Premier League 2020/21: FPL Gameweek 20 Fantasy Forecast
Ahead of each Gameweek in the Premier League, The Hype Train's team, Robert Austin, Sam Austin and Phil Jones, duel for FPL and league supremacy in predicting Premier League scores, as well as going head to head in picking a Scout Picks squad for each round of games. With the 2020/21 Premier League season starting tomorrow, we provide our Gameweek Forecast predictions, speculating how we think the upcoming midweek round of games will be played out. Welcome to the Forecast. All aboard.
Premier League 2020/21: Gameweek 20 Fixtures
Premier League 2020/21: FPL Gameweek 20 Forecast
Enjoy our FPL Forecast article, with each of our team forecasting how we think the Premier League will shape up this upcoming Gameweek. If you agree or want to challenge us on our point of view, get in touch with us on our main Twitter account, @RealHypeTrain.
Fixture Predictions: Gameweek 20
Crystal Palace 0-2 West Ham
Newcastle 0-3 Leeds
Southampton 1-2 Arsenal
West Brom 0-3 Man City
Burnley 0-1 Aston Villa
Chelsea 1-1 Wolves
Brighton 2-1 Fulham
Everton 2-2 Leicester
Man United 2-0 Sheffield United
Spurs 1-1 Liverpool
FPL Forecasting: Gameweek 20
Who are the teams to look out for and avoid?:
There are lots of teams with potential for clean sheets this week, particularly away from home. The usual faces of Man City, West Ham, Man United, and Man City have winnable fixtures with potential at both ends of the pitch.
Man City (Watch): What more can I say than both ends of the City money machine are churning out results like it’s nobody’s business. A trip to West Brom should be more of the same…goals and clean sheets.
Man United (Watch): After dumping my beloved Liverpool out of the FA Cup, rather deservedly, the feeling amongst the players must be at an all time high. Manchester United could have a great season if they stay the course and keep picking up results. No doubt they are walking away with three points when they host The Blades this Gameweek.
West Ham (Watch): The Hammers have been ruthless lately, especially at the back. I also love that Michail Antonio proved many Twitter haters from for being a ‘social media pick’ and then went on to get 18pts. You love to see it. They have their edge back up front and their rear guard has been incredibly. I can see Crystal Palace doing nothing in this game.
Everton & Leicester (Watch & Avoid): I think that this game could be one of them games, highly entertaining, lots of goals, and a result that can go either way. Both teams had good FA Cup wins over the weekend, and Rodriguez is back for Everton. Maddison and Barnes for Leicester have been phenomenal this season, and if I had to pick, my gut is telling me that Leicester walk away with the win here due to their form.
Spurs & Liverpool (???): This Gameweek’s risky game is in the form of Liverpool’s visit to North London, with both teams placed in a curious position.
Gameweek 20 - FPL Differential Picks:
CRY/ WHU: Angelo Ogbonna (WHU, DEF, £5.0mil, 3.3% ownership)
NEW/LEE: Jack Harrison (LEE, MID, £5.4mil, 2.3% ownership)
SOU/ARS: Alexandre Lacazette (ARS, FWD, £8.3mil, 6.2% ownership)
WBA/MCI: Ilkay Gündogan (MCI, MID, £5.5mil, 7.1% ownership)
BUR/AVL: Ezri Konsa (AVL, DEF, £4.7mil, 5.5% ownership)
CHE/WOL: Christian Pulisic (CHE, MID, £8.2mil, 2.2% ownership)
BHA/FUL: Neal Maupay (BHA, FWD, £6.1mil, 3.1% ownership)
EVE/LEI: Harvey Barnes (LEI, MID, £6.8mil, 5.4% ownership)
MUN/SHU: Anthony Martial (MUN, FWD, £8.8mil, 5.6% ownership)
TOT/LIV: Sadio Mane (LIV, MID, £11.8mil, 7.1% ownership)
Differential Captain: Harvey Barnes (Leicester)
The Foxes travel to Merseyside on Wednesday night to continue their title charge under Brendan Rodgers. Even when Jamie Vardy has been injured a lot of Leicester players have been stepping up…and the two biggest ones are Maddison and Barnes. The Foxes have had a great balance in their midfield, it is opening a lot of space in the midfield, and Barnes is a player that is the beneficiary of their evolving tactical system. Able to operate on the wing, or through the middle, Barnes is kicking on from last season. I can see Everton having lots of problems, and Barnes is currently on three goals and one assist from his last five games. Everton are still figuring themselves out whilst Leicester have gotten over that hump this season, which could be what gives them the advantage.
