Another touch of brilliance from Riyad Mahrez is enough to see Leicester extend their lead at the top, as Harry Kane’s own world class finish is cancelled out by Alexis Sanchez return to the scoresheet. Elsewhere, Sergio Aguero and Man City stick to the script to spank Aston Villa, while Dimitri Payet and Michail Antonio go on delivering for a relentless West Ham. Here’s all the notes from Saturday’s matches…
Kane Strike Not Enough For Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur’s charge on the title was halted by an Arsenal revival as Mauricio Pochettino’s side were held to 2-2 draw at White Hart Lane.
Harry Kane fired Spurs into the lead with his first goal in three outings, profiting from a Dele Alli assist but watched on while Alexis Sanchez claimed a point for the 10-man Gunners.
Despite the perception that Kane’s form has stalled, his superb curling effort took him to six goals in his last eight league outings and extended his exemplary record in North London derbies. Meanwhile, Ali’s assist broke his barren run after three consecutive blanks, although he has now gone five league appearances without a goal.
Ali was notably deployed in the number ten role, often running beyond Kane into a central striker’s position, a shift that was prompted by the inclusion of Mousa Dembele in the starting XI. The Belgian’s return from injury could prove hugely significant given his apparent impact on the form of both Kane and Ali. In addition, Spurs have tasted defeat just once in the 20 league matches that Dembele has started (11 wins, eight draws, one loss) this season.
Kane’s return to the scoresheet will promote him as a prime armband option for the reduced Gameweek 30 programme. Spurs take on an Aston Villa side who seem bereft of fight, having shipped 15 goals in their last four league outings.
Elsewhere in Saturday’s draw, Erik Lamela bagged his second assist in four outings, while Eric Dier earned his ninth yellow card of the campaign – should he receive another in the next four league matches, he’ll incur a two-match ban.
In defence, Toby Alderweireld rewarded his 43% ownership with his third goal of the campaign. Although Tottenham’s rearguard has mustered just two clean sheets in 11 outings, they will surely fancy their chances of adding to that tally against Villa’s impotent attack next weekend.
Ten Man Gunners Rescue Point
Despite being reduced to 10 men in the 55th minute, Arsenal displayed great spirit to restore parity and rescue a point on their rivals’ home turf.
Arsene Wenger enacted a host of changes for the derby, with Danny Welbeck, Mohamed Elneny and Kieran Gibbs drafted in for Olivier Giroud, Joel Campbell and Nacho Monreal; the latter was reportedly benched due to a slight calf injury.
Alexis Sanchez (first goal in 12) and Aaron Ramsey (first goal in eight) snapped their respective dry spells. The prospect of both returning to form and serving up explosive returns may yet encourage investment , although Arsenal’s home fixture in Gameweek 30 against West Brom remains in the balance and will be determined by Tuesday’s FA Cup replay with Hull City.
Posting attacking returns for the first time since Gameweek 9, Hector Bellerin grabbed a brace of assists – his first attacking points since Gameweek 9. Despite shipping eight goals in their last four outings, the Gunners boast strong clean-sheet potential over their remaining home matches: West Brom, Watford, Crystal Palace, Norwich and Aston Villa are all set to pay visit to North London.
Finally, Francis Coquelin’s red card will see him sidelined for Tuesday’s FA Cup replay, making him eligible to face West Brom should the Gunners fail to progress from that tie.
Mahrez Magic Provides the Clincher
Leicester capitalised on results elsewhere to go five points clear at the summit with a 1-0 win over Watford.
Riyad Mahrez was the man to unlock the Hornets’ diligent defence, notching his 15th goal of the season. The mercurial Algerian later pulled up with what appeared to be a hamstring complaint, yet Claudio Ranieri was quick to play down the incident after the encounter, asserting that it was just a bout of cramp.
While Mahrez delivered, Jamie Vardy has now gone three matches without a goal as his tireless running failed to provide an end product.
In defence, the Foxes posted their fourth clean sheet in seven outings – a feat that was aided by the return of midfield destroyer N’Golo Kante. Poring over Leicester’s run through to Gameweek 35 (NEW, cry, SOU, sun, WHU, SWA), their settled rearguard looks destined to go on delivering outstanding value.
Goal-Shy Hornets Continue to Struggle
Watford’s inability to score was once against brought to the fore as they registered their fifth blank in seven outings. Allied to that, the Hornets – despite not conceding more than two goals since Gameweek 18 – have kept just two clean sheets in 12 fixtures, highlighting just how they have regressed as a source of Fantasy options.
Blues Stalled by Stoke
Chelsea failed to make it four consecutive wins as they succumbed to a late Stoke City equaliser, but still extended their unbeaten run to 13 matches.
