Penultimate Weekend Predictions: Will Sunderland still be in the hunt for 2nd come 5pm tomorrow?

The Easter weekend has come and gone and some of the issues of promotion have been settled. Charlton's defeat at Oxford on Good Friday meant they would now focus on the Play-Offs as a means for reaching the Championship. An emphatic 4-0 win over Scunthorpe means they can start to gain some momentum to take into the lottery of fixtures in May. Another win tomorrow at mid-table Gillingham would help further.

Four teams vying for second place became three. On Easter Monday we wondered if Coventry could put a dent in Portsmouth's promotion push, and we speculated that a draw would put them on 84 points and perhaps turn one eye towards the Play-Offs. In the event Pompey came from a goal down to win 2-1 at Fratton Park.

It was Sunderland who slipped up in the end. A draw at Peterborough, despite taking a late lead, meant it was the Wearsiders who slipped two points behind their rivals in second.

Barnsley's expected win at Plymouth meant the gap to second widened to four points, and, despite a game in hand, took automatic promotion out of our own hands.

Luton's surprise 2-2 draw with relegation-threatened AFC Wimbledon means promotion is not yet secure; they require at least three more points to go up.

With two games to go for Barnsley and three for Portsmouth and Sunderland, we preview the games affecting the top four.

Image: BBC Sport

15:00: Burton Albion vs Luton Town

Luton travel to Burton knowing three points almost certainly gains promotion. 94 points could be matched by Barnsley, but with a goal difference of +47 over Barnsley's +41, it would take a large swing to prevent Mick Harford's side securing one of the top two spots on goal difference, at least.

Portsmouth could still achieve 95 points if they win their remaining three games, but any slip-ups along the way would mean, with victory tomorrow, Luton's total could not be overtaken.

On the back of successive defeats, Burton's hopes of a late surge into the Play-Offs are over - Nigel Clough will be looking ahead to next season now. Can the Brewers spoil the Luton party in their final home game of the season, though? It's highly doubtful.

PREDICTION: Away Win

James Collins looks to have fired Luton Town to the ChampionshipPhoto by Alex Burstow/Getty Images

15:00: Barnsley vs Blackpool

Barnsley have recovered from a wobble earlier in the month and now entertain Blackpool in their final home game of the season. Three wins on the bounce leave them only a win behind Luton and Daniel Stendel's side may yet dream of winning the title. Luton would have to slip up badly, but Barnsley can only aim to win their last two games, secure promotion and see what happens.

Of their two remaining games, Blackpool present the tougher challenge, sitting in 9th and 12 points ahead of 16th place Bristol Rovers who entertain Barnsley next week. However, the Tangerines have little to play for. They remain seven points adrift of the Play-Offs and have only won one of their last five.

Blackpool did draw at Luton in that period and beat Fleetwood Town last time out, but this may be a home banker in the making. Barnsley have already beaten Terry McPhillips' team, 1-0 back in December, and it looks like the double is on this afternoon.

If Sunderland are to have any lingering hopes of securing second spot it must surely be tomorrow Barnsley slip-up. What is the likelihood? Slim, but who knows...

PREDICTION: Home Win

Will Barnsley be celebrating three points come 5pm?Image: Barnsley FC

15:00 Sunderland vs Portsmouth

And so to the game of the day. Two sides that have battled their way to the fringe of the promotion race, competed in a cup-final at Wembley, and sit a mere two points apart.

Portsmouth have climbed to third on the back of seven league wins on the trot. Along the way there have been some close shaves, not least at Burton the other week. But for the officials missing an offside and an even more blatant handball, Portsmouth would be on the same points total as Sunderland tomorrow.

Head-to-head results have shown little between the sides. Having been the better side at Fratton Park going into the break, Portsmouth received a huge boost when Glenn Loovens was sent off early in the second period. The referee punished Sunderland twice by awarding a penalty too. That certainly turned the game and, a goal up against ten-men, Pompey went on to secure the points that day. But who knows what would have happened if the scoreline had remained 0-0, even with a Loovens red card?

Similarly, a hard fought 2-2 draw at Wembley came down to a single penalty kick. Such is the lottery at that stage that it could have fallen either way. Portsmouth's luck held over Sunderland and Lee Cattermole's saved spot kick separated the sides last month.

Jack Ross' men have an opportunity to redress the balance. A win would mean Sunderland regain third spot by a point, going into the final week. Of course that would hand Barnsley the full advantage to secure automatic promotion as of these two sides only Portsmouth could overtake them with their game in hand on Tuesday.

A home win, or even a draw, would not mathematically rule out the three-way battle for second spot coming down to the final game of the season, whilst an away win would render it a two-horse race and consign Sunderland to the Play-Offs.

In their last home game of the regular season, Sunderland simply have to secure three points to stand any chance of realistically taking it into the final day... and I think we can do just that.

PREDICTION: Home win

Can Sunderland keep their hopes alive with victory?Image: Getty Images

Do you agree with our predictions or do you see things panning out another way?

Leave us your thoughts below!

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Andy Dunn's Footie5 Predictions: Beat Mirror Football writer to try and land £25k

The Premier League season is nearly over - but there is still plenty to play for.

Some intriguing fixtures take place on Saturday with battles at both ends of the table.

Wolves and Watford are both chasing seventh spot with the potential to achieve a spot in the Europa League, whilst Brighton are still battling to avoid relegation.

