Luis Suarez grabs a hat-trick as Liverpool ease to victory at Norwich. Nikica Jelavic and Steven Pienaar run amok against Fulham, Robin Van Persie returns to goalscoring form, while Victor Moses and Shaun Maloney help Wigan hammer Newcastle and end the Magpies winning run in sensational style:
Luis Suarez
With Liverpool struggling for any semblance of form, their Fantasy assets were overlooked by many ahead of the double Gameweek. Despite clashes against Norwich and Fulham on the agenda, Suarez was drafted in by just 27,000 managers prior to yesterday morning’s deadline – a Carrow Road hat-trick stole the headlines and returned his highest points haul (14) of the season. Bizarrely, the only other time Suarez has produced double figures was in Liverpool’s last double Gameweek – with Fulham up next at Anfield on Tuesday, he could be on the verge of a substantial haul, given that the Cottagers’ woeful away form saw them ship four at Goodison yesterday.
Daniel Agger
The centre-half picked up an assist in the Norwich win – his third in the last four matches. With Kenny Dalglish choosing to rest Martin Skrtel, Agger was partnered by Jamie Carragher at the back as Liverpool picked up their first clean sheet since Gameweek 28. Rotation looks to be part of Dalglish’s thinking ahead of the FA Cup Final with Chelsea next weekend, meaning there’s the possibility that Carragher could retain his place for the Fulham game, with Skrtel coming in for Agger as Dalglish gives his first-choice central defenders a rest apiece.
Steven Pienaar
A trio of assists against Fulham helped the on-loan midfielder to a 12 point, pre-bonus haul yesterday afternoon. Priced at 7.2, Pienaar had been drafted in by almost 57,000 Fantasy managers prior to Everton’s double Gameweek – he has now produced attacking returns in each of his last five and heads off to the Britannia on Tuesday in sparkling form. Floundering on the Spurs bench for much of the season, he’d been handed a mere 17 minutes by Harry Redknapp but, in just 11 games since returning to Merseyside on loan in January, he’s picked up 64 points. David Moyes confirmed on Friday he is keen on bringing Pienaar back on a permanent deal – Fantasy managers will already be considering the South African if the move comes to fruition, with Everton clearly providing the perfect platform for his abilities to flourish.
Nikica Jelavic
A third successive brace rewarded the 150,000 Fantasy managers who drafted in the Croatian ahead of this weekend. With Pienaar’s creativity and Jelavic’s deadly finishing, Everton are racking up the goals right now – the 4-0 win over Fulham took their recent record to 18 in the last six and. Jelavic has now picked up eight goals and 52 FPL points in seven starts since joining up in January, making a mockery of his 6.1 price tag and, with a trip to Wolves next weekend after Tuesday’s showdown with Stoke, further returns look likely.
Everton Defence
Another home game brought a clean sheet for the Toffees back-line, as Fantasy owners of Clint Dempsey were left frustrated by the hosts’ resilience. With Leighton Baines still out with a hamstring injury, Phil Neville moved to left-back this time; Johnny Heitinga shifted to central midfield and Sylvain Distin to centre-half, with the Frenchman having covered at full-back in the previous match at United. Despite the changes, Moyes’ men produced their sixth clean sheet in the last seven at Goodison, almost in complete contrast to their away form, with one clean sheet in the last right on the road in comparison.
Peter Crouch
The Stoke forward continued his strong form at the Britannia by grabbing his side’s opener in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal. We drafted Crouch into the Scout Picks and handed him a place on the bench – he didn’t disappoint, notching for the fourth time in the last five in front of his own fans. With Everton’s above-mentioned poor defensive form on the road, Crouch looks to have a decent opportunity to extend his streak when the Toffees arrive on Tuesday evening.
Robin Van Persie
Over 84,000 Fantasy managers transferred out the Gunners skipper ahead of the double Gameweek, as many looked to shoehorn the likes of Jelavic, Papiss Cisse or Emmanuel Adebayor into the front three. Van Persie’s recent form made the decision a little easy to bear – he arrived at the Britannia having scored just once in his last seven as his Fantasy season came to a shuddering halt. A return to goalscoring ways is likely to see the transfers-in over the next few days – Van Persie is looking in the mood once again and, with visitors Norwich having shipped 11 goals in the last three Gameweeks, the armband option looks a strong one against the Canaries next Saturday lunchtime.
Martin Petrov
The Bulgarian rewarded his Fantasy backers in the previous double Gameweek with a 17 point haul and continued his recent impressive form in Bolton’s game at Sunderland. Petrov provided an assist for one of Kevin Davies’ two goals in the 2-2 draw and, with four lots of attacking returns in his last seven, has been the main performer for Owen Coyle’s strugglers. With Spurs rolling up to the Reebok on Tuesday, before games against West Brom and Stoke to see out the season, the left winger’s contribution could prove the difference between survival and a plunge into the Championship next season.
