The Premier League is entering the home straight.
And with no European distractions, teams can focus on producing their best domestically, right?
This week we’re advising swapping one Spanish playmaker for another and ditching two underperforming overpriced players for two bargain signings.
Three players to sign
David Silva
Fixture: Burnley v Manchester City
Price: 9.7m
Selected by: 23.8%
David Silva is having his most productive season yet in the Premier League. The Spanish playmaker has 10 goals soar and has been on fire in his recently, with four goals and two assists in his last six games.
Despite being selected by a large proportion of players, Silva represents a smart transfer for this gameweek. Manchester City visit Burnley, and, with the game against Barcelona to come on Wednesday, you’d imagine the Premier League Champions will want to quickly dispatch their opponents.
Silva is arguably the most in-form player in the league, so another assist or goal should be on the cards this weekend.
Jason Puncheon
Fixture: Crystal Palace v QPR
Price: 5.6m
Selected by: 5.5%
What does Jason Puncheon have in common with Dennis Bergkamp? You’d think not a lot, but they’re both among an elite group of players. They’ve both recorded three or more assists in a single Premier League game.
The Crystal Palace midfielder became one of only 50 players to achieve the feat when he set up all of his side’s goals in their win over West Ham and could add to his assist tally this weekend.
QPR, with the worst away record in the history of association football, (almost), visit Shelhurst Park and Palace will fancy to continue their impressive under Alan Pardew.
Puncheon, in particular, has flourished under the new Palace manager. In Pardew’s eight games, Puncheon has two goals, four assists and eight bonus points.
Craig Dawson
Fixture: West Brom v Stoke City
Price: 4.5m
Selected by: 4.0%
There’s no odds on what will be the last game on Match of the Day, but, if there were, we’d be backing West Brom v Stoke City. This doesn’t look likely to be a goal-fest, but you can use that to your advantage.
Baggies’ defender Craig Dawson, selected by just four per cent and among the cheapest defenders available, has twelve points in his last three games and represents great value.
Three players to sell
Cesc Fabregas
Fixture: Chelsea v Southampton
Price: 9.3m
Selected by: 29.6%
Remember Cesc Fabregas was an assist machine? Those were the days.
The Chelsea midfielder has 15 assists in 24 games, and each week it seemed as though a Fabregas would set up another goal. However, he has just two assists in 2015, compared to 13 in the previous 19 games.
Fabregas looks exhausted. In the game against PSG on Wednesday night, Fabregas, like most Chelsea players, had little effect on the game, but the Spaniard appeared particularly jaded.
He may rediscover his spark during Chelsea’s title run-in, but his Spanish compatriot Silva, who’s more expensive, but selected by few players, is a better bet for now.
Leighton Baines
Fixture: Everton v Newcastle
Price: 7.0m
Selected by: 14.3%
Besides the fact he’s an injury doubt, this hasn’t been a good season for Leighton Baines or the Everton defence. The left-back was once the Fantasy Football king, racking up clean sheets, assists and the odd goal, but he has just one assist in 2015, two goals and four clean sheets all season.
If you’re among the surprisingly high amount of players with Baines still in your side, ditch him.
Aaron Ramsey
Fixture: Arsenal v West Ham
Price: 8.6m
Selected by: 10.3%
Another player who was excellent last year, but has struggled this season. Ramsey started this campaign in good form, gaining 27 points in his first four games, but it’s been downhill ever since, mostly due to injuries.
The Arsenal midfielder has scored just eight points in his last 10 games, and is behind Santi Cazorla and Francis Coquelin in the pecking order for the Gunners line-up. Again, if you’re among the 10 per cent with Ramsey in your team, ditch him.
