Sterphyle

Everton - Leeds 1 @ 2.45
Real sociedad - celta vigo 1 @ 1.80
Aston villa - Arsenal 2 @ 1.80
Treble £10 

Augsburg - Leverkusen 2 @ 1.83
Clermont - Monaco 2 @ 1.85
Mallorca - R. Madrid 2 @ 1.75 
Treble £10 

RB Leipzig - Stuttgart 1 @ 1.36
Bremen - Wolfsburg 2 @ 2.15
Ipswich - Burnley 2 @ 2.15
Treble £10

Nottingham Forest vs Manchester United
Nottingham Forest will play in this game coming off the back of a 1-1 Premier League tied result vs Bournemouth. It was their fourth straight game without losing in the English top flight, and avoiding relegation now seems more realistic. Nottingham Forest hasn't had any problems with scoring, netting in one hundred percent of their last six matches. They have hit an aggregate of 7 during that period while seeing the number of goals scored against them stand at 7. Such a trend isn't guaranteed to be carried forward into this match. Cheikhou Kouyaté (Hamstring Injury), Jesse Lingard (Hamstring Injury), Dean Henderson (Thigh Problems), Omar Richards (Fractured Leg), and Giulian Biancone (Knee Injury) will not be taking part for Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper.
After a loss in their previous game against Arsenal in the Premier League competition, Manchester United and their fans will hope to get a better result this time. Although the Red Devils stayed in the top-four zone, they are now 11 points behind the top-placed Gunners. Proving their predisposition for action-packed matches, the back of the net has been hit 20 times in the previous six games in which Manchester United has taken to the field, giving a mean average of 3.33 goals each clash. Opposition teams have got 6 of this total. Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has some current player fitness concerns. Axel Tuanzebe (Unknown Injury) and Donny van de Beek (Knee Injury) are names that won't be on the team sheet.
Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
Both teams have enjoyed good form recently, and they will try to secure a positive result in the first leg of this tie. However, we believe the visitors are closer to a victory, and they should ensure the advantage before the match in front of their fans.
Goals Market Prediction
Their recent games have been pretty efficient and entertaining, and we expect that trend to continue. Therefore, the crowd should enjoy at least three goals in total.
Manchester United to Win @ 1.72
Over 2.5 FT @ 1.95
Correct score 1:3 @ 13.50

Burnley - Coventry 1 @ 1.70
Brighton - Liverpool O2.5 @ 1.60
Sassuolo - Lazio O2.5 @ 1.73
Treble £10

They must have known something. I've got to admit, given the chances Romelu Lukaku and Lautaro Martinez missed, plus their performances at the World Cup, I thought Napoli were good for the win. Alas, a 1-0 win was enough. Big missed opportunity for Napoli.

I don't understand why the bookies have Inter Milan as the favorites to win against Napoli. Napoli have been fantastic this season winning 13 and drawing 2 of the opening 15 matches. They did lose against Lille and Villarreal in mid season Friendly matches conceding seven goals in total but this being a league game I can't see them losing considering the form they were in before the world cup break. 
Draw @ 3.44
BTTS @ 1.53
 

