Eden Hazard clinches the title for Chelsea with the only goal of a 1-0 win over Palace. The new champions earn a fourth clean sheet in five as the Eagles fail to score for the third match in succession. Elsewhere, Sergio Aguero’s record against Tottenham continues as he bags the winner at White Hart Lane.
Hazard seals league crown for consummate Blues
Courtesy of a routine 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, Chelsea were crowned Premier League champions on Sunday afternoon. Eden Hazard netted the only goal of the encounter, slotting in from close range after his poorly struck penalty was parried straight back by Eagles shot-stopper Julian Speroni.
Hazard has now extended his lead over second-placed Alexis Sanchez to 39 points in the midfielder rankings ahead of Arsenal’s trip to Hull this evening. Impressively, his three goals and two assists in the last six have arrived at a time when Jose Mourinho has been keen to shut up shop in order to clinch the title, with Chelsea conceding just two goals from Gameweek 31 onwards as their defence rack up the Fantasy returns.
It now remains to be seen whether Jose Mourinho will alter his recent defensive approach and allow his side to play with a little more freedom now that the title has been wrapped up. Furthermore, it’s unclear whether the Blues manager will opt to rotate some of his key players to protect them from injury – particularly when the likes of Hazard have started every league clash this term.
Arsenal’s imminent double Gameweek 37 (mun, SUN) could tempt a handful of Fantasy mangers to swap out Hazard (11.4) for the similarly-priced Sanchez (11.3). Aside from possessing a match in hand over the PFA Player of the Year, the Chilean enjoys the luxury of three home ties (SWA, SUN, WBA) in the run-in, offering encouragement that Sanchez can better Hazard’s output in the final throes of this campaign.
Mourinho enacted two changes from the side that bested Leicester City 3-2 last time out, recalling the fit-again Thibaut Courtois for Petr Cech and replacing the ill Ramires with Juan Cuadrado. Loic Remy was named on the bench for the first time since succumbing to injury in Gameweek 31, while Diego Costa looks increasingly unlikely to play any further part this season after being ruled out again.
Palace slump continues at Bridge
Alan Pardew’s men have now failed to score in each of their three successive defeats, having drawn blanks in back-to-back home losses against West Bromwich Albion and Hull City in the preceding Gameweeks.
In response to his side’s recent lacklustre displays, Pardew introduced a raft of changes, with Joel Ward, Adrian Mariappa, Joe Ledley and Jordon Mutch coming in for Pape Souare, Martin Kelly, Mile Jedinak and Glenn Murray. Yannick Bolasie was deployed as a “false nine” up top, while Mutch operated behind the DR Congo international as Jason Puncheon was moved to the flank.
Murray – who shed 90,000 owners in the build up to the London derby – should witness a further decline on his 2.7% ownership, after being handed a bench role at Chelsea. The striker tallied five goals and four assists in five starts from Gameweek 27 yet has fashioned just two attempts on goal in his previous two outings.
Aguero torments Spurs again
Sergio Aguero proved the difference at White Hart Lane as Manchester City ran out 1-0 victors over Tottenham. Aguero scored for the fourth consecutive match, meaning he’s tallied eight goals against Spurs during the Sky Blues’ previous four match-ups with the North London club. The Argentine’s 26% ownership will doubtless be happy to retain his services until the end of the season, as City embark on a favourable trio of fixtures (QPR, swa, SOU) that could cement Aguero’s position atop the league’s scoring charts.
Elsewhere in the City squad, David Silva delivered attacking returns for just the second occasion in five starts, grabbing the assist for Aguero’s strike. The Spanish playmaker’s goal threat has drastically decreased in the wake of Aguero’s return to form, as illustrated by the fact he’s attempted only five shots in the last four Gameweeks since a move to a lone striker system. As such, Silva’s 9.5 price tag looks too steep to attract many new investors, with Arsenal’s midfield placed at the top of our shopping lists instead.
Kane thwarted by Hart’s heroics
Despite engineering more shots at goal (six) than any other forward besides Robin van Persie (ten) this Gameweek, Harry Kane failed to register for the fourth match in five. Nonetheless, upcoming clashes against Stoke City (one win in seven) and Hull City (third most big chances conceded in last four) provide enough incentive for his hefty 49% ownership to keep faith in the emergent talent.
Christian Eriksen’s 20% ownership were left frustrated once more as the Danish playmaker struggled to impose his presence and was subbed off before the hour mark. With just one goal and two assists in 12 outings, Eriksen’s Fantasy relevance is hanging by a thread – as more owners part company, his price is now down to 8.0, the lowest since Gameweek 14.
