PlayON Picks Gameweek 8 – £2,500 Guaranteed Game

As always on a Friday lunchtime, we analyse the PlayON player price list ahead of tomorrow’s 10.45am deadline. Below we offer a couple of picks per position: one essential weekend target and a left-field alternative for your consideration.

This week PlayON has a £2,500 Guaranteed Pot on offer and there is a special promotion for this game: Enter one Team and Get a Second Entry For Free – click here to Enter Your Team 1 and Get Your Free Second Entry . There is also a £500 Winner Takes All Game this week.

Separately, PlayON have been doing a lot of work on their player pricing algorithm over the past few months and next week is the first time this is going to be put live on PlayON.co . The new algorithm prices will be going live next Monday so if you have any thoughts on whether it is a better or worse pricing model, let the PlayON Team know on their Facebook Page or @playon on Twitter.

Goalkeeper – Tim Howard 7.4m
It’s unusual to label a goalkeeper of Howard’s standing a left-field pick but with only a solitary clean sheet for Everton, the American certainly could have had a better start to the season. A home clash against a Villa side that has failed to score in their last three offers a chance for the Toffees defence to find some defensive form and Howard, at only 7.4m, looks a bargain when compared to his pricier team-mates. Southampton have been in excellent form under Ronald Koeman and their dependability at the back has seen them concede just once in front of their own supporters. We opt for Fraser Forster, then, with the Saints stopper setting you back just 7.8m in PlayON as Sunderland make their way to St Mary’s.

Defender – Hector Bellerin
With Mathieu Debuchy injured and Calum Chambers suspended, the young Frenchman looks set for a rare start at home to Hull this weekend. Bellerin is available for just 7.2m as the Gunners attempt to rediscover the resilience that served up 11 clean sheets in front of their own fans in the season gone by. If you’re willing to splash the cash, though, there’s no doubt that Leighton Baines (9.1m) looks a strong contender at both ends of the pitch at home to Villa. As mentioned above, Paul Lambert’s troops have drawn blanks in each of the last three, whilst Baines – despite missing a spot-kick against Man United last time around – has still served up a goal or assist in all but one of his previous five appearances.

Midfielder – Dusan Tadic
We were keen to opt for the Serbian’s team-mate Sadio Mane but with the Senegal international still travelling back from international duties, we’re going to play it safe. Tadic has chalked up three assists in the first seven Gameweeks and, despite failing to score, has so far fired 17 shots – only Raheem Sterling has managed more amongst midfielders. At 8.4m, the summer signing from FC Twente could finally be set to break his duck against the Black Cats tomorrow. It’s difficult to ignore the formidable Chelsea side that sits five points clear at the summit. Eden Hazard has had a relatively disappointing start to the season by his own high standards but has still managed a pair of goals and assists. A penalty against Arsenal in the previous Gameweek reminded us of the Belgian’s abilities and although he’s a little expensive at 10.4m this week in PlayON, an away trip to Crystal Palace could bring home the points once again.

Forward – Papiss Demba Cisse
The Newcastle frontman has so far scored four goals in three appearances this term, earning him the best goal per minutes ratio in the Premier League. With the Magpies hosting a Leicester City side who have conceded seven in their last three, Cisse will be hoping for a third brace of the season, though at 11.0m, he doesn’t come cheap. For only 9.7m, Danny Welbeck looks an excellent value option as Arsenal look to bounce back from the previous Gameweek’s loss to Chelsea. He may have notched just once in the league since joining from Man United but Welbeck is still very much in form – with seven goals in his last nine appearances for club and country across all competitions, he looks set to trouble a shaky Hull defence that have conceded in five of the last six.

Head over to PlayON.coand get your free second entry into the £2,500 game ahead of the 10.45am deadline on Sat morning.