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No time to settle before we head straight into the midweek team news.
Out: Mathieu Debuchy, Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta
Doubt: Per Mertesacker (form), Aaron Ramsey,
In: Theo Walcott (very maybe), Gabriel Paulista, Danny Welbeck
Win: Santi Cazorla
With Sanchez looking flat, Santi is the Arsenal player in a single game that can get you the points you would like for a double gamer. Very few will have him so if you want a huge gamble with some logic attached to the pick, here you go.
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Out: Form and confidence
Doubt: Nathan Baker, Alan Hutton, Philippe Senderos, Aly Cissokho, Ron Vlaar, Joses Okore (if Vlaar is back)
In: Charles Gill
Win: Christian Benteke
In a week where nobody has him big Ben can stake his case to the Troll King crown by putting a FA Cup distracted WBA side to the sword. Don't be surprised to see him doing so with a brace just to rub the salt in.
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Out: Dean Marney, Matt Taylor, Kevin Long
Doubt: N/A
In: N/A
Win: Danny Ings
Great thing about Burnley is you don't have to worry about crafty team selection. On paper they will do well not to get smacked about but they drew at City and Chelsea so you never know.
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Chelsea
Out: Nemanja Matic
Doubt:
In: Oscar, Juan Cuadrado
Win: Eden Hazard
Away to West Ham doesn't look a game where you can find a Chelsea player go nuts. Hazard continues to be the best thing about the side. If its anyone then Hazard is the man and that brace is coming at some point.
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Out: Frazier Campbell, Marouane Chamakh, Yaya Sanogo, Glenn Murray
Doubt: Jordon Mutch
In: Dwight Gayle
Win: Mile Jedinak
Tough fixtures needs a tough player. Jedi will likely rack up double figures but will he get the penalty to take him 20+? *note he now faces an FA charge so may miss this one. If so old Favourite Jason Puncheon gets the nod.
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Out: Aiden McGeady, Christian Atsu, Bryan Oviedo
Doubt: Mohamed Besic, Leighton Baines
In: Darron Gibson , Luke Garbutt
Win: Romelu Lukaku
Same logic as Benteke but he is not the price to risk him. However, if he is ever going to score a brace this will be the week so we can all moan about it.
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Out: James Chester, Mohamed Diame, Liam Rosenior, Robert Snodgrass, Robbie Brady
Doubt: Nikica Jelavic,
In: Dame N'Doye
Win: Dame N'Doye
Home to Sunderland may be the most boring game this season. N'Doye will be back and has scored in his last couple homes.
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Out: Kasper Schmeichel, Luke Moore
Doubt: N/A
In: N/A
Win: Robert Huth
The big fella is due a goal and will have plenty of phantoms if he can stay on the pitch.
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Out: Lucas Leiva, Steven Gerrard, Jon Flanagan, Jordan Ibe,
Doubt: Mamadou Sakho, Adam Lallana
In: Daniel Sturridge
Win: Daniel Sturridge
Home to Burnley should have Sturridge licking his lips. He will at least score once and is a single gamer who could go double gamer points if Liverpool continue their form of Sunday. Well rested he will start and shoot on site.
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Out: Matija Nastasic
Doubt: Aleksandar Kolarov, Edin Dzeko (both rotation)
In: Gael Clichy, Wilfried Bony (maybe)
Win: Sergio Aguero
How will City react to the Liverpool defeat? While they won't give up on the league they may need to win all of their remaining games to retain their crown. Kun will probably score and due to his upcoming fixtures you must hold him, double week or not at 14m.
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Out: Robin van Persie, Michael Carrick
Doubt: Luke Shaw (amazing but he is tired, unbelievable), Di Maria
In: Ashley Young, Adnan Januzai
Win: Wayne Rooney
Rooney is back in his best position and holds free kick, pens and it seems all of the clubs hopes in attack. No pressure then.
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Out: Jack Colback (suspended), Remy Cabella, Paul Dummett, Cheikh Tiote
Doubt: Masadio Haidara,
In: Ayoze Perez
Win: Tim Krul
Man Utd have been woeful away from home. Newcastle have done the Devils a few times in the Premier League. Feels like a decent price if you held at 3m to produce the points again (hope I'm wrong on that)
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Out: Richard Dunne, Leroy Fer, Joey Barton (will miss both games), Mauricio Isla
Doubt: Niko Kranjcar
In: Sandro, Darnell Furlong,
Win: Charlie Austin
Austin is one of the few certain 2 gamers and holds pen duties as well. Problem is QPR look terrible and with an increasing injury list/no permanent manager it is hard to look at them with positive feelings. Perhaps as we all we hold Lloris we don't like
the concern that an Austin goal points are wiped out with those lost by our keeper. However an SOT is now worth 5pts and I would think we would all enjoy pointing that out when they happen.