If you correctly guess the results of the games listed below, you could win a whopping £25,000.

Even if you don't quite get every game correct you could still win £2,000 if you manage to get four results right.

More than one winner will see the prize shared. Registration is free and once you are set up and ready to go you will be presented with the five matches taking place.

But first check out the predictions of chief football writer Andy Dunn as he looks into his crystal ball.

Watford are battling to finish seventh in the Premier League table (Image: 2019 Getty Images)Read More HUDDERSFIELD 1 WATFORD 4

Saturday, 3pm

It would be nice to believe Huddersfield could give their supporters a cheer or two before life in the Championship … nice but extremely unlikely.

With players competing for a place in an FA Cup Final starting line-up in a month’s time, expect Watford to win comfortably.

WEST HAM 3 LEICESTER 0

Saturday, 3pm

With only mid-table prize money at stake, do not expect a full-blooded contest but it West Ham reproduce the sort of slick football that should have earned them a win at Old Trafford last Saturday, they should take care of Brendan Rodgers’ team

West Ham and Leicester are both battling for a top half finish (Image: NIGEL RODDIS/EPA-EFE/REX)Read More BOURNEMOUTH 5 FULHAM 1

Saturday, 3pm

Eddie Howe’s men looked like they thoroughly enjoyed themselves at Brighton and with the taste for goals still fresh, they can enjoy another romp against relegated Fulham .

WOLVES 1 BRIGHTON 1

Saturday, 3pm

Brighton have not exactly been in the best of form but the pain of that semi-final defeat must still be lingering in the Wolves ranks and if Chris Hughton’s men can put in a determined shift, they can nick a valuable point in their battle for survival.

Wolves also have their eyes on a seventh place finish (Image: EMPICS Sport)Read More NEWCASTLE 1 SOUTHAMPTON 2

Saturday, 5:30pm

The incentive of knowing one more good result should guarantee another season in the Premier League should inspire the Saints and they can achieve it against a team that believes it has already achieved its goal this season.

Read More Mirror Football's Top Stories

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Premier League Fixtures: Week 36 Schedule, Score Predictions for EPL Matchday

Alex Livesey - Danehouse/Getty Images

Manchester City's win over Manchester United on Wednesday put them in the driving seat in the Premier League title race with three games remaining.

In order for Liverpool to have a chance of being champions this season they need to keep winning, which should be routine in Week 36 when they host Huddersfield Town on Friday.

But they also need City to slip up, and they are unlikely to at Burnley on Sunday.

Just below the title race the battle continues to rage for the final two top-four places:

Chelsea visit Old Trafford to face United on Sunday and could take a huge step towards securing a top-four finish with a victory.

Week 36 Fixtures

Friday, April 26

Liverpool 3-0 Huddersfield Town, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET 

                 

Saturday, April 27

Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 West Ham United, 12:30 p.m. BST/7:30 a.m. ET

Crystal Palace 1-1 Everton, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET

Fulham 1-2 Cardiff City, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET

Southampton 1-0 Bournemouth, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET

Watford 2-1 Wolverhampton Wanderers, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET

Brighton & Hove Albion 0-0 Newcastle United, 5:30 p.m. BST/12:30 p.m. ET

             

Sunday, April 28

Leicester City 1-1 Arsenal, midday BST/7 a.m. ET

Burnley 0-2 Manchester City, 2:05 p.m. BST/9:05 a.m. ET

Manchester United 2-2 Chelsea, 4:30 p.m. BST/11:30 a.m. ET

              

City's recent back-to-back wins over Tottenham Hotspur and United could have potentially won them the title this season.

They have now won 11 league games in a row, a quite stunning run given Liverpool have also put together their own string of six victories on the bounce:

Spurs and United looked to be dangerous fixtures for the Sky Blues, and one slip-up would have handed the initiative back to Liverpool in the title race.

But now Pep Guardiola's side need just three more wins to guarantee a second successive title.

It is not a given, and City arguably have a tougher run-in than Liverpool:

It is all but guaranteed the defending champions will be back in second come their match on Sunday as the Reds will surely not lose to the Terriers, a side already relegated who have lost 12 of their last 13 league games.

Burnley, on the other hand, could cause City problems. The Clarets have picked up 10 points from their last 12 available and are a force to be reckoned with at Turf Moor.

The gulf in class between Burnley and City is gaping, though, as it was even against United at Old Trafford on Wednesday:

The Red Devils can afford nothing but a win against Chelsea after a shocking recent run of four defeats in their last six league games.

Thanks to similarly poor results from their top-four rivals recently, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side are still in with a chance of securing UEFA Champions League football next season.

A victory would put them level on points with Chelsea, and potentially above Arsenal depending on how the Gunners fare against Leicester City.

But a defeat would all but condemn United to playing UEFA Europa League football in 2019-20.

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Andy Dunn's Footie5 Predictions: Beat Mirror Football writer to try and land £25k

The Premier League season is nearly over - but there is still plenty to play for.

Some intriguing fixtures take place on Saturday with battles at both ends of the table.

Wolves and Watford are both chasing seventh spot with the potential to achieve a spot in the Europa League, whilst Brighton are still battling to avoid relegation.

If you correctly guess the results of the games listed below, you could win a whopping £25,000.

Even if you don't quite get every game correct you could still win £2,000 if you manage to get four results right.

