The Watchlist Updated – Gameweek 27 – The Defence

Our Watchlist rankings, which offer player recommendations for the next four to six Gameweeks, have undergone a revamp following the weekend’s action. In our look at the goalkeepers and defenders, Ryan Bertrand’s return from suspension is the headline news, while the benching of Patrick van Aanholt causes a shake-up among the Sunderland defensive options.

GOALKEEPERS

On the back of another clean sheet, Costel Pantilimon climbs back to the top spot in our keeper rankings. That shut-out was his second in his last three outings at the Stadium of Light, and with three favourable home matches (AVL, NEW, CRY) and a trip to Hull in the next six, the Sunderland shot-stopper looks primed for further returns. Pantilimon has also registered at least six saves in each of his last three appearances on the road, and with Van Aanholt’s security of starts at risk after he was dropped on Saturday, the big Romanian looks the best way to cover the Mackems defence.

Ben Foster drops a place this week, but the West Brom keeper remains a strong option between the sticks. The Baggies have collected four clean sheets in six matches under Tony Pulis, and bar a trip to the Etihad in Gameweek 30, have a very strong upcoming schedule (SOT, avl, STO, QPR, LEI). With doubts remaining over how long Craig Dawson will keep his place in the first XI, the 4.6-priced Foster looks the safest route into the West Brom rearguard.

Arsenal’s David Ospina keeps his place in the rankings despite conceding in the last minute at Selhurst Park. The Gunners have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last three, but with five decent fixtures in the next six, (EVE, qpr, WHM, new, LIV, bur), Ospina (4.8) looks a safer bet than team-mate Hector Bellerin, who was demoted to the bench against Palace.

After registering his first clean sheet since Gameweek 20, Joe Hart is back on Fantasy radars ahead of a friendly run of fixtures after this weekend’s trip to Anfield is out of the way. City then welcome West Brom and Leicester to the Etihad, with matches against Burnley and Palace on their travels. With Vincent Kompany (6.4) the only sure starter in the City back four, the 6.1-valued Hart is the more budget friendly option.

Fraser Forster takes a drop this week, largely due to the attacking potential of Ryan Bertrand. The Southampton keeper has kept four clean sheets in his last seven outings, and with home encounters against Palace, Burnley and Hull in the next six, owners can be confident of him adding to that tally.

Aston Villa’s Brad Guzan hasn’t kept a clean sheet since Gameweek 20, but with some kind fixtures (new, WBA, sun, SWA) in the next four, he warrants coming into our short-term thoughts. With new boss Tim Sherwood desperate for points and goals hard to come by, defensive shut-outs look crucial to any hopes Villa have of surviving the drop.

The upcoming blank means Hugo Lloris takes a drop in our rankings this week, but with the double Gameweek against Swansea and QPR around the corner, his stock doesn’t take too much of a hit. Following the trip to Old Trafford in Gameweek 29, matches against Leicester, Burnley and Aston Villa look favourable for the French keeper.

Allan McGregor has edged back onto the Watchlist thanks to some favourable short-term fixtures (sto, SUN, lei). Hull have enjoyed something of a mini-revival in the last few weeks, picking up seven points from a possible nine and with some doubts hanging over the make-up of Steve Bruce’s defence, McGregor looks the most secure option right now.

DEFENCE

Ryan Bertrand’s return from suspension means he replaces Nathaniel Clyne as our Southampton defender of choice. The 5.7-priced left-back has scored twice and grabbed two assists compared to Clyne’s (6.1) two goals and no assists. With Palace, Burnley and Hull visiting St. Mary’s in the next six, clean sheets and potential attacking returns look on the cards for Bertrand.

Although Hector Bellerin was an injury doubt ahead of the game at Selhurst Park, the fact he was an unused substitute suggests he now may be prone to some rotation with Calum Chambers for the right-back berth at the Emirates. With Arsene Wenger’s side fighting on three fronts in the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup, Bellerin’s attacking potential and bargain price is somewhat offset by the threat of the England international.

One team selection that hurt plenty of Fantasy managers last weekend was Gus Poyet’s decision to drop Patrick van Aanholt. That means Anthony Reveillere replaces the Dutchman as our preferred option in the Sunderland defence. The Frenchman has picked up four bonus points in his last four appearances and highlighted his attacking potential with an assist in the win over Burnley. Reveillere has earned an impressive 4.5 points per appearance since arriving on Wearside and has only missed four matches through injury.

Branislav Ivanovic suffers a slight drop due to this week’s blank, but despite a fairly tough upcoming schedule (whm, SOT, HUL, STO, qpr), expect the Serbian to rise back up the rankings thanks to his huge attacking potential – the Chelsea defender has scored four goals in his last six matches in all competitions.

West Brom’s Joleon Lescott is a non-mover this week, with his position as the only sure starter in the Baggies rearguard the main attraction. Priced at 5.0, the former Everton and City defender hasn’t missed a minute of action since Gameweek 4, and with home clashes against Stoke, QPR and Leicester in the next six, he looks an appealing option.

Despite failing to keep a clean sheet in his last four outings, Stoke’s Philipp Wollscheid rises this week thanks to three home fixtures (HUL, EVE, CRY) in the next four. Injuries have ravaged the Potters defence of late, but coming in at 4.5, the on-loan defender, who has played every minute since his arrival, looks a solid option in the coming weeks.

Swansea’s Kyle Naughton returns to the Watchlist this week, with favourable match-ups against Burnley, Aston Villa and Hull to come in the next six Gameweeks. Coming in at just 4.3, Naughton looks a sure starter at the Liberty, and has already shown his attacking potential, registering an assist against Sunderland earlier this month.

Vincent Kompany offers the most secure route into the City back four ahead of a favourable run of matches, while Martin Skrtel replaces Alberto Moreno as our route into a Liverpool defence with five clean sheets in six. Moreno came off the bench at half-time in the 2-0 win at Southampton, but with doubts persisting over his playing time, the assurance of starts that Skrtel offers gives him the edge, although he will set you back 5.9 ahead of some testing fixtures.

West Ham’s Aaron Cresswell served a timely reminder of his attacking exploits against Tottenham, after supplying the cross for Cheikhou Kouyate’s first-half header. With a goal and four assists to his name, the former Ipswich defender could deliver points at both ends of the pitch with favourable matches (CRY, SUN, lei, STO) in the next six.

Alan Hutton stays in our thoughts as a budget defender (4.4), although he remains two yellows short of a suspension. Retained in the XI by new manager Sherwood on Saturday, the Scottish international looks a secure pick and a viable option in the short-term.

Leighton Baines returned from injury in Everton’s 2-2 draw against Leicester. Despite the Toffees’ run of three clean sheets in five, new investment in the 7.1-priced left-back looks unlikely at this point due to some unfavourable upcoming fixtures.

In spite of this weekend’s blank, Danny Rose earns a spot in our rankings ahead of the double Gameweek. The left-back’s ten-point haul against the Hammers on Sunday will have earned him new admirers and, priced at just 4.8, he looks set to be drafted in by many Fantasy managers next week. But with a trip to Fiorentina in the Europa League and the Capital One Cup final against Chelsea to come before then, Rose could be subject to rotation, with Ben Davies a viable alternative for Mauricio Pochettino.

QPR’s Yun Suk-Young sneaks in at the bottom of our new rankings, with next week’s double Gameweek firmly in mind. Priced at just 3.9, the South Korean international returned from injury for the R’s 2-0 win at Sunderland and looks worthy of consideration as a budget option.