Yahoo! Fantasy Football: Tottenham ace to lift Wembley curse against Chelsea
We have partnered up with Yahoo! Fantasy Football to deliver you with some more tips ahead of gameweek 2 in the Premier League this weekend. There were some shocks across the opening round of fixtures and WhoScored are here to provide you with the ultimate guide before you pick your fantasy football teams on Yahoo!.
Before running through our XI for the weekend, make sure you’re giving yourself the best opportunity to win some serious cash. By depositing £5, Yahoo! will reward you with a £50 bonus to use in any cash games! Make sure you make the most of that incredible bonus offer!
Goalkeeper – ASMIR BEGOVIC
Bournemouth didn’t get off on the right foot last weekend but a return to Dean Court should bring the best out of the Cherries. Bournemouth won 67% of their league points at home last season and welcome a Watford side that have lost each of their last seven away league matches. They have failed to score in six of those, which makes Asmir Begovic a banker between the sticks.
Defender – PHIL JONES
The second centre-back spot remains up for grabs at Manchester United, but Phil Jones had a superb first audition against West Ham last weekend. United have only lost 2 of 19 league matches that Jones has started since the start of last season and the 25-year-old is currently a Yahoo! Fantasy Football top-20 in form player. It’s always a safe bet with a United defender in your team.
Defender – NATHAN AKE
Continuing on the theme of Watford’s away doe woes, it would be foolish to stop at Begovic. With a clean sheet a real possibility for Bournemouth, it is also worthwhile trying to get a high scoring defender from Eddie Howe’s team. The Cherries look far better with Ake in the team and last season he proved what a goal threat he can be. There are chances for points at both ends of the pitch with the Dutchman.
Defender – JAMES TARKOWSKI
Like Bournemouth, Burnley also relied heavily on their home form to ensure Premier League survival. Incredibly, the Clarets won 83% of their league points at Turf Moor and they will host a West Brom side that have only won four away league matches since the start of 2016. On a winless streak of nine away from the Hawthorns, Tarkowski should be eyeing a first clean sheet of the season in Burnley’s defence.
Midfield – RIYAD MAHREZ
Despite wanting to leave, Riyad Mahrez is still giving his all in the Leicester shirt. He impressed in pre-season and carried that form into their first league match of the season against Arsenal, registering an assist. Only Eden Hazard (11) and Kevin De Bruyne (10) have won the WhoScored Man of the Match more times than Mahrez (8) in home league matches since August 2015 and he could prove too much to handle for Brighton on Saturday.
Midfield – ORIOL ROMELU
Yahoo! Fantasy Football isn’t just about goals and assists. You are also rewarded for statistics like passes and tackles and this is where a cheap option like Oriol Romeu can be supremely effective. A Yahoo! top-20 form player, Romeu ranks in the top 10 for total passes (2150) since the start of last season, while he has also won possession in the middle third more times than any other player (192) in that period. He will quietly rack up points and give you more money for other positions.
Midfield – CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN
The whole Premier League is eagerly anticipating how Tottenham will do with Wembley as their new home ground for the season. Mauricio Pochettino’s side have an abysmal record at the home of football and many expect them to slip up there yet again. However, up against a feeble Chelsea side on Sunday, Spurs have the perfect opportunity to put that to bed against a big opponent. In 2017, Eriksen has registered more assists than any other Premier League player (12) and could really inflict more misery on champions Chelsea.
Midfield – SADIO MANE
Liverpool are aiming to get back on track in the Premier League this weekend after letting in a stoppage time equaliser against Watford last time out. After watching Crystal Palace slip to an embarrassing 3-0 defeat at home to Huddersfield last weekend, Liverpool could really hammer the Eagles. Sadio Mane has already opened his account for the season and returns to Anfield where he is prolific. 58% of the goals he has contributed to for Liverpool have come at home and he has also netted three times in six appearances against Palace coming into Saturday’s match.
UTLITY – HENRIKH MKHITARYAN
The Armenia international struggled in his first season at Manchester United but has started this one with a bang. He has already registered more assists in one game (2) than he managed across the whole of last season (1) in the league and Jose Mourinho will hope to see his creative spark again when they travel to Swansea on Saturday. With United’s creative juices flowing, it could be another big win for the current league leaders.
Striker – SAM VOKES
Not many saw Burnley’s 3-2 win away to Chelsea coming last weekend but you’d be foolish to discount the Clarets this weekend. Winning points at home has become Burnley’s bread and butter since the start of last season, which leaves Sam Vokes well primed to continue his flying start to the season when they host West Brom this weekend. The Baggies have conceded at least two goals in each of their last five away league matches, which will only encourage Vokes further.
Striker - CHRISTIAN BENTEKE
Even though Liverpool are expected to beat Palace this weekend, there will still be chances for the away side. Liverpool have conceded a league high 44 goals from set pieces since the start of the 2014/15 campaign, which makes up for 31% of the goals they have conceded in that time. In Benteke, Palace arguably have the perfect frontman to exploit that. Indeed, against no team has Benteke scored more goals than against his former club (7).
