Supplementing the weekend preview in last night’s podcast, here comes the regular daudle around the weekend fixtures. Stopping off at the likely hotspots for goals and clean sheets, name-dropping some early playing picks and hopefully avoiding the fantasy football avenues of agony…

Best For Clean Sheets….

The top two defences look a little fragile this weekend. United’s trip to the Cottage wouldn’t normally be a concern, but without the suspended Vidic and off the back of the Liverpool drubbing, confidence in their clean sheet gathering capabilities and dwindled a little. Fulham come into this off the back of a first away win of the season and will be looking to avenge the 4-0 Cup drubbing. I can easily see them raising things and nicking a goal, although it’s still hard to ignore the likes of Evra and the value offered by Evans as the Vidic replacement.

Chelsea meanwhile, travel to in-form Spurs in a game which appears to threaten goals at both ends. Hiddink has his Chelsea side organised and they’ve quickly become masters of the 1-0 win again. They will be severely tested by Lennon, Modric and Keane here though, in a game which appears to promise goals rather than defensive returns.

Despite this, there’s no need to sell on your United and Chelsea back four assets but I do recommend looking elsewhere for transfer options in defence this week. There’s a number of fixtures that appear to offer decent mid and budget price defensive returns.

Man City haven’t presented decent value defensively for many weeks and often fail to produce when faith is put in them. However, they have clearly tightened up of late, particularly with the formation of the Kompany/De Jong partnership in central midfield. Injury looks likely to rob City of De Jong here but they still look a good option at Eastlands, against a Sunderland side who are struggling to find goals. City have conceded just two goals over the last five home games, while Sbragia’s side have had a miserable time of it on the road of late. Bridge with his assist potential and Zabeleta, who is likely to remain in midfield, present your best options here. There’s also Given in goal of course.

Staying in the mid-to-low price bracket and the Wigan defence looks worthy of investment with struggling Hull in town. Steve Bruce’s side aren’t scoring goals but they remain fairly secure at the back. They’ve conceded just three goals in their past five JJB encounters, while Phil Brown’s Hull have notched just two goals in their previous five away trips. N’Zogbia is your best option higher up the price bracket – he’ll be on the the left-wing, possibly in a 4-5-1. Figueroa and Bramble are your cheaper options.

Stoke appear to provide your best bet for clean sheets on a budget. They slipped to just one defeat in their last five home games and host a Boro side who have scored just three goals in eight league games. Southgate’s men plundered a late goal to salvage a draw against Portsmouth, they may not find the Stoke defence so charitable late on. Shawcross, with his goal threat, demonstrated by his header at Goodison last time out, is your strongest option here.

Elsewhere I’m struggling to see too many goals in the Portsmouth vs Everton clash at Fratton Park, with Pompey’s Johnson and the usual cast of Everton defenders looking fairly decent options. Blackburn may even have a chance of a shut-out at home to Zola’s West Ham, given just how much the Hammers struggled to break down the West Brom defence on Monday. Samba could be worth a short-term shout then. Warnock, a defender playing in midfield, remains an injury doubt – wait for news on him if you’re considering a move.

Best For Goals….

On paper, this looks another bad week for goals. There are almost half a dozen games that look likely to play out as tight encounters. The best option appears to be to back the most powerful attacking sides and hope for heavy wins.

That means getting on City’s home fixture with Sunderland and looking to Ireland, Wright-Phillips and Robinho to come good. While a weakened defence and the goal threat from Spurs could well force United and Chelsea to reach for three or more goals in their games. Ronaldo and Lampard remain strong FPL captain options then, while Drogba and the recalled Berbatov, offer potential for those with deep enough fantasy pockets.

Arsenal have been good for goals of late, although they stumbled badly for long spells against Hull in the Cup on Tuesday. Nevertheless, you can see Newcastle raising their game and, with Owen and Martins up front, maybe breaking through the Gunners defence. That could force Arsenal to come out and notch at least a couple of goals. Newcastle have conceded an average of two home goals a game over the last five, so away profits look likely, despite the inconsistent form from Wenger’s men. Arshavin continues to look a good option then, while Van Persie should start and is well overdue some fantasy returns.

As outside bets, you could look to Blackburn against a West Ham defence ravaged by injuries to Upson and Collins. Roberts is your option here right now – although we’ll need definitive team news from Ewood before committing to a Rovers striker. You also have to consider the likely battering ram pairing of Beattie and Fuller against the Boro defence. There’s surely a couple of goals in that game for Pulis’ side.

It’s make or break for West Brom this weekend, against a Bolton side who have been in appalling away form. Jay Simpson was benched at Upton Park on Monday but he will surely be recalled for this one and could represent value in the FPL as a budget midfield signing. Fortune is your budget purchase up front as another option. Bolton have scored just two goals in their last five away games but their threat from set-plays will be significant against the fragile Baggies back four. Taylor and Kevin Davies could be worth a look then and Cahill’s threat from set-plays is perhaps worth a long-shot.

Best For Frustration…

After last week’s crushing wins over Real Madrid and United, the momentum is clearly with Liverpool to help them turn Villa over at Anfield this weekend. How ironic it would be if Liverpool were to stutter here though. There’s likely to be have been heavy investment in Torres and Gerrard leading up to this one but personally, I’m far from certain that it will be rewarded with strong attacking returns. Rafa’s side will be buoyant but they could struggle to break down O’Neill’s Villa, who are likely to turn up with a well organised 4-5-1.

The corresponding fixture ended 0-0 at Villa Park and that kind of result is by no means off the radar here. At least home defensive points seem more likely, given that Villa are struggling for an end result to their approach play, with Young and Agbonlahor gasping for goals.