PlayON Picks – Gameweek 29

Our Friday lunchtime analysis of the PlayON Player Price List arrives once again. As always, we offer a couple of picks per position: one essential weekend target and a left-field alternative for your consideration.

PlayON have extended their deadline for submitting teams so you can now tinker with your starting XI right up until the first kick-off each week – tomorrow that’s 12.45pm, when Crystal Palace welcome QPR to Selhurst Park.

Goalkeepers – Costel Pantilimon
With uncertainty surrounding the Sunderland defence, we’ve opted for the security of starts offered by the big Romanian. Despite registering a single shut-out in four, the 7.3m-priced Pantilimon has still produced 1200+ points in each of his appearances over that period due to his propensity for delivering save points – owned by 9% of PlayON managers, he now plays host to an Aston Villa side that has failed to score in their last six road trips. Our essential goalkeeper is Ben Foster at home to Stoke. The Baggies kept three consecutive clean sheets before the 2-1 away loss against Villa and despite the defeat, Foster still scored 950 points with five saves in that match. Available for 6.5m, he is currently the most popular keeper for the Gameweek, with 14% ownership in PlayON.

Defenders – Jeffrey Schlupp
Leicester’s out-of-position defender gets the nod for the home encounter with Hull. Schlupp’s berth on the left of Nigel Pearson’s midfield has already served up four goals in all competitions this term and with the Tigers netting once in their last four road trips, he looks a solid option for points at both ends of the pitch. Owned by 7% of PlayON managers, the Ghana international sets you back just 6.7m. We also opt for Scott Dann (7.1m.) as Palace entertain QPR at Selhurst Park. The centre-half recently scored his second of the season and has benefitted from Alan Pardew’s focus on set-pieces – Dann has registered more touches inside the box than any defender since the new manager took charge. Add to that his 45 clearances in six matches (worth 25 points each in PlayON) and the 12%-owned Dann could be in the points against an R’s attack that have already failed to score against their weekend opponents earlier in the season.

Midfielders -Jason Puncheon
The 8.5m-priced midfielder has been playing more centrally recently for Alan Pardew’s side and is capable of impressive scores, as demonstrated in the 3-1 win at West Ham, in which he assisted all three goals. At home to a QPR side that have conceded at least twice goals in 11 of their 13 road trips, the 34%-owned Puncheon could be instrumental again for the Eagles. Our essential midfielder is David Silva, as City make their way to Burnley. Coming in at 13.1m this week, he’s racked up four goals and a pair of assists in the last six Gameweeks, averaging almost 1900 points per appearance over that period. Up against a defence with a single shut-out in 17 league outings, his relentless form looks likely to continue – it’s no surprise to see he currently sits in over 49% of PlayON sides heading into the weekend.

Forwards – Saido Berahino
The West Brom frontman bagged his twelfth strike of the season in the 2-1 loss to Aston Villa last time out and is expected to shrug off a knock in time to face Stoke tomorrow afternoon. Available for just 8.9m and owned by 9% of Fantasy managers, Berahino welcomes the Potters to the Hawthorns in excellent form – he’s scored in three of the last four now and has fired 11 shots on target (worth 200 points in the PlayON scoring matrix) in his last nine matches. With Silva on board in midfield, we’ve decided to overlook Sergio Aguero as our essential striker and instead turn to Wayne Rooney (13.7m) after his goal against Arsenal in the FA Cup. Having netted four times in the last five matches in all competitions, the 15%-owned Man United skipper seems to be in the midst of one of his scoring streaks ahead of the visit of a Spurs defence with a single clean sheet in nine. Rooney has scored nine of his ten league goals this season at Old Trafford and will be desperate for a response after Monday’s disappointing cup exit to Arsenal.