Premier League football returns to England after the international break and a spectacle of big matches have been lined up, giving Fantasy Premier League managers a lot to ponder about.
The pick of the fixtures in Gameweek 8 is undoubtedly the Monday night game that features Liverpool taking on Manchester United at Anfield. A lot of FPL managers will have their hopes riding on this mega clash of the titans.
Defending champions Leicester City have not enjoyed the best of starts to the season, and will look to turn their form around while they visit Chelsea. Elsewhere, Manchester City host Everton while Arsenal and Tottenham take on Swansea City and West Brom respectively.
Here are the Hard Tackle’s FPL tips for the weekend:
A grueling fixture list makes poor reading for Chelsea and Manchester United
Chelsea have tricky fixtures against Leicester, Manchester United, Everton, Tottenham and Manchester City in their next eight games. Also, given their dismal league position, their players are struggling to tally higher points week-in-week-out. Out of their entire crop of players, Diego Costa (10.1m) seems to be the only pickable option at the moment.
The same can be said for Manchester United. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (11.5m) showed tremendous promise in the first few weeks, but has since seen his value depreciate considerably due to sub-standard performances. The Red Devils are failing to maintain clean sheets too, as they have only managed two shutouts in seven games this season – making it a naive move to invest in a United defender.
Aguero must be picked before his price begins to surge
Sergio Aguero (13.1m) may not have enjoyed the best of returns from injury against Tottenham Hotspur, but is arguably the best striker in England’s top division and worth every penny. Most managers look to equate the cost-to-points ratio, and may see their investments yield high rewards if they decide to splurge on the Argentine striker.
The City talisman has already won nine Bonus Points in his six games played this season and has managed to find the back of the net on five occasions. Also, with the return of Kevin de Bruyne (10.6m) and the presence of a creative maestro in David Silva (8.7m) playing behind him, Aguero may be handed chances on a plate in the game against Everton.
Southampton defenders make a decent case for selection
With Cedric Soares (5.0m) and Ryan Bertrand (5.4m) officially ruled out of the weekend’s game against Burnley, Cuco Martina (4.3m) and Maya Yoshida (4.3m) are likely to take their spots.
The Saints have been decent on the defensive front this season, keeping four clean sheets in their seven matches played this season. As a matter of fact, it has been nearly 300 minutes since they last saw a goal go past their keeper. Jose Fonte (5.4m) continues to lead the form charts, and is likely to be one of the most transferred in this week.
Iwobi, Walcott provide good midfield bargains
Alex Iwobi (5.8m) and Theo Walcott (7.7m) have emerged as mainstays in Arsene Wenger’s side this season and look to enjoy more time in the Frenchman’s playing eleven.
At 5.8, Iwobi may prove to be the fifth midfielder of managers who have a penchant of investing heavily in that position. Etienne Capoue (4.8m) of Watford proved to serve that role for a number of weeks, but it is time for him to be removed.
The slightly expensive of the two options, Walcott is in fact a better pick for FPL bosses. He offers that added bit of zest compared to Iwobi and finds himself in more goal scoring chances. Also, with a favourable fixture list ahead, it is advisable to pick either of the two Arsenal wide men.
The time is right to let go of Antonio
After scoring five goals in four straight gameweeks, West Ham midfielder Michael Antonio (7.2m) began to gain a lot of popularity among FPL managers. But, since then he has failed to accumulate considerable points.
He is now owned by just 16.6 percent of managers compared to the 30 he could boast of during his purple patch. Also, with the resurgence of Son Heung-min (7.7m), fans are tending to lean towards the dependable Spurs winger.
The Hard Tackle’s Team of the Week:
Goalkeeper
Lee Grant (Stoke)
Defenders
Laurent Koscielny (Arsenal)
Gael Clichy (Manchester City)
Jose Fonte (Southampton)
Midfielders
Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal)
Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
James Milner (Liverpool)
Philippe Coutinho (Liverpool)
Forwards
Diego Costa (Chelsea)
Troy Deeney (Watford)
Romelu Lukaku (Everton)
