Spot the Differential – Gameweek 19

As the minutes tick down to yet another deadline, we serve up another trio of overlooked alternatives for your early-morning perusal. This time around, we place our faith in a couple of midfielders poised for Sunday afternoon home encounters against far-from resilient defences, whilst we take a gamble on City’s flying left-back as Burnley roll up to the Etihad.

Aleksandar Kolarov

With Manuel Pellegrini stepping up his rotation policy at full-back once again, out faith in the Serbian has been strengthened ahead of this afternoon’s home clash against Burnley.

After finally recovering from injury, Kolarov was handed his first start since every October for the Gameweek 18 visit of Palace. The left-back duly delivered points at both ends of the pitch, with an assist and clean sheet in a 3-0 win, and, having dropped back to the bench on Friday, we reckon he’ll replace Gael Clichy in the XI once again.

An average of 65.8 minutes per shot and per key pass is far quicker than any defensive team-mate this term and hints at the displays that served up a goal and eight assists in just 1,977 minutes in 2013/14. City look in ominous form right now and will be on the attack from start to finish against the struggling Clarets – having conceded just twice in the last six, Pellegrini’s side look a very strong shout for another shut-out. If you’re willing to roll the dice and fancy a real festive all-or-nothing flutter, then look no further.

Gaston Ramirez

After a less than impressive first few months on loan at Hull, the Uruguayan seems to have finally persuaded Steve Bruce he’s worthy of a starting berth.

With the Tigers boss looking for solutions to his side’s lack of cutting edge, Ramirez has been fielded in “the hole” in each of the last two and staked a claim for an extended run by bagging a goal and assist in a surprise victory at Sunderland on Friday – earning a 13-point FPL haul in the process

That 3-1 win on Wearside gives Bruce’s troops a real shot in the arm as they prepare for a home encounter with basement-dwellers Leicester later today. Bearing in mind their visitors have conceded at least twice in each of their last five road trips, Hull look favourites to grab the win and scramble clear of the drop zone. At a price of 5.4, Ramirez also has Everton, West Brom and Newcastle in the subsequent four fixtures to strengthen his claim as a valid budget option for our five-man midfields.

Moussa Sissoko

A home encounter with Everton affords Newcastle the chance to halt a run of three successive defeats later today. With the Toffees looking likely to be without Phil Jagielka and Tim Howard, Alan Pardew’s side will be confident of breaching a backline that has conceded in each of their last eight league matches.

Owned by less than 2% of FPL managers, Sissoko looks a real under the radar option for the Toffees clash. Fielded in the advanced central midfield role, the 5.8-priced Frenchman has earned returns in three of his last four appearances at St James’ Park – providing assists against Liverpool and Chelsea in addition to netting the winner in a 1-0 victory over QPR. With a New Year’s Day home match against Burnley also on his agenda, Sissoko has the fixtures to flourish for those on the lookout for a short-term budget midfielder.