More than one winner will see the prize shared. Registration is free and once you are set up and ready to go you will be presented with the five matches taking place.

But first check out the predictions of chief football writer Andy Dunn as he looks into his crystal ball.

Watford are battling to finish seventh in the Premier League table (Image: 2019 Getty Images)Read More HUDDERSFIELD 1 WATFORD 4

Saturday, 3pm

It would be nice to believe Huddersfield could give their supporters a cheer or two before life in the Championship … nice but extremely unlikely.

With players competing for a place in an FA Cup Final starting line-up in a month’s time, expect Watford to win comfortably.

WEST HAM 3 LEICESTER 0

Saturday, 3pm

With only mid-table prize money at stake, do not expect a full-blooded contest but it West Ham reproduce the sort of slick football that should have earned them a win at Old Trafford last Saturday, they should take care of Brendan Rodgers’ team

West Ham and Leicester are both battling for a top half finish (Image: NIGEL RODDIS/EPA-EFE/REX)Read More BOURNEMOUTH 5 FULHAM 1

Saturday, 3pm

Eddie Howe’s men looked like they thoroughly enjoyed themselves at Brighton and with the taste for goals still fresh, they can enjoy another romp against relegated Fulham .

WOLVES 1 BRIGHTON 1

Saturday, 3pm

Brighton have not exactly been in the best of form but the pain of that semi-final defeat must still be lingering in the Wolves ranks and if Chris Hughton’s men can put in a determined shift, they can nick a valuable point in their battle for survival.

Wolves also have their eyes on a seventh place finish (Image: EMPICS Sport)Read More NEWCASTLE 1 SOUTHAMPTON 2

Saturday, 5:30pm

The incentive of knowing one more good result should guarantee another season in the Premier League should inspire the Saints and they can achieve it against a team that believes it has already achieved its goal this season.

Read More Mirror Football's Top Stories

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Fantasy football tips, Gameweek 34: Three players you NEED to pick this week

This week's European fixtures have seen to a potentially season-ending injury for Sir Harold of Kane, Manchester United fans are back to hating Luis Suarez, and Arsenal once again proved their incredible Jekyll and Hyde approach to home and away games.

But anyway: on to the fantasy football. GW34 is a double gameweek, but don't get too excited: it's only for Brighton and Cardiff. The Seagulls face Bournemouth and Cardiff, both at home, while the Bluebirds are up against Burnley and then the south coast club, both away.

Brighton look like a decent shout for clean sheets in at least one of their match-ups; Cardiff… well, perhaps not so much. But on we go with this week's three player picks with 5% ownership or less...

Lewis Dunk, Brighton (DF, £4.4m)

Owned by: 3.7%

Shane Duffy goes into Brighton's DGW with an impressive five goals and two assists in the league so far this season. To put that into perspective, Duffy is the top-scoring defender in the league this season.

There is a slight issue here in that he is currently owned by 9.7% of managers, however, therefore making him ineligible for the column this week. Instead, we've put Lewis Dunk in the headline: a thinly veiled attempt to cover our tracks as we cheat our way towards the finish line.

Realistically, both Dunk and Duffy offer fairly steady options at the back with great clean sheet potential this week. At £4.4m (Dunk) and £4.8m (Duffy) respectively, they also fall into the budget category. Dunk has chipped in with two goals this season, so expect both centre-backs to get up for more this week.

Youri Tielemans, Leicester (MF, £6.1m)

Owned by: 2.6%

We've wanted to include a Leicester player every week since the return of Brendan Rodgers to these shores, simply because of @FantasyYIRMA's everlasting love for the Northern Irishman.

How could you not enjoy a man whose classics include: "My biggest mentor is myself because I've had to study, and that's been my biggest influence"?

He's made a fine start to life back in the Premier League, though, and Leicester come into GW34 off the back of four consecutive victories. Jamie Vardy has apparently switched blue WKD for a pre-match Berocca and the move is paying dividends.

Much has been made about James Maddison's form this season, and rightly so, but it's Monaco loanee Tielemans who has piqued our interest this week. The young Belgian has been involved in one goal for Leicester's last six matches, scoring twice and picking up four assists. At £6.1m he's affordable, and 2.6% is a decent differential.

ANALYSIS 5 ways that Brendan Rodgers has changed Leicester City so far (by Daniel Storey)

Fernando Llorente, Tottenham (FW, £5.1m)

Owned by: 0.7%

It feels so wrong, so must be right?

No, actually it feels even more wrong than that if we're being honest. With Harry Kane injured (again) and Spurs facing off against already-relegated Huddersfield, it's conceivable that forgotten man Llorente may be asked to relocate his backside from bench to pitch this week.

Without Kane there is an expectancy for Son Heung-min to step up as talisman, but at least having Huddersfield sandwiched between Champions League legs should be something of a rare comfort to Mauricio Pochettino.

In addition, Dele Alli has fractured his left hand and is now doubtful for this game. While he may be able to play a part in the match, the Englishman is surely restricted from playing Fortnite or orchestrating a dressing room rendition of the Macarena for a while.

With all of this going on, Llorente could actually get a game. One goal and three assists in 400 minutes of action is actually a decent return this season, although it's worth noting that many of those minutes were off the bench. A more telling reflection would be one goal and two assists from his three starts this season, which only builds his case.

