A Wayne Rooney brace helps United sweep aside Villa, as the Old Trafford outfit move five points clear of City once again. Nani grabs a goal from the bench, while Jonny Evans, Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young all pick up assists. Chelsea’s hammering of Spurs gives Fantasy managers a selection headache ahead of double Gameweek 36, with Roberto Di Matteo’s side still fighting on three fronts as the campaign approaches the final hurdle:
Wayne Rooney
A brace in yesterday’s 4-0 hammering of Villa means the United man has now notched in each of his last five home games in a run that has brought him eight goals. There’s no doubt Rooney is in form right now but, with an Old Trafford showdown with Everton and a Gameweek 36 trip to City, Fantasy managers may be wavering over holding on. History shows that Rooney tends to struggle against his former club, while the likes of City have a trip to woeful Wolves next week. With plenty of alternatives for the double Gameweek 36, he may well be set for a drop in ownership.
Antonio Valencia
The Ecuadorian stopped a two-game Fantasy drought by picking up an assist against Villa. He now has 14 for the campaign, just one less than David Silva. Valencia was, once again, afforded the full 90 minutes – the seventeenth Gameweek in a row he has managed this feat when available. With Nani grabbing a goal in his 30 minute Old Trafford cameo, it seems Ashley Young is the likeliest of United’s wide men to drop out if the Portuguese man is given a first-team opportunity . Sir Alex Ferguson admitted post-match that Young went down a little too easy for United’s spot-kick opener for the second week in a row, the former Villa man could be taken out the firing line for the Toffees showdown.
Jonny Evans
The 5.6 priced defender returned a clean sheet and assist contribution, making up for the goal conceded in the previous Gameweek at Wigan. Evans has now picked up 54 points in the last seven Gameweeks, with 6 clean sheets, a goal, a couple of assists and 5 bonus points returned for his Fantasy owners. With United conceding a single home goal this calendar year, Evans’ Fantasy owners will be confident next weekend as Everton roll up to Old Trafford.
Tottenham’s Cup Exit
Harry Redknapp’s side now join Everton on the FA Cup sidelines after yesterday’s 5-1 hammering, with the result perhaps offering Fantasy managers a little more confidence in their assets ahead of the double Gameweek 36. With Arsenal now five points clear in the race for third place, Tottenham’s best chance of a Champions League spot may well be fourth now and the fixtures clearly favour the White Hart Lane outfit in their battle Newcastle and Chelsea. Spurs will now face three of the bottom five in the next couple of Gameweeks, with a home clash against Blackburn and trip to Bolton in Gameweek 36 surely set to see plenty investment in the likes of Gareth Bale and Emmanuel Adebayor as Redknapp looks to end the season on a high.
Juan Mata
The Spaniard provided a pair of assists in yesterday’s Wembley rout, in addition to a hotly-disputed goal that edged the Blues into a 2-0 lead. With this week’s blank Gameweek in mind, Mata’s price has dropped to 9.5 but, with attacking returns in four of his five league games under Di Matteo, he’s been picking up the points with regularity. The problem for Fantasy managers, though, is how Di Matteo approaches a schedule that sees the Blues face Barcelona in the Champions League twice in addition to the FA Cup Final with Liverpool. Rotation is a near-certainty and, with Mata afforded a sub role in Chelsea’s visit to Fulham last time round, many may think twice before investing, despite a potentially prosperous double Gameweek 36 which sees the Stamford Bridge outfit host both QPR and Newcastle.
Chelsea Defence
Post-match, Di Matteo revealed some of his players had picked up “bruises and niggles†and will be assessed ahead of the midweek clash with Barcelona. David Luiz is a major doubt, though, after being subbed off with a hamstring injury just before the hour mark, and while any length of absence could enhance the first-team chances of Gary Cahill, the former Bolton man is also doubt, after reportedly leaving Wembley with a foot problem. Cahill’s issue is expected to be minor and with the January signing having started five of the six league games under Di Matteo’s leadership, with Luiz tending to be preferred for cup ties, 5.5 priced Cahill may well be nailed-on if the prognosis on his foot problem is positive.
