England's newest saviour may have bagged a hat-trick against Leicester City last weekend before scoring with his second touch of the game in his England debut against Lithuania at Wembley but it was one of countries old guards who stole the footballing headlines by getting sent off with just his second tackle of what could prove to be a champions league decider.
You had to respect Gerrard's post match apology, but after letting the Premier League title slip through his hands last season � mind the pun � last week's loss against Manchester United could ensure he may be seeing his soon to be former club miss out on the Champions League football.
There's been talk in the recent weeks of Arsenal's chances of winning the title following Chelsea's poor run of form. The International break leaves many journalists with little to talk about so we'll give them the benefit of the doubt but if they are serious, and if they do believe Arsenal could possibly mount a challenge, then Liverpool this weekend � a potential warm-up for the expected F.A. Cup final � will be their first of a few tests in the next couple of months.
Another double Gameweek also graces the Fantasy Premier League world this weekend with Aston Villa and QPR playing twice, so strikers Christian Benteke and Charlie Austin will likely get a look in for many managers.
Goalkeepers [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] Cast your memory back just a few weeks and you'll remember the weekly struggle we had deciding between Ben Foster and Fraser Forster, read that carefully! Southampton boasted the best defensive record in the league, meanwhile Tony Pulis was tactically building a impenetrable wall in front of the Baggies goal which only Nicklas Bendtner in his Arsenal glory days could have knocked down. Fantasy football is known to be a fast moving and rapidly changing game. Four weeks down the line we find ourselves weighing up Southampton and West Brom goalkeepers once again, but this time around it's their stand-in keepers Boaz Myhill and Kelvin Davis who take the spotlight. [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] It's the Baggies keeper who once again takes our gloves due to a slightly more appealing fixture at home to QPR. We fancy Boaz Myhill to keep Charlie Austin at bay, much to the frustration of the many managers who're captaining him with the double Gameweek looming. Despite conceding 3 last weekend to Manchester City he still managed to tally up an impressive score by pulling out 13 saves. Kelvin Davis only makes the FPLBet bench this weekend as he faces an Everton side that have finally started to string together a few decent results. However, Southampton are no push overs at the back and with a league leading 14 clean sheets so far this season, they're going to prove much harder to break down than the Toffee's former opponents Newcastle and QPR.
Defenders [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half]Choosing defenders this weekend will prove to be a mountainous task yet again. Chelsea are leaking goals and Arsenal - who have only conceded one league goal at the at the Emirates this year - face a Liverpool side that have terrorised defences in recent weeks. With our trusted Ben Foster still side-lined we have spent long hours deliberating over the final back-line. While Everton's season hasn't brought them as much to cheer as their last the Toffee's are finding a bit of form of late, and winning their last two has helped them escape a relegation battle in the remaining games of the season. [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] Last week we spoke about Leighton Baines point potential and while he could be a good choice once more considering his set-piece duties, another Everton defender gets the nod from us. Seamus Coleman's goal scoring ability from the back has been exceptional over the last two seasons and his nine goals are the most any defender has scored in that time. Southampton will of course be a stern test for the blue side of Merseyside when they welcome them to Goodison Park, but with Saints struggling to find the back of the net Coleman could prove to be a positive addition to your match day squads. While Chelsea's defence seems frail Branislav Ivanovic continues to be a manager favourite in fantasy football. At home this weekend and with Mourinho inevitably wanting to wrap up the Premier League title as soon as possible the travelling Stoke side may struggle to net against Chelsea. Often an aerial threat going forward, Stoke will have to cope with the likes of John Terry, Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic during set pieces � arguably a difficult task where many fail � and much like our man Coleman, Ivanovic has provided a few assists and goals in recent times. Certainly an expensive addition, but one that more often than not brings home the points. [mks_col] [mks_one_half] While Southampton certainly are struggling to score there defence remains one of the most feared in the Premier League and Nathaniel Clyne, who joined up with the England squad