Weekly FPL Show - Gameweek 14

Gameweek 13 Review: The Week of the Super Strikers

I title this review 'the week of the super strikers' because this gameweek it was goals galore, with goals coming from usual sources. At last, a conventional FPL gameweek, though there were stumbling blocks to avoid. We can see a shift in where the points are coming from for various reasons.

Midfielders scored considerably less than the average striker this week. It was all about strikers scoring points and less about midfielders in a season where midfielders have been consistently hitting top points. Firmino, Coutinho, Lallana, Mane and Milner are big reasons behind this season's trends, but Liverpool's goals are beginning to dry up as Klopp looks to make his team more defensively solid as they make a serious title challenge over the Christmas period, when it is impossible to play intense football every game without getting injuries. It's working. The Reds have kept clean sheets in their last 2 games despite only keeping a single shutout previously, but have only scored 2 goals in those games. Liverpool midfielders are now much weaker options. Elswhere in midfield, Eden Hazard's popularity may have peaked. The Chelsea man was in fine form going into the game with Tottenham but had little involvement and Hazard owners endured a costly blank now Hazard's price has shot up to 10.2. It was Hazard's 5th points score of 3 or below, proving he is still not always reliable.

However, Hazard's teammate Diego Costa, although didn't score, managed to assist in Chelsea's 2-1 home win to Spurs on Saturday. Costa is a much better value option if you need Chelsea cover. Costa, Ibrahimovic, Aguero and Alexis Sanchez, who is playing as an out of position (OOP) striker, came up trumps while midfielders failed to deliver. Other strikers who deserve a mention this week are Alvaro Negredo, who hit a brace past the champions, Islam Slimani, who staked a claim for a regular starting berth with a goal on Saturday in a cameo appearance, Christian Benteke, scoring and assisting in the 5-4 thriller at the Liberty, a game in which another centre forward Fernando Llorente scored a brace and made an assist after a slow start to life in South Wales. Sakho was back in the West Ham team with an equaliser at Old Trafford and Charlie Austin scored the winner vs Everton, while Callum Wilson reminded FPL managers that he is rightly the Bournemouth penalty taker.

Austin Shows Signs of Things To Come

Charlie Austin is a player to watch in the next gameweek away to a leaky Crystal Palace, playing well in the forward role alongside Nathan Redmond. Redmond's pace and trickery and Austin's positioning and aerial ability make the Saint's forward line one of the most feared in the league at the moment. Boosted from a very good win v ex-manager Koeman's Everton, Southampton's fixtures from gameweek 13 through to 25 look very promising indeed, as Austin will look to hit the goal trail. If out-playing Everton was anything to go by, Spurs is the only test in that lengthy run of games.

Even at this stage of the season with 13 gameweeks played out there are still no must-have strikers yet. The next few weekends might change that however.

by Kyle Norbury

Follow me on Twitter: @SCFCNerd

Stoke fan and fantasy football nerd

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Seb's GW13 Preview

Teams, Games and Players to Look Out For

First of all, form is a big factor when looking out for teams and potential FPL options. This means teams in and out of form must be studied. West Brom and Hull are excellent examples for GW13. The Baggies have won two matches on the trot, scoring 6 goals and conceding 1. During these matches, Matt Phillips in particular has excelled, registering a goal and assist as well as full bonus in both matches. James Morrison has also netted in consecutive matches, and Rondón has netted a goal (7 shots) and provided an assist. In comparison, Hull have conceded 11 goals at home this season in 6 matches, and have been held scoreless on three occasions. 

Secondly, history should also be considered. This GW, Manchester United vs West Ham provides an example of this. The last time West Ham beat Man U at Old Trafford was in the 2006/07 season. This means that United are unbeaten in 10 straight home matches against the Hammers, scoring 20 goals, so are therefore averaging 2 goals per home game against West Ham in the past 10 years. This brings attacking players such as Zlatan Ibrahimović and Juan Mata (6.4 points per home game this season) into account. Looking at further history to pinpoint potential star players, Anthony Martial could be set to bag the points this GW. Martial has netted 3 goals in his last 3 games against West Ham, so if he starts, he could be in line to net again this GW. History can also bring the prospects of defensive returns to the minds of FPL managers. In this ten game period spanning ten seasons, Man U have kept 6 clean sheets. As a result, Antonio Valencia and David De Gea could be set to reward FPL managers this GW.

