Gameweek 23 - Daily Fantasy Premier League Tips

Starting 11 is a new Daily Fantasy Premier League football game and app, which has become extremely popular amongst the FPL community since August 2017, as managers get to pick a brand new fantasy team each week, without the headache of managing a season-long team.

As always, this week’s picks are suitable for all fantasy football game formats and will suit most scoring systems, so we hope you find good use for them, whether you’re playing Fantasy Premier League, or daily fantasy games over at Starting 11.

If you’d like to get involved this week by challenging us, simply create your lineups for Gameweek 23 today via the FREE Apple or Android apps.

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Forwards

Safe Pick - Alvaro Morata vs Leicester (H)

Morata has received some criticism lately, after missing 5 big chances during his last 2 league games.  I personally like to look at the positives. He is continuing to get himself into those positions and with Hazard pulling the strings alongside him, more chances will come his way.

Their next opponents, Leicester, have conceded 9 goals in their last 5 league games and have only recorded 5 clean sheets all season.  I can see Morata proving his critics wrong on Saturday.

Differential - Glenn Murray vs West Brom (A)

West Brom are without their captain and, in my opinion, their best defender on Saturday.  Call it transfer rumours or call it a foot injury, his presence will be missed.

The man that can take advantage is Glenn Murray.  After scoring against Bournemouth in Gameweek 22, Murray will be looking to add to his goal tally. He will cause the Baggies problems and their win-less run may continue to persevere.

Midfielders

Safe Pick –  Heung-Min Son vs Everton H)

Often the 'forgotten man' as he is often overshadowed by Kane, Eriken and Alli.  Son has proven his importance to this Tottenham side by scoring 7 and providing 4 assists this season.

On Saturday, Spurs take on Everton who have lost both of their previous 2 games, in both of which they conceded twice.

With 2 goals and 2 assists in his last 3 games, Son gets the nod for me this week.

Differential Pick – Abdoulaye Doucoure vs Southampton (H)

With 6 goals since August, Doucoure is equal with Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane in the scoring charts.  This week Watford host Southampton, who have conceded 13 goals in their last 6 games.

With points scored on Starting 11 for passes and tackles, Doucoure is a valuable asset and could prove also to be a valuable differential for you on Saturday.

Defenders

Safe Pick – Ben Mee vs Crystal Palace (A)

Burnley's defence has suffered lately from missing personnel and by experiencing a tough fixture run.  Well, with the return of Tarkowski last week plus a trip to Crystal Palace in Gameweek 23, I am expecting us to see the return of a clean sheet with that solid Burnley defence.

Having only conceded 19 goals all season, only the league’s top 3 sides can better their defensive record.

Differential Pick – Shane Duffy vs West Brom (A)

Brighton enter their fixture with West Brom having kept 3 clean sheets in their last 5 league games.
West Brom’s poor form has taken them to second from bottom in the Premier League, equal on points with bottom club Swansea City.

With their captain’s head turned elsewhere this is the time to take advantage, I expect a Brighton win on Saturday and for them to keep a clean sheet in the process.

Goalkeepers

Safe Pick – Thibaut Courtois vs Leicester (H)

11 clean sheets this season for the Chelsea shot stopper, including 4 in his last 5 outings.  In recent weeks I have backed Leicester’s attacking players, in particular Riyad Mahrez, however we all saw the decline in the Algerian's form last time he was linked with other clubs.

With the transfer window open, I think Mahrez will have his head turned again, weakening Leicester’s attack and handing Courtois his 12th clean sheet of the season.

Differential Pick –  Adrian vs Huddersfield (A)

After an impressive run of 3 clean sheets in 3 games, West Ham have now failed to shut out their opposition in their last 4.  However, Saturday’s trip to Yorkshire gives them the ideal opportunity to tighten up at the back.

Huddersfield have only managed to score 2 goals in their last 4 games.  I expect West Ham to keep them out again.

CAPTAIN PICK

Morata will continue to get himself into the right positions, the chances will continue to be created, can the Spaniard find the back of the net this week?

Leicester have not been reliable defensively all season, even when they went on a winning run in early December, they continued to concede goals.

Sometimes you have to go with your gut and this week my gut says Morata will come good.

Whatever you decide, I hope you’ll join us this Gameweek by downloading the FREE Starting 11 app in the App Store or the Google Play Store.

Stag's Knight - Gameweek 8

The Stag surveyed the expanse of colours laid out before him. The jerseyed knights jostled for positions, snarling as they sought the upper ground and over enthusiastically celebrated their triumphs. However, The Stag required a differential.  Only a knight less than 20% of the herd would do.  Only one knight could help him vault the others over the next 3 gameweeks.  Only one knight could bring him the fabled Green Arrows.  A knight to brighten his day.

FPL's a funny old game isn't it? You spend a whole week carefully deciding on transfers, you daydream about your players scoring hat tricks and you subdue the awful possibility that the player you transferred out does well. At the end of the day it's all a bit of luck. 53 missed shots and no goals caused me to ditch Alexis before gameweek 7. You can imagine my pain as he tore Leicester's porous defence to shreds. I feared for my selection of Coutinho as Stag's Knight after he wasted multiple opportunities against Norwich for the same reason, lots of shots and no returns. Yet there he was assisting the returning prodigal son Daniel Sturridge to two goals against Villa. If there's any lesson to be taken here, it's that irrational patience is key (I don't really believe this but it has proven true this season). Does that bode well for Aguero owners? I hope so!

With Nathan Redmond, the same principle could be applied in a microcosmic way. Sure, he started the season on fire, racking up 24 points in three gameweeks for only £5.5m; after that though, things changed. A drought descended where the young Englishman failed to pull any attacking returns for three games despite his team netting 4 goals. In the ruthless world of professional football, nobody is safe and Redmond's was punished for his dip in performance, dropping from the starting line up to play West Ham. He showed real character (at risk of sounding like Brendan Rodgers) by slotting home in the 83rd minute with a low shot to put his team in a lead that was cancelled out late on.

Why then, after telling you all that Redmond was dropped for poor performances, am I telling you to pick the £5.7m, 7.7% owned midfielder? Is he even guaranteed his place in the team?

Well I'll attempt to allay your fears. Redmond didn't start the Canaries' first game this season in the 3-1 defeat to Palace but he did score a goal in his 37 minute cameo as a sub. For that, Alex Neil rewarded Redmond with a string of starts which lasted until gameweek 7. As far as evidence goes, that's as much as is available right now. As always, keeping an ear open to the manager's press conference would be worthwhile, worry not, there's no risk of price changes with Redmond.

Delving into the stats, in 500 minutes of Premier League football so far this season, Redmond's offensive averages are not to be scoffed at. He has had an average of 1.7 shots per game and gives 2.3 key passes per game. Keep in mind that with those he has returned 3 goals and an assist. He also acquired 5 bonus points in gameweeks 2 and 3.

Finally I'll run through the fixtures. Norwich entertain Leicester before travelling to Newcastle and then hosting West Brom. Leicester STILL haven't kept a clean sheet so far this season in spite of their unbelievable form. They're the sort of team that try to outscore their opponents rather than choke them out and win 1-0. It would be astounding if Norwich fail to put at least one past Kasper Schmeichel. Everyone to visit St James' Park so far the season has managed to score and Norwich have lost only once on their travels under Alex Neil. Both those facts bode well for Redmond to do himself justice. Finally the home game against Tony Pulis' men would be tough for any team. I could see this game falling to a stalemate or exploding into life, let's hope it’s the latter with gameweek 8's Stag's Knight Nathan Redmond getting on the scoresheet!

Find me, contact me, follow me @FPLStag

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