for their recent International fixtures has often been cited by many to strengthen their defences. An assist last week for the right back will make him favourable with a lot of managers and although Everton have won their last two, they did come against struggling QPR and a Newcastle side plagued by injury. In recent times FPLBet have begun to favour a certain Kyle Naughton following his switch from Tottenham to Swansea City in January for £5m. [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] His ability to travel forward down the flank gives him opportunities to provide assist and potential goal returns and with Swansea currently residing in eighth they'll be looking for their best ever top flight finish. His side kept a clean sheet last weekend and with Hull visiting the Liberty Stadium they will be one of the favoured Premier League sides to keep another in Gameweek 31. Hull haven't won since the middle of February, and despite a valiant attempt against league leaders Chelsea a couple of weeks ago they are certainly destined to be in a relegation battle until the Premier League ends in May. Many could question a manager who decides to choose an Arsenal defender this weekend. With Brendan Rodger's Liverpool in town it's a game that screams goals, but a little known fact is that Arsenal have conceded just once in the Premier League at home since the turn of the year. Daniel Sturridge, who helped boost an already inflating ego at Anfield when he returned from injury, will be side-lined once again. Following that Steven Gerrard red card where he last no longer than a minute on the pitch against Manchester United in his last ever meeting against his old foes this Liverpool team could be vulnerable. Laurent Koscielny or Kieron Gibbs would be gambles, but they're gambles that many others wouldn't take, and could give you an edge over your opponents.
Midfielders [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half]There may have been South American fever in Manchester this summer following the signings of Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao but it seems as though the signings of the dispelled David Moyes are keeping Manchester United afloat in the top four. Juan Mata scored a brace to give United a five point gap between themselves and Liverpool and with Aston Villa in town this weekend Van Gaal will want to maintain their advantage with just a handful of games remaining. Mata seems nailed on for another start come Saturday, and with Wayne Rooney in front of him finding his knack for goal scoring, the Spaniard may just repay knee-jerk managers with a few more goals and assists.[/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] Marouane Fellaini also deserves a notable mention for anyone backing United. He's becoming a regular and pivotal starter in Van Gaals side and a goal against Tottenham in gameweek 29 could be enough to sway many managers if they'd prefer a slightly cheaper option to Mata. Three goals in four games in all competitions linked with the likes of Real Madrid and quoted by Frank Ribery as a player who would fit into Bayern Munich's side. Yes, Eden Hazard as per usual should be a player that will bring you returns this weekend. His first goal against Hull showed just how much of a talent the Belgian is and will inevitably be a shoe in to win the Premier League's player of the season award. Chelsea haven't been the side that looked as though they'd have the Premier League all but won by April in the first half of the season, but with players like Hazard, Costa and Fabregas they'll grind out results, and Hazard will almost certainly be one of the aiding factors in returning the Premier League title to the Bridge. [mks_col] [mks_one_half]Whilst we're on the subject of regulars, David Silva helped Manchester City win their third home game in succession with a goal in their 3-0 win over West Brom in Gameweek 30. Silva hasn't been mentioned in the club overhaul that's set to take place this summer, with many big names set to leave following an early Champion's League exit and what appears to be a dismal attempt at retaining their Premier League title, proving just how valuable this winger is to City's plans. City visit Crystal Palace this Monday night, in a fixture where they often come out on top, having won their last five in the Premier league against them and netting 11 goals in total in those games.[/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] Having consistently received the nod ahead of Erik Lamela in recent times and after that equaliser against the Italians on Tuesday evening we think Andros Townsend may be worth a punt. Townsend has made it public that he wants to silence his critiques that questioned his addition in the England squad, and with that in mind were hoping his form will continue right through to the end of the season. Burnley will be an opportunity to continue that silencing, and when you have a certain Harry Kane in front of you who will happily provide a few goals he may just find himself tallying up a few assists this weekend.
