Premier League Fixtures & Match Predictions & FPL Top Picks
Wow - what a start to the fantasy season! 4,380,020 players… 31 Goals… 2 Red Cards! What more could we ask for? Here is a look ahead to game week two's fixtures, as well as some quick fire top pick selections you should consider for this weeks FPL team.Swansea vs Man Utd
Swansea host Man Utd, fresh from the disappointing news that Gylfi Sigurdsson has left the club to join Everton. With just 4 shots on goal against Southampton, it's hard to see where goals will come from for Swansea and having now lost their key play-maker, the situation looks even more depressing. Man Utd are brimming with confidence, having not been defeated in their last 28 games and who would bet against them securing another victory against Swansea? I expect a convincing win and a clean sheet for the reds.Match Prediction:
Swansea 0 - Man Utd 4
Best Chance of Points:
Lukaku � Man Utd Pogba � Man Utd Mkhitaryan � Man Utd Blind � Man Utd
Bournemouth vs Watford
Watford secured an excellent point in the 3-3 draw with Liverpool in GW1. Okaka was one of the stand out performers and at times looked unplayable, the powerful front man scored one of Watford's three goals. He was subbed to make way for club record signing Gray who took his place in the 62nd minute but delivered nothing. The question mark is over who gets the nod for the game on Saturday. Defoe is pushing for a start on Saturday for Bournemouth and the Cherries will be looking to get their season started after a disappointing 1-0 defeat to West Brom. Bournemouth are at home so expect them to command the majority of possession. Watford have it in them to score, especially if Okaka plays. Going with a low scoring draw on this one.Match Prediction:
Bournemouth 1 - Watford 1
Best Chance of Points:
Defoe � Bournemouth Okaka - Watford
Burnley vs. West Brom
Burnley were awesome away to title holders Chelsea and took a deserved 3-points from the Bridge. Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas' sending's off no doubt had a bearing on the game but credit to Burnley they took full advantage. Their interplay and passing looked slick as Vokes tucked away an impressive brace. West Brom managed a clean sheet at home to Bournemouth, securing a 1-0 win. With the £4.5m valued defender Hegazi, scoring the only goal of the game. The inevitable knee jerk reaction that followed saw 212,668 managers bringing him into their line-ups, triggering a price increase of £0.1m. Hegazi now features in 9.8% of squads. New arrival Gareth Barry is likely to make his debut. Burnley are undefeated in their last six home matches against West Brom and West Brom are on a terrible run of away form, having failed to win their last 9 away games. Statistically, Burnley seem more likely to win but I'm going with a draw.Match Prediction:
Burnley 1 � West Brom 1
Best Chance of Points:
Vokes - Burnley Defour - Burnley
Leicester vs. Brighton
Vardy was clinical on Saturday, two chances, two goals. It's the Vardy of old and FPL managers have been flocking to re-sign the Leicester hitman for Brighton's visit to the King Power. As of the time of writing, 160,593 teams have transferred him in, making him the third most sought after transfer behind Hegazi and Xhaka. Vardy now features in 11.6% of fpl teams. Newly promoted Brighton, performed valiantly against Man City, who should have had more but for the saves of their goal keeper, Mathew Ryan and the misfiring De Bruyne and Jesus. We expect Leicester will edge past Brighton by a goal or two.Match Prediction:
Leicester 1 � Brighton 0
Best Chance of Points:
Vardy � Leicester Albrighton � Leicester
Liverpool vs. Crystal Palace
Liverpool vs. Palace is sure to be a tale of two defences. Under new manager, Frank de Boer, Palace are still struggling to come to terms with their new system. Conceding three goals to Huddersfield, suggests they are far from close to getting to grips with the beautiful game Frank de Boer envisions. In Zaha, they've lost one of their most attacking options going forward and are significantly weakened. They can take heart from the fact that Liverpool are also having a nightmare at the back. Klopp continues to persist with zonal marking and Liverpool look short of a dominant leader in the heart of that defence. This could be a chance for Benteke to get off the mark and catch Liverpool knapping at set pieces. The silver cloud for Liverpool's lining is that their front three look sharp going forward and are creating chances. Firmino was on spot kick duty, whilst Milner warmed the bench last week. Firmino looks like he'll feature heavily as first choice Captain this week with many people expecting Palace to be the start of season whipping boys.Match Prediction:
Liverpool 3 � Crystal Palace 1
Best Chance of Points:
Benteke � Palace Firmino � Liverpool Mane � Liverpool (Mane didn't train today. Could just have been rested but if he's injured, Salah should be your got to)
Southampton vs. West Ham
