Manchester United’s star striker dominated much of the chat among out hot topic posters, as the community looked at rearranging their budgets to accommodate an increasing array of premium forward options.

Sam Allardyce’s first week in charge of Crystal Palace also came under the microscope, and the long-running arguments over the Fantasy Premier League’s transfer market still rumble on.

Our Members tables offer further analysis of attacking assets, particularly those now answering to Big Sam.

Finally, we take a look at those who have a certain Swedish forward to thank for success in our community leagues.

The Hottest Topics

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s highest Fantasy Premier League Gameweek score of the season on Boxing Day has well and truly cemented the Manchester United talisman’s spot in many Fantasy managers’ teams.

Among those who ensured Zlatan was in place for his 15-point haul at home to Sunderland were those topping our Hall of Fame, according to Top Marx’s analysis of their line ups and transfer moves. There were also plenty of happy Zlatan captainers in our Rough with the Smooth round up of your Gameweek 18 performances.

But with just 10 goals conceded in nine away outings, United’s next visitors, Middlesbrough, may not be so obliging, suggested Conor McGregor in his assessment of the big Swede’s prospects against Aitor Karanka’s resiliant troops.

Ibra’s consistency, with eight goals in his last seven, was among key lessons learned from Gameweek 18. Our hot topic on the latest teachings to take into 2017 also included a look at how Crystal Palace’s new boss Sam Allardyce may affect the Eagles’ pattern of play.

One change for some of the community in 2017 could be a revamped and expensive frontline of Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, Chelsea striker Diego Costa and Ibrahimovic. Pompeyfan dropped by to launch a discussion on the viability of putting this trio, known as “Kobra”, in place.

Such a move would surely require a sacrifice in midfield, with some considering jettisoning Eden Hazard, according to our hot topic on whether the Belgian is expendable for those who are also investing in Costa.

Harry Kane has certainly found himself surplus to requirements, after missing a penalty in Spurs’ 4-1 victory away to Southampton on Wednesday night. Even a headed goal during that match is not enough to halt his falling stock, argued Champ in his look at lessons to take from the St Mary’s clash.

Swansea City assets are among other players that have found themselves left out in the cold by Fantasy managers, after a disastrous series of results under Bob Bradley, who was duly sacked earlier in the week. But Say Something Significant’s look at the strategies deployed by caretaker boss Alan Curtis, who takes charge of their home tie with Bournemouth this weekend, suggests holding may be the wise move.

With Kane’s value plummeting and Ibrahimovic’s rocketing, the arguments around FPL’s transfer market were in full force once again this week. Dino’s hot topic on the issue, showed how divided the community continues to be on whether price changes are helping or hindering the game.

Finally, Diesel001 revisited some early season questions to reveal that opinion is still mixed on issues such as which Liverpool midfielder to draft in and the best big-hitting striker to rely on.

The Members Tables

With Big Sam at the helm and a stellar set of fixtures on the horizon, interest in Crystal Palace assets is set to pick up in 2017. To help decide on the best Eagles’ attacking options I’ve constructed this table, which is sorted by shots on target.

Attacking assets among all teams come under the microscope of Doosra’s deadly assassins table. This has been one of our most popular tables over the years and should prove particularly useful for those taking advantage of FPL’s second wildcard, which is available from Friday’s 7pm deadline onwards.

If you’re a member and are yet to get to grips with the custom statistics tables, you can view this movie for an explanation of how they work. Also, remember to tag them so that people can find the tables with ease.

The Community Tournaments

Despite seeing Nathan Redmond sent off in his team, Krak Krak continues to top my Millionaires Club. Please note this is only for managers with a rank below the one million mark in Gameweek 12.

Alex Bowers, who is a previous winner of the now defunct Ultimate Fantasy Premier League game, is the new leader of the FFS Moderators and Contributors league as the tussle at the top intensfies.

In TorresMagic‘s Last Man Standing competition, Don Look Back In Wenger hit the top score in Gameweek 18 with 103. There are now 1012 teams qualified after 114 were eliminated when the safety score was set at 51.

With a Gameweek 18 score of 84 Raul Seleccion has consolidated his lead at the summit of Red Lightning’s Top 10k Any Season mini-league and is now into his sixth week within the top 1,000 in the overall rankings.

There is still time to join Red Lightning’s January to May League (code 1441-820), which starts scoring in Gameweek 20. So far 185 teams have entered.

If you are running a community tournament and would like the latest scores included in a future Community Round Up, please email me a brief summary of the current leaders and a link to your league, spreadsheet or head to head competition, at jonty@fantasyfootballscout.co.uk.