Bonus points will be allocated slightly differently in Sky Sports Fantasy Football this season, which could change the way managers set up their teams.

These additional avenues for points are still derived from passing, tackles, saves and shots but the parameters in securing them have been tweaked.

In this article, we assess where the changes are and what implications they will have in 2019/20.

Passing bonus points

In possession-based teams such as Manchester City, defenders and holding midfielders often enjoy a lot of the ball and rack up a hefty amount of passes, earning valuable bonus points throughout a campaign.

These remain the same coming into 2019/20 and will be scored as follows:

• Passing tier one: 60 passes – count for last season: 351
• Passing tier two: 70 passes – count for last season: 484

Tackle bonus points – Tier two

This season, tackles are becoming more important, with tier two bonus points being reduced from five to four, making the margin only one from tier one to two.

An impressive 644 tier one bonus points were collected by players in 2018/19, with the possibility of reaching tier two now increasing with this new rule change.

New Manchester United signing Aaron Wan-Bissaka could do well in this department, having made 129 tackles for Crystal Palace last year, the most out of any defender.

As you can see from the data below, if the 2018/19 campaign was scored in the same way as the new season, a much higher number of defensive players would have received tier two tackle bonus.

2019/20

• Tackles tier one: Three tackles – count for last season: 644
• Tackles tier two: Four tackles – count for last season: 223

2018/19

• Tackles tier two: Five tackles – count for last season: 66

Save bonus points

When selecting a goalkeeper for your team, there is no doubt that you have to take their clean sheet rate into account, as that can bring in the most points, but that is not their only way to score.

Conceding goals may end up costing you points so but save points can often offset these deductions.

This is another department where the parameters have been shifted, increasing the potential for goalkeepers to score bonus points for saves.

2019/20

• Saves tier one: Three saves – count for last season: 238
• Saves tier two: Five saves -count for last season: 118

2018/19

• Saves tier one: Five saves – count for last season: 118
• Saves tier two: Seven saves – count for last season: 43

Shot bonus points

This is perhaps one of the most important sections to receive a tweak, which should allow premium forwards to compete with their expensive counterparts in defence.

To reach tier one shots on target bonus, players now only need to record two accurate goal attempts per game.

Additionals were recorded from shots on only 157 occasions last season but under the new decreased threshold for this year, 667 bonus points from both tiers would have been earned.

Strikers pose the greatest threat of scoring and assisting, as well as earning Sky Sports Man of the Match awards, but lowering the bonus points here adds an extra dimension.

It now means that researching shots on target can add further power to picking the best forward players.

2019/20

• Shots tier one: Two shots on target – count for last season: 515
• Shots tier two: Three shots on target – count for last season: 152

2018/19

• Shots tier one: Three shots on target – count for last season: 152
• Shots tier two: Five shots on target – count for last season: Five

Man of the Match

While the game-makers at Sky Sports Fantasy Football have increased the chances that players will score bonus points, the Man of the Match award has been somewhat nerfed.

In previous years, options deemed the stand-out performer in their fixture were handed a five-point bonus but in 2019/20 it will be just three.

Often, players who score one of the key goals or two and above in a single game end up being the Man of the Match.

By restricting the points haul to three, there will be less of a gap that can be extended by having particular players.

Don’t underestimate the point-pulling power of bonus points and the impact that it can have on your Sky Sports Fantasy Football team.

They may not have changed dramatically, but that having players in your side that pick them up throughout the season may be just what you need to propel you to the top.

Sky Sports Fantasy Football 2019/20 is bigger and better than ever. Get your team in early and read the latest news and features as you make your selection leading up to Friday, August 9.

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