Boxing Picks 2022- Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua II (August 20th)

I've mentioned that July and August tend to be quieter months on the Boxing calendar, but there is no doubting the size of the bout when the Heavyweight World Titles are on the line.

It is a shame that the fight is taking place in Saudi Arabia, but Boxers need to maximise their worth when risking it all and this is a sport that has a history of going to places that are perhaps not the best from a moral or human rights stand point. I don't mind them doing it, because I understand the money that is being given to the promotions and fighters for coming over, but I will admit that I do get a touch irritated when it is framed as anything more than a financial decision.

'We will help bring about change' is a line you will hear often during this fight week, but it's embarrassing for the people speaking to really believe what they say. Again, I get why they say it, but personally I would have more respect for someone to simply say 'they paid the most, mine is a short career, and ultimately that is why we made the decision to host the fight here'.

Ramla Ali has been trotted out as proof women's rights are improving in the country... Someone should have asked her what she thinks of Salma al-Shehab who has just been jailed for thirty-four years for her Twitter activity highlighting how far those rights have yet to go in her home country.

So personally I think cut the crap and just get on with the job- don't try and justify the fight being hosted there on some moral crusade point, admit it was a big financial package and get on with it.

A couple of weeks ago my Boxing Picks returned after a six week break and Vergil Ortiz Jr gave us a winner from the sole selection on the day. I was very close to picking the Teofimo Lopez return last weekend, but ultimately decided the cards on August 20th are more appealing overall and hopefully it will see a build on the numbers already earned through the first seven months of the year.

Oleksandr Usyk vs Anthony Joshua II

Issues outside of the ring meant Oleksandr Usyk's rematch with Anthony Joshua had to be delayed as the Ukrainian returned to his homeland to defend it from the invasion launched by Russia in February.

He has since been granted permission to leave the country and to hoist the Ukrainian flag on the world stage by defending the belts won against Anthony Joshua last September in an upset.

Eleven months have passed since that first bout and it will have been a soul-searching time for Anthony Joshua. He has now lost half of his last four fights and Anthony Joshua decided he needed to make changes in his team to try and get the better of this rematch.

Rob McCracken is out and Robert Garcia has been hired as Anthony Joshua looks to find the answers to a conundrum posed by Oleksandr Usyk. Of course it is possible to beat any fighter with the right approach, but Joshua is going to be pressed as he was eleven months ago and I do think it is a huge challenge for the British fighter.

Unlike Andy Ruiz Jr, who essentially won the lottery with his win over Anthony Joshua in June 2019 as a short notice replacement, Oleksandr Usyk is committed to his craft and has huge ambitions beyond this rematch. He wants to be the first Heavyweight to hold all four World Titles as he did as a Cruiserweight, and I don't think this is someone who is going to overindulge on one success as Ruiz Jr did when completely out of shape and out-pointed in the rematch with Anthony Joshua in December 2019.

Tactically, Anthony Joshua has been criticised for trying to box a boxer, but I do think he was a little worried by the skills and quickness of Oleksandr Usyk. He now knows what to expect, which should mean Joshua is a little less gun-shy, but I am not sure it is the best approach for him to try and do everything a little better than he managed last September.

Instead I think Anthony Joshua has to take risks- we have seen Usyk hurt at Cruiserweight before- and that means trying to push the tempo on him early and often. Conditioning may be a concern for Joshua, but that won't matter if he forces a stoppage early, and I don't think Anthony Joshua is capable of outboxing Oleksandr Usyk over the full Twelve Rounds.

He could try the Teofimo Lopez approach who put it on the smaller Vasyl Lomachenko and built a big enough lead on the cards to withstand the late push, but I am not sure Anthony Joshua has the gas tank to try that.

Back in September, Oleksandr Usyk came close to a late Stoppage and my feeling is that he is highly motivated and inspired by what is going on in his home country. He may have to weather more of a storm than he faced in the first fight at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but I think Oleksandr Usyk can do that and this time he may find a bit more of a reaction from his own punches as Joshua potentially tires.

While most of the focus in the United Kingdom has been on the British fighter and how he can change tactically, I think Oleksandr Usyk will have a similar approach to last time and when he fought Tony Bellew. Keep things contained early, then begin to build mental and physical pressure on his opponent and start dropping heavier shots.

Unlike last year, this time Oleksandr Usyk will know full well he can hurt Anthony Joshua and I think that means looking for the bigger shots earlier than the Twelfth Round when he almost got the referee to step in. Starting a bit earlier may just see Usyk get on top and find a way to get this one done without the judges and I think the reigning World Champion will find a Stoppage at somewhere around the Tenth or Eleventh Round.

Unsurprisingly, a pretty decent undercard has been put together for this big summer event.

Sky Sports purchased the United Kingdom rights to the fight and I think they would have had some influence in getting Ben Whittaker out on the card in his second fight since turning pro. Of course he is also signed with Anthony Joshua's management team so this is a solid spot in which to keep his name very much in the public eye with big things expected of him.

He is facing an unbeaten opponent in Petar Nosic who was last out at the Super Middleweight limit rather than the Light-Heavyweight and Nosic will know all about Ben Whittaker's power having been stopped by him in the amateur ranks. The pro game is different, but I have no doubt that Whittaker has been put in this spot to impress and I think he gets the job done in the first couple of Rounds in a scheduled Six Rounder.

Badou Jack is also in action and this is going to be his third fight in a row in the Middle East. While he is taking on an unbeaten American, bringing Richard Rivera back up in weight coupled with the massive experience edge in favour of Jack should mean the former World Champion gets this one done inside the distance.

I am also expecting Callum Smith to have too much quality for Mathieu Bauderlique, although the French southpaw should be given respect with a sole defeat on his resume and with a win over Igor Mikhalkin in his last fight to earn the European Light Heavyweight Belt.

We have surprisingly not seen Smith back in the ring since a huge Light Heavyweight debut on the undercard of the first Oleksandr Usyk-Anthony Joshua bout last September in North London. Perhaps a big fight could not be secured, but this represents a really good chance for Callum Smith to put on a big display and show the rest of the Division he is ready to compete for World Titles in 2023.

He has plenty of power and I have a feeling Callum Smith is going to be very suited to the weight and can produce another devastating win.

And then we come to the main undercard bout which features Filip Hrgovic and Zhilei Zhang in what is an IBF eliminator and will make the winner mandatory for a crack at the winner of the main event.

They were supposed to fight earlier this year, but Hrgovic had to pull out as he sadly dealt with the passing of his father. He is motivated to impress in Saudi Arabia and I do think this is a genuine potential World Champion in the making.

Of course Zhilei Zhang has to be respected for being unbeaten, but he was almost undone by Jerry Forrest and I simply believe he will be found out at this level.

The 39 year old could be potentially dangerous in the early Rounds, but I expect Filip Hrgovic to display the better conditioning and eventually begin to unload some big shots that has the Chinese Heavyweight worn down and stopped.

My feeling is that will really begin to tell in the mid-Rounds and that is where the Croatian can cement a big win.

