Whether you're chasing/defending first place in your mini-league or looking to make a fortune on daily fantasy football websites, there's one decision each week that comes with unparalleled importance. If you captained Sergio Aguero last week, you'd have learned this the hard way.
In less than 24 hours a whole new weekend of Premier League football kicks off and your captaincy decisions will be locked in for yet another week. We've returned as usual to highlight who we think is worthy of your armband.
Last week we tipped Oliver Giroud to continue his prolific goalscoring form away to injury plagued Newcastle and Harry Kane to destroy foot of the table Leicester. We weren't let down with the pair smashing in 5 goals between them totalling a combined amount of 30 points.
If you're a weekly fantasy football manager then please take our Charlie Austin and Christian Benteke Fantasy Premier League tips with caution as a number of the fantasy football betting websites don't include the double Gameweek.
Harry Kane vs. Burnley (A) [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half]If you wisely placed your trust in Harry Kane a fortnight ago then you're sure to have reaped the rewards. Three goals against Leicester took his tally to 19 for the season, joining the prolific Diego Costa as the league's joint top goal scorer. The 21-year-old striker is brimming with confidence after scoring his first International goal with just his second touch of the game in England's Euro Qualifier vs Lithuania. Tottenham will travel to Burnley this Sunday and with Sean Dyche's men leaking goals, the Hurrikane will look to surpass Costa as the league's top goal scorer and give Tottenham an outside chance of making the Champions League.[/mks_one_half] [/mks_col]
Charlie Austin vs. WBA (A), Villa (A) [mks_col] [mks_one_half] This Gameweek is a crucial one for relegation bound QPR as they come up against two bottom half clubs away from home. Although we think the defensive fortress of Tony Pulis and attacking revolution of Tim Sherwood will prove too much for the R's, we're not ruling out goals. If QPR find the back of the net, Charlie Austin is going to be involved, simple as. Not to mention the little statistic that's been floating around Twitter this week highlighting that: “Austin's two highest scoring FPL Gameweeks were against Aston Villa (2 goals) and West Brom (hattrick)”. [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col]
Olivier Giroud vs. Liverpool (H) [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] If Oliver Giroud hadn't sustained an injury that kept him out for the best part of the first half of the season then there is no doubt he would be challenging Harry Kane and Diego Costa for the Golden Boot award. Despite a lengthy injury Giroud has scored 13 goals this campaign, and since his return the Frenchman has scored six goals in five games for Arsene Wenger's side, who believes his player is currently in the best form of his career. The Frenchman's form has many Gooners believing Arsenal can mount a challenge for second place, but in order to surpass Manchester City they must first overcome Liverpool this weekend. [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] With Sturridge, Gerrard and Skrtel out, and the Champions League looking unlikely following a home defeat to Manchester United, this Liverpool side will be frail and could allow Arsenal and in particular Giroud the chance to pounce.
Diego Costa vs. Stoke (H) [mks_col] [mks_one_half] It's evident that Chelsea aren't the side they were in the first half of the season. Costa's goals had been drying up and Fabregas was failing to provide opportunities as often as many pundits expected him to. The Champions League exit to PSG leaves just one competition for Mourinho to focus on, and grinding out results in recent weeks in order to reclaim the Premier league is becoming a bit of a Chelsea speciality. Costa's goal drought seems to be coming to an end with two goals in as many games. This weekend they're hosting a Stoke side who haven't won at Stamford Bridge in their last 6 visits, including a 7-0 hammering back in 2010. [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col]
Christian Benteke vs Man Utd (A), QPR (H) [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half]Double Gameweeks always offer potential for huge fantasy points and with Aston Villa playing twice and finally beginning to find the back of the net, the notion of placing your armband in the hands of Christian Benteke is certainly one to dwell over. Tim Sherwood has sparked a revolution at Aston Villa and managed to achieve what Paul Lambert thought was impossible; scoring goals. An away tie against United doesn't look like offering big returns but their visit to relegation bound QPR looks set to be a high scoring one. Benteke has three goals and an assist in his last three Premier League fixtures and will be looking to make up for the long drought his side suffered at the hands of their former manager.[/mks_one_half] [/mks_col]
Harry Kane vs. Burnley (A) [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half]If you wisely placed your trust in Harry Kane a fortnight ago then you're sure to have reaped the rewards. Three goals against Leicester took his tally to 19 for the season, joining the prolific Diego Costa as the league's joint top goal scorer. The 21-year-old striker is brimming with confidence after scoring his first International goal with just his second touch of the game in England's Euro Qualifier vs Lithuania. Tottenham will travel to Burnley this Sunday and with Sean Dyche's men leaking goals, the Hurrikane will look to surpass Costa as the league's top goal scorer and give Tottenham an outside chance of making the Champions League.[/mks_one_half] [/mks_col]
Charlie Austin vs. WBA (A), Villa (A) [mks_col] [mks_one_half] This Gameweek is a crucial one for relegation bound QPR as they come up against two bottom half clubs away from home. Although we think the defensive fortress of Tony Pulis and attacking revolution of Tim Sherwood will prove too much for the R's, we're not ruling out goals. If QPR find the back of the net, Charlie Austin is going to be involved, simple as. Not to mention the little statistic that's been floating around Twitter this week highlighting that: “Austin's two highest scoring FPL Gameweeks were against Aston Villa (2 goals) and West Brom (hattrick)”. [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col]
Olivier Giroud vs. Liverpool (H) [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] If Oliver Giroud hadn't sustained an injury that kept him out for the best part of the first half of the season then there is no doubt he would be challenging Harry Kane and Diego Costa for the Golden Boot award. Despite a lengthy injury Giroud has scored 13 goals this campaign, and since his return the Frenchman has scored six goals in five games for Arsene Wenger's side, who believes his player is currently in the best form of his career. The Frenchman's form has many Gooners believing Arsenal can mount a challenge for second place, but in order to surpass Manchester City they must first overcome Liverpool this weekend. [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col] With Sturridge, Gerrard and Skrtel out, and the Champions League looking unlikely following a home defeat to Manchester United, this Liverpool side will be frail and could allow Arsenal and in particular Giroud the chance to pounce.
Diego Costa vs. Stoke (H) [mks_col] [mks_one_half] It's evident that Chelsea aren't the side they were in the first half of the season. Costa's goals had been drying up and Fabregas was failing to provide opportunities as often as many pundits expected him to. The Champions League exit to PSG leaves just one competition for Mourinho to focus on, and grinding out results in recent weeks in order to reclaim the Premier league is becoming a bit of a Chelsea speciality. Costa's goal drought seems to be coming to an end with two goals in as many games. This weekend they're hosting a Stoke side who haven't won at Stamford Bridge in their last 6 visits, including a 7-0 hammering back in 2010. [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [/mks_col]
Christian Benteke vs Man Utd (A), QPR (H) [mks_col] [mks_one_half] [/mks_one_half] [mks_one_half]Double Gameweeks always offer potential for huge fantasy points and with Aston Villa playing twice and finally beginning to find the back of the net, the notion of placing your armband in the hands of Christian Benteke is certainly one to dwell over. Tim Sherwood has sparked a revolution at Aston Villa and managed to achieve what Paul Lambert thought was impossible; scoring goals. An away tie against United doesn't look like offering big returns but their visit to relegation bound QPR looks set to be a high scoring one. Benteke has three goals and an assist in his last three Premier League fixtures and will be looking to make up for the long drought his side suffered at the hands of their former manager.[/mks_one_half] [/mks_col]
