With all twenty Premiership teams in action this weekend, one fixture draws the eye more than most.

 Roy Keane’s Sunderland travel to Old Trafford, marking their manager’s first return to the club he achieved so much with.

 Keane will be in unfamiliar territory as an underdog at a ground he ruled for over a decade - but if his side show as much passion as their boss, they could give United and his former mentor Alex Ferguson something to think about.

One thing’s for sure, the Irishman won’t be caught eating any prawn sandwiches at half-time.

 Here’s the weekend preview…

Saturday  

Bolton v Everton

Sammy Lee’s first win in charge couldn’t have come at a better time last week, easing Bolton’s dreadful start to the season. Lee would love nothing more to put one over old rivals Everton, who were lucky to get a point from their clash with Blackburn last week. The added news of Anelka staying will boost the Whites and they can bag another three points.

Prediction: Bolton 2 - 1 Everton

Fulham v Tottenham

Spurs played very well at Old Trafford last week, and can take heart from their unlucky defeat. They really have a lot of class in their squad, and can edge past a Fulham side who aren’t getting any rub of the green lately.

Prediction: Fulham 0 -2 Tottenham

Liverpool v Derby

There’ll be an echo of betting coupons being ripped apart at 5pm on Saturday if Rafa’s men don’t dispose of hapless Derby. Gerrard may miss out, but Liverpool could get a result with their 1970’s team against Billy Davies’s no-hopers. They’ll need luck and the next Pele to stand any kind of chance.

Prediction: Liverpool 4 - 0 Derby

Man United v Sunderland

United have really struggled to break down opponents so far this year - as their total tally of two goals so far proves. They seem unable to create chances against block defences - which is exactly the type of approach Sunderland will adopt. Don’t be surprised if they hold out for a draw, but I’m going for United to sneak it - just.

Prediction: Man Utd 1 - 0 Sunderland

Middlesbrough v Birmingham

Middlesbrough are mediocre. Birmingham are solid. Chances are, these two middle of the road teams will cancel eachother and play out a draw.

Prediction: Boro 1 - 1 Birmingham

Newcastle v Wigan

Antoine Sibierski returns to Newcastle as the best player in England. And as England is officially the home of the best league in the world, Sibierski is officially the best player on plant earth. Yep, just ask our points complilers. Antoine Sibierski is his name. Probably won’t be enough for Wigan to get any points though.

Prediction: Newcastle 2 - 1 Wigan

Reading v West Ham

West Ham seem to have an injury curse at the moment, with millions-of-pounds-worth of players sit in their treatment room. Or in Kieron Dyer’s position, the hospital bed.  Don’t mention hospitals at Reading, or they’ll put you in one. Just ask Chelsea’s goalkeepers. Reading are slightly preferred in this cagey contest.

Prediction: Reading 2 - 1 West Ham

Sunday

Arsenal v Portsmouth

Kanu returns to his former club and gives me an opportunity to display killer pub-knowledge. He is the only player to win the Champions League (Ajax), the UEFA Cup (Inter Milan), the Premiership & FA Cup (Arsenal) and be relegated from the Premiership (West Brom). He’s also played at the World Cup (Nigeria). Bet you didn’t know that. It doesn’t matter. Arsenal might struggle to break down this stubborn Pompey side, who also welcome back Tony Adams to his former club.

Prediction: Arsenal 1 - 1 Portsmouth

Aston Villa v Chelsea

Former champions Chelsea travel to a place where title rivals Liverpool have already collected three points. It will be a tough affair for Mourinho’s men, but they have enough spirit and know-how to get past the midlands outfit.

Prediction: Villa 0 - 2 Chelsea

Blackburn v Man City

Sven’s run of form has ended and it may take another downward step when City visit Ewood Park in Sunday’s feature. Blackburn are incredibly solid in every department, and can over-power the blue-half of Machester. Notice the reference to power - anyone with Roque “Rocky” Santa Cruz in their side must have power. Go on Rocky.

Prediction: Blackburn 3 - 1 Man City

REMEMBER transfers can be made from 4th September onwards! Check the aftermath of this weekend’s games before making your vital changes!

Matt @ YTM

it’s Rafa’s goatee beard!

More strange goings on in the world of the Premiership this week. What with Martin Jol’s ramblings about his ‘missus’ flirting with Sevilla, Zat Knight’s eventful trip to Birmingham and Roy Keane signing another 43 players to add to his boot camp, life’s never dull.

Amid all the transfer-window hysteria, it took West Ham stopper Rob Green to put things into perspective when he was left out of the England squad, saying “It’s disappointing to be dropped from any team, even my mate’s fantasy league team!”