Another area that FPL managers must look out for is teams in European competitions (Champions League and Europa League) as well as teams with upcoming mid-week games in the League Cup. Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, Leicester, Southampton and Manchester United all played matches throughout the week and fielded near full strength teams in these games. This may create some doubt for FPL managers, as players may be suffering from fatigue and needing a rest, which could bring rotation into the picture. To make it even worse, Arsenal, Southampton, and Manchester United all have EFL Cup matches mid week after this GW in addition to their European commitments. Liverpool, Hull and West Ham will also be playing in the Cup mid week. With the competition coming to the pointy end, managers may want to field stronger sides in the Cup rather than a reserve team. This could mean less minutes or even a rest for big name players. Major FPL options Kane, Agüero, De Bruyne, Ibrahimović, Sánchez, Özil and Koscielny all played 90 minutes in European games mid week, so these players must be monitored this GW.

Finally, the injuries and suspensions must be taken into account. The loss of a key player can have a negative affect on the performance of a team. At Arsenal, it was confirmed on Wednesday that Cazorla will be out indefinitely, and it is rumoured that it could be another month until he returns. This season, Arsenal have averaged 2.4 goals per game when Cazorla plays, and only 1.5 when he does not. When he is out, Wenger has turned to two very defensive minded midfielders, Elneny and Coquelin, in the double pivot which leaves the Arsenal side rather unbalanced without a deep lying playmaker to build up their play. Ramsey’s poor performance on the left wing against Manchester United may prompt Wenger to move Ramsey back to central midfield, but even still, he is not the same player as Cazorla. This is because he tends to contribute more with penetrating runs into the box rather than controlled distribution and build up play. In a similar way to Arsenal without Cazorla, Leicester will be without their chief central midfielder Danny Drinkwater after he received a three match ban for violent conduct. This may result in the Foxes lacking control in matches and having less fluent build up play and their defence not being as strongly shielded. Furthermore, Klopp revealed after his side’s 0-0 draw with Southampton that Adam Lallana could miss the next two or three games with a groin injury, which will impact the attacking potency of Liverpool, and the front three may have less service. On the defensive front, teams are also impacted by injuries and suspension. In particular, the Middlesbrough defence may be impacted by the loss of George Friend (knee – 2/3 weeks) and Daniel Ayala (ankle – late fitness test). Also, investment in the Sunderland defence such as Patrick van Aanholt or Jordan Pickford looks less appealing now due to the injury of Patty McNair (ACL – season), who had been playing out of position at defensive midfield and helped the Black Cats to consecutive wins with only 1 goal conceded. With this being said however, these injuries do boost the appeal of attacking players playing against these sides.

Potential Stand out Players

Kevin De Bruyne vs Burnley (away) - £10.8 (TSB 10.7%)

Having blanked in only 3 of his 11 matches so far this season (9 assists, 2 goals & 14 bonus points), De Bruyne is one of, if not the most consistent FPL asset. In 4 starts away from home this season, KdB has registered 12 shots (1 every 28.8mins) and 16 shot assists (1 every 21.6mins), with 1 goal and 5 assists in these 4 matches. His appeal his heightened by the recent lacklustre performances from Burnley, who have conceded 6 goals in their past two games.

Roberto Firmino vs Sunderland (home) - £8.8 (TSB 17.9%)

Playing as a centre forward, Roberto Firmino has the potential to return a massive haul at home to Sunderland. This season, he has managed 17 shots (1 every 26.1mins) and 18 shot assists (1 every 24.7mins) in his 5 home games, with 3 goals and 3 assists coming at Anfield in these 5 games. He is also averaging 8 points per home game this season. In two starts against Sunderland last season, Firmino registered 1 goal (7 shots) and 1 assist (5 shot assists) which bodes well for his owners in FPL. Also, his appeal is heightened by the attacking strength of his team, who have scored 17 goals in 5 home games this season (3.4 goals per game).

Mesut Özil vs Bournemouth (home) - £9.6 (TSB 9.0%)

Despite a poor performance last GW against Manchester United, I’m backing Özil to succeed in GW13. This season, both of Özil’s goals and subsequent double figure hauls in the PL have come at home. He also netted a hat-trick at the Emirates in the Champions League. His appeal is boosted by the fact that he has only blanked at home once in his last four appearances. Looking at Özil’s history vs Bournemouth, in two games last season he netted 2 goals and provided 2 assists, as well as creating 11 chances for his teammates. Therefore, Özil definitely has the potential to reward his owners this GW.

