Paddy Says – Gameweek 20

It’s time once again to take a seat in Paddy’s horse-drawn carriage and be whisked away on a magical tour to marvel at Anytime Goalscorer and Clean Sheets odds.

We stop, as ever, to first gaze upon the wonder of the enhanced offers available for new customers.

Football’s not exactly packed full of sure things – it’s why we love it so – but some things are definitely more sure than others, and one of those is Manchester City beating Burnley at the Etihad.

Paddy is offering new customers 3-1 on Pep Guardiola’s boys managing to see off a team with just the one away point to their name this season.

Or you can get 5-1 on Liverpool to beat Sunderland. The Black Cats have won three of their last four home matches, but they haven’t been anyone from the top half of the table, home or away, all season.

If you fancy your odds that little bit longer, there’s 6-1 on Manchester United to beat West Ham and the same price available on Arsenal to win at Bournemouth.

Slightly further out , we’ve got Leicester to beat Middlesbrough at 8-1. The Foxes looked much more like their old, title-winning, selves last time out, but they’ve not won on the road all season.

And if it’s an Acca you fancy, you can get 16-1 on Everton, Man City, Man United and Liverpool all to win. The Toffees are at home to a Southampton side who will have to make do without their previously ever-present defensive rock, Virgil van Dijk, for the first time in the campaign.

Be sure to check the terms and conditions on all those offers and, of course, we should state that all these specials are only available to those aged 18 or over. And if you’re going to wager, always gamble responsibly.

ANYTIME GOALSCORER ODDS – GAMEWEEK 20

Sergio Aguero is back at the top of the Anytime Goalscorer pile and will be a major captaincy draw for many Fantasy Premier League managers.

But he’s still not proving to be box office gold, with two players well ahead of him in the race to be the most popular transfer target of the Gameweek. The price tag, the form of rival forwards and City’s patchy set of immediate fixtures no doubt providing the obstacles.

Burnley at home shouldn’t get much easier, hence his 1.33 price, but then there’s trips to Everton and an in-form West Ham as well as a visit from Spurs before January is done.

The Clarets are so bad on the road – one point from their one clean sheet – that it seems almost criminal not to have a punt on at least one City player finding the net. Maybe Kevin De Bruyne, who is at 2.10, will end his 14-match wait for a league goal.

Paddy again hedges his bets by offering low odds on Daniel Sturridge (1.80), but it was Roberto Firmino who played as Liverpool’s striker against Man City and his 2.10 price to score at Sunderland looks a far safer bet.

Only three teams have conceded more goals than the 15 the Black Cats have shipped at home, while Liverpool are joint-second with 20 away goals.

The Gameweek’s most signed player, Adam Lallana, is worth a look, therefore. He’s 3.40 to find the net at the Stadium of Light.

Salomon Rondon (2.4o) was benched in the win at Southampton. The smart money is on him gaining a recall when the Baggies’ teamsheet is revealed for the home match with Hull City.

Also in the West Brom camp, Matt Phillips, second only to Lallana for transfers-in this Gameweek, is at 3.75 to score in back-to-back matches.

Harry Kane (2.29) reminded us all of his prowess in the New Year’s Day lesson handed out to a woeful Watford. But Chelsea are a very, very different prospect and both he and Diego Costa (2.10) could struggle to make an impact in what promises/threatens to be a tight encounter of few chances.

The 3.50 available on Dele Alli making it six goals in four matches is probably going to be as good as it gets.

He’s certainly an increasingly popular transfer pick this Gameweek – into the top five and overhauling Costa for new managers.

CLEAN SHEET ODDS – GAMEWEEK 20

The combined lowest odds on a clean sheet this Gameweek can be found in the Middlesbrough v Leicester fixture.

It’s a match-up unlikely to send many tingles down the spine – Boro are mixing it with the big boys when it comes to their defensive record at home while the Foxes, with just eight goals, have toiled on the road.

Boro are at 2.62, and Leicester 2.87, to keep goals out of the equation. Aitor Karanka’s men look the more likely of the two to actually do it, as the odds suggest.

Man City are the Gameweek’s runaway favourites to record a shut-out, even with their frankly awful defensive record this season.

The reason? Burnley’s truly appalling two goals scored in eight away matches. Swansea City have had more managers than that and we’re halfway through the season now.

Time for the 16.8% of managers still on John Stones to cash in, you suspect. Their loyalty deserves reward, but will Pep even pick him? Either way, it’s little wonder that a defence with only one more clean sheet than multi-managed Swansea are priced so low to add to their ‘haul’ against Burnley.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have now kept three clean sheets in their last four fixtures and a trip to Sunderland could garner another.

Two Reds defenders (Nathanial Clyne and Dejan Lovren) are among the top 30 players targeted this Gameweek, and Sunderland’s second-worst total of 17 goals scored this season tends to back up the wisdom of buying into the Liverpool back four.

A price of 1.90 is available for the Scousers to keep Sunderland’s attack all gums and no teeth.