FPL Scout Picks: Gameweek 20
Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Ederson (MCI)
DEF: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (MUN)
DEF: Aaron Cresswell (WHU)
DEF: John Stones (MCI)
DEF: Ruben Dias (MCI)
MID: Harvey Barnes (LEI)
MID: Mohamad Salah (LIV) (VC)
MID: Bruno Fernandes (MUN) (C)
MID: Marcus Rashford (MUN)
FOR: Michail Antonio (WHU)
FOR: Anthony Martial (MUN)
Substitutes
GK: Emiliano Martinez (AVL)
MID: Jack Grealish (AVL)
DEF: Ezri Konsa (AVL)
FWD: Patrick Bamford (LEE)
Fixture Predictions: Gameweek 20 Crystal Palace 0-3 West Ham Newcastle 1-3 Leeds Southampton 1-2 Arsenal West Brom 0-2 Man City Burnley 0-2 Aston Villa Chelsea 0-3 Wolves Brighton 1-2 Fulham Everton 2-3 Leicester Man United 5-0 Sheffield United Spurs 2-0 Liverpool
FPL Scout Picks: Gameweek 20 Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Emiliano Martinez
DEF: Ruben Dias DEF: John Stones DEF: Joao Cancelo
MID: Bruno Fernandes (C) MID: Heung Min Son MID: James Maddison MID: Jack Grealish
FOR: Harry Kane FOR: Patrick Bamford (VC) FOR: Michail Antonio
Substitutes
GK: David De Gea MID: Marcus Rashford DEF: James Justin DEF: Aaron Cresswell
Fixture Predictions: Gameweek 20
Crystal Palace 1-1 West Ham
Newcastle 0-3 Leeds
Southampton 2-1 Arsenal
West Brom 0-4 Man City
Burnley 0-1 Aston Villa
Chelsea 2-0 Wolves
Brighton 0-1 Fulham
Everton 1-2 Leicester
Man United 2-0 Sheffield United
Spurs 2-2 Liverpool
FPL Forecasting: Gameweek 20
Top FPL player targets ahead of the upcoming midweek Gameweek:
Have you ever just sat on the transfer page for your team, looked over a mediocre squad and come to the conclusion that none of the replacements look worth it on paper? I’ve just had one of those experiences, contemplating sideways moves involving Dominic Calvert-Lewin and a few cheap defenders.
My decision making came to simply looking at the run of fixtures and matching it any players are in a good vein of form. My major considerations were whittled down to Michail Antonio (WHU), James Maddison (LEI), Ollie Watkins (AVL), Bertrand Traore (AVL), Paul Pogba (MUN) and a couple of punts for Leeds as they take on beloved (and hapless) Newcastle side.
Leicester showed me enough at both ends of the pitch to entrust Maddison, whilst Aston Villa are moving the ball well and creating ample chances for Watkins. I owned Antonio in my Free Hit during Gameweek 20, but I’m not sure a trip to Crystal Palace is the right time or place to sing about a huge points maker, even if he has had a good week.
Who are the teams to look out for and avoid?:
Liverpool (avoid, kind of):
Jumping right down their throats, Sam here has been losing his mind watching Liverpool games. I’m losing interest. I’ve always been in Klopp and Liverpool’s corner as they have consistently been the great entertainers on the pitch. If all other matches fail to live up to the hype or on-field expectations, you could always rely on The Reds giving you a good watch. Now we’re not even guaranteed of that.
The team is littered with issues. The chasm in central defence has been greatly reported on by any keen observer, whilst the loss of a minor injury to Jordan Henderson just highlights how badly Klopp’s men miss a leader on the pitch when the Englishman and Virgil van Dijk are both injured.
The Spurs game will likely be a tight affair and I’m expecting a couple goals for both teams, or nothing to scream about at all – it all depends on how Jose Mourinho wants to attack Klopp’s men, if at all.
Chelsea (Watch, of course):
Sacking a Manager tends to have a positive outlook on the pitch as players have to work harder to impress the new incoming boss. Sacking Frank Lampard made no sense to me, personally, but this is Chelsea we’re talking about. Player power is rife at the club and the boardroom loves writing a severance check. Wolves aren’t in any form whatsoever, providing the Blues a perfect platform for Thomas Tuchel to build on in his first days in charge. As for players, Werner, Havertz, Ziyech and Pulisic should all play – a luxury not often afforded to Lampard due to injury.
