Fantasy Premier League Strategist

Welcome to the Dirtsheet for gameweek 25! It’s one of those weeks when the shrewd FPL manager will have lined all their ducks up in the hope of a huge return.

A change to 3-5-2 this gameweek as I find it difficult to cater for all the midfield talent that could return significant point hauls this weekend!

Here’s the Dirtsheet for Gameweek 25!

THE DIRTSHEET: GAMEWEEK 25

The Eleven – (3-5-2)

Julian Speroni (CPL)
Opponent – West Bromich Albion (H)
If Palace are to survive this season, they will need to continue their solid run of home defensive performances. West Brom are next to test a defense that has kept cleans sheets against Villa, Stoke and Hull in recent weeks (not forgetting the incredibly performance at the Etihad where they conceded just a single goal). Mannone is another solid pick and could also keep a clean sheet.

Patrice Evra (MUN)
Opponent – Fulham (H)
Given the injury doubt hanging over Johnny Evans and the uncertainty surrounding the RB spot, I’m selecting Patrice Evra for his attacking raids down the Fulham right on Sunday. A clean sheet is a distinct possibility and I do feel Evra likes to attack more when the quality of the opposition is questionable.

Phil Bardsley (SUN)
Opponent – Hull City (H)
A clean sheet and an assist in last weeks one-sided Tyneside derby sees Phil Bardsley make another Dirtsheet appearance. Hull are an average side on the road whereas Sunderland are showing some superb home form in recent months.

Gary Cahill (CHE)
Opponent – Newcastle United (H)
The words “Cahill”, “hit” and “post” have been used quite a lot in recent weeks, and Cahill looks to be the preferred route into the Chelsea backline. He is figuring highly in the BPS scores and looks to have cemented his place alongside club captain John Terry. Chelsea are undoubtedly the best defense in the league, and at £5.9m, he may prove to be a super bargain for the rest of the season. The Magpies will have a lot of defending to worry about as Chelsea will no doubt utilise the vacuum left by Tiote and Cabaye.

Eden Hazard (CHE)
Opponent – Newcastle United (H)
After a run of 3 difficult games, it’s time for Hazard to return to scoring ways against a Newcastle side stripped of both Tiote and Cabaye for different reasons. I can see a lot of space for the Chelsea attacking midfielders and I think Hazard should benefit more than Oscar and Willian.

Adam Johnson (SUN)
Opponent – Hull City (H)
A final good fixture before a horrendous run sees Adam Johnson sneak into the Dirtsheet before being sent packing for gameweek 26! With 6 goals and 2 assists in his last 4 games, he should be a constant threat to Hull and I fancy him to score his eighth league goal of the season.

Adam Lallana (SOU)
Opponent – Stoke City (H)
With the current form of Jay Rodriguez, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert, it’s becoming tough to choose between the three. Certainly, I feel that every team needs one of these players, and I’ve opted for Lallana. He has 3 goals in 4 games and scores a point each time the Saints keep a clean sheet (his goals are also worth an extra point). Lambert sometimes gets rested for home games of importance which offsets the fact that he is on penalties. Lallana is club captain and will start every game barring an injury.

Yaya Toure (MCI)
Opponent – Norwich (A)
As a football fan, I’m a great admirer of Toure. As an FPL manager who has identified that Toure is gifted a large number of his points from free kicks and (most annoyingly) from penalties when Aguero is not on the field, it’s makes me nervous that he is in the dirtsheet this week and not in my team. Certainly, the absence of Fernandinho means that Toure will have to focus more on his defensive duties, but all it takes is one set piece and Toure could be heading for double-figure returns. My fiance, who is Polish, laughs when she hears the word Yaya – a Polish term for testicles. If Yaya does the business yet again, I fear I will resort to more crude language this weekend…

Juan Mata (MUN)
Opponent – Fulham City (H)
Although he was slightly short of match fitness, Mata has now 2 assists in as many games. A superbly-weighted pass for Robin Van Persie’s goal combined with the fact that he walked away with 11 BPS (and 2 bonus) in a defeat shows the amazing contribution that Mata is having for United. Next up is Fulham. A side that are conceding an average of 3 goals per game over the last 2 months. Surely this is the type of game that David Moyes has targeted as one that his side can send the fans home happy with a 3-0/4-0 win? Personally, I feel this could be the game that kickstarts United’s season, and I think Mata will be heavily involved in all of United’s attacking play.

Luis Suarez (LIV)
Opponent – Arsenal (H)
Luiz Suarez proves he is fixture proof as Liverpool await the arrival of Arsenal for what should be a tight but well-contested encounter. I can see a low scoring affair but Suarez is the player I most expect to score. It’s a crucial game for Anfield side, and the Uruguayan has a habit of making the headlines in such games.

Robin Van Persie (MUN)
Opponent – Fulham (H)
Two goals in two games is a decent return for the Dutchman after returning to the United side after a prolonged injury. United NEED a big result as they are running out of excuses. They have successfully bought a creative midfielder in Juan Mata, their star players are returning and they have a perfect fixture to reignite their campaign. He is a massive differential right now and is a clear captaincy candidate.

The Captain – Robin Van Persie (MUN)
For the first time in a number of weeks, we have a new captain choice for the upcoming gameweek. Van Persie has the better fixture, and arguably the better short-term form.

The Clean Sheets
Lot’s of clean sheets possible this week! I’m looking to Chelsea, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Manchester City, Southampton and Sunderland to return clean sheets.

The Unusual Suspects
Defender: Jan Vertonghen (TOT)
Midfielder: Wilfreid Zaha (CAR)
Striker: Christian Benteke (AST)
Captain: Eden Hazard (CHE)

And that’s a wrap! It’s quick, it’s informative and it’s helpful. It’s the Dirtsheet, and it’s here every Friday! Please follow us on Twitter and share! Every follower counts!