| NAME | THIS WEEK | POINTS | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (1) |  |  |  | Dr_AFHMK |
5
 | 1380 | |||||
| 2 (4) | | | | Midotamimi |
4
| 1210 | |||||
| 3 (5) | |  |  | JediKnut |
3
| 1185 | |||||
| 4 (6) | |  | | lukaszbee |
1
| 1180 | |||||
| 5 (3) | |  |  | Brisbane City FC |
5
| 1155 | |||||
Saturday December 16
Leicester City v Crystal Palace
12.30pm GMT, King Power Stadium, Leicester
Leicester won 4-1 at Southampton on Wednesday night and they're climbing towards the top seven slowly but surely. They have won three of their last four home games with only City taking points off them in those games and they kept clean sheets in two of those games too. They have won their last four games and scored 10 goals in the process to move within five points of the top six.
Riyad Mahrez is in very good form for fantasy managers at the moment with Harry Maguire doing quite well too.
Palace came from behind with two very late goals to win 2-1 at home to Watford on Tuesday and they're only in the bottom three on goal difference now. They are one of only two teams without an away win and the only team without an away goal, but they have drawn their last two away games. They're unbeaten in six games and slowly but surely climbing away from the wrong end of the table.
I can't see any Palace players doing much for fantasy managers and even more so when they're away from home.
I think Leicester's good run will continue in this game with a win by a couple of goals.
Prediction: 2-0
Arsenal v Newcastle United
3pm GMT, Emirates Stadium, London
Arsenal could only draw 0-0 at West Ham in midweek and they have now dropped back to seventh place. They have won seven of their eight home games with only the top two scoring more home goals. They haven't won in their last three games, but they're still only one point off fourth place.
If Aaron Ramsey is still injured then the best fantasy options could be the Arsenal defenders in this game.
Newcastle lost 1-0 at home to Everton on Wednesday and they're now only a point above the bottom three. They have only won once in eight away games and have lost their last three on the road. They have only taken one point in their last eight games and they're sliding quickly towards the wrong end of the table.
I can't see any Newcastle players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
Prediction: 3-0
Brighton And Hove Albion v Burnley
3pm GMT, AMEX Stadium, Brighton
Brighton lost 2-0 at Spurs on Wednesday night and they're now only three points above the relegation zone. They haven't won in their last five home games and only four teams have scored less goals at home. They have only taken two points in their last six games and they failed to score in four of those games with only four teams scoring less goals so far.
Pascal Gross has done very well for fantasy managers, but his return has dropped off in recent weeks.
Burnley got a last minute winner at home to Stoke on Tuesday night to move up above Arsenal into the top six. They have won two of their last three away games and only five teams have conceded less goals on their travels. They have won six of their last eight games and they kept clean sheets in five of those games with only the top two conceding less goals.
Burnley's defenders and goalkeeper are doing very well for fantasy managers and each team should have at least one of them.
I think this will be a low scoring game and the chances are Burnley will narrowly take the three points.
Prediction: 0-1
Chelsea v Southampton
3pm GMT, Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea won 3-1 at Huddersfield on Tuesday, but they're still three points behind second placed United. They have already dropped more points at home than they did in all of last season, but they have won their last four games at home. They have taken 22 points from their last nine games with clean sheets in four of them.
If Alvaro Morata isn't fit to play then Eden Hazard is the best fantasy option in the Chelsea team followed by their defenders and goalkeeper.
Southampton were soundly beaten at home to Leicester on Wednesday and they're now only four points above the bottom three. They have only taken two points in their last five away games and only four other teams have scored less goals on the road. They have only won once in their last eight games and they didn't keep a clean sheet in any of those games.
Charlie Austin has done well in recent weeks for fantasy managers, but Southampton tend to rotate their strikers.
I think Chelsea should be too strong for Southampton and should win by at least two goals.
Prediction: 3-1
Stoke City v West Ham United
3pm GMT, bet365 Stadium, Stoke
Stoke lost 1-0 to a last minute goal at Burnley on Tuesday night and they're now only two points above the bottom three. They have won as many games as they have lost at home, but only Watford have conceded more goals on their own patch. They have only won once in their last seven games and no other team has conceded more goals.
Xherdan Shaqiri is the only Stoke player fantasy managers should consider at the moment.
West Ham got a very good 0-0 draw at home to Arsenal on Wednesday night to add to their victory against West Ham on Saturday. They are one of two teams without an away win and no other team has conceded more goals away from home. They have only won once in their last 10 games, but they have kept clean sheets in their last two even if Stoke are the only team to have conceded more goals.
Despite those clean sheets in their last two games I still can't see any West Ham players who might make a difference for fantasy managers.
This is a big game for two teams at the wrong end of the table and the chances are it will end in a draw.