Emanuel Navarrete vs Eduardo Baez

Four years ago Emanuel Navarrete announced himself with an upset of Isaac Dogboe and another comprehensive display in the rematch had people taking notice.

He has since moved up to Featherweight and won a vacant World Title in this Division too, but the feeling is that there are limitations in his boxing which means his handlers are making sure he is well matched until a truly big fight develops.

That could be a Unification against Rey Vargas, but first Navarrete has to make sure he is not overlooking Eduardo Baez.

The Mexican will come to fight, but he has not really got enough to suggest he can earn the upset. One of the previous losses suffered by Eduardo Baez has come against big punching Mauricio Lara who managed to deck him twice, although the cards for needed in a scheduled Six Rounder that day.

I don't think Emanuel Navarrete hits harder than Lara, who is a huge puncher at the weight, but I do think he is someone who can systematically break down an opponent and I think we will see that here. Eduardo Baez has only won seven of his twenty-three fights inside the distance so I am not sure he will have enough pop to deter the Champion from coming forward and ultimately I can see a late stoppage as the accumulation breaks down Baez.

MY PICKS: Oleksandr Usyk to Win Between 7-12 @ 4.33 William Hill (2 Units)

Ben Whittaker to Win Between 1-2 @ 1.91 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Badou Jack by KO/TKO/Disqualification @ 1.66 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Callum Smith to Win Between 1-6 @ 3.60 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Filip Hrgovic to Win Between 4-6 @ 3.20 Coral (2 Units)

Emanuel Navarrete to Win Between 7-12 @ 3.25 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing 2022: 27-42, + 18.47 Units (123 Units Staked, + 15.02% Yield)

Premier League Picks and Fantasy Football GameWeek 3 2022/23 (August 20-22)

The World Cup Finals have been placed in November and that means we already into GameWeek 3 of the Fantasy Football game with the Premier League likely have to taken shape by the time the month ends.

The transfer window is open right up until then so squads are going to be moulded in that time, although it could mean some of the teams are already below par in terms of points and expectations.

A little tangent- the saying 'life is short' is one that most will use in every day life, but I really don't know if anyone really thinks too deeply about it unless something tragic happens.

It certainly feels that way for me as a good friend sadly passed away on Wednesday evening.

He was a truly top bloke and someone who could be relied upon through good times and bad.

A good life that has impacted so many others and the outpouring of messages just shows the value of the person.

I just hope he is somewhere where he can see how much people admired, respected and loved him, even if it feels the world has been robbed at a young age.

RIP mate, I'm sure we will see you down the road.

United Corner- Is this Rock Bottom?

Most Manchester United fans would have expected it would take Erik ten Hag some time to get his methods across to the players and really start to build momentum, but even in the worst nightmare scenario, not many would have predicted United would lose both opening Premier League games.

The defeat to Brighton saw Manchester United try and fight back after giving up a 0-2 half time lead, but the capitulation at Brentford was embarrassing with the team trailing 4-0 after just thirty-five minutes.

In the cold light of day, you could argue that mistakes have proved to be the difference for Manchester United, but this is far from an ideal start and the side are sitting bottom of the Premier League table. With Liverpool to come on Monday, things may get worse before they get better and a really poor summer of recruitment is being shown up.

Everything that was stated by the club and the suggestion of acting in a new and improved way has turned out like most things under the current ownership- a mixture of bluff and bullshit!

The bottom line is that very little has changed at the top, even with the change in CEO, and Manchester United are clearly lacking direction. The recruitment has been a massive problem over the last decade and the blame can be laid squarely at the feet of the Glazer Family who have left incompetent people in charge of the club for far too long.

As long as the dividends were being paid, the Glazers could not care less about the on-field performances and that is clearly based on their experiences in the NFL. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers may have recently won the Super Bowl, but struggled for almost two decades as poor ownership decisions left the team floundering and a similar approach has hurt Manchester United.

One major difference is that the NFL has much of their financial success earned as a collective so all franchises will make money and work under a salary cap regardless of whether turning out successful or not.

Not in European Football.

Failure to play in the Champions League is a major dent to the Glazer approach and the failure to push through the European Super League and the guaranteed place in the top European competition has hurt the financial power of the club. With an ownership all about how much they can take, it is no surprise the pursestrings have been tightened and now reports suggest the Glazers are looking for an investor.

This is a critical time for a fanbase that have opposed this takeover since 2005 and I do think we are as close to seeing them finally take their money and leave as we have ever been.

There is only so much the Glazers can do to maximise the commercial appeal of Manchester United and Dick 'Ed Woodward has proven to be off the mark when he suggested that on-field performance will not affect the commercial power of the club. Sponsors are getting nervous, the big contracts are on the verge of running out and it feels like the club is running on fumes in terms of cash.

With a Stadium and training facilities that need a lot of work, and with the team struggling massively on the pitch, the Glazers have to be considering all options.

Further protests on Monday should continue to highlight the issue for the media and I am hopeful that this is the beginning of the end of this crappy ownership.

Even the potential signing of Casemiro stinks of desperation and a last ditch effort to appease the fans.

I don't doubt his quality, but this is yet another thirty year old who is leaving a huge club to come to Manchester United and the club have signed so many of those in recent years that have failed to pan out. Ultimately the likes of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich do not sell players they don't wish to sell and Casemiro has won it all in his career, so motivation has to be questioned.

He will be playing in an unfamiliar League, and it does smack of a last throw of the dice from the club to cool the growing tensions between the owners and the fans.

I always hope United are successful, but defeats may not be a bad thing if it means the Glazers decide its best to cash in- they are simply not going to ever do what is needed to make United successful as a Football Club again and that has been proven ever since Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill left in 2013.

Instead of appointing the very best players to fill football roles at the club, the owners have been happy as long as they can pick up dividends and build their own bank balance, but it feels there isn't much more room to operate in that manner. They are now reaping what they sow with a mess of a playing squad and I can only imagine how toxic Old Trafford is going to be if the old rivals rock up and secure another big win on Monday evening.

With the television cameras around for the big fixture, I expect the sentiment against the Glazers to be broadcasted around the world for all to see.

The players don't get a pass from me, especially after they dropped their heads in the loss at Brentford. The poor performances have been dragging on for months and I don't blame Cristiano Ronaldo for wanting to leave considering the lack of effort or desire shown by his team-mates.

It may be best for the club in the long-term anyway, but I am not sure Ronaldo deserves some of the abuse that parts of the fanbase feel he does. Standards have slipped massively at the club since he left in 2009 and Ronaldo's frustration could be on display for all to see if he does take part in an interview he has suggested he will be releasing after the transfer window closes.

On Monday I just want to see the eleven starters show they know what it means to play for Manchester United, but even that basic request seems to have been beyond the players over the last six months so I won't be holding my breath.

Premier League Picks GameWeek 3

Tottenham Hotspur v Wolves Pick: It might not have been a direct sequel to 'Battle of the Bridge' in 2016, but Tottenham Hotspur's draw at Chelsea was a feisty affair all the way past the final whistle.