Strikers [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] There were two strikers last Gameweek that will have helped many in the Fantasy Premier League community shoot up their respective leagues. Harry Kane's hat-trick against Leicester took his league tally to 19, making the 21-year old the leagues joint top goal-scorer. With confidence in abundance Kane then joined the England squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier, coming off the bench and scoring within 79 seconds. Tottenham may seem an unlikely candidate to make the top four, but the ingredients of Kane and an away tie against a Burnley side who leaks goals will give many managers the impression that he can boost their points tally once again this weekend. [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] For many it may have been a toss-up between Kane and Arsenal's Oliver Giroud to wear the captain's arm-band last gameweek, and although the Frenchman came second best there can be no shame in grabbing a brace against Newcastle and moving six points above Liverpool. With Harry Kane mania still covering back pages of newspapers it seems as though Giroud's run of form has gone under the media radar somewhat, but following his recovery from a lengthy injury the 28-year old has led Arsenal's surge up the table scoring 6 goals in 5 Premier League appearances, and following Liverpool's loss to Manchester United last weekend the Gooners are now the best team on paper this side of 2015. Liverpool will be a stern task this weekend and possibly a deciding factor for the top four but without Martin Skrtel following his ‘accidental' stamp on David De Gea, Girouds task may be slightly easier. [mks_col] [mks_one_half]While Giroud and Kane are the obvious picks we believe Diego Costa may be another striker that could assist your fantasy football quest for glory this gameweek. Following a goal drought in February the Spaniard has re-found the proverbial barn door once more with two goals in as many games. His decision to miss Spain's International fixtures will give his weathering knees an extended break in time for Chelsea's tie against Stoke on Saturday. The blues may not be emulating the form they found in the first half of the season but as we all know from the Ferguson era champions are able to grind out results when it matters.[/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] Costa may be a bit of a gamble considering his inevitably high price tag, but with the most goals in the premier league he's often worth it. Wayne Rooney also deserves at least a mention. Despite that penalty miss against Liverpool which would have rubbed even more salt in scouse wounds the England captain has been netting for fun following his return to his favoured role up-front. It may not be the wisest of ideas to use QPR and Aston Villa defenders during their double gameweek but electing either Charlie Austin or Christian Benteke could prove beneficial. Benteke has three goals and an assist in three and Austin, despite a goal drought of late, has 14 goals in total during his first ever Premier League campaign. A record that has seen him hunted by German club Borussia Monchengladbach and David Moyes' Real Sociedad.
Goalkeepers [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] Cast your memory back just a few weeks and you'll remember the weekly struggle we had deciding between Ben Foster and Fraser Forster, read that carefully! Southampton boasted the best defensive record in the league, meanwhile Tony Pulis was tactically building a impenetrable wall in front of the Baggies goal which only Nicklas Bendtner in his Arsenal glory days could have knocked down. Fantasy football is known to be a fast moving and rapidly changing game. Four weeks down the line we find ourselves weighing up Southampton and West Brom goalkeepers once again, but this time around it's their stand-in keepers Boaz Myhill and Kelvin Davis who take the spotlight. [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] It's the Baggies keeper who once again takes our gloves due to a slightly more appealing fixture at home to QPR. We fancy Boaz Myhill to keep Charlie Austin at bay, much to the frustration of the many managers who're captaining him with the double Gameweek looming. Despite conceding 3 last weekend to Manchester City he still managed to tally up an impressive score by pulling out 13 saves. Kelvin Davis only makes the FPLBet bench this weekend as he faces an Everton side that have finally started to string together a few decent results. However, Southampton are no push overs at the back and with a league leading 14 clean sheets so far this season, they're going to prove much harder to break down than the Toffee's former opponents Newcastle and QPR.
