Gameweek 17
Weekend Preview: Premier League Gameweek 17 Predictions
Full Gameweek 17 predictions and short analysis for each Premier League fixture this weekend. recap.
The final Premier League round before Christmas arrives as clubs near the halfway point of the season. Eight matches fall on Saturday, with solitary fixtures on Sunday and Monday.
Newcastle host Chelsea after both clubs secured places in the Carabao Cup semifinals midweek. Newcastle’s last-gasp win over Fulham lifted spirits following last weekend’s Tyne-Wear derby defeat to Sunderland, a result Bruno Guimarães described as “embarrassing” and “unacceptable”. The Magpies remain stronger at St James’ Park. Chelsea’s 3–1 victory over League One Cardiff City was not wholly convincing, and Enzo Maresca’s position has been tested by an explosive rant. A draw would be a solid outcome for the visitors. Prediction: Newcastle 2–2 Chelsea.
Bournemouth played out a remarkable 4–4 draw at Manchester United and are now without a win in seven matches, slipping to 13th. Burnley have also gone seven matches without a win but have lost all of them and sit six points adrift of safety. Bournemouth should have the edge. Prediction: Bournemouth 3–1 Burnley.
Sunderland’s resurgence continues after last weekend’s win over Newcastle; they sit level on points with Man Utd and Liverpool as the campaign approaches the midpoint. Their away record is less impressive, with eight points from eight matches. Brighton have lost just once at home this season but are without victory in three. Prediction: Brighton 1–1 Sunderland.
Manchester City have a six-game winning run across all competitions, climbing to within two points of table-toppers Arsenal. Erling Haaland continues to score, Phil Foden is regaining form and Rayan Cherki is a new diamond in Pep Guardiola’s ranks. West Ham’s recent draws have not been enough to escape the relegation zone. Prediction: Man City 3–0 West Ham.
Wolves can match Sheffield United’s unwanted 17-game winless mark if they fail to beat Brentford; Rob Edwards is still awaiting his first point and Wolves have lost the last ten in all competitions. Brentford’s away form and midweek cup exertions present an opportunity for the hosts. Prediction: Wolves 2–1 Brentford.
Tottenham versus Liverpool often delivers chaos. Liverpool are unbeaten in five and have won the last two to nil, while Spurs have lost two of their last five and taken just eight home points from eight matches. Prediction: Tottenham 1–2 Liverpool.
Arsenal’s defence has shown slight cracks but they are expected to beat Everton, who have failed to win four of eight matches at their new home. Prediction: Everton 0–1 Arsenal.
Crystal Palace’s squad is stretched after a 2–2 draw with KuPS and a 3–0 loss to Man City, and Ismaïlla Sarr has gone to the Africa Cup of Nations. Palace remain hard to beat. Prediction: Leeds 1–2 Crystal Palace.
Aston Villa enter Sunday having won nine in all competitions and six domestically; Manchester United’s inconsistency and absences, including the suspended Casemiro and the departures of Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo to AFCON, complicate their task. Prediction: Aston Villa 2–0 Man Utd.
Fulham are smarting from late Carabao Cup quarterfinal heartbreak but have Harry Wilson in form, with six goal contributions in his last four league matches and involvement in all goals during a 3–2 win at Burnley. Sean Dyche’s Nottingham Forest have shown progress, including a convincing win over Spurs and sit five points from the drop. Prediction: Fulham 1–1 Nottingham Forest.
Gameweek 17
First-Goals Forecasts for Premier League Gameweek 17
GW17 first-goal picks: Salah at AFCON, in-form finishers, defensive frailties and smart choices 2025
The final round of Premier League fixtures before Christmas arrives with all 20 clubs scheduled to play between Saturday and Monday. Absences and recent form shape the first-goal markets across the weekend.
Liverpool will be without Mohamed Salah because of the Africa Cup of Nations. Their striking burden has fallen to Hugo Ekitiké, who has displaced Alexander Isak in the starting line-up. No, not Alexander Isak! Ekitiké arrives in strong form, having scored successive Premier League braces, and Liverpool remain capable of finding goals despite defensive questions.