Antonio Conte was sent off alongside Thomas Tuchel and that means he could be facing a potential touchline ban for this Premier League fixture. The Italian has had a major impact on the Tottenham Hotspur squad as well as the boardroom, but he should have his team well prepared even if he is forced to watch from the stands/outside of the Stadium.

Tottenham Hotspur cannot afford to use that as an excuse as they prepare to face bogey club Wolves, a team who have won 3 of the 4 Premier League fixtures hosted by Spurs since 2018. Last season Wolves left with a 0-2 win and they have been a team who have been able to create plenty of chances against Tottenham Hotspur.

However, it is hard to expect the same when you think of how toothless Wolves have looked in their first two League fixtures. There is creativity within the squad, but Raul Jimenez has been a big miss and finding someone to put a finishing touch on the football being played is a major problem for Bruno Lage.

Wolves are likely to be active in the transfer market right up until the deadline, but they may be a little short this weekend.

This has been a tough match for Tottenham Hotspur, but they have scored six goals to open the Premier League season and have plenty of quality in the final third. There does feel like a few more options off the bench too and I do think Spurs are going to have enough to secure the three points on Saturday, even if they have to overcome a couple of mental obstacles to do so.

Under Antonio Conte, the players have looked much more hardened though and I do think they will have the better of the play if not spotting Wolves a two goal lead within 18 minutes as they did in February. Conditions should be much more comfortable for the players compared with last weekend and Spurs will feel this transitioning Wolves team are still looking a little vulnerable at the back.

Add in the strong home form in the Premier League that Tottenham Hotspur have produced and the fact that Wolves have lost 4 of their last 5 away games and I have to believe Spurs will be too good.

I have to credit Wolves for being a stubborn team that are rarely blown away, especially away from home, but Tottenham Hotspur may have enough goals in the team to cover this Asian Handicap line.

Crystal Palace v Aston Villa Pick: Patrick Vieira and Steven Gerrard were combative midfield generals in their playing days in the Premier League and both are pretty big personalities now their main roles are giving instructions from the dugouts.

Both will be expected to push Crystal Palace and Aston Villa further along after their first season (or number of months in Gerrard's case) as managers of their respective clubs.

Crystal Palace certainly drew the short end of the stick when it came to the opening fixtures, but Patrick Vieira has to feel his side have deserved even more than the solitary point earned against Arsenal and Liverpool. They have played pretty well in both games, but there is also an improvement needed in defence as well as better composure in the final third if Crystal Palace are going to kick on up the League table.

Their visitors Aston Villa were perhaps a little unfortunate to lose at Bournemouth a couple of weeks ago, but just about held on for the three points against Everton last weekend. Steven Gerrard is looking for more consistency from his players, but the injury to Diego Carlos is a big blow.

While Aston Villa took four points from Crystal Palace in the Premier League last season, the underlying numbers suggest The Eagles were very unfortunate in both games. Despite playing better opposition than Aston Villa, Crystal Palace have arguably looked the more dangerous this season too and I think they can get the better of this opponent this time around.

Lacking a clinical finisher is an issue for Crystal Palace, but I expect they can create the better chances on the day and may just nick the three points on offer.

Everton v Nottingham Forest Pick: Both of these teams were involved in pretty exciting football matches in the Premier League last weekend, but Everton paid for starting slowly at Villa Park as they were beaten 2-1 at Aston Villa.

They almost rallied from 2-0 down and had some late chances to equalise, but Frank Lampard was too late in changing tactics and a close match went against his team.

On the other hand Steve Cooper's attacking approach paid off for Nottingham Forest as they won their first Premier League game in twenty-three years when beating West Ham United. That attacking approach may have been pleasing on the eye, but Nottingham Forest were poor at the back and only a lack of composure and a couple of inches prevented The Hammers from taking a deserved point back to East London.

I do think Nottingham Forest will be involved in some high-scoring games this season with that approach in mind, but they will have to tighten up defensively if they want to avoid relegation. On another day, those inches would have gone against them and Nottingham Forest would have had to take the loss even though they created plenty of chances of their own.

Home form is going to be key for Nottingham Forest, but they will travel to Goodison Park feeling like there is a real opportunity to earn something.

Everton have been struggling for months under Frank Lampard, and injuries have perhaps blunted them in the final third. Goodison Park proved to be a big factor in Everton avoiding the drop last season though and I do think Frank Lampard will look for his team to get on the front foot much earlier than he allowed them to do against Chelsea and Aston Villa.

He will feel that Nottingham Forest's defence will offer up chances, but I do think Steve Cooper's team will be better than they were in a one-sided loss at Newcastle United on the opening weekend. Everton have signed the likes of Conor Coady to give them a better balance defensively, but big chances continue to be given away and it will take time for the organisation to really come together.

An early goal could really get this fixture going on Saturday and I do think the porous defences we have seen from the opening two weekends could be exposed. Everton's attack has question marks, but they created enough chances at Aston Villa to be confident and Nottingham Forest will be playing with real belief after their first win of the season too.

Backing at least three goals to be shared out looks to be the play.

Leicester City v Southampton Pick: Pressure has to be building on both Brendan Rodgers and Ralph Hasenhuttl as respective managers of Leicester City and Southampton.

Brendan Rodgers overachieved with Leicester City as they missed out on the Champions League places on the final day in back to back seasons, but last season the injury bug knocked them down to 8th place. Financial balancing of the books means Leicester City have not been as active in the transfer window as Rodgers would have wanted, while Wesley Fofana is unsettled and the likes of James Maddison and Jamie Vardy have been linked with moves away from the club.

That will make it even more difficult for Brendan Rodgers and Leicester City have not made the start to the season that they would have hoped.

Blowing the 2-0 lead over Brentford on the opening weekend would have hurt, but Leicester City have continued to show they can create chances and score goals. That will be encouraging as they prepare to face a Southampton team that have conceded at least two goals in 8 straight Premier League games.

Most of those have ended in defeat, unsurprisingly, and Ralph Hasenhuttl is feeling the pressure from the stands as well as reports that players are no longer convinced about the manager and his ability to get the best out of them. There is some character in the squad as shown in the 2-2 draw with Leeds United last weekend after Southampton recovered from 0-2 behind, but the defensive issues have yet to be resolved.

I expect Leicester City to take advantage of those with the obvious quality they have in the squad, but Brendan Rodgers will be hoping for better from his own defensive players. They have conceded six goals already this season, but Southampton have scored six goals in their last 8 away Premier League games and I think Leicester City can be backed to win a game that features at least two goals.

Bournemouth v Arsenal Pick: Go back a couple of weeks and there were not many people who would have expected big things from Bournemouth, especially not in light of the comments Scott Parker had been making about the lack of squad depth.

There won't have been many expecting Bournemouth to beat Aston Villa, but Scott Parker's men showed they are willing to fight for their manager. Those three points will give Bournemouth confidence, especially in their home games, but they were shown last Saturday that there is a big gap to bridge against the very best teams in the Division.

This is going to be a big test for Bournemouth, but Parker will be determined to see his players work as hard as possible to contain an opponent who will be feeling very good about themselves.