Prediction: 1-1
Watford v Huddersfield Town
3pm GMT, Vicarage Road, Watford
Watford looked like they were going to take all three points at Palace on Wednesday night, but two late goals saw them leave empty handed. They have only won two of their eight home games with only theee teams taking less points at home and no other team conceding more goals at home. They have only taken one point in their last four games and only two teams have conceded more goals.
Richarlison is still the outstanding choice in the Watford team for fantasy managers, but he is doubtful for this game.
Huddersfield lost 3-1 at home to Chelsea on Tuesday night, but they're still four points above the drop zone. They have lost six of their eight away games and have conceded 16 goals in their last five away games while not scoring in their last seven on the road. They have lost five of their last six games with only Swansea scoring less goals and only two other teams conceding more.
I don't think there are any Huddersfield players for fantasy managers to consider at the moment.
Despite Watford's problems at home I think they will get the better of a Huddersfield team who's away form is so poor.
Prediction: 3-1
Manchester City v Tottenham Hotspur
5.30pm GMT, Etihad Stadium, Manchester
City won 4-0 at Swansea on Wednesday night to maintain their 11 point lead at the top of the table and keep their unbeaten run in the league going. Only United have taken more points at home and they're one of only two teams unbeaten at home with no other team scoring more goals at home. They have set a Premier League record by winning their last 15 games and they're the top scorers as well as no other team conceding less goals than them.
There are so many City players for fantasy managers to choose from, but I think David Silva, Kevin de Bruyne and Nicolas Otamendi are the best of them at the moment.
Spurs won 2-0 at home to Brighton on Wednesday night to move back into the top four on goal difference. They have only taken one point in their last four away games and have only scored two goals in those games, but only City and Chelsea have conceded less away goals. They have won their last two games after failing to win the previous four and only three teams conceded less goals.
Harry Kane is the best fantasy option in the Spurs team, but Heung-Min Son is in great form at the moment too.
City look unstoppable at the moment and I can't see Spurs putting an end to their run of victories.
Prediction: 2-1
Sunday December 17
West Bromwich Albion
v Manchester United
2.15pm GMT, The Hawthorns, Birmingham
West Brom got a very good goalless draw at Liverpool on Wednesday night, but they're now only outside the relegation zone on goal difference. Only Swansea have taken less points at home and they haven't won in their last seven games on their own ground. They haven't won in 15 games and have failed to score in their last three with only Swansea scoring less goals.
I can't see any West Brom players to recommend to fantasy managers at the moment.
United were far from their best at home to Bournemouth on Wednesday night, but they managed to get a 1-0 victory and stay 11 points behind City in second place. Only City and Chelsea have taken more away points and conceded less away goals than United, but they haven't kept a clean sheet in their last four on the road. Only City have won more games and scored more goals while no other team has conceded less and they have won five of their last six games.
With Phil Jones back in the team United's defenders are looking good for fantasy managers again while David de Gea is impossible to ignore.
I think West Brom's home woes will continue in this game with United winning by a couple of goals.
Prediction: 0-2
Bournemouth v Liverpool
4.30pm GMT, Dean Court, Bournemouth
Bournemouth put up a good show on Wednesday night, but ended up losing 1-0 at United. They have only won two of their eight home games and only four other teams have scored less goals at home. They haven't won in five games and they're only two points above the bottom three.
Andrew Surman had done very well for fantasy managers recently, but he didn't play at United on Wednesday night.
Liverpool could only draw 0-0 at home to West Brom on Wednesday for their second home draw in a week. Only City and Chelsea have taken more away points than Liverpool with only City scoring more away goals, but only three other teams conceding more away goals. They're unbeaten in eight games and they kept clean sheets in four of those games with only the top two scoring more goals.
Mohamed Salah is the outstanding fantasy choice in the Liverpool team with Phillippe Coutinho and Sadio Mane worth considering too.
I think Liverpool will get the better of this game and continue their recent good form away from home.
Prediction: 1-3
Monday December 18
Everton v Swansea City
8pm GMT, Goodison Park, Liverpool
Everton won 1-0 away to Newcastle on Wednesday and they're now comfortably in the top half of the table. They have won their last three home games and scored nine goals in the process. They have taken 10 points from their last four games and kept clean sheets in three of them, but only two teams have conceded more goals.
Wayne Rooney has flourished in recent weeks while Dominic Calvert-Lewin is a good reasonably priced striker for fantasy managers.
Swansea lost 4-0 at home to City in midweek and they're rooted to the foot of the table. They have lost their last five away games with only two teams scoring less away goals and only two teams conceding less away goals. They have only taken four points from their last nine games and they failed to score in five of their last seven with no other team scoring less goals.
Lukasz Fabianski and the Swansea defenders are still pretty good fantasy options despite their lowly position in the league.
I think Everton's revival will continue with three points in this game.
Prediction: 2-0
That's it for this week.
See you next week.
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