Are we sure he'll start? Not at all. Could he score against Huddersfield – absolutely.

Follow us on Twitter @FantasyYIRMA and check out our fantasy football podcast Bang Average on your podcast platform of choice.

FantasyYIRMA started in 2012 focused primarily on news and previews for the Fantasy Premier League, and has now managed consecutive fantasy coverage across 262 gameweeks. Losers.

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Fantasy football tips, Gameweek 32: Three great under-owned picks to help YOUR team get ahead

It truly is the business end of the season, which also means confusing times ahead for fantasy managers. To illustrate the point, here's a brief summary:

GW32: 10 teams on a double gameweek

GW33: 8 teams without a game

GW34: 2 teams on a double gameweek

GW35: 8 teams on a double gameweek

Keep in mind that if you're bringing a player in for the DGW32, it's entirely possible that they have no fixture in GW33. Take stock of your chips/wildcard and look to plan out the weeks ahead.

It's also worth noting that the wildcard can't be used in conjunction with any of your chips in a single gameweek. One strategy worth considering could be to wildcard in 34, maximising the players with two games, and then throwing down your Bench Boost chip on 35.

On with the frisking of fixtures. This week, the tyrannical leadership at FFT Towers have saw fit to request three player picks with an ownership of 5% or less, to try to flush out some differential options for your team...

Jeffrey Schlupp, Crystal Palace (DF, £4.5m)

Owned by: 5%

Crystal Palace go into this gameweek with a home game against Huddersfield, before a tricky fixture at Tottenham's new stadium which is finally ready to go after a series of delays. Providing that Daniel Levy has shelled out for toilets, bar facilities and remembered to put the seats in, this will be the first Premier League match played at Spurs' new home.

It's important to point out that eight of the 10 teams with two matches in GW32 have NO fixture in GW33. The exceptions are Crystal Palace and Chelsea.

So, for £4.5m and coming in at bang on 5% ownership, you can get a cheap defender differential who doesn't actually play in defence (either on the wing or in central midfield). Schlupp has three assists in his last five matches, and the potential for three games across the next week.

He's started the last six Premier League matches for Palace, and would be a fine makeweight to balance budgets if you're looking to add some big boys this week.

David Silva, Manchester City (MF, £8.5m) 

Owned by: 5.0%

It feels incredibly naive to go into Gameweek 32 without a full complement of Manchester City players: fixtures against Fulham (a) and Cardiff (h) are pretty much the best double gameweek option fantasy managers could pick if they had a choice.

Riyad Mahrez (£8.2m, 1.8% owned) is the perfect example of a fantasy football travesty. Given his performances in recent seasons, he'd have been a nailed-on pick for fantasy managers… had he still been at Leicester. As it stands, there's every chance he gets minutes in GW32 – but no guarantee. And therein lies the problem.

Elsewhere, then. David Silva is easily one of the classiest players in the league, and with all of City's big hitters coming in well above the 5% cut-off, it's actually a pleasant surprise that Silva falls into this category.

Six goals and six assists this season is a decent enough return, but you'd imagine it's highly likely that he'll be adding to those hauls this gameweek with Sergio Aguero and Raheem Sterling around. The Spaniard has started six of City's last seven league matches, and comes into GW32 having managed an assist in each of his last two league games.

Gonzalo Higuain, Chelsea (FW, £9.6m)

Owned by: 4.3%

The old favourite in this column. Higuain makes the post this week for a few reasons.

Chelsea double gameweek – Cardiff (a), Brighton (h)

Under 5% owned

Actually has a fixture in GW33 – West Ham (h)

Fresh off the back of announcing his international retirement from Argentina duty, Higuain should be raring to go this week. If budget really is an issue and he doesn't float your boat, it's possibly worth throwing another Chelsea man into the mix.

Michy Batshuayi seems to have started life on loan at Crystal Palace well, and importantly, reduced the over-reliance on Wilf Zaha. Two goals and an assist from 372 minutes can be improved upon, and the next week will give him the chance to do just that.

At £6.5m he's coming in much cheaper, and a low 2.1% ownership makes him the differential of choice if you're on a budget and trying to break away from the template team to make up ground.

Follow us on Twitter @FantasyYIRMA and check out our fantasy football podcast Bang Average on your podcast platform of choice.

FantasyYIRMA started in 2012 focused primarily on news and previews for the Fantasy Premier League, and has now managed consecutive fantasy coverage across 260 gameweeks. Losers.

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Double Gameweek 32 Scout Picks – Players with two fixtures dominate selection

Fantasy Premier League managers should be filling their squads with as many players with two fixtures as possible in Double Gameweek 32.

That’s the strategy that has guided our approach to the Scout Picks XI for this weekend.

After deliberating over the Scout Squad submissions from Paul, Joe, Az and Peter earlier in the week, we have produced what we believe to be the best possible XI for Double Gameweek 32.

This time around we are lining up in the 4-3-3 formation and are within £0.1m of the £83.5m budget.

Goalkeeper

Watford goalkeeper Ben Foster (£4.6m) gets the nod for the Scout Picks for Double Gameweek 32. He was tipped by all four of our Scout Squad pundits ahead of a trip to Manchester United and a home match against basement boys Fulham. While the Hornets have conceded the third-worst number of shots in the box over the last four matches, Foster has been racking up the save points. Of the goalkeepers with two fixtures in Double Gameweek 32, only Sergio Rico has made more saves, while nobody has produced more stops from efforts outside the box as Foster.

