Who would have expected Pep Guardiola’s Citizens to demolish Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool like they just did. Last season’s champions have really sent out a statement to this season’s champions about what they can expect for next season!
But even though Liverpool have been declared champions of England already, it’s great to see the hunger and passion the Reds and Manchester City have for each other whenever both teams step onto the field. Despite not much at stake this time around, the competitiveness and the winning mentality was still there for both the teams, which just makes football a whole lot better to watch and fall in love with.
The race for the top four just keeps getting more interesting, and this week the advantage goes to Manchester United and Wolves to win, as Chelsea and Leicester dropped crucial points. Due to these results, we have another fascinating weekend in store for the race for European qualification.
At the other end of the table, the relegation-threatened teams have just not been able to grab hold of the points they so desperately need, which keeps the survival scrum alive and fans at the edge of the seats (air-sickness bags in hand!).
Let’s check out the players to consider for the upcoming game-week:
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Goalkeepers
Kasper Schmeichel (£5.4, Leicester vs. Crystal Palace)
Brenden Rodgers’ side has not picked up a single win since the restart, but this fixture against Crystal Palace looks to be one where they can finally pick up a “W.” The Foxes have been struggling to maintain their lead over the other contenders for European spots and cannot afford to drop points — Chelsea, Manchester United and Wolves are right on their heels. Roy Hodgson’s Palace side has not particularly been great moving forward, which makes Schmeichel and Co. good bets for a clean sheet as well.
Nick Pope (£5.0, Burnley vs. Sheffield United)
Every fantasy manager prefers to have a player who delivers points without taking up too much room in their budget, and Pope has proved to be just that in a very consistent manner. The English goalkeeper gained another clean sheet against Crystal Palace this week and could be set to grab one more. Plus, Pope is winning the race for the Golden Glove, with a total of 13 clean sheets — one more than Liverpool’s Alisson and City’s Ederson.
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Defenders
Caglar Soyuncu (£4.9, Leicester City vs. Crystal Palace)
Soyuncu is in contention to be Leicester’s player of the season alongside Jamie Vardy and Wilfred Ndidi because of his qualities at the back. He has been so dominant in his position that it’s easy to forget that he replaced Harry Maguire. Despite the Foxes’ poor performances, Soyuncu can help them rediscover defensive stability, and the match against Crystal Palace just seems to be a great chance to do that.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£5.4, Manchester United vs. Bournemouth)
Wan-Bissaka is back in the list and rightly so, with a 0.1 increase in this price-tag. Since the restart, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems to have given the green light for the full-back to race forward whenever he has a chance. The Englishmen has two assists and two clean sheets in his previous two matches, which could be a harbinger of things to come for fantasy managers. Whether bombing forward or providing solidity at the back, the promise of returns is there.
Cesar Azpilicueta (£5.9, Chelsea vs. Watford)
Chelsea’s captain has been the Blues’ best player along with Chrisitan Pulisic over the past couple of matches. The Spanish full-back grabs every chance to move forward and send in a dangerous cross looking for an assist. This pick is for attacking approach rather than hoping to get those clean sheet points; Frank Lampard’s side have displayed their weakness in the defense, especially against West Ham. Azpilicueta has two goals and five assists this season, which shows you that his attacking threat is real.
Matt Doherty (£6.4, Wolves vs. Arsenal)
Doherty has been a revelation this season. His price tag is a little higher than the rest, but that’s because of his amazing consistency. He has contributed to 10 goals and has claimed four straight clean sheets. The Gunners may have found their stride but Wolves will be looking to put pressure on them for a European spot. This fixture could be full of goals, with Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scoring for fun. Doherty’s threat going forward could buffer the pain of a lost clean sheet.
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Midfielders
Bruno Fernandes (£8.8, Manchester United vs. Bournemouth)
Let’s just talk numbers when it comes to Fernandes: The Portuguese international has five goals and three assists in his eight appearances, with seven Man of the Match awards. That just shows the influence he has brought into the Red Devils side. Since the restart, one can argue that he has been the most influential midfielder in Europe. He’s a points machine.
Christian Pulisic (£7.0, Chelsea vs. Watford)
Arguably Chelsea’s best performer in the previous three matches, he seems to have finally found a way into Frank Lampard’s starting lineup. The American star has two goals and two assists to his name since the restart and will be facing a struggling Watford. At just 7m, Pulisic is proving to be great value for fantasy managers.
Adama Traore (£5.8, Wolves vs. Arsenal)
Traore joins the list again because of his budget price tag and his high potential for points, especially against Arsenal. His lightning pace will create trouble for Mikel Arteta’s side, and he’s sure to launch cross after cross in search of the head of Raul Jimenez, who has been in scary form scoring goals.
Phil Foden (£5.2, Manchester City at Southampton)
This call is made purely on rotational basis as Pep Guardiola just has too many quality options to pick from. However, Foden has been gaining game-time since the restart and manages to contribute to goals whether by scoring them himself or providing a helper to his teammates. If you can accept the certainty of him being a substitute every now and then, then the English youngster could be an explosive fantasy producer with a bargain price tag. The performance against Liverpool speaks volumes about his quality and the praise of him being the next in line to replace the magician David Silva seems warranted.
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Forwards
Mason Greenwood (£4.4, Manchester United vs. Bournemouth)
If you need extra room in your budget, Greenwood is the pick for you! If you’re looking for a regular starter in a team that has been in-form and scoring goals, then the left-or-right-footed youngster is the one to put in your squad. Greenwood already has netted 13 goals in all competitions at the tender age of just 18. The youngster is full of confidence, hungry for goals and has his manager’s trust ahead of Daniel James which makes him a great buy at such a low price tag.
Gabriel Jesus (£9.6, Manchester City at Southampton)
We never know Pep’s plans, but despite failing to get his name on the score sheet against Liverpool, Jesus is one City player we can probably count on. It seems likely the Brazilian will start all the remaining fixtures, although there is some threat for the striker role from Raheem Sterling. Given Manchester City’s arsenal of attacking weapons, Jesus will have plenty of chances to put the ball in the net, which makes him a great player to have and to hold till the end of the season.
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What players are you picking and dropping? What are your thoughts on the weekend fixtures? Any specific player you think will be a surprise package for this week? Any early predictions for the top four chase? Hope everybody is doing well! Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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