Stephane Sessegnon
With no goals in their last four, the Black Cats have stuttered as an attacking force and Sessegnon had seen significant sales in recent weeks – over 66,000 Fantasy managers have moved him on in the last two Gameweeks. While he picked up an assist in the Trotters stalemate, the Benin international continued a woeful run of form which has seen him score just once since Gameweek 23. James McClean’s goal against Bolton was his fourth over the same period in comparison – at 4.9 to Sessegnon’s 7.4, he’s proving to be a far more reliable cut-price candidate. Given their remaining pair of fixtures comprises of a trip to Fulham and home clash with United, the sales are only likely to continue from the Sunderland squad.
Simon Mignolet
A few weeks back, Martin O’Neill mentioned he’d considered handing Craig Gordon a chance between the sticks but his threat failed to materialise, much to the relief of Mignolet’s Fantasy owners. Yesterday, however, the Black Cats boss was as good as his word, giving the Scot the nod against Bolton, with Mignolet afforded the day off. The Belgian had been in magnificent form at the Stadium of Light, returning six clean sheets and conceding three goals in his last eight home games – after shipping a couple of goals, Gordon’s weak display is likely to see Mignolet return, as O’Neill looks for some defensive resilience in those difficult final two fixtures.
Gylfi Sigurdsson
With Wolves arriving at the Liberty, plenty of goals were expected from the home side and Brendan Rodgers’ side rose to the occasion, hitting four past the relegated midlands outfit. The biggest surprise was that Sigurdsson played a part in just one of his side’s goals, providing just an assist in the eight-goal thriller. Nevertheless, his 6.1 points per game over sixteen appearances is still top for midfielders and fifth overall this season – with a trip to United up next, though, his talents will be put to the test before the final game of his loan deal at home to Liverpool.
Nathan Dyer
The 4.8 priced winger kept Sigurdsson in the shade with a goal and assist return against Terry Connor’s side. Dyer’s 10 point haul means he has produced back-to-back double figure points returns at the Liberty; with a total of five scores of 10 or more, he’s the best value midfielder currently priced 5.0 or under. In addition, Dyer is the second best value outfield player for Brendan Rodgers’ side this season – top spot goes to 4.9 priced Danny Graham, whose first goal since Gameweek 25 took his points haul to 127 so far.
Matt Jarvis
With their relegation sealed last week, Wolves are clearly determined to go out with a bang. They grabbed four against Swansea – the same number of goals they had scored in the previous nine Gameweeks, such has been their lack of attacking threat. Jarvis’s brace at the Liberty means he has now notched five of Wolves’ eight goals under Terry Connor – Steven Fletcher’s goal was the first he has netted since Mick McCarthy left, in comparison. Fletcher also chipped in with an assist, while Kevin Doyle provided a pair of assists; perhaps the idea of being in the shop window for potential suitors could spur them on to further returns ahead of games against Everton and Wigan.
Liam Ridgewell
Yesterday’s goalless draw at the Hawthorns was West Brom’s fifth in six home games since Ridgewell arrived from Birmingham in January. Factor in a goal, an assist and nine bonus points over his eleven appearances and the Baggies left-back has averaged 5.4 points per game so far – second only to Aleksandar Kolarov in the defender standings. If he can maintain his current price of 4.5 next time round, he’s likely to feature in many a Fantasy squad in the 2012/13 campaign.
Victor Moses
The winger bagged a brace as Wigan continued their remarkable bid for survival with a 4-0 hammering of Newcastle. Moses had failed to provide any attacking returns at the DW until Gameweek 29 but has subsequently produced the points in three of the last four home games. Having picked up a single assist in the first 14 Gameweeks, he was one of the most maligned players on the boards but Moses is now the eleventh top scoring midfielder with a total of 134 points. Up next are games against Blackburn and Wolves, offering Roberto Martinez’s side the perfect chance to clinch their top-flight safety and, given his form, many will be calling upon Victor to rack up the points once again.
Shaun Maloney
A return to the Wigan first XI sat the Scot play a pivotal part in the Magpies’ triumph. Maloney’s previous start was in Gameweek 33, where his winner against United helped him to an 11 point haul – he repeated the trick yesterday, providing a goal and assist, as Wigan added Newcastle’s scalp to the likes of Arsenal and United in recent Gameweeks. Having scored in three of his six starts for Martinez’s men this term, he’s another cut-price midfield option who may well appeal as a differential – costing 4.5 and with a current ownership of 0.1%, Maloney could well do damage for the Latics over the final two matches.
