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If you didn’t get your derby fix after Saturday’s postponed Everton v Liverpool clash, Matchday 16 features a bunch of local affairs headlined by the one in Manchester.
Let’s look ahead to these grudge matches via Sleeper’s free Pick’em predictor. As a weekly contest, it’s never too late to sign up for a game that only takes up a few minutes of your time but offers monthly and seasonal prizes in each pool.
Fantasy weekend preparations usually involve looking at imminent fixtures, so it’s useful to start guessing how Matchday 16 will unfold.
If you see yourself as a bit of a top-flight Nostradamus, it’d be a good idea to join our Scout league on Sleeper, with the app available on Apple and Android devices.
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In Sleeper Pick’em, you predict wins and draws for the upcoming matches, earning a point for every correct guess.
Not only is there a football shirt of choice to be won each month but the overall season-long winner will gain £7,500 worth of prizes!
It costs nothing, takes just a few minutes and is sociable – connecting you in a chat with fellow pool competitors.
NEW: WEEKLY POOL REPORTS
An additional feature has been added to these chats: a weekly round-up. Left as a message called ‘Pick’em Report’, it highlights your pool’s best and worst performers of the previous Matchday.
There is also a look at its biggest risers and fallers in this chase for prizes.
MATCHDAY 16 PICK’EM
Just when we thought that Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Nottingham Forest would end their dramatic loss of form, they’ve since dropped points at Crystal Palace and lost to Juventus. However, Manchester United aren’t convincing either, so we think Pep Guardiola’s lot will raise their game and claim all three points.
Earlier that afternoon is the M23 Derby. Brighton and Hove Albion could only draw in recent games against Southampton and Leicester City, while Crystal Palace are gradually pulling themselves away from trouble. That will be a competitive draw, just like the clash between Midlands sides Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa.
Curiously, this Matchday has a couple of Sunday night clashes, one of which pits West London sides against each other. Free-scoring Chelsea are the league’s top scorers with 35 goals, while Brentford have just one point from seven trips. At the same time, there’s one of two Harry Redknapp derbies. We reckon Tottenham Hotspur will scrape past Southampton before Bournemouth beat West Ham United on Monday.
But what about the Mikel Arteta Derby? The Spaniard spent over six years at Everton before playing and managing Arsenal. We think Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz will make this comfortable for the Gunners.
Let’s not forget the Danny Murphy Derby at Anfield either, where Fulham’s defence has conceded the third-fewest big chances (28) but haven’t yet faced Mohamed Salah.
You know what? It’s probably best to stop there before reminiscing about Ayoze Perez and Christophe Berra. In a nutshell: Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers are tipped to overcome promoted duo Leicester and Ipswich Town.