Defenders

An injury to Serge Aurier has opened the door for Kieran Trippier (£6.0m) to play both of Spurs’ Double Gameweek 32 matches, at Liverpool and at home to Crystal Palace at the brand new Tottenham Hotspur stadium. No defender with two matches in this expanded round of action has created more chances in their last four matches as Trippier, who was included in all four Scout Squad submissions.

David Luiz (£5.9m) is our chosen representative from the Chelsea defence in Double Gameweek 32. There was more clamour for Cesar Azpilicueta from our Scout Squad, with three of our pundits selecting him as the best option, but we’ve gone with the Brazilian to save some money. Also, over the last six matches, Luiz has created the same number of chances as Azpilicueta but registered four times as many shots in the box. A Chelsea clean sheet is a decent possibility in Double Gameweek 32, hence the interest in their defence. Cardiff have the second lowest goal conversion rate over the last four matches while Brighton are joint-bottom of the league for big chances in that time.

As Manchester City come into Double Gameweek 32 with strong clean potential it makes sense for the third slot of any triple-up on their assets to include a defender, especially as the line-up is easier to call in that area of the team. Aymeric Laporte (£5.9m) was the only one mentioned by the Scout Squad, as the most nailed-on of Pep Guardiola’s centre-backs, so we’ve selected him for the Scout Picks. The defending champions are currently top of the league for fewest shots allowed in the box over the last four matches and are joint best for fewest big chances conceded. We’ve already covered Cardiff’s goal conversion rate, while Fulham are joint-bottom of the league for shots inside the box over the last four matches.

Jeffrey Schlupp (£4.5m) is the most exciting of the budget defenders this week, hence why he was backed by all four of our Scout Squad pundits. A home match against Huddersfield does represent a great chance for a clean sheet while second opponents Spurs have the lowest goal conversion in the league over the last four matches. The crucial advantage of Schlupp is the fact that he has been largely operating out-of-position in central midfield for Crystal Palace, and with Wilfried Zaha currently a doubt, he could even play on the left flank of an attacking front three against the Terriers â€" the stuff of FPL dreams.

Midfielders

Raheem Sterling (£11.6m) is the standout midfield option for Double Gameweek 32, earning the top spot in each and every Scout Squad submission. Nobody in this position has managed more shots on target in the last four matches than Sterling, who faces a truly sensational pair of fixtures over the next few days. Up first is a trip to Fulham, who boast the worst defence in the league season having shipped 64 goals, before Cardiff come to the Emirates Stadium. Neil Warnock’s men sit in the bottom three for big chances allowed over the last four matches.

Eden Hazard (£10.9m) also gets to play against that poor Cardiff defence before hosting a Brighton side that typically does not travel well. The Belgian racked up a whopping 33 points across the two games against these opponents the last time he played them and, unlike some of the Manchester City options in this position, is pretty nailed on to play in both Double Gameweek 32 matches.

Paul Pogba (£8.9m) completes our three-man midfield after being picked as the third-best in this position by three Scout Squad pundits. He may have experienced a dip in form recently but as holding midfield options return to the side he should have a more free role against Watford and Wolves. As already mentioned, the Hornets have given up plenty of chances inside the box of late, and may not be at full strength if they are putting all their focus on the FA Cup semi-final next weekend. That might be the same with Manchester United’s second opponents of Double Gameweek 32 as Wolves manager Nuno Espirito Santo also has previous when it comes to rotating his side before Cup action.

Forwards

Having won the captain poll and been selected as the best forward option by all Scout Scout pundits, it was an inclusion for Sergio Aguero (£11.8m) in the Scout Picks this weekend. Only one striker has managed more shots on target in the last four matches as the Manchester City man who, like Sterling, faces two incredible fixtures. We actually think that Aguero is more likely to start both outings than his colleague considering his extensive usage by Guardiola over the last eight Gameweeks, while Gabriel Jesus has been largely deployed more in the cup competitions. Furthermore, the Argentinian had the international break to rest while his Brazilian colleague played in both friendlies for his country.

Tipped by three of our four Scout Squad pundits, Raúl Jiménez (£6.8m) looks he could be the best of the budget forwards in Double Gameweek 32. Yes, there is some concern over Wolves rotation in the lead-up to the FA Cup semi-final but the last time Nuno tweaked things for the quarter-finals he largely made changes to the midfield and defence. The Portuguese manager does not really have any recognised strikers outside of his starting pair Jiménez and Jota. The Mexican international is fourth among forwards with two fixtures in Double Gameweek 32 for shots in the box over the last four matches, a run which includes Wolves’ ultra-defensive performance against Chelsea in Gameweek 30. Against Burnley and Manchester United, Jiménez should have more opportunities and with that should come more attacking returns.

Michy Batshuayi (£6.5m) was also tipped by three of our Scout Squad pundits ahead of matches against Huddersfield and Spurs. The Terriers are in the bottom three for shots allowed in the box over the last six away matches, while Tottenham rank inside the bottom four for big chances conceded in the last four matches. Batshuayi himself has had the same number of accurate efforts as Jiménez over his last four outings but has two more total goal attempts than him.

