We spend Monday lunchtime contemplating the weekend lessons learned, with Liverpool’s strike pairing at the forefront of Fantasy thinking after a chilling display at the Stadium of Light. Elsewhere, we reflect on how David Moyes’ rest and rotation policy is denting Robin Van Persie’s prospects and consider whether Juan Mata may yet influence our Fantasy seasons.

The Suarez vs Sturridge debate is open again…
Fantasy managers were on alert yesterday, waiting to see the impact that Luis Suarez’s return would have, both on Liverpool as a whole and Daniel Sturridge’s individual output. Sunday’s 3-1 smash and grab at Sunderland provided at least some of the answers. There can be no doubt that Suarez slotted seamlessly back into Brendan Rodgers’ side and, while his shooting showed some evidence of ring rust, his energy, intelligence and threat were clearly in evidence.

The combination with Sturridge looks deadly. The comparison to Blackburn’s old “SAS” partnership of Shearer and Sutton which carried Blackburn to the title in 1994, is perhaps a cliché but certainly a fair one. The Liverpool duo are very much a modern game SAS – more pace, trickery and movement that brawn and bravery – and, with Brendan Rodgers questioning whether there is a more effective pairing on show in the Premier League, Fantasy managers are left to target one or both for their lineups.

It opens an old debate. Last season, Sturridge’s instant impact at Anfield had us wondering if he could really cover the explosive form of Suarez and save us a few million. This time around, there’s another sizeable price gap between them which will have many pondering whether Sturridge can remain free from injury and maintain his prolific scoring rate to keep pace with a world class talent. Sunday demonstrated that they can operate as a pairing; that the points can be shared. It remains to be seen if that pattern continues, with the home clash with Crystal Palace set to be a telling fixture that could tip the balance either way, albeit temporarily.

The Formation could be key…
Liverpool’s strikers operated as part of a 3-4-1-2 formation at the Stadium of Light, with Jordan Henderson on one flank, Jose Enrique on the other and Victor Moses allowed to join the attack from central areas. It’s very much a work in progress for Liverpool but, as Rodgers admitted post-match, it’s one he has been considering from the end of the previous campaign and it’s intriguing to see him immediately roll out the formation upon Suarez’ return from suspension.

Whether he retains the new system when the likes of Glen Johnson and Philippe Coutinho return from injury is perhaps another matter – with the duo fit and available, Liverpool may revert back to a 4-2-3-1, with the Brazilian deployed in the ”number 10” role and Victor Moses on the left flank. That would leave two spots for Luis Suarez and Daniel Sturridge to fill – one on the right of a supporting three and one at the point of the attack. We can expect plenty of fluidity in that formation and Sturridge and Suarez will doubtless swap roles during 90 minutes. However, Liverpool’s system once Coutinho is fit could well be central to the Sturridge vs Suarez debate.

Van Persie’s stock is at a low…
With Suarez now firmly back on the radar, Fantasy managers will surely be looking to free up funds in attack. Couple that with Wayne Rooney’s form and an apparent caution from David Moyes when it comes to protecting Robin van Persie, and it’s clear just why were seeing Fantasy Premier League (FPL) sales of the Dutchman gather pace.

Moyes’ decision to keep Van Persie in reserve for Saturday’s clash with West Brom followed on from his withdrawal against a 10-man Palace: if Moyes has the option to keep his star asset free from injury for Champions League duty, he will look to take it. The defeat to the Baggies may have taught him a lesson, of course, but Van Persie’s owners will surely be wracked with frustration at seeing their man shackled to the bench whilst United struggled for attacking purpose.

Rooney’s strike – fortunate though it was – was his third goal in consecutive league matches. Significantly, all three have come from a dead-ball situation with Van Persie off the pitch – it’s highly debatable whether he would have had the opportunity to strike any of those three attempts with the Dutchman present. But strike them he did, grabbing goals which have promoted his stock and led to a series of FPL price rises. Rooney’s overall form is also encouraging and suggests that he will find goals from open play once United can shift through the gears. To achieve that, they will need to have Van Persie on the pitch, though, backed by their strongest side. Only then are we likely to see the Dutchman return to the form that will convince his owners to hold firm. Until, then, further sales look inevitable.

Mata has a part to play…
The influence of Juan Mata’s twinkling feet and mind were almost instant at White Hart Lane. Kept on the bench for so much of this season, Mata was finally released against Spurs on Saturday and helped turn the tide of a blood and thunder London derby. Having started the campaign as the most expensive Chelsea midfield asset across the games, Mata has slipped into oblivion having suffered a huge FPL decline following double Gameweek 1 disappointment. Saturday’s showing and his perfectly flighted free-kick for John Terry’s precious equaliser may just signal a return to favour for one of the Premier League’s brightest talents. Whether that will lead to a revival in his Fantasy fortunes is another question. Even if he’s back in favour, there’s no doubt that the threat of rotation will loom large, as Jose Mourinho shuffles the midfield flair available. Even so, we should remain hopeful that Mata can cement his status as crucial to the Chelsea cause, thus providing another option in a side that is currently bereft of viable attacking targets.

Chelsea have goals in them…at the back…
Indeed, when assessing what Jose Mourinho’s side have to offer us, it seems our focus should be on the back four – not only as a source of clean sheets but also vital goals. John Terry’s header at the Lane was his first of the season but, having scored ten over his last two seasons, we have to expect more to follow. Along with Branislav Ivanovic and David Luiz, Terry is part of a Chelsea defence that appears to offer the greatest goal threat to opponents within the Blues’ ranks. While the midfield swap passes and positions with little penetration, it’s left to the back four to rumble forward and offer a crucial end product to precise dead-ball deliveries.

Soldado needs assistance…
Having reassured his early investors with back-to-back goals from the spot in the opening two fixtures, Roberto Soldado has since laboured and struggled to keep pace with the likes of Olivier Giroud and Daniel Sturridge. Tottenham’s start to the season has been hugely impressive, but, while clean sheets have been the foundation of their success, goals have remained hard to come by.

Soldado is clearly a striker that relies on service – all of his 14 attempts have come from inside the box – indicating that he’s unlikely to leave his domain and conjure a goal from nothing. Soldado needs a steady supply of quality crosses, something that really should be forthcoming with Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela and the emerging Andros Townsend in the ranks. The latter, while impressive of late, is often guilty of shooting on sight and from improbable ranges, when perhaps serving his striker is best advised. It will be interesting to see just how long that trend continues, with Andre Villas-Boas surely feeling the building pressure to hand Jermain Defoe a league start having seen his movement and awareness unlock defences with regularity in cup matches. Soldado needs a goal from open play and the Spurs boss may need to change priorities or personnel to earn him one.