A sublime Manchester City edge ever closer to being crowned champions, while Marko Arnautovic is more than happy to remind ex-manager Mark Hughes of his pedigree once again and a Burnley double act remain in our thoughts ahead of a busy schedule to come.
City’s inexorable march to the Premier League title took in a superb first-half showing at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side went in at half-time 3-0 to the good, with Leroy Sane, Gabriel Jesus and Raheem Sterling all scoring.
David Silva set up two, Kevin De Bruyne the other, as City made short work of an Everton defence that’s managed just one clean sheet in 12 matches.
Guardiola opted to rotate hardly anyone despite Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final with Liverpool looming ever larger.
Sergio Aguero, as expected, was a no-show and the only real surprise was Aymeric Laporte being used as a left-back, although a foot issue forced the Frenchman off late on with the match already won.
Sane’s opener was his third goal, to go with three assists, from his last seven Gameweeks, while Sterling now has two goals and four assists from six.
That run has taken the Englishman to within only two points of De Bruyne at the top of the side’s midfield tree, with the Belgian international’s 17th assist of the campaign his first return in four Gameweeks.
City now supply four of the top nine midfielders in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) and Silva was the pick of that bumper crop yesterday as 111,000 new managers enjoyed a maximum bonus-point performance that means he’s now produced 44 points from his last four Gameweeks.
The Spaniard is also an away day specialist – 16 points at Stoke City had bumped his points per match average up to 7.7 on the road, and he delivered another 11 points yesterday.
But it was the entirely fitting Easter weekend impact of Jesus that is probably of the most Fantasy relevance.
The Brazilian was transferred in by 125,000 and netted his first goal since Gameweek 12.
He now has a goal and an assist from his two starts since returning from a six-match lay-off and he will have a major impact on Aguero’s pitch-time once the Argentinian is fully fit himself.
Rotation is otherwise likely to be minimal, based on yesterday’s evidence.
The importance of their next three matches cannot be overstated – aside from the two legs of that Champions League tie; they’ll also entertain Man United for a fixture in which victory will secure them the league title.
If they prevail against Liverpool, Guardiola might well rest key assets for the Champions League semi-final, potentially lessening the appeal of their stars for a likely Double Gameweek 37.
But should Liverpool go through, the lack of FA Cup action could mean that City’s strongest side stays on the pitch for the remainder of what has been a glorious domestic campaign.
The Fantasy permutations for Everton are rather more straightforward.
A lack of double Gameweeks and next weekend’s Merseyside derby mean their assets are off the radar.
But their final five opponents currently sit in the bottom nine, making future investment a tempting prospect.
Yannick Bolasie’s consolation goal yesterday meant he has produced points in two of three matches since returning to the side, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin vindicated his start with a second successive assist.
Theo Walcott, however, continues to struggle – he’s managed just one assist in seven now – while the team’s most owned player, Wayne Rooney (10.3%), is being used in an increasingly deeper role and was sacrificed after 56 minutes as manager Sam Allardyce rang the changes.
Marko’s double delight
Among the surprises in West Ham’s 3-0 demolition of a woeful Southampton was that man of the match Marko Arnautovic didn’t end up getting booked for goading his former boss Mark Hughes.
The Austrian international scored a brace and was handed maximum bonus for a season-best 16-point return that earned him the right to gloat all over again – he’d earned the wrath of Hughes when doing similar having scored at Stoke City earlier in the campaign.
But the new Southampton boss failed to rise to the bait this time as he was probably more concerned with the ineptitude of his new side.
The Saints were toothless, despite Hughes bringing in Charlie Austin to partner Manolo Gabbiadini up front. The former did manage three goal attempts, but the entire team didn’t record a single shot on target.
And with Arsenal and Chelsea up next, the second fixture part of a double Gameweek 34 that also involves a trip to Leicester City, thing are looking very bleak for Hughes’ men.
A blank Gameweek 35 is then followed by three massive matches – Bournemouth at home and a probable Double Gameweek 37 of Everton and Swansea City away, with any hope of Premier League survival needing to be sewn up before a last day visit from Man City.
But with just one goal in five matches and a single clean sheet in ten, their squad is something of a Fantasy no-go area.
Despite yesterday’s vital victory, the same can be said for the Hammers.
Their schedule is brutal – they have to face four of the top six in their run-in and home matches with Stoke City in Gameweek 34 and Everton on the final day now look crucial if they are to beat the drop.
