Category Archives: GW previews
Manchester City’s Yaya Toure and the 5 #FPL Players You MUST Pick For GW26
Gameweek 26
DEFENDER: Alex Bruce – £3.9m (Home v QPR)
If you’re in need of a cheap addition to save money elsewhere then look no further than the apple of Steve Bruce’s eye, his son Alex.
The centre-back helped keep a clean sheet in Hull’s last game at home to Aston Villa, and you can back him to follow suit when the notoriously poorly travelling QPR head to the KC Stadium.
MIDFIELDER: Yaya Toure – £10.7m (Home v Newcastle)
He’s back, and he’ll be eager to make up for lost time.
Manchester City somewhat lost their way when Yaya Toure was away winning the African Cup of Nations, but the talismanic midfielder returns to a home clash with Newcastle which City will be determined to use as a springboard for success later in the season.
Given the fact that many will have got rid of him during his time away, an instant recall to your team could yield quick rewards.
FORWARD: Olivier Giroud – £8.4m (Away v Crystal Palace)
Chelsea don’t play a league game next week and so even though they are at home to Burnley, it might pay to hold off on bringing in Diego Costa following the forward’s return from a ban.
Instead, trust in Olivier Giroud to continue his FA Cup form and deliver both away to Crystal Palace and over what look to be a fairly kind set of fixtures for Arsenal over the next few weeks.
THE OUTSIDER: Christian Benteke – £7.4m (Home v Stoke)
Tim Sherwood has come through the doors at Villa Park, and in between the banter and the gilets he’s promised to get the best out of Christian Benteke, much in the same manner he did with Emmanuel Adebayor last season.
That is easier said than done, of course, but there is bound to be a fresh feel to the Villans home clash with Stoke, and with Benteke bound to get chances it could be worth taking a punt on him.
THE CAPTAIN: Eden Hazard – £10.9m (Home v Burnley)
Remembering that Chelsea are in League Cup final action next weekend, Eden Hazard still looks to be the standout captain choice at home to Burnley regardless.
The Belgian has been excelling in games such as this one all season, and if he gets on the ball and gets Chelsea ticking then the goals are likely to flow.
Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil & The 5 #FPL Players You MUST Pick For GW25
Gameweek 25
DEFENDER: Phil Jones (£5.3m) – Home v Burnley
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There seem to be very few constants in Louis van Gaal’s constantly shuffled Manchester United pack, but defender Phil Jones has now started the last nine league games and played all but two minutes of them.
United are probably due a home clean sheet and should be backed to keep one at home to lowly Burnley, who whilst frequently potent at Turf Moor have often failed to find the net on their travels.
MIDFIELDER: Mesut Ozil (£8.9m) – Home v Leicester
Not always the most trustworthy of players during his time in English football, Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil has nonetheless bounced back into form since his return to the Gunners starting lineup, scoring against Aston Villa and Tottenham.
He picked up 21 Fantasy points in those two games, and at home to a struggling Leicester City side he should be in a position to help the Gunners bounce back from their North London derby loss in style.
FORWARD: Olivier Giroud (£8.4m) – Home v Leicester
This is the sort of game in which Olivier Giroud usually shines for Arsenal, and the Frenchman should be front and centre as the Gunners go for goals against Leicester.
Giroud has scored three goals in his last four home league appearances at the Emirates Stadium, and if he starts here then he really should be increasing that number.
THE OUTSIDER: Jermain Defoe (£6.0m) – Home v QPR
Two goals in three games since his return to the Premier League indicates that Jermain Defoe hasn’t lost any of his razor-sharp instinct since he’s been away, and the former England forward will have QPR in his sights as the Premier League’s most miserable away record comes to the Stadium of Light.
Defoe has the quality to pull Sunderland away from the likes of their opponents here, and the home fans will expect him to do just that.
THE CAPTAIN: Eden Hazard (£10.8m) – Home v Everton
This is Chelsea’s last game of Diego Costa’s suspension, and whilst it is true to say that that has affected the team’s potency as a whole, they will still get plenty of chances to find the net at home to an Everton side which still fails to convince.
Jose Mourinho’s side are now seven points clear at the top of the table and they won’t be in a mood to let that lead shorten, and Eden Hazard will be crucial to that effort as they host their visitors from Merseyside.
