Kevin Mirallas grabs his third goal in four as Everton share the spoils at Tottenham. Liverpool are held to a goalless draw at Anfield by a resilient West Ham, Chelsea’s midfield fail to deliver in their comeback win over Sunderland, Papiss Cisse nets a late, late winner for Newcastle, while Shaun Maloney’s grabs a last-gasp leveller for Wigan at Loftus Road.
On the Up
Kevin Mirallas
With Steven Pienaar and Marouane Fellaini suspended, it’s been Mirallas who has raised his game to provide the attacking spark for David Moyes’ side. The Belgian passed a fitness test to strike another superb solo effort similar to the goal against Stoke last time out and has now notched three times in his last four league outings to put himself firmly on the radar for Everton’s two Gameweek 33 fixtures. If he can maintain his fitness, Mirallas looks assured of starts against QPR and Arsenal and at 6.8, could well provide perfect mid-price cover in our forward lines for the double as an alternative to Fulham’s Dimitar Berbatov.
The West Ham Defence
Despite missing the influence of Winston Reid with a reported thigh injury, Sam Allardyce’s side produced a resolute display at Anfield, earning their ninth clean sheet of the season. The timing of the performance has put their back four in the shop window for the Gameweek 33 double fixtures with Southampton and United. While those two opponents will present strong attacking threats, investment in the likes of Jussi Jaaskelainen, Joey O’Brien and Guy Demel may still be on the cards given that Wigan, Newcastle and Reading are scheduled to visit Upton Park following Gameweek 33.
Gylfi Sigurdsson
The former Fantasy favourite has now started the last five league matches and today’s goal took him to a respectable seven for the season. Further starts would seem assured given his form and, while his stock suffers from the immediate blank in Gameweek 33, those who may struggle to find the funds to recall Gareth Bale may instead look to Sigurdsson to provide attacking cover for Tottenham’s yet to be announced double Gameweek.
Emmanuel Adebayor
Like Sigurdsson, the Togo striker is another differential contender who could yet come into the frame for Tottenham’s double fixture. He helped fill the void left by Bale’s absence with goal and assist returns against Everton, belatedly announcing his arrival as an attacking factor in Andre Villas-Boas’ lineup. Adebayor has been hugely disappointing this term: today’s were his first returns since Gameweek 21.
Jan Vertonghen
The Belgian fetched attacking returns for the third game in four league starts, having provided the assist for Adebayor’s opener. However, with Spurs conceding for the seventh consecutive league match, Vertonghen will likely have to go on supplying goals and assists to warrant any further investment.
Connor Wickham
Given a vote of confidence by new boss Paulo Di Canio, the young striker was selected ahead of recent signing Danny Graham and looks set to be handed the responsibility to fire the goals to help maintain Sunderland’s top flight status. It remains to be seen if Di Canio elects for a 4-4-2 following the Chelsea trip, in which case Wickham’s security of starts would seem pretty solid.
Papiss Cisse
The Senegal striker came to the rescue just as the St James’ encounter with Fulham looked to be heading for a goalless draw. Cisse has now scored in each of his last three home encounters and now welcomes Sunderland and Liverpool to Tyneside in the next three as Alan Pardew’s side look to build on a record that has harvested four back-to-back wins in front of their own fans.
Loic Remy
Once again, the January signing was the main man for Harry Redknapp’s side at Loftus Road earlier. With the hosts reduced to 10 men after Bobby Zamora’s dismissal, Remy fired home a superb strike to net for the fourth time in the last five and with Stoke and Reading in the next three, his owners will be confident of further returns.
Shaun Maloney
A late free-kick leveller broke home hearts as Wigan grabbed a vital away point at Loftus Road. Maloney’s budget appeal has earned him a price rise in recent weeks but at just 5.0 in FPL, he continues to look superb value – he has now scored in three of the last seven and with a double Gameweek 36 to look forward to, can expect to earn plenty new owners.
Going Down
Demba Ba
Ineligible for Chelsea’s Europa League tie in midweek, Ba was drafted back into the first XI but suffered a blow in a challenge with Sunderland’s Craig Gardner which eventually saw him replaced at half-time. As expected, Ba has struggled to maintain his Fantasy output achieved at Newcastle on his arrival at Stamford Bridge: he has scored just one goal in his last four league starts.
Juan Mata
Despite some moments of inspiration, the Spaniard again failed to return for his suffering Fantasy owners. Mata has now fetched just a single assist in the last six Gameweeks – during which he has started four matches. This spell has seen the balance of power swing to Eden Hazard – although the Belgian also drew a blank today, he has returned a pair of goals and assists during Mata’s barren spell.
Davide Santon
Having just returned from a hamstring injury sustained in the 2-1 defeat at Wigan, the Italian full-back looks to have fallen foul of a similar setback in the clash with Fulham. Santon was forced off on just 16 minutes and looks doubtful for the Tyne-Wear derby next weekend.
Daniel Sturridge
Once again, Sturridge found himself on the bench as Brendan Rodgers, perhaps understandably, kept faith with the starting XI that earned the three points at Villa. The former Chelsea man was afforded his opportunity from the bench early on, though, after Stewart Downing was subbed off due to illness. It’s difficult to say whether Liverpool’s failure to break down a stubborn West Ham rearguard effort will boost Sturridge’s chances of starting at Reading but, with double Gameweek options calling, his Fantasy owners may well have lost patience already.
Luis Suarez
The Uruguayan was handed the armband by the majority of Fantasy Premier League managers this weekend but, while he was again full of trickery, duly recorded a blank and is now without a goal in his last three league starts. It seems unlikely that his owners will consider selling just yet but, having been so consistent this season, Suarez will perhaps need to return at Reading next time out if he is to avoid suffering a loss of ownership for the first time since Gameweek 19.
Adel Taarabt
Back in the starting lineup at Fulham last Monday, the Moroccan provided a goal and assist but that was clearly not enough for manager Harry Redknapp who dropped him to the bench the for the clash with Wigan to recall Junior Hoilett. Taarabt’s season of frustration continues.
