Dimitri Payet nets as France sweep aside Bulgaria. Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Toby Alderweireld are all amongst the goals in Belgium’s win over Bosnia, though the Everton forward is a concern after sustaining a thigh problem on a busy Friday night of international action.
Payet Notches Again
Dimitri Payet (9.4) was instrumental in helping France to a 4-1 win over Bulgaria last night.
The West Ham United magician was somewhat fortunate to find the net with what appeared to be an attempted cross, though impressed throughout as he maintained the momentum that has served up a goal and four assists in four Premier League starts this season.
Having also racked up six bonus points over those outings, Payet has averaged 7.5 points per start this term, yet sits in just 13% of FPL squads as Slaven Bilic’s side prepare to face Crystal Palace, Sunderland and Stoke City in the next four.
Sagna worry for Guardiola
Manchester City right-back Bacary Sagna (5.4) packed a lot into the 27 minutes he managed for France against Bulgaria.
The 3.4%-owned defender gave away a penalty, provided an assist and then limped off injured in Les Bleus’ win.
The initial diagnosis suggested a hamstring tear, as Sagna revealed post-match.
“Before the penalty, I accelerated, and I think I’ve torn it a little bit. I’ll have exams tomorrow (Saturday). I do not know if it’s serious.”
A lengthy absence would prove problematic for City coach Pep Guardiola, who has been rotating Sagna and Pablo Zabaleta (4.8) at right back.
The Argentine struggled to cope with the pace of the Spurs attack in Gameweek 7’s 2-0 loss and Guardiola, you suspect, would not be keen to field the veteran in next Saturday’s home match against Everton.
Zabaleta played the full 90 minutes in a 2-2 draw in Peru and is expected to start again in Tuesday’s clash with Paraguay.
Whatever Guardiola decides – risking a weary Zabaleta, or maybe even re-jigging his back four to include one of Aleksandar Kolarov (5.9) or Gael Clichy (5.4) out of position – it isn’t likely to make City’s patchy defence, which is yet to keep a clean sheet in the league, any tighter.
And that is of particular concern for the 27.2% of Fantasy Premier League managers who currently own John Stones (5.0).
Spurs Trio Make Their Mark
Midfielder Moussa Sissoko (6.8) set up Payet’s amazing long range effort/cross that got lucky – one of three Spurs players in the thick of Friday’s action.
Star of the show was striker Vincent Janssen (7.8), who can’t buy a goal in the Premier League but scored Holland’s final one in a 4-1 win over Belarus.
Janssen had already recorded an assist by then and will hope to impress Mauricio Pochettino further when the Dutch take on the decidedly tougher test that is France on Monday.
Upcoming away trips to West Bromwich Albion and Bournemouth offer opportunities for Janssen to break his domestic duck – if Pochettino can be persuaded to start him again. The blistering form of Heung-Min Son (7.6) suggests not.
There are no such selection worries for defensive stalwart Toby Alderweireld (6.5), who found the net in Belgium’s 4-0 win over Bosnia & Herzegovina with a near-post flick from a corner.
Alderweireld is second only to Scott Dann for attempts inside the box amongst defenders this term, though has yet to get amongst the goals domestically.
Lukaku Worry for Toffees
The Belgium match also saw Everton’s Romelu Lukaku (9.4) complete the scoring with a fine long-range effort, having earlier missed a glaring opportunity from four yards out.
Having netted five times in the last four Gameweeks, Lukaku’s owners will be hoping he can maintain his form when Everton travel to the Etihad next weekend.
It’s worth noting he is set to be monitored, though, after picking up a thigh problem last night.
Early reports suggest he could sit out Monday’s match against Gibraltar as a precaution, with Christian Benteke – who replaced Lukaku late on – possibly in line to benefit.
Hazard Back on the scoresheet
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard (9.9) used the international stage to demonstrate a return to form.
The Belgium skipper notched the second goal by cooly rounding Blues’ team-mate Asmir Begovic and laid on Lukaku’s strike with a simple pass.
Roberto Martinez deployed the Chelsea playmaker in the number 10 role and was rewarded with a sparkling display, reminiscent of his early season performances.
Hazard was shifted in-field by Antonio Conte in the 2-0 win at Hull last weekend as part of the move to a three-man defence but mustered just a single effort on goal and two penalty area touches. He has blanked in his last four Premier League outings and suffered over half a million Fantasy Premier League sales since Gameweek 4.