Newcastle (avoid like the plague):
It’s not that I want to say anything negative about the club as a lifelong and suffering supporter, but it’s gotten to the stage where I am having the same conversation with fellow supporters. Fans are dead inside and abject to wanting to watch the team at all, performances keep getting worse, multiplied by Steve Bruce opening his mouth more than he should do it press conferences. Everything Bruce is saying is being put under the harshest of spotlights and the Newcastle supporter accounts online are really going in hard – I’m not saying it is warranted, but everyone associated with the football club is currently swimming in their own filth as a result.
To put the club in another context, over Christmas I watched The War of the Roses, a 1980’s classic comedy starring Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and the one and only Danny DeVito – who I can only look at as Frank “Donkey Brains” Reynolds from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Newcastle, its supporters and the media are currently playing the roles of the feuding spouses perfectly, with each day seemingly getting darker and more desperate as one of both parties are stirring the pot and causing more drama with each passing day. In the end of the film, the Rose’s agree to settle their differences instead of dealing with a messy, expensive battle in court. Unfortunately for Newcastle, it appears that the only way one involves a big settlement for Mike Ashley to get out of the club. Until then, this horrible atmosphere will continue to exist, regardless of our Manager or Players.
That said, on the field we already look like a lost side against Leeds without a ball being kicked. The squad looked dejected and already doomed for the drop after their 2-0 defeat at Aston Villa and it will take some big effort to dig out of this hole. A loss to Leeds will be the absolute worst result considering two relegation rivals directly below Newcastle will battle it out.
Fulham (watch):
Building on from above, Fulham’s trip to Brighton is huge for the relegation battle. Scott Parker has figured out how to defend and the Cottagers look a much better side capable of staying up. If they travel to Brighton with the same discipline and explosive power up front, I expect Fulham to sneak a narrow win – if they lose against Brighton the game between the bottom three and 17th could be eight points. It’s a big, big, game.
Default Picks (MUN, MCI, LEI):
The Manchester clubs headline the FPL Gameweek due to favourable fixtures against sides deep in the relegation dogfight. Wins against West Brom for City, and Sheffield United for Man United, seem almost a guarantee. Leicester too have been in fine form and will be expected to win at Everton in order to keep up appearances of another Champions League chasing season.
Gameweek 20 - FPL Captaincy Picks:
Essential: Bruno Fernandes (MUN)
Alternative: Patrick Bamford (LEE)
Differential: Bertrand Traore (AVL)
Other Gameweek Comments:
Don’t forget our new golden rule of playing the Fantasy Premier League game – make your transfers last minute. It’s maddening at how many early transfers are being made, even at the mid-point of the season.
It’s also going to be a hectic few weeks as the Premier League looks to fill in as many Gameweek’s as possible before the Champions League and Europa League competitions return in mid-February. There will of course be rotation and a lot of frustration for Fantasy Football players the world around – this season has not been normal so if you’re having a bad season in FPL, don’t let anyone tell you that rank matters this season: it really doesn’t.
FPL Scout Picks: Gameweek 20
Formation: 3-4-3
Starting 11
GK: Emi Martinez (AVL)
DEF: James Justin (LEI)
DEF: Joao Cancelo (MCI)
DEF: Ruben Dias (MCI)
MID: Phil Foden (MCI)
MID: James Maddison (LEI)
MID: Paul Pogba (MUN)
MID: Bruno Fernandes (MUN) – (C)
FOR: Patrick Bamford (LEE)
FOR: Harry Kane (TOT) – (VC)
FOR: Ollie Watkins (AVL)
Substitutes
GK: Alphonse Areola (FUL)
MID: Bertrand Traore (AVL)
DEF: Jan Bednarek (SOU)
DEF: Pascal Struijk (LEE)
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The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015, specialising in Fantasy sports reporting, starting with Fantasy Premier League (FPL), before expanding to MLS Fantasy coverage in 2018.
We pride ourselves in providing beautiful graphics, statistics, in-depth analytical reporting and free weekly insight for hopeful players attempting to climb rankings tables. We are also occasional media reviewers, with a keen interest to review games, live sport, and professional wrestling.
In 2019, Hype Train Football Club was formed, becoming the first Fantasy Football website to take to the field. HTFC is a socially active team across social and web channels, providing regular match highlights, match reports, comprehensive player statistics and unique player profiles. We won both Goal of the Season Awards in the Berkshire and County FA regions, with Callum Parr-Jones winning the Berks & Bucks FA award, whilst Martin King won the PlaySport UK award.
The Hype Train were nominated and shortlisted for the 'Best Football Blog' in 2016 by the Football Bloggers Association at their annual Football Blogging Awards (The FBA's), and were again shortlisted as a finalist in 2019 in the 'Best Fantasy Football Blog' category.
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All aboard.