Shame on you, Rob Green’s mate! Why aren’t you playing You The Manager, where the transfer window opens next week?!

Here are my thoughts on the movers and shakers once the window opens on September 4th:

Predicted Top 5 Most Transferred In

1 - Micah Richards

The young England man has had an absolute stormer so far, and at a mere £4.0m he’s the kind of bargain Keano could only dream of.

2 - Robin Van Persie

Already YTM’s most popular forward, he’ll be in even more teams now that Rooney’s been ruled out for a while.

3 - Mikael Forssell

At just £2.5m , he’ll enable huge upgrades elsewhere. With his injury record, he’s a risk, but as a truly perceptive man once said “It’s no better to be safe than sorry.” Wise words, Morten Harket, wise words.

4 - Antoine Sibierski

Some people are inevitably going to have their heads turned by Antoine’s massive points haul thus far. Not everyone is canny enough to read the YTM blog and heed the warning that doubts remain over Sibierski’s fitness. Proceed with caution.

5 - Richard Dunne

The Honey Monster has always been a decent FF pick, and under Sven’s new defensive regime, he looks set to become even stronger. Sure, he’d be great to have in your team, but is it worth burning a precious transfer on him? Not unless you have a very good reason to remove one of your current defenders. True champions don’t twiddle with their defence in September.

Predicted Top 5 Most Transferred Out

1 - Wazza Rooney

For obvious reasons. Fergie is looking to hurry him back, but we all remember how out-of-sorts he looked upon his return from a similar injury a little over 12 months ago.

2 - Ricardo Carvalho

Every time Rooney breaks a metatarsal, he seems to end up directly above Ricardo Carvalho shortly afterwards. Injury, ill-discipline and an uncharacteristic lack of clean sheets have blighted Ricky’s scoring potential so far this season. He also has Tal Ben Haim and new signing Alex to contend with for the single spot available alongside JT. Might that cash be better spent elsewhere?

3 - Dimitar Berbatov

He’s been nowhere near last season’s peak form, and amid rumours of a fall-out with Martin Jol, many YTM managers will be pushing the panic button.

4 - Matt Taylor

Last season’s top scoring defender has already been left on the bench twice this season. The times they are a changing. Will Matt get back in the side? Is it worth taking that risk?

5 - Linvoy Primus

Linvoy’s in nearly 7,500 YTM teams, and if God played YTM, he’d probably have the big man. But he’s not in Harry Redknapp’s first XI, and that’s all that counts.

The transfer window is nearly open. Exciting times, you might say. But be careful - a transfer is a valuable thing. It’s a long old season, and your team is bound to come a cropper with injuries and suspensions before May. Only leap in with both feet in three scenarios:

1 Your player is seriously injured or has left the Premiership.

2 You are targeting one of the fabulous £10,000 Manager of the Month prizes, in which case tinkering is entirely justified.

3 You are one of the 371 managers who have somehow ended up with Julius Aghahowa in their lineup.

Remember, it’s a long old season, so think long and hard before making those crucial changes. Your transfers certainly justify some contemplation, as the right combination might just win you £100,000.

Andy @ YTM

Team of the week:

Goalkeeper:

E Van der Sar
Man United - £5m
6 Points
Van der Sar played a solid game at the back for United, and apart from Robbie Keane hitting the crossbar early on, he never really looked like he was going to be beaten. Another solid performance from the big Dutchman, and even though United have not got off to the best start, Van der Sar looks like he will be keeping the Red Devils in with a good chance.

Defenders:

J Arca
Middlesbrough - £4m
8 points
Middlesborough had a closely fought draw against Newcastle on the weekend and Arca’s volley secured Boro a single point. Arca looks like a solid choice in YTM as his versatility allows him to play both in defense and in midfield.

JL Samuel
Bolton - £3m
5 points
Bolton put in a solid performance to see off Reading, with solid defence all round to maintain a clean sheet, JL Samuel proved his worth for the Trotters with a strong performance at the back.

T Ben Haim
Chelsea - £5m
5 points
After a slightly shaky start, Ben Haim played well over the weekend and helped Chelsea to a deserved clean sheet. The pressure is on the young man as players will be returning to fitness, he may need to prove himself now in order to get consistent first team football.

K Toure
Arsenal - £7m
5 points
Toure proved himself as one of the best defenders in the premiership. Solid as a rock, he will help the Gunners to a number of clean sheets throughout the season. A good choice for YTM managers with some money looking for a defender.

Midfielders

G Speed
Bolton - £4.5m
9 Points
Playing in Bolton’s midfield Speed continues to defy his age as he netted the first of Bolton’s three goals. A powerful header proved that he still has what it takes to play competitive football in the top flight.

