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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MY PICKS: Manchester United - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Southampton-Leeds United Over 3.5 Goals

Manchester City - 1 Asian Handicap

Chelsea-Leicester City Under 2.5 Goals

Everton

Newcastle United

Tottenham Hotspur - 1 Asian Handicap

Crystal Palace + 1 Asian Handicap

Liverpool - 1.75 Asian Handicap

West Brom + 1 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 37

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

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

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

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

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

Weekend Football Picks and Fantasy Football 2021 (May 14-16)

The Champions and the three relegated teams have already been decided with three Premier League rounds of fixtures to be played.

Two of the top four places have been secured, but the focus will be on which teams can pick up the remaining two spots in the Champions League, while the battle for European Football is likely going to come down until the final day of the season next Sunday.

It is not exactly what gets the broadcasters pumped up, but at least means there is some competitive football still to be played in the Premier League.

This weekend we also have the FA Cup Final and that means four teams will not have a Premier League fixture over the next three days, while the big question for clubs in the top flight is finding a way to keep players motivated who may be thinking about preserving themselves for the upcoming Euro 2020 tournament or to make sure they are ready to enjoy a well deserved break at the end of a long season.

Newcastle United v Manchester City Pick: The relegation trio and the Champions of the Premier League have all been decided over the last week and that has taken some of the shine out of this Premier League game on Friday evening.

When the fixtures were announced, Newcastle United and Manchester City both may have looked like they will need the points but there should now be a freedom in their performances.

To be honest Manchester City have been playing with a sense of freedom for weeks and months now as they have dismissed their rivals and there should still be plenty of motivation in the ranks. They were beaten in their last Premier League game for starters and the players selected will be looking to show their manager they should be given the trustworthy starting roles in the Champions League Final to be played in Portugal at the end of the month.

A long winning run away from home in the Premier League will also be one Manchester City will be looking to extend, while a poor couple of results in their last two visits to St James' Park won't be far from the mind either.

Newcastle United will have to match the intensity the away side are likely to bring to the field, but the loss of Callum Wilson is a big blow. They will still offer a threat on the counter, but Newcastle United will have to defend a lot better than they have in recent weeks despite the positive results they have largely secured.

I do think the pace from the wide areas will be a problem for Manchester City, but I also expect to see a strong team picked by Pep Guardiola and one that should be able to secure a victory by a couple of goals on the night.

Burnley v Leeds United Pick: There may not be a lot for either team to gain come Saturday afternoon, but the flip view is that neither Burnley nor Leeds United have much to lose and so can play with some openness.

That has certainly been the approach taken by Burnley in recent weeks and that has resulted in the team creating plenty of chances in Premier League games played. However, it has also left Burnley a little more open defensively and it is no surprise that so many goals have been scored in their games over the last six weeks.

We may get more of the same on Saturday afternoon when Burnley host Leeds United, a team that largely plays with the same attacking desire in every fixture they take part in. Last week it proved to be crucial as Leeds United hammered Tottenham Hotspur at home, although they have been more vulnerable away from home.

Both teams look pretty good injury wise so this could be a fascinating game that will be sparked by a first half goal. Burnley have scored and conceded in each of their last 4 Premier League games at Turf Moor, while Leeds United have not kept an away clean sheet in 10 Premier League games.

The visitors do cause problems going forward though and I think both teams will have joy in the final third which should produce a game that features at least three goals. The game at Elland Road may only have had one goal shared out on the day, but both Leeds United and Burnley created plenty of chances that day and the likes of Patrick Bamford and Chris Wood have been in the kind of form to gobble those up if they are produced here.

Southampton v Fulham Pick: After beating Liverpool at Anfield, Fulham were on level points with Brighton and a point behind Newcastle United and I think there would have been plenty ready to back a team with momentum to escape the bottom three.

Amazing Fulham never managed to pull themselves out of the relegation zone for even a weekend and a single point over the next seven League games means relegation has been confirmed with three Premier League fixtures still to play.

A lack of goals has hurt Fulham all season, but the mid-season defensive improvement's have not been in evidence over the last two months. They have conceded 14 goals in their last 7 Premier League games and Fulham have scored 3 goals in that time which has proved to be costly.

Fulham have been a team that has played well enough and they do get into good positions to create chances, but there is a lack of cutting edge and that has seen them fail to bridge the gap between the Championship and the Premier League.

