We tip one goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and striker each from the Barclay’s Premier League to help you boost your Fantasy Premier League points.
We head into week 10 of the Premier League action, which encompasses some nail-biting action that could shift the league table on several areas. The clash between Liverpool and Newcastle will be an interesting one, as the Magpies are slowly improving their form, while the Reds themselves are struggling to maintain consistency.
The obvious highlight of the week has to be the Manchester derby, which could either see both sides cancelling out each other, or it could even end up being a high scoring game. Beyond that, Sunderland, Burnley and QPR still find themselves rooted to the bottom of the table, which makes matches involving them a tad more interesting.
Taking all of this into considerations, here are your picks for Week 10!
Goalkeeper: Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal) vs Burnley at home
This one is a bit of a no brainer, considering Burnley plain stats in the league thus far. They have only notched up four points, and have scored a total of five goals this season, which is a shambolic return from the first 9 games in the league. This weekend, they travel to the Emirates, to take on an Arsenal side that is slowly growing in confidence. And judging by their form this season, coupled with their inability to find the back of the net regularly, it’s probably a safe bet to say that Arsenal will most likely keep a clean sheet this weekend. But of course, this pick isn’t entire premised upon Szczesny, because the Polish custodian hasn’t exactly been in the form of his life. But he certainly will be adequate enough to prevent Burnley from scoring their sixth goal of the season, an amount that even Sergio Aguero has surpassed as an individual.
Defender: Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea) vs QPR at home
It’s obviously risky for Ivanovic when it comes to defensive aspects, as QPR are slowly growing as a team, particularly after their victory last weekend. But Ivanovic’s offensive capabilities are the ones to keep an eye on. Firstly, he’s extremely solid as an attacking fullback, which is an added advantage considering QPR’s weakness on the flanks. With Drogba most likely to start, crosses will be pivotal, and Mourinho will be instructing Ivanovic to push forward regularly in order to supply those quality balls for Drogba to poach onto. But beyond that, Ivanovic’s threat in dead ball situations goes without saying as well. Expect him to notch an assist or two, and perhaps even score one via a dead ball situation. If things go Mourinho’s way, then maybe even a clean sheet as well.
Midfielder: Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea) vs QPR at home
Fabregas has arguably been the best signing of the season; adapting seamlessly into Mourinho’s set-up but more importantly giving them a brand new dimension when it comes to offense. Usually with Costa upfront, Fabregas’ inch-perfect through balls are a joy to watch, but things will be slightly different this time around. Drogba will most likely spearhead their attack and he doesn’t possess the extra yard of pace that once made him the best in the business. Nonetheless, Drogba will be using his experience and upper body strength to hold the ball upfront, allowing names like Fabregas, Hazard and even Willian to push forward in search of the goal. Fabregas could see himself in a False Nine role this weekend, and should that happen, he’ll most likely grab an assist or even a goal.
Striker: Graziano Pelle (Southampton) vs Hull City away from home
The Italian forward has been absolutely sensational this season, notching up six goals in the league thus far. But most people will be inclined to drop him this weekend, as the Saints will be travelling to take on a decent Hull City at the KC Stadium. I’d say keep the faith with Pelle, as there are avenues for him to shine impeccable again. Hull have never been afraid of pushing on the offensive, sometimes they are guilty to doing that a tad too much as well (i.e. vs Arsenal, Manchester City), where they’ve scored goals but ended up conceding more. Ronald Koeman is an intelligent head coach, he has no reasons to push his boys too much this weekend. But Hull will come at them, and when they do, space could be created at the back. With Tadic supplying the pace, and Pelle being in top form at the height of the fulcrum, this could turn out to be an exciting affair for the Saints. Keep the faith in Pelle.
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