Gameweek 7 Preview of Fantasy Premier League, courtesy of Bet365.
There’s a cracking game to kick of this week’s action, with Tottenham Hotspur entertaining Manchester City at White Hart Lane. This one has goals written all over it – City have won the last four Premier League matches between the sides by an aggregate score of 16-2, including a 5-1 away victory in January last year. Sergio Agüero (£13.2m) has scored in each of these four fixtures, scoring half of City’s 16 goals in them. He’ll be a popular captain choice this week without a doubt. Kevin De Bruyne is worth consideration in midfield, despite his hefty £10.0m Fantasy Football price tag. He played the full 90 minutes and scored City’s consolation goal in their 2-1 defeat to West Ham in their last Premier League game, and scored again in Tuesday’s midweek Capital One Cup victory against Sunderland. With David Silva doubtful for the weekend De Bruyne could start in the number 10 role and considering Spurs’ historical defensive frailties against City goals and assists are very much a possibility for the Belgian.
Later in the day we get another chance to see Anthony Martial. The young Frenchman has been compared to Thierry Henry, and has made an explosive start to life in England with 3 goals in his first 2 Premier League games. On Sunday he was available at £8.0m, but he’s being recruited fast by Fantasy League managers and has shot up to £8.3m already this week. With his team Man United facing Sunderland’s dire defence at Old Trafford he’ll be fancied to score at least one, and is another obvious captain choice. In midfield Juan Mata has been impressive this season, scoring or assisting 4 of United’s 9 league goals so far, and at £8.6m he’s a reasonably-priced midfield option.
Just across the M62 from Manchester there’s a game between two managers under early-season pressure, with Brendan Rogers’ Liverpool hosting Tim Sherwood’s Aston Villa. Christian Benteke is likely to miss out against his former team after suffering a hamstring injury in last week’s disappointing home draw with Norwich. Danny Ings came on for Benteke in that match, scoring Liverpool’s goal, and he followed that up with another goal on Wednesday evening as Liverpool battled to a penalty shoot-out victory over Carlisle in the Capital One Cup. At just £7.1m Ings could provide a good cut-price option up front for Fantasy League managers. Villa’s captain Micah Richards has been in good form this season, and was unlucky to have a goal chalked off last week. He could cause plenty of problems for Liverpool’s defence from set pieces, and is available at £4.6m.
The evening kick-off features another manager under huge pressure. Ex-England boss Steve McClaren is yet to taste victory in the Premier League his new role at Newcastle, picking up just 2 points from 6 matches. To make matters worse, the Toon Army were dumped out of the Capital One Cup this week at home to Championship side Sheffield Wednesday. The last thing they need now is a match against the reigning champions, especially with Chelsea showing signs of improved form in their last 3 matches. The Blues have actually lost on their last 3 visits to St James’ Park, but few people would fancy this Newcastle team to make that 4. Various attacking options appeal for Chelsea, with Loic Remy (£7.1m) set to deputise for the suspended Diego Costa, Eden Hazard (£11.3m) finally looking like he’s recovering form and Pedro (£9.5m) impressing since his arrival from Barcelona.
There’s one game on Sunday and one on Monday, with neither promising much in the way of goalmouth action. Watford, with 3 clean sheets from 6 league games so far this season, face a Crystal Palace team who’ve failed to score in their last 2 league matches on Sunday, then on Monday the top 2 goalkeepers currently in Fantasy Football go head to head. Boaz Myhill (£4.6m) has 37 points after picking up 4 clean sheets in his 6 matches and Tim Howard (£5.1m) has scored 33 points from his 3 clean sheets. Definitely worth considering one of these two for your goalkeeper slot this week, as well as Watford, West Brom and Everton defenders!
Saturday
Tottenham v Manchester City
(12:45pm BT Sport 1)
Leicester v Arsenal
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Manchester United v Sunderland
Southampton v Swansea
Stoke v Bournemouth
West Ham v Norwich
Newcastle v Chelsea
(5.30pm Sky Sports 1)
Sunday
Watford v Crystal Palace
(4.00pm Sky Sports 1)
Monday
West Brom v Everton
(8.00pm Sky Sports)