Scout Notes – Gameweek 31 – Saturday

Charlie Austin makes a mockery of West Brom’s rearguard credentials to get his double Gameweek shifting. Eden Hazard drags Chelsea to victory as Diego Costa’s hamstrings twang once again, while Bafetimbi Gomis warms up to provide a short-term striker solution over the season climax. Here’s the notes from Saturday’s action…

Austin Delivers to Humble Baggies

QPR ripped up the form book to hammer four goals at the Hawthorns, belittling the home side’s impressive defensive record, whilst boosting their own survival hopes.

Typically, Charlie Austin was the headline act – condemning West Brom to defeat for the second time this season having struck a Loftus Road hat-trick against them back in Gameweek 17. Austin vindicated the 90,000 managers that drafted him in for Gameweek 31, notching a goal, two assists and three bonus points in their first match of the R’s double. That ended a run of three matches without a goal for Austin, taking him to 16 for the season.

Matthew Phillips was also in profit with the assist for Bobby Zamora’s wonder strike. He’s now tallied five assist in his last eight starts on recall to the side under Chris Ramsey – a superb return for a 4.6 Fantasy Premier League asset (FPL)

Giroud And Sanchez Dismantle Liverpool

Arsenal avenged a 5-1 defeat at Anfield last season by dishing out an Emirates thrashing, storming to a 4-1 victory over Liverpool. Olivier Giroud netted the Gunners fourth goal and has now notched nine goals in 10 outings, scoring in six successive league starts.

Not surprisingly, Giroud remains a hot property in the current FPL market: the striker tops the transfers in ranks overnight. However, Arsenal’s immediate schedule limits his appeal somewhat – their trip to Burnley next weekend is followed by a blank and then a home tie against Chelsea. With a trio of winnable home matches (SWA, SUN, WBA) and a double Gameweek 37 (mun, SUN) leading on from the Blues clash, Gameweek 35 looks to be the prime time to invest.

Giroud was overshadowed by Alexis Sanchez on the day. The Chilean’s second goal in four starts was capped off with an assist and marked Sanchez’s highest-scoring pre-bonus performance (10) since Gameweek 21. His decline in form to this point had seen Sanchez shipped out in favour of the flourishing David Silva, but Saturday’s double figure return offered a reminder of his qualities. Those who sold on Sanchez will now be looking to the Burnley fixture in hope that Arsene Wenger hands him a rest prior to the FA Cup semi-final with Reading.

The teamsheets saw Wenger make a host of changes from the XI that bested Newcastle last time out. Mesut Ozil replaced Danny Welbeck, with Per Mertesacker stepping in for Gabriel Paulista. Hector Bellerin reclaimed the right-back berth as Calum Chambers dropped out of the squad altogether. Wojiech Szczesny also missed out with a rib injury.

Bellerin’s smartly taken opener – the Spanish defender’s second goal in six starts – offers encouragement to a 4% ownership that saw him benched in the Gunners’ previous two league fixtures. Bellerin is set to come under pressure from the return of Mathieu Debuchy but would now seem likely to retain his start at Turf Moor in Gameweek 32.

On the injury front, Wenger later eased fears on an ankle knock suffered by Aaron Ramsey and the thigh problem sustained by Laurent Koscielny. The Frenchman was replaced by Gabriel in the early stages of the second half, with Wenger insisting that the setback is a minor one.

Henderson Provides Consolation

Jordan Henderson converted what turned out to be a consolation goal from the spot: the midfielder’s sixth goal of the season. That strike lifted him within two points (137) of Raheem Sterling’s points haul (139), highlighting his blossoming value in the mid-priced midfielder bracket.

Sterling grabbed an assist for the penalty but was largely ineffective throughout, mustering just two efforts wide of the target. The Liverpool starlet started as the lone striker in a 3-4-2-1 formation with Daniel Sturridge considered short of full-fitness following a hip injury. Kolo Toure was preferred to Dejan Lovren at the back in Martin Skrtel’s absence but endured a torrid afternoon against his former club and would seem vulnerable ahead of the Gameweek 32 clash with Newcastle.

Emre Can received a red card late on for a second bookable offence. The Germany U21 international will now sit out Liverpool’s FA Cup replay against Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday, affording him a rest before the Newcastle encounter.

Hazard The Difference As Costa Is Derailed Again

Eden Hazard consolidated his position at the summit of the Fantasy scoring charts with a goal and an assist in Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Stoke City. Hazard has now delivered attacking returns in 11 of his previous 15 starts, underlining his “untouchable” status ahead of their double Gameweek 34 trip to Arsenal and Leicester.

While Hazard continues to flourish, Diego Costa’s stock suffered a potential hammer blow as the striker pulled up within 11 minutes of being introduced from the bench.

Mourinho had taken the decision to preserve Costa from the start, opting for Loic Remy in his starting lineup. The Chelsea boss threw Costa into the fray at half-time having seen his side pegged back by Charlie Adam’s improbable effort.

