As the Premier League title race enters a crucial stage, the big
players are starting to make even bigger contributions for their teams.
The perceived wisdom is that the battle at the top is now going to be
between Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea – despite what Jose
Mourinho thinks – and all three clubs have players capable of earning
them crucial points.
Take City, who go into Saturday’s game at home to Southampton off the
back of picking up four points from back-to-back away games at
Manchester United and Arsenal.
Key to earning those points was the Spanish international David Silva
(£9.4m), who shone in the 3-0 win at Old Trafford and then gave his
side the lead at the Emirates Stadium last Saturday with a close range
finish.
Although clearly one of the most gifted players in the Premier
League, Silva has often been overlooked by many from a Fantasy football
point of view due to his comparative lack of goals when stacked up
against other attacking midfielders. He’s currently in just 7.9% of
teams.
His strike at Arsenal was his sixth of the season though, and with
Manuel Pellegrini opting to play the
World Cup winner behind front man
Edin Dzeko (£6.9m) in recent weeks, Silva has found himself getting into
attacking positions more and more.
At the time of writing it isn’t clear whether Sergio Aguero (£12.0m)
will be fit to face Southampton at the Etihad Stadium this weekend, but
even if he isn’t then City shouldn’t worry and will probably field the
same team they started with in their last two games.
Silva has been a key part of those selections, and with City players
likely to be crucial to your team for the rest of the season given that
they face two double Gameweeks (the first of which comes next week) then
he could be seen as a more than useful addition.
Samir Nasri (£8.1m) and of course Yaya Toure (£10.4m) will of course
be crucial too, as City look to utilise their midfield power in their
bid for glory.
Elsewhere, City’s title challengers Liverpool head into the weekend
on top of the table and will be looking to stay there when they go to
West Ham on Sunday.
Everyone knows who the main men for the Reds are, but Jordan
Henderson (£6.5m) continues to impress and grabbed a goal against
Tottenham, whilst Glen Johnson (£5.7m) has picked up two assists in his
last three games and registered 11 points in that 4-0 win over Spurs.
Chelsea’s Andre Schurrle (£6.9m) should start at home to Stoke,
against whom he scored twice earlier in the season, whilst arguably the
match of the weekend sees fifth-placed Everton host an Arsenal side
they’ve got their eye on overtaking and reaching the Champions League
ahead of.
A tight clash is expected, but Gerard Deulofeu (£5.4m) has now
started four of Everton’s last five games in the league, and after
scoring in the 1-1 draw with Arsenal in December he’ll be determined to
give home fans something else to shout about before he returns to
Barcelona in the summer.
One player who could also be on the move at the end of the season is Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke
(£8.7m), and after he had a day to forget at Manchester United he could
take out his frustrations on a Fulham side who now seem destined for
the drop.
Juan Mata (£9.2m) managed his first goal for
Manchester United in that 4-1 win over Villa last weekend, and he’ll be
worth keeping an eye on as the Red Devils go to a Newcastle side who
seem to have mentally switched off for the season already, whilst
although they had that day to forget at Anfield last weekend, Tottenham
should get a result at home to Sunderland on Monday when Nacer Chadli
(£6.8m) may continue in his advanced midfield role.
The Belgian international would be a huge gamble for your team, with
Christian Eriksen (£6.5m) perhaps a safer and cheaper option.