Manchester United vs Bournemouth
Based on their previous result, Manchester United will be hoping for more of the same after the 1-0 Premier League triumph against Wolverhampton Wanderers. It was the Red Devils' third straight win that launched them to the 4th spot in the English top flight. Manchester United hasn't been able to stop scoring goals, netting in one hundred percent of their last six games. They have claimed a sum of 13 during that period while also conceding a total of 6. Coming into this clash, Manchester United is unbeaten in its four home league matches. There aren't many selection issues, with just one fitness concern for the Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag to contend with due to a largely intact group. Axel Tuanzebe (Unknown Injury) is sidelined.
After suffering a loss in their previous game against Crystal Palace in Premier League action, Bournemouth will be aiming to make amends here. They lost four times on the last five occasions, and the away side is now close to the danger zone. Indicating their fondness for high-scoring matches, we've seen goals 20 times in the last six games in which Bournemouth have taken to the field, giving a mean average of 3.33 goals per fixture. Opposition teams have managed ten of this total. Coming into this meeting, Bournemouth has not won away from home in their last five matches in the league. Bournemouth boss Gary O'Neil has to choose from a squad with some fitness concerns. David Brooks (Fitness), Lloyd Kelly (Ankle Injury), and Neto (Fitness) can't be considered.
Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
Manchester United is a firm favorite in this encounter, and we believe the Red Devils will meet expectations. Therefore, the hosts might celebrate a comfortable w in on Tuesday evening.
Goals Market Prediction
Man Utd's defense has been pretty solid in the previous three matches, keeping a clean sheet in each of them. That's why we think they will be able to stop Bournemouth's forwards and keep their net intact again. 
Manchester United AH -1.5 @ 1.77
BTTS No @ 1.75
Correct score 3:0 @ 7.60

Players through to the next GW are below.
Please do me a favour and LIKE this post if you're ready to get straight into the weekends matches. If I get more than 20 likes then I will know that the majority are ready to go on. I don't want lots of people going out because they spent Christmas away from the forum. Many thanks

Qatar
The host nation come into this as the underdogs and with a cloud of controversy over their preparations. The team had faced criticism for their attempts to "naturalise" players by taking foreign-born players and claiming they were eligible to play for Qatar. However, that was dealt with a few years ago and the Qatar national team now has a more "Qatar-based look" to it. It's just 2 defeats from the last 18 matches for the team as they have prepared for this World Cup. Given the sordid manner in which this World Cup host selection was achieved it has understandably led to some big talking points. Spanish football coach Felix Sanchez has been at the helm since 2017 and has helped guide the team to the AFC Asia Cup title in 2019. This is now an experienced Qatar team with the likes of Almoez Ali, Hassan Al-Haydos, and Abdelkarim Hassan standing out. It just feels like it could take a minor miracle for this squad to get past the group stage.
Odds to Win World Cup: 250/1
Odds to Qualify from Group A: 10/3
My Prediction: Group Stage
 
Ecuador
One team that has slipped under the radar is this South American side. Head coach Gustavo Alfaro leads an all-Argentine backroom staff that has helped turn Ecuador into a really tight-knit unit during qualification for the 2022 World Cup. La Tri breezed through qualification finishing in 4th in the CONMEBOL league standings and that was even without winning any of their last 4 games. The team have gone undefeated in their last 7 matches and that includes not even conceding a goal in their previous 6 games. The fact that Ecuador have managed to pick up results against the likes of Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico over the last 12 months shows they are a nation that should not be taken lightly. The only issue that could let them down is scoring goals because they've failed to register a goal in 4 of their last 5 matches. Brighton fans (looking at you @Tiffy!) will be interested to see how their trio of stars perform with Pervis Estupinan, Jeremy Sarmiento, and Moises Caicedo all selected in the Ecuador squad for this tournament.
Odds to Win World Cup: 150/1
Odds to Qualify from Group A: Evens
My Prediction: Group Stage
 
Senegal
The African contingent at this year's World Cup are something of a wild card. If you look at their squads they are very impressive. Senegal are a classic example with their squad boasting the likes of Sadio Mane, Kalidou Koulibaly, and Idrissa Gueye all included in their squad. The news that Mane is expected to miss the majority of group stage games is a blow but the Lions of Teranga have enough depth that his absence should be covered. Head coach Aliou Cisse was a part of that famous 2002 squad that reached the Quarter-Finals of that tournament. He has already guided the team to their first ever Africa Cup of Nations success last year when they beat Egypt in the final before beating the same opponents in the African qualification section for this tournament. It's a shame their route to the final is likely to be tricky because this is a nation that could cause some shockwaves at this tournament if they hit the ground running.
Odds to Win World Cup: 125/1
Odds to Qualify from Group A: 10/11
My Prediction: Last 16
 
