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Welcome back to FPL Player Picks! We’re back with a full complement after the Aston Villa vs Newcastle fixture was postponed last week for Covid. The famous duo of Son & Kane struck again, sinking Mikel Arteta’s struggling Gunners. Elsewhere, Manchester United came from behind again, this time to beat wasteful West Ham United 3-1. This game-week has a Friday deadline and will conclude on Sunday. We then enter the first congested week as we approach a busy festive period with mid-week games coming up.
Goalkeepers
Bernd Leno - £5.0Mil - Burnley (H)
Being in poor form, it’s rare for Arsenal assets to appear in our articles lately. Mikel Arteta’s side has still managed to keep three clean-sheets this year, blanking Manchester United and, more recently, Leeds, even down to 10 men. Arsenal may have a good CS chance against Burnley, a shy side that has scored only five goals in ten appearances.
Alex McCarthy - £4.6Mil - Sheffield United (H)
Southampton faces joint low-scoring Sheffield United, which should give McCarthy a great chance to register his 5th clean-sheet of the season. The Blades have only scored five goals in total this season, with just one in the last three matches.
Defenders
Jannik Vestergaard - £4.8Mil - Sheffield United (H)
Southampton is worth a defensive double-up this game-week, so Jannik Vestergaard makes an appearance in our player picks along with McCarthy. Vestergaard not only has the chance to bag points at the back, but he can do well at the business end of the pitch: he scored last time out, making a total of three goals this season.
Trent Alexander-Arnold - £7.2Mil - Fulham (A)
It has been a quiet season for Trent this season, with only one assist to his name, a stark contrast to his returns last year. Injury has blighted the wing-back in recent weeks, but he is fully fit again after making a substitute appearance last week (and check CL news for what he does midweek). His 13% ownership doesn’t exactly make him a differential, but this may be the lowest-owned he has been for quite some time. Fulham is surely a great chance for him to come back with a bang.
Ben Chilwell - £6.2Mil - Everton (A)
The Toffees impressed early this season, but this is a good time for Frank Lampard’s side to face them. They’ve looked a bit flat in the last couple of weeks, with a 1-1 draw against Burnley and a 1-0 loss to Leeds while missing the sharp crosses from the injured Lucas Digne. Chelsea on the other hand is looking strong, unbeaten in nine in the league and scoring well. Olivier Giroud has impressed recently, and he could be a great target for Chilwell’s crosses.
Midfielders
Mohamed Salah - £12.3Mil - Fulham (A)
Mo Salah rewarded those who stayed loyal to him after his short absence a couple of weeks back, providing a goal and assist in the 4-0 win over Wolverhampton last time out. Salah is returning well and faces strugglers Fulham. The Cottagers may have showed recent signs of improvement, but they’re still susceptible at the back and won’t be relishing a game against an in-form Salah and Liverpool.
Son Heung-min - £9.5Mil - Crystal Palace (A)
With his stunning strike in last week’s North London Derby (plus the assist for Kane), Son Heung-Min reminded us that his partnership with Kane isn’t going to quiet down anytime soon. Son looks to be moving into fine form again after a relativelty quiet period by his standards. He’s worth backing in any fixture, with Spurs in top form and lethal on the counter-attack.
James Ward-Prowse - £6.2Mil - Sheffield United (H)
He’s a player who has been in been scorer and provider in recent times. Ward-Prowse has been in strong form recently, registering a goal and two assists in his last three matches, and he has proven again how clinical he is with set-pieces. The Saints are now boosted by the return of Danny Ings (who scored on his return last week), which will provide Ward-Prowse further opportunity to register assists.
Jack Grealish - £7.7Mil - Wolves (A)
Jack Grealish has made it back into our player picks, scratched due to Aston Villa’s postponed game last time out. This hopefully means he’s raring to go and picking up where he left off (having scored last time he featured). The Villans face a Wolves side that has recently gone a bit flat, lacking bite without talisman Raúl Jiménez. Grealish is a solid long-term investment, especially with Villa holding two games in hand.
Forwards
Calum Wilson - £6.6Mil - West Brom (H)
He may have missed the last game-week, but we haven’t forgotten his fine performance back in game-week 10, scoring and assisting in the 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace. Next up for the Magpies is West Brom who conceded five goals last time out.
Olivier Giroud - £6.7Mil - Everton (A)
Differential alert! Olivier Giroud’s ownership is currently at 1.2%. Sure, Giroud is a risk, but we won’t forget his impressive four goals against Seville in the Champions league the other week, which propelled him into the Chelsea’s lineup in game-week 11. Giroud was given a rest in the Champions League this week so will hope to feature against Everton.
Patrick Bamford - £6.1Mil - West Ham (H)
Patrick Bamford scored again in the defeat to his former club Chelsea. He is tremendous value and is comfortingly consistent as an integral part of this Leeds side. He’s now on eight goals and two assists this season and doesn’t look like slowing anytime soon.
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What do you think of our picks this game-week? What transfers will you make? Do you have one eye on the festive fixtures? Please share your thoughts in the comments!
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