PlayON Player Picks – Gameweek 24

Once again, the Player Picks for our weekly Fantasy Football game, PlayON, are rolled out this Friday lunchtime. As always, we’re on the lookout for potential bargains in our assessment of this week’s PlayON Price List:

If you’re new to PlayON, it is weekly Fantasy Football so you can dip in and out of playing throughout the season. This weekend PlayON have a £500 guaranteed pot on offer for a £5.50 entry fee. Once your starting XI is built you can compete for cash. Entering a multiplayer game for a set stake, you’ll have a chance of winning your share of the pot should you finish high enough in the rankings.

Similarly, you can challenge other players to one-on-one games, selecting the amount at stake. The likes of Robbie Fowler, Les Ferdinand and OptaJoe are all playing the game and are there to be challenged for free or for £1. The Fantasy Football Scout team is also available to be challenged and has a 54% win rate up to this point.

For a more in depth introduction to PlayON, take a look at this season’s introduction article.

Goalkeeper – David Marshall
The Cardiff stopper is available for just 7.6m ahead of a home clash with Norwich. With their goal-shy visitors scoring just three times in the last seven Gameweeks, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side will be confident of picking up a shut-out tomorrow afternoon. Everton’s Tim Howard is favourably priced at 8.2m, though, with the likes of Seamus Coleman and Sylvain Distin still sidelined through injury, the Toffees may struggle to keep out Aston Villa at Goodison. If you’re looking for a budget enabler between the posts, Steve Harper comes in at just 6.6m for Hull’s home clash with Tottenham and looks set to return to the starting line-up as a result of Allan McGregor’s suspension.

Defender – Guy Demel
With a home game against Swansea tomorrow lunchtime, West Ham’s right-back looks a cut-price contender this weekend. Demel is available for a mere 7.7m, offering a budget route into a backline that registered their tenth clean sheet of the season on Wednesday evening – the Swans have scored just twice in their last five road trips, suggesting another shut-out could be on the cards for Sam Allardyce’s side. Man City’s Pablo Zabaleta welcomes Chelsea to the Etihad on Monday evening and, with Jose Mourinho’s side tending to tighten up against title rivals, a home clean sheet looks a real possibility. Zabaleta, who comes in at 8.2m, has already produced four assists in front of his own fans this term. For those looking for a punt in defence, Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen may well pay off. The Belgian could be installed to the first XI after a spell on the sidelines – he’s priced at 7.0m and pays visit to a Hull side that have drawn blanks in each of the last four Gameweeks.

Midfielder – Kevin Mirallas
Whilst a price of 9.6m isn’t particularly cheap amongst the midfield options, Mirallas looks set to be handed the lone forward role for Everton’s home game with Villa due to injuries to Romelu Lukaku and Lacina Traore. When compared to other strikers, then, that cost starts to look far better value and, with two goals in his last three, the Belgian has the form to take advantage of a visitors’ defence that has mustered a single clean sheet in 10 league games. Our midweek headliner Juan Mata is still very favourably priced at just 7.8m for Man United’s trip to Stoke and will be looking to add to the assist accrued on his debut against Cardiff. Elsewhere, Tomas Rosicky is available for a paltry 7.5m for Arsenal’s home clash with Palace and is likely to get the nod as injuries and suspensions limit Arsene Wenger’s central midfield options.

Forward – Robin van Persie
The Dutchman needed little time to find the net upon his return from injury last Tuesday but, despite his scoring exploits against Cardiff, remains kindly priced in this weekend’s PlayON Price List. We opt for van Persie – who is available for just 9.9m – as our value-for-money forward pick once again, then, as David Moyes’ men square up to a Stoke side that conceded five goals against Liverpool in their previous home fixture. Tomorrow lunchtime’s Tyne-Wear derby brings Shola Ameobi into the reckoning. Priced at 9.2m, he looks set to lead the line as a result of Loic Remy’s suspension and has been the scourge of bitter rivals Sunderland on several occasions in the past. Finally, Andy Carroll is poised for his first home start of the season as West Ham entertain Swansea tomorrow. Sam Allardyce’s side will be looking for the big target man’s aerial threat to get the better of their Welsh visitors and, priced at 8.8m, he’ll be fed with crosses aplenty as the Hammers look to secure a vital victory.

The Fantasy Football Scout Game

We’ve also got a £2 multiplayer game, dedicated to our community, which is now open and the prize pot is building.

Challenge Your Mates

You can also set up your own multiplayer games with your mates to play for bragging rights only or for cash. Create your own game at www.playon.co.uk.

Finally, a reminder that we have published a strategy guide, offering some tips for getting the most from your PlayON lineup, right here.

You have to be over 18 to enter cash games at PlayON. If you do wager some cash, please remember to gamble responsibly. PlayON is licensed and regulated by the UK Gambling Commission.