| General |

Here is another imperfect stream of conciousness preview (or summaries), the hectic schedule makes it tough, and being Dyslexic!

Hopefully it is of interest, looking at GW17 and form, fixtures moving forward.

Please note that some matches * may * be postponed due to the pandemic and/or weather conditions.

| 14/12/21 | 19:30 (UK) | Brentford Community Stadium | Brentford Vs Manchester United |

| Brentford On A High / Manchester United Getting Better (?) |

Brentford’s last minute winning goal at home against Watford (2-1), scored by Mbeumo from the spot, gave Brentford (10th) their 5th league win of the season .

▪ Brentford have won their previous 2 Premier League home matches.

Brentford continue to show great spirit, despite numerous injuries/having players unavailable, after taking 8 points from a possible 15 since GW12 (includes their 3-3 draw away against Newcastle United).

▪ Only 2 teams have scored 2 or more in their away league matches against Brentford in 2021/22.

▪ Manchester United are unbeaten in 6 of their 8 Premier League away matches.

| 14/12/21 | 19:45 (UK) | Carrow Road | Norwich City Vs Aston Villa |

| Smith Vs Gerrard |

Smith faces the man who took over him (Gerrard) at his beloved Aston Villa, in a midweek league match under the lights, whilst Gerrard takes charge of his 3rd away match as Villa manager.

Norwich City have picked up more points GW10 than they had gotten from GW1-9, having been unbeaten in 3 of their 4 home league matches since then (a narrow defeat to Manchester United in GW16), and are unbeaten in 7 of their previous 12 matches since GW7.

However, wins have been hard to come by, with Norwich having picked up 2 all season.

| Villa Options / Time To (Get) Cash In? |

Villa’s form is decent, and with reasonable fixtures coming up (not a given by any means, you know as it’s football and the Premier League especially), but having come out of matches against 2 of top 3 having only narrowly lost (and far from a disgrace against two of the toughes opponents in the league).

▪ Aston Villa have conceded 1 goal or less in 4 of their matches under Gerrard.

Martinez, Cash, Konsa, McGinn, Watkins/Ings are options that stand out. Cash is getting in very advanced positions, and at times in positions to get in the area and/or shoot from around 20 yards out.

▪ Villa are one of the highest scoring teams that are currently in the bottom half (21) this season.

McGinn has scored/assisted 5 goals in the league in 2021/22. Watkins and or Ings (possibly both will play in a front 3, at times almost like a two playing together, depending on how attacks go for Villa).

▪ Only 2 teams have scored 3 or more away in the Premier League against Norwich City in 2021/22.

▪ Aston Villa have only won 2 matches away from home in the league in 2021/22, regardless of who their manager is, but Gerrard has gotten Villa more organised, conceding fewer goals and more intense in recent weeks.

▪ Aston Villa have won 3 of their 5 matches under Gerrard.

| 14/12/21 | 20:00 (UK) | The Etihad Stadium | Manchester City Vs Leeds United |

| Manchester City’s Winning Run / Leeds’ Struggles With Injuries |

▪ Manchester City have won every league match since being defeated by Crystal Palace (0-2) in GW10.

▪ Bernardo Silva has scored 5 of his 7 Premier League goals since GW11.

▪ Leeds United are likely to be without Cooper, Struijk, Koch, Phillips, Rodrigo and Bamford for GW17.

| 15/12/21 | 19:30 (UK) | The Amex Stadium | Brighton Vs Wolves |

| 5th Best Defence Vs 4th Best Defence – In Terms of Goals Conceded |

Only 3 teams have beaten Potter’s side (Manchester City, Aston Villa & Everton) in 2021/22, although Brighton (11th) have not won a league match since beating Leicester City (2-1) in GW5, and are yet beaten in the league since GW10.

| 15/12/21 | 19:30 (UK) | Turf Moor | Burnley Vs Watford |

| A Big 6 Pointer (?) |

▪ Burnley are unbeaten in 5 of their 7 Premier League home matches in 2021/22.

▪ Burnley are unbeaten in 8 of their previous 10 league matches since GW6.

▪ Only 2 teams have scored 2 or more goals away at Burnley in the Premier League in 2021/22.

