Another gameweek down, another side Ranieri-ed to within an inch of their lives.
Premier League contenders are doing their very best to serve up the title on a silver platter to Leicester with Manchester City the latest side to be savaged by the ravenous Foxes.
So terrifying are Vardy & Co. that it’s prompted us to take an Arsenal defender out of our fantasy football team this week.
A Manchester City midfielder makes way for a Chelsea one while we’re bringing two January signings into our side.
Three players to sign
We’re calling it. Chelsea are officially not going down!
As funny as that may sound, they were in genuine danger of dropping into the relegation places when Jose Mourinho attempted to burn the club to the ground.
But Guus Hiddink has steadied the ship and a couple of players who tragically forgot how to play football under Mourinho have magically found the knack once more.
One such player is Oscar who has definitely found his feet, scoring a first half hat-trick against MK Dons in the FA Cup two weeks ago.
He hasn’t been able to translate that scoring touch to Premier League goals but that has to happen sooner or later and, with Chelsea averaging two goals in their last four games against Newcastle, there should be chances for the Brazilian at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
The most underrated footballer in the Premier League? Very possibly.
The Scottish Muller gives absolutely everything he has for the cause and should really be a stalwart as your so-called “third striker” for the bargain fee over his head.
For £5m, you can’t afford not to buy Naismith who will likely poach a goal at least every second game.
The fact that he takes penalties is a massive bonus and Norwich have Chelsea coming up, the side past whom Naismith fired a hat-trick earlier this season.
Mark my words, Benik Afobe will finish this season with at least 10 Premier League goals.
The striker, signed from Wolves in January, has found the net in three of his five starts and is a handful for the strongest of defenders.
Afobe has it all. He’s strong, pacy, good in the air, can hold the ball up well and can finish. Yet less than 1% of you have gotten him on board.
Stoke are enduring an awful run of form and have lost their last three Premier League games by a scoreline of 3-0.
There are goals here for the Cherries and Benik Afobe is looking like their most reliable scorer.
Three players to sell
Leicester are going to win the league. Jamie Vardy is going to have a party. And Arsenal are going to continue to throw away title runs.
The fact that the Foxes play so well against “big” sides is no coincidence. It’s down to the fact that top teams tend to employ high lines against Leicester which is something of a suicide wish.
There are not many defenders who are capable of catching up with Jamie Vardy, who has made a habit of breaking free of every offside trap that has tried to catch him.
Arsenal could beat Leicester on Sunday but the odds of them doing so with a clean sheet are slim.
Laurent Koscielny is in the top five most expensive defenders in FF and we’re cashing in on him before the Vardy train comes barreling past him.
A full strength Manchester City side probably takes a full strength Spurs side but the injury list is looking like it’s going to cost City their third title in five years.
Both Bacary Sagna and Eliaquim Mangala are injured but that pales in comparison to the midfielders who are lining out in City’s treatment room.
Kevin de Bruyne, Samir Nasri, Jesus Navas and Fabian Delph are all out of action, with David Silva a doubt. So Yaya Toure is going to be awfully lonely in the middle of the Etihad pitch.
Spurs, meanwhile, are flying with Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli in the form of their lives.
It’s a risk but we don’t fancy Toure’s chances this weekend.
What does Georginio Wijnaldum have in common with David Beckham, Ashley Cole and Peter Crouch? They all get found out when they try playing away from home.
All nine of the Dutchman’s Premier League goals have come at St. James’ Park and Newcastle have two away games on the bounce so, odds are, he won’t be finding the net for the next fortnight.
Hiddink has finally drilled some defensive solidity into a Chelsea side that are unbeaten since he returned to Stamford Bridge.
A £7.1m pricetag and a 14.6% selection rate combine to get Wijnaldum kicked out the door.
