Eden Hazard drags Chelsea closer to the title with the solitary strike against United. Crystal Palace are humbled by West Brom as Tony Pulis returns triumphantly to Selhurst Park, while Leicester City’s assets form an orderly queue for consideration ahead of their double Gameweek as the Foxes record a third straight win. Here’s the notes from Saturday’s encounters…
Hazard’s Intervention Decisive Again
There’s little left to say on Eden Hazard as a player or a Fantasy asset this season. After his priceless winner against United at the Bridge, the Belgian has now produced attacking returns in six of his last eight league starts. Indeed, in the last ten Gameweeks, Hazard has either scored or assisted 64% of Chelsea’s goals whilst he’s been on the pitch. He’s simply essential for Chelsea’s upcoming Gameweek 34 fixtures against Arsenal and Leicester.
Elsewhere in the Chelsea camp, our targets are perhaps a little less defined. Despite returning to training earlier in the week, Loic Remy wasn’t fit enough to be named in the matchday squad, paving the way for Didier Drogba to spearhead the Blues’ attack. Kurt Zouma was recalled to partner Nemanja Matic in midfield, allowing Cesc Fabregas to operate in the “number ten” role.
Fabregas’ deployment further forward may tempt investors, although Jose Mourinho’s obvious intent to protect the clean sheet at all costs may instead re-align our sights on the defence. Chelsea moved to 15 shutouts with yesterday’s win, taking them level with Southampton as the league’s top ranked rearguard. It remains to be seen if they can continue this can be maintained at the Emirates and the King Power Stadium, as Chelsea confront arguably the two most in-form attacks in the league.
Rooney Left Shackled By Absentees
With the likes of Daley Blind and Michael Carrick unavailable to Louis van Gaal, the Dutchman took the decision to withdraw Wayne Rooney back into a midfield role at the Bridge, recalling Falcao up front. Predictably, the tweak drew a blank and much criticism as Falcao struggled to get the better of a determined Chelsea back-line.
Rooney’s Fantasy stock is again in question, then, following a run that had thrust him back into the reckoning as an option in our attacks for the season run-in. Rooney had recorded four goals in his previous six outings prior to the Chelsea defeat but will now likely be parked as an option while we concentrate efforts on double Gameweek asset acquisition.
Soaring Eagles Brought Back Down to Earth
West Brom clipped the Eagles’ wings following a breathless four-match winning streak for Alan Pardew’s men. Palace’s form striker, Glenn Murray, drew a blank for the first time in four Gameweeks as they fell to a 2-0 defeat – much to the frustration of the 150,000 Fantasy mangers that drafted him in for this round of fixtures. Equally, Yannick Bolasie arrived in this one off the back of his hat-trick at Sunderland and, having been shifted back to the left flank in a 4-3-3, failed to convert any of his five attempts on goal.
Despite the unproductive afternoon from the Palace pair, few will be showing them the exit just yet with the Eagles set to face off against Hull City’s generous defence in Gameweek 34. That being said, a punishing trio of ties beyond the Tigers clash (che, MUN, liv) should dissuade non-owners from investing.
Baggies Rearguard Shows Its Mettle
Unmarked from a corner, James Morrison headed the Baggies into a lead over Palace in the second minute of their encounter, bagging his second goal of the campaign. Craig Gardener then doubled the West Midlanders’ lead eight minutes after the break, rifling home from 25-yards to record his second goal in as many starts.
Those who held and started Craig Dawson and Boaz Myhill will have been delighted with unexpected returns from the Selhurst Park visit. Having conceded 10 goals in their previous three outings, the Baggies fetched a thirteenth shut-out of the season.
However, the Baggies now go head-to-head with four of the top five clubs in their remaining five fixtures (LIV, mun, new, CHE, ars) and play the majority away from The Hawthorns, limiting their appeal from a Fantasy perspective.
In addition, Dawson picked up a knee injury which forced him off on 71 minutes, as Andre Wisdom filled the gap. Dawson is an early doubt for the meeting with Liverpool, an encounter which Wisdom will also miss as part of the conditions of his loan deal.
Mirallas on target as Toffees Roll On
Everton extended their unbeaten streak to five matches with a 1-0 win over Burnley. Kevin Mirallas – who replaced the injured Leon Osman on the teamsheet – netted the only goal of the afternoon, arriving late in the box and driving home from inside the penalty area.
Roberto Martinez was able to welcome back Romelu Lukaku from injury, although the Belgian was only fit enough for a 30-minute cameo from the bench.
The match was notable for another Everton missed penalty as Ross Barkley assumed the duties with Lukaku benched. Leighton Baines again abstained responsibilities with Lukaku now the designated taker. A third clean sheet in five served as a consolation or Baines’ 14% ownership: the Toffees have conceded just two goals in the five-match run.
