if Graham Potter chooses not to risk any players who are doubtful with a 'more winnable' game at Leeds United to come this weekend.

The style of play that Potter has implemented does make it easier for the bigger teams to play against Brighton and Manchester City's two heavy wins over them last season almost underlines that point. Top teams have found goals easy to come by against Brighton, although the style does mean that Brighton will try and get forward and score goals and they are more dangerous even against the better teams.

However I am not sure they will find much joy out of this Manchester City team who have been very good defensively since partnering Ruben Dias with John Stones at the heart of the defence. Ederson is likely going to be back in goal on Wednesday too and I think Manchester City should have enough to break down Brighton and then keep the backdoor tightly locked too.

Brighton could be a threat from set pieces, but Manchester City are not giving up too many chances and backing the home team to win with a clean sheet looks the right approach.

Tottenham Hotspur v Fulham Pick: This fixture was originally scheduled for last month, but a Covid-19 outbreak at Fulham meant a late postponement.

Tottenham Hotspur and Fulham have been given late notice that they will have to meet this week after the outbreak at Aston Villa meant their Premier League fixture against Spurs had to be postponed.

It is not ideal for the preparation of either set of players but the season is one in which you can't afford to kick postponements down the road and hope there will be spaces in the calendar to re-arrange fixtures. Jose Mourinho made it clear that Tottenham Hotspur were running out of space and he would not want to be forced to play three times in six days and so this decision was made on Monday to have one of their three postponed fixtures given this new date.

They were due to meet only a couple of weeks ago so a lot of the preparation would already have been done and within recent memory. That should help, but it is still a difficult spot for any players to be in although one they will just have to deal with.

Both teams progressed in the FA Cup while resting a number of key players and that should help the managers.

You do have to respect how well Fulham have been playing under Scott Parker over the last month and they have been difficult to beat. That will be an issue for Tottenham Hotspur, but I do think Spurs have come out of a difficult period and look to have more momentum behind them.

Tottenham Hotspur have been particularly good at home and I do think they have rested key players who will be keen to get on the front foot here. Even with the improvements made by Fulham, they are still a team who do give up some big chances and I think Tottenham Hotspur will be able to take advantage of that at home where they have won 8 of their last 9 games in all competitions.

The victory over Brentford in the League Cup shows that Tottenham Hotspur should be able to deal with a team of Fulham's level, but it will be important for Jose Mourinho's team to score first and then capitalise on spaces that may open up. They should be too good when it is all said and done and I think Spurs will likely be able to win by a comfortable margin on the night.

Arsenal v Crystal Palace Pick: In this season I do think momentum is going to be important and Arsenal have that with 4 wins in a row after a really poor few weeks.

Mikel Arteta will feel there is a real chance for Arsenal to keep that momentum going with consecutive home fixtures to come against Crystal Palace and Newcastle United. Arsenal will be favoured to win both of those games, but that brings a pressure of its own and Newcastle United showed in the Cup game that this is a team still learning and one that can be kept at arm's length if you are well organised defensively.

That is exactly what Crystal Palace should bring to the table under Roy Hodgson even if they have been in poor form of late and conceding chances and goals like it is going out of fashion.

Having an almost full week to prepare should mean Hodgson has had time to bring back some key personnel who will make Crystal Palace a little better organised defensively, while The Eagles have pace and quality in the forward areas that should make them very dangerous on the counter attack.

In the last couple of seasons that has helped Crystal Palace produce two big results at the Emirates Stadium and I think they have the chance to earn another one here.

A lack of goals is a slight concern, while Crystal Palace have suffered some heavy away losses at Chelsea and Aston Villa in the Premier League. However both of those teams are much higher up the League standings than Arsenal who have only won 1 of their last 5 at the Emirates Stadium and might be a little overrated thanks to a narrow win at Brighton and the comfortable result at West Brom.

Yes, they did beat Chelsea in their last League game here, but I would expect Crystal Palace to cause problems of their own and backing them on the start on the Asian Handicap looks the approach to this fixture. Over the last three seasons Crystal Palace have tended to give some of the better teams troubles when visiting them and they are also capable of scoring here having had plenty of time to rest and prepare.

With the results at this Stadium in mind, I think Roy Hodgson's men can earn the upset result on Thursday.

MY PICKS: Sheffield United-Newcastle United BTTS NO

Manchester United - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Manchester City Win to Nil

Tottenham Hotspur - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Crystal Palace + 1 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 18

This is a season in which the best laid plans can quickly turn to dust and that has been the situation for my Fantasy team over the next two GameWeeks.

A few weeks ago I mentioned I would likely going into GW18 with between 9-11 players in action and I would then potentially Bench Boost in GW19 with all of my players expected to play twice.

However this is a Covid-19 affected season and it has meant late postponements and games being shifted at short notice. That has been the case in GW18 with the Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur game being postponed after the home team became the latest Premier League club affected by a major outbreak of Coronavirus meaning a huge portion of their first team have been forced into self-isolation.

On the face of things bringing the Tottenham Hotspur vs Fulham game into the GW made a lot of sense for the Premier League, but it has not had a huge impact for me.

If the Aston Villa-Tottenham Hotspur game had gone ahead I would have had four players in action, but that has been halved with the postponement. It also means I have only six players involved in the six players this week and has made the Free Hit Chip look a better play even though I would have preferred to keep that aside for later in the season.

A week I had been targeting to use the Free Hit would have been one of the late DGWs that we usually get, while another play would have been FA Cup Quarter Final weekend. After the draw for the next two Rounds of the FA Cup were made, I could see as many as seven Premier League games being postponed in GW29, while that would also mean a number of fixtures that would need to be re-arranged later in the season.

It is going to be possible to prepare for that week with the transfers in the weeks between the FA Cup Fifth and Sixth Round, but it makes things more awkward and the second Wild Card looks to be a vital chip going forward.

The use of the Bench Boost will almost certainly be used later in the season when the Wild Card is activated to make sure of the DGWs that are left, especially with news that the Leeds United vs Southampton game that was due to be played next week is likely going to be shifted to make space for a Southampton postponed FA Cup Third Round tie.

In the next thread I will have a look at where some of the upcoming postponed games will land, while I also think this is a good time to keep an eye on the FA Cup runs that teams are likely to have in order to prepare best for later in the season.

So what are my plans for GW18? It will either be taking a four point loss and adding two players to the squad to take me up to eight players that will be eligible to play and keep the Free Hit for another time, or activating the Free Hit and then likely taking at least one hit in GW19 to try and have as many players on the DGW as possible.

It is one I will likely think about down to the deadline with an idea of what a Free Hit team would look like this week, but also with the thoughts still running about whether the chip is more valuable later in the season.

I know there is a consensus around that the FH is the play this midweek, but I still want to take care before making my final decision with key players from the favourites already in my team. My feeling is that I could have another solid asset or two with the FH activated, but it may not be as important as keeping the powder dry for later in the season when postponements may be easier to predict as the vaccination is rolled out around the United Kingdom and the warmer conditions prevents the transmission at the rate we are seeing now.