M Sissoko
Liverpool - £4.5m
9 Points
Sissoko managed to score his first premiership goal against Sunderland on the weekend, hopefully giving him extra confidence to strike a few more efforts towards the goal. For a midfielder – he is cheap.

C Fabregas

Arsenal - £7m
9 Points
Fabregas came to the rescue after Van Persie’s penalty was expertly saved. The young Spaniard made a good run before slamming the ball in passed the near post. Expect a lot of goals from him for the Gunners this season. A very good buy!

Strikers

C Jerome
Birmingham - £3m
10 Points
At £3m, Jerome is possibly the best bargain around in the strikers department. He managed to net two goals against Derby, the first of which came just 32 seconds into the game. The second was a good volley which proved unstoppable. Definitely one to look at.

N Anelka
Bolton - £6.5m
8 Points
Nicolas Anelka showed his class again at the weekend, and reminded everyone that he is a top quality striker. Man United are reportedly after him, and that would only mean more goals for the Frenchman.

A Voronin
Liverpool - £5m
8 Points
With the signing of Fernando Torres, Andriy Voronin came to Anfield very much through the back door! With Liverpool’s depth he may not see too much first team football, but then one has to remember Rafa’s rotational system and the prospect of Voronin becomes a possible bargain at only £5m !

The team of week 3 would only have cost you £54.5m and would have earned a whopping 82 points!

Congratulations Rui Marques of Portugal (pictured above) who walks away with £10,000 for winning the August Manager of the Month competition!

Rui fought off some tough competition to emerge as the winner with 158 points for the month. This is currently the top score in the game, and Rui will be looking to stay as close to the top of the leaderboard as possible through the coming months.

Mr Marques’ key signings in his winning team were Frank Lampard (26pts) and Nicolas Anelka (22pts). Both of these players appear on the Team of the Month, shown below:

Click here for a more detailed review of each player.

Dave @ YTM HQ

I know it’s early days and only 4 Premier League games have been played but you can start making transfers a week today so I thought it would be worth doing the seasons first Value For Money top 20 - it’s based on points scored per million:

1  Antoine Sibierski, Wigan Athletic, Midfielder, £3m, 29 points, 9.67 points per million
2  Matt Oakley, Derby County, Midfielder, £2m, 19 pts, 9.50 ppm
3  Michael Johnson, Manchester City, Midfielder, £2m, 16 pts, 8.00 ppm
4  Mikael Forssell, Birmingham City, Striker, £2.5m, 16 pts, 6.40 ppm
5= Paul Scharner, Wigan Athletic, Midfielder, £3m, 18 pts, 6.00 ppm
5= Michael Chopra, Sunderland, Striker, £2.5m, 15 pts, 6.00 ppm
7  Geovanni, Manchester City, Midfielder, £3m, 17 pts, 5.67 ppm
8= David Dunn, Blackburn Rovers, Midfielder, £2.5m, 12 pts, 4.80 ppm
8= Luis Valencia, Wigan Athletic, Midfielder, £2.5m 12 pts, 4.80 ppm
10 David Healy, Fulham, Striker, £3.5m, 16 pts, 4.57 ppm
11= Clint Dempsey, Fulham, Midfielder, £2.5m, 11 pts, 4.40 ppm
11= Victor Anichebe, Everton, Striker, £2.5m, 11 pts, 4.40 ppm
13= Chris Kirkland, Wigan Athletic, Goalkeeper, £3m, 13 pts, 4.33 ppm
13= Olivier Kapo, Birmingham City, Midfielder, £3m, 13 pts, 4.33 ppm
13= Mark Noble, West Ham United, Midfielder, £3m, 13 pts, 4.33 ppm
13= Cameron Jerome, Birmingham City, Striker, £3m, 13 pts, 4.33 ppm
17= Steve Hunt, Reading, Midfielder, £3.5m, 15 pts, 4.29 ppm
17= Denny Landzaat, Wigan Athletic, Midfielder, £3.5m, 15 pts, 4.29 ppm
19= Andy Todd, Derby County, Defender, £2m, 8 pts, 4.00 ppm
19= Micah Richards, Manchester City, Defender, £4m, 16 pts, 4.00 ppm
19= Leon Osman, Everton, Midfielder, £5m, 20 pts, 4.00 ppm
19= Elano, Manchester City, Midfielder, £4m, 16 pts, 4.00 ppm
19= Dickson Etuhu, Sunderland, Midfielder, £2m, 8 pts, 4.00 ppm
19= Steed Malbranque, Tottenham Hotspur, Midfielder, £5m, 20 pts, 4.00 ppm
19= John Utaka, Portsmouth Striker, £4.5m, 18 pts, 4.00 ppm

 Of these 25 players - 16 are midfielders, 6 are strikers, 2 are defenders and just 1 is a goalkeeper.