Arsenal have won both opening Premier League games and are one of just two teams to do that, while the summer signings have made strong impacts already. Gabriel Jesus in particular was in stunning form in the 4-2 win over Leicester City last Saturday and Arsenal will be travelling to the south coast looking to keep the momentum going before home games against Fulham and Aston Villa.

The away form was a little inconsistent last season and that proved to be costly for Arsenal in their bid to finish in the top four. An opening victory at Crystal Palace will be another boost, while Arsenal won away games at Burnley, Norwich City, Leeds United and Watford last season.

They scored at least three goals in 3 of those 4 away victories against some of the biggest strugglers in the Premier League and I do think Arsenal have the attacking players to secure a good win here.

Scoring first will be very important for both clubs- Arsenal have yet to come from behind in a match, but they will feel an opening goal will allow them to dictate the tempo of the match and wear down the newly promoted hosts.

I expect Bournemouth to play with some discipline and look to fill up spaces to try and contain Arsenal. It worked against Aston Villa, but Bournemouth have not really found the balance between attack and defence and I think Arsenal are plenty creative and can find the scoring chances to secure a strong win on their travels.

Leeds United v Chelsea Pick: The Romelu Lukaku experiment has to be seen as a failure at Stamford Bridge and the Belgian international has left to return to Inter Milan this summer.

Timo Werner is enough to depart for a former club where he had found his goal-scoring boots, but it does leave Chelsea with the same problem they have seemingly had for a couple of seasons.

Namely scoring enough goals.

It wasn't an issue in the 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, but there is still a feeling that a more composed number nine than Kai Havertz may have made the difference for them. Chelsea created some really good quality chances, but needed a centre back and a right wing back to score the goals and that is hard to expect every week.

A Penalty secured the win at Everton on the opening weekend in another game where Chelsea created some good openings, but could not find someone to take the chances created. It is a problem for Thomas Tuchel and may be the main reason Chelsea are not able to close the gap on the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool this season.

Creating chances should not be a problem against Leeds United who have allowed Wolves and Southampton to find good avenues towards their goal. Jesse Marsch will know that their relegation battle was largely down to the huge amount of goals Leeds United shipped last season and conceding to those first two opponents is a worry.

This weekend Leeds United will be facing a much stronger team than Wolves and Southampton, although the manager has to be happy with what he has seen from his team going forward. Losing Raphinha will have stung, but Leeds United have seen Rodrigo step up and this is a team that have been creating chances and will put opponents under pressure.

The win over Wolves will be a real boost for the players and the fans who had gotten used to seeing Leeds United being beaten in games at Elland Road towards the end of the last campaign. They actually lost 6 of their last 8 at Elland Road in the Premier League, but fighting back from a goal down to defeat Wolves will be confidence boosting.

However, this is a big step up and it was only in May that Chelsea left Elland Road with a deserved 0-3 win. On that day Mason Mount got things going early, but goalscorer Christian Pulisic and Lukaku will be unlikely to be involved (the former is being linked with a move away and Lukaku has moved back to Inter Milan as mentioned).

Chelsea did create decent openings in that win and managed to score three goals in the home win over Leeds United too. I do think they will have enough in the final third to break down a team giving up too many chances and the likes of Mount, Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz should have opportunities to get off the mark.

Leeds United will always be tough at home where the fans get right behind them, but they have lost plenty of games here over the calendar year and I think Chelsea will win a relatively high-scoring encounter.

Newcastle United v Manchester City Pick: Two unbeaten Premier League clubs that have links with the Middle East will meet on Sunday afternoon at St James' Park in the second live offering of the day.

It may take a little bit of time, but Newcastle United fans will be hoping their club follows the path set out by Manchester City who have used state-sponsored funds to move to the top of English Football.

At the moment it is a slow burner for Newcastle United who have to deal with different financial rules compared with those around when Chelsea and Manchester City were taken over. So instead of the vast sums of cash being splashed out this summer, Eddie Howe has been tasked with bringing quality to improve the squad and he looks to have done that.

Nick Pope, Kieran Tripper, Sven Botman and Bruno Guimaraes have been signed in the last couple of windows and definitely give Newcastle United a stronger look. The manager also should be given credit for extracting more out of the players he inherited when taking over from Steve Bruce and Newcastle United have responded to Eddie Howe which is most highlighted by the strong results earned since he moved into the manager's office.

Eddie Howe will know this is a tough test for his players though and it cannot be ignored that his Newcastle United team were beaten by all of the teams that finished in the top four in the second half of last season. Liverpool won here narrowly, while Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City thumped Newcastle United at home and this is a litmus test as to where the current group stands.

Being at home is a big help and there is no doubt the fans at St James' Park will come out and get behind their team.

However, they are facing a Manchester City team who look to be in mid-season form already having beaten West Ham United and Bournemouth without breaking much of a sweat. The numbers have been very strong at both ends of the pitch in those wins with Manchester City creating plenty of chances, but not giving too much away at all, and I think they will have the quality to wear down Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe's team have won 8 of their last 9 home Premier League games and should be respected, but Manchester City have been dominant at the top of the Division. They look a very big price to win this one with another clean sheet when you think of some of the issues Newcastle United had in creating chances at home last season (according to the underlying numbers), but I will move past that simply because of the threat posed by the home team from set pieces and the pacy counter-attack.

Containing Manchester City may be the approach, but this is a team that can beat you in multiple ways now they have Erling Haaland leading the line. I think Newcastle United have to try and play on the front foot at home, which could aid the Norwegian striker, while a more defensive approach could see the creative midfielders slowly wear down the defenders as they tend to do.

I very much doubt this game is won by four or five goal margins as Manchester City secured over Eddie Howe's Newcastle United last season, but I do think the visitors will prove to be too strong on the day.

The clean sheet may come, but even without it, Manchester City have shown enough in the attacking third to believe they can cover this Asian Handicap line that has been set.

MY PICKS: Tottenham Hotspur - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.95 Bet365 (2 Units)

Crystal Palace Draw No Bet @ 1.80 William Hill (2 Units)

Everton-Nottingham Forest Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.10 Bet365 (2 Units)

Leicester City & Over 1 Total Goal @ 2.15 Bet365 (2 Units)

Arsenal - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.99 Bet365 (2 Units)

Chelsea & Over 1 Total Goal @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Manchester City - 1.25 Asian Handicap @ 1.84 Bet Victor (2 Units)

August 2022: 7-10, - 7.86 Units (34 Units Staked, - 23.12% Yield)

Fantasy Football GameWeek 3

There have been complaints about the pricing of players in the official fantasy football game this season and that has allowed teams to be created with only players from the big six clubs.

Underachieving results from Liverpool and Manchester United have dented the totals of those that have gone in that direction, but the main template looks to be one that is paying off for most.

Joao Cancelo, Reece James, Gabriel Martinelli, Erling Haaland and Gabriel Jesus have all had big hauls already this season and they are forming the spine for most.

The key is to get the best out of the 'others', but my team has been let down by Marcus Rashford and Leon Bailey. People seem to be moving players much more quickly than normal so I lost a touch of value on Rashford on Saturday night in the aftermath of Manchester United's thumping at Brentford, but I decided to move him out prior to losing another 100,000 in team value.

