Sergio Aguero runs riot at the Etihad and condemns QPR to Championship football next season. David Silva and Aleksandar Kolarov also serve up double-figure hauls as Manuel Pellegrini’s side turn in their best display of the campaign. Elsewhere, Chelsea and Liverpool play out a 1-1 draw at the Bridge, with captains John Terry and Steven Gerrard grabbing a goal apiece.
Aguero hat-trick delivers final blow to R’s
Manchester City put six unanswered goals past Queens Park Rangers at the Etihad, consigning the London club to relegation after a single campaign in the top-flight. Sergio Aguero stole the headlines by virtue of a hat-trick and two assists, racking up a 23-point haul to move into second spot in the overall Fantasy Premier League (FPL) standings behind Eden Hazard. Meanwhile, a converted free-kick from Aleksandar Kolarov and tap-ins from James Milner and David Silva capped off the hosts’ scoring.
Aguero now has eight goals in five and has netted in five consecutive matches as a result of City’s move to a lone striker system. The Argentine has executed five more shots inside the box (16) than any other forward in the last four Gameweeks, with four more shots on target (10) than next best Harry Kane (ten). A trip to Swansea (one shut-out in five) and a visit from Southampton (no clean sheet in six road matches) look set to continue Aguero’s remarkable scoring spree.
Silva’s 20% ownership were richly rewarded for retaining his services in spite of Chelsea and Liverpool’s recent double Gameweek, with the Spanish playmaker notching one goal, two assists and a couple of bonus points en route to the joint-highest points tally (16) of any midfielder so far this round.
Those managers who plumped for Kolarov off the back of our differential recommendation in Gameweek 34 enjoyed further attacking returns from the marauding Serb. City’s expansive full-back boasts two goals, one assist and three clean sheets in five, boosting his average score across the last four to a whopping 9.5 points per appearance, with his form looking likely to keep Gael Clichy on the bench.
Terry header secures draw amid rotation
Blues boss Jose Mourinho named five changes for their 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, with Kurt Zouma, Filipe Luis, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mikel and Loic Remy coming in for Gary Cahill, Cesar Azpilicueta, Nemanja Matic, Juan Cuadrado and Didier Drogba. In his post-match interviews, Mourinho revealed plans to retain Loftus-Cheek in the side for their West Brom trip while also handing starts to academy players Nathan Ake and Izzy Brown. Although the Portuguese boss insisted his first team will return for their home clash against Sunderland on the final day, his admission that Cesc Fabregas, Eden Hazard and Willian have “played too much” places serious doubts over their minutes for Gameweek 37.
John Terry scored his second goal in three starts, netting the opener from a Cesc Fabregas corner. The Chelsea captain now sits second in the FPL defender rankings with a total score of 176, just two points shy of Branislav Ivanovic’s tally. While the Baggies encounter is somewhat of an unknown quantity in light of the planned squad rotation, the Black Cats tie could well harvest another clean sheet for the Blues rearguard, considering the Wearsiders possess the second-worst offence (30 goals scored) in the league.
Gerrard delivers parting message to Blues
The Reds’ draw at Chelsea effectively ended their slim hopes of mounting a late charge for the Champions League berths. Brendan Rodgers’ men were buoyed by a headed equaliser from the talismanic Steven Gerrard just before the break but failed to test Thibaut Courtois with any regularity, only fashioning four shots on target throughout the encounter.
Gerrard has now netted in each of the last two Gameweeks and looks a certain starter for the final couple of matches as he brings the curtain down on his Liverpool career. With upcoming opponents Palace and Stoke far from convincing at the back, the Reds skipper could prove a canny differential for those who are already fully stocked upon Arsenal’s assets and have no other pressing transfers.
Raheem Sterling lays claim to solitary goal in 10 Gameweeks after drawing a blank for four successive matches. The Jamaican-born winger mustered just six shots in his previous four starts, as compared to Philippe Coutinho’s 22 attempts on goal. As such, one would expect a further surge of transfers out for Sterling in the wake of 150,000 managers cashing in last week.
With top four now out of sight for Liverpool, investors in their squad will be mindful of a downturn in form of the like that’s befallen Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton. Nonetheless, managers that snapped up Reds defenders for their double Gameweek 34 may fancy their chances of a clean sheet when they welcome Palace to Anfield next weekend, given that the Eagles have scored one goal in their last four outings.
