Paddy Says – Gameweek 23

Tuesday is used to being damned with faint praise. It’s main selling point, after all, is not being Monday.

But every now and again it can make like it’s a Saturday because it kicks off a whole Gameweek of sweet, sweet Premier League morsels to get our Fantasy gums around.

And that means another batch of Paddy’s Anytime Goalscorer and Clean Sheet odds is heading to our table.

We start, as ever, with an appetiser – the Enhanced Offers available to new customers opening an account today.

The big ticket event tonight is the Liverpool v Chelsea clash, for which Paddy’s got more offers than George Clooney at a WI convention, including a very generous Liverpool to beat Chelsea at 12-1, an almost insane 14-1 on a win for the Blues and an Acca to consider as well.

Paddy is offering 18-1 on Arsenal, Spurs and Chelsea all to win. That’s a generous price in anyone’s book, although strange to say that the weak link in that combo could be Chelsea. Yep, the Chelsea that’s won 14 of their last 15 matches who will travel to face a Liverpool side that’s lost three matches on the spin, and all of them at Anfield.

It’s all about context. Arsenal really should power past woeful Watford at the Emirates and Spurs will expect to see off Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Compared to those two fixtures, the Blues’ trip to Liverpool is the tricky one, however down Klopp and the Kop might currently be.

Still, betting against Chelsea these days is a risky business, so that Acca looks like a great deal all in.

But if you prefer your enhanced offers more ‘got to be a home win surely?’, then Man United to beat Hull is available at 5-1.

Enhanced winnings are credited in free bets. Be sure to check the terms and conditions that apply on all those offers and, of course, we should state that all these specials are only available to those aged 18 or over. If you’re going to wager, please always gamble responsibly.

ANYTIME GOALSCORER ODDS – GAMEWEEK 23

The usual captaincy suspects – Zlatan and Alexis – have low anytime goalscoring odds to match, with the surprise meat in the sandwich being Theo Walcott, who Paddy thinks is more likely to score than Sanchez at home to a wretched Watford.

That’s a big call, although the Chilean’s four goals at the Emirates (out of 15 in total) probably has a lot to do with that. FPL managers are not so sure – more have purchased Sanchez than FA Cup hat-trick man Walcott this Gameweek.

Sergio Aguero’s (1.72) league-leading eight away goals, of 11 overall, explains his low price, but he’s not a popular armband choice for the trip to West Ham.

The low prices are mainly the preserve of Arsenal and United players, with Paddy clearly expecting a lamb/slaughter interface for Hull City at Old Trafford. Only one Red Devil, however, features among the top 30 transfers-in this Gameweek and it’s that man Ibrahimovic.

Diego Costa, meanwhile, has been bought in by more than 92,000 FPL managers this week, but is priced at 2.50 to score against Liverpool. At the start of the month, that might have been understandable, but the Reds can’t wait to get out of January now and their defence isn’t exactly watertight – Chelsea have as many away clean sheets (six) as Liverpool have managed both at home and on the road.

Higher prices catcing the eye include Jermain Defoe at 3.75 to score against one of his 300 or so former clubs, Spurs. Defensive worries over both Danny Rose and Toby Alderweireld have now eased, however, which won’t help the wee fella.

In the same match, Dele Alli (2.40) and Christian Eriksen (3.10) are attracting a lot of interest.

The Englishman has netted eight times in his last six league starts compared to the Dane’s, erm, none, which explains why Alli has been bought by more than 141,000 managers this Gameweek (making him the most popular transfer of the round) and Eriksen hasn’t (and isn’t).

But 48,000+ new backers are praying Christian delivers and Sunderland’s defence is an unholy mess that’s shipped 14 goals over the last five Gameweeks.

The 3.30 on Fernando Llorente, who hit a brace at Anfield last time out, scoring at home to Southampton is also worth a look. FPL managers agree – he’s the fourth most popular acquisition of the Gameweek – and the Saints look unlikely to keep their first away clean sheet in four attempts without Virgil van Dijk at the back.

CLEAN SHEET ODDS – GAMEWEEK 23

Seamus Coleman is second only to Dele Alli for transfers-in this week, which suggests many FPL managers are looking for a clean sheet from Everton at Stoke. You can get 3.20 on that.

Slightly shorter odds of 3.00 are available for Burnley to blank Leicester City. The Clarets are the ultimate homeboys – all but one of their points has come at Turf Moor, their four clean sheets is the fourth-best home record and their goal difference on their own patch (+9) is better than Man United’s at Old Trafford.

Leicester will come a-knocking tonight, and they’re as good on the road as a sedated hedgehog – only three teams have scored fewer away goals than the Foxes eight in 11 matches and they’ve failed to bother the scoreboard operator in three of their last four trips.

Paddy’s got Leicester at 3.00 to keep a clean sheet as well, mind, so there’s a strong odour of 0-0 about this one.

There’s also plenty of Fantasy interest in West Brom defenders, with both Gareth McAuley and Chris Brunt among the top 30 for new bosses this Gameweek.

As a result, the 2.70 available on the Baggies blanking goal-shy Middlesbrough, who have managed a league-worst ten strikes in 11 home matches, is worth considering.