Arsenal rack up a ninth win in ten Gameweeks with a commanding display at the KC Stadium. Alexis Sanchez nets twice and Aaron Ramsey chips in with a goal and assist, as Stephen Quinn heads home Hull’s consolation in the 3-1 defeat.
Sanchez at the double as Arsenal flourish
Alexis Sanchez stole the headlines with a brace at the KC Stadium as Arsenal staged a free-flowing, attacking masterclass to record a 3-1 victory over Hull City. The Chilean forward opened the scoring with a deflected free-kick, before latching onto Aaron Ramsey’s superb through ball and calmly rounding Steve Harper for the Gunners’ third of the evening.
Sanchez fourth brace of the campaign strengthens his case for inclusion as Fantasy managers eye up Arsenal coverage ahead of their double Gameweek 37. Those looking to draft in the 11.3-priced midfielder – who’s netted three goals in four league starts – may well consider making a straight swap with Eden Hazard to free up the substantial funds. Hazard’s consistency (attacking returns in 14 of previous 20 starts) is undeniable, yet Sanchez’ explosive capabilities have now seen him return double-figures on eight occasions ahead of his four fixtures in the final three Gameweeks.
Ramsey impressed once more in his sixth successive start since a full return from injury in Gameweek 29. The Wales international boosted his tally to three goals and four assists over that period and, priced at 8.7, has edged ahead of Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla in the race for our double Gameweek attentions.
Olivier Giroud drew a blank for the third match on the trot, having netted in six consecutive outings before Gameweek 32. The French marksman only mustered four shots in Arsenal’s last two fixtures, with none of these efforts forcing a save out of the opposition’s goalkeeper. Conversely, Sanchez has chalked up 10 shots (four on target) across the last two, perhaps rendering him the premier captaincy pick for Arsenal’s double – already, the Chilean has risen in price and has been snapped up by over 26,000 FPL managers since the weekend.
Arsene Wenger named an unchanged XI from that which played out a 0-0 stalemate against Chelsea last Gameweek. Danny Welbeck missed out with inflammation in his knee, but Wenger revealed before the encounter that he expects the former Manchester United frontman to be passed fit for their Swansea City clash next Monday.
Hull outclassed by buoyant Gunners
Steve Bruce also fielded an unchanged side as Hull fell to just their second home defeat in six. Stephen Quinn bagged his first goal of the campaign, while Ahmed Elmohamady notched his second assist in as many outings – the 12,600 Fantasy managers that drafted in the Egyptian on the eve of the Tigers’ double Gameweek will be hoping he can sustain that momentum when they host a Burnley outfit devoid of inspiration next weekend.
A subsequent trip to Tottenham Hotspur and home tie against Manchester United on the final day of the season present the Yorkshire club with a testing finish that doesn’t appear conducive to strong Fantasy returns. Nonetheless, the Tigers – who sit just one point behind 18th-placed Sunderland – will doubtless be fighting tooth and nail to avoid the drop, which, as evidenced by their recent results against Palace and Liverpool, could translate into results on the pitch.
