Pavel Pogrebnyak and Clint Dempsey run riot against Wolves as Terry Connor is served up a rude awakening at the Cottage. Shola Ameobi saves the day for Newcastle in a bad-tempered Tyne-Wear derby, while a return to form by Ashley Young helps United to the three points at under-strength Spurs:
Pavel Pogrebnyak
His impressive scoring streak continues for Fulham, with Wolves proving the Russian’s latest victim. Yesterday’s hat-trick means Pogrebnyak has scored in each of his three games since moving from Stuttgart in the January window and brings his tally to 5 in three games for the Cottagers. Considering Bobby Zamora scored 5 in fifteen games before his transfer to QPR, Pogrebnyak’s impact has clearly given Martin Jol’s side an added dimension up front. The maximum bonus has been duly delivered, taking the Russian’s Fantasy haul to 33 points in just three games and, with Villa, Swansea, Norwich and Bolton to come in the next five, the bandwagon is on its way; he’s already jumped 0.2 in price this weekend, as the transfers-in continue to snowball.
Clint Dempsey
Not to be outdone, Dempsey ended a three-game goalless streak by bagging a couple in the 5-0 win. The US international returned his fifth double-figure points haul of the season and, with 149 points, is second top scoring midfielder behind Gareth Bale, having overtaken David Silva on the back of yesterday’s performance. His away form is still something of a worry- Dempsey has returned 9 goals and 5 assists at the Cottage compared to 3 goals on the road but his home returns alone make him almost impossible to overlook, particularly with a strong upcoming schedule on the horizon.
Shola Ameobi
Newcastle’s forgotten forward came to the rescue just as defeat seems a certainty against bitter rivals Sunderland. While hopes were high of goal returns for Demba Ba and Papiss Cisse, the pair failed to produce, with the former ending the game on a score of -1 after a booking and missed penalty- doubly frustrating for those who selected him as vice-captain behind the absent Sergio Aguero this weekend. Ameobi’s knack of scoring against the Black Cats earned Alan Pardew’s side a vital point but in spite of his headline-grabbing goal, a role as impact sub looks his best way of harvesting points.
Ryan Taylor
His starting role on the right side of midfield continued yesterday, though a half-time reshuffle by Alan Pardew won’t have gone unnoticed by the out-of-position prospects’ Fantasy owners. With Newcastle struggling to get a hold of the game, Davide Santon was subbed off, as Taylor was shifted to his early-season role of left-back. On came Hatem Ben Arfa for an impressive second-half cameo as the home side upped the pressure- Pardew has food for thought, then, ahead of next week’s trip to Arsenal, with question marks perhaps once again raised against Taylor’s likely starting position.
Stephane Sessegnon
The Black Cats midfielder received a straight red card for violent conduct after catching Cheik Tiote with an arm and will now serve a three-match ban. With Sunderland still involved in the FA Cup, Sessegnon will miss the next two league games, against Liverpool and Blackburn, before returning in Gameweek 29 for the home clash with QPR. His absence poses his 24% Fantasy owners plenty questions, with many surely set to off-load Sessegnon, affording a break-up of the identikit midfields we’ve seen over the last few gameweeks.
Nicklas Bendtner
Back in the Black Cats starting XI for the first time since Gameweek 21, the big Dane opened the scoring at Newcastle with a coolly despatched spot-kick. Bendtner’s game time has been blighted by injury since Martin O’Neill’s arrival, with groin, ankle and facial injuries affording him just six starts under the new manager. He’s returned 2 goals and 2 assists in those six starts, though; a decent, if hardly prolific, haul. With Sessegnon now sidelined and Fraizer Campbell continuing to be eased back into action, Bendtner looks nailed-on to lead the line in the short-term; with yesterday’s game also confirming he’s number one for penalty duties, he’ set to be a crucial figure for Sunderland over the next couple of gameweeks, at least.
Wayne Rooney
Forced out last week due to a throat infection, the forward returned with the opener to continue his recent goalscoring form. Rooney has now grabbed 5 goals in his last three games for United and seems to be stepping up in performance as the season enters the final third. With (WBA, wol, FUL, bla, QPR) up next, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side are set for heavy Fantasy investment, as managers juggle budgets in order to rid themselves of the likes of Sergio Aguero for the in-form United forward.
Ashley Young
With Ryan Giggs benched for the trip to Spurs, Young was given the chance on United’s left at the Lane. He played a part in all of the visitors’ goals, bagging a brace and assist in the 3-1 win and served a reminder of his potential ahead of his side’s superb upturn in fixtures. Young has largely been a huge Fantasy disappointment this term; quick out the blocks in the first five gameweeks, he’s been virtually anonymous since; indeed, yesterday was just the second time he has found the net all season. With Sir Alex Ferguson admitting he expects Antonio Valencia to be back in time for United’s Europa League away trip to Ahletic Bilbao on March 15, Young could be set for the role of bench-warmer once again, with his game time likely to diminish once the reliable Ecuadorian is available.
