Week 1 Sunday Live Chat: The Final Pair of Opening Games

Newcastle v. Tottenham Hotspur

Last season’s best goal differential visits the Championship’s champion. Spurs will be favored, as they should be. However, it might not be so simple.

St. James’ Park will be buzzing as the home side tries to recreate their shock 5-1 victory over Tottenham in their last meeting from May 2016. In fact, despite finishing in the relegation zone, Newcastle doubled against Spurs that season, also coming out ahead by a score of 2-1 at White Hart Lane. It was Tottenham’s inferior road form vis-a-vis Chelsea that decided last season’s title, so with Son Heung-Min, Erik Lamela, Danny Rose and Kieran Trippier out injured for Spurs, the Magpies should feel they can nick a result at St James’ Park.

Manchester United v. West Ham United

Even with a goal from Zlatan Ibrahimovic, this fixture last November resulted in a drab 1-1 draw. That result was completely in character, as the Red Devils drew over half of their affairs at Old Trafford. They tied for 12th fewest home goals scored in the league, less than Hull City, Swansea City or West Brom, and the same as goal-shy Burnley!

The summer additions Romelu Lukaku, Nemanja Matic and Victor Lindelof will have the Manchester United faithful thinking that things will turn out better this time around. West Ham newcomer Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez is surely entertaining another idea, relishing the chance to ruin the day against the storied club for whom he scored 37 league goals prior to stints in Spain and Germany.

Between the pair of fixtures, there is an abundance of fantasy investment in the form of Harry Kane, Deli Alli, Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld, Hugo Lloris, Lukaku, Paul Pogba, Henrik Mkhitaryan, Eric Bailly, David De Gea and others.

How many players from today’s games do you have in your squad(s)? Is one of them your captain? Join in the chat below!