Defenders [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half]Choosing defenders this weekend will prove to be a mountainous task yet again. Chelsea are leaking goals and Arsenal - who have only conceded one league goal at the at the Emirates this year - face a Liverpool side that have terrorised defences in recent weeks. With our trusted Ben Foster still side-lined we have spent long hours deliberating over the final back-line. While Everton's season hasn't brought them as much to cheer as their last the Toffee's are finding a bit of form of late, and winning their last two has helped them escape a relegation battle in the remaining games of the season. [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] Last week we spoke about Leighton Baines point potential and while he could be a good choice once more considering his set-piece duties, another Everton defender gets the nod from us. Seamus Coleman's goal scoring ability from the back has been exceptional over the last two seasons and his nine goals are the most any defender has scored in that time. Southampton will of course be a stern test for the blue side of Merseyside when they welcome them to Goodison Park, but with Saints struggling to find the back of the net Coleman could prove to be a positive addition to your match day squads. While Chelsea's defence seems frail Branislav Ivanovic continues to be a manager favourite in fantasy football. At home this weekend and with Mourinho inevitably wanting to wrap up the Premier League title as soon as possible the travelling Stoke side may struggle to net against Chelsea. Often an aerial threat going forward, Stoke will have to cope with the likes of John Terry, Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic during set pieces � arguably a difficult task where many fail � and much like our man Coleman, Ivanovic has provided a few assists and goals in recent times. Certainly an expensive addition, but one that more often than not brings home the points. [mks_col] [mks_one_half] While Southampton certainly are struggling to score there defence remains one of the most feared in the Premier League and Nathaniel Clyne, who joined up with the England squad for their recent International fixtures has often been cited by many to strengthen their defences. An assist last week for the right back will make him favourable with a lot of managers and although Everton have won their last two, they did come against struggling QPR and a Newcastle side plagued by injury. In recent times FPLBet have begun to favour a certain Kyle Naughton following his switch from Tottenham to Swansea City in January for £5m. [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] His ability to travel forward down the flank gives him opportunities to provide assist and potential goal returns and with Swansea currently residing in eighth they'll be looking for their best ever top flight finish. His side kept a clean sheet last weekend and with Hull visiting the Liberty Stadium they will be one of the favoured Premier League sides to keep another in Gameweek 31. Hull haven't won since the middle of February, and despite a valiant attempt against league leaders Chelsea a couple of weeks ago they are certainly destined to be in a relegation battle until the Premier League ends in May. Many could question a manager who decides to choose an Arsenal defender this weekend. With Brendan Rodger's Liverpool in town it's a game that screams goals, but a little known fact is that Arsenal have conceded just once in the Premier League at home since the turn of the year. Daniel Sturridge, who helped boost an already inflating ego at Anfield when he returned from injury, will be side-lined once again. Following that Steven Gerrard red card where he last no longer than a minute on the pitch against Manchester United in his last ever meeting against his old foes this Liverpool team could be vulnerable. Laurent Koscielny or Kieron Gibbs would be gambles, but they're gambles that many others wouldn't take, and could give you an edge over your opponents.
