Week 24 Premier League Injuries & Suspensions

Out: Fantasy-relevant players who have been confirmed out for the week, either through injury or suspension

Doubt: Players facing the dreaded fitness test, rotation concerns and those who are out of form/favor

In: The likeliest replacements for the Outs & Doubts or those returning from injury

Win: Fantasy player to watch / my hunch pick of the week

__________________________________________________________________________________

Arsenal

Out: Santi Cazorla, Tomas Rosicky, Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere

Doubt: Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (rotation)

In: Alexis Sanchez, Francis Coquelin,

Win: Sanchez

The obvious play here is Alexis Sanchez. The common sense approach is best to leave a week or so until he settles back in.  Facing a Saints side back in some form and on a great run of clean sheets opportunities may be limited.   Having said that Sanchez was goal scorer and assist maker in the cup making him hard to back against.

________________________________________________________________________________

Aston Villa

Out: Jordan Amavi, Adama Traore

Doubt: Gabby Agbonlahor, Leandro Bacuna, Jack Grealish, Carlos Sanchez, Gestede, Kozak, Alan Hutton

In:

Win: Cissohko

I'm really struggling to find a pick I like from them this week.  Because I have to I will take a stab at Cissohko continuing his phantom points run under Fantrax rules.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

AFC Bournemouth

Out: Tommy Elphick, Max Gradel, Tyrone Mings, Callum Wilson

Doubt:   Lewis Grabban, Junior Stanislas

In: Matt Ritchie, Benik Afobe, Joshua King,

Win:  Afobe

A flying start to his Cherries career can keep going against a Palace side not watertight.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Chelsea

Out: Radamel Falcao

Doubt: Pedro (rotation), Remy

In: Eden Hazard

Win: Diego Costa

Suddenly Costa is back playing like the player from last season.  A tough fixture but the form is there to suggest returns once more.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Crystal Palace

Out: Yannick Bolasie, Bakary Sako, Connor Wickham

Doubt: Yohan Cabaye

In: Mile Jedinak, Dwight Gayle

Win:

The Eagles are a handful but will have Yannick Bolasie out and may miss Yohan Cabaye.  The creative spark and goal scoring needs may then fall to bang in form Wilfried Zaha.  Zaha has looked sharp and a real danger.  Bournemouth's style should mean he gets the space to run into.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Everton

Out: Tyias Browning, Luke Garbutt

Doubt: Seamus Coleman, James McCarthy, Ramiro Funes Mori, Kevin Miralles

In:

Win: Romelu Lukaku

Our favourite King Troll has been at it recently.  Just 1 shot on target in 14 and no goal in 4 games.  The opponents will give him chances to end the run.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Leicester City

Out: Jeffrey Schlupp, Andrej Kramaric

Doubt: Okazaki

In: Ritchie De Laet,

Win: Jamie Vardy

Liverpool s defence is at times ok and others terrible.  With the side likely to take the game to the Foxes it will suit Leicester to play on the break.  Vardy looks fit once more and his movement, pace and the positioning of the pool CB's should give him chances to go on one more goal scoring run.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Liverpool

Out: Philippe Coutinho, Joe Gomez, Danny Ings, Dejan Lovren, Divock Origi, Martin Skrtel, Daniel Sturridge

Doubt: Christian Benteke (form)

In:

Win: Roberto Firmino

The Brazilian has been brilliant at times in recent weeks.  When you consider that during a tough period with injuries and form of others that is pretty impressive.  He has enjoyed the space he finds in away games and whilst the opposition is tough he is pools best bet this week.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Manchester City

Out: Vincent Kompany, Samir Nasri, Wilfried Bony, Eliaquim Mangala, Kevin De Bruyne, Fabian Delph

Doubt: Pablo Zabaleta (rotation)

In:  Aleksandar Kolarov,

Win: Kun

Easy pick right?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Manchester United

Out: Ashley Young, Michael Carrick, Phil Jones, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Marcos Rojo, Luke Shaw, Antonio Valencia

Doubt: Darmian

In: Juan Mata

Win: Mata

Rooney does look much more like himself in the last few games and Anthony Martial is becoming a handful but I will choose Mata in this one.