Newcastle’s choice up front has struggled for frequency. It’s only one goal since October for Newcastle striker Nick Woltemade, yet a home game against a talented but inexperienced Chelsea side feels suited to him. Against Manchester United, Antoine Semenyo struck and that goal was his seventh in the Premier League this season, signalling a return to scoring form for him, while Burnley continue to hold one of the poorest defensive records in the division.
Sunderland veteran Danny Welbeck has seven Premier League goals this season at the age of 35. He has not scored in recent weeks, but Sunderland have managed only one clean sheet away from home.
Manchester City are heavy favourites to beat West Ham. Erling Haaland has been responsible for 45% of Manchester City’s entire Premier League output this season and has returned to his very best.
Brentford’s Igor Thiago has been a surprise contributor in 2025–26 with 11 goals, and his form looks significant against a Wolves side conceding at an alarming rate.
Viktor Gyökeres is sufficiently recovered from injury to be starting again and is statistically well placed to score for Arsenal by virtue of his role on the pitch. Jean-Philippe Mateta leads the line for Crystal Palace with seven Premier League goals this season and looks overdue, especially against a Leeds defence described as poor. Finally, Ollie Watkins benefits from Manchester United’s ongoing defensive fragility, leaving him in a promising position to open the scoring at Villa Park.
FPL
FPL Gameweek 17: practical player choices for clean sheets and attacking returns
FPL Gameweek 17: goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward picks to target for a big haul this wk.
Approaching the halfway point of the Fantasy Premier League season, Gameweek 17 presents limited clean sheet prospects but several clear attacking targets. Goalkeepers to consider include Gianluigi Donnarumma (£5.7m), who was rested for Carabao Cup duty midweek and has recorded five or more points in four of his last six matches ahead of a home match with West Ham United. David Raya (£6.0m) remains a set-and-forget option despite a trip to Everton, with Arsenal’s defensive record and the return of key defenders from suspension and injury bolstering his appeal.
Sunderland’s Robin Roefs (£4.8m) leads goalkeeper scoring with 73 points and is in consideration for the visit to Brighton & Hove Albion, though Sunderland have lost six first-team players to AFCON. That situation is worth noting when weighing long-term choices.
At the back, William Saliba (£5.9m) returned from injury against Wolverhampton Wanderers and is expected to start again at Everton, offering both defensive and set-piece upside; Piero Hincapié (£5.5m) is a cheaper route into the same defence. Marcos Senesi (£4.9m) and Adrien Truffert (£4.5m) are options for Bournemouth, who will seek a shutout at home to Burnley after conceding four on Monday.
Marc Guéhi (£5.3m) is the top-scoring defender with 92 points and faces Leeds United, while Maxence Lacroix (£5.2m) trails him by just 11 points. In midfield, Man City’s Nico O’Reilly (£5.3m) and Matheus Nunes (£5.3m) are recommended for a fixture with West Ham United; Matheus recorded 11 points against Crystal Palace and Nico produced consecutive six-point returns.
On the attacking front, Antoine Semenyo (£7.5m) returned to the scoresheet with a six-point outing against Manchester United and has a favourable home match with Burnley. Phil Foden (£8.8m) has amassed 55 points across his last four matches and carries a strong record versus West Ham. Rayan Cherki (£6.5m) is a cheaper in-form alternative who scored in the cup midweek.
Other considerations: Bruno Fernandes (£9.3m) and Bukayo Saka (£10.3m) for their current form; Kevin Schade (£7.0m) returns from suspension to face Wolverhampton Wanderers; Harry Wilson (£5.6m) has 42 points across four games and hosts Nottingham Forest. Erling Haaland (£15.0m) was rested midweek after a brace last weekend and has nine goals in his last six matches against West Ham.
Striker picks include Hugo Ekitiké (£8.6m), who has scored back-to-back braces and travels to Tottenham Hotspur, plus Igor Thiago (£7.2m) if fit, Raúl Jiménez (£6.3m) and Evanilson (£7.0m) as short-term options. The GW17 deadline is 11 a.m. GMT on Saturday, Dec. 20.
