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Football

22nd Apr 2016

Fantasy football cheat sheet: Coming into the home straight on a wing and a prayer

Almost there

Darragh Murphy

We’re doing it. We’re picking a Leicester player who’s not Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy or N’Golo Kante.

It’s Marc Albrighton’s turn this week as we look for some danger out wide in this, another gameweek in which not all teams are playing.

After Monday night, we’ve got just the three gameweeks remaining and that means that time is running out for you to make one last dash up the leaderboard.

Here are our recommendations for this weekend.

Three players to sign

Leicester City v Chelsea - Premier League

No, this isn’t just the case of buying a cheaper player on a great team.

We think the next few games are ideal for Mr Marc Albrighton and here’s why.

With Jamie Vardy suspended, tinkerman extraordinaire Claudio Ranieri will have to fiddle with his team.

That likely means that Leonardo Ulloa will start up front and he doesn’t possess the pace to terrorise high lines the way that Vardy did.

Ranieri should have his side set out to exploit the wide areas against Swansea and whip balls into big man Ulloa. As creative as Riyad Mahrez is, Marc Albrighton has more threatening delivery into the box so we’ve gone for him this week.

Arsenal FC v Borussia Dortmund - UEFA Champions League

How very Arsenal. Their star player hits peak form just when it’s too late for them to fight for anything but a top four place.

The title race is over for them, not mathematically but definitely, and they’re back aboard the Wengerbus with fourth-spot the most probable destination.

As frustrating as it is for supporters, Fantasy Football players can clean up with Alexis Sanchez in their side for the remainder of the season as games against Sunderland, Norwich and Aston Villa are three of their final four fixtures.

Sanchez has five in his last four Premier League games so you can expect some late points from the Chilean.

Norwich City v Liverpool - Premier League

While you weren’t looking, James Milner turned into Mesut Ozil.

OK, not quite but he has popped up with quite a few assists in recent weeks.

He’s set up four goals in his last three Premier League games and loves to get to the byline and either dink the ball into the box or pull it back into the path of an onrushing teammate.

The former Newcastle winger will be relishing the chance to show what he can do against his former side and he leads the table of Premier League assists in 2016.

Get the boring bastard in.

Three players to sell

Chelsea v Crystal Palace - Premier League

Two sides with absolutely nothing to play for will come head-to-head at Dean Court this weekend and both are in conceding form.

Chelsea will still be reeling after their mauling at the hands of Manchester City last week and Bournemouth may not cause quite the damage that Sergio Aguero did but they should be able to exploit a Blues defence devoid of confidence.

Callum Wilson is a threat on any day and he’ll be hoping to contribute to the Cherries now that he’s returning to full fitness.

Far too many people have Azpilicueta selected for what he brings to the Chelsea defence and the fact that they’ve only kept one Premier League clean sheet in their last nine games has us wondering why the hell he keeps getting picked.

Everton v Aston Villa - Premier League

Everton, in their bid to play beautiful football, are playing shit football.

Luckily, this week their play-it-out-from-the-back, giving-away-possession, ruining-Roberto-Martinez’s-life style of play is going to be put into action in the FA Cup so they can’t hinder your FF team.

We’d recommend ditching Barkley and bringing one of the very talented wingers above into your side in his place.

Manchester United v Sunderland - Premier League

Anthony Martial, like Ross Barkley, will be busy trying to conjure up some cup magic this week but, unlike Barkley, his side are actually winning some games.

The only reason that we’re giving Mr Martial a break is due to the fact that he can’t provide any points this week and, upon his return to Premier League action, he’s up against the mighty Foxes who bloody love a 1-0 victory.

The pricey Frenchman will be coming back in for gameweek 37 when Manchester United can clean up during a double gameweek against Norwich and West Ham but, for now, it’s time to give him a hard-earned rest.

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