Substitutes

Ashley Young (£5.7m) will have to make do with a place on the bench after he could not fit into the side for budgetary reasons. Since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over from Jose Mourinho, the right-back has averaged a key pass every 52 minutes, the same as Pogba. With Watford and Wolves potentially not at full strength because of the upcoming FA Cup semi-final, clean sheets are not out of the question either.

Gerard Deulofeu (£5.7m) certainly looks like he will deliver attacking points in one of his Double Gameweek matches as he has attacking returns in three of his last four outings. Of midfielders with two fixtures over the next few days, only Sterling and Riyad Mahrez have more shots on target â€" but we suspect that Deulofeu will fall foul of some rotation ahead of that FA Cup semi-final.

We would have loved to include Marcus Rashford (£7.6m) in the final XI of the Scout Picks with Manchester United’s fixtures looking strong. However, with yellow flags on the Red Devils’ players largely unclarified this week amid news about Solskjaer taking on the manager’s job full-time, there is too much risk surrounding the England international â€" so we’ve put him on the bench instead.

Community Champion

Representing the community against the Scout Picks in Double Gameweek 32 is Hotdogs for Tea. They have opted for a bold 5-3-2 formation of: Ederson; Lindelof, Azpilicueta, Tomkins, Luiz, Kolasinac; Sterling, Pogba, Pedro; Kane, Aguero.

The community member who beats our picks by the biggest margin over the campaign will win a £100 Amazon Voucher and a place in our Contributors and Moderators League for the following season.

fclackless‘s winning margin of 33 points (77-44) in Gameweek 10 is still the current target to beat.

Become a Member and access our data

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FIFA 19 TOTW 30 predictions (Team of the Week 30)

The domestic run-ins are gathering pace, with the many of Europe's top divisions having two rounds of fixtures this week. With league titles, European places and top-flight survival to play for, some of football's top stars produced the goods. 

It's advantage Liverpool in the Premier League title race, with Manchester City featuring in the FA Cup semi-finals. A 3-1 win over Southampton takes the Reds top, and the top four battle was opened up by Arsenal's 1-0 loss to Everton.

Over in Germany, one of the biggest Klassikers took place in recent history, with Bayern Munich's 5-0 thrashing of Borussia Dortmund taking them top of the Bundesliga and gives them momentum for the run-in. 

Barcelona's 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid midweek edged them closer to the league title in Spain, but a thrilling 4-4 draw against Villarreal perhaps shows complacency is creeping in. As for Italy, Juventus are homing in on the Scudetto with wins this week over both Cagliari (2-0) and AC Milan (2-1). 

So out of the weekend's actions, which players deserve a spot in the FIFA Ultimate Team of the Week? A squad of 23 in-for players will be released at 6pm BST on FUT this Wednesday, with the team able to be challenged for a coin bonus. You can get these boosted items in packs for the FUT store, or buy and sell them individually from the transfer market. 

RealSport looks at who could be in the frame for the starting 11 this week. 

Pau Lopez (OVR 82 – IF 84)

Real Betis defeated Villarreal 2-1 in La Liga, but despite Giovani Lo Celso's brace, it was goalkeeper Pau Lopez who takes the plaudits. The stopper denied Villarreal's Santi Cazorla form the penalty spot in the 89th minute to take the points for Betis and lift them to ninth in the table. 

Lopez's 82 overall should improve to an 84 in-form rating this week, with his base card priced at 750 coins on both PS4 and Xbox One on Ultimate Team. 

Ezequiel Garay (OVR 82 – IF 84)

Valencia picked up a big 2-1 win over Real Madrid, and it was former Real man Ezequiel Garay who came back to haunt Los Blancos. The centre back bagged the second goal for his side at the Mestalla, taking Los Che to sixth in the division. 

Garay's goal should take his 82 overall up to around 84 this week, with his base card priced 750 coins on PS4 and 1,000 on Xbox One. An 83 rated Champions League item is worth 6,800 on PS4 and 10,000 on Xbox One. 

Phil Jagielka (OVR 78 – IF 81)

Phi Jagielka has been Everton's fourth-choice centre back this season behind Michael Keane, Kurt Zouma and Yerry Mina, but he was given a rare opportunity against Arsenal. The club captain got the only goal in the 1-0, with the Toffees enjoying a late return to form in the Premier League run-in.

Former England international Jagielka should rise from 78 to an in-form 81 on Ultimate Team, with his base card able to be picked up for 650 coins on PS4 and 950 on Xbox One. 

Dante (OVR 80 – SIF 85)

It was a similar tale for Nice centre back Dante, with the former Brazil defender bagging the only goal in a 1-0 win over Montpellier in Ligue 1. The three points see Les Algions move up to seventh in the table, just three points off a European spot.

Dante's 80 overall should improve to a second in-form of 85, and you can claim his base card on Ultimate Team for 700 coins on PS4 and 500 on Xbox One. Hs 83 in-form card from TOTW 22 is worth 36,500 on PS4 and 39,000 on Xbox One. 

Serge Gnabry (OVR 82 – SIF 86)

Robert Lewandowski was perhaps the star in Bayern Munich's Der Klassiker clash against Borussia Dortmund, but Serge Gnabry was just as influential. The German international scored one and assisted another in the 5-0 win, taking the champions top of the table.

Gnabry's performance is likely to see him receive a second in-form card of the season, and his position should move from left to right midfield. His base card worth 1,700 coins on PS4 and 2,000 on Xbox One, with an 83 Champions League item costing 18,000 on PS4 and 19,250 on Xbox One. An 84 in-form from TOTW 12 will set you back 79,500 on PS4 and 63,500 on Xbox One. 

