After last night’s fixtures helped draw a line under the previous Gameweek, our weekly refresh of the Watchlist rankings is rolled out this afternoon. As you’d expect, the upcoming double Gameweek 36 plays a significant part in how we assess the remaining schedules – our rankings can be found in the right sidebar; read on for the reasoning behind the recent upheavals.
The Goalkeepers
Joe Hart leaps to the summit ahead of City’s kind run of fixtures. Roberto Mancini’s selection for Wednesday’s league match with Wigan highlighted the likely defensive rotation from here on in but with Costel Pantilimon set to play in next month’s FA Cup final, Hart’s chances of starting every league match look strong. With a double Gameweek 36 part of a schedule that sees City play three times at the Etihad in the final four Gameweeks (WH, swa & WBA, rdg, NOR) Hart is undoubtedly pricey but with four clean sheets in the last six, has the form to justify his inclusion.
Ben Foster also climbs the rankings. The Baggies stopper looks a decent mid-price option and with game time assured, has Newcastle, Southampton, Wigan and Norwich in the next four – the Latics clash is also supplemented by a showdown with City in double Gameweek 36.
Joel Robles’ recent installation to the Wigan number one spot has afforded us a cut-price option between the sticks. Coming in at just 4.0 in FPL, the Spaniard has conceded just three goals in four league matches since replacing Ali Al-Habsi for the Latics and with a double also in his locker, is the cheapest option amongst Roberto Martinez’s charges. Like Hart, Robles looks safe from rotation for the FA Cup Final, with Al-Habsi the likely custodian.
Petr Cech seems the one Chelsea player immune to Rafa Benitez’s rotational whims and with three clean sheets in five, has shown decent form. The downside is that his double is against United and Spurs – hardly enticing – and with Liverpool and Everton also yet to square up to Benitez’s side, Fantasy managers willing to splash the cash at the back may prefer Joe Hart’s prospects.
Sunderland’s return to form under Paolo Di Canio brings Simon Mignolet back into consideration. The fixture list also helps the Black Cats after they registered a first clean sheet in nine last weekend – with three home games in the next four (EVE, STO, SOT) in addition to a trip to Villa, the Belgian’s owners will be confident of further returns.
David De Gea is relatively low despite some strong recent showings. With Hart and Cech looking better placed in the premium bracket and with an extra fixture apiece, the United stopper has suffered – there’s also the fear Sir Alex Ferguson may give Anders Lindegaard a game or two once the title is inevitably sewn up.
Michel Vorm and Hugo Lloris both have double Gameweeks to follow for Swansea and Tottenham respectively. Vorm hasn’t been helped by a run of one clean sheet in eight, though, while Lloris has managed to keep out his opponents just once in the last 10 – with Jan Vertonghen picking up attacking returns in recent matches, many are likely to overlook the Frenchman despite some favourable fixtures to follow.
The situation at Norwich remains uncertain and prevents Mark Bunn from featuring higher. The Canaries have three strong home fixtures in the following four but with John Ruddy approaching full match fitness with a host of U21 appearances, Bunn’s spot seems far from guaranteed. For now, Bunn remains in our refresh but his appeal is somewhat tempered by Ruddy’s impending return.
The Defenders
Vincent Kompany arrives at the summit of the defender standings as a result of Roberto Mancini’s midweek tinkering at home to Wigan. The City boss altered three of the back-four that started against United in the previous league encounter – a sign of his intentions to utilise the depth of his squad from here on in, with one eye clearly on the FA Cup now. Micah Richards’ return to fitness has made an immediate dent in Pablo Zabaleta’s prospects and while Matija Nastasic is far cheaper than his skipper, Kompany is likely to be the only constant in the City defence over the final six fixtures.
With a double Gameweek on the horizon, allied with a sets of strong attacking displays, Jan Vertonghen and David Luiz rise up the rankings. Neither are cheap options but have more than atoned for their luxury price tags with a goal or assist in three of their last four appearances – with Ashley Cole still injured, Luiz seems the least likely of all Chelsea defenders to suffer rotation as Rafa Benitez attempts to battle for third spot and the Europa League over the next month. He’s also free from the risk of suspension now the curfew for 10 bookings has passed.
Michael Turner is highly ranked due to the doubt surrounding the Norwich keeper spot. The Canaries entertain Reading, Villa and West Brom in the next four and also make their way to misfiring Stoke – Turner’s eye for goal helps him get the edge in our refresh and, with two recent strikes to his name and a far cheaper price point, he’s now the preferred option over Seb Bassong.