But FPL managers will just enjoy yesterday’s windfall for now.
Arnautovic was clearly overlooked in the Wildcard clamour – the 4.3%-owned midfielder was brought in by just 21,000+ for Gameweek 32 despite making it eight goals and four assists from his last 11 league appearances.
Having stuck it to former club Stoke once this season already, the chances of a repeat in Gameweek 34 will likely persuade his owners to sit tight, however. Indeed, Arnautovic could be a powerful differential for chipless managers for that fixture.
Elsewhere, Manuel Lanzini failed to shake off a knee injury picked up on international duty and Michail Antonio went off early with a thigh injury that left him in a decidedly distressed state.
A rare clean sheet – only their second since Gameweek 19 – boosted the stock of Joe Hart (4.2), who now seems to be back as coach David Moyes’ first-choice goalkeeper.
His price tag could be a factor for those yet to play their Wildcards, although that run-in does not look conducive to much more than save points.
Arthur Masuaku returned from his six-match ban for spitting and was a major attacking force, his assist, clean sheet and two bonus points bringing in a Gameweek-best 11 points among defenders.
After all their recent travails, the Hammers found some much-needed form. But fixtures will persuade only the bravest of Fantasy managers to invest in their assets now.
Burnley bring home the bacon
A double Gameweek 34 and a fixture in the reduced slate that follows have prompted plenty of interest in Burnley assets and they delivered, mostly, in a 2-1 win at Championship-bound West Brom.
Ashley Barnes was brought in by 72,000+ for Gameweek 32 and his fourth straight goalscoring match sent his 2.9% ownership home happy and looking forward to next weekend’s trip to Watford.
His strike partner, Chris Wood, was also handed a start and made it four goals and an assist from his three appearances since returning from a nine-match injury lay-off.
His returns are even more impressive as the New Zealand international has only played 150 minutes across those three fixtures, and the Clarets’ schedule (wat LEI CHE stk BHA ars BOU) looks like promising more hauls from the in-form strike duo.
Burnley’s well-owned defenders, including Ben Mee (14.4%), keeper Nick Pope (10.4%) and Stephen Ward (7.3%), were denied a clean sheet by Salomon Rondon’s late goal, however.
It’s been a superb season for Sean Dyche’s men, but their defensive resilience is questionable – they’ve managed only one shut-out in the last ten Gameweeks.
At least their squad is sound.
One of the campaign’s stand-out performers, Johann Berg Gudmundsson, picked up a calf problem in training on Friday but the Clarets didn’t appear to miss his presence on the flank.
As for the Baggies, Rondon’s second goal (to go with an assist) in his last three Gameweeks was as good as it got for a side ten points adrift from safety.
Jonny Evans provided the assist.
Kiko delivers in Bournemouth draw
Defender Kiko Femenia’s new advanced role proved a boon for his 1.3% ownership as he scored his first goal of the campaign, from a Jose Holebas assist, in a 2-2 draw with visitors Bournemouth.
The lack of a Double Gameweek means there is little else among Watford’s assets to tempt us, although their immediate schedule (BUR hud CRY) is reasonable and does include a fixture in Gameweek 35’s reduced programme.
The 7.8% of managers still clinging on to Richarlison might wish to reconsider their loyalties, however.
The Brazilian was benched for the first time since Gameweek 1, with the Hornets’ returns instead coming from a Roberto Pereyra goal and a Will Hughes assist, which meant that all three attacking midfielders produced points.
Two of Bournemouth’s more popular recent players, Junior Stanislas (1.9%) and Callum Wilson (8.4%), had days to forget.
The midfielder went off injured, while the striker blanked for the seventh straight match.
Stanislas’ injury could be significant given that he was a target for the Cherries’ Double Gameweek following strong recent form. Early reports state that the winger left Vicarage Road in a brace with a quote from Eddie Howe stating that the injury could be “quite serious”.
Bournemouth’s joy was instead confined to Josh King, who converted a penalty, and substitute Jermain Defoe, who equalised in stoppage time from a Nathan Ake assist.
Adam Smith (knee) and Simon Francis (hamstring) both missed a match that at least proved the Cherries have plenty of fight in them – a quality that will be needed in abundance ahead of a double Gameweek 34 involving a trip to Liverpool and a visit from Man United.