The fixture list still runs fairly kind for Martinez’s men (MUN avl SUN whm TOT) but, given the advent of the double Gameweeks 34 and 37, investment in their assets is likely remain tempered.
Toothless Clarets sink to new low
After falling to a 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park, Burnley are now rooted to the foot of table by virtue of an inferior goal difference to QPR. The Lancashire club’s search for goals continue as they extended their barren run to four matches, having failed to score in five of their previous six fixtures.
Nonetheless, Burnley’s favourable schedule still offers hope that budget striker Danny Ings (5.5) could be a valuable asset in the back-end of the season, with five winnable matches (LEI, whu, hul, STO, avl) on the horizon. Ings is now without a goal in eight outings but has suffered from facing seven of league’s top eight sides in the last eight Gameweeks.
Sean Dyche named an unchanged side for the fifth successive league match but, with Ashley Barnes seeing red on the stroke of half-time at Goodison, he’ll be forced to make changes for the crunch clash with Leicester in Gameweek 34. Michael Kightly will likely be considered for a recall on the flank in Barnes’ absence in what will be a must-win game for the Clarets.
Vibrant Foxes Make It Three In A Row
Goals from Leonardo Ulloa and Andy King handed the Foxes a third successive win and lifted them off the basement as they saw off Swansea at the King Power Stadium.
As expected, Nigel Pearson adopted three at the back from the off, drafting in Marcin Wasilewski for Ritchie de Laet and pushing Jeffery Schlupp into a wing-back role on the left in the 3-5-2. However, the Foxes boss then changed his formation at half-time, introducing De Laet for Wasilewski and reverting to a 4-4-2 as he sought to protect the lead and hit Swansea on the break.
Pearson’s side have now scored 10 goals in their last four league appearances, amassing 64 goal attempts in the process – only Man City can better that total over the same spell.
Having also recorded a second clean sheet in five, Fantasy managers are doubtless considering their assets ahead of their two Gameweek 34 fixtures with Burnley and Chelsea. Crucially, beyond this, Leicester follow up with three home fixtures in four as Newcastle, Southampton and QPR pay visit.
Early investors in David Nugent were unfortunate to see the 4.9-priced striker replaced by Ulloa just before kick off after he suffered a tight calf in the warm-ups. Nugent was reportedly protected as a precaution and, while he’ll be a doubt for the trip to Burnley, has every chance of making a return.
There is a whole cast of options available elsewhere.
Jamie Vardy (4.6 in the FPL) remains the alternative up front – he failed to register returns against the Swans but put in another lively performance. Meanwhile, Estaban Cambiasso (4.8 in the FPL) returned a second consecutive assist via his late free-kick for King’s goal. The Argentine playmaker has now fetched attacking points in his last three outings and presents an obvious midfield target for those looking to liberate funds. Meanwhile, the central defensive pairing of Robert Huth (4.7) and Wes Morgan (4.4) have had more goal attempts and touches in the penalty area in the past four Gameweeks than any other defenders in the league.
Saints Stutter In the Potteries
Southampton’s 2-1 reverse at the Britannia arrives as the latest setback as Ronald Koeman’s side continue to struggle for consistency.
The Saints have now scored just eight goals in their last 11 league encounters. While defensively they have excelled, it’s worth noting that they have kept just four clean sheets on the road all season, their last shut-out arriving at QPR in Gameweek 24. Southampton have three of their remaining five fixtures away from home, whilst hosting Spurs and Villa at St Mary’s.
Toby Alderweireld’s shoulder injury will be the immediate concern for Koeman and his Fantasy owners. The Saints boss remarked post match that the Belgian will undergo assessment today and that the signs were “positive”, although Alderweireld must be considered a doubt for the home clash with Spurs. This is unlikely to change the Southampton back-line, however: Alderweireld was deployed in a holding midfield role at Stoke in the light of Victor Wanyama’s two-match suspension.
Sanchez Fires Gunners To Final
Arsenal clinched a place in the FA Cup Final after overcoming Reading 2-1 in extra-time at Wembley. Having scored in two of the last five league matches, Alexis Sanchez stepped up in form by firing both his side’s goals, with Mesut Ozil also throwing his hat into the ring as a double Gameweek 37 option by assisting both the Chilean’s strikes.
Arsene Wenger made four changes from the Gameweek 32 win over Burnley. At the back, Mathieu Debuchy, Kieran Gibbs and Wojciech Szczesny came in for Hector Bellerin, Nacho Monreal and David Ospina. Danny Welbeck was given the opportunity to lead the attack with Olivier Giroud rested.
Debuchy’s first start since returning from injury will be a concern for Bellerin’s owners, although Debuchy’s shaky performance was far from convincing. This will likely see the fleet-footed Spaniard retained against Chelsea in a bid to contain Hazard’s threat from the Chelsea left.
Arsene Wenger may be forced to change his first choice defence, however, with Per Mertesacker sustaining an ankle injury that could yet rule him out of the Blues clash.