Mourinho’s post-match comments would indicate that Costa will now be sidelined for a “minimum” of two weeks, missing the trip to QPR and possibly the home encounter with Man United in Gameweek 33. Should that be confirmed, Remy would come into the equation as a short-term consideration – the former QPR striker is priced at 7.1 in the FPL.

Everton Preserve Jagielka Strike

Phil Jagielka scored the only goal as Everton recorded three successive wins for the first time this term with victory over Southampton. The Toffees have toiled since the turn of the year, yet five clean sheets in 10 suggests their defence has been quietly impressive.

Indeed, Roberto Martinez’s side have earned clean sheets in four of their last five home league matches. One of six clubs with six clean sheets at home this season – only Chelsea and Southampton have kept more home shut-outs.

Everton were without Romelu Lukaku who missed out having failed to shake off a hamstring knock, as Arouna Kone spearheaded the attack, supported by the recalled Ross Barkley.

Saints boss Ronald Koeman also shuffled his starting line-up, drafting in Victor Wanyama, James Ward-Prowse and Eljero Elia for Sadio Mane, Dusan Tadic and the injured Steven Davis. As expected, Kelvin Davis assumed responsibility between the sticks following Fraser Forster’s season-ending injury.

Mane’s relegation to the bench was the latest in a line of frustrations for his owners – presumably a decision based on his international exertions with Senegal over the break. Mane was eventually introduced on the hour-mark but failed to inspire a comeback. Southampton have now scored just five goals in their last nine league matches a stat that would indicate that Mane is likely to return to the teamsheet for the Gameweek 32 meeting with Hull at St Mary’s.

Pearson Goes On the Attack

Leicester’s City’s narrow 2-1 win over West Ham was significant in that it not only gave the Foxes renewed hope of beating the drop, it also marked a shift in emphasis from manager Nigel Pearson.

Pearson elected to recall winger Riyad Mahrez in the light of Matt Upson’s injury, reverting to a 4-4-2 formation. That meant that Jeffrey Schlupp’s potential as an out of position prospect were dented further as he was deployed at left-back, rather than on the flank or as wing-back.

Even so, with five home encounters to come in the remaining eight, Schlupp owners will likely be holding firm in hope that Pearson’s new attacking outlook has the Ghanaian pushed further forward in weeks to come.

Herrera at the double as United march on

Ander Herrera struck twice as Manchester United recorded their fifth win on the trot, running out 3-1 victors over Aston Villa. The Spanish midfielder, priced at 7.1 in the FPL, now boasts three goals and an assist in six starts since earning a recall to the teamsheet back in Gameweek 25.

Wayne Rooney continues to profit from his more advanced role and scored the Red Devils’ second with a stunning strike. Rooney has now notched four goals in his last five league appearances and is becoming an ever-more alluring prospect in the top bracket in light of Digeo Costa’s recent setback and Sergio Aguero’s indifferent form.

The United teamsheet saw just one change as Louis Van Gaal fielded Marcos Rojo in central defence with Chris Smalling missing out through illness. Angel Di Maria started on the bench but made an impact during his 20-minute cameo, tallying his 12^th assist of the season when he supplied the cross for Rooney’s goal. Juan Mata delivered attacking returns for the second game in succession, bagging the assist for Herrera’s late third.

Villains boss Tim Sherwood named a raft of changes from the side that lost to Swansea, with Matt Lowton, Sanchez and Andreas Weimann coming in for Leandro Bacuna, Scott Sinclair and the ineligible Tom Cleverley.

Sinclair was identified by many as a potential double Gameweek asset (not least us) but missed out with a hamstring problem: Sherwood indicated post-match that he remains a doubt for the midweek encounter with QPR. Alan Hutton is also a doubt for that encounter having been forced off a half-time at Old Trafford with an ankle injury.

Christian Benteke did at least repay some of the faith shown in him. The Belgian struck Villa’s goal through the legs of David de Gea to provide his double Gameweek owners with early and perhaps unexpected returns.

Gomis Grows In Stature

Bafetimbi Gomis netted his first brace in Swansea colours as they ran out 3-1 victors over Hull City. The former Lyon striker was in a clinical mood, scoring with his only two attempts at goal. With three goals in two outings, Gomis (6.5) is shaping up to be an enticing investment as the Swans gear up for a quartet of decent match-ups (EVE, lei, new, STO). Many will likely see Gomis as a potential in-form replacement for Austin and Benteke with their blank Gameweek 33 looming.

Ki also continues to attract Fantasy suitors after bagging his fourth goal in eight starts at the Liberty Stadium, whilst Gylfi Sigurdsson kept his points tally ticking over with an assist on Gomis’ second of the encounter. This was Sigurdsson’s ninth assist of the season but, incredibly, his first since Gameweek 13, spanning 12 league starts.