On Saturday they may be shown what a proven goalscorer can do at this level when facing a Southampton team coming in off a 3-1 win over Crystal Palace. The Saints would have been extremely grateful to Danny Ings who scored twice on the day and his goals are always going to be important for Southampton in any survival battle they get involved in.

Southampton are unbeaten in 3 at home and they are a team that create chances at St Mary's. I can't see them doing anything else against a Fulham team that may be feeling sorry for themselves and two seasons ago Fulham did lose their last 2 Premier League games as the motivation perhaps ran out.

A solid home record against Fulham only gives Southampton another edge and I think they are likely enough in the final third to earn another three points on Saturday.

Brighton v West Ham United Pick: Injuries and suspensions have piled up on the Brighton side of this fixture and that may be positive news for a West Ham United team who are looking to keep the pressure up on those teams inside the top four.

On a weekend when two of those clubs are playing each other in the FA Cup Final, West Ham United have a chance to move to within 3 points of Chelsea and 5 points of Leicester City knowing those two clubs play again in the Premier League during the week.

David Moyes has to get his team focusing on themselves and 3 losses in 4 Premier League games will have dented some of the confidence. West Ham United have largely been competitive in those losses with decisions and a bit of fortune going against them, but they can't look for excuses and David Moyes is likely to pick another attacking line up here.

A defeat could be costly, but a point is not something West Ham United can settle for before a ball has been kicked.

They will be playing a Brighton team with a host of defensive absentees and one that will offer up chances for opponents, although The Seagulls have to be respected for the way they have put their own attacks together.

Brighton have won 2 of their last 3 Premier League games here and have had clean sheets in all of those fixtures, but I expect West Ham United to challenge that. They are capable of creating chances, but West Ham United will likely leave the backdoor open too and that has seen opponents create plenty against them too.

Games between these clubs over the last couple of seasons have seen both teams hit the back of the net and I think there is every chance another attacking game develops here. An early goal could really get the game going and I think there will be at least three goals shared out between teams who have some defensive issues, but attacking players that can take advantage of those vulnerabilities.

Crystal Palace v Aston Villa Pick: The early kick off on Sunday in the Premier League could be an open game considering both Crystal Palace and Aston Villa don't really have much to lose in the final eight days of the season.

In recent games that both teams have been playing there has been a sense of a more attacking enterprise and that is especially the case for Roy Hodgson at Crystal Palace. The veteran manager may know his time is running out as manager of this club and he will look back at a successful period with Crystal Palace, but that also means Roy Hodgson can pick his attacking players and look for them to get forward and cause problems for opponents.

Crystal Palace have not had the results, but they have been creating chances although defensive injuries means they are vulnerable at the other end of the field.

You don't always know what you are going to get from Aston Villa, but the return of Jack Grealish is absolutely huge for the squad. His creativity and ability to make spaces for others has been a huge miss for Aston Villa as they have struggled in recent weeks, while defensively Aston Villa have looked a little vulnerable.

Crystal Palace should cause problems, but Grealish and Ollie Watkins should be able to do the same for their team. It would not be a massive surprise if both teams score, but I am surprised Aston Villa are such a big favourite to win away from home.

I think it will be a tight and competitive game right through to the final minute, but my feeling is that Crystal Palace are perhaps playing the better football of the two teams of late. They are a surprising home underdog in my opinion and I would not be surprised if Crystal Palace earned a positive result in the early kick off.

Tottenham Hotspur v Wolves Pick: Both Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves will likely look back at the 2020/21 season with a real sense of regret, although the hosts of this Premier League game have more to lose this weekend.

Some fans may feel a season without European Football would be a benefit for them, but the higher ups at Tottenham Hotspur will miss the extra revenue that can be generated from the extra games. Ryan Mason will be well aware of that and he will be looking for his team to have a big reaction after the 3-1 loss at Leeds United last weekend.

It was a poor display defensively which was costly, but Mason is picking attacking teams and I think that is very important for Tottenham Hotspur this weekend. The side have won both home games under Ryan Mason and scored six goals in those victories, while they are facing a Wolves team who have been giving up plenty of big chances in recent games.

There has been a resiliency about Wolves that has to be respected though and they have been earning results despite the underlying numbers not being as strong as they would like. Last week they turned around the game against Brighton after the visitors were reduced to ten men, but Wolves do have pace in the final third which can cause problems for Spurs if there hasn't been enough defensive preparation worked on over the last week.

