With the missing fixtures and double Gameweek complications dominating the comments, we’re well aware that free transfers are at a premium and have tried to take a longer term view than usual with the Differentials this week. Planning out transfers is essential right now but, with a decent strategy over the next four weeks and some carefully considered differentials, there’s still plenty of time to reel in that mini league gap….

Rafael

A series of niggling injuries has restricted Rafael to just eight league appearances this term but, with three successive 90 minute appearances behind him, the young full-back now looks like a decent option, and a viable alternative to Jonny Evans, priced at just 5.4.

As well as three clean sheets, Rafael has picked up attacking returns or bonus in those last three fixtures, topped by his 11 point haul last Monday at Blackburn. United are clearly favouring the right hand side recently and Valencia and Rafael are working really well together; that’s now two goals and five assists between them in the last three games, and it seems unthinkable that Ferguson would break that partnership up voluntarily.

Other than a trip to the Etihad in week 36, fixtures look good from now until the end of the season – considering the double Gameweek fixtures that week, most managers will be benching their United players, anyway. Defensively, things look even better; if you ignore the derby game, Rafael’s upcoming opponents are ranked 8^th,  14^th, 15^th, 17^th, 18^th and 19^th in terms of goals scored, and on the back of four clean sheets in a row, United will be confident of a few more between now and the end of the campaign.

Adel Taarabt

Adel Taarabt came into the season as the most widely-tipped player from any of the promoted sides, racking up an impressive 19 goals and 16 assists in QPR’s Championship winning campaign. In that respect, Taarabt has been a huge disappointment this time round, but the truth is that he has not enjoyed anywhere near the level of freedom he had in the lower leagues and has had to develop a whole new aspect to his game; the tricks and flashes of brilliance are still there, but Taarabt is a much stronger, more mature player now and he’s finally starting to show that he can really cut it at this level.

Against Arsenal last weekend, he was the game’s most impressive attacking player by a long way and in addition to his goal he made more passes than any other QPR player, which highlights just how influential he is becoming. Ownership has dwindled throughout the season to its current 3% but, if he can get anything this Sunday, then his bargain price of just 5.8 will surely rise again.

QPR have possibly the trickiest fixture run in of the sides battling relegation and a trip to Old Trafford this weekend makes Taarabt a big ask. The fact he will be playing in Gameweek 34 does add to his appeal, however, and in this sort of form he looks more than capable of picking up points against anybody.

Daniel Sturridge

An unexpected starting role under Andre Villas-Boas and a burst of form made Daniel Sturridge one of the biggest early season bandwagons. His ownership has dwindled ever since to the current level of 8.1% and he’s now looking like a decent value pick at 6.7. That’s still a fair whack over our usual 3% limit but seeing as a large proportion of those owners will have given up by Christmas time, he is still very much a differential right now.

While Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba fight it out for the central striker role, Sturridge looks secure in his starting berth and after picking up his first attacking returns since Gameweek 24 last weekend, he now looks like a great option in preparation for their excellent double Gameweek 36 fixtures. Wigan have been playing well lately but Chelsea should still make light work of Martinez’s men at the Bridge tomorrow and, following on from their four-goal salvo last weekend, we’re betting on a comfortable home win.