With the festive period looming, Premier League sides enter one of the toughest periods of league and cup schedules in any top-flight football league around the world.
It is no secret in Fantasy football that, as the season progresses, Fantasy teams begin to look more similar. In order to move up your league rankings, picking somebody up before anybody else catches on could be pivotal. Picking somebody on an upward trend as the busy Christmas schedule begins will reap huge benefits. Here is my pick of the premium options available as well as a look at one of the best budget players to help you climb up the rankings in Gameweek 17.
Top Premium Transfer
Angel Di Maria, Midfielder
Team: Manchester United
Value: £9.5m
This weekend may see the return to action for the recently crowned ‘Argentinian Footballer of the Year’ and he is at the cheapest price he has been all season. With three goals and six assists in his 11 appearances, Di Maria should be slotting back into an improving Man United side, so can we be optimistic to suggest an improvement on this ratio of goal creation. The notable defensive improvement from United will see an increase in the number of points he will get from clean sheets as well.
Top Bargain Transfer
Winston Reid, Defender
Team: West Ham United
Value: £5.0m
Impressively, West Ham have managed to maintain the form that saved them from relegation last season, seeing them challenge for European places this time around. Manager Sam Allardyce has often been quick to praise the importance of his New Zealand-born defender Winston Reid. West Ham have the defensive capability to produce clean sheets against even the very best teams, as displayed against Chelsea last season. However, it has been refreshing to see them also take the game to lesser opponents this term. Having reached full fitness again, Reid would be a canny acquisition right now. It is not often you can have the stalwart defender for a team challenging for a European place for this price.
9 years, 4 months agoAll eyes on the LVG press conf this afternoon to see if Di Maria starts. I'm certainly tempted but admittedly have very strong feelings of love for the Argentine.