My top 5 to transfer in from the list would be:

 1) Sibierski - an experienced campaigner, with a nose for goal, who plays as more of a striker than a midfielder. (there are reports of a hamstring strain so do your research before bringing him in)

2) Michael Johnson - a steal at just £2m. Sven seems to rate him and he’s just signed a new 4 year deal to ward off interest from Liverpool.

3) Forssell - has proven he can cut it at this level before. Probably undervalued due to his run of bad injuries.

4) Noble - regular starter and penalty taker in a West Ham outfit that should improve with the return of Ashton.

5) Micah Richards - has formed a sold partnership with Dunne for a massively improved Man City who look like they won’t concede many this term.

 OK - so you should be all set for transfers opening now?

Cheers,

Tom @ YTM

Picture Tottenham’s fans at the start of this season.

Everything is just great. They can dream of the riches that this season promises to bring - a new addition to their potent strikeforce, a promising French defender joining up with their sturdy defence, and a team that is ready to blossom after a highly encouraging fifth-place finish last year.

Picture them now.

Spurs only points have come against mighty Derby - a team so talented and ambitious, they would be happy to settle for 17th place this year. They have a manager who is odds-on to leave his post, whether it is by choice or not, and a goalkeeper who has been possessed by the spirit of Massimo Taibi.

The Gods have conspired against Spurs again this weekend - handing them a daunting trip to champions Manchester United, who are shockingly winless this season and behind Tottenham in the table.

Here’s the weekend preview…

Saturday

Sunderland v Liverpool (12.45)

After Sunderland’s impressive start, the wheels rather came off Keano’s bandwagon last weekend with a crushing defeat at Wigan. They face a very formidable Liverpool side without their injured captain Dean Whitehead, who will be a sore miss. Liverpool will be reminiscent of a wounded animal after Rob Styles’ antics on Sunday - and Sunderland might just be on the receiving end of their anguish. Gerrard may miss out, but Torres and co. will have too much class and firepower for Keane’s men.

Prediction: Sunderland 0 - 2 Liverpool

Arsenal v Man City

Sven Goran-Eriksson clashes with Arsene Wenger - sounds like a Pay-Per-View Chess match. City’s astonishing form gives them a chance at the Emirates, but this is another tough test after last week’s Derby victory. Arsenal, fresh from being roughed up by Blackburn on Sunday, will be looking to build on their sold start. Wenger claimed “Blackburn used violence” in that game, and with the physical presence of Richards, Dunne and Stephen Ireland (!), City might just nick something. But I can’t see it.

Prediction: Arsenal 2- 1 Man City

Derby v Birmingham 

I was gutted that this game wasn’t the showpiece TV showing this weekend. This is a relegation six-pointer, what are Sky and Setanta thinking?! I don’t think I’m ever going to predict a Derby win this year, but Birmingham at home is about as close as it will come. The Blues aren’t the best, but Derby are nothing short of woeful. One to avoid.

Prediction: Derby 1 - 1 Birmingham

Bolton v Reading

Bolton’s changing room doesn’t look like it’s glowing with positivity at the moment - El-Hadj Diouf and Nicolas Anelka are having a face-off to see who can be crowned the ultimate whinger. They need their father figure Sam Allardyce back. Sammy Lee is more like an annoying little brother. Bolton are too good to go down (oh god, that’s a doomed cliche from past years. See: West Ham 2003) and they could pick up their first point against Steve Coppell’s Reading.

Prediction: Bolton 1 - 1 Reading 

West Ham v Wigan

I was one of many who questioned Wigan’s prospects in the league this season. I guess we underestimated Antoine Sibierski - currently the best player in England - according to YTM. 27 points. Hang on, that can’t be right…. Sibierski? When does that transfer window open? £3million and listed in midfield. Think we can close the book on bargain of the season. West Ham’s squad list is impressive, while Wigan’s spirit has seen them rocket up the table. Tough one to call, but the Londoners could edge it.

Prediction: West Ham 3 - 2 Wigan

Aston Villa v Fulham

Villa haven’t scored from open play this season, while Fulham’s David Healy could shank a left-footed swing and it would find it’s way into the top corner. However, even he’ll do well to breach Villa’s cold-blooded Scandanavian centre-half pairing, Laursen and Mellberg. Villa were resolute when holding Newcastle last week, and their no nonsense approach could be enough to break down an average Fulham team. Speaking of which, welcome back the US of A’s finest - former Leicester City hero Kasey Keller! He’ll be looking to keep Villa from scoring any Touchdowns in the End Zone.