Arsenal’s Tomas Rosicky & The 5 #FPL Players You MUST Pick For GW23
Gameweek 23
DEFENDER: Ryan Bertrand – £5.8m (Home v Swansea)
A hiccup in the FA Cup won’t derail the Southampton train too much, and they’ll have the perfect opportunity to get back on track at home to Swansea City on Sunday.
The visitors will be missing the suspended Gylfi Sigurdsson and so much of their creativity will be absent, allowing for left-back Ryan Bertrand – who is now owned by more FPL bosses than teammate Nathaniel Clyne – to get forward even more than he usually does.
MIDFIELDER: Tomas Rosicky – £4.7m (Home v Aston Villa)
‘If you love football, you love Rosicky’ said Arsene Wenger after the win over Brighton, and the Frenchman is back loving the Czech midfielder after his return to the team.
The Gunners are bound to get chances at home to Aston Villa, and if you’re in need of a cheap midfielder then you could do a lot worse than a punt on the veteran.
FORWARD: Daniel Sturridge – £11.1m (Home v West Ham)
Brendan Rodgers is happy that he’s got his main forward back, and should you be too?
Daniel Sturridge really should be getting a mention in our ‘Outsider’ section, but you need to be below 5% ownership for that, and the number of players who pick a team at the start of a season and then never log into it again ensures that he’s still on 7.3%. With Diego Costa looking likely to miss three games, the return of the Liverpool man could hardly be better timed.
THE OUTSIDER: Dwight Gayle – £5.0m (Home v Everton)
The likes of Charlie Austin, Danny Ings and Harry Kane have found favour as cheap forward options this season, but what about Dwight Gayle?
The Crystal Palace man has scored three goals in Alan Pardew’s two league games in charge so far, and he’ll fancy his chances of grabbing more against an Everton side who have frankly been awful in recent weeks.
THE CAPTAIN: Alexis Sanchez – £11.5m (Home v Aston Villa)
It feels like a weekend in which the ownership of one or two key players will be crucial, and Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez is certainly one of those.
The Chilean takes on Aston Villa at the weekend in just the sort of Emirates match he has been dominating this season, and with the absences or potential absences of others he looks to be the man to trust.
West Ham’s Andy Carroll & The 5 #FPL Players You MUST Pick For GW22
Gameweek 22
DEFENDER: Alberto Moreno – £5.0m (Away v Aston Villa)
What’s this? A Liverpool defender? Will wonders never cease?
Well the Reds are facing an Aston Villa side who seem to have the same attitude to scoring goals as the rest of us do to getting our teeth pulled at the dentist, and Alberto Moreno has started the last three and also shown a willingness to get forward on the left side of Brendan Rodgers’ midfield four, so it’s not too crazy is it?
MIDFIELDER: Angel Di Maria – £9.5m (Away v QPR)
Manchester United will be eager to bounce back from their Southampton disappointment when they go to struggling QPR on Saturday, and luckily for them they’ll have Angel Di Maria on their side when they do so.
The Argentinean got 71 minutes under his belt in last Sunday’s defeat, and although things didn’t quite go to plan for him and his teammates there he’ll have plenty of chances to put things right in a match United really need to win.
FORWARD: Andy Carroll – £6.9m (Home v Hull)
His stunning goal against Swansea earned Andy Carroll all three bonus points last weekend, and he’ll be eyeing another impact at home to a Hull City side who look ripe to be beaten by West Ham.
On his day Carroll can be very difficult to stop, and if he can get the right service on Sunday afternoon then the big man could be a huge addition to your side.
THE OUTSIDER: Danny Ings – £5.7m (Home v Crystal Palace)
There are signs of life at Burnley, and after his fine goal against QPR last week the main source of that life is the forward Danny Ings.
Throw in the fact that he’s out of contract in the summer and could well be playing for a move should the Clarets end up going down, and you’ve got a pretty strong mix and one which could end up with a goal against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
THE CAPTAIN: Diego Costa – £11.2m (Away v Swansea)
Sergio Aguero is back in action and will fancy finding the net against Arsenal, but if you’re playing the percentages then it’ll surely pay to go with Diego Costa again.
After what seemed like a mini-slump the Chelsea man has scored in his last two, and that has every chance of becoming three as the Blues go to Swansea on Saturday.
Tottenham’s Harry Kane & the 5 #FPL Players You Must Pick For GW21
Gameweek 21
DEFENDER: Marcin Wasilewski – £3.9m (Home v Aston Villa)
Giant Polish defender Marcin Wasilewski has played the full 90 minutes in each of Leicester’s last 11 league matches, and whilst their largely awful form doesn’t make that anything to write home about, he could be a useful cheap addition ahead of the home clash with an Aston Villa side which struggles to score goals.
