After the upcoming weekend, we’ll already be at the halfway point in the Premier League season. Games are coming thick and fast over the hectic winter schedule, and at this time, it can be far too easy to let your FPL team go…
We’re here to ensure that isn’t the case. Keeping on top at this point could be key to you winning your respective leagues, so here we go with our top picks for this weekend.
Three players to buy
Angelo Ogbonna – West Ham United - £4.4million
You know what, David Moyes deserves huge credit for the job he’s doing at West Ham. Angelo Ogbonna has been at the heart of a solid defence, picking up a huge 22 points over the last three weeks.
His £4.4million value is an absolute steal, and you guys know I love players with low ownership. Ogbonna has been selected by just 3.4% of managers, and as FPL managers bring him in, expect his value to rise, so get in there early!
Paul Pogba – Manchester United - £7.9million
Manchester United’s star man is back from suspension and he’ll certainly play against Leicester City this weekend. In his last Premier League outing against Arsenal, the Frenchman ran the show with two assists.
Pogba will be feeling fresh and hungry. He’ll be out to prove his doubters wrong over the next few weeks, so expect him to make a huge impact. £7.9million is relatively cheap for a top-class midfielder, so if you’re feeling risky, take a punt on him.
Wayne Rooney – Everton - £7.6million
Who’d have thought Wayne Rooney would be playing this well right now? Last season, he looked completely finished, but a move to his boyhood club seems to have reinvigorated that fire in his belly.
During Everton’s 3-1 win over Swansea, Rooney scored one and assisted two, seeing his value rise to £7.6million. They play Chelsea on Boxing Day, but after that, they’ve a couple of winnable games against West Brom and AFC Bournemouth.
"Carra, your top looked horrendous!"
"What, a bit like your hairline?!"
Three players to sell
Sead Kolasinac – Arsenal - £6.1million
I’m a huge Sead Kolasinac fan and I think in future, he’ll be a superb FPL player. However, he’s been dropped from the Arsenal team over the last two gameweeks, and £6.1million is just too much to have wasting away on your bench.
With that said, there are still 14% of bosses who own the Bosnian which is just bizarre to me. The first thing you should look out for when picking your team is guaranteed starters. Kolasinac is anything but.
Xherdan Shaqiri – Stoke City - £6.2million
The Switerzland international Xherdan Shaqiri is often an FPL ‘sleeper’ but he’s struggled this year. He’s drawn blanks in four of his last five games, which is worrying form for his 10% ownership.
Midfielders are always tough to work out when it comes to Fantasy Football as it’s such a hit and miss position, but I’d move on from Shaqiri if you have an available transfer. Perhaps look at Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield) or Jesse Lingard (Manchester United).
Alvaro Morata – Chelsea - £10.7million
It started off so well for Alvaro Morata, but injuries, and now suspensions, have halted the Spaniard. He’s unavailable to play on Saturday, and £10.7million is far too much to have sitting on your bench.
Unsurprisingly, over 100,000 managers have binned off the former Real Madrid man, but 21% of bosses still own him. I’d urge you to get rid before his price plummets.
Don’t forget that the deadline for transfers is 18:45 GMT on Friday, due to the huge Arsenal/Liverpool game that kicks off just one hour later.
Good luck, ladies and gents, and have a good Christmas! We’ll be back on Boxing Day.