We focus our attentions on the weekend’s upcoming fixtures this afternoon and roll out a heads-up on our Scout Picks thinking for the Gameweek ahead. This list of 22 players will also include some names in contention for a place in our Spot the Differential article, though will, of course, be subject to change, depending on the injury situation over the next few days.
Here’s the cast currently under consideration for a somewhat truncated Gameweek 35.
Goalkeepers
Considering that Manchester City’s home clash against Stoke City takes place three days before Real Madrid’s visit, Joe Hart (5.6) represents the safest route into a defence that’s conceded just three times in the last seven Gameweeks.
Liverpool’s Simon Mignolet (4.9) will be tasked with rebuffing a Newcastle United attack that posted blanks in five of their last nine away ties.
Defenders
Sunderland have enjoyed greater success on the defensive front in recent weeks – producing two clean sheets in a trio of outings – which brings the attack-minded Patrick van Aanholt (4.7) onto our radar. The flying Dutchman has amassed five goals and three assists this term, offering hope for returns beyond a clean sheet when Arsenal pay a visit.
Boasting one goal and three assists in five starts, Hector Bellerin (6.5) possesses the attacking flair to compensate for the Gunners’ recent lack of resolve.
Having netted two goals in his last three starts, Toby Alderweireld (6.4) serves as the prime route into a Tottenham Hotspur rearguard that’s recorded four clean sheets in five match-ups.
Christian Fuchs’ (5.1) knack for accruing bonus points (21 – second among all counterparts) gives him the nod over the rest of Leicester’s defensive contingent for their home clash against Swansea City.
Virgil van Dijk’s (5.7) threat from set pieces could well come into play when Southampton travel to face an Aston Villa outfit that shipped 17 goals in their last five home encounters.
Branislav Ivanovic (6.6) courts interest as Chelsea prepare to visit a Bournemouth unit that that’s recorded just three goals in four fixtures.
Midfielders
Dele Alli (6.1) illustrated the dangers of selling form players in pursuit of double Gameweek coverage, notching a brace in a 4-0 win over Stoke City. The former MK Dons recruit has served up three goals and four assists in six starts ahead of a plum clash with West Bromwich Albion at White Hart Lane.
Bournemouth’s lack of a double Gameweek and testing schedule (CHE, eve, WBA, mun) shifted our focus away from their Fantasy prospects, yet the out-of-position potential of Joshua King (who has scored in four of the last six Gameweeks) forces us to reconsider that stance. The Cherries next face off against a Chelsea team that were scythed through with ease by Man City last weekend, which suggests the Norwegian marksman will be afforded his fair share of scoring chances.
Sadio Mane (7.3) has experienced a renaissance of late, racking up three goals and five bonus points in the last four outings. The Senegalese winger showcased his capacity for explosive returns last season with a quick-fire hat-trick against Aston Villa, so the prospect of Saints traveling to Villa Park this weekend is a tantalising one.
Newcastle’s attack discovered their groove in their last quartet of match-ups, registering seven goals while possessing the best shot accuracy (51.4%). Andros Townsend’s (5.7) output has been central to the Tynesiders’ revival, with the ex-Spurs recruit producing two goals and pair of assists in three outings. Given that Liverpool are likely to rotate this weekend ahead of their midweek Europa League tie, Townsend would be well placed to capitalise on their instability.
Alexis Sanchez (11.0) scored in four of his last five appearances and will fancy his chances of besting a Black Cats rearguard that surrendered three goals in the reverse fixture.
Kevin De Bruyne (10.4) remains the favoured accompaniment to Sergio Aguero with regards to a Man City attack that’s amassed 10 goals in four match-ups, though there still remains concerns over his start against Stoke if Manuel Pellegrini rotates in the final third.
Roberto Firmino (8.1) lays claim to eight goals in 10 outings before a duel against Newcastle’s embattled defence.
Notwithstanding Riyad Mahrez’s three straight blanks, his unparalleled propensity for double-figure hauls (11) makes him a strong pick before Swansea – who fell to a heavy defeat against Newcastle – roll up at the King Power Stadium.
Forwards
Having strung together four successive starts – in which he tallied three goals and two assists – Daniel Sturridge (10.0) represents a more attractive proposition for Fantasy managers. Owing to Divock Origi’s form (four goals in as many appearances across all competitons) and Liverpool’s Europa League focus, rotation remains a concern, yet Sturridge’s limited pitch time this season should discourage Jurgen Klopp from resting the clinical frontman.
Jermain Defoe (5.1) is in the midst of a purple patch, having scored in three of his previous five starts. Although a home tie against Arsenal looks tough on paper, the North Londoners conceded eight goals in their last four away ties, offering hope that the Sunderland striker can add to his 13-goal tally so far.
In a similar vein to team-mate Mane, Graziano Pelle (8.0) has dispelled his mid-season slump in recent weeks, bagging four goals and three assists in five starts. The Italy international typically produces in bursts of form – as evidenced by his strong starts to this term and the last – which is an ominous sign for a Villa side still licking their wounds after finally succumbing to relegation last week.
Sergio Aguero (13.5) is in fine fettle (six goals in four) before a home clash against a Potters outfit that conceded eight goals in their last two fixtures.
Likewise, Harry Kane (10.2) is assured of a spot in our Scout Picks after netting eight goals in six outings.
Chelsea’s trip to face a Bournemouth defence that’s conceded at least twice in five of their last six also brings Diego Costa (10.5) into consideration.
On Standby
Although Gameweek 35 is truncated by virtue of three postponed fixtures, there are still a bevy of alternatives waiting in the wings.
Alex Iwobi (4.6) and Danny Welbeck (7.4) pique our interest amongst Arsenal’s attacking contingent. The former ranks joint-top among the Gunners midfielders for shots inside the box (seven) across their previous quartet of league ties, while only four forwards recorded more efforts in the area (10) than Welbeck during that period.
Training our sights on Leicester, Leonardo Ulloa (5.2) looks set to be afforded a rare starting role in the absence of the suspended Jamie Vardy and is likely to be handed spot-kick duties at home to Swansea.
Aside from tallying one goal and four assists, Christian Eriksen (8.6) ranked joint-fifth among midfielders for attempts (11) and third for key passes (16) over his last four starts, underlining his exceptional end to the season.
Elsewhere, Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek (4.6) has started each of the last three under Guus Hiddink and looks a valid budget option for the Bournemouth head-to-head, while Wahbi Khazri (5.7) charted top for attempts (eight) and joint-top for key passes (eight) among Sunderland’s midfielders in their previous four outings.
The Community Champions
Having scrapped the weekly vote idea from last season, we now operate a lottery system to pick our weekly candidates. The community member who beats our picks by the biggest margin over the campaign will win a £100 Amazon Voucher and a place in our Contributors and Moderators League for the following season.
Red Devil leads the way after beating the Picks by 25 points in Gameweek 17.
Following our lottery the next Community Champion is Mark-O Pirlo.
. This is his second season and he’ll he hoping to improve on last year’s end of season finish of 2,574,871.
In addition to a shot at the £100 Amazon prize, FantasyBet are offering a chance for further prizes to Community Champions that are eligible to play their games. More details can be found here.