After a win (and clean sheet) at Hull and comeback point at Liverpool the Foxes will be high on confidence, and if Wasilewski can blunt out Benteke and co then they will be feeling even better about themselves.
MIDFIELDER: Jordan Henderson – £6.0m (Away v Sunderland)
All the talk may be about another Liverpool midfielder at the moment, but with the next five months effectively being preparation to become the club’s captain, Jordan Henderson will have to assume an even greater responsibility in the Reds side.
He’s already one of Brendan Rodgers’ main men, and as he visits former club Sunderland in Saturday’s early kick-off he’ll be eager to prove why, and to add to his two goals and six assists so far this season.
FORWARD: Harry Kane – £5.6m (Away v Crystal Palace)
He’s the talk of the Premier League after his New Year’s Day heroics against Chelsea, and Tottenham’s Harry Kane has quickly become one of those Fantasy players that you really can’t be without.
The forward’s price and ownership percentage continue to rise, and there’s every chance that his goal count will too as Spurs go to Crystal Palace on Saturday evening.
THE OUTSIDER: Olivier Giroud – £8.2m (Home v Stoke)
No doubt desperate to make up for his red card against QPR on Boxing Day, Olivier Giroud is ready to return from suspension for Arsenal as they host Stoke on Sunday, and the Frenchman can make a positive impact this time around.
These are sort of fixtures which Giroud cleans up in, and if you can afford it then he could be worth a gamble this week.
THE CAPTAIN: Eden Hazard – £10.7m (Home v Newcastle)
Make no mistake, the dramatic reversal at Tottenham really wasn’t in the script for Chelsea and Jose Mourinho, and thee Portuguese will be plotting his side’s recovery against Newcastle at Stamford Bridge.
Eden Hazard sat out the Watford fixture in the FA Cup but he’ll return here, and is likely to be the main man for the hosts yet again in a fixture he scored a hat-trick in last season.
Liverpool’s Adam Lallana & The 5 #FPL Players You MUST Pick For GW20
You can read the GW18/19 Review HERE
Gameweek 20
DEFENDER: Ron Vlaar – £4.4m (Home v Crystal Palace)
‘Concrete Ron’ has returned to the Aston Villa side for the last three matches, and Paul Lambert’s men have only conceded twice in those games as a result.
The Dutchman picked up the full three bonus points in the Sunderland game last time out, and at home to a struggling Crystal Palace on New Year’s Day he could well do the same again.
MIDFIELDER: Adam Lallana – £8.3m (Home v Leicester)
We highlighted Adam Lallana’s growing influence on this Liverpool team last week, and he underlined that with two goals and a fantastic performance in Monday night’s win over Swansea.
Leicester are the next visitors to Anfield and on the form they’ve shown recently then you’d expect the hosts to have more chances to try and climb the table, and their summer signing will be central to everything they do.
FORWARD: Danny Welbeck – £7.1m (Away v Southampton)
Update 30/12 – Ed… Welbeck is now an injury risk for the New Year’s Day fixture
An away game against Southampton isn’t the easiest fixture for any side in the Premier League, but the loss of the suspended Morgan Schneiderlin might just play into Arsenal’s hands ahead of their trip to St Mary’s.
Another suspension – that of Olivier Giroud – means that Danny Welbeck will play in a central role for the Gunners, and as he showed in the defeat of West Ham he can be pretty effective from there.
THE OUTSIDER: Stevan Jovetic – £7.8m (Home v Sunderland)
With Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko still out and the James Milner false 9 experiment not exactly working against Burnley, Manuel Pellegrini must be tempted to start with Stevan Jovetic at home to Sunderland.
The Montenegrin got half an hour in the Burnley game and scored in the win over Sunderland at the Stadium of Light earlier this month. City need a result after their disastrous draw on Sunday, and he can provide it for them.
THE CAPTAIN: Charlie Austin – £6.3m (Home v Swansea)
In the mood for a bit of a gamble?
Injuries and difficult fixtures for the usual suspects mean that it could be time to roll the dice, and after failing to fire against Crystal Palace then a home game against Swansea could be the perfect chance for Charlie Austin to bounce back.
It would be a brave choice, but it might well be a weekend when brave choices are needed.
