Thursday’s double Gameweek announcements certainly stirred the pot, confirming some incoming blanks whilst handing us an extra roll of the dice in Gameweek 36. With our squads are under greater scrutiny, this might just be the time to break up the template and take a punt. Friday’s delivery of “differentials” is timely, then, packaging something different for the weekend for every Fantasy budget…
Shaun Maloney
Wigan’s forgotten man for much of this season, Shaun Maloney has crash landed back onto the scene and his penalty last weekend was just rewards for a succession of sterling performances at the heart of midfield. Ok he isn’t the most glamorous of picks, but as a 4.5 regular starter with a consistent attacking threat and penalties to boot, Maloney would make a great choice for a fifth midfielder in a Wigan side desperate for points.
The Latics are deservedly in the relegation zone this season but you should never underestimate the Fantasy potential of a team fighting to stay afloat, as Liverpool found out to their cost last weekend. Fixtures stiffen up considerably after this weekend’s home tie against Stoke, but they do offer the bonus of playing in Gameweek 36 when many other sides miss a week, so Maloney’s value could come into play as a sub even if you bench him for their difficult run.
Steven Pienaar
Everton struggled to deliver any kind of consistent attacking threat in the early stages of this season but the reunion of Leighton Baines and Pienaar on the left, and the introduction of Nikica Jelavic up front, has rejuvenated Moyes’ men. Such was their dominance at Swansea and Sunderland recently that they could easily have won either game by a three or even four goal scoreline had they taken their chances and they are brimming with confidence right now.
The South African has been given more freedom to roam than last season and his relationship with Baines will surely provide the key supply line to the in-form Jelavic when a wounded West Brom arrive at Goodison this weekend.
Carlos Tevez
It would require a huge leap of faith (or desperation) to spend 11.7m on the Argentinian loose cannon at this early stage, but there are precious few players in the league with the same explosive potential as Carlos Tevez. With just 0.6% ownership in the Fantasy Premier League game, you can virtually guarantee none of your rivals will have him and with a home tie against stuttering Sunderland up next, a repeat of one of last season’s mega hauls is optimistic, but definitely a possibility.
Mancini admitted in today’s press conference that Tevez is unlikely to start this weekend, but we’re not so sure. Aguero has been ruled out with a ‘stupid’ injury and Mario Balotelli’s midweek antics are also is also expected to count him out. That leaves just Tevez and the big Bosnian as options up front and although a 45/45 split is probably the likeliest scenario, there is a Tevez-shaped hole in the City attack that he will be desperate to fill.