Elsewhere Kranjcar has racked up good numbers when starting but there appears concern on his fitness. With Barton out I would imagine he steals corners and freekicks. He is tempting.
In defence expecting a clean sheet is optimistic but as they will be pinned back in both games plenty of PI BS etc are possible.
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Out: Jay Rodriguez
Doubt: Matt Targett, Filip Djuricic, James Ward-Prowse, Steven Davis (all rotation), Toby Alderweireld, Dusan Tadic,
In: Any of the above doubts
Win: Graziano Pelle
Just because he has to score sometime right?
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Out: Bojan Krkic, Ryan Shawcross, Marc Muniesa, Stephen Ireland
Doubt:
In: Charlie Adam
Win: Victor Moses
Moses burnt us last week but if you hold at 7m he remains a good single gamer pick this week against an Everton side who have given up in the league.
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Out: Billy Jones, Emmanuele Giaccherini, Adam Johnson
Doubt: Will Buckley, Danny Graham (rotation),
In: Conor Wickham
Win: Jermain Defoe
In terrible form but as I have to pick someone I will go with the little guy who punishes the weaker teams.
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Out: Kyle Bartley
Doubt: Leon Britton, Gylfi Sigurdsson
In: Jack Cork
Win: Gylfi Sigurdsson if fit
The old chestnut of the former player scoring against his old club. If fit he will concern a Spurs side with a cup final hangover.
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Out:
Doubt: Andros Townsend, Danny Rose, Eric Dior, Christian Eriksen (all rotation), Kyle Walker (injury)
In: Ben Davies, Erik Lamela, Federico Fazio, Mousa Dembele.
Win: Harry Kane
Home to Swansea and away to QPR are plumb ties. Spurs seem to be a better side away this season and we also need to wonder how the mental state of their game is. Back to back 2-0 defeats will dent confidence as will the number of games they have played. No one has played more games than Spurs this season and the manager may decide to use his squad particularly in the Swansea game.
Eriksen has played 45mins against West Ham, the full game last Thursday evening against Fiorentina and the full cup final on Sunday. Over the two games he will get at least 120mins so is still a no brainer but it is worth noting.
My Spurs mate is off on one about the past week. He predicts the normal Spurs domino effect to happen. Out of two cups in two games then blows the Champions League bid. Many years a spurs fan he fancies a hangover midweek.
The side's spine Lloris, Vertonghen, Eriksen, Kane will be in all sides and you will be bold not to pick them all up.
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Out: Graham Dorrans
Doubt: Saido Berahino, Victor Anichebe, Brown Ideye.
In: Callum McManaman, Stephane Sessegnon
Win: N/A
With the FA Cup QF days away you should avoid all picks.
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Out: Morgan Amalfitano (suspended) Andy Carroll, Carlton Cole, Modibo Maiga
Doubt:
In:
Win: Aaron Cresswell
At 1m he will be in everyone's side who holds him. A rare single gamer that can produce a double game score.
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The ultimate concern this week is picking up a Spurs/QPR player who doesn't start both fixtures or has heavily reduced playing time. With any double week I would normally pick up as many two game players as possible. The early draft looks terrible but time and again I have seen the benefit of a double gamer that on paper looks rubbish but out scores the single game option I love.
Charlie Austin v Daniel Sturridge. This match-up is my big call at this moment. I have to hold Kun/pick up Kane leaving one spot.
I love the match for Sturridge and the fact he is well rested and pool in such form I may not be able to resist. As I said above, I expect a goal minimum and can see more than that in this one.
So it's a question on Mr Austin. He has two home fixtures both derbies but plays in a
side fighting for survival. He scored last time out and has had a week further to build fitness. The crowd at QPR do drive their side on and I still have a soft spot for him after that 42pt haul earlier this season. No Barton and Fer are big blows to a shallow rangers squad. Maybe though a couple of players given a surprise start and not influenced by the bad results so far can inspire the side?
Spurs have had 2 clean sheets in 11 league games and 5 without a win in all competitions. Little fancied sides have scored well against them as well. Sheffield United 2 goals, West Ham 2, Leicester 2 (at Spurs), Sunderland 1 (at Spurs), Burnley 2 (at Spurs), and Palace 2 this year alone. Do these stats suggest an Austin over Sturridge pick?
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