Southampton have failed to score in their last 6 home matches and a 0-0 with Swansea last week does not exactly set pulses racing. The plus side is that they did have 29 shots on goal, the most of any side in game week 1 and 5 of those coming from Gabbiadini. Their run of fixtures looks favourable through to game week 6 and we tip them to get off to a winning start against West Ham.Match Prediction:
Southampton 1 - West Ham 0
Best Chance of Points:
Tadic - Southampton Bertrand - Southampton Forster - Southampton
Stoke vs. Arsenal
Arsenal have not been defeated by Stoke in their last five meetings and I expect this game week will be much of the same. New record signing, French goal machine Alexandre Lacezette scored with his first kick of the game against Leicester and had 6 shots saved, suggesting good things are yet to come from him this season. Xhaka looked good going forward creating two of Arsenal's goals and looks a great buy for fpl managers, currently at the increased price of £5.6m. Ozil was ever present but had a disappointing start, picking up 2 game week points, though I'm confident he will come good. Despite the prowess going forward, Arsenal again had questions asked of their defence. They continue to look dodgy any time a decent cross is delivered into the box, they really need a solid central defender or two if they are to mount a serious challenge for the title this year. Stoke will be keen to probe that weakness and I wouldn't put it past Crouch coming on to scupper an Arsenal clean sheet.Match Prediction:
Stoke 1 � Arsenal 2
Best Chance of Points:
Lacazette - Arsenal Ramsey - Arsenal Xhaka - Arsenal Ozil - Arsenal
Huddersfield vs. Newcastle
Huddersfield won their first game back in top flight football with an emphatic win 3-0 over palace. Mounie looked strong up front and bagged a brace to boot, virtually all attacks came through him. Newcastle on the other hand, were beaten soundly by Spurs. Newcastle have failed to strengthen and it shows. £5.0m Atsu was their best player. Fancy Huddersfield to continue their flying start with a win over the magpies.Match Prediction:
Huddersfield 2 - 0
Best Chance of Points:
Mounie - Huddersfield Mooy - Huddersfield
Spurs vs. Chelsea
If ever Spurs had a chance to land an early sucker punch on last year's title winners, this is it. Chelsea are considerably weakened due to injuries and now also suspensions. Cahill, Fabregas, Hazard, Pedro, Costa all out. Alonso and Willian represent the two best attacking threats for Chelsea and Morata looks like he will be a real handful. I'm backing Morata to bag a lot of goals but I think he will be much more of a threat when Hazard returns so I'm sitting tight - for now. Spurs got off to a winning start, beating Newcastle 2-0, the same couldn't be said for Harry Kane. Last year's talisman, failed to score but keep the faith, he will come good. Kane is known to be a slow starter and despite not hitting the back of the net against Newcastle, he had shots on goal. Spurs run of games look favourable and so Kane is sure to start firing in a week or two. Ericksen remains the midfield maestro, conducting spurs attacks with precision and class, racking up two assists and freeing up Dele Alli to make searching runs in behind. Taking either has a to be a stick on for the duration of the season.Match Prediction:
Tottenham Hotspur 2 � Chelsea 1
Best Chance of Points:
Ericksen - Spurs Alli - Spurs Kane - Spurs
Man City vs. Everton
Though it's early days, the title looks odds on to go to Manchester this year but will it be City or Utd? City got off to a solid enough start, keeping a clean sheet and beating new boys Brighton 2-0. New signing Jesus has the ball in the back of the net twice, only to be disallowed, once for handball and second for offside. With four shots on goal, there lots to be goals in him. It was however, old reliable, Aguero who made the difference, he needed just two chances to score. Priced evenly with Pogba at £8.0m. All the focus and attention was on Kevin de Bruyne, but Silva shouldn't be disregarded. The Spaniard looks lively and with the ability to cut any defence in half with inch perfect passing, he is not to be overlooked and with an assist already in the bag, there's more to come from him. However, there's no doubt that Kevin De Bruyne represents the more direct threat, despite no goals and no assists at the weekend, he had 4 shots on goal and took 6 corners, twice as much as Silva. From an Everton perspective, it was all about Rooney at the weekend. The veteran striker showed there's life in the old dog yet, scoring Everton's only goal of the game against a well organised Stoke. Calvert-Lewin was lively and had the most shots on goal of any Everton player. Everton for me, didn't create enough chances and it will be interesting to see the arrival of Sighurdssen can make up for a portion of the loss of Lukaku. Koeman has hailed Sigurdson one of the best players in the league and has paid a club record £45m for the Icelandic International. He's sure to create chances but if Everton are to fill the 25-goal void left from Lukaku, then they likely need to find another dependable striker before transfer deadline day.Match Prediction:
Man City 2 � Everton 0
Best Chance of Points:
De Bruyne - Man City Jesus - Man City