Ultimately Ryan Mason looks like someone sending his attacking players out on the field and hoping to out-score opponents and I do think Spurs can do that this weekend. The issue with Tottenham Hotspur is the defensive vulnerability which could give Wolves the chance for a hat-trick of wins against them in North London, but there has been a lack of attacking consistency from Wolves.

It may be that factor which is most at display and Tottenham Hotspur can win this game by a couple of goals on the day with their attacking players out-performing those Wolves use.

West Brom v Liverpool Pick: The unexpected Chelsea defeat to Arsenal last Wednesday has opened the door for Liverpool to push back into the top four places before the final whistle on the final day and the squad look like one that is focused on making sure they take advantage of the slips of those above them.

If Liverpool win their last 3 Premier League games they will now be favourites to finish in the top four and they will be looking to put some real pressure on Chelsea and Leicester City who are not involved in League action this weekend.

Those two clubs play one another in the Premier League next Tuesday, but Liverpool can move to within 3 points of Leicester City in 3rd place with a victory. That would mean it doesn't matter what happens in the Chelsea League game against Leicester City, but there is also some pressure on Liverpool to keep winning.

Momentum has been earned from back to back wins and Liverpool have won 4 of their last 5 away Premier League games to boost confidence. They have been scoring a fair few goals of late, but Liverpool's defence is anything but watertight.

Some have suggested this is an 'easy' game against a relegated West Brom team, but Sam Allardyce's side have been tough to face down the stretch. Last month they beat Chelsea and West Brom created plenty of chances in the defeat at Arsenal last Sunday, while a nothing to lose attitude makes The Baggies a team that should be respected.

West Brom have lost 1 of their last 7 at The Hawthorns, although the fixture list has not been the most taxing in that time. What has been encouraging is how competitive West Brom have been in those games and I do think they will challenge a Liverpool team that have been conceding plenty of goals.

Defensively it is difficult to imagine the home team keeping a clean sheet, but they have only conceded two goals in 5 games at The Hawthorns. It certainly suggests Liverpool are not going to walk through West Brom here and I think both teams hitting the back of the net is not out of the question.

Sam Allardyce has history in upsetting the Liverpool fans and I certainly think his team can make this a very tough, intense test for a team who played on Thursday.

Everton v Sheffield United Pick: Another game with dropped points might be costly for Everton who are desperately trying to earn their spot in the top seven of the Premier League and return to European Football.

Their destiny is now out of their own hands, but Everton have to find a way to start winning games at home if they are going to put enough pressure on their rivals around them and move into those places. However, it is very difficult to really believe in Everton considering they have won 1 of their last 10 Premier League games at Goodison Park even if they have been creating chances in those games and lacked a finishing touch.

At least this weekend Everton could not have picked a better opponent than Sheffield United who have been not only been losing games like it is going out of fashion, but have been struggling to stop teams creating big chances against them.

Add in the really poor performance in the final third and you would have to say that Everton will not deserve a European adventure if they cannot win a game like this one.

The likes of Newcastle United, Fulham and Burnley have all won at Goodison Park since the end of January and that is a concern for Everton fans, but Sheffield United have looked way out of their depth at this level.

James Rodriguez could be back for Everton and his creativity will be important as they look for a vital three points. Barring a complete lack of concentration, Everton should have enough in the final third to push through Sheffield United and at least go into the final two games with everything to play for.

Pressure can do a funny thing to teams, but Sheffield United have looked like the end of the season can't come quick enough in recent weeks and Everton should be able to take advantage.

MY PICKS: Manchester City - 1.5 Asian Handicap

Burnley-Leeds United Over 2.5 Goals

Southampton - 0.25 Asian Handicap

Brighton-West Ham United Over 2.5 Goals

Crystal Palace + 0.25 Asian Handicap

Tottenham Hotspur - 1 Asian Handicap

West Brom + 2 Asian Handicap

Everton - 1.25 Asian Handicap

Fantasy Football GameWeek 36

The Wild Card used to set the team up for a decent GW35 proved to be the right decision with a triple digit return without the need to take a hit.

However, the problem was that there were going to be a number of players that will be blanking in GameWeek 36 and I have already accepted that I will take a hit to change the squad around.