Midfielders [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half]There may have been South American fever in Manchester this summer following the signings of Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao but it seems as though the signings of the dispelled David Moyes are keeping Manchester United afloat in the top four. Juan Mata scored a brace to give United a five point gap between themselves and Liverpool and with Aston Villa in town this weekend Van Gaal will want to maintain their advantage with just a handful of games remaining. Mata seems nailed on for another start come Saturday, and with Wayne Rooney in front of him finding his knack for goal scoring, the Spaniard may just repay knee-jerk managers with a few more goals and assists.[/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] Marouane Fellaini also deserves a notable mention for anyone backing United. He's becoming a regular and pivotal starter in Van Gaals side and a goal against Tottenham in gameweek 29 could be enough to sway many managers if they'd prefer a slightly cheaper option to Mata. Three goals in four games in all competitions linked with the likes of Real Madrid and quoted by Frank Ribery as a player who would fit into Bayern Munich's side. Yes, Eden Hazard as per usual should be a player that will bring you returns this weekend. His first goal against Hull showed just how much of a talent the Belgian is and will inevitably be a shoe in to win the Premier League's player of the season award. Chelsea haven't been the side that looked as though they'd have the Premier League all but won by April in the first half of the season, but with players like Hazard, Costa and Fabregas they'll grind out results, and Hazard will almost certainly be one of the aiding factors in returning the Premier League title to the Bridge. [mks_col] [mks_one_half]Whilst we're on the subject of regulars, David Silva helped Manchester City win their third home game in succession with a goal in their 3-0 win over West Brom in Gameweek 30. Silva hasn't been mentioned in the club overhaul that's set to take place this summer, with many big names set to leave following an early Champion's League exit and what appears to be a dismal attempt at retaining their Premier League title, proving just how valuable this winger is to City's plans. City visit Crystal Palace this Monday night, in a fixture where they often come out on top, having won their last five in the Premier league against them and netting 11 goals in total in those games.[/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] Having consistently received the nod ahead of Erik Lamela in recent times and after that equaliser against the Italians on Tuesday evening we think Andros Townsend may be worth a punt. Townsend has made it public that he wants to silence his critiques that questioned his addition in the England squad, and with that in mind were hoping his form will continue right through to the end of the season. Burnley will be an opportunity to continue that silencing, and when you have a certain Harry Kane in front of you who will happily provide a few goals he may just find himself tallying up a few assists this weekend.
Strikers [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] There were two strikers last Gameweek that will have helped many in the Fantasy Premier League community shoot up their respective leagues. Harry Kane's hat-trick against Leicester took his league tally to 19, making the 21-year old the leagues joint top goal-scorer. With confidence in abundance Kane then joined the England squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier, coming off the bench and scoring within 79 seconds. Tottenham may seem an unlikely candidate to make the top four, but the ingredients of Kane and an away tie against a Burnley side who leaks goals will give many managers the impression that he can boost their points tally once again this weekend. [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] For many it may have been a toss-up between Kane and Arsenal's Oliver Giroud to wear the captain's arm-band last gameweek, and although the Frenchman came second best there can be no shame in grabbing a brace against Newcastle and moving six points above Liverpool. With Harry Kane mania still covering back pages of newspapers it seems as though Giroud's run of form has gone under the media radar somewhat, but following his recovery from a lengthy injury the 28-year old has led Arsenal's surge up the table scoring 6 goals in 5 Premier League appearances, and following Liverpool's loss to Manchester United last weekend the Gooners are now the best team on paper this side of 2015. Liverpool will be a stern task this weekend and possibly a deciding factor for the top four but without Martin Skrtel following his ‘accidental' stamp on David De Gea, Girouds task may be slightly easier. [mks_col] [mks_one_half]While Giroud and Kane are the obvious picks we believe Diego Costa may be another striker that could assist your fantasy football quest for glory this gameweek. Following a goal drought in February the Spaniard has re-found the proverbial barn door once more with two goals in as many games. His decision to miss Spain's International fixtures will give his weathering knees an extended break in time for Chelsea's tie against Stoke on Saturday. The blues may not be emulating the form they found in the first half of the season but as we all know from the Ferguson era champions are able to grind out results when it matters.[/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] Costa may be a bit of a gamble considering his inevitably high price tag, but with the most goals in the premier league he's often worth it. Wayne Rooney also deserves at least a mention. Despite that penalty miss against Liverpool which would have rubbed even more salt in scouse wounds the England captain has been netting for fun following his return to his favoured role up-front. It may not be the wisest of ideas to use QPR and Aston Villa defenders during their double gameweek but electing either Charlie Austin or Christian Benteke could prove beneficial. Benteke has three goals and an assist in three and Austin, despite a goal drought of late, has 14 goals in total during his first ever Premier League campaign. A record that has seen him hunted by German club Borussia Monchengladbach and David Moyes' Real Sociedad.