Pascal Gross was the choice in a bracket that is lacking some options, while I had to also settle for value being dropped in Leon Bailey.

Going into Friday my main choice is either upgrading Bailey or Nico Williams and go for five at the back- Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur look like they can produce some clean sheets and I do think my focus is on improving Williams ahead of Nottingham Forest's games against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City.

However, Ivan Perisic's doubt about minutes makes it easier to target an Arsenal player, even if I missed the price rise on Oleksandr Zinchenko. Their fixture list looks kinder than the Spurs games coming up and I do think Arsenal have been playing well enough to put some strong results together before the visit to Manchester United early next month.

I can then have a think about what to do with Andrew Robertson by giving him two more games to try and impress from a fantasy standpoint, while Leon Bailey won't be lasting much longer. However, my decision on what to do with Bailey could depend on Robertson and whether he needs a major downgrade to rebuild the midfield options in the squad.

Last week was a pretty solid one with 70 points on the board, but I was fed up with the lack of impact Marcus Rashford and Leon Bailey have had.

I'm giving the two Liverpool defenders two games to see how they respond to the poor start of the season, while my decision to move Rashford out for Pascal Gross was largely down to wanting to avoid another hit to the transfer budget. I do like how Pascal Gross has started the season for Brighton and there looks to be some solid fixtures coming up between now and the September international break, the most likely time I will be using my Wild Card.

As I have mentioned, I might not need Leon Bailey to start this week if I strengthen the final defensive position in my squad.

The Captain choice comes down to one of three players- Erling Haaland, Gabriel Jesus or Mohamed Salah.

I hate placing the armband on someone who is playing Manchester United, but if they don't want to be a serious club, the head has to rule the heart. Liverpool have scored at least four goals in each of their last two Premier League visits to Old Trafford, while they also hit four against their old rivals at Anfield.

With Manchester United giving up plenty of chances, Mo Salah could have a very big game and he has scored eight goals in the last four games between United and Liverpool.

Gabriel Jesus is going to have his backers after a two goal, two assist performance last week against Leicester City. He can be inconsistent and I would only use him as Captain if I am planning to stick with him across the next three games, which all look strong for Arsenal on paper.

Finally Erling Haaland who only touched the ball eight times last week, but who had an assist with one of those. I think he may actually be more effective away from home when Manchester City are likely to have more spaces to exploit, although Haaland would have scored last week if Phil Foden was less selfish when shooting instead of giving the Norwegian an easy tap-in.

He is a solid choice if Newcastle United defend as they did at Brighton last weekend. However, Eddie Howe's team have been stronger at St James' Park and it does feel like Mohamed Salah is the best selection, even if the heart is doing its best to overrule the head.

Premier League Picks and Fantasy Football GameWeek 2 (August 13-15)

That truly was a disappointing Sunday at Old Trafford.

Losing is one thing, but seeing nine of the eleven starters from last season underlined the terrible transfer window that Manchester United have sleepwalked through and I do think Erik ten Hag may be regretting ever taking over and not listening to Louis Van Gaal who was prepared to warn him about the state of the club.

I will have more on Manchester United ahead of GameWeek 3 and the big fixture against the old rivals from down the M62.

Premier League Picks GameWeek 2

Aston Villa v Everton Pick: Two former England international midfield team-mates will be managing against one another for the first time when Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa host Frank Lampard's Everton.

While both have been given early chances with big name English clubs, there is a pressure building on both.

Steven Gerrard has spent quite a lot of money as manager of Aston Villa, but his win-loss-draw record is pretty poor and the 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth last weekend has to be concerning. Losing is one thing, but Aston Villa looked really poor on the day and it is imperative they bounce back and earn a victory this weekend.

Tougher games are going to be coming up for Aston Villa and so another setback could really see things begin to spiral. The fallout of removing Tyrone Mings as Captain and then leaving the English World Cup hopeful on the bench will be felt by Gerrard if his team keep failing to produce consistent winning efforts, while Aston Villa's poor home record last season will also add to the pressure.

Frank Lampard is not going to have it any easier- he is in charge of an Everton team that barely avoided relegation and who look to have serious questions to answer in the final third. Bringing in Conor Coady and Amadou Onana look like shrewd bits of business, but the injury prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin means Everton are short in the final third and may have to go with a 'false nine' system again.

It didn't really work against Chelsea and Lampard will be feeling the pressure if Everton make a poor start to the season.

The television cameras will arrive at Villa Park looking for some drama and I do think this has the makings of a tense clash.

However, I have to still believe that Aston Villa will be improved this season with the signings they have made and I expect a much better performance all around than the one produced in the defeat at Bournemouth. The home team have attacking talent that should be able to cause problems for injury-hit Everton and I do think Aston Villa were secure enough defensively to be able to contain their visitors.

Most believed Chelsea were not quite at their best last week, but they still managed to create plenty of chances against Everton and that has to be a concern. Conor Coady will give the team a solid partner for James Tarkowski at the heart of the defence, but there are still some problems in the squad and Aston Villa may have just enough to secure the three points behind their own attacking threats.

Aston Villa do look slightly short in the market, but I think that is much more down to the problems Everton are having and I do expect The Villains to be able to expose some of the softness associated with this current group of players in the Everton squad.

Arsenal v Leicester City Pick: A couple of seasons ago you would have likely seen many predict that Leicester City would finish above Arsenal at the beginning of a campaign, but those times have changed.

A strong summer of recruitment to back up their 5th place finish in the Premier League was followed by a good 0-2 win at Crystal Palace last week and that will have given Arsenal fans plenty of positive vibes to take into the first home game of the campaign. Mikel Arteta is getting a tune out of his young players and the fixture list is one that could see Arsenal build momentum into the campaign.

With their two main London rivals facing one another this weekend, Arsenal can get an early leg up on either Chelsea or Tottenham Hotspur. And after winning 13 home Premier League games last season, Arsenal will certainly feel they have the quality and the attacking output to hurt a Leicester City squad that has missed being able to add fresh faces.

Brendan Rodgers implied they needed to do that at the end of a disappointing season, but it sounds like Leicester City are balancing the books and even keeping the current players will be a challenge. Both Wesley Fofana and James Maddison have been linked with big money moves away from the King Power Stadium and these rumours will hurt all the more after the 2-2 draw with Brentford last Sunday.

Leicester City were 2-0 up that day, but conceded twice in the second half and the defensive vulnerabilities remain. They conceded the most goals in the top half last season and only six teams conceded more than Leicester City in the entire Premier League, which adds to the concerns of blowing the lead in the manner they did in their opening fixture.

Poor away performances hurt Leicester City throughout the 2021/22 campaign and Arsenal have really gotten the better of them in their most recent League fixtures.

You don't want to make sweeping statements from one League fixture played, but I do think Arsenal are the stronger of the two teams going into this season. While the transfer window is open, Leicester City fans may remain a little worried about the potential make up of the squad, but this would be a tough game anyway considering how well Arsenal have played at home over the last twelve months.