At this stage of the season it is hard to find the teams with motivation, but the 2020/21 campaign looks like it has offered up some easy options- the most obvious is Liverpool who have the form, the fixtures and the motivation which means having less than three players from their squad would be a mistake.

Over the next couple of rounds of games, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur have some decent games and need to put some wins together, while Leeds United and West Ham United have players priced at a decent value to help strengthen other areas.

So where are my hits being taken- the two Leicester City players, James Maddison and Kelechi Iheanacho, are blanking this week and also have two tough fixtures to come.

My last option is either going to be Marcus Rashford or Mason Greenwood with my lean going to the higher priced player to open the door for more options.

I think the targeted players have to come from those five clubs I have mentioned above, although I do have three Everton players as long as James Rodriguez is passed fit.

Liverpool, Leeds United and West Ham United really do have three decent fixtures in front of them, while Everton and Tottenham Hotspur have a difficult away fixture to negotiate in GW38. That may mean my focus for transfers is on the first three of those five teams named, although it is a decision that will likely be made right down to the wire with another horrible Friday deadline to negotiate.

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2021 (May 14th)

I was hoping to have more time to write out a fuller piece for the Friday selections from the Rome Masters, but unfortunately that has not been the case.

I will look to do better for the remainder of the tournament, but suffice to say I am putting in the same time delving into the numbers and trying to find the right players.

So far it has been a difficult season, but one that has offered plenty of learning opportunities before the French Open gets underway.

MY PICKS: Novak Djokovic - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Jessica Pegula - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Karolina Pliskova - 2.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Ashleigh Barty - 4.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2021 (May 13th)

I am going to write out a longer post for the Friday selections at the Rome Masters, but a strong afternoon saved what was a difficult and frustrating morning on Wednesday.

Maybe at last I have some positive momentum to take into the remainder of this tournament and get things moving in a positive direction, but much will depend on how the selections run on Thursday when the Third Round is played.

MY PICKS: Novak Djokovic - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Alexander Zverev - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Andrey Rublev - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Dominic Thiem - 3.5 Games @ 1.72 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Karolina Pliskova - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Garbine Muguruza - 0.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Rome Masters Update: 8-13, - 12.24 Units (42 Units Staked, - 29.14% Yield)

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2021 (May 12th)

It was a frustrating Tuesday at the Rome Masters for my Tennis Picks and that is largely down to the fact that it felt like a pretty good day aside from the eventual results.

I have not had a very good season to this point and it is a far cry from the majority of the season since I started to do this, but I do think there is a positive run coming sooner rather than later.

You have to stay balanced and stay clear of thought, but I do hope we have a recovery day on Wednesday when there is a very, very busy day at the tournament after rain curtailed play on Tuesday. Essentially we have a full Second Round for both the ATP and WTA Tournaments to be completed over the course of what is going to be a long day and I do have a number of selections from the play to come.

I have written out some of the analysis as to why I am making the selections I am, but adding the remaining selections below.

Stefanos Tsitsipas - 5.5 games v Marin Cilic: Defeats to Rafael Nadal and Casper Ruud on the clay courts won't have dented too much of the confidence that Stefanos Tsitsipas usually brings to his tennis. Both of those players will be expecting to have strong showings at the French Open, but Stefanos Tsitsipas will feel he deserves his place alongside them as one of the top names that could win the next Grand Slam to be played.

The relatively early defeat in Madrid will have hurt, but Tsitsipas will arrive in Rome believing he can have a strong run to match his showing in Monte Carlo where he took the title home. The numbers in 2021 have been really impressive on the red dirt and Stefanos Tsitsipas has long played his best tennis on this surface, while improving on other surfaces all the time.

One of the main criticisms of Stefanos Tsitsipas is his return game and not getting as much from that side as he perhaps should and needs if he wants to win the major titles that he will be targeting. However, the Greek player usually finds his best returning on the slower clay courts and there has been an improvement on that side of his game in 2021 with 32% of return games played ending in a break of serve.

Stefanos Tsitsipas is able to build scoreboard pressure with his strong serve and it is key for him to produce that against veteran Marin Cilic in this Second Round match. Marin Cilic came from behind to win his First Round match against Alexander Bublik, but the Croatian is not the player he once was and Cilic has been dropping down the World Rankings which means he is likely going to be entering the French Open Unseeded.

The last twelve months has seen Marin Cilic produce a 15-15 record, but some of his better performances have come on the clay courts even if the numbers are pretty average.