Despite four clean sheets in five, Leighton Baines takes a drop with Everton’s double now behind him – the fixtures begin to somewhat stiffen for the Toffees now, with the left-back perhaps reliant on attacking returns to retain his spot at the top of the FPL defender standings. Double Gameweeks for West Brom and Wigan sees Gareth McAuley and Emmerson Boyce tuck in just behind Baines, with both likely to offer greater attacking potential than any defensive team-mate, although Maynor Figueroa is another worthy consideration here, for those scratching around for pennies.
Carlos Cuellar and Guy Demel are the budget options with favourable fixtures on their respective agendas. The Sunderland centre-half has recently returned from an ankle injury and is available for 4.3, while the 4.0 priced Demel has home games with Wigan, Newcastle and Reading in the final five.
The Midfielders
Again, double Gameweek 36 is the major factor here, with the guaranteed game time of Michu earning the Swansea talisman top spot. Having scored in each of his last two, the early-season form has started to return and with home games against Southampton and Fulham in addition to his pair of Gameweek 36 fixtures, he reaches the summit in spite of tricky trips to Chelsea and United. Gareth Bale sits in third spot purely down to the uncertainty over his recent ankle problem – if he shakes off the injury in time for this weekend, the Tottenham man will head straight to the top of next week’s rankings ahead of a double where many will be handing him the captaincy.
Juan Mata and Eden Hazard also feature in the top five. Typically, we’d opt for one over the other but with just five Gameweeks to go, it looks a viable tactic to consider doubling up on the Chelsea midfield duo, as Wednesday’s win at Fulham demonstrated. Despite his side’s hectic schedule, Rafa Benitez will still be heavily reliant on the pair if he is to engineer a top three finish.
Similarly, David Silva and Yaya Toure both come into our thinking for City’s remaining six matches. Like Chelsea, they also have silverware in other competitions to consider but Roberto Mancini rarely omits either from the starting line-up; Silva was left out of the midweek win over Wigan as a precaution after a recent hamstring strain and is likely to return for this weekend’s crucial trip to Tottenham. The schedule smiles kindly on City and Mancini’s side are picking up pace as the season comes to a close.
Theo Walcott and Marouane Fellaini still hover near the upper echelons after returning from injury and suspension last time out respectively, while a goal and assist in Sunderland’s win at Newcastle brings Stephane Sessegnon onto the radar again. Shifted to a central role by Paolo Di Canio, his confidence looks on the up and the 6.9 priced Benin international certainly has the fixtures to maintain his return to form. Further down, Shaun Maloney, James Morrison and Jonathan de Guzman offer cheaper alternatives for our five man midfields with a double Gameweek boosting their appeal.
The Forwards
Robin Van Persie returns to the top spot after being briefly replaced by Wayne Rooney last time out. The Dutchman looks to have rediscovered his eye for goal and with Rooney shifted to a midfield role against Stoke before being subbed off early at West Ham, Van Persie served a reminder just why he is top scoring player in the FPL game this term. With United needing wins in each of their last five games to set a new points record, his contribution will be decisive.
Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero both earn a place in our top five ahead of City’s double Gameweek. Of the pair, Tevez has been the most consistent of late – he has now scored in four of his last six league games, though Aguero has hinted at a return to last season’s form before picking up a hamstring strain in the midweek win over Wigan. At just 8.7 in FPL, Tevez is far cheaper than his team-mate and is likely to pick up significant investment over the next few weeks.
Luis Suarez separates the City duo in third spot. Foiled by Reading’s Alex McCarthy last weekend as his recent drought extended to four games without a goal, the Liverpool forward is still offering plenty attacking threat and looks more than capable of producing over the remaining five, while Daniel Sturridge’s first-team return – albeit on the right of a 4-3-3 – brings him back onto the radar further down.
Romelu Lukaku and Arouna Kone have both been crucial to West Brom and Wigan’s prospects this term. The pair have picked up more FPL points than any of their team mates and are boosted by their upcoming doubles – the downside is that neither have spot-kick duties, while Lukaku owners will be hoping Steve Clarke reinstalls him to the first-team after a sub role last time out. Southampton forwards Rickie Lambert and Jay Rodriguez are also factored in here, with a favourable set of fixtures handing Mauricio Pochettino’s side the chance to finish the season strongly.