Punt Picks

Salomón Rondón vs Hull (away) - £6.5 (TSB 4.9%)

In five away matches this season, Rondón has registered 20 shots, at a frequency of 1 every 22.5 minutes which is very impressive. Also, 2 of his 4 goals, as well as 4 of his 5 bonus points have come away from home. Furthermore, his team is in good form, managing 6 goals in their last 2 games, and this has been without arguably their best attacker Nacer Chadli. In addition, Hull have conceded 11 goals in 6 matches at home this season and have not kept a clean sheet at the KCOM this season. Also, the Baggies have only been held scoreless away from home once this season, which bodes well for FPL managers who own West Brom attackers, in particular, Salomón Rondón.

                                               

Troy Deeney vs Stoke (home) - £7.0 (TSB 6.4%)

It’s fair to say that Deeney isn’t in very good form at the moment, having not netted a goal since GW7. However, his assist against Leicester last GW will hopefully spark a return to form for the Watford captain. Deeney has been stuck on 99 goals for the club for some time now, and he will be trying to bag a goal this GW to reach the milestone. Furthermore, his record vs Stoke is very impressive. In 2 matches against the Potters last season, Deeney netted 2 goals and registered 6 shots. 

Gylfi Sigurdsson vs Crystal Palace (home) - £7.2 (TSB 3.5%)

Sigurdsson is one that has flown under the radar of many FPL managers. Looking at his recent attacking statistics, he has been one of the strongest and most consistent options. Overall, he has registered 36 shots (3 goals) at a frequency of 1 every 27 minutes as well as 17 shots assists (3 assists). More impressively, 50% of his shots have been on target. He has also only blanked 3 times in his past 9 GWs. Sigurdsson’s appeal for GW13 is heightened by his record against Crystal Palace. In his last 2 starts against the Eagles, Siggy has scored 1 goal and provided 1 assist. In addition, he took 9 shots and created 9 chances in these two matches, which accounts for a rate of 1 attacking contribution every 10 minutes! Moreover, Palace have conceded 12 goals in their past 4 games, which increases Sigurdsson’s appeal this GW.

Score Predictions

BUR 1 (Hendrick) | MCI 3 (Aguero, De Bruyne, Otamendi)

HUL 1 (Mbokani) | WBA 2 (Dawson, Rondón)

LEI 2 (Mahrez, King) | MID 1 (Negredo)

LIV 5 (Firmino x2, Coutinho, Mané, Clyne) | SUN 1 (Defoe)

SWA 2 (Routledge, Sigurdsson) | CRY 2 (Benteke x2)

CHE 0 | TOT 0

WAT 3 (Deeney, Janmaat, Pereyra) | STK 0

ARS 4 (Özil, Sánchez, Walcott, Giroud) | BOU 0

MUN 2 (Martial, Ibrahimović) | WHU 0

SOU 2 (Boufal, Austin) | EVE 1 (Lukaku)

So, with all this being said, here is the Star Picks XI for GW13

If you have any questions about GW13 or need some advice on your team, please don’t hesitate to contact me on twitter – I’m happy to help.

For all the latest injury news, visit http://premierinjuries.com/

For all the latest team news, visit http://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/team-news/

Enjoy this week’s Premier League action and good luck to all FPL managers for GW13.

By Sebastian Candido

(Twitter: @sebcandido)

Gameweek 12 Review

A Week for the Differentials

FPL managers were left shocked, as heavy hitters such as Aguero, Lukaku, Hazard and Sanchez were unable to record any returns while many new differentials were uncovered by various interesting results throughout the weekend.

Furthermore, Chelsea continued their great form in the Premier League since the application of Conte’s brilliant 3-4-3 formation, which has seen them win 6 in a row without conceding a single goal. West Brom had a dominant performance as they scored 4 against Burnley. Liverpool faltered against a defensively solid Southampton side to allow Man City to catch up with an impressive 2-1 win against Crystal Palace and Chelsea to overtake them at the top of the Premier League.

