Erik ten Hag sacking may be time to draft in United players
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag was relieved of his duties after his team lost to West Ham last week and the Red Devils regained their scoring boots, putting five past Leicester City in the League Cup in midweek. It will be interesting to see if Ten Hag’s sacking frees up some Manchester United attacking players to bring in Fantasy points.
For those setting reminders to watch games this weekend, do not forget the clocks go back at 2am on Saturday night.
Congratulations to October winner Khari Sharrieff, whose team “Drop it like it Slot” amassed 214 points across the month, while Micah Henschke and “Die Mannschaft” leads the overall standings with 637 points.
Saturday
Newcastle United v Arsenal (9.30am)
Newcastle are winless in their last five Premier League games, taking just two points in that period, but did beat Chelsea in the League Cup in midweek.
Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles, Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson are out, while Matt Targett, Martin Dubravka and Anthony Gordon are doubtful.
Arsenal took a point from their title clash with Liverpool last week. Kieran Tierney, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Martin Odegaard remain out, while Riccardo Calafiori, Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber are doubtful.
Prediction: 0-2
Bournemouth v Manchester City (noon)
Bournemouth’s new recruit Evanilson scored a stoppage-time equaliser to grab a point at Aston Villa last week but his side have Alex Scott out with a knee injury this week. Luis Sinisterra and Kepa Arrizabalaga are doubtful.
Manchester City narrowly defeated Southampton last weekend to leapfrog Liverpool to the summit of the table. Rodri is out for the season with serious ACL injury and Kyle Walker, Oscar Bobb, Kevin de Bruyne and Jeremy Doku are out. Manuel Akanji and Savinho were both injured in City’s League Cup defeat to Tottenham on Wednesday.
Prediction: 0-2
Ipswich Town v Leicester City (noon)
Ipswich slipped into the relegation zone after their third straight defeat, this time at Brentford. Harry Clarke is suspended after being sent off last week and Jacob Greaves, Axel Tuanzebe, Massimo Luongo and Jack Taylor are out to various injuries. Chiedozie Ogbene, Ben Johnson and Sam Morsy are doubtful.
Leicester City were soundly beaten at home by Midlands rivals Nottingham Forest last Friday after consecutive league wins. Jakub Stolarczyk, Jannik Vestergaard, Hamza Choudhury and Patson Daka are missing, while Victor Kristiansen is doubtful with a groin injury.
Prediction: 2-1
Liverpool v Brighton & Hove Albion (noon)
Liverpool came from behind twice to draw at Arsenal last week. Alisson Becker, Diogo Jota and Harvey Elliott are out for this match, with Conor Bradley and Federico Chiesa doubtful.
Brighton conceded two late goals to draw with Wolves last weekend. Adam Webster, James Milner, Matt O’Riley and Joao Pedro are out, while Lewis Dunk, Jack Hinshelwood, Solly March and Yankuba Minteh are doubts.
Prediction: 2-0
Nottingham Forest v West Ham United (noon)
Nottingham Forest cruised past Leicester last weekend to climb into seventh place. James Ward-Prowse cannot play against his parent club to league loan rules and Danilo and Ibrahim Sangare are out with ankle and hamstring injuries respectively. Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White are doubtful.
West Ham were lucky to edge Manchester United on Sunday. Mohamed Kudus serves the second of his three-match suspension, while Nicklas Fulllkrug is out with an Achilles injury.
Prediction: 1-1
Southampton v Everton (noon)
Southampton remain winless and slipped to the foot of the table after their narrow defeat at Manchester City. Gavin Bazunu, Will Smallbone and Ross Stewart are out for this match.
Everton are unbeaten in five games after losing their first four. James Garner, Tim Iroegbunam, Youssef Chermiti and Armando Broja are absent and Dwight McNeil is doubtful with a knock.
Prediction: 1-2
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Crystal Palace (2.30pm)
Wolves came from two goals down to draw at Brighton at the weekend, snapping a run of five straight defeats. Yerson Mosquera, Boubacar Traore, Enso Gonzalez, Hwang Hee-Chan and Sasa Kalajdzic are out injured this week, while Bastien Meupiyou and Sam Johnstone are doubtful.
Crystal Palace finally picked up their first win of the campaign against Tottenham last week. Chris Richards, Chadi Riad and Matheus Franca will miss this match, while Cheick Doucoure and Jefferson Lerma are doubtful.
Prediction: 1-0
Sunday
Tottenham Hotspur v Aston Villa (10am)
Tottenham continued their inconsistent start to the season with defeat at Crystal Palace last week but beat Manchester City in the League Cup on Wednesday. Djed Spence and Heung Min Son are doubtful with groin and muscle injuries respectively.
Aston Villa were pegged back by an Evanilson equaliser to draw at home with Bournemouth last week but they have no new injury concerns this match.
Prediction: 2-2
Manchester United v Chelsea (12.30pm)
Manchester United continued their worst Premier League start with defeat at West Ham, and this match could be interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy’s last with Sporting coach Ruben Amorim lined up to replace Ten Hag.
Harry Maguire, Kobbie Mainoo and Leny Yoro are out injured this week, while Tyrell Malacia, Luke Shaw, Antony, Mason Mount and Noussair Mazraoui are doubtful.
Cole Palmer came up clutch to give Chelsea another win against Newcastle at home last week. Jadon Sancho will not face his parent club to league loan rules, while Omari Kellyman is out with a hamstring injury.
Prediction: 2-1
Monday
Fulham v Brentford (4pm)
Fulham may be disappointed by conceding late to draw at Everton last weekend. Timothy Castagne and Sasa Lukic are out to hamstring and shoulder injuries this match, while Andreas Pereira is doubtful.
Brentford edged Ipswich in a seven-goal thriller to climb into the top half last week, with Bryan Mbeumo scoring his seventh and eighth goals of the season.
Aaron Hickey, Josh Dasilva, Gustavo Nunes and Igor Thiago are out this week, while Rico Henry and Kristoffer Ajer are doubtful
Prediction: 1-1