Jordan Henderson (OVR 82 – IF 84)

Jordan Henderson faces plenty of critics, but the Liverpool skipper showed what sort of impact he can make in the 3-1 win over Southampton. The defensive midfielder came off the bench at 1-1, going on to score one and set up another, taking the Reds top of the table. 

Henderson's 82 overall rating should move to an in-form 84, with his base card costing 1,100 coins on PS4 and 1,200 on Xbox One. An 83 Champions League item will set you back 13,000 on PS4 and 19,000 on Xbox One. 

Nani (OVR 80 – SIF 85)

Nani's switch to Orlando City from Sporting Lisbon went under the radar this winter, with the Portuguese star starting to show his class in the MLS. The former Manchester United man scored two goals in the 4-3 win over Colorado Rapids, taking Orlando up to sixth in the Eastern Conference.

Nani has an 80 overall rating on Ultimate Team, which should rise to a second in-form 85 this week with his positioning moving from LW to CAM. His base card costs 700 coins on PS4 and 700 on Xbox One, with his 83 in-form from when he was at Sporting worth 41,750 on PS4 and no recent sales on Xbox One. 

Ivan Perisic (OVR 86 – IF 88)

Inter Milan bounced back from their loss to Lazio with a 4-0 demolition of Genoa, and it was Croatia's Ivan Perisic who was the main man. The left midfielder scored one and picked up an assist to take the Nerazzurri back to winning ways, keeping them third in Serie A.

Perisic's 86 base card should improve to an 88 in-form, with his normal rating costing 22,250 coins on PS4 and 24,000 on Xbox One. An 87 Champions League item will set you back 49,750 on PS4 and 51,500 on Xbox One, with a live Europe League card worth 153,000 on PS4 and 135,000 on Xbox One.

Jamie Vardy (OVR 82 – SIF 86)

Jamie Vardy looks back to his best under new Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers, with the former England man bagging a brace in the 4-1 win over the already relegated Huddersfield. The Foxes jump up to seventh in the Premier League, which could claim Europa League football at the season's end. 

Vardy's 82 overall rating should improve to a second in-form card of 86 this week, with his base card requiring 1,600 coins on PS4 and 2,000 on Xbox One. An 84 in-form from TOTW 26 will set you back 59,500 on PS4 and 61,000 on Xbox One. 

Karim Benzema (OVR 85 – SIF 88)

Karim Benzema has been one of few consistent Real Madrid performers this season, with the Frenchman taking his tally for the season to 26 in all competitions after his brace against Eibar. The 2-1 win still doesn't mean a lot for Zinedine Zidane's Real, with competition for places for next season the only thing to play for.

Benzema's 85 overall is set to increase to an 88 second in-form this week, and you can claim his base card for 14,000 coins on PS4 and 14,500 on Xbox One. An 87 in-form from TOTW 20 costs 63,500 on PS4 and 64,000 on Xbox One with an 89 Champions League item setting you back 139,000 on PS4 and 160,000 on Xbox One. 

Andrea Belotti (OVR 82 – TIF 87)

Andrea Belotti put himself in the shop window once again this week, with the 25-year-old scoring twice for Torino in a 2-1 win over Sampdoria. The Italian now has 12 league goals this campaign, and you wonder how many he could rack up if he was playing for a quality side in European competition.

Belotti should see his 82 base card rise to a third in-form of 87 with the TOTW, and you can pick up his base card for 900 coins on PS4 and 1,100 on Xbox One. His 86 second in-form card costs 70,000 on PS4 and 67,500 on Xbox One.

RealSport's TOTW 30 prediction

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Premier League fixtures: Super computer predicts scores this weekend for Arsenal, Chelsea

The Premier League has a reduced set of fixtures this weekend as the FA Cup semi-finals take centre stage.

Manchester City face Brighton and Watford take on Wolves for a place in the showpiece final, meaning four league matches have been postponed.

Manchester United and Tottenham both have a whole weekend off so Arsenal and Chelsea can pile on the pressure in the hunt for a top-four finish.

Unai Emery's side hold a game in hand over their immediate rivals but are away at a buoyant Everton who have won their last two matches.

Meanwhile, Chelsea take on West Ham knowing victory will see them climb above London rivals Tottenham in the table.

There are also some big clashes at the other end of the table, with Burnley, Newcastle and Crystal Palace all in action.

The Clarets face a tough trip to Bournemouth and will be hard-pressed to earn any points against Eddie Howe's free-flowing outfit.

And one of Newcastle or Palace can all-but secure their survival for another season when the two sides meet at St James' Park.

Arsenal are expected to struggle against Everton, based on predictions from Football Web Pages (Image: GETTY)

Newcastle are hoping for three points against fellow mid-table side Crystal Palace (Image: GETTY)

The Magpies are a point and a place behind Roy Hodgson's team in the table and will be desperate for a win to push them clear of the drop.

Football Web Pages have designed an algorithm that predicts Premier League results based on previous results and current table standings.

Chelsea fans will be pleased with the results as their side are backed to comfortably see off the Hammers.

However, it's less straight-forward for Arsenal as they are predicted to drop precious points against the Toffees – but how will the other games play out?