1.      Differentials Galore

Many players who were overshadowed by the brilliant performances of heavy hitters in recent weeks flourished in a very underwhelming week for FPL managers. These players could be recruited in the future if they continue this run in form

Matt Phillips headlines these differentials. The West Brom winger has been on immense form in the last two gameweeks providing 2 goals and 2 assists. In GW12, he provided another goal and assist in West Brom’s 4-0 destruction of Burnley which resulted in a 14 point haul. This run of great form is not unfamiliar with Phillips providing 8 assists in the final 12 games in the 2014/15.

Cedric Soares is one of the greatest differentials in FPL this season. Priced at 4.9m, he is the cheapest of all the Southampton defence, which have been solid defensively in a season in which clean sheets have been scarce. Cedric returned from injury in GW12 and was able to rack up his 3^rd clean sheet in his last 4 starts in the Premier League. Cedric could be a great player to free up funds for other improvements in FPL squads.

Sigurdsson concludes the best differentials from GW12. Swansea haven’t been in the best form in their Premier League history as they sit in bottom place after 12 games. However, regardless of this terrible form, Sigurdsson has still managed to get 3 goals and 3 assists so far this season. Sigurdsson had an impressive performance in GW12 against Everton managing 1 goal and a 9-point return in an improved performance by Swansea.

2.      Chelsea continue their dominance

Chelsea are the team on hot form at the moment. Conte has been successful with the application of the 3-4-3 as Chelsea currently sit on top of the Premier League table after keeping their 6^th straight clean sheet. With the 1-0 win against Middlesbrough in GW12, Chelsea put forth an unchanged starting lineup for the 5^th consecutive game, which is the first time they do so in the Premier league era. Along with that, Conte has become the first ever Chelsea manager to win 6 consecutive games without conceding a single goal. At the core to this success are the players who have been in great form.

The players crucial to this recent success are Hazard, Costa and the entire defensive players. Hazard has played a pivotal role in the Chelsea attack, showing the form which won him the PFA Player of the Year in the 2014-15 season. However, Hazard wasn’t able to show the form of recent weeks as he was basically man-marked out of the game by a sold Middlesbrough defence. Costa has been influential in the Chelsea attack so far this season, only failing to find the back of the net in two occasions. This was no different in GW12 as Costa continued his great run of form and found the back of the net to win the game for Chelsea. The Chelsea defence have been solid with Cahill, Azpilicueta and Luiz in the form of their life. Adding to this is Marcos Alonso, the left back being utilised in Left Midfield. All of these members of the Chelsea squad have helped establish Chelsea as a force to be reckoned with this season.

Seb's Gameweek 12 Preview

Teams to look out for

Tottenham

Spurs are an interesting prospect at the moment. Form wise, they are on a poor run, without a win in 7 matches in all competitions. In this period, they only scored 4 goals, each of the four in separate games. However, Spurs had a massive boost in recent weeks, with the return of star striker Harry Kane, whose importance was apparent in his first match back, netting the equaliser against Arsenal. Despite the return of Kane though, Spurs have a long injury list at the moment, with many players ruled out or doubtful for GW12. This includes the first team regulars Lamela, Alli, Dembele, Eriksen, Alderweireld and Wanyama, which leaves massive holes for Pochettino to fill. If these players can return to full fitness and provide service to Harry Kane and sure-up the defence, Tottenham will be a formidable force over the coming weeks. If not, their poor form may continue.

Stoke

Stoke are currently is excellent form, without a loss in 6 league matches. This run has produced 10 goals as well as 2 clean sheets. This period has seen the form rise of Joe Allen, who has managed 12 shots (4 goals) and 10 shot assists (2 assists), as well as solid performances from Wilfried Bony (10 shots & 2 goals in last 3 matches), Xherdan Shaqiri (10 shots & 11 shot assists from GW6-9) and Lee Grant (20 saves) during this unbeaten run. Although injuries to Whelan & Cameron may force Allen out of his advanced role and back into his more familiar defensive midfield position, at home Stoke should have enough firepower to defeat a Bournemouth side without an away win all season. If Stoke can continue to perform well and their key players can maintain their form, both attacking and defensive options from the club are viable FPL options over the next three GWs.  