Netherlands
It's great to have the Dutch back at the World Cup after they failed to qualify for the 2018 edition. The Oranje had reached the 2014 semi-finals and the 2010 final before that. Louis Van Gaal is the man leading his nation into this tournament and they are already being handed the "dark horses" tag. The team are unbeaten in their last 15 matches and have cruised into the UEFA Nations League Semi-Finals. They also topped a potentially tricky qualification group to reach this stage of the World Cup finishing ahead of Turkey and Norway. The team have scored 19 goals in 8 matches so far this year and could provide the most entertaining games with 7 of their last 11 games producing over 2.5 goals scored. If you look at this Netherlands squad then it makes for some frightening reading. A defence that includes Virgil Van Dijk, Matthijs de Ligt, and Jurrien Timber with a midfield consisting of players such as Teun Koopmeiners and Frenkie de Jong, and an attack boasting Memphis Depay and Noa Lang. The exciting times are back again for the Dutch. They might not go all the way this time around but nobody will look forward to playing them.
Odds to Win World Cup: 14/1
Odds to Qualify from Group A: 1/8
My Predictions: Quarter-Finals

Atalanta - sassuolo 1 @ 1.65
Leeds - Arsenal 2 @ 1.57
Verona - Ac Milan 2 @ 1.53
Treble £20

Napoli - Torino 1 @ 1.57
Empoli - Ac Milan 2 @ 1.61
Lazio - Spezia 1 @ 1.40
Treble £24.87

Can I cash out now? ?

Real Betis - Girona 1 @ 1.70
Lyon - PSG 2 @ 1.61
Cremonese - Lazio 2 @ 1.75
Treble £15.63
 

Sevilla - Barcelona 2 @ 1.80
Auxerre - Marseille 2 @ 1.67
Monza - Atalanta 2 @ 1.53 
Treble £14.27

Sevilla vs Barcelona
Sevilla is a long way from last season's start, where they lost just once in their opening 13 La Liga fixtures. They have already failed to secure a win in their first three matches this season, suffering two defeats. The Andalusians head into Saturday's clash off the back of a 2-1 defeat at Almeria in their previous La Liga fixture. They failed to build on Oliver Torres' opener at the half-hour mark and were quickly pegged back by the newly promoted side. Sevilla needs to improve its game significantly if they want to return to the top-four race.
Barcelona was victorious in its previous La Liga fixture as they recorded a 4-0 win over Real Valladolid. They were comfortable with Robert Lewandowski netting a brace while Pedri and Sergi Roberto were also on target. After being held to a 0-0 home draw in their opening fixture, manager Xavi will be pleased to see Barcelona returning to their rampant best. They have claimed 4-0 victories in their last two matches and are already looking like the team to push Real Madrid this season. Robert Lewandowski is playing phenomenally, and many more goals are expected from him. Due to a completely healthy group ready to go, the Barcelona manager Xavi Hernández doesn’t have any fitness worries at all coming into this match. Sergi Gómez is ineligible for this match because of suspension.
Full-Time Winner Odds & Prediction                                                                            
The home side is in poor momentum, and although it’s always hard to play at Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, we think Barcelona will take advantage of Sevilla’s poor form. Therefore, the visitors should return home with all three points.
Goals Market Prediction
Sevilla will try to provide some damage to the away side, but we don’t think the hosts will keep their net intact. That’s why the BTTS Yes pick is our second selection for this clash.
Barcelona to Win @ 1.80
BTTS Yes @ 1.75
Correct score 1:2 @ 8.50

Bournemouth - Arsenal 2 @ 1.40
Celta - R. Madrid 2 @ 1.70 
Lillie - PSG 2 @ 1.44
Treble £10