Marin Cilic does have a decent serve, but he is winning just 63% of points behind it on this surface in 2021 and he is holding in less than 80% of his service games. At his best Cilic was a very good return player, but his numbers have declined significantly on this side of his game over the last sixteen months and I think that is where Stefanos Tsitsipas should be able to take advantage and begin to exert pressure on the veteran across the net.

The early games could be important in this one and it will be important for Tsitsipas to prevent Marin Cilic from building a rhythm behind his serve. The returning shown by the current top 10 World Ranked player is encouraging enough to believe Stefanos Tsitsipas will move into a position to win and eventually cover a big spread.

Dominic Thiem - 4.5 games v Marton Fucsovics: He has spent some time away from the Tour to rebuild some of the fitness and Dominic Thiem has made it clear that will be scheduling his appearances in tournaments with much more care and attention going forward. The return in Madrid last week was a solid one for Thiem who reached the Semi Final at the Masters event before coming up short against Alexander Zverev, but the Austrian will be feeling good about his chances of having another solid week here in Rome.

He won the US Open last year, but Dominic Thiem has been very close to winning the French Open in recent seasons and he has long been considered one of the top three clay courters on the Tour alongside Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. Others might have pushed their way into consideration as potential Grand Slam Champions in Paris, but Dominic Thiem will believe there is a chance for him at the French Open as long as he can put some more solid matches under his belt beforehand.

Dominic Thiem will feel this is a big week for him in that regard and he has proven to be an effective returner on the clay courts. There will be an improvement in the return numbers produced in Madrid and that is largely down to the fact that the conditions at that clay court tournament are quicker than you would find in other European events played on the red dirt.

The opponents also contributed to the Thiem return numbers, but he should have more chances to get into the return games against Marton Fucsovics. The Hungarian has shown decent pedigree on the clay courts throughout his career, but Marton Fucsovics lost in the First Round at both the Monte Carlo Masters and Madrid Masters before beating a Lucky Loser in the First Round here in Rome.

It will be encouraging for Marton Fucsovics, but his serve is one that can be attacked and I think Dominic Thiem will be able to have success against him in this Second Round match. A talented player like Fucsovics is capable of playing well on the return on most surfaces, but I do think it is a tough challenge for him against this Thiem serve which has proved to be one of the big weapons in the Austrian's arsenal when playing on the clay.

Last week we saw strong serving from Thiem for the most part and he has also won all three previous professional meetings against Marton Fucsovics. All of those wins have come on the clay courts over a number of years, but the most recent came in Hamburg in July 2019 and it resulted in a relatively one-sided win for the higher Ranked player.

In those previous matches, Dominic Thiem has had a huge advantage when it comes to the return of serve compared with Marton Fucsovics and it has seen him pull clear for the victory. The feeling is that something similar will happen in the Second Round in Rome and I think Thiem can work his way to a win and a cover.

Rafael Nadal - 4.5 games v Jannik Sinner: There is going to be much excitement in Rome on Wednesday as one of the more talented Italian players coming through the ranks takes on the 'King of Clay' Rafael Nadal in the Second Round. I don't think there will be much intimidation or feelings of awe for Jannik Sinner who played out a memorable match against Nadal at the French Open last Autumn and who has already opposed the likes of Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas on the red dirt this season.

Jannik Sinner has come up short in both of those matches though and he was beaten handily in Madrid last week by Alexei Popyrin, which would have been a big disappointment. However, I expect him to be inspired playing at home and last season Sinner had a very good run in Rome which included a win over Stefanos Tsitsipas.

There is plenty to like about Jannik Sinner's tennis and I think the Italians will be very happy with some of their younger players coming through on the ATP Tour to take over from the likes of Fabio Fognini and Andreas Seppi who are veterans of the Tour. He looks to be at his best on the clay courts and the numbers have been decent in 2021, although Sinner will likely want to get a bit more out of his serve to back up the 30% mark of return games in which he has broken serve.

Over the last twelve months Sinner has held just shy of 80% of the service games played and backed that up with breaks in 33% of return games played on the red dirt. Those numbers are very impressive, but the two fairly one-sided losses to Tsitsipas and Djokovic this season have come in a similar manner as Jannik Sinner's serve has been hurt and his return has not quite reached the levels needed.