Hull

After starting the season so brightly, Hull went off the boil completely from GW3-10. However, in GW11, the Tigers managed to pull off a major upset, coming from behind to defeat Southampton    2-1.  A goal and an assist to Robert Snodgrass capped off a solid performance by Hull, and this win could signal better things to come. Although first team forwards Hernandez (groin), Diomande (suspension) and Keane (rupture ACL) are all out injured, Dieumerci Mbokani, who is a proven goal scorer in the PL (7 goals for Norwich last season), should get his chance up front. Robert Snodgrass, who has 4 goals and 1 assist this season, is central to Hull’s attacking play (18 shots, 12 shot assists & 46 crosses), and will be an important player over this period, as will Sam Clucas (36 tackles) and Michael Dawson, who netted the winner last GW vs the Saints. With 7 out of the Hull’s 10 next matches being favourable fixtures, it will be an excellent opportunity for them to move out of the drop zone and climb up the table. This will undoubtedly act as an incentive, and we may see some desperate and passionate performances from Hull, which may tempt managers to punt on players such as Dawson, Mason, Snodgrass and Mbokani over the coming weeks.

Games to look out for

Manchester United vs Arsenal

This match will be a fascinating one. Form wise, Arsenal seem in a stronger position to take the three points, having not lost a league game since GW1. Arsenal have also scored 24 goals this season, 8 more than Manchester United and have also conceded 2 less goals. Moreover, Arsenal have scored 12 goals in their past 4 away games (av. 3 per game). However, the past history of these matches suggests United may be victorious. United have only lost 1 of their last 10 matches against Arsenal, who have gone over 10 years without beating Untied at Old Trafford. Furthermore, Mourinho has never lost a PL game against Arsenal. The home team has won the past 2 match-ups between these sides, scoring 3 goals in to win the match. Additionally, there has only been 1 clean sheet in the past 5 encounters between United and Arsenal, suggesting that attacking players from either side should be viable options in GW12, but defensive options may be less sought after. As a result, Ozil (2 goals from 6 shots & 2 assists from 11 shot assists in past 3 vs United), Sanchez (2 goals from 12 shots & 11 shot assists in past 4 vs United) and even Ander Herrera (2 goals in past 2 games vs Arsenal) or Marcus Rashford (brace against Arsenal at Old Trafford last season) are all option worth considering this GW.

Interesting stat:  From the 10 penalties taken in this fixture at Old Trafford, 6 have been missed. This is more than any other game at a single venue.

Watford vs Leicester

Both teams come into this clash off the back of a shocking loss in GW11. For Watford, the 6-1 loss to Liverpool was a shocking team performance, and Leicester’s 2-1 home loss to West Brom was a shock loss at home for the reigning PL champions. Historically, Watford have never won a PL game against Leicester. However, when including Championship games, Leicester have only won 2 out of their last 8 matches against Watford at Vicarage Road. This season, Leicester have only gained 1 point away from home, and have conceded 14 goals. This is in contrast to Watford’s home form, where they haven’t lost since GW3. However, Watford currently have a long injury list, with key defensive players Gomes (knee), Prodl (groin), Cathcart (groin) and Holebas (suspended) all under injury clouds or ruled out. This may play into the hands of Leicester, who have a full complement of attacking players fit and raring to go, which means that Musa (2 goals in past 3 matches), Mahrez (11 shots & 6 shot assists in last 5 PL where he has played 60min+) and Slimani (1 goal from 7 shots & 1 assist from 3 shot assists in last three starts) should all be noteworthy options for FPL managers. It must be noted however that Leicester do have a Champions League match midweek, so we may see some rotation from Ranieri. Also, the injury to Kasper Schmeichel somewhat diminishes the appeal of Leicester defenders in this clash, especially considering Troy Deeney will be trying to net his 100th goal and Capoue is in relatively good form stats wise, registering 3 shots on target last GW and managing 2+ shots in each of Watford’s last three matches. Therefore, it is clear that this should be a game to look out for this GW.

Interesting stat:  Watford have conceded the most headed goals (8) this season. All four of Slimani’s goals for Leicester in all competitions have been headers.