@Mark_Jones86
You can read the GW18/19 Review HERE
QPR’s Charlie Austin & The 5 #FPL Players You MUST Pick For GW19
Gameweek 19
DEFENDER: Erik Pieters – £4.6m (Home v West Brom)
The Dutch left-back Erik Pieters has been a quietly effective force at Stoke City ever since signing in 2013, and despite the inconsistent form of the team he’s still managed to impress pretty much everyone at the Britannia Stadium.
A home clash with West Brom is just the sort of game that Mark Hughes’ side need to be winning if they are to make their way back towards a top-half finish, and Pieters can help with that.
MIDFIELDER: David Silva – £8.9m (Home v Burnley)
Not always the most consistent of goalscorers, David Silva did nonetheless find the net twice in the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace in Manchester City’s last home game.
In the continued absence of Sergio Aguero he’s being asked to get into more and more dangerous positions, and although Manuel Pellegrini is managing him carefully as he seeks to recover from damaging injuries, he is still as important as ever.
FORWARD: Charlie Austin – £6.0m (Home v Crystal Palace)
Remember QPR’s crazy 3-2 defeat to Liverpool in mid-October? Well that was the last Loftus Road match which Charlie Austin didn’t score in.
He’s managed a stunning eight in five home matches ever since, and as Crystal Palace come calling to West London then he is sure to be a huge threat again.
THE OUTSIDER: Christian Benteke – £7.9m (Home v Sunderland)
Now back to full fitness and making a huge difference to the Aston Villa side, Christian Benteke might view the next few weeks as a chance to impress potential suitors and earn a January move.
Either way, he’ll be a vital cog in Paul lambert’s machine in the home game against Sunderland, when the hosts will expect a win to try and inject some enthusiasm into a season which has often been flagging.
THE CAPTAIN: Yaya Toure – £10.8m (Home v Burnley)
It took him a while to warm up this season, but Yaya Toure finally looks to be firing on all cylinders ahead of a very winnable home clash with Burnley for Manchester City.
Toure scored in the champions’ last home victory over Crystal Palace, and in Pellegrini’s fluid formation he’ll be asked to get forward and help out in attack, whilst he’ll also be on penalty and free-kick duty too.
@Mark_Jones86
Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla and the 5 FPL Players You MUST Pick For GW18
Gameweek 18
DEFENDER: John Terry – £6.3m (Home v West Ham)
Mr Chelsea grabbed his first league goal of the season in the win over Stoke on Monday night, and he’ll again be leading from the back when West Ham come calling to Stamford Bridge for the Boxing Day London derby.
Both the Hammers and Andy Carroll are in fine form, but you’d be foolish to back against a home win and Terry playing a key role within it.
MIDFIELDER: Santi Cazorla – £8.1m (Home v QPR)
Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla has three goals and three assists this season, but five of those moments came in his last five games to make him a man in fine form.
The Spaniard has played the full 90 minutes in nine of the Gunners’ last 10 games, becoming an increasingly important part of Arsene Wenger’s side. Team selections over the Christmas period are always tough to predict, but you have to think he’ll be a starter against QPR.
FORWARD: Olivier Giroud – £8.3m (Home v QPR)
The QPR clash is also exactly the type of game in which Olivier Giroud has been shining in for Arsenal in recent years.
The Frenchman has quickly bounced back into form following his broken leg earlier in the season, with his goal at Anfield making it three strikes in two games. More could come on Boxing Day.
THE OUTSIDER: Adam Lallana – £8.3m (Away v Burnley)
It’s been a while which any Liverpool player appeared in one of these previews, but there are a couple of signs that the Reds have begun to find their attacking form in recent weeks, and even more that Adam Lallana is central to that.
The midfielder grabbed an assist for Martin Skrtel’S late equaliser against Arsenal, and over a festive run of fixtures which gives them a chance to get back in touch with the top four, Liverpool are likely to be relying on him.
THE CAPTAIN: Diego Costa – £11.2m (Home v West Ham)
Is this a week to roll the dice or to go with the tried and tested?
Logic dictates that Diego Costa will be due a goal-filled game soon, and whilst concerns over his fitness have to remain, you can see him grabbing a couple of strikes at home to West Ham.
@Mark_Jones86
Manchester City’s Yaya Toure And The 5 FPL Players You MUST Pick This Week
Gameweek 17
DEFENDER: Aaron Cresswell – £5.5m (Home v Leicester)
West Ham left-back Aaron Cresswell’s stock has finally begun to steadily rise after we pinpointed him earlier in the season, with 2.3% of Fantasy bosses now owning him.
