After a Christmas break, it’s time to pull on the walking boots for the weekly ramble through the weekend fixtures. As usual I’ll attempt to point out the hot-spots for guaranteed clean sheets and nailed-on goals, while attempting to help you steer clear of the back alley of fantasy football frustration…

Best For Clean Sheets

The top two defences square up at Old Trafford, so at first glance things look grim when it comes to clean sheets. With so much attacking talent colliding, there’s a temptation to turn you back on the ever-dependable Vidic and Bosingwa going into this one. The stats say otherwise. With United showing 3 goals conceded in their last 5 home games and Chelsea conceding just 2 in their last 5 away, we could be looking at a scrappy stalemate rather than a free-scoring flair fest. Will owners of Ronaldo, Berbatov and Lampard be counting their points during Antiques Roadshow? I can’t see it. I’m backing the defences to come out on top here.

By all means look further afield for you defensive points – there’s plenty of potential. Normally the Emirates is a field too far but that’s the case but it’s just 4 goals conceded in the last 5 games on home ground for Wenger’s boyz to men outfit. Bolton are in town this weekend and they’ll arrive without Nolan, Steinsson and Cahill. That’s not a good starting point for Megson’s side who have slipped badly of late, having showed some encouraging away form. I can see a muscular 4-5-1 from Megson but Arsenal should still be good to grind this one out with a clean sheet for the Gunner’s back four. As we saw over Christmas, Gallas is your man for goals from the back. Elsewhere, Clichy gives you assist potential while Djourou is your cheap option.

Everton are in inspired defensive form of late and go into the Goodison encounter with Hull off the back of 5 consecutive shut-outs. Hull’s away form has, at times, been inspired, but Phil Brown has shown evidence of tightening things up over the last two outings and I can see a more cautious approach again here. A narrow win for Everton with a sixth clean sheet in a row on the cards. Lescott is your rich picking, Baines the budget man.

Liverpool are right up there with United and Chelsea defensively and although a trip to the Britannia is akin to entering a war zone in Premier League terms, I can see Rafa putting a side out to deal with the Stoke artillery. Pulis will be without Fuller’s quality once again – significantly nullifying their attacking threat. Hyypia has stood tall of late for Benitez and he’ll be the key man at the back and your cheap fantasy option here

Hodgson’s Fulham is the other strong bet for defensive returns – it’s no defeat in the last 5 games at the Cottage and although Big Sam and Blackburn are still on their honeymoon, the late goals conceded against City revealed the first cracks in what had been a happy marriage to that point. It’s just 4 goals in the last 5 on their travels and Allardyce will look to plug the gaps here. That just might set things up for a narrow home win with a cleanie. Hangeland is your man at the back for the home side. Paintsil poses less of an attacking threat but generously priced across the various fantasy games.

I also fancy the Wigan defence at home to a goal-shy Spurs (Tuesday’s result aside) – although that depends on whether Defoe lines up for his debut. If he plays, he scores. He’s notched on all of his full debuts throughout his career. Does a second debut count? Are football omens totally ridiculous? We might find out this weekend.

Best For Goals…

There’s lots of words under the heading above – very few here. Writers block hasn’t got the better of me, it’s simply that I’m struggling to see decent potential for attacking points. Villa could cut loose against the luckless Baggies but banking on a local derby often a mugs game. Mowbray will have his side fired up and if West Brom are looking for a turning point, this game could provide if for them. We’ll need an early goal here – if we get one, we could be treated to 3-4 and some sizable returns for Ashley Young, Agbonlahor and even battering ram Bednar.

I know better than to bank on any game involving Middlesbrough but I can already see Cisse and Jones rubbing their hands they get off the bus at the Riverside. Ricky Sbraigia has Sunderland ticking over nicely, while Boro are struggling badly and have the worst home record in the division on current form. Speculation may burden Downing. Boro could falter again and Sunderland could well notch a few here with some over elaborate goal celebrations thrown in.

Best For Frustration…

Look no further than Old Trafford here. This match will be hyped up to eleven but logic and stats point to a tight affair with few goals. If defences do come out on top it will see minimal returns for the expensive attacking players in our lineups.

Indeed, if you heavily invested in your fantasy frontline, it could be frustration all round. You might well be crawling around for scraps. Robinho, normally unproductive on his travels, seems likely to struggle at Pompey without the suspended Ireland and the hamstrung Wright-Phillips for company. Bolton will make it difficult for Van Persie and Adebayor at the Emirates and Torres, if Rafa risks him, will be cruising for a bruising at the Britannia. Personally I see Kuyt starting this one, with Rafa keeping Torres in cotton wool on the bench. He’ll thank him for it.