Prediction: Aston Villa 1 - 0 Fulham 

Chelsea v Portsmouth

There’s a crisis at Stamford Bridge - their best player is missing this weekend. No one has seen Rob Styles since his imperious display at Anfield for Mourinho’s men. He should be back next week, heaven forbid. Portsmouth are described beautifully by the word ‘Stubborn’. They are well organised (Redknapp, Adams and Jordan form the coaching staff - so it’s hardly unexpected), and create plenty of chances at the other end. They’ll cause Chelsea problems - but not enough to get any points.

 Prediction: Chelsea 1 - 0 Portsmouth

Everton v Blackburn (17.15)

Two of the Premiership’s most solid teams clash in what could be a very informative game at Goodison Park. Both David Moyes and Mark Hughes will be looking to finish in the elusive top-six this season, and I reckon the men from Lancashire could nick all three points in this evening game. Expect Santa Cruz, Roberts and McCarthy to create problems for the Merseysiders, while Robbie Savage will do his best to impersonate a headless chicken. Effective, though.

Prediction: Everton 1 -2 Blackburn 

Sunday

Middlesbrough v Newcastle (13.30)

A derby match to relish - and the kind of game which Sam Allardyce will thrive on. Newcastle’s tough backline will give them licence to roam forward this season, and I have a feeling they’ll be more effective away from home. Villa’s negative approach stumped them at St. James’s Park last week, but they’ll have more space at the Riverside which their pacey team can capitalise on. Boro got a great result at Fulham last week, but it was mainly thanks to Tony “I’ve got a hole in my gloves” Warner and a blind linesman who is currently on holiday with Mr Styles in Bognor.

Prediction: Middlesbrough 0 - 2 Newcastle 

Manchester United v Tottenham (16.00)

Arguably the season’s two biggest under-achievers meet at Old Trafford on Sunday. Expect some serious repercussions for whoever loses this one. This will be an almighty test of Tottenham’s spirit - but some teams have a habit of finding their best form when their backs are against the wall. We’ll know a lot more about Tottenham’s desire at 6 o’clock on Sunday. They clearly have an abundance of talent, but they’ll need every ounce of it against the reigning champions. Tevez can put last week’s nightmare behind him and inspire his new team to their first win of the season.

Prediction: Man Utd 2 - 0 Tottenham 

Stay tuned to the blog and YTM website as this weekend’s games will crown our first Manager of the Month - who will be the recipient of a cool £10,000.

Peace and fellow managerial love.

Matt H @ YTM

What has been this season’s biggest surprise so far? Sven’s successful Manchester City revolution? Martin Jol’s Tottenham troubles? Perhaps Ian Wright’s claim that Michael Owen had left him out of a list of great England goalscorers ‘because I’m a brother’?

Wrighty is, as usual, tough to surpass, but some of the greatest surprises lie in the list of YTM’s most popular players so far. While the usual suspects like Cristiano Ronaldo and Steeeeeeven Gerrard (as Phil Thompson calls him) fill the top few slots, there are some more unexpected names to be found high up on the list.

Top 5 Goalkeepers

1 Pepe Reina - 18176 selections

2 Petr Cech - 11972 selections

3 Edwin van der Sar - 10769 selections

4 David James - 6761 selections

5 Tim Howard - 5075 selections

While Arsenal have a tradition of strong defences down the years, YTM managers clearly don’t trust them this year. Jens Lehmann is way down the list in 95th overall, behind such luminaries as Abdoulaye Faye and Graeme Murty.

Top 5 Defenders

1 Nemanja Vidic - 14576 selections

2 Micah Richards - 14148 selections

3 Daniel Agger - 12102 selections

4 Ricardo Carvalho - 9270 selections

5 Jamie Carragher - 8931 selections

So, no place on the list for last season’s top scorer Matt Taylor. Evidently YTM managers are worried that Taylor won’t reproduce last season’s form. He seems to be on penalty-taking duties, so don’t write him off too soon.

John Terry, traditionally the best defensive pick in fantasy football, is also omitted, his position usurped by young pretender Micah Richards. At a competitively priced £4.0m, expect to see Micah surge past Nemanja Vidic into top spot when transfers open on September 4th.