Middlesbrough vs Chelsea

Many expect an in form Chelsea side to have a field day against Middlesbrough, especially given past history where Chelsea have only lost twice in their past 17 vs Boro, and are undefeated in their last 5 matchups, conceding zero goals. However, this may not necessarily be the case. Although Chelsea have been blitzing teams recently, in particular Leicester, Manchester United and Everton winning 5-0, 4-0 and 3-0, all these wins have come at home. Also, 6 of Eden Hazard’s 7 goals this season have come at Stamford Bridge, and he has blanked in 4 of his past 5 away matches. In addition, although Hazard is currently under an injury cloud which is suspected to clear before the match, leading goal scorer Costa (groin) is doubtful for the trip to Riverside Stadium. As a result, the safest options from the Chelsea side for this clash are Marcos Alonso (1 goal from 2 shots & also 3 shot assists last GW), Pedro (2 goals & 4 assists in past 4 matches), and even Matic (6 assists this season). Just as Chelsea are in great form themselves, so are Boro. In the past three GWs, Middlesbrough have faced tough opponents Manchester City and Arsenal away from home, and only conceded 1 goal in these matches, as well as keeping a CS against Bournemouth at home in between. This could bring Boro defenders such as Friend (3 bonus in past two) or Gibson into play.

Interesting stat: 5 of Middlesbrough’s last 7 goals have come from crosses. Chelsea have conceded 9 goals this season, and 5 of them have come from crosses.

Potential Stand out Players

Sergio Aguero vs Crystal Palace (away) - £13.1 (TSB 46.5%)

From his 4 away matches this season, Aguero has scored 6 goals (20 shots) and registered 1 assist (5 shot assists). As a result, he is averaging 11 points away from home this season. Historically, City have scored 9 goals in their past 2 matches against Palace, who are currently in poor form, having conceded 10 goals in their last 3 league matches. Finally, Aguero is also well rested, having been benched for both on Argentina’s matches during the international break, so he should be raring to go this GW.

Romelu Lukaku vs Swansea (home) - £9.8 (TSB 34.2%)

Lukaku is in great goal scoring touch at the moment, scoring 7 goals and registering 3 assists in his last 9 PL starts and also netting 5 goals in his last 3 starts for Belgium. In his last three home games this season, Lukaku has scored in each match and also managed 2 assists, averaging 10.7 points at home during this period. This GW, he will face a Swansea side who have conceded 21 goals this season, which is joint second most in the PL. Swansea have also conceded 3 goals per match in three of their past four games.

Nacer Chadli vs Burnley (home) - £6.4 (TSB 3.0%)

Despite a knee injury which ruled him out of last GW’s win against Leicester and still facing a late fitness test this weekend, Chadli is expected to return to the starting XI for West Brom this week at home to Burnely. The West Brom squad should be full of confidence this GW after the big win, and will be hoping to carry this form into GW12. Having conceded 127 shots in the past 5 GWs, it is fair to say that Burnley have not been defending very well. In particular, their away defending has been woeful, with 72 shots conceded in their past two away games. This definitely bodes well for Chadli and FPL managers, as Chadli is a player who has delivered 3 goals and 2 assists in three home games this season, with an average of 11 points each time he plays at The Hawthorns. Furthermore, West Brom have scored 6 goals in their past 2 matches against Burnley, and even more impressively 15 their past 5 agaisnt Burnely at The Hawthorns. As a result, it is clear that Nacer Chadli definitely has the potential to be a standout player this GW.

Punt Picks

Mesut Ozil vs Manchester United (away) - £9.6 (TSB 9.2%)

Ozil has been in great form for Arsenal this season, scoring 7 goals and registering 4 assists in 13 matches in all competitions. Recently, his away form has been quite impressive stats wise. In Ozil’s last three away games, he has managed 11 shots and 8 shot assists. These statistics are promising for FPL managers, especially considering his past form vs Manchester United (2 goals from 6 shots & 2 assists from 11 shot assists in past 3).

Robert Snodgrass vs Sunderland (away) - £5.5 (TSB 3.7%)

This is a big game for Hull, and they will no doubt come out firing at the Stadium of Light. Snodgrass is Hull’s main attacking player with 4 goals and 1 assist this season as well as 18 shots, 12 shot assists & 46 crosses. He is also on free kick and corner duty in a team which has scored the most goals from set pieces this season, which heightens his appeal. Also, in 4 games away from home this season, Snodgrass has managed 6 shots and 8 shot assists, which is reasonable given his side is sitting 18th on the ladder. Furthermore, in the past 5 matches between these sides, Hull are unbeaten, with 10 goals scored, including 5 away from home in two matches.