Arsenal have scored at least twice in 6 of their last 8 Premier League games overall, while they managed to reach that total in 12 of 19 home League fixtures last season. Facing this vulnerable Leicester City defence should only help and I think the home team likely win in a fixture that should feature at least two goals.

Brighton v Newcastle United Pick: When the England international job is next available, you have to figure the likes of Graham Potter and Eddie Howe will be high on the shortlist put together by the Football Association.

Two English managers continue to produce teams that play very eye-pleasing football, but both Potter and Howe have also produced the results needed to put Brighton and Newcastle United in strong positions.

Graham Potter has been doing a fantastic job with Brighton for some time and you would hope that some of the 'boos' heard after a few of the home games last season will all but disappear. The manager wasn't happy about those, but the fans were well and truly behind Potter in the 1-2 win over Manchester United to open the season and the first home game of the season should produce a very positive atmosphere for Brighton.

They have not won three home Premier League games in a row since November 2019, but Brighton will feel it is entirely possible to do that here. However, they will have plenty of respect for a much improved Newcastle United team who were very comfortable winners last weekend when hosting Nottingham Forest.

Eddie Howe has really turned things around for this group of players by improving those who had been here under the previous manager, but also adding the right talent and character to the first eleven. Since he arrived, Newcastle United have produced top six form in the Premier League and they have won 5 of their last 10 away League games.

It makes them dangerous and deserving of plenty of respect and I do think Newcastle United will cause problems for Brighton. While the win at Old Trafford has to be given every credit in the world, you cannot ignore the fact that Manchester United did create some strong openings and Newcastle United have a player in Callum Wilson who can punish the home team.

Losing a couple of key performers from the defensive side of their football last season will hurt Brighton and Newcastle United have only failed to score in 3 of their last 11 away Premier League games. Two of those failures were at Stamford Bridge and the Etihad Stadium so Newcastle United will feel they can do enough to breach the Brighton defences, although 3 away clean sheets all season will offer the home team plenty of encouragement when getting forward too.

When these teams met at St James' Park in March, it was a really entertaining, attacking game of football and I do think this one can follow suit. The expected heat-wave about to hit Falmer this weekend is a concern when it comes to the attacking side of the game as energy is potentially sapped a little quicker than normal, but I do think the managers both approach their football with the same forward thinking ideas.

An early goal could spark the fixture and see at least three goals produced for the fourth time in five Premier League games between Brighton and Newcastle United.

Manchester City v Bournemouth Pick: For those that like to make predictions as to how the Premier League may shape up next May, most would likely have Manchester City inside the top two places and most would have placed Bournemouth inside the relegation zone.

Scott Parker's men will hope the 2-0 win over Aston Villa to open the season will have had some pundits revising those predictions, but this is a much tougher game than the first one. For starters it is being played away from home and the defending Champions looked every bit the title favourites in comfortably winning 0-2 at West Ham United last Sunday.

Erling Haaland is off the mark and Manchester City are a team that could make Bournemouth work very hard in extremely hot conditions expected on Saturday. Keeping the ball and forcing Bournemouth to chase will be the approach used by Manchester City, although an early goal will be the key to making things comfortable.

Otherwise you can imagine Scott Parker will ask his players to sit very deep and just look to close the door on the Manchester City attack. His Fulham team were beaten 2-0 here a couple of seasons ago, while Bournemouth have not rolled over on their last two visits to the Etihad Stadium, which may encourage the very defensive approach.

You cannot really blame Parker for that either, although I do think Bournemouth are short of numbers and could be exposed by a team with the quality of Manchester City. Last weekend they created plenty of chances against a deep-sitting West Ham United who have a higher quality of player compared with Bournemouth and I do think it will be very difficult to contain Manchester City following that victory.

This is a very wide handicap mark for Manchester City to cover- at their best they are more than capable of doing that, but it is also hard to ignore that only 15 of their last 38 home Premier League games have ended in wins by three or more goal margins. Last season they managed that in 9 of 19 home League games, although 4 of those wide victories came against the teams that finished in the bottom five places in the Premier League.

Manchester City scored 22 home goals in those games against the bottom five last season and they only conceded once. A narrow loss would likely be seen as a win for Bournemouth fans, but I think it will be very difficult for Scott Parker's players in the heat and eventually the pressure may tell for the home team.

Wolves v Fulham Pick: A disappointing result would have been an understatement as to how Wolves were feeling after the 2-1 loss at Leeds United, especially as they had led that game very early on. Some of the defending was not really good enough, while Wolves continue to lack the bite in the final third that is going to be crucial for their chances of avoiding the drop.

I have not really seen Wolves mentioned too many times as a potential relegation candidate, but you cannot ignore the miserable final three months of the 2021/22 season. Norwich City, Watford and Southampton were the only clubs with a worse record in that time and the lack of goals has to be a real worry for the Wolves fans.

Goncalo Guedes has been signed to help out and could make his debut, but Wolves will be hoping Raul Jimenez can return as soon as possible. The side created chances at Elland Road, which will be encouraging, and Wolves are going to feel they can do the same against a Fulham team who are likely going to bring in at least one new face in their defensive backline.

However, Marco Silva is also likely going to be encouraged by what he saw from his Fulham team in their 2-2 draw with Liverpool last Saturday. Seeing Aleksander Mitrovic score twice will be a huge boost after the Serbian international's previous struggles in the top flight compared with his prolific form in the Championship.

I expect there will be plenty more service coming Mitrovic's way and Wolves will have to defend better than they did last week. On the other hand, I do think Wolves will feel they can get on the front foot and cause plenty of problems of their own and the feeling is that this is the kind of fixture that Bruno Lage and his players would have targeted for the full three points.

That does mean dealing with the additional pressure, but Wolves have a strong recent record against Fulham and can edge to the three points in this one.

Brentford v Manchester United Pick: There have been plenty of promises made by the new Manchester United board, but the proof is in the pudding and the failures of this summer's transfer window have once again reminded the fans how far the club have fallen.

Once again there are calls for the owners to sell up and allow someone with the love for the club to turn things back around. Protests have been organised before the defeat against Brighton, but the defeat followed by links with some seriously sub-par players in the aftermath have only increased the irritation within the fanbase.

Nine of the eleven starters last Sunday were a part of the squad that saw Manchester United end the season in miserable form. 5 losses in their last 7 Premier League games is a major concern for Manchester United, but they have embarrassingly been beaten in 6 away Premier League games in a row.

Losing is one thing, but Manchester United have conceded goals for fun in those games. Last Sunday the defending did not offer any encouragement that the new manager and coaching team have been able to have an impact like they would have wanted and this is a very difficult test for Manchester United in what are expected to be very hot conditions.

Brentford will miss Christian Eriksen, who could line up against them on Saturday, but they showed they can build on last season in their 2-2 draw at Leicester City last Sunday. The Bees came from 2-0 down that day, while they have won 3 of their last 5 Premier League games here and will be confident they can hurt their more illustrious visitors.