Those two players will be the favourites to win the French Open alongside Rafael Nadal who is the latest top 10 World Ranked player that Sinner will take on this season. The Spaniard has long been the top clay courter on the ATP Tour, but his numbers are significantly down on the marks produced in recent seasons, although that is not to say that Rafael Nadal is still not playing at a very good level.

Rafael Nadal will still be largely happy with his return game, but the Spaniard will be trying to find the right solutions to make the serve a more potent weapon. The former World Number 1 is still holding in 81% of service games played on the clay courts in 2021, but in recent years those numbers have been pretty consistent at 87%, 86%, 87% and 88% between 2020 and 2017.

It might not look a lot, but that is a significant knock on the Rafael Nadal serve and it is making matches that much more difficult for him to negotiate. It cost him in his defeat to Alexander Zverev last week in Madrid, but Nadal has been holding at 86% of service games played against opponents Ranked outside the top 20 of the World Rankings.

That could be key for him in this Second Round match as he looks to lay down a marker before the French Open begins.

It was a highly competitive first two sets when these two players met at the French Open, but Nadal had a significant edge on the returning side on that day. Now he has experienced what Jannik Sinner will throw at him, I think Rafael Nadal should be more comfortable in this match and he should be able to produce the tennis to earn his way through to another Third Round in Rome.

Denis Shapovalov - 3.5 games v Stefano Travaglia: There is so much to admire about the Denis Shapovalov game and he does have the look and feel of a player that could be challenging for the biggest prizes in the years to come. At 22 years old, however, there is room for improvement so Denis Shapovalov can take the next step in his development and the main task for the Canadian is getting more out of his return game.

The lack of experience on the clay courts would have hindered him early in his career, but Shapovalov has shown a liking for the surface over the last several months and is coming into this match off a very good win in the First Round. He is playing on consecutive days against an opponent who would have been rested, but that should not bother a young player like Shapovalov.

His return game has really been in good nick on the clay courts in 2020 and 2021 and over the last several months Denis Shapovalov has broken in 33% of return games played on the surface. That is considerably stronger than his numbers on the faster surfaces and I do think Shapovalov enjoys the extra time to really punch his groundstrokes through the court that he gets on the red dirt.

I do think Denis Shapovalov will want to get a bit more out of his own serve, but he should be pretty confident in getting his teeth into the Stefano Travaglia service games in this Second Round match. He won't want to underestimate the clay court specialist from Italy, but Travaglia had lost all four clay court matches played against top 100 Ranked opponents before beating Benoit Paire in the First Round.

The win over Paire doesn't prove anything considering how the Frenchman has approached this season, and Stefano Travaglia is going to see his serve tested having won just 62% of points played behind the serve on the clay courts over the last year. However that number dips under 60% when only considering matches played against top 100 Ranked opponents and the Italian has held serve in 71% of games played on the surface.

It will put some pressure on Stefano Travaglia's return game, although the Italian is someone who can get his teeth into games when returning and try and extract errors from his opponent. While I have to respect that, I do think the numbers show Denis Shapovalov has a considerable edge on both sides of the court in this match and I expect him to work through and earn a win and a cover in this match.

Denis Shapovalov reached the Semi Final here in Rome last Autumn and he will be under pressure to put some solid Ranking points on the board here, but I like the confidence of the Canadian and I think he will at least move through to the Third Round here.

MY PICKS: Stefanos Tsitsipas - 5.5 Games @ 2.10 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Dominic Thiem - 4.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Rafael Nadal - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Denis Shapovalov - 3.5 Games @ 2.00 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Alexander Zverev - 5.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Veronika Kudermetova - 4.5 Games @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Naomi Osaka - 3.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Petra Kvitova - 4.5 Games @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Iga Swiatek - 4.5 Games @ 1.72 Bet365 (2 Units)

Serena Williams - 3.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Simona Halep - 4.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Jelena Ostapenko - 1 Game @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Rome Masters Update: 3-7, - 9.14 Units (20 Units Staked, - 45.70% Yield)

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2021 (May 11th)

The Rome Masters is beginning to move into the meat of the draw for the ATP Tournament being played here as some of the top Seeds return to the court on Tuesday.

There are some big matches in the WTA Tournament too on another busy day in the Italian capital as we begin the fast approach towards the French Open beginning at the end of the month.