Trouble lies ahead in the shape of Christmas fixtures against Chelsea and Arsenal, but if you need a quick fix for this weekend then the arrival of Leicester City to Upton Park should provide Big Sam’s Hammers – for whom Cresswell has played every league minute this season – with a clean sheet.
MIDFIELDER: Ross Barkley – £6.8m (Away v Southampton)
Everton might just be making the trip to St Mary’s at the right time, as a stuttering Southampton have now suffered five defeats in a row.
Missing key midfielders Victor Wanyama and Morgan Schneiderlin, Saints will be lacking in the centre of the field, and Barkley – fresh from his wonderful goal against QPR – can take advantage of that for the visitors.
FORWARD: Andy Carroll – £7.0m (Home v Leicester)
He scored twice the last time he played at Upton Park, and Andy Carroll will now have Leicester City in his sights as he bids to keep up his side’s impressive season.
Carroll has now started all of West Ham’s last five league games, and although he has tough matches ahead this fixture against the Premier League’s current doormats should provide him with some chances.
THE OUTSIDER: Ayoze Perez – £4.8m (Home v Sunderland)
His goal in the 4-1 loss at Arsenal might not have meant too much, but it was a fourth strike in the first English season for Newcastle’s young Spanish forward Ayoze Perez, and his first since three in a row in October and November.
Perez is already well-liked on the terraces at St James’ Park, but a strike against bitter rivals Sunderland in what promises to be a fascinating derby on Sunday will see him take on hero status, and he could be worth a punt at a knockdown price.
THE CAPTAIN: Yaya Toure – £10.8m (Home v Crystal Palace)
Diego Costa scored last week but he might find opportunities hard to come by away at Stoke, and so instead we’re moving further back and picked an old Fantasy favourite.
Yaya Toure has scored in three of his last five and remains one of the first names on the Manchester City teamsheet, which will be displayed before a hugely winnable match at home to Crystal Palace early on Saturday afternoon.
Chelsea’s Eden Hazard And The 5 Players You MUST Pick This Week
Gameweek 16
DEFENDER: Anthony Reveillere – £4.5m (Home v West Ham)
Ever since he came into the team in November, the veteran former France international Anthony Reveillere has only been on a losing Sunderland side once – and that was to a Sergio Aguero-inspired Manchester City.
The 35-year-old has quietly done a good job as he’s played the full 90 minutes in each of the previous six games, helping to keep clean sheets in three of the last four. It’s a bit of a left-field choice (unless you’re one of the 0.1% of bosses who owns him) but he could be a useful addition.
MIDFIELDER: Aaron Ramsey – £8.7m (Home v Newcastle)
He’s no longer a must pick for your side, but with a goal and an assist in his last two league games – and Champions League heroics that I SWEAR happened before we decided to recommend him – there are at least some signs that Arsenal’s Welshman Aaron Ramsey is finding some form.
His strike in the defeat against Stoke was his first since scoring in the first two games of the season, and Ramsey will again be looking to get on the front foot at home to Newcastle in a match that Arsene Wenger really dare not lose.
FORWARD: Romelu Lukaku – £9.0m (Home v QPR)
What’s that? You’ve got some Aguero money burning a hole in your back pocket? Well sending some of it in the direction of Everton’s Romelu Lukaku might be the right thing to do.
You’ll have to wait until Monday night to see if your move has paid off, but with QPR proving about as useful on the road as a clapped out old Renault in the hands of a learner driver, they aren’t likely to relish the trip to Goodison Park. Lukaku could take advantage of that.
THE OUTSIDER: Christian Benteke – £7.9m (Away v West Brom)
Injury ensures that only 1.1% of Fantasy bosses own Christian Benteke at the moment, but after Aston Villa earned back-to-back wins over Crystal Palace and Leicester – matches in which he registered a goal and an assist – then that number only looks like going up.
Outstanding on his day, Benteke might actually be playing for a move away from Villa over the next few weeks, and he could make you some points as he does so.
THE CAPTAIN: Eden Hazard – £10.4m (Home v Hull)
Okay, bear with me, but has Diego Costa started looking a little tired in recent matches?
With Cesc Fabregas suspended for Chelsea’s home clash with Hull, then a lot of the creative burden will be thrust upon Eden Hazard, and points for goals and assists could flow.
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