Our attacking predictions set the scoreboards alight in Gameweek 8. We have again assembled the bookmaker’s predictions to help you pick a successful Gameweek 9 team. Warning: the bookie’s highest rated goal scorers will give you some tough choices to agonize over.

Defence

Gameweek 8 saw, for the second weekend in a row, just two clean sheets registered between the twenty Premier League teams combined, as goals were once again the order of the day. As a result, our defensive recommendations garnered a measly total of 5 points between them (Begovic 1, Francis 2, Kolarov 2, Cresswell 0). However, things look a little more clear cut this week when it comes to defence, according to the bookies at least, so without further ado..

Team Clean Sheet Odds Implied chance Chelsea 1.95 51.28% Man City 2.2 45.45% West Brom 2.3 43.48% Swansea 2.45 40.82% Arsenal 2.5 40.00% Southampton 2.62 38.17% Crystal Palace 2.7 37.04% Man United 2.9 34.48% Newcastle 3.3 30.30% Tottenham 3.4 29.41% Norwich 3.6 27.78% Everton 3.8 26.32% Stoke 3.9 25.64% Liverpool 3.9 25.64% Sunderland 3.9 25.64% West Ham 4.6 21.74% Leicester 5.5 18.18% Watford 7 14.29% Aston Villa 9.5 10.53% Bournemouth 10 10.00%

Chelsea are top of the defensive rankings this weekend, with the bookmakers predicting a 51% chance of a shutout at home to a goal-shy Aston Villa side. Can Jose Mourinho’s men finally regain famous solidity or will the joint-second worst defence in the league this season continue to falter?

Manchester City fans and Fantasy Football managers alike will have been happy to see Vincent Kompany return to action for Belgium in midweek. Can their captain inspire them to their first clean sheet since he got injured? The bookies say there is a 45% chance against newly-promoted Bournemouth.

West Brom (43%), Swansea and Arsenal (both 40%) are also afforded a good chance of keeping their respective opposition at bay this weekend, and Fantasy managers should have no qualms in playing defensive assets from these three clubs. Sunderland at home, Stoke at home Watford away respectively all look conducive to clean sheet points for these well-drilled backlines.

At the other end of the spectrum, the bookies suggest we should avoid the likes of Leicester (18%), who are without a clean sheet this season and travel to St Mary’s, and Watford (14%), who, despite having only conceded one goal at home, aren’t fancied to keep a lid on a red-hot Alexis Sanchez. Aston Villa and Bournemouth (both 10%), with one clean sheet between them this season, face trips to Stamford Bridge and The Etihad and their defensive picks should be avoided at all costs.

Our recommendations for your back line this week; Joe Hart, Hector Bellerin, Craig Dawson, Ashley Williams.

Attack

Our attacking recommendations could hardly have been more spot on last gameweek, with a whopping 81 points before you even applied the captain’s armband! Aguero (25), Lukaku (7), Vardy (9), Payet (10), Sanchez (16) and de Bruyne (15) all romped home, and our captaincy choices (Aguero and Payet) only served to further increase the Fantasy joy. On a high, we analyse the odds for the upcoming fixtures..

Player Goalscorer Odds Implied chance Diego Costa 2 50.00% Wilfried Bony 2 50.00% Olivier Giroud 2.25 44.44% Graziano Pelle 2.4 41.67% Alexis Sanchez 2.4 41.67% Theo Walcott 2.4 41.67% Eden Hazard 2.75 36.36% Harry Kane 2.75 36.36% Kevin de Bruyne 2.75 36.36% Saido Berahino 2.75 36.36% Daniel Sturridge 2.88 34.72% Dwight Gayle 2.88 34.72% Bafetimbi Gomis 2.9 34.48% Sadio Mane 2.9 34.48% Anthony Martial 3 33.33% Romelu Lukaku 3.05 32.79% Aleksandar Mitrovic 3.25 30.77% Ayoze Perez 3.4 29.41% Diafra Sakho 3.5 28.57% Andre Ayew 3.7 27.03% Jamie Vardy 3.75 26.67% Dieumerci Mbokani 3.75 26.67% Christian Eriksen 3.8 26.32% Mame Biram Diouf 4 25.00% Odion Ighalo 4 25.00% Jermain Defoe 4.1 24.39% Yohan Cabaye 4.33 23.09% Willian 4.5 22.22% Dimitri Payet 5 20.00% Glenn Murray 5.5 18.18% Rudy Gestede 6 16.67%

Two players are rated as having a 50% chance of finding the back of the net this weekend: Diego Costa and Wilfried Bony. Costa is set to return to the Chelsea side after a three game suspension, and will be looking to kickstart his season at home to Aston Villa. Meanwhile, Bony is set to deputise for the injured Sergio Aguero and will be looking to prove that he has what it takes to lead the line for The Sky Blues at home to Bournemouth. Other intriguing options in these games are Belgian pair Eden Hazard and Kevin de Bruyne (both 36%), who both scored in midweek for their country, with the latter in particularly scintillating form.

Arsenal are rampant in front of goal at the moment, scoring eight times in their last two games. A sturdy Watford defence awaits them, but the bookies fancy Olivier Giroud (44%), Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez (both 41%) to get in on the action. Odion Ighalo is the main goal threat for The Hornets with a 25% chance of breaching The Gunners backline.

Jurgen Klopp takes charge of Liverpool for the first time as he takes his troops to White Hart Lane, where England strikers Harry Kane (36%) and Daniel Sturridge (34%) will attempt to outdo each other. Meanwhile, goals seem likely at St Mary’s where Southampton entertain free-scoring Leicester. Graziano Pelle (44%), Sadio Mane (34%) and form man Jamie Vardy (26%) are the three to watch according to the bookies.

Elsewhere, intriguing options include Christian Eriksen (26%) off the back of netting two free kicks last weekend, Andre Ayew (27%) at home to a leaky Stoke defence, Palace penalty taker Yohan Cabaye (23%) who has two in two, and Aleksandar Mitrovic (30%) who netted his first of the season against City last time out and takes on Norwich at home this weekend.

Our recommendations for your attacking line-up this week; Diego Costa, Graziano Pelle, Andre Ayew, Kevin de Bruyne, Alexis Sanchez, Dimitri Payet, Christian Eriksen.

Our recommendations for your captain; Graziano Pelle and Kevin de Bruyne.

Victory is a Fantasy football and anytime goalscorer betting enthusiast. Enjoys SSS – statistics, strategising and spreadsheets. Follow his tips on Twitter.

New to daily fantasy football? You have done the research and know the rules already from Fantasy Premier League. Start off by setting up your team in a free game with a £100 prize pot. Pick your team for gameweek 9 here!