Last season Thomas Frank felt his Brentford team 'destroyed' Manchester United in the game played in West London, but the visiting team showed the composure to secure the 1-3 win. Confidence looks to be shot at Manchester United right now and Brentford may feel they can take advantage of that, although I do think the away team will create chances too considering some of the defensive injuries in the Brentford squad.

Manchester United look plenty short for a team that has lost 6 away Premier League games in a row.

Instead it may be best to back at least three goals being shared out by the two teams on Saturday in the second live televised offering from the Premier League. Last season both League games between the teams ended with at least three goals shared out, while both Brentford and Manchester United were involved in high-scoring games on the opening weekend.

I cannot ignore the fact that Manchester United have scored a single goal in their last 5 away Premier League games, but this feels like a game in which the attacking players can get on top. Brentford's style could lead to an open fixture with chances created at both ends and I do think we will see a relatively high-scoring game even in the heatwave that will be hitting London very hard on Saturday afternoon.

Nottingham Forest v West Ham United Pick: It would be a big mistake to judge a team on a single performance, but I have no doubt that Steve Cooper knows how much work it will take to keep Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. They have followed the Fulham route of two seasons ago by adding a lot of new faces to the dressing room, but that could mean it takes a bit of time for those players to buy into the culture and style that Cooper has put together.

Losing at Newcastle United will have stung, but the manner of the performance was most worrying for Nottingham Forest fans. They were well beaten on the day and the margin could have been much greater if Newcastle United had produced better finishing, but that fixture was played away from home.

The City Ground can be a tough venue for opponents to be able to express themselves and I do think the fans will be right behind their team in the hot weather expected on Sunday. Turning up the heat on The Hammers could see the visitors melt, and I do think Nottingham Forest's record here in the second half of the last season is encouraging.

Liverpool won here in the FA Cup last season, but Nottingham Forest had previously beaten both Arsenal and Leicester City and those results have to be respected.

The Tricky Trees are also facing a West Ham United team who had been well beaten on the opening weekend and one that has lost 6 of their last 8 away Premier League games. Most of those have been against top ten opponents though and I do think West Ham United's record against the bottom five away from home is more encouraging for David Moyes and his men as they look to get their Premier League campaign up and running.

West Ham United won't be the only team to be well beaten by Manchester City this season, but this is a squad with plenty of quality. The last two seasons have seen West Ham United improve under their current manager and I do think they have enough to secure a win here.

Playing at a newly promoted club in their home opener is always a big challenge to negotiate, and I do think West Ham United will have to weather some of the early storm. I cannot expect Nottingham Forest to be nearly as poor as they were last weekend, but this is a West Ham United team whose entire seven away League wins last season came against clubs that finished in the bottom half.

The Hammers drew 2 and lost at Brentford in the exceptions, but it shows that West Ham United are able to exert their quality at clubs they are expected to beat. This should be the mindset on Sunday in the first live game of the afternoon and I think West Ham United will edge to the three points.

Chelsea v Tottenham Hotspur Pick: When these two teams met in January, the third straight win for Chelsea over Tottenham Hotspur in the space of eighteen days saw a frustrated Antonio Conte suggest there was a huge gap between the quality of the two squads.

The former Chelsea manager made it clear to his Tottenham Hotspur board that they needed better numbers and Antonio Conte cannot complain with how he has been backed. The winter deadline day signing of Dejan Kulusevski has been a huge boost for Tottenham Hotspur and more solid recruitment this summer means this is a team that is ready to compete on a much leveller playing field.

Chelsea have also spent plenty in the summer transfer window and yet more signings could be made before the close on September 1st.

Without a doubt there will be a real difference in the starting elevens compared with their last fixture in mid-January and I do think this is a big game for both Chelsea and Spurs. We should know a lot more about their capabilities for the next ten months at the end of this game, although Chelsea may be bolstering the squad further.

Both teams won on the opening weekend against opponents they would have expected to beat, but this is a much tougher test.

Those 4 wins for Chelsea last season will give them a mental edge and they have won 4 of their last 5 at Stamford Bridge against Tottenham Hotspur. However, I do think Tottenham Hotspur are much improved in the last eight months and Antonio Conte's men have earned a win at Manchester City and a draw at Liverpool since their last fixture at Stamford Bridge.

Antonio Conte's approach has seen Tottenham Hotspur get on the front foot and create chances and you cannot ignore the amount of goals they have scored against fellow 'Big Six' rivals since the close of the January transfer window. Tottenham Hotspur have scored nine goals in 4 games against those rivals since February and I do think they will pose problems for Chelsea in this one.

However, it cannot be ignored that Tottenham Hotspur have only kept a single clean sheet in those 4 games too and I do think Chelsea showed enough in the final third last weekend to be a threat in this one. The fans will expect better from the likes of Mason Mount after a quiet opening weekend performance, but this is a Chelsea team with plenty of talent in the forward positions and will be expecting to score at least once in this game.

I did consider backing Tottenham Hotspur with a start on the handicap, but their poor record here is a little concerning. I do think Antonio Conte has already had a massive impact on the players at the club and Spurs have been one of the better performing teams of the last five months of the previous campaign and so I expect them to challenge Chelsea much more than they did last season.

Both teams should be able to hit the back of the net, while the attacking approach of the two teams may lead to this fixture producing at least three goals, even in the expected very hot conditions in West London on Sunday afternoon.

Liverpool v Crystal Palace Pick: The last Premier League game of the weekend will be played on Monday night and the conditions are expected to be much more favourable compared with the Saturday and Sunday heatwave across much of England.

Thundery outbursts in Liverpool could mean a wet playing field, but there will be no excuses for Jurgen Klopp who complained that the surface at Craven Cottage was 'too dry' last week.

Perhaps it will be too wet this time, but Liverpool fans will know the team need to bounce back and end this one with the three points in the bag. It does feel two points were dropped in the 2-2 draw with Fulham, but the second half display was much stronger than the first and so Liverpool may feel they have some momentum to take into this opening League fixture at Anfield.

The opponent could be a good one for Liverpool who have won 10 Premier League games in a row against Crystal Palace, including the last 5 at home. Liverpool have managed to keep Crystal Palace at arm's length in those home wins having produced 4 clean sheets and they will feel they can largely do the same in this one.

The side are one of the better defensive teams in the Premier League and Liverpool will be disappointed with the way both goals were conceded last week. I do think they will be much better in this one, while Liverpool were the only Premier League team who conceded fewer than 10 goals at home through the entirety of last season.

There was enough to see from Crystal Palace in their 0-2 defeat to Arsenal to think they will pose a threat in this one. However, the finishing is going to have to be a lot more decisive if they are going to break down Liverpool and Crystal Palace did fail to score in 7 of their 19 away League games.

Crystal Palace failed to get on the scoreboard against 4 of the top six last season and I do think they will struggle to do so on Monday evening. I am not that concerned about how the season will go for Palace under Patrick Vieira and these are the games in which any points earned will be considered a bonus.

Ultimately I think Crystal Palace will be on the back foot more often than not in this fixture and Liverpool are likely to beat them with a clean sheet for the fourth season in a row at home.