Roberto Bautista Agut - 3.5 games v Tommy Paul: Any time a player has won a couple of matches to earn their way through the Qualifiers into the main draw they should be respected as someone who has their eye in on the court and happy enough with the conditions. That is what Tommy Paul will be holding onto as he looks to make his way past a higher Ranked opponent in the First Round and the American has proved he is capable enough of performing on the clay courts.

Not many from the United States have really enjoyed the surface having grown up on the hard courts, but Tommy Paul has decent enough numbers. He only just missed out on direct entry into the Rome Masters main draw and Tommy Paul is close to breaking into the top 50 in the World Rankings for the first time.

Last week in Madrid Tommy Paul also took a set off of Andrey Rublev which will give him some confidence and he has solid, if unspectacular, numbers on the clay courts. The American doesn't have the best serve, but he makes up for that with decent returning and Paul will have learnt plenty from losing to Roberto Bautista Agut in the Monte Carlo Masters main draw.

On that day it was the edge that Roberto Bautista Agut had on the returning side of the game that helped him past Paul and I do think the return aspect is going to be very important to this match too.

Despite being very familiar with clay courts, Bautista Agut has produced his best tennis on the faster surfaces, although that is not to say he isn't a decent enough clay courter. The returning numbers are a little down from where we expect Roberto Bautista Agut to operate at, but those have been largely dented by John Isner in his win over the Spaniard in Madrid last week.

Roberto Bautista Agut has been slightly better at looking after his serve at key moments compared with Tommy Paul, but the real edge is the fact that the former has broken in 29% of return games played on the clay courts compared with Paul's 25% number. When only considering the matches against players Ranked within the top 100, Tommy Paul's number dips further to 21% and I do think the surface in Rome should be one on which the superior return player is able to exert the control on the outcome.

It could be a touch closer than the match in Monte Carlo if Tommy Paul can serve more first serves than he managed that day, but even then you would have to figure that Roberto Bautista Agut can eventually break down this opponent.

Novak Djokovic - 5.5 games v Taylor Fritz: There is little doubt that the focus for Novak Djokovic is finding his best form whenever a Grand Slam comes around and he made a decision to withdraw from the Madrid Masters last week. The World Number 1 and top Seed is back for the Rome Masters though and he is looking for a strong tournament after a couple of relatively poor performances by Novak Djokovic's own high standards.

He was surprisingly beaten very early on at the Monte Carlo Masters and was then ousted in the Belgrade Semi Final which means Novak Djokovic is just 3-2 on the clay courts in 2021. Novak Djokovic did win the Rome Masters last year and reached the Final of the French Open so there won't be too much panic, but you would feel this is an important tournament for him.

Novak Djokovic's three wins have come in largely one-sided fashion, but the two defeats will be a concern and there is definite room for improvement.

The opening match in Rome will come in the Second Round against Taylor Fritz who beat Daniel Evans in the First Round (Daniel Evans beat Novak Djokovic at the Monte Carlo Masters). That is a solid looking win for the American who has not been at his most comfortable on the clay courts and also ended a three match losing run for Taylor Fritz ahead of this huge challenge for him.

He will be confident having pushed Novak Djokovic all the way to a fifth set decider when these two players met at the Australian Open earlier this year, but that was on a surface that Taylor Fritz has enjoyed much more than the red dirt. The problem for Fritz is that he does not get through as many service games with the kind of ease he can on a hard court, and that puts a lot of pressure on a return game which is average at best.

There have been one or two signs of improvement from Taylor Fritz on the clay courts this season, but the numbers return to the kind of levels we expect of him when Fritz has faced top 100 or top 50 Ranked opponents.

It could take Novak Djokovic a bit of time to really find his best, but he has twice played Taylor Fritz on the clay courts and broken down the younger players tennis. Those clay court matches were played in 2019 and I am not sure there has been a significant enough improvement from Fritz in that time to avoid seeing Novak Djokovic pull away over the course of the match.

Novak Djokovic will want to improve his serve if he is going to challenge for the big clay titles left in 2021, but he has won 48% of return points played in the five matches he has competed in and broken in 44% of return games played. I expect that side of his tennis to put the pressure on Taylor Fritz and eventually break him down in this Second Round match.

Pablo Carreno Busta - 1.5 games v Kei Nishikori: There was a medical timeout needed in the first set in his eventual three set win over Laslo Djere, but Pablo Carreno Busta didn't seem to be hindered and finished the match much stronger than he begun. He has had the Monday off to prepare himself for the Second Round at the Rome Masters which can only benefit Pablo Carreno Busta and I expect him to be ready for this match.

