We’re going to go ahead and presume that you’re aware that the FA Cup semi-finals are on this weekend so we’re in for a reduced fixture list in the Premier League.
Taking into consideration that players like Alexis Sanchez, Raheem Sterling and Philippe Coutinho are no good to you this weekend, we’re going to go right ahead and focus on glamour ties like Crystal Palace v West Brom.
Three players to sign
Seamus Coleman
Fixture:Â Everton v Burnley
Price: 6.8m
Selected by: 5.5%
It’s not like we’re breaking any fresh ground by saying that Seamus Coleman is a talented player but we think that now is the perfect time to bring him into your team.
It was always risky having an Everton defender in your team when the Toffees were still in Europe but now that Roberto Martinez has just the Premier League to focus on, you’d expect some proper Everton performances in the remaining six fixtures.
Apart from Manchester United next week, all of Everton’s remaining games are very winnable. They’ve got Villa, Sunderland and West Ham in the coming month so goal threats will not be overly present.
Seamus Coleman is undoubtedly Everton’s best player and has been in great form of late, picking up 27 points over the last four gameweeks and he can flourish against a Burnley side that haven’t found the net in their last three outings.
David Silva
Fixture:Â Man City v West Ham
Price: 9.8m
Selected by: 25.9%
“A Manchester City player?” I hear you dismiss. “After their drubbing against Manchester United?”
Well firstly, shut up. And secondly, there is probably no better side than West Ham for City for City to get their title challenge back on track.
Big Sam’s men have nothing really to play for in the remaining six games and have been in terrible form since Christmas, with just two wins in 2015.
Add to that that they haven’t won at the Etihad since 2006 and you’d expect a long afternoon for the Hammers against a City side who will not want to wave the white flag on their run-in just yet.
David Silva is just the man who can exploit tired West Ham legs and the Spaniard hasn’t gone three games without a goal since January so expect him to get back onto the scoresheet this weekend.
Toby Alderweireld
Fixture: Stoke v Southampton
Price: 4.8m
Selected by: 2.7%
If you like goals, this may not be the game for you to watch but Stoke v Southampton is a dream come true for Fantasy Football players who can avail of the fact that the Premier League’s meanest defence (Saints) are taking on the lowest scorers in the top half of the table (Stoke).
We’re expecting a drab 0-0 on Saturday afternoon but you know what drab scoreless draws get you. That’s right, raucous celebrations from Fantasy Football players with defenders in their team.
Toby Alderweireld is coming off a gameweek in which he earned nine points and he can add to that against a Stoke side that, like West Ham above, have very little to play for.
Alderweireld is a lot cheaper than big-name defenders like John Terry (6.8m), Leighton Baines (7.0m) and even teammate Nathaniel Clyne (6.2m) so snatch him up now to get the edge on the 97% of players without the on-loan Atletico Madrid man.
Three players to sell
Jonathan WaltersÂ
Fixture: Stoke v Southampton
Price: 5.1m
Selected by: 3.1%
We never like to say goodbye to an Irish international in our Fantasy Football team so we’re going to call this a “see you later” rather than a “get the f**k out of my side.”
Jon Walters has had a dream season in all honesty. With 10 goals in 30 games in all competitions, he is enjoying his best campaign in the Premier League in terms of goals to games.
Having said that, for our above rationale around bringing in Toby Alderweireld, we may have to give Jon a rest for a week. We don’t see Stoke scoring too many on Saturday and, with Walters having failed to find the net in his last eight appearances, we’re not full of faith that he will breach the Saints defence that has conceded just 22 times this season.
Loic Remy
Fixture: Chelsea v Manchester United
Price: 7.2m
Selected by: 3.8%
Our reasons for giving Loic Remy the boot are twofold. Firstly, the Frenchman isn’t 100% fit since sustaining a minor calf injury in training so why risk Mourinho starting him on the bench, letting all your fantasy football rivals pass you by.
Secondly, with the tactical brain of the Blues boss, it would come as something of a surprise if Chelsea were to go all out against Man United in Saturday’s late kick-off.
We wouldn’t be at all shocked to see a replay of that dire encounter at the start of last season when both sides played out an uneventful-0 draw.
Chelsea know that a point will be enough to keep them out of any immediate danger from Arsenal or United so may even start with no recognised striker, like they did at Old Trafford last season.
Joleon Lescott
Fixture: Crystal Palace v West Brom
Price: 5.1m
Selected by: 3.8%
You know that the Premier League has gone topsy-turvy when Tony Pulis is struggling to get clean sheets out of his side.
It looked to be a classic Pulis appointment when West Brom shipped him in to shore things up at the back and the Welshman organised his defence to the point where they recorded six clean sheets in his first seven Premier League games at the helm.
But that organisation has abandoned the baggies in the last month and they’ve shipped a whopping 10 goals in their last three matches so we’re getting rid of West Brom defenders quicker than a Steven Gerrard half-time appearance and Joleon Lescott is the fall guy this week.
