Football Weeks Fantasy Football Tips for Gameweek 22 featuring the likes of Dele Alli, Pascal Groß, Sergio Aguero and Adrian for FPL Managers.
To anyone reading this article before midnight on New Year’s Eve, we wish you a great evening with your friends and loved ones and hope that you’re excited for the new year ahead.
And if you’re reading this on Monday morning and struggling with a hangover, know that we feel your pain boys and girls – but now’s the time to freshen up, take a strong coffee and finalise your Fantasy Premier League teams ahead of 11:30am deadline.
Tottenham’s Dele Alli
This next round of Premier League fixtures sees the first ‘double gameweek’ of the EPL season, with Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United facing each other twice. On Tuesday, Spurs face a trip to Swansea City while the Hammers welcomes West Bromwich Albion at the London Stadium same day. The two London giants meets each other at Wembley on Thursday night.
This quick turnaround will have some Fantasy Premier League manager concerned about rotation and with only two team involved, one cannot expect this first double to be a lucrative as those to come. Even so, it would not make much sense to go without at least a couple of West Ham and Tottenham players this week.
Harry Kane would have been an obvious triple captain choice but Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino said on Friday that an illness may keep the England international out of the Swansea game at least. But, thankfully, Spurs’ midfield have started to nail points in recent weeks with Son Heung-Min and Christian Eriksen both decent options for any managers.
There is not much to choose between the pair, Dele Alli, who has returned 23 points in his last two appearances after a poor start to the season. Alli and Son seem like good, explosive options for the double while there is less concern about Eriksen’s amount of playing time.
West Ham’s Marko Arnautovic
Another double FPL gameweek midfield option is West Ham United’s Marko Arnautovic.
The Austria and Serbian international, priced at a modest £6.9m, has been fielded up front since David Moyes’ arrival at the London Stadium and so far, Arnautovic has netted five goals in his last five Premier League appearances.
His brace against Bournemouth in gameweek 20 brought saw a 15-point haul and while Spurs’ defence may be on the verge of collapsing, the Austrian certainly has the form to punish Alan Pardew’s West Bromwich, who are still without a win since August.
The similarly-priced Manuel Lanzini is another option to consider. The Hammers’ creator-in-chief returned a 15-point haul of his own few weeks back in the victory over Stoke City.
Adrian
When selecting teams, goalkeepers are always a solid choice in a double gameweek because despite the short amount of time between fixtures, Adrian are less likely to be rotated than outfield players.
Goalkeepers ability to collect save points on top of clean sheets also gives these guys advantage over defenders, particularly those who carry little attracting threat – like, Jan Vertonghen and Angelo Ogbonna.
Tottenham’s man between the sticks Hugo Lloris will tempt some FPL manager at £5.5m but the real value is in the Hammers goalie – Adrian – at £4.3m, even if his run of clean sheets came to an emphatic end against Newcastle United and AFC Bournemouth recently.
The Spaniard even appears to be a better option when you consider West Ham’s slight upcoming schedule. Huddersfield Town (A), Bournemouth (H), Crystal Palace (H) and Brighton and Hove Albion (A) follow this double-header.
Sergio Aguero
There are other EPL teams playing this week, though. Moving away from the double, Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero re-appeared as a fantasy candidate on New Year’s Eve, even if it was in unfortunate circumstances.
The Argentina international has been highly forgotten by fantasy managers this season because of the limited playing times, with Pep Guardiola fielding him and Gabriel Jesus in his lone striker role.
Aguero’s rival is now set for a spell on the sidelines, however, after picking up a hamstring injury in City’s 0-0 with Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday. Though it is bad luck for the Brazilian, his absence should Aguero’s place in Guardiola’s starting line-up.
Harry Maguire
After “Sand Messi” – Mohamed Salah – downed the Foxes at Anfield, Leicester City will look to get back to their winning ways when they take on Huddersfield Town at home.
David Wagner’s side poor away record received a much-needed boost with a 4-1 victory at Watford a few weeks back but this is still a team that has failed to score on seven of their 10 away fixtures so far.
Of the Foxes backline, Harry Maguire is the only considerable option for this week Fantasy Football Tips. The ex-Hull City and Sheffield United centre-half carries an attacking threat from set-pieces too, of course.
Pascal Groß
Brighton’s Pascal Groß has lot a little of his superb performance recently as everyone midfield options have multiplied and his double-digit points hauls have dried up.
The fact remains, however, that Pascal Groß has the potential to consistently deliver assists and cough up bonuc points. Even better, his price has fallen back down below the £6.0m mark.
The Cherries bring their dubious defence to the Amex Stadium on New Year’s Day and Groß assisted for Solly March in the reverse fixture back in September.