FA Cup joy for Swansea City, a keeper conundrum for Sean Dyche and Harry Kane manning up – here’s a round-up of yesterday’s key action and news.
Ayew the star
Jordan Ayew came off the bench to fire Swansea City into the FA Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1964.
The striker (13.4%) is the side’s most owned player in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), but hasn’t scored in three Gameweeks.
His second-half introduction last night transformed a drab and goalless replay with Sheffield Wednesday and is a welcome return to form ahead of a vital pair of matches (WHU hud) that lead into the Swans’ Gameweek 31 blank.
Ayew opened the scoring after Tom Carroll’s shot hit both posts and Nathan Dyer then sealed the deal when put through by Tammy Abraham’s pass.
The Chelsea loanee also produced an assist when he was brought on in last weekend’s 4-1 drubbing at Brighton and he worked well with Ayew last night, which could mean both players start Gameweek 29’s match with the Hammers.
Coach Carlos Carvahal made five changes from the side that lost at the Amex Stadium, resting key assets Lukasz Fabianski (9.2%) and Alfie Mawson (3.8%).
Swansea will now face the winners of tonight’s replay between Spurs and Rochdale.
Double Gameweek confirmation on hold
On Tuesday the Premier League confirmed that the new dates for the postponed fixtures from Gameweek 31 would be announced “on or around March 19”.
This is as expected, with the results from the FA Cup Quarter Finals likely to dictate the order of the TV schedule. It is still anticipated that many, if not all of the five fixtures (which could be extended to six after tonight’s FA Cup replay), will be dropped into Gameweek 34. However, we will have to wait until before Gameweek 32 for confirmation.
Dyche’s dilemma
Burney trio Tom Heaton, James Tarkowski and Chris Wood stepped up their respective returns from injury by playing 90 minutes in a behind-closed-doors match against Preston North End.
The 4-0 win was Heaton’s second outing as he recovers from shoulder surgery, and his timing is looking impeccably complicated.
The goalkeeper has made no secret of his desire to get back and playing to try and secure a place in England’s World Cup squad for the summer.
But news of his recovery comes in the week that his understudy, Nick Pope, is said to be in line for an England call-up himself.
Pope excelled when he took over from Heaton, keeping nine clean sheets from Gameweeks 6 to 21 and bringing in 12 bonus points.
But his 10.3% ownership have been enduring leaner times of late, with no shut-outs in seven and only a penalty-saving 11-point Gameweek 25 providing much cheer.
Burnley’s run-in is strong and promises a return to the more solid defensive ways of earlier in the season.
Which keeper Dyche chooses to take advantage of that schedule could have a major impact on the pair’s international prospects – and Fantasy managers’ late-season plans.
Zaha steps up recovery
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has no fewer than 11 players out injured at present as he prepares his bedraggled troops for clashes with Man United, Chelsea and Liverpool over the next four Gameweeks.
He could, however, be calling on the services of Wilfried Zaha rather sooner than expected.
The attacking midfielder has been out with a knee injury since the start of February, but could now be in line for a return in mid-March.
That would coincide with a vital trip to Huddersfield in Gameweek 31.
There was a further boost for Hodgson with the news that Martin Kelly is back in training ahead of this weekend’s visit from United.
The Eagles are currently without six regular defenders, including loanee Timothy Fosu-Mensah, who is ineligible to face his parent club.
Clyne comeback
Another defender closing in on a return is Liverpool’s Nathaniel Clyne.
The England international has missed seven months with a back issue, but played the full 90 minutes for the Reds’ Under-23s on Sunday and was again pictured in training on Tuesday.
Another in action on the day was Joe Gomez, meaning that coach Jurgen Klopp could soon have that pair and Trent Alexander-Arnold battling it out for a right-back slot that the German has described as ‘an unbelievably important position’.
Gomez (4.7) and Alexander-Arnold (4.3) have provided us with cut-price ways into Liverpool’s defence this season.
The return of Clyne (5.3) could end all that, although the Reds’ ongoing Champions League duties will likely lead to rotation anyway.
Deulofeu sidelined
Watford’s Gerard Deulofeu has taken to social media on Tuesday to reveal that he will be ruled out “for some time” following the ankle injury sustained against Everton on Saturday.
The Spaniard was to be a key target ahead of the Hornets Gameweek 31 fixture at Anfield and made the Scout Picks for the encounter with Everton. Over 58,000 managers acquired him ahead of Saturday’s deadline.
However, he departed just after the hour-mark and would now seem set to be ruled out of the Gameweek 31 equation.
That could present a further opportunity for Andre Carrillo (5.5) to impress in his absence.
Kane all man…
Spurs striker Harry Kane’s winner at Crystal Palace on Sunday was his 24th league goal of the season as he remains on course to beat last year’s Golden Boot-winning tally of 29.
And he reckons the reason for his improvement is…’man strength’.
“As I’m getting older and more experienced, maybe I’m getting man strength. I’m 24 now so it’s about time. This year, especially on recent form, I’m scoring in more games – instead of getting braces and hat-tricks all the time, I’m getting one goal in six or seven games in a row. I’ve scored a few goals from corners now too, which is another thing I wanted to get better at. It’s confidence, as I said. If you’re scoring goals, you feel like the ball is coming to you every time and thankfully it did [on Sunday].”
Spurs’ run-in should give him plenty of opportunities to stay in touch with all that masculinity, with seven matches against relegation-threatened sides and only Chelsea and Man City to face of the big hitters – plus, of course, potentially two double Gameweeks.
…With no home to go to
But Kane’s prospects at the start of next season could have a major impact on our pre-season planning.
Spurs have confirmed that minor delays in the construction of their new stadium could mean they end up playing their first four matches of next season away from home.
Kane is already no fan of August – he’s never scored in that month – and four away matches on the bounce could well make our minds up.
On the flipside, 15 of his goals this season have come on the road, including the first six from Gameweeks 4 to 7.
So maybe all those potential away days might finally help him break his August hoodoo – particularly with his increased “man strength” to call on.
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