The Watchlist Updated – Gameweek 33 – The Midfielders

After delving through the runners and riders among the goalkeepers and defenders in the first of our Watchlist articles yesterday, our attention turns to the midfield this afternoon, where we evaluate the players to target over the next four-to-six Gameweeks. Yannick Bolasie’s hat-trick against Sunderland sees him shoot up the rankings, while Cesc Fabregas is back in our thoughts with double Gameweek 34 firmly in mind.

After bagging six points in Chelsea’s 1-0 win at QPR, Eden Hazard broke the 200-point barrier for the second consecutive season in Fantasy Premier League (FPL). With seven matches (MUN, ars/lei, CPL, LIV, wba, SUN) to go, the Belgian may well surpass the 241 points chalked up by Yaya Toure last term, and unquestionably remains at the top of our midfield rankings.

David Silva maintains his position behind Hazard after notching a seventh assist of the season in the 4-2 defeat to Man United. The Spaniard was surprisingly transferred out by some 44,000 FPL managers before the Manchester derby, but with a favourable run-in (WHM, AVL, tot, QPR, swa, SOT), including those three plum home fixtures in the next four, going without the 9.8-priced midfielder could be a risky strategy, given he has averaged 12.3 points per appearance in his last three Etihad matches.

Yannick Bolasie returns to the Watchlist after his sensational hat-trick in Palace’s 4-1 win at Sunderland. The winger replaces Jason Puncheon as our preferred Eagles midfield option, having had the edge over the former Southampton man in goal attempts (nine to three), penalty area touches (20 to four) and chances created (nine to eight) over the last four Gameweeks. The 5.5-valued midfielder’s 24-point haul was the highest for a single Gameweek so far this season, and he unsurprisingly tops the transfers in this Gameweek with over 72,000 new owners. With two favourable home matches (WBA, HUL) before the schedule turns nasty (che, MUN, liv), Bolasie looks a great short-term option.

Another two midfielders that are offering strong options from the same side are United duo Marouane Fellaini and Juan Mata. Over the last four Gameweeks, the Belgian holds a slight advantage in terms of penalty area touches (22-15) and goal attempts (six to five), although the former Chelsea man leads the way for chances created, by five to two. With Fellaini coming in at just 6.4 in FPL compared to Mata’s 8.5, we’re giving the former Everton midfielder the edge in our rankings, even though the Spaniard has averaged eight points per appearance over the same period. With the fixture list pretty kind (che, eve, WBA, cpl, ARS, hul) following Saturday’s trip to the league leaders, we’re backing both as alternatives across the price brackets.

Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas is another to return to the Watchlist after registering a goal and two assists in the last three Gameweeks. The Spanish international has also bagged five bonus points over that period, an ability which could be crucial when considering the 9.2-rated midfielder for double Gameweek 34 (ars/lei). Before then, the Blues face United at Stamford Bridge in a Gameweek where six teams face a blank, while their run-in is pretty favourable (CPL, LIV, wba, SUN). With doubts over the fitness of Loic Remy and with Diego Costa’s return also looming come the double or the Gameweek 35 clash against Palace, the option to carry both Hazard and Fabregas is looking increasingly appealing.

Another to benefit from the upcoming double Gameweek in our latest update is Leicester’s Esteban Cambiasso. The 4.7-priced Argentine has bagged a goal and assist in his last two outings, while also creating seven chances, fourth best among midfielders. Cambiasso has now scored four goals this season, and looks one of the strongest budget midfield options for the remainder of the season, considering the Foxes run-in (SWA, bur/CHE, NEW, SOT, sun, QPR) and recent upturn in form.

Although Everton have no double Gameweek as the season draws to a close, the form of Aaron Lennon has caught our attention. The 6.2-valued midfielder has managed two goals and an assist in his last four appearances, and with the Toffees upcoming schedule (BUR, MUN, avl, SUN, whm, TOT) particularly kind, the winger looks worthy of consideration, although it is worth noting he has scored from his only two shots in the last four Gameweeks, a strike rate that will be hard to maintain. Lennon is also unavailable to face parent club Spurs on the final day of the season.

With just one assist in his last four appearances, Swansea’s Gylfi Sigurdsson drops down our ladder once again. The Icelandic international has three decent fixtures (lei, new, STO) before the schedule turns nasty from Gameweek 36 (ars, MCI, cpl). Having only registered one shot from inside the box in the last four Gameweeks, and created just five chances, the 6.5-rated midfielder seems to be struggling to reproduce his early season form in Garry Monk’s current 4-3-1-2 system.

Liverpool pair Raheem Sterling and Jordan Henderson see their stock fall this time around, with the Reds facing a blank this week. Both will be on many Fantasy managers shopping list come double Gameweek 34 (wba/hul) though, with Sterling having registered a goal and assist in his last two outings, while Henderson has shown great consistency over the last six Gameweeks, racking up four goals and two assists.

With the return to fitness of Jordon Ibe and Brendan Rodgers reverting to a 4-3-3 system in recent weeks, Sterling’s days as a wing-back look over, with a role out wide for the 8.5-priced midfielder likely if either Philippe Coutinho continues as a “false nine”, or if Daniel Sturridge is fit enough to return up front. Henderson, who’ll set you back 6.7 in FPL, has benefitted from the absence of Steven Gerrard, picking up penalty and set piece duties, but with the Liverpool captain now available after serving a three-match suspension, his prospects may be lessened somewhat, although there are no guarantees that Gerrard will return to the starting XI. With a decent run-in following the double (QPR, che, CPL, sto), both will have plenty of suitors once Gameweek 33 is out of the way.

Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez splits the Liverpool pair, with the Gunners also facing a blank this week. Arsene Wenger’s side look ripe for investment come Gameweek 35, with a particularly kind run-in (hul, SWA, mun/SUN, WBA), including a double in Gameweek 37. With so much competition for places in our five-man midfields with Chelsea and Liverpool facing doubles next week, the Chilean may be deemed dispensable by some in the short-term, given his hefty 11.3 price tag. Going without Sanchez as the season comes to an end looks a risky tactic, although the likes of Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil do offer cheaper alternatives in the Arsenal midfield.

Having been benched for Southampton’s 1-0 defeat at Everton and replaced after just 60 minutes in the 2-0 win against Hull, Sadio Mane has to drop in this week’s ladder. The Senegal international’s place in Ronald Koeman’s starting XI appears to be in doubt, and while the fixtures (sto, TOT, sun, lei, AVL, mci) are firmly in his favour, any further investment looks unlikely at this point.

After another disappointing blank against Stoke, Stewart Downing continues to fall down the pecking order. Slipping to 6.3 in FPL, the former Liverpool midfielder has failed to produce attacking returns in his last five appearances and whilst the schedule (qpr, BUR, avl, EVE, new) still offers hope he can recapture his early-season form, there are several more appealing options out there.