Having run the rule over the sides set to ease their way into December, it’s now time to check on the teams granted a more treacherous path. Monday night’s participants provide the headline acts, while a cloud is hovering ominously over the Potteries. Elsewhere, we offer early warnings on some prime Fantasy assets on show at St Mary’s and the Emirates.
Sunderland
Sunderland’s victory at Crystal Palace was all the more crucial given the schedule awaiting both clubs going into December.
Gus Poyet’s side will be desperate to build on the precious three points earned at Selhurst Park but find themselves on a collision course with Everton, Chelsea and Man City in their next three home matches. It’s fair to say that new stopper, Costel Pantilimon, will be kept busy during that period, while Steven Fletcher’s revival will be put to the test given that opportunities could be at a premium in the coming weeks. Poyet has earned results against the “bigger” teams before of course but, even so, the away trip to Leicester in Gameweek 12 looks vital if the Black Cats are to avoid being dragged back down into the relegation places by Christmas.
Crystal Palace
Neil Warnock will have known the significance of Monday’s loss, with the fixture computer conspiring against his side over the next five Gameweeks.
A trip to Old Trafford without their suspended skipper Mile Jedinak and attacking spark, Wilfried Zaha, is followed by a home clash with Liverpool and a visit to Swansea. The Eagles then have a crunch clash with Villa at home, before taking on Spurs at the Lane.
Fantasy managers will have been warned off their inconsistent assets following Monday’s defeat and the schedule offers very little incentive to revisit Warnock’s charges until that Villa meeting.
Stoke
Pegged back by West Ham on Saturday, Mark Hughes’s men face a torrid run over their next five, with the Britannia meeting with Burnley in Gameweek 12 looking crucial to their chances of retaining a mid-table position. Around that Potteries clash, Stoke face three evil away trips to Spurs, Liverpool and Man United and then a home encounter with Arsenal.
Hughes’ rearguard has shipped seven goals in their last four: if you’ve held your Stoke defensive assets through that period, now is the time to show them the door.
Also be wary of…
Southampton
Ronald Koeman’s outfit currently look unstoppable – capable of scoring goals across the team and reinforced by the best defence in the Premier League. That winning formula will be put to the test, however, once they’ve disposed of the St Mary’s meeting with Leicester and a “routine” trip to the woefully out-of-form Villa. City, Arsenal and United are hovering and they offer enough attacking menace to have us check for alternatives to our Saints defensive assets from Gameweek 13 onwards.
West Brom
While the Baggies face a pair of Hawthorns clashes with Newcastle and West Ham in the next four, encounters with Arsenal and Chelsea are sandwiched in the middle. When you consider Newcastle’s resurgence and West Ham’s goal power, you’d have to say that those holding Ben Foster or Andre Wisdom will be anticipating scant returns from that quartet. Meanwhile, Saido Berahino owners will likely be holding with one eye on West Ham’s Diafra Sakho as a cheaper replacement with stronger fixtures to come.
Arsenal
While the Gunners are being fired by the genius of Alexis Sanchez, Arsene Wenger’s flat-track bullies do not have the easiest of runs in the coming weeks. They may well get results against Swansea, United, West Brom and Southampton but – on paper – they’re up against three of the most improved defences over that spell. Bizarrely, given United’s casualties at the back, the Emirates meeting with Louis van Gaal’s men may actually provide the best platform for goals.
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