David Silva vs Crystal Palace (away) - £8.7 (TSB 2.3%)

Despite a lack of returns for City this season (2 assists in 10 starts), Silva’s underlying stats have been quite impressive, especially on the creative side. He has created a chance every 27.97 minutes with 31 shot assists, which ranks equal 2nd among all players. Also, he is also ranked 3rd for final third passes, which highlights how Silva is clearly central to City’s attacking play. He has also managed 14 shots this season. Looking back at Silva’s past matches against Crystal Palace, he has scored 3 goals (13 shots) and provided 1 assist (9 shot assists) in his last three matches up against The Eagles, who themselves have conceded 10 goals in their past 3 league matches. Also, his recent form for his country has been superb, with 4 goals and 3 assist in his last 6 matches for Spain, indicating his potential to both score goals and provide assists for teammates. Therefore, although Silva is not a near essential FPL asset like he used to be, his underlying statistics this season for City, as well as his form for Spain (5 goals and 3 assists in past 6 matches), suggest that he may be able to provide large hauls to FPL managers ready to punt on him.

Score Predictions

MUN 1 (Mata) | ARS 3 (Ozil, Sanchez, Giroud)

CRY 0 | MCI 4 (Aguero x2, Silva, Sterling)

EVE 3 (Lukaku x2, Barkley) | SWA 1 (Sigurdsson)

SOU 1 (Austin) | LIV 3 (Firmino, Milner, Wijnaldum)

STK 2 (Shaqiri, Bony) | BOU 0

SUN 1 (Watmore) | HUL 2 (Snodgrass, Mbokani)

WAT 2 (Deeney, Capoue) | LEI 2 (Vardy, Musa)

TOT 1 (Kane) | WHU 0

MID 0 | CHE 1 (Pedro)

WBA 1 (Chadli) | BUR 1 (Vokes)

"Star Picks XI" for GW12:

 

If you have any questions about GW12 or need some advice on your team, please don’t hesitate to contact me on twitter – I’m happy to help.

For all the latest injury news, visit http://premierinjuries.com/

For all the latest team news, visit http://www.fantasyfootballscout.co.uk/team-news/

Enjoy this week’s Premier League action and good luck to all FPL managers for GW12.

By Sebastian Candido

(Twitter: @sebcandido)

Zero Hero - Gameweek 12

ZERO HERO
0% PUNT PICK

This punt pick feature will recommend a super differential with ownership of 0.9% or less.  Hence the name "Zero Hero"!

Name: Roberto Pereyra
Team: Watford
Position: Midfielder
Price: £6.0M

Differential FPL choices can either be a wicked nightmare or a blessed dream. Often the beauty of a differential is that you have very little to lose and the chance to sky rocket your overall rank. Today, we are back with the 0% Zero Hero article – this differential isn’t just a normal differential, it’s an M&S Black Forest Gateau after a five course dinner differential. Crème de la crème!

As I’m traipsing through the depths and realms of the #FPL site, I succumb to last week’s punt, Josh King (BOU) that was excellently handpicked by our very own @FPLSailors. Obviously it came to no avail and Josh had a shocker of a game but that’s football, and I’m not sure I will have such a promising prospect for GW12 – but here goes….

The Watford midfielder Roberto Pereya (6.0m) immediately caught my eye, priced reasonably and boasting only a 0.6% TSB. Amazingly, Watford are as high as seventh in the premier league standings and have played surprisingly badly. The Argentine is a constant assist threat and can grab a goal here and there. He is commonly on free kicks and corners which is an added bonus for such a low owner percentage. Roberto has returned points in 4 GWs this season which baffles me to why nobody owns him. Deeney, Ighalo and Capoue are all out of the goals which could only mean one thing – Watford blank. Only joking, Roberto has the capabilities and I’m eagerly anticipating a return from him this coming GW. With Leicester at home coming up for GW12, I would be inclined give this differential a shot (no pun intended). Even for the next three games, in which Watford play Leicester and Stoke at home and WBA away, Pereyra could be absolute FPL GOLD.

In order to secure my Zero Hero choice, I gave Roberto a quick call and asked him “cheeky brace this weekend please pal?” He said “of course”, well at least I think that’s what he said, I don’t really understand Spanish. So think of me when you see Pereyra wielding away for his second goal of the game in celebration – good luck everyone, let’s hope we have some FPL luck on our side this time. 

Prediction (Points) : 5+ pts 

Written by @FPL_Opinion