Top 5 Midfielders

1 Cristiano Ronaldo -33920 selections

2 Steven Gerrard - 20072 selections

3 Frank Lampard - 13277 selections

4 Gareth Barry - 10213 selections

5 Mikel Arteta - 8886 selections

Perhaps the biggest surprise here is the relatively low position of big Frank Lampard. He features in only one third as many teams as chief rival Cristiano Ronaldo, and only just sneaks into the top 10 overall picks, which seems unusual given that his track recored is second to none. Few things in life are certain, but you can always rely on Frank Lampard to score at least fifteen goals a season.

It seems that only 1178 of you somehow knew that Sibierski is now the French for va-va-voom, but expect Antoine to feature in many more teams once that window opens.

Top 5 Strikers

1 Robin van Persie - 18089 selections

2 Wayne Rooney - 17811 selections

3 Dimitar Berbatov - 14069 selections

4 Didier Drogba - 12342 selections

5 Fernando Torres - 11534 selections

There are 17811 reasons to be glad that the transfer window opens on September 4th. The most likely replacement is RVP, already YTM’s most popular striker, and he has repaid that faith with goals in each of Arsenal’s opening two games. Careful though - he’s also been booked in both games, and at this rate a suspension is inevitable.

Just missing the top five is bargain-bucket option Michael Chopra. Available at £2.5m, just imagine what you could do to the rest of your team if you brought him in for the injured Rooney.

Next week I’ll predict the most popular movers and shakers once transfers kick in. And perhaps make some quips about Alan Hansen’s new designer stubble.

Andy @ YTM

 A good week for Spurs and Pompey fans, and therefore a good week for those of you who had faith that Martin Jol would turn the Spurs ship around.

There should never have been any doubt that Tottenham would get back to winning ways.  Their frontline is quality, and any of the four strikers that they have at their disposal would get into the majority of EPL teams, including the top four.

Harry Redknapp has spent big on two strikers this summer: John Utaka and David Nugent. I suppose the big question at the start of the season was ‘Who would perform better: the Championship player or the foreign import?’ Both would have to adjust to the Premier League. The smart money was on Nugent, but Utaka seems to have bolted out of teh blocks. The Nigerian really does look the part, and his partnership with fellow countryman Kanu left Mr Nugent kicking his heels on the bench on Saturday. I am sure that Nugent will come good eventually. It will give Redknapp and many YTM managers a luxurious headache!

You can make transfers on YTM from September 4th, so keep an eye on the blog and the Team of the Week/Month pages to check who is in form and who should not be touched with a ten-foot barge pole.

Cheers,

Dave @ YTM

So what impact has the weekend action had on the thought processes of all YTM managers?

Here are my gut reactions having watched the highlights and read the match reports:

Pompey v Bolton

Pompey have strengthened well. Utaka looks a class act. Matt Taylor (last season’s top defender with 131 pts) started his first game after 2 sub appearances and obliged with a goal from the penalty spot. IF (big if) he plays he’ll score loads of points.

Bolton look in desperate trouble. Even though Pompey had 4 left footed players in defence including Champions League winner Djimi Traore at right back Bolton rarely threatened after Anelka put them ahead. Even if the moody Frenchman stays it’s going to be a long season for little Sam.

Birmingham v West Ham

Birmingham look another team who will be scrapping for survival. They showed signs of adventure against Chelsea but losing at home to West Ham without creating many chances will dent the confidence. No players jump out as YTM point machines. Expect McSheffrey to start more games.

Mark Noble had an excellent game and looks a guaranteed starter. He also takes the penalties. Dyer came straight in for debut and played a full 90. Ashton was an unused sub - can’t be long before he gets to play.

Fulham v Middlesbrough

Healy (but for the lack of goal line technology) bagged his 3rd goal in 3 starts. He’s a Sanchez favourite and with McBride and Bouazza out with dislocations he’s going to play and probably score.

Big win for ‘Boro. Mido did score 12 goals in season 05/06 for Spurs but if The Yak goes I don’t expect any of Gareth Southgate’s men (Downing aside) to be troubling the top 20 of YTM points scorers.

Reading v Everton

So much for second season syndrome. Stats show that the average drop for a team in their second year in the Premier League is only 3 places. I’m sure Reading can live with finishing 11th and frankly I expect them to do at least that.

Everton will be looking forward to Cahill’s return and would definitely benefit from the guile of Fernandes in midfield when trying to unlock well organised teams like Reading. Expect Baines to come in for Valente and maintain his place in the team.

Spurs v Derby

Crisis what crisis? Steed Malbranque (115 pts in 05/06) is well capable of going on a run of sustained points scoring. Huddlestone provided the quality and the foundation in midfield and should play more often. Taarabt looks a very exciting prospect - one to watch for the future

Derby are the weakest of the promoted teams and unless they strengthen they will go down.

