Sleeper – Sergio Aguero

There was no better way for Sergio Aguero to stay in the forefront of our Fantasy thinking ahead of last season’s kick-off. The Argentine’s last-gasp title-winning goal against QPR will go down in legend as one of the Premier League’s defining moments – with Martin Tyler’s stunned reaction providing a worthy accompaniment from the commentary box, it was the stuff that Sky Sports marketing men must have dreamed of:

His contribution that day summed up Aguero’s debut season at the Etihad. Arriving from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2011, his impact was instant from the moment he climbed off the bench to bag a brace in a home rout of Swansea on the opening Gameweek of the campaign. By the time his sweetly-struck strike whistled past Rob Green to clinch the crown, Aguero had racked up 23 goals, nine assists and 30 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) bonus points, for a total of 211 points.

Highly priced across the Fantasy games prior to the previous season’s kick-off, Aguero’s exploits ensured he remained a popular pick but the Argentine lasted just 13 minutes of the season opener against Southampton before sustaining a knee injury. With Carlos Tevez affording Fantasy managers a cheaper route into Roberto Mancini’s attack, Aguero was shipped out by almost half a million FPL managers by the time Gameweek 3 arrived and although he returned to the first-team fold by the end of September, the previous season’s momentum was never recaptured.

Despite supplementing 22 league starts with eight sub appearances, Aguero mustered a mere 12 goals as City’s failed to recapture the attacking swagger that wrestled the title from United so spectacularly. With three assists and 16 FPL bonus points also accrued, the Argentine proved a hugely frustrating Fantasy performer and managed just three sets of double figures over the course of the campaign. Finishing on 121 points – 90 less than his first term on these shores – Aguero’s tally was bettered by both Tevez (169) and Edin Dzeko (130) as his season, like City’s, stuttered to a meek conclusion.

The Prospects

With Mancini now gone and Manuel Pellegrini finally installed in the hot seat, City’s acquisition of Fernandinho and Jesus Navas suggests they are determined to go on the offensive a little more often next time round. Having scored 93 goals in their title-winning campaign, they found the net just 66 times last term as opponents found a way of dealing with Mancini’s somewhat one-paced approach.

The new man in charge is likely to opt for a 4-2-2-2 or 4-2-3-1 formation, though either way Aguero looks key to City’s fortunes, while the likes of Dzeko could be offloaded as Pellegrini opts for improved mobility up top. A price drop across the Fantasy games for the former Atletico man seems inevitable after his disappointing showing – having started last term at 11.5, a slip to 11.0 looks realistic and while Tevez may begin cheaper at 10.0 or 10.5, his compatriot’s keen eye for goal holds the greater potential.

With David Silva, Samir Nasri, Yaya Toure and Navas all vying for attention in the City midfield, Aguero seems the safest – and most explosive – Etihad option on next term’s agenda, providing Pellegrini can reignite their attacking drive. In terms of frontline options, Robin Van Persie’s exploits on the other side of Manchester is likely to earn the Dutchman a 13.5 price tag and with many Fantasy managers looking to cut corners with their initial budgets, Aguero could well prove a tempting alternative if Wednesday’s fixture list reveal an opening spell that falls kindly in City’s favour.