Brentford vs Manchester United
The evening kick-off in the Premier League on Saturday is a 5:30pm BST start between Brentford and Manchester United from the Brentford Community Stadium. Both of these teams failed to pick up a win in their opening league game of the season. The home team will undoubtedly be delighted with their away comeback against Leicester but the away side will be holding an inquisition about how they lost at home to Brighton.
Brentford were a team many felt might have issues this season. The term "second season syndrome" has been bounced around a fair bit in pre-season. After the first 46 minutes of their opening league game last weekend you'd have been forgiven for thinking that expectation was holding true. However, a goal each from Ivan Toney and Josh Dasilva helped the London club hit back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 against Leicester. Head coach Thomas Frank will be smelling blood in this game. The addition of Danish international Mikkel Damsgaard has boosted the quality in the Brentford ranks. The Bees do still have a defensive headache with both Kristoffer Ajer and Ethan Pinnock ruled out. Brentford haven't lost any of their opening home league games for the last six seasons. The team did also keep a clean sheet in 5 of their last 7 home league games of last season.
Manchester United are a team in crisis right now. I believe the unprofessional phrase would be that it's a sh*t show! Head coach Erik ten Hag started his reign with a 2-1 loss at home to Brighton but it was the manner of the defeat that was the most worrying. The Red Devils looked defensively fragile. New signing Lisandro Martinez looked out of his depth. Captain Harry Maguire continued his woeful form and still looks like an appalling leader on the pitch. The central midfield combination of Fred and Scott McTominay failed to deliver a performance. Then there's the impotency up front. If United lose this game it'll be the first time since 1979 that they have lost four league games in a row. The team have also lost 6 league games away from home in a row. They haven't lost 7 away league matches in a row since 1936. That is the scale of disaster United are staring at right now.
Somehow, Manchester United come into this game as firm favourites but I just cannot muster the courage to back them. It's clear that the issues lie deep within the United hierarchy and the fact ten Hag has been told to temper his expectations in the transfer market says everything about the ambition levels being fed down from the top. The quality that United boast they should be coming away from this game with a solid win but I can't find it in myself to back them. The price on a Brentford win looks too good to turn down. Brentford are more cohesive, work harder, more fluid, more organised, and more settled than United. The Dutchman may well prove to be a decent appointment but it's not going to happen overnight.
Brentford to Win @ 3.90 with SpreadEx
Anytime Scorer: Ivan Toney @ 3.30 with SportNation

Hi everyone! The first week of Fantasy Premier League action is now done and dusted. It's @StevenKing with his team warning hazchem who takes the early lead after deciding to captain Mohamed Salah. Unlike a lot of others, he still wracked up 89 points without Erling Haaland in his team. Just an all-round strong performance from his players with only Luis Diaz failing to get above the obligatory 2 points.
Over the coming weeks, I will aim to post the top 15 overall and the top 15 for the month so far. Doing both of those obviously won't be necessary for August because we're in the first month but will be needed from September onwards so we can keep track of who is in the hunt overall and for the monthly prizes. I'll also give a shout out to the highest scorer each week and a few words of disgrace for the worst scorer each week just to keep us all on our toes! 
Feel free to post any chat or banter between each other ahead of week 2 in here such as transfer ideas or any questions you might have about how the game is played.
On a final note, this week's name of shame is Carol Haynes aka @Wild Spirit whose team, The Wild Ones, could only muster 28 points this week! Unlucky, Carol. It's far from the worst team selection we've seen (although the killer was probably having captain Connor Coady on the bench!) so hopefully those players can pull their socks up for you next week!
 
 

Manager: Mburu Wamburu
Team: Mosese FC

Hi guys, usual delay at my end getting the list sent off but I'm on it this weekend

Lazio - Verona ov2.5 @ 1.60
Lens - Monaco ov2.5 @ 1.57
Leicester - Southampton ov2.5 @ 1.57
£10 Treble
 

Norwich - West ham 2 @ 1.80
Arsenal - leeds 1 @ 1.44
Verona - Ac Milan 2 @ 1.75
£13.46 Treble

Arsenal - Man U 1 @ 2.05
Norwich - Newcastle 2 @ 2.10
Brighton - Southampton X @ 3.10
Treble £10