Wigan v Sunderland

Sibierski wanted to take the first penalty and did take and score the second one. 3 in 3 for the Frenchman who always seems to be in the right place at the right time. He’s a midfielder playing up front so should be on your shortlist. Koumas is Wigan’s best player and also merits consideration.

Based on Roy Keane’s post match comments I don’t expect to see much more of Dwight Yorke this season.

Newcastle v Aston Villa

Big Sam looks to be quite rightly going for solidity at the back to start off with so look to the likes of Taylor and Rozehnal for clean sheet points. Owen came through a useful 30 minutes and provided he doesn’t over do it for England should play an increasing role.

Villa also look like they will be well organised and difficult to break down. Carson could be a good buy and Mellberg usually weighs in with the odd goal.

Man City v Man Utd

Sven - genius or just lucky? Who knows! You can’t ignore 3 clean sheets though. Richards and Dunne look rock solid and Corluka packs a mean shot. I expect a new keeper to come in before the deadline so Schmeichel will be doing time on the bench before long. Injury to Bojinov looked serious so Bianchi who was unlucky not to start should see more action.

I felt last season that United could have been short up front but injuries (or a lack of them) went their way and Ronaldo was inspired. Having sold Smith and Rossi Sir Alex will be desperate for Saha and Rooney to regain fitness asap. Surely Tevez will be better playing off a main striker?

Blackburn v Arsenal

Santa Cruz looks another quality bargain buy by Mark Hughes and should complement Benni McCarthy (back from injury as a last minute sub) well. Derbyshire will prove a very able deputy for either of them. They are well organised and won’t concede many but watch out for the yellow cards!

I’m sure if Van Persie stays fit he’ll be challenging for top scorer honours. How many gaffes can Lehmann get away with before being dropped - 1 more? Eduardo started his first game but looked quiet. Arsene’s signings (Henry, Pires) can take time to settle and adapt to life in the Premier League.

Liverpool v Chelsea

Torres is a quality addition to the Liverpool team and the undisputed number 1 striker at Anfield. Rafa prefers Riise at left midfield to left back. Babel looks a better prospect than Pennant on the right. Rotation remains the name of the game with no place in the matchday squad for the likes of Voronin, Kewell and Sissoko.

Jose is definitely going with 4 4 2 this season. Lampard remains favourite to be YTM top scorer. Ferreira is out of favour with Essien selected ahead of him at right back for this game. With everyone fit it’s difficult to see Ballack and Shevchenko playing many games.

That’s it for now. I hope this has helped you formulate some plans ahead of transfers opening on September 4th.

Cheers,

Tom @ YTM

Calling all YTM managers - get ready for an action-packed weekend with some explosive games set to take place.

 Yes, that’s right… it’s the one you’ve all been waiting for….  Fulham vs Middlesbrough!

… plus the small matter of the Manchester derby and Liverpool vs Chelsea.

Who’d have thought that after the first week of the season, Man City and Everton would be dreaming of the title with big spenders Tottenham languishing at the bottom of the pile?

Who’d have thought that David Healy, Michael Chopra and Antoine Sibierski would be fighting out the battle to be labelled as the Premiership’s top marksman?

Football, as ever, remains incredibly unpredictable.

 This weekend has the potential to follow suit. Here’s the previews…

SATURDAY

Portsmouth v Bolton

Bolton’s woeful start to the season looks set to continue against a formidable Portsmouth side. Perhaps unlucky not to win at Derby on the opening weekend, Pompey showed they can mix it with the best with a hard fought draw against champions Man Utd in midweek, and that should be good enough form to edge past Sammy Lee’s struggling side. There won’t be much in it, but Portsmouth are favoured to grind out their first win of the campaign.

Prediction: Portsmouth 2-1 Bolton

Birmingham v West Ham

Birmingham played with a real spirit and determination against Chelsea on Sunday, taking Mourinho’s men by surprise with their direct approach. They were desperately unlucky in midweek too, when Sunderland’s last-gasp equaliser was somehow allowed by the referee, who managed to completely miss Blues keeper Colin Doyle being pinned to the floor - WWE style - by a Sunderland attacker. West Ham have looked disjointed so far, but this is an easier task than Man City.

Prediction: Birmingham 1-1 West Ham

Tottenham v Derby

I looked at Derby’s team sheet against Man City on Wednesday, and thought it wouldn’t look out of place in League 1. I am almost convinced they will be the worst side in Premiership history. Tottenham have had a lucky stroke by managing to draw them this week, after a terrible opening to their campaign. I also think the £16million spent on Darren Bent will be the worst money spent this year. But, comparing it to Derby’s major pre-season signing, the mighty Andy Todd, it’s hard not to favour Martin Jol’s men to gain some belated points.

