Liverpool, Brighton and Newcastle make the Preview – No Brexit, No Trump

Nov 7

Posted by FantasyYIRMA

Fantasy Football – Gameweek 12 Preview –

Written by @NiallHawthorne

Sing along together!

“3, 6, 9, the margins are fine

Pep feeling the pressure and starting to whine

Tension stoked, who’s gonna choke

And they all meet at Anfield to see who’s the GOAT”

Ed: No idea what tune I’m supposed to be singing that to

There’ll be clapping. There’ll be snapping. There might even be slapping.

For once Sky have a proper Super Sunday on their hands as it’s Klopp v Pep. Salah v Sterling. Mane v De Bruyne. A 3-point lead, a 6-point lead or a 9-point lead. Whatever the result, GW12 is going to shape the future of this season fundamentally.

Let’s get it on!

Defender: Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool

Trying to predict clean sheets this season is akin to trying to predict this week’s lottery numbers. Somebody will get it right, but more by luck than judgement.

So, I’m plumping for a player who a goal and four assists to his name in eleven appearances in defence this season, and when you look at his heat map or touch map or whatever sexual innuendo map you prefer, you’ll know that TAA is a de facto attacking midfielder.

And who knows, maybe Liverpool will get that loooong overdue clean sheet?

Midfielder: Allan Saint-Maximin, Newcastle United

Right, this tip is coming from the brain of my work colleague and FPL confidante Paul Dinneen, who insists vehemently that Saint-Maximin is going to break out this weekend.

Personally, I think he’s as likely to break out in hives than goals and assists, but hey, I’m an equal opportunities tipster and never let it be said that I don’t listen to others. I do, and then I rip the proverbial p*ss out of them when they’re wrong.

Ya hear that Dinneen?

(P.S. He’s 34 points ahead of me this season to be fair to him, the swine).

Forward: Tammy Abraham, Chelsea

Nine goals, two assists in eleven games, fresh off the back of a goal and assist at Vicarage Road and a sumptuous finish in midweek against Ajax.

Yes, I know it was in the wrong net, but a striker’s instinct is a striker’s instinct.

A home game against Crystal Palace looms large and while the Eagles have proven to be a decent outfit, it was demonstrated last weekend that they’re a level below the leading lights in the league this season, and Chelsea are definitely one of the leading lights.

Chelsea can’t seem to stop scoring goals and if Palace are obliging enough to get two players sent off at the same time, then this tip is going to look very wise indeed.

Captain: Jamie Vardy, Leicester City

By the time you read this tip of a red-hot striker about to face Arsenal, it may well have been edited to a single line due to my balanced, nuanced analysis of the Arsenal defence.

They’re sh*te.

So, there you have it. Jamie Vardy to fill his boots this weekend.

Ed: didn’t actually disagree with anything here

Outsider: Christian Kabasele, Watford

Friday Night Football features Norwich City v Watford, in a battle of two terrible teams in East Anglia.

Both sides are woeful in front of goal right now, each having scored just twice in their last six outings, so I’m plumping for the side that has shown some defensive improvement in recent weeks. Watford can *ahem* ‘boast’ two clean sheets in their last four, which has coincided with the return to the team of Kabasele.

With just 0.2% ownership, he could be just the tonic for a sneaky 6 pointer this Friday night to get your FPL weekend off to a flier.

Draft: Leandro Trossard, Brighton & Hove Albion

Started GW’s 2 – 5 and has made two cameo appearances in GW’s 10 and 11. Has two goals to his name and could be just what your draft squad needs as you drift aimlessly through the season questioning the point of everything, like me.