With a full quota of fixtures to consider, we’re somewhat spoiled for choice ahead of next week’s potential headache. A close-fought Captain Poll highlights the number of strong options available for Fantasy managers this weekend; as a result, we double up on just one team – Chelsea – and roll out a 3-5-2 formation:
We’re opting for Simon Mignolet between the posts as Sunderland welcome Fulham to the Stadium of Light. While the Black Cats have been defensively solid at home, with four clean sheets in the last six in front of their own fans, Fulham’s dire away form has harvested just three goals in their previous seven road trips. A home clean sheet could well be on the cards, then, with Mignolet offering the security of save points if his side do concede.
Leighton Baines is selected ahead of Everton’s home clash with Reading. The left-back’s attacking potential has come to the fore in recent matches – with goals or assists in three of his last four, Baines continues to rack up the points in spite of the Toffees’ lack of defensive resilience. Reading have scored in seven of their last eight but with Pavel Pogrebnyak suspended, Brian McDermott may have to alter his approach for tomorrow’s Goodison encounter; ultimately, though, a home clean sheet would be no more than a bonus.
Handed a 14 minute sub appearance in the midweek FA Cup win at Middlesbrough, we expect David Luiz to return for Chelsea’s home clash with West Brom. The Brazilian’s eye for a long-distance strike and share of set-pieces boosts his appeal, in addition to a possible shift to central midfield; with Romelu Lukaku unable to play against his parent club, the chance of a clean sheet also look a little better.
Marc Wilson looks a strong cut-price option at 3.9 in FPL this weekend as Stoke welcome West Ham to the Britannia. Granted, the Potters have hardly been the most resilient of late and are also without Robert Huth but they’ll be buoyed by an away record which has harvested three goals in the last seven on the road for the Hammers. With real concerns over Kevin Nolan and Mark Noble, Sam Allardyce’s side look likely to struggle in this one.
Gareth Bale’s recent performances speak for themselves. With six goals in the last four Gameweeks, including three successive sets of double figure returns, the Welshman has stepped up his chase of Robin Van Persie at the top of the FPL standings. A new central berth behind the lone forward has seen Bale flourish as a Fantasy force and he looks at the top of his game right now ahead of Sunday’s north London derby.
Perhaps a little surprisingly, Juan Mata has started just four home league games from a possible seven since Rafa Benitez took the Stamford Bridge reins but, having been handed the night off in midweek, we reckon rest and rotation will work to his advantage this time as West Brom pay visit. The Spaniard should be fully refreshed as he looks for his sixth set of double figures of the season against a Baggies side that have conceded in nine of the last 10 Gameweeks.
We welcome back Michu to the fold ahead of Swansea’s home clash with in-form Newcastle. With Tim Krul sidelined and Fabricio Coloccini a real doubt, the Spaniard will be confident of furthering a record which has seen him score or assist in nine of his 13 appearances at the Liberty already this term. Given that the Magpies have one clean sheet on the road all season and have conceded twice in four of their last five matches, it’s perhaps surprising Michu has just 4% of votes cast in the Captain Poll so far.
If the first north London derby of the season is anything to go by, goals look set to be on the agenda at the Lane this Sunday. While the spotlight shines firmly on Gareth Bale as the hosts look to avenge November’s 5-2 defeat at the Emirates, Theo Walcott looks an equally enticing option. Since cementing a regular role back in Gameweek 12, Walcott has scored or assisted in all six of his subsequent six road trips, averaging over seven points per game over those matches.
With doubts still hanging over Marouane Fellaini for Everton’s home game with Reading, we’ve looked elsewhere for our fifth midfielder. A pair of assists in last week’s win over Chelsea highlighted just how crucial David Silva is to City’s slim chances of retaining their title. Regardless of whether United win against Norwich on Saturday, the gap at the top means Roberto Mancini’s men have to go on the offensive in Monday’s match at Villa and with two sets of double figures in his last five, the Spaniard will fancy his chances against the worst defence in the Premier League.
Having plundered the points against Swansea last time out, a trip to Wigan offers Luis Suarez the chance to pick up where he left off. With doubts over Daniel Sturridge’s availability, the Uruguayan could be moved back to the lone forward role as he looks to replicate his two-goal, 11 point return against the Latics earlier this season –Roberto Martinez’s side have conceded at least twice in all but one of their last eight games at the DW, suggesting Suarez could be set for a prosperous weekend.
Javier Hernandez is our United forward of choice as the league leaders welcome Norwich to Old Trafford. Yes, Robin Van Persie has been passed fit by his manager but we reckon Tuesday’s Champions League game with Real Madrid is too important for the Dutchman to be risked here – Hernandez has served up double figures in two of his last three starts and looks a more than useful deputy at just 6.6 in FPL.
Chris Smalling makes a rare appearance in the Scout Picks squad this weekend. Once again, the potential for rest and rotation ahead of the showdown with Jose Mourinho’s men plays a significant part in our thinking – Sir Alex Ferguson may well decide to hand Rafael the day off tomorrow and field the former Fulham man at right-back as United look for their fourth successive clean sheet against a side with a single goal in their last three road trips.
Our recent Watchlist candidate Stephane Sessegnon gets the nod for Sunderland’s home game with Fulham. A move to the right flank saw the Benin international flourish at West Brom last Saturday and he looks in the mood as Martin O’Neill’s side attempt to arrest a run of three straight defeats tomorrow afternoon.
Rickie Lambert is more than a little unlucky to merely warm the bench. The Southampton forward has produced his most consistent form of the season in recent weeks, scoring or assisting in each of the last three, and is handed a home clash against basement-dwellers QPR to continue his rise up the Fantasy rankings, as the Saints look to bounce back from last weekend’s loss at Newcastle.