Diego Costa’s absence from the matchday squad was the key talking point prior to kick-off. Gus Hiddink later explained that the Spain international is nursing a minor tendon injury and should be passed fit for the Champions League tie against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.
Tasked with leading the line ahead of Loic Remy, Bertrand Traore opened the scoring (Nemanja Matic assist) in the first period. The 5.4 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) midfielder has scored four goals in five appearances across all competitions, perhaps promoting his case for further minutes over the rest of the campaign.
The Potters’ late strike means that Chelsea have now allowed a single goal in all of their last five league outings.
Payet and Antonio Combine To Topple Toffees
West Ham United recovered from 2-0 down to secure all three points at Goodison Park, keeping them just one point outside the Champions League spots.
Dimitri Payet emerged as the match winner, complementing his earlier assist with a dramatic 90th-minute strike. The 8.3-priced Frenchman tallied two goals and three assists in his previous four starts but will sit out Gameweek 30 with the rest of the West Ham squad as they take on Manchester United in the FA Cup Quarter Final.
Looking beyond the blank, the Irons’ challenging schedule (che, CRY, ARS, lei) could hinder Payet’s momentum although his ability to register points, even against sterner defences, should not be underestimated.
With defensive injuries mounting, Slaven Bilic deployed Reece Oxford in a three-man back-line at Goodison Park. Consequently, Michail Antonio filled in at right wing-back for the second consecutive outing but still managed to etch his name onto the scoresheet via his first away goal of the season. The 5.4 midfield option now tallies six goals in total, with four arriving in his last six league starts, along with three assists and nine bonus points. Even with West Ham’s testing fixtures and with Payet in 25% of FPL squads, there is an undeniable case to acquire the former Nottingham Forest winger.
Elsewhere, Diafra Sakho made an instant impact off the bench, bagging a goal and assist during his 30-minute stint. Sakho’s contribution, along with Andy Carroll’s return to contention, boosts West Ham’s attacking options with Bilic now facing a selection headache in weeks to come.
The Hammers defence are now without a clean sheet in six away matches and without the heroics of Adrian in goal, would have been buried by Everton’s efforts. The Spaniard’s save from Lukaku’s second half spot-kick proved a turning point, with Adrian going on to claim 8 FPL points
Lukaku Miss Proves Decisive
Having been reduced to 10 men in the 34th minute, Everton were unable to repel a buoyant West Ham outfit. Much of the blame will lie with Kevin Mirallas, who has now been ruled out of the Toffees’ FA cup quarter-final against Chelsea and their next league encounter at Arsenal as a result of his second red card of the season.
Romelu Lukaku got the hosts off to the perfect start with his third goal in four outings (Bryan Oviedo assist), before assisting their second for Aaron Lennon. However, Lukaku blotted his copybook with a missed penalty, much to the frustration of his 35% ownership. Despite the Belgian’s upturn in form, Everton’s imminent blank and subsequent pair of unforgiving fixtures (ARS, mun) will likely deter short-term investment, although Lukaku will be an obvious hot property on confirmation of Everton’s double Gameweek dates.
Lennon doubled Everton’s advantage with his fourth goal in five starts, meaning he has matched his best ever tally for Spurs (five goals) in over 1600 fewer minutes. By way of his 5.6 price tag, the diminutive winger also looks certain to attract investment once the double Gameweek dates are confirmed.
Interestingly, Roberto Martinez elected to deploy his side in a 3-4-3 set-up, welcoming John Stones back into a three-man defence. Mirallas’ dismissal forced a change of system, however, leading to Stones’ withdrawal at the break. It remains to be seen if Martinez returns to that system, with the Everton boss seemingly intent on playing both Stones and Ramiro Funes Mori in his defence, along with skipper Phil Jagielka.
Aguero Leads City Rout
Manchester City recovered from their three-match losing streak with an almost inevitable thrashing of a doomed Aston Villa.
Sergio Aguero delivered for the 35% of FPL managers that bestowed him with captaincy duties, scoring his third brace in seven outings; he was denied a hat-trick by the woodwork as he struck the post with a second half spot-kick, souring what would have been a hugely profitable afternoon for his 31% ownership.
The Argentine will next face a Norwich City back-line that is without a clean sheet since Gameweek 20. That is likely to keep Aguero in the frame for the captaincy next weekend, although with City’s Champions League tie with Dynamo Kiev to follow, Aguero’s pitch time could be curtailed somewhat.
Both David Silva and the returning Yaya Toure also profited from Villa’s obliging defence. The Spaniard justified his selection in this week’s ”Differentials” endless his fruitless stretch with a brace of assists, while Scout Pick Toure notched his first goal in seven outings. Raheem Sterling then capped off the scoring just four minutes after his introduction in the second half.