With Stoke likely to set themselves up nice and compact and United's trouble creating chances at home, it seems there will be limited chances about.  Mata finally moved to the n10 role in the cup and the side looked better for it.  I think he starts this one and perhaps key, Mata holds pen duties.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Newcastle

Out: Vurnon Anita, Papiss Cisse, Siem De Jong, Tim Krul, Cheikh Tiote

Doubt: Jack Colback, Paul Dummett,

In: Jamaal Lascelles, Henri Saivet, Andros Townsend (maybe)

Win: Jonjo Shelvey

Shelvey has looked much better after his move to the Magpies.  Maybe he has finally found his home.  Set pieces will be in his locker and he strikes well from range.  Everton are under pressure and fans are starting to question the manager.  They play great football to watch but leave their defence exposed.  I like a Newcastle goal and Jonjo will be involved somewhere in the move.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Norwich City

Out: Gary O'Neil (suspended)

Doubt: Cameron Jerome (selection)

In:

Win: Steven Naismith

The Vertonghen injury is a bigger issue than we realise just yet.  Naismith is a real live wire and live wires tend to do well under the floodlights.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Southampton

Out: Florin Gardos, Jay Rodriguez, Maarten Stekelenburg

Doubt: Graziano Pelle, Dusan Tadic (selection)

In: Charlie Austin (maybe)

Win:  Sadio Mane

Mane for one reason.  I rode the Mane train in recent weeks in the official game with no reward.  With the transfer window shut by kick off, it seems about right he picks off the Gunners on the break the week I don't have him.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Stoke City

Out: Geoff Cameron, Shay Given, Ryan Shawcross

Doubt: Marko Arnautovic,

In:  Xherdan Shaqiri

Win: Marko A

If he is fit and starts we know he causes the big teams problems.  United's defence isn't as convincing as the stats suggest and he can expose the individual errors we keep seeing.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Sunderland

Out: Younes Kaboul, Sebastian Larsson

Doubt: Jordan Pickford, Jan Kirchhoff (form)

In: N/A

Win: Patrick van Aanholt

Hard to find a pick in this one.  PVA is the most in form Sunderland player so gets the selection.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Swansea City

Out: Franck Tabanou (left club)

Doubt: Bafetimbi Gomis (selection), Kyle Naughton (rotation)

In:

Win: Gylfi Sigurdsson

Back in form and on pens.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Tottenham Hotspur

Out: Clinton N'Jie, Ryan Mason, Alex Pritchard, Vertonghen

Doubt: Heung-Min Son, Ben Davies and Kyle Walker

In:

Win: Deli Alli

Alli has been the standout in away games and nobody has yet figured out the best way to deal with him.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Watford FC

Out: Alessandro Diamanti (left club)

Doubt: Sebastian Prodl (selection), Valon Behrami (rotation)

In: Nordin Amrabat (maybe)

Win: Odion Ighalo

Whilst Chelsea have been better on the ball they continue to leak chances the other end.  Ighalo will be a handful for them once more.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

West Bromwich Albion

Out: James Morrison

Doubt: Jonas Olsson, Chris Brunt, Darren Fletcher

In: Stephane Sessegnon

Win: Jonny Evans

Evans has racked up the fantasy points since his move.  He can do so again and may add a home clean sheet.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

West Ham United

Out: Manuel Lanzini, Diafra Sakho, Andy Carroll, Mauro Zarate

Doubt: James Tomkins, James Collins and Michael Antonio (rotation)

In: Sam Byram (maybe), Victor Moses,

Win: Dimitri Payet

Payet is the easy pick but any defender, the keeper and any attacker could get you decent points in this one.

Stall