Prediction: Tottenham 2-0 Derby

Newcastle v Aston Villa

Big Sam looks to have got a real tune out of the Magpies, and they can continue their progression by beating Villa at St. James’s Park. I was expecting big things from Villa this year, but with some moderate signings and a tame performance against Liverpool last weekend, they are easily passed over compared to the Toon army. Obefemi Martins will be looking to race into a YTM points lead, with a good chance to add to his current tally of 10 (4th best striker).

Prediction: Newcastle 4-1 Aston Villa

Wigan v Sunderland

If pets are supposed to resemble their owners, the same must be said about football teams becoming like their managers.  I am, of course, referring to Sunderland. It should come as no surprise that their attitude has been as ferocious as a Roy Keane tackle - bagging goals in the last minute of both their games so far. McShane and Nosworthy look a solid pairing at the back, and with the ability to nick goals up front, Sunderland have a potent mix of grit, organisation and a superb backing from a set of fans who would cheer them through almost anything. Well, apart from when they were the worst Premiership team of all time a few seasons back. Anyway, I reckon they’ll put a typically sturdy display up at the JJB, and continue their fantastic start.

Prediction: Wigan 0-1 Sunderland

Fulham v Middlesbrough

Big spenders Fulham should edge past Gareth Southgate’s charges, who were disappointingly quiet in the pre-season transfer market. The latest addition to the YTM player list and new signing Mido should help them, but one gets the feeling that Boro are destined for a bottom five finish this year. Fulham are solid if not spectacular, and in what will probably be a drab affair, they can take the points.

Prediction: Fulham 1-0 Middlesbrough

Reading v Everton 

Everton have been mightily impressive to date, scoring some important wins at struggling Spurs and against Wigan. However, this will be another tough test and it’s got a draw written all over it. These are two good sides, who will both fancy a top ten finish in May. Everton currently have the joint-best player in the league (according to YTM points) in Leon Osman, and he looks a real bargain at just £5million. But Reading will be an almighty nut to crack.

Prediction: Reading 2-2 Everton

SUNDAY 

Man City v Man Utd

Sven-Goran Eriksson - genius. We may have hated him as England produced a countless number of negative performances during his reign, but he has conjured up a very good side representing the blue half of Manc-land. You can just see Sven, sitting down with some of the club’s biggest fans - Liam, Noel and Ricky Hatton - like peas in a pod. Fergie’s men have had a shocking start by their standards, and how about this for a YTM stat - The missing Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are present in 28,846 and 14,517 YTM teams respectively. Over 40,000 managers are ruing Cristiano’s head nudge (try telling a Mancunian that was a headbutt) and the curse of the metatarsal that has recurred over Wayne.

On Sunday, if United lose, they will be staring at a deficit that will be hard to overcome - even at this stage of the season. Sven - whose club record is second to none - might just stick one over his Scottish counterpart.

Prediction: Man City 3-2 Man Utd

Liverpool v Chelsea 

Liverpool looked like title challengers for about 89 minutes of their opener at Villa. Apart from a comical double-handball from Jamie Carragher, it was a complete performance. They are in a stronger position to challenge for the Premiership than ever before, and Rafa will be keen to underline that fact against perhaps their biggest rivals. Chelsea have been clever in pre-season, shielding attention away from Stamford Bridge - and have made a predictably positive start - winning two from two. They will have to show championship spirit to win at fortress Anfield, though, and whether they will have that without John Terry remains to be seen. Liverpool, on the otherhand, have their heartbeat in Steven Gerrard fit and ready - even with a hairline fracture to his toe - and he can guide the Reds to a famous and significant victory.

 Prediction: Liverpool 3-1 Chelsea

Blackburn v Arsenal

If there will be a shock this weekend, aside from Eastlands, it will come at Ewood Park. Blackburn are the perfect side to combat Arsenal - and I use that word specifically. Wenger’s men tend to shy away from physicality - and that’s exactly what will be shoved in their face when they travel to Lancashire. Blackburn are a very good side and I fancy them to challenge for a top six spot this year. Their intimidating presence, along with the class of Roque “Rocky” Santa Cruz, will provide a stern test to the Gunners.

Prediction: Blackburn 2-0 Arsenal

YTM is really getting into gear, and the first set of ’showdown’ matches this weekend will doubtlessly shuffle the leaderboard on Monday morning - currently headed by Mr J Sparrow with an all conquering 84 points. Will Sparrow be singing next week?

Tune in here to find out…

 Matt H @ YTM