▪ Watford have conceded in every single Premier League match in 2021/22.

▪ Watford have scored in their previous 5 Premier League matches.

▪ Dennis has scored 4 goals away from home in the Premier League in 2021/22.

Watford have only won 2 of their 8 Premier League away matches in 2021/22.

| 15/12/21 | 19:30 (UK) | Selhurst Park | Crystal Palace Vs Southampton |

| Palace’s Bouncing Selhurst Park Home Form / Southampton’s Away Form (Or Lack Of It) |

▪ Crystal Palace are the highest scoring team that is currently in the bottom half.

▪ Crystal Palace have scored in every home match since beating Spurs in GW4.

▪ Crystal Palace are unbeaten in 7 of their 8 Premier League home matches

▪ Gallagher is Crystal Palace’s top scorer in the Premier League this season with 6 goals.

▪ Crystal Palace have had 8 different scorers in the league in 2021/22 (Gallagher – 6, Zaha – 4 Benteke – 4, Edouard- 3, Guehi – 2, Tomkins – 1, Schulpp – 1 and Olise – 1).

▪ Southampton have conceded 7 goals in their 2 previous 3 Premier League matches.

▪ Southampton have conceded 17 goals in 8 away matches in 2021/22.

▪ Southampton have lost 7 of their 8 Premier League away matches in 2021/22.

| 15/12/21 | 20:00 (UK) | The Emirates Stadium | Arsenal Vs West Ham United |

| Arsenal Strong At Home / Conceding Chances / West Ham Resilient Away And A Threat Away On Their Day |

This fixtures sees the following:-

▪ 6th Vs 4th

▪ Two London clubs

▪ One of the most form teams at home Vs one of the most in form away sides (overall) in the Premier League in 2021/22.

▪ Arsenal have scored 15 goals in 8 Premier League home matches in 2021/22.

▪ Only the top 3 have scored more goals away from home in the Premier League than West Ham United (12) in 2021/22.

| 16/12/21 | 19:30 (UK) | The King Power | Leciester City Vs Spurs |

Due to Spurs having had two matches postponed because of the pandemic, therefore this match is at risk of not going ahead as originally scheduled.

| 16/12/21 | 19:45 (UK) | Stamford Bridge | Chelsea Vs Everton |

| Chelsea At Home / The Attacking Returns Are Quitely Mounting Up For Mason / Rafa Returns To The Bridge|

Chelsea’s win against Leeds United (3-2) was big win for Tuchel’s side, having dropped points in their two home matches in the league prior to said victory, and next faces an Everton side that has not won away from home in the Premier League since GW3.

▪ Chelsea have won 10 of their 13 matches in all competitions in 2021/22.

Mount appears to be continuing to playing in an advanced position, however you want to define his role, but he playing in the final third.

This, along with formations can be somewhat open to interpretation, and these things can be fluid.

▪ Mount comes into GW17 off the back off scoring in 3 consecutive league matches.

| 16/12/21 | 20:00 (UK) | Anfield | Liverpool Vs Newcastle United |

| Liverpool’s Winning Run |

▪ Liverpool come in to GW17 off the back off of 5 consecutive Premier League wins.

▪ Trent goes in to GW17 off the back of 17 signficant returns (9 clean sheets, 7 assists & 1 goal) in the Premier League in 2021/22 .

▪ No defender has more assists in the Premier League in 2021/22.

▪ Trent ranks high for big chances created, as well as being key set piece taker, and is one of only 6 players (Trent, Raphinha, Son, Neves, Ødegaard & Alonso) have scored a direct-free kick in the Premier League in 2021/22.

Van Dijk scored his first goal of the season against his former club Southampton (4-0) in GW13, is one of the highest scoring defenders in recent seasons and has the attributes to give many teams problems on set pieces (as well as on the ball, his pre assist against Wolves epitmomises his quality with long balls/long passes, to break down teams) – Newcastle United struggle in defending set pieces, among with other teams such as Leicester City, Brentford etc.

▪ Salah goes in to GW of the back off 24 goal involvements in the league (one or two fantasy football ones included), with 20 plus goals to his name in all competitions this season and has scored/assisted in every Premier League match since GW3.