S5M25: Check your fixture cards

As ever, the midweek games seem to creep up by surprise athough they really shouldn't. They also seem to generate a better quality of game - it's as if having less time to prepare for something lights up the creative fires, rather than unravelling the catenaccio fire blanket of doom. Or something.

Any any case, I'm not convinced that this metaphor works particularly well because not all clubs were in action at the weekend, and plenty made several changes to their lineups. It could just be that there's no real reason for this, but we as a species are pattern formers and so need so make sense of it all...

Anyway...Arsenal continued their wretched start to 2016 by dropping to 4th place after drawing with Southampton - a combination of wretched finishing and excellent goalkeeping in the light of day. This puts them below a really excellent Spurs side who are ruthless, efficient and really hard to beat. Quite concerned. Wazza's spurt (urgh) continue as Man Utd have shrugged off their critics with 6 goals in a week. Boom.

Jamie Vardy's back having a party as soon as I take him out my fantasy team. Thanks for that. See also "Aguero, Sergio" who'll soon be playing for the wizard Guardiola. We'll soon find out if he can cut it on a cold Tuesday night in Stoke...

Someone who might be about to get themself a cheeky look in to FC Impossibilitee (and therefore condemn himself to never scoring again) is Benik Afobe who's loving the sea breeze down in Bournemouth. 3 in 3 for him - and all crucial goals too. Adebayor is also on the shortlist as he does his unplayable shtick for a few months before vanishing again.

Jordan Ayew pushed the big red button as Villa lost to West Ham - no signings, no optimism, a new manger who already wants out - the karma for hiring Tim Sherwood...

Everton won at home for the first time in ages, with 2 late penalties adding some gloss to the scoreline. At least I didn't take Barkley out my team...

Where's the facepalm emoji when you need it?

A late WBA equaliser and a stalemate at Vicarage Road completed the set. Chelsea still unbeaten under Hiddink although they aren't really climbing up the table.

Let's get statty:

This week, 24 people played

Most popular predicted result: Man City WIN (24/24)

Most disputed results: Crystal Palace vs Bournemouth & WBA vs Swansea (13-7-4 splits)

Highest odds: Zoe Daniels  (20703/1)

Lowest odds: Doron Salomon (2227/1)

Average odds: 9602/1

Best predictor: WhoScored.com (8/10)

Lowest Predictors: Loads of us (4/10)

Average: 5.5/10

Best predicted result: Man City WIN (24/24)

Worst predicted result: Arsenal vs Southampton DRAW (1/24 - Congrats Mrs Feneley)

Swing: Jesse Lingard's opener for Man Utd - 9 players affected.

Everyone's scores (minus FT & SC who didn't predict...this wasn't me being rubbish this time)

To the leaderboard (>2/3; 17/24):

This week's predictions:

Man City vs Leicester - MAN CITY

Aston Villa vs Norwich - NORWICH

Liverpool vs Sunderland - LIVERPOOL

Newcastle vs WBA - NEWCASTLE

Stoke vs Everton - EVERTON

Swansea vs Crystal Palace - SWANSEA

Spurs vs Watford - SPURS

Southampton vs West Ham - DRAW

Bournemouth vs Arsenal - ARSENAL

Chelsea vs Man  Utd - MAN UTD

Good Luck guys!