Frisking the Fixtures – Gameweek 30 – The Weak

Having assessed the sides with Strong upcoming schedules in yesterday’s article, we now turn our attentions to those with tough sets of fixtures to follow. United’s bid for a top four finish looks set to be put to the test, whilst Hull, Burnley and Villa’s survival bids look precariously balanced.

Man United

Louis van Gaal’s side turned in arguably their best display of the season against Spurs on Sunday, and they will need to carry that momentum into their upcoming schedule. Rivals Liverpool are up next for the Reds, with the outcome of that match likely to play a huge part in determining which side qualifies for Champions League football next term. An Old Trafford clash with Aston Villa should offer some reprieve, however, before things get rather tricky once again; it’s the Manchester derby in Gameweek 32, immediately followed by a trip to Stamford Bridge.

It’s now three successive clean sheets for Van Gaal’s backline, and with Liverpool far from clinical in their display at Swansea on Monday night, owners of the likes of David De Gea are likely to keep the faith for now. Fast forward two Gameweeks, however, and those back-to-back meetings with City and Chelsea could spell a mass exodus of the Reds’ rearguard assets. In midfield, Angel Di Maria’s 10.6% ownership will be keen to see the Argentine reinstalled to the starting line-up this weekend after suspension, though after having failed to complete 60 minutes in his last two appearances there is no guarantee that Van Gaal will find a place for him in his XI at Anfield, and remaining owners are likely to be monitoring alternatives in case he does find himself resigned to the bench. Marouane Fellaini has started three of the last four Gameweeks, and after his impressive display at the weekend looks a far more viable pick in the middle at just 6.3 for those looking to gamble. Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney’s recent shift to a centre forward position has renewed our interest in the United skipper, and his performances look key to his side’s hopes of victory over their tough upcoming schedule, though he will undoubtedly be hard tasked to break down the in-form defences of Liverpool and Chelsea.

Hull

After back-to-back wins in Gameweeks 25 and 26 it looked like the Tigers were going to haul themselves clear of the relegation scrap. Steve Bruce’s men have been unable to muster a winning performance since, though, and are subsequently still stuck in the mire. What’s more, with a fixture list that pits them against Chelsea, Southampton, Liverpool and Arsenal in their next six, and Spurs and Man United also to play before the close of the season, the Tigers will have to pull out all the stops now to avoid slipping into bottom three.

Budget favourite Alex Bruce looks to be relegated to our benches for the majority of what’s left of the season, then, though it’s worth noting that Hull have conceded just three times in their last five outings, and promoting the young defender into our starting XIs for their remaining promising fixtures (swa, cpl, BUR) could be a worthwhile tactic. With a midfield devoid of Fantasy options, any investment in Hull’s attack this season has mainly gone the way of strike duo Nikica Jelavic and Dame N’Doye, though both now look set to be left by the wayside as managers prepare their frontlines for the final run-in.

Burnley

The Clarets received a timely boost in the form of their shock 1-0 victory over Man City at weekend weekend, and will need to retain that momentum over their next three, which sees them travel to Southampton this Saturday before facing Spurs and Arsenal at Turf Moor. With trips to Everton and West Ham also in store in Gameweeks 33 and 35, Sean Dyche’s men certainly have their work cut out to put points on the board over the coming weeks, though if last weekend proved anything it’s that they’re definitely up for the fight.

The win over City also earned the Clarets their first clean sheet since mid-December, and whether they can continue that resilience over the next three looks highly questionable; managers are advised to monitor the likes of Kieran Trippier and Tom Heaton, but stave off investment until the schedule brightens. Meanwhile, George Boyd proved why we can always rely on him as a fifth midfielder with the winner against Manuel Pellegrini’s title-chasers, and owners are unlikely to offload him anytime soon. The same cannot be said, however, for Danny Ings, who has now blanked in each of the last four Gameweeks and been outstripped by a number of other budget forward options; finding a quick exit route looks the appropriate strategy here.

Be Wary Of…

Newcastle
Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Everton means that the Magpies have now suffered defeat in each of their last three league outings, and to compound matters for John Carver’s struggling side the forthcoming fixture list looks decidedly tricky. The Tynesiders face north London duo Arsenal and Spurs at home and an away day at Liverpool in their next four, and may well be put to the sword if they are unable to overturn their current slump. With Fabricio Coloccini banned for three matches, Carver’s options at the back are further diminished and Daryl Janmaat’s prospects look bleak as a source of points at right-back. Indeed, with Papiss Cisse also sitting out through suspension and blanks in three of their last four displays, there is very little to suggest that the Magpies will be capable of producing the goods in offensive areas. Fantasy wise, there’s next to nothing to consider here.

Aston Villa
Last weekend’s 4-0 drubbing of Sunderland, coupled with yesterday’s confirmation of a double Gameweek 31 for Tim Sherwood’s men, has brought with it the expected surge in interest towards their assets. That said, however, the upcoming schedule is no walk in the park for the Villians, with a trip to Old Trafford forming one half of that double, and further visits to Spurs and Man City, as well as a blank Gameweek 33, also on the agenda in the next five rounds of fixtures. Investment looks likely to be limited to the impending double, then, and we can expect to see the likes of Scott Sinclair, Gabby Agbonlahor and Christian Benteke bought and sold on in their thousands over the coming weeks. The latter has now registered two consecutive double figure hauls, and is set to be the focal point of our attention – should he continue in that vein, he will certainly be an option again for the final four Gameweeks of the season, which brings with it a trio of tempting home fixtures for Villa (EVE, WHM, BUR). Agbonlahor has mirrored Benteke’s three goals over the last two and, at a price of 5.2 to the Belgian’s 7.4, has thrived since a move to the middle.

Stoke
A 1-0 defeat to West Brom at the weekend brought to an end a three-match winning streak for the Potters, and judging by the forthcoming fixture list, their chances of building that sort of run again before the end of the season look slim. Mark Hughes’ charges come up against some of the best defences in the league in their next six, with unappetising away days at Chelsea, West Ham and Swansea on the cards and the visit of Southampton to the Britannia. That could spell trouble for the Potters’ attack then, and with Jon Walters and Victor Moses currently rated as doubts for this weekend’s clash with Crystal Palace, we are unlikely to see much interest in these areas for the time being. Success may well rely on the rearguard then, though Ryan Shawcross’ return to the fold last Saturday failed to have the required effect, and with Marc Wilson and Philipp Wollscheid now set to battle it out for a spot beside him in the centre of defence, Phil Bardsley, at 4.9, looks the one viable option here, having served up a 12-point haul against Everton in Gameweek 28.