The Spaniard will take on a veteran in Kei Nishikori who was a comfortable winner over home favourite Fabio Fognini and the former top ten player was not overly taxed in that match. Injuries have really hurt Kei Nishikori over the last couple of seasons and he is still working his way back to his very best, but Nishikori is someone that has played some of his best tennis on the clay courts where he can get his groundstrokes going.

It has been something of a mixed season for Nishikori on the clay courts despite the 4-2 record and his numbers have backed that up- the serve has been erratic and he is holding in just 72% of service games played on the surface, but Kei Nishikori has been returning effectively enough to break in 30% of return games.

He is going to need to be stronger and more resilient behind serve if he is going to get the better of Pablo Carreno Busta. The Spaniard has not always found his best tennis on the clay courts, which is a surprise, but he is holding 81% of service games played on the surface in 2021 and that is a significant edge over Kei Nishikori and especially when noting the break percentages are identical.

Losses to Casper Ruud, Rafael Nadal and Federico Delbonis on the red dirt is nothing to be ashamed about for Pablo Carreno Busta and I think he has all of the tennis needed to get the better of Kei Nishikori as he did at the Australian Open in February. Both players are strong returners, but it is the superior serving and backing up that shot that Pablo Carreno Busta has been able to put together compared with Kei Nishikori that could prove to be the difference between the two players on the day.

MY PICKS: Roberto Bautista Agut - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Novak Djokovic - 5.5 Games @ 2.20 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Pablo Carreno Busta - 1.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Dusan Lajovic - 1.5 Games @ 2.00 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Denis Shapovalov - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Elise Mertens - 2.5 Games @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Marketa Vondrousova - 2.5 Games @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Sloane Stephens - 1.5 Games @ 1.91 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Rome Masters Update: 1-2, - 2.34 Units (6 Units Staked, - 39% Yield)

Rome Masters Tennis Picks 2021 (May 10th)

We move onto the second day in Rome in the final Masters tournament before the French Open and while there are plenty of matches set to be played, I haven't found too many that I think are appealing enough to place a marker on.

More Picks should be made as the tournament progresses, but there are some tight matches being played on Monday.

Aslan Karatsev - 3.5 games v Miomir Kecmanovic: A pretty remarkable run at the Australian Open back in February coupled with some strong performances in Challenger events in the second half of 2020 has pushed Aslan Karatsev into a career high World Number 27 position. To sum up the rise, the Russian is set to be a Seed at the French Open and he is clearly someone the layers have a keen eye on getting on their side.

That means Aslan Karatsev could find himself a little over-rated in the weeks and months ahead and his clay court performances over the last several weeks have been a little better than average. While reaching the Final in Belgrade and holding a win over Novak Djokovic, Aslan Karatsev has suffered relatively early losses in Monte Carlo and Madrid and his numbers are someway short of the kind of marker he had been setting in the hard court matches played.

So far in 2021, Aslan Karatsev has won 62% of his service points played on the clay courts and he has won 38% of return points which means he could be someone we can look to oppose with the right opponent. Being over-rated means Karatsev can be asked to cover big numbers, bigger than he should, but that may not be the case in the First Round in Rome.

The draw has thrown up a match against Miomir Kecmanovic and the Serb has produced a 2-3 record on the clay courts since the European clay court swing has begun. Like Aslan Karatsev, Miomir Kecmanovic reached a career best World Ranking earlier in 2021, but he has been struggling for consistency with his tennis.

Miomir Kecmanovic has struggled behind serve and on return in his clay court matches in 2021, but those numbers take a pretty big hit when only considering matches against top 100 Ranked opponents. In those matches, Kecmanovic is winning just 58% of points behind serve and he has held just 65% of service games played and that has put considerable pressure on his return game which has seen the Serb break in 19% of return games played.

I expect there ie enough consistency in the Aslan Karatsev game to expose Miomir Kecmanovic's struggles and I think that will lead to a solid win for the Russian player. There is a confidence about the Karatsev game which has seen him largely dominate those opponents Ranked outside the top 20 that he has faced on the clay courts over the last few weeks and I think he can come through with a cover in this victory.

MY PICKS: Aslan Karatsev - 3.5 Games @ 1.80 Bet Fred (2 Units)