Antonio Valencia returns from injury to pick up the Fantasy points yet again. Javier Hernandez steals the limelight from Wayne Rooney as United hit Wolves for five. Papiss Cisse continues to produce for Newcastle, while Fernando Torres finally finds the net in Chelsea’s FA Cup game against Leicester:
Antonio Valencia
A surprise return to the United first XI yesterday saw the Ecuadorian instantly back amongst the Fantasy points with a bang. Valencia had produced attacking points in eight of his twelve starts between Gameweeks 14 – 25 and maintained his outstanding consistency with a goal and couple of assists in the 5-0 win at Wolves. Installed to the right flank, with Danny Welbeck shifted over to the left, Valencia’s immediate return to form will have Fantasy managers snapping him up in their thousands – he’s dropped as low as 7.5 due to his recent hamstring injury but with United’s obliging run of fixtures, he looks outstanding value over the remainder of the season. Already, the transfers-in are racking up, with over 26,000 drafting him in the past 24 hours.
Sir Alex Ferguson was full of praise for the on-song wide man, suggesting he may well be integral over the remainder of the campaign:
He could be very important. His form before he got the injury was outstanding. Now he is back we hope he stays back fit. He is such an honest, hard-working player.You get two sides to Antonio. He is prepared to work really hard. He can tackle, he can run, but he can also beat a man. He has got everything really.
Javier Hernandez
The Mexican reprised last weeks’ role as Wayne Rooney’s strike partner at Molineux yesterday. While Rooney provided a mere assist in the rout, Hernandez found the net twice, taking his season’s tally to 10 so far. With Danny Welbeck filling in out wide of late, “Little Pea†may well be set to cement his role alongside Rooney on a more permanent basis, as the goals start to fly in. At 9.9 and with a 3% ownership, he may well prove a decent differential up front for United, though his ability to return explosive hauls has been minimal – yesterday was just the second time this season Hernandez has hit double figures, compared to Rooney’s six.
Jonny Evans
Yesterday’s game at Wolves was the Irishman’s ninth successive league appearance in the United first-team. With Nemanja Vidic sidelined for the season, Evans looks nailed-on at the heart of Sir Alex Ferguson’s defence but he still has a mere 8% ownership, despite costing just 4.8. A goal and a clean sheet at Molineux, however, is set to open the floodgates, with more than 6,500 Fantasy managers already drafting him in on the back of his display and, with (FUL, bla, QPR, wig, AVL) to follow, Evans’ cut-price potential continues to offer outstanding value.
Papiss Cisse
Newcastle’s January signing picked up his third goal in just five appearances with a sublimely taken finish enough to see off Norwich 1-0. Dropped for the trip to Arsenal last week, Cisse has slipped to 6.7 since arriving on Tyneside but he’s continuing to overshadow compatriot Demba Ba in the Magpies frontline. Ba has returned just a single goal in six games since the pair returned from the African Cup of Nations and has failed to net in the last five. Given that his worst scoring drought had previously been two games since starting for the first time in Gameweek five, it’s a worrying sign for Ba’s Fantasy owners. Priced at 7.9 in comparison, he’s starting to lost his appeal, with Cisse’s mid-price and 1% ownership offering a cheaper, differential route into the Newcastle frontline.
Davide Santon and Jonas Gutierrez
The signs had been coming that Alan Pardew remains unconvinced over the Italian. Santon had started the last nine for but was subbed off at half time in the previous two gameweeks against Sunderland and Arsenal as the Newcastle boss shuffled his pack. Yesterday saw Santon omitted from the first-team altogether, with Jonas Gutierrez surprisingly preferred at left-back; he was eventually afforded a 28 minute second half sub appearance, returning a single point as the Magpies chalked up their first clean sheet since Gameweek 23. With Gutierrez also providing the assist for Cisse’s goal, though, the former Inter man’s place in Pardew’s defence looks less than secure right now. The Argentine has started to pick up in consistency of late, after a disappointing Fantasy season – he has now produced attacking returns in three of his last four home matches.
And in the FA Cup….
Fernando Torres
The Spaniard found the net for the first time in over 25 hours of football as he fired a brace in the 5-2 FA Cup win over Leicester at the Bridge. Torres capped his display with an assist for Salomon Kalou’s first half strike as the striker enjoyed a hugely profitable afternoon. Now, of course, Torres has to take that form and translate it to the Premier League. Intriguingly, the next test is against a City defence which could yet be missing Joleon Lescott and/or Vincent Kompany. Torres has been benched in the last three league outings, with Didier Drogba given the job of leading the Chelsea attack – while the latter has responded with two goals in his previous three starts, the temptation to throw in a confident Torres against City will surely be huge.
Di Matteo’s Tinkering
The Chelsea boss made a series of changes after the Herculean effort in extra time against Napoli. Gary Cahill returned to the defence as David Luiz dropped to the bench, while Ashley Cole was rested with Ryan Bertand taking his place at left-back. John Terry was also rested, with Branislav Ivanovic his replacement, as Jose Bosingwa came into a much-changed back-four.
In midfield, Raul Meireles returned to shield the back defence along with Jon Obi Mikel, as Di Matteo went with a 4-2-3-1. Juan Mata provided the support to Fernando Torres with Salomon Kalou and Daniel Sturridge earning starting roles on the flanks. Florent Malouda was introduced at half-time to replace Mata, no doubt with the City game in mind.
There was no place for Frank Lampard, Michael Essien or Ramires in midfield then, while there’s still uncertainty over Di Matteo’s first choice central defensive pairing with Luiz and Cahill, seeming vying for starts alongside Terry. The lineup for the trip to City will be intriguing; clearly Mata looks set to start having been preserved at half-time, while the form of Torres could see him a start at the Etihad. Salomon Kalou picked up a knock and was replaced by Essien in the second-half – that injury could force Di Matteo to come up with a new solution on the Blues’ left flank.
Luis Suarez
With just two goals in his last 16 league appearances, the Uruguayan has frustrated Fantasy managers for the vast majority of the season. Suarez, did, of course, grab a couple of assists in last week’s win over Everton and continued his recent upturn in attacking performances by notching Liverpool’s opener in the 2-1 FA Cup Sixth Round win over Stoke. Both Suarez and Martin Kelly were subbed off with knocks with a single minute remaining of the fixture and, post-match, Kenny Dalglish admitted the pair will be assessed this morning ahead of Wednesday’s league trip to QPR.
Charlie Adam
The Scotsman was notable for his absence in yesterday’s win over Stoke. Having been dropped to the bench against Everton in midweek, Adam remained sidelined, as Dalglish maintained a 4-4-2, with Andy Carroll partnering Suarez in attack and Jay Spearing’s industry preferred alongside Steven Gerrard in central midfield. The Anfield outfit have upped their goal output of late, grabbing five goals over the two games and, with Gerrard grabbing three and Suarez one, Adam’s Fantasy owners will be a little worried. The summer signing from Blackpool had started all but two of Liverpool’s first 28 league games but, with Gerrard fit and producing the goods, he may well struggle to regain a regular first-team place over the final two months of the season.