MY PICKS: Aston Villa @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

Arsenal & Over 1 Total Goal @ 1.83 Bet365 (2 Units)

Brighton-Newcastle United Over 2.5 Goals @ 2.20 Paddy Power (2 Units)

Manchester City - 2.5 Asian Handicap @ 1.66 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Wolves - 0.25 Asian Handicap @ 2.03 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Brentford-Manchester United Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.80 Bet365 (2 Units)

West Ham United @ 1.91 Bet Fred (2 Units)

Chelsea-Tottenham Hotspur Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.92 Bet Victor (2 Units)

Liverpool Win to Nil @ 1.85 Bet Victor (2 Units)

August 2022: 2-6, - 8.88 Units (16 Units Staked, - 55.50% Yield)

Fantasy Football GameWeek 2

The first GameWeek of the official fantasy game is in the books and I think it was a pretty good weekend for most players.

With some of the big hitters coming through with good returns, the only people who may have suffered were those that decided to pick Harry Kane ahead of Erling Haaland.

Surprising results are par for the course early in the season so my decision to double up on the Liverpool defence turned out to be a bad one, although Luis Diaz failed to sparkle and so ultimately it was not one to regret.

This was my team after GameWeek 1 was concluded:

A return of 68 points was slightly above average, but I did feel it was a squad that wouldn't need too many changes in GW2 and ultimately that was the reason I had selected Haaland ahead of Kane.

I did leave some points on the bench with Robert Sanchez outscoring Danny Ward, while Andreas over either Liverpool defender would have also produced one extra point, but I am happy with the choices made.

Marcus Rashford missed a couple of big opportunities to put up some points as a player that was not selected by so many, while I am not surprised to see some jump off the Gabriel Jesus bandwagon after a relatively quiet GW1.

I am not planning any transfers in GW2 and have likely decided to go with Erling Haaland over Mohamed Salah as the Captain this week.

My goalkeeper will be switched around with Sanchez facing Newcastle United at home and Ward travelling to Arsenal, while I will likely have Andreas as first sub after a promising debut for Fulham against Liverpool.

Holding a transfer feels important with the likes of Leon Bailey, Marcus Rashford having something to prove, while injuries cannot be accounted for and having an extra transfer in GW3 means having a bit more data to look into.

Unlike last week, the majority of my players will be playing at home in GW2 so I am looking for the team to top the 68 points produced last week.

It will be a fuller post in GW3 with transfer decisions on the mind, but good luck to all in GW2.

Boxing Picks 2022- Vergil Ortiz Jr vs Michael McKinson (August 6th)

Boxing does not have a traditional off-season as you would see in other sports, but there is no doubting that July tends to be the quieter month of the year.

It is usually the time when the top fighters will have all been out once already and will likely be preparing for either a late summer bout, or one later in the year, and that tends to leave July for mainly tick-along fights.

In saying that we have had some very good fights over the last month- we have a new World Cruiserweight Champion in Jai Opetaia from Australia who deservedly beat Mairis Breidis. Chris Billam-Smith and Joe Joyce both had big wins in the Cruiserweight and Heavyweight Divisions respectively, while Ryan Garcia and Danny Garcia both made triumphant returns.

July has tended to be a good month for me to take stock of the Boxing Picks too and it has been a decent year in terms of the overall numbers, although I am still not satisfied with the win-loss record even if a positive return has been produced.

The last Boxing Picks were made at the end of June and so the five week break has come at a good time, allowing me to refresh and get ready for what looks to be a huge second half of the season.

You may not know it, but Anthony Joshua is back in just a couple of weeks- I have been completely caught off-guard with the lack of fanfare on the UK channels and media about the rematch for three of the four Heavyweight World Titles against Oleksandr Usyk. At first I thought it was down to Joshua signing a deal with DAZN, but Sky Sports have the rights to broadcast the rematch from Saudi Arabia and I have yet to really see anything pushing the fact the bout is coming up at the speed of knots.

Some big fights have been rumoured and some have been signed for September and moving forward and I do think the fans will have plenty to enjoy. It would have been nice to return and say I can't wait for Errol Spence Jr vs Terence Crawford, but that super-fight has hit a few obstacles as expected and we are still not sure what is going to be happening in one of the top Divisions in Boxing.

Rumours about a potential Conor Benn vs Chris Eubank Jr bout will certainly attract plenty of casual fans back to the sport, which can only be a good thing for the fighters, while there has yet to be an announcement on Anthony Yarde's challenge against the fiercesome Artur Beterbiev which was long expected to take place in the United Kingdom in October.

These are the frustrating moments for fans, but we can only hope any issues are straightened out and the expected strong end to 2022 takes place.

Vergil Ortiz Jr vs Michael McKinson

I spoke about some big names returning to the ring over the past month above, but this weekend we have another fighter who has been absent for almost an entire year.

Vergil Ortiz Jr and Michael McKinson were supposed to fight back in March, but a serious health issue was discovered for the former which has meant a considerable time out of the ring. The expectations remain the same on his return, but Ortiz Jr will be foolish for overlooking The Problem who is unbeaten and a quality southpaw.

Michael McKinson may not have ever received the same fanfare as some of his domestic rivals, but he has long believed in himself and he has worked his into this fight the hard way. A win over Chris Kongo gave McKinson a platform to push forward and he has taken advantage with a couple more wins to get himself a pretty high Ranking with the WBO and WBA.

Beating someone like Vergil Ortiz Jr would certainly push Michael McKinson to be next in line for a number of the belts which are currently tied up between Errol Spence Jr and Terence Crawford. Rumours remain that neither of those two fighters are long for the 147 Division and so an upset on Saturday would certainly give Michael McKinson at least a shot for a vacant belt over the next several months.

Winning won't be easy and the big question is how effectively Michael McKinson can ride the obvious power that Vergil Ortiz Jr will bring to the ring. The British fighter is someone who will move and offer angles that are unfamiliar to opponents and his key will be getting Ortiz Jr to reset before he can really unload, but it is a tough game plan to execute against someone with a reputation like the American has.

It would be a real surprise if Michael McKinson decides to stand in front of Vergil Ortiz Jr for any length of time- he has only won two of his twenty-two fights inside the distance and the key for the underdog will be to move and outbox someone who will want to come in and rain down punches.

I certainly think McKinson will have some successes doing that, but Vergil Ortiz Jr is very big for the Division and it is very difficult to keep him off of you for an entire 36 minutes. There is no doubt in my mind that Michael McKinson will be trying to win this fight and I think he will give Vergil Ortiz Jr plenty to think about with a style that is not easily replicated.

It really would not be a big surprise if there is a touch of controversy about the finish as Ortiz Jr looks to keep his knock out record going, but I do think he will find a way to touch up Michael McKinson late. Vergil Ortiz Jr has not been beyond Eight Rounds, but has shown he carries his power and I think he will wear down the unbeaten Brit and find a way to stop him in the Championship Rounds, perhaps with some help from an overzealous referee.

MY PICKS: Vergil Ortiz Jr to Win Between 7-12 @ 2.62 Sky Bet (2 Units)

Boxing Update 2022: 26-42, + 15.23 Units (121 Units Staked, + 12.59% Yield)