Our Friday afternoon regular comes around once again, as we take a look at the PlayON Player Price List ahead of tomorrow’s deadline. As always, we offer a couple of picks per position: one essential weekend target and a left-field alternative for your consideration.
PlayON have now extended their deadline for submitting your teams so you can now tinker with your starting XI right up until the first kick-off each week – so tomorrow that’s right up to 12.45pm, when Sunderland welcome Liverpool to the Stadium of Light in the Gameweek’s early kick-off.
Goalkeeper – Mark Schwarzer
With Kasper Schmeichel still sidelined, Nigel Pearson has recently snapped up the veteran from Chelsea as Leicester look to cement their spot in the top-flight. Priced at just 5.5m, Schwarzer looks poised to take over from Ben Hamer in goal and his experience between the sticks could be vital as his new club play host to an Aston Villa side with a single strike in the last five Gameweeks. West Bromwich Albion’s Ben Foster is immediately drafted in as our favoured option between the posts. Available for just 6.3m in PlayON, the Baggies number one will be hoping to benefit from Tony Pulis’ installation to the Hawthorns hotseat and at home to fellow strugglers Hull, looks a solid shout to rack up his seventh clean sheet of the season.
Defender – Mathieu Debuchy
Whilst Arsenal’s failure to keep a clean sheet for six matches has dented their defensive appeal, it has, nonetheless, ensured the Frenchman remains favourably priced as Stoke roll up to the Emirates. Coming in at 7.2m, Debuchy faces a Potters attack with just three goals in their last four road trips and with the visitors’ top scorer Mame Biram Diouf having departed to the African Cup of Nations, a shut-out could be on the cards. The right-back’s strike against Liverpool in Gameweek 17 also serves a reminder of his points potential at both ends of the pitch. Three goals in four matches for a defender is an eye-catching feat and makes John Terry (8.7m) our essential pick in defence as Chelsea host Newcastle at Stamford Bridge. In spite of his recent attacking endeavours, the centre-half is even kinder on your budget than team-mates Branislav Ivanovic (9.5m) and Gary Cahill (8.8m) and is always likely to pick up extra points with the clearance and interception elements in PlayON’s scoring matrix. Given that the Blues haven’t conceded in the last four in front of their own fans, another clean sheet would be no surprise.
Midfielders – Stephane Sessegnon
The West Brom midfielder will be hoping to continue his recent fine form in Tony Pulis’ first match at the Hawthorns. Sessegnon has bagged four assists and fired six shots on target (each worth 200 points in PlayON) in the previous five Gameweeks and Pulis will be relying on his creativity and Saido Berahino’s threat up front to get the better of a Hull side that have conceded seven in their last four away matches. Managerless Newcastle make their way to Stamford Bridge on the back of a run that has seen them concede 13 goals in their last five matches. After losing their unbeaten run to the Magpies early last month, Jose Mourinho’s side will be out for revenge and we turn to Eden Hazard as the Magpies likely chief tormentor. The Belgian has served up three goals and as many assists in his last five outings and, at a price of 13.9m, is cheaper than team-mate Diego Costa (15m) up front.
Forwards – Ashley Barnes
We’re overlooking Danny Ings for Burnley’s home clash with QPR and instead turn to his in-form strike partner. Whilst the former has scored just once in the last seven league matches, Barnes has racked up three goals in five and priced at a mere 6.5m, he looks a real value option against a side that has failed to pick up a single pint on their travels so far. Man of the moment Harry Kane is impossible to ignore. After making the PlayON picks as our left-field striker on Boxing Day, the youngster is elevated to essential status for Tottenham’s trip to Crystal Palace. Coming in at just 7.7m, Kane has delivered five goals and three assists in his last five outings and looks in the mood to spoil Alan Pardew’s homecoming at Selhurst Park.