Delving deeper into their squad, Wilfried Bony – who partnered Aguero in a 4-4-2 set-up – marked his first start this year with an assist. Finally, Jesus Navas turned provider with his seventh assist of the season.
Vincent Kompany’s 56,000 new owners benefited from Man City’s fourth clean sheet in eight outings. Back-to-back shut-outs look well within the realms of possibility, given that Norwich have drawn blanks in four of their previous six league clashes.
As mentioned, City’s Gameweek 30 trip to Carrow Road precedes a vital Champions League tie and Manuel Pellegrini will doubtless have this in mind when considering his teamsheet next weekend. It remains to be seen how he sets his priorities, with the likes of Sterling, Pablo Zabaleta, Aleks Kolarov, Fernando and Kelechi Iheanacho surely considered for a return to the starting lineup.
Daniels Seals Cherries Victory
Bournemouth ran out 3-1 victors at Newcastle United, ensuring that they remain unbeaten on the road in 2016 (two wins, three draws).
Eddie Howe elected to play two up front for their trip to St James’ Park, enabling Josh King to showcase his renewed budget potential with a goal and assist.
Priced at 4.3, he serves as an intriguing fifth midfielder, but one that could suffer from a tricky forthcoming schedule (SWA, tot, MCI). By that same token, Matt Ritchie – another of our “Differentials” this week – remains on the periphery of our thinking, despite registering his third assist in two starts; Ritchie has now fetched returns in four of his last six league outings.
With his third goal of the term (Marc Pugh assist), Charlie Daniels applied to the gloss to the Cherries’ win. The left-back has now registered a goal, assist or clean sheet in six of his last eight league starts, elevating him to second in the FPL defender rankings. While Bournemouth face a testing season run-in, Daniels’ spot-kick duties and propensity to bomb forward on the flank, providing a ready supply of crosses, will likely maintain his current popularity: he earned more transfers in than any other player overnight, ensuring a price rise to 4.9.
Miserable Magpies Remain In the Mire
Ayoze Perez’s sixth goal of the season proved to be a mere consolation as Steve McClaren’s Newcastle slumped to their third consecutive loss. The Spanish forward was teed up by Jonjo Shelvey, who chalked up his third assist in six starts.
The Toons’ defensive travails intensified when Paul Dummett was forced off in the 31st minute with a fresh injury setback. Newcastle have now recorded just a single clean sheet in their last 13 league matches, conceding 14 goals in the last six. Given that record, Leicester and Vardy and Mahrez in particular, could be in line for a very profitable Gameweek 30.
Ten-man Saints Turn to Van Dijk
Courtesy of a Dusan Tadic assist, Virgil van Dijk scored in the dying embers to cancel out Sunderland’s late strike at St Mary’s Stadium, helping Southampton avoid three defeats on the bounce.
Although Van Dijk’s goal threat maintains his reputation as the choice route into Saints’ back line, the Dutchman’s appeal is weakened by Jose Fonte’s absence next weekend – the Portuguese centre-back was sent off for denying Fabio Borini a goalscoring opportunity and will now miss the Gameweek 30 trip to Stoke City. Southampton then face Liverpool and Leicester, suggesting that Van Dijk owners may have to rely on further attacking points for short-term profit.
Defoe Denied South Coast Winner
Jermain Defoe scored his second goal in five starts (Lamina Kone assist) but saw his opening goal chalked off by Van Dijk’s intervention. Having been usurped by Borini in the starting XI, Defoe reaffirmed his status as Sunderland’s premier goal threat ahead of the Black Cats’ Gameweek 30 blank.
On the injury front, Wahbi Khazri was replaced at the 76-minute mark with a knock. Khazri hit the woodwork at St Mary’s and ranks sixth among all midfielders for key passes (11) over the last four Gameweeks: his fitness looks set to be vital to the Wearsiders’ hopes of survival.
Sigurdsson Strike Enough For Swans
Gylfi Sigurdsson steered the Swans to their second successive win with his eighth goal of the season from a Leroy Fer pass.
The former Spurs midfielder has now tallied six goals and 11 bonus points since Gameweek 20, an outstanding return for a 7.1-priced asset.
With a trip to Bournemouth in Gameweek 30, followed by a Liberty Stadium meet with Aston Villa, the Icelandic schemer has the platform to go on delivering value for his modest 5.2% ownership.
At the other end of the pitch, Ashley Williams (4.8) again scooped three bonus points as the Welsh outfit recorded their first clean sheet in seven match-ups. That took Williams onto 21 bonus points – more than any other defender in the league. Like Sigurdsson, the Swansea skipper has the opportunity over the next two Gameweeks to go on building on his reputation as a choice Fantasy asset.
