The Watchlist Updated – Gameweek 23

Our weekly focus on player recommendations for the next four to six Gameweeks is rolled out once again this evening. We list the main movers and shakers in this week’s update, with the full listings per classification available on the sidebar on your right:

The Defence

Sunderland’s Vito Mannone climbs to the top of the keeper rankings, with the goal threat of team-mate Phil Bardsley (4.5) earning him second spot amongst defenders. The 4.4-priced Black Cats stopper has earned save points in three of the last four, boosting his owners’ hauls even when he does concede – he has two strong home games (STO, HUL) and a trip to Newcastle in the next three and, whilst his upcoming road trips are somewhat off-putting, also welcomes West Brom and Palace to the Stadium of Light in the next eight.

Setting you back 4.5 and 4.2 respetively, Palace’s cut-price pair Julian Speroni and Joel Ward also sit in the top three of their respective classifications. Tony Pulis’ side have three clean sheets in five at Selhurst Park and entertain Hull and West Brom in the upcoming three Gameweeks.

Chelsea duo Petr Cech and John Terry are on the rise. Jose Mourinho’s side have conceded twice in the last six and are becoming more effective as a defensive unit as the season unfolds – with their manager tightening up at the back, the Blues host West Brom, Newcastle and Everton and also travel to West Brom in the next five. Granted, they are not exactly budget-friendly at 6.2 and 6.6 respectively, but Cech and Terry’s security of starts also plays a part in their appeal.

Brad Guzan and Ron Vlaar also climb the weekly rankings. Villa have three kind-looking fixtures in the upcoming four – home games with West Brom and West Ham, in addition to a trip to Cardiff, bode well as they look to improve upon a run of one clean sheet in nine. At 4.3, Vlaar’s cut-price appeal may prove more persuasive than Guzan’s cost of 5.1.

Cardiff and West Ham’s defensive assets move tentatively up the rankings as well. With respective trips to United and Chelsea up next, immediate investment looks unlikely but, from Gameweek 24 onwards, the schedule is a little friendlier. David Marshall and Steven Caulker play host to Norwich, Villa, Hull and Fulham in the subsequent six, whilst Adrian and James Collins – at just 4.3 and 4.1 respectively – entertain Swansea, Norwich, Southampton and Hull over the same period. Both sides will be looking to improve upon a defensive record that has harvested just two clean sheets in the last nine, though.

Elsewhere in the budget bracket, Hull’s next six bode well for defensive returns. The Tigers host Spurs, Southampton and Newcastle as they looks to continue a record that has seen them concede just eight times at the KC, whilst trips to Palace, Sunderland and Cardiff should hold little fear for owners of Allan McGregor (4.5) and Curtis Davies (4.6).

Everton and United both take a fall in our estimations. Seamus Coleman’s owners await an update on his hamstring injury but will perhaps be a little pessimistic over his (and Tim Howard’s) chances of defensive points regardless, with the Toffees travelling to Liverpool, Spurs and Chelsea in the next five. Patrice Evra was also subbed off injured in the previous Gameweek and, with Nemanja Vidic suspended for the next two league games, David De Gea’s prospects look a little bleaker, though the champions’ next three (CAR, sto, FUL) are undoubtedly amongst the best around.

Midfield

Our top three are non-movers, with Eden Hazard pursued by City duo Yaya Toure and David Silva at the summit. Beneath that trio, a couple of North East-based protagonists are on the up and complete the top five.

Adam Johnson’s four goals and pair of assists in the last two Gameweeks bode well for his potential attacking returns. The Sunderland midfielder is still very kindly priced at just 6.5 and his remaining home games in particular suggest he could prove a canny long-term acquisition – Stoke, Hull, West Brom, Palace, West Ham, Cardiff and Swansea have all to pay visit to the Stadium of Light, where Gus Poyet’s side have already defeated City, Chelsea and United in all competitions.

Yohan Cabaye’s double against West Ham last weekend took his tally to five goals in his last seven appearances for Newcastle. The Frenchman is a different proposition altogether since being moved to the role in “the hole” behind Loic Remy and, since Gameweek 17, has risen in price from 6.5 to 7.2. With Norwich, Sunderland, Villa and Hull in the next six, he looks poised to continue the consistency which has harvested a goal or assist in 10 of 17 starts.

Elsewhere in this week’s shake-up, Adam Lallana, Kevin Mirallas and Christian Eriksen also offer in-form options in the mid-price bracket. Now costing 7.6, Lallana has produced returns in four of the last six and has Fulham, Stoke, Hull and West Ham in the next five. Mirallas, at 7.2, has netted in each of the previous two Gameweeks since being moved into the role in “the hole” behind Romelu Lukaku, whilst Eriksen’s arrival on our radars is symbolic of Tottenham’s rise under Tim Sherwood. However, despite returns in four of his previous five, the 7.3-priced Dane’s prospects are somewhat tempered by games against City and Everton in the next three.

A single assist in five appearances sees Mesut Ozil tumble down the rankings, though Steven Gerrard is on the up in spite of his new deep-lying role. The Liverpool skipper has offered an incredible consistency, with a goal or assist in 11 of his last 12 starts, and with his set-pieces and spot-kicks continuing to deliver the Fantasy points, the 8.8-priced Gerrard remains a valid option in spite of games against Everton and Arsenal in the upcoming three Gameweeks.

United’s Adnan Januzaj is joined by Palace’s Jason Puncheon and Cardiff’s Craig Noone in the budget bracket. With Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie still injured, Januzaj has started seven of the last eight and was moved to the central role behind Danny Welbeck last weekend. At 4.9, Puncheon has delivered double figures in two of the last three and has spot-kick duties for the Eagles, whilst Noone, at a mere 4.3, netted against City last weekend and has now started the last seven for the Welsh outfit.

Forwards

Luis Suarez and Sergio Aguero are immovable objects in the top two spots, though underneath that pair, there’s a number of options jostling for position. Daniel Sturridge takes third spot after scoring in each of his two appearances since returning from injury. The Liverpool forward may not offer the explosive potential of the South American duo (one double figure haul all season) yet Sturridge has proven more consistent than any other forward option, with attacking returns in 11 of 14 appearances.

City’s Alvaro Negredo slips slightly as we await further news on his shoulder injury, whilst Emmanuel Adebayor, Wilfried Bony and Christian Benteke all netted at the weekend to further their appeal. The Tottenham forward has produced 49 points in six appearances under Tim Sherwood and, at 7.8, is still very kindly priced for those overlooking Eriksen in the Spurs midfield. Bony has six goals in his last six at the Liberty now and welcomes Fulham, Cardiff and Palace in the next six, in addition to trips to West Ham and Stoke, whilst Benteke’s back-to-back strikes against Arsenal and Liverpool hint at a return to the form that served up 14 goals from January 1 onwards last season.

Loic Remy and Jay Rodriguez also returned to scoring ways last time around and offer alternative routes into Newcastle and Southampton’s attacks for non-owners of Cabaye and Lallana. Whilst Remy is costlier than Cabaye at 8.1, Rodriguez’ 6.3 price-tag continues to look outstanding – indeed, he is the best value forward in the Fantasy Premier League game.

As the inconsistent Olivier Giroud and Romelu Lukaku take a tumble, Samuel Eto’o hat-trick against United brings him into consideration. With Fernando Torres sidelined with a hamstring injury, the Cameroon international certainly looks more likely to earn an increased number of starts but Jose Mourinho’s rotation policy up top makes Eto’o a definite punt, with Demba Ba looking likely to steal some of his minutes over the next few matches.