Staff Picks: Best EPL Fantasy Fixture, Week 11

Jason - Crystal Palace v. Manchester United

Manchester United have allowed only one goal on the season at Old Trafford, but have allowed seven in five matches while on the road, losing two of those matches. However, they are traveling to a Crystal Palace side who has scored one goal from open play in their last six matches.

This match is important for Palace as they look to avoid sliding out of the top half of the table, as a loss could see them fall as far as 14th place. A win against a side like United at home would instill confidence, and United's defensive lapses on the road will give them opportunities to attack. Likewise, United will be looking to rebound from a loss against Middlesborough in the League Cup, and it will be interesting to see if Wayne Rooney gets another start. If he does, he will have to see Palace as a side against which he can try to make something happen.

Yohan Cabaye, as always, will be a threat on set pieces for the home side, and Wilifried Zaha, who played well last week and should have drawn a penalty, will be keen to impress against the side that bought him, didn't use him, and then sold him back. For the visitors, Memphis Depay will likely return, and has to be motivated to show that he should be starting all the time. Anthony Martial has shown terrific skill at the top and is always a threat to score, and the Spanish midfield duo of Ander Herrera and Juan Mata will be sneaky picks against a midfield that has struggled at times this season with technically gifted attackers.

Simon - Southampton v. AFC Bournemouth

In a week where there are a few games with comfortable home win written on them I will select Southampton v Bournemouth. The Cherries have been smashed back to back 6-1 at Manchester City and 5-1 at home to Tottenham. The injuries to key players combined with the brutal reality of the Premier League now the newness has worn off sees them in a period of difficulty.

Southampton meanwhile continue to look a solid side, tough to beat and on their day cable of causing havoc to uncertain defences. It's possible the Saints see this as an easy game and get caught out finding it tougher than expected. Further it is not normal to see any EPL side conceding 6 and 5 goals in back to back games (chance of those with a memory to make a Manchester United joke here). However, Bournemouth defending has looked so flaky the chances will be there and damage limitation is something they don't have the players to do.

Charles - Tottenham Hotspur v. Aston Villa

Just when I was looking down the fixtures and had spied Southampton vs Bournemouth, I continued to the last match and saw, ahhhhh, in form Tottenham hosting a struggling Aston Villa. This is my fantasy game of the week.

Villa is bottom of the table with only four points after 10 matches. They just removed their coach, Tim Sherwood, after he basically reloaded the team over the summer. The team has played hard, but has not jelled. Losses and play that has not been good enough have been the order of the day.

The Spurs on the other hand have added a couple of pieces, transcended a few injuries and are making a play for the Champion's League with the recent demise of Chelsa. Currently, they reside in fourth place, two points back of Leicester and have enjoyed a 4-0-2 run in their past 6 matches including a 4-1 romp over Man City.

Lloris and the defense, a clean sheet might be an almost certainty. Eric Dier is cheaply priced and playing in the midfield, having also scored twice to date. Christian Ericksen is one of the most underrated midfielders in the Premiership. Eric Lamela is surging haven recently seized a starting role. Harry Kane is coming off a hat trick, last week at Bournemouth, hmmmm, did I mention Bournemouth? So anyway, load up on the Spurs players and don't forget to add a few Southampton Saints in the mix. Cheers and good luck, whomever you should choose.

Chris - Southampton v. AFC Bournemouth

There is no shortage of appetizing fixtures this week, but I've got to go with Southampton at home against visiting Bournemouth. The visiting side is absolutely in shambles at the back, giving up 10 goals in the past two weeks; not surprisingly, its total of 22 allowed for the season is tied for most alongside Newcastle. With Artur Boruc conceding five against Tottenham and Adam Federici faring likewise versus Manchester City, Eddie Howe simply has nowhere to turn in the nets with any measure of confidence. The Citizens and Spurs are certainly talented teams, but if you wonder whether the Saints on the same level, consider the number of goals scored per game by all three teams in non-Bournemouth tilts: 2.1 for City, 1.2 for Tottenham and 1.6 for Southampton, right in the middle. Have no doubt that Sadio Mane, Graziano Pelle and Dusan Tadic will be salivating like macrobiotic dieters strolling by Sizzler.

Things get a bit trickier on the other end. The Saints have kept three clean sheets, but none in the past five games. Meanwhile, the Cherries have been shut out twice, but amazingly those were back in the opening pair of games. Judging from those trends, you would expect Bournemouth to be able to nick a goal or two, tempting you with striker Glenn Murray, midfielder Matt Ritchie and offensive-minded wing back Simon Francis. However, the Cherries have been seriously damaged by the absence of injured Callum Wilson (five goals in seven games) and the fact that they have managed a single goal in six of the past seven fixtures makes the team's string of avoiding clean sheets seem like a mirage. Instead of running with both sides' offensive players, I wouldn't feel shy about adding Southampton defenders Ryan Bertrand, Jose Fonte, Cedric Soares and/or Virgil Van Dijk, particularly given their ability to get forward.

Gavin - Manchester City v. Norwich City

There are three compelling fixtures for home teams this week, with Southampton and Tottenham looking strong favorites to dismantle their opponents on the day. However, the league leaders are hosting an exciting Canaries side that makes this fixture my favorite for fantasy investment this week, as both sides present good options. While the Norwich defense has failed to keep a clean sheet so far this season, their attack has been up to the high standard of the Premier League. The likes of Nathan Redmond, Robbie Brady and Dieumerci Mbokani have all been in excellent form this season and should get at least a few decent looks, particularly from set pieces, against the Citizens.

For the Manchester club, this seems a match suited to let the strengths of Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling shine. Wilfried Bony could be a benefactor of the space that the aforementioned midfield pair will certainly create. A home clean sheet certainly isn't out of the question here, either, as City were able to keep their cross-town neighbors in check in the Manchester derby in Week 10. Joe Hart and Aleksandar Kolarov are fantastic, if pricy, options, while Nicolas Otamendi may be a cheeky play considering his aerial threat on set pieces.