Sergio Aguero’s brace ensures David Moyes has a Manchester derby debut to forget. Stoke’s new Austrian buy arrives on the Fantasy radar, while injuries to Robin Van Persie and Theo Walcott ruffle the feathers and may well prove the catalyst for a selling spree across the Fantasy games…
The Game Changer
Sergio Aguero’s deadly double ensured David Moyes had a debut Manchester derby to forget. While the pre-game buzz surrounded Robin Van Persie’s groin injury withdrawal, the plaudits went the Argentine’s way after he helped steer City to a comprehensive victory at the Etihad.
Having produced a goal and assist in the midweek Champions League win over Viktoria Plzen, Aguero’s form ensured he kept his place as Manuel Pellegrini opted to partner him with Alvaro Negredo and dropped Edin Dzeko to the bench. After a hugely underwhelming second season in Manchester, Aguero is starting to hint at the form that made him such a Fantasy sensation back in 2011/12 – it’s three goals, two assists and six Fantasy Premier League (FPL) bonus points now, with this afternoon’s haul moving him to second in the forward standings.
Aguero has now scored or assisted in three of his four league starts under Pellegrini and with the City boss determined to go on the offensive this term, his side have already racked up 12 goals – five more than any other team bar Arsenal. Given that the only time City have drawn a blank was in Gameweek 4 – when Aguero was omitted from the starting XI – it’s becoming clear that, in spite of his plethora of attacking options, Pellegrini’s chances of picking up the silverware may well lie on the little Argentine’s shoulders.
The Underused
Handed a first start by Mark Hughes at the Emirates earlier today, Marko Arnautovic was initially utilised on the left of the Potters midfield as Matt Etherington made way for the talented Austrian. His superb volley off the woodwork, which led to Geoff Cameron’s consolation, earned the former Werder Bremen man an assist but it was his move to the lone forward role later in the game that will be of particular interest to Fantasy managers.
Hughes’ decision to withdraw Kenwyne Jones allowed Arnautovic to shift up front and perhaps hints at his thinking as he looks to integrate the new boy into his XI. Listed as a midfielder, Arnautovic – coming in at 5.5 in FPL with an ownership of just 0.1% – could be a potential out of position prospect ahead of a run of six enticing games (NOR, ful, WBA, mun, SOU, swa, SUN) in the next seven.
The Selection Poser
After Christian Benteke’s early withdrawal yesterday, the Gameweek went from bad to worse for many this afternoon. Theo Walcott’s late call-off for Arsenal was followed by Robin Van Persie’s omission from United’s trip to the Etihad as a couple of the weekend’s main armband contenders failed to show, forcing many Fantasy managers to rely on the points accrued from cut-price bench fodder.
Certainly, the early prognosis on both Van Persie and Walcott remains optimistic. David Moyes has insisted the Dutchman could be back as soon as the midweek Capital One Cup clash against Liverpool, while Arsene Wenger is hopeful Walcott will only be out for a matter of days.
The issue for Fantasy managers here is whether to ignore the volatile markets and ride out any potential price drops. This season, in particular, has seen significant activity and with both United and Arsenal set for strong schedules, Wayne Rooney and Mesut Ozil offer obvious alternatives to their respective team-mates. Van Persie, with an ownership in excess of 43%, could be set for significant sales if he fails to recover quickly, while Walcott’s 15% ownership – currently the tenth highest for midfielders – is falling since this afternoon’s withdrawal. There’s no doubt the pair, despite indifferent starts, will come good again but as wildcards are wielded frantically and the transfers out rack up, keeping calm amidst the knee-jerking mayhem after a hugely frustrating week like this is proving the ultimate test of patience.