Chelsea are backed to comfortably beat West Ham at Stamford Bridge (Image: GETTY) Premier League supercomputer predictions - GW33

Bournemouth 2-0 Burnley

Huddersfield Town 0-1 Leicester City

Newcastle United 1-1 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 Arsenal

Chelsea 2-0 West Ham United

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Asian Cup 2019: Saturday’s schedule, fixtures, odds, predictions

[unable to retrieve full-text content]You can see if the bookmakers have it right from 9.30pm on Fox Sports (channel 670). AFC Asian Cup 2019 schedule: fixtures and results of every match from the United Arab Emirates Finally, Saudi ...

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Premier League fixtures: Super computer predicts scores TODAY for Man Utd and Man City

It's the return of the Premier League this weekend following the international break.

Liverpool host Tottenham in the big clash of the weekend on Sunday, but their title rivals City are in action against Fulham today.

Their long-time foes Manchester United are also playing - as they come up against Watford at home.

Elsewhere, Leicester take on Bournemouth while Brighton host Southampton.

Burnley are at home to FA Cup semi-finalists Wolves and Huddersfield travel to south London for a clash with Crystal Palace.

And in the last fixture of the day, West Ham play host to Everton in a tasty match-up at the London Stadium.

Football Web Pages have designed an algorithm that predicts the Premier League results based on form and table standings.

Express Sport has rounded up all of the Premier League fixtures for this weekend including predictions based on Football Web Pages' supercomputer calculations.

Brighton 1-0 Southampton

Burnley 1-1 Wolves

Crystal Palace 1-0 Huddersfield

Fulham 0-2 Manchester City

Leicester 2-0 Bournemouth

Manchester United 2-1 Watford

West Ham United 1-1 Everton

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Premier League Week 33 Fixtures: EPL Picks and Predictions

Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur will open a new chapter in their history when they play their first match at their new stadium against Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Wednesday.

Mauricio Pochettino's side suffered another setback when they slipped to a late 2-1 defeat at Liverpool on Sunday, and Manchester United can climb to third if they win at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday.

Manchester City can reclaim top spot in the table if they beat visiting Cardiff City on Wednesday, the same day as Chelsea host Brighton & Hove Albion in their bid to keep up in the top-four race.

Liverpool are back in action at Southampton on Friday seeking a fourth successive league win, and Arsenal travel to Everton on Sunday hoping to extend their six-match unbeaten league streak.

Week 33 Fixtures, Predictions

Tuesday, April 2

Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-2 Manchester United, 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET

Watford 2-1 Fulham, 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET

Wednesday, April 3

Manchester City 3-0 Cardiff City, 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET

Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 Crystal Palace, 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET

Chelsea 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion, 7:45 p.m. BST/2:45 p.m. ET

Friday, April 5

Southampton 1-2 Liverpool, 8 p.m. BST/3 p.m. ET

Saturday, April 6

Bournemouth 3-2 Burnley, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET

Huddersfield Town 1-1 Leicester City, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET

Newcastle United 2-1 Crystal Palace, 3 p.m. BST/10 a.m. ET

Sunday, April 7

Everton 0-1 Arsenal, 2:05 p.m. BST/9:05 a.m. ET

Preview

Just beneath title contenders Liverpool and Man City, an alluring duel for the last two UEFA Champions League spots has emerged, with Arsenal and Tottenham third and fourth, respectively.

The temporarily named Tottenham Hotspur Stadium seats a little more than 62,000 and promises to push the club closer to self-sustainability if all goes to plan.  

That said, the pressure is on the hosts to beat Palace in their return to a long-term home ground, and The Times broke down some of the key details of the £850 million development:

Spurs have slipped out of the title race in sad fashion after going five league games without a win, and Roy Hodgson's Palace will likely relish an opportunity to rain on their parade.

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli recently got an inside look at the club's new home, via Sky Sports:

United can temporarily leapfrog Spurs and Arsenal if they beat Wolves on Tuesday, but that is something the Red Devils have failed to do in two meetings this term.

Wolves knocked the Red Devils out of the FA Cup a fortnight ago, having drawn 1-1 at Old Trafford in a league game in September. The seventh-placed hosts have their own motivation to cause another upset, with only two points between them and West Ham United in 11th.

Manchester City are also in action on Wednesday and are out to hand Cardiff a second straight defeat after the Bluebirds fell foul of two controversial decisions in the 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea on Sunday.

The Citizens have kept clean sheets in five of their last six league games and are yet to drop so much as a point at home in 2019.

Cardiff sit 18th and five points adrift of safety, leading football writer Seb Stafford-Bloor to suggest some urgency with a rough run-in ahead:

Liverpool talisman Virgil van Dijk suffered an ankle injury late on during Sunday's 2-1 win over Tottenham, but the centre-back said in the post-match press conference that he would be "fine for Friday."

Although the Reds lead for now, City having a game in hand makes it difficult for Jurgen Klopp's side to get comfortable at the summit.

In-form winger Sadio Mane has called for a 100-percent end to their Premier League campaign, per Goal:

City's Champions League quarter-final against Spurs is a blessing for their Premier League peers, who will hope both squads are weakened as a result.

Liverpool have wavered in form of late but continue to grind out results. Ralph Hasenhuttl's Saints recently beat a vulnerable Spurs team at home, but the Reds should be able to continue their own winning run on the road. 

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