Fantasy Football Sidekick: Salah to bag against Man Utd again?
Fantasy Football Sidekick is back to help you with your Fantasy Premier League picks ahead of the weekend's action. Here, we believe stars from Arsenal, Fulham, Liverpool, Tottenham and Leicester will help you to earn big points in fantasy football.
Gabriel Martinelli - Arsenal (vs Bournemouth)
Following a six-game run without netting, Gabriel Martinelli is back among the goals. The Arsenal star has netted four times in his last three outings, which includes a vital brace in the midweek 4-0 win over Everton. While Bukayo Saka has been stealing the limelight, and understandably so, Martinelli's return to goalscoring form is a welcome boost for the title chasing Gunners.
Arsenal welcome Bournemouth to the Emirates this weekend and they'll welcome a repeat of the 3-0 win back in August as they look to maintain their five-point lead at the top of the table. Bournemouth have conceded at least six more goals (48) than any other team in the Premier League this season, and it wouldn't be a shock to see the Gunners add to that on Saturday.
Manor Solomon - Fulham (vs Brentford)
Manor Solomon is yet to start a Premier League game this season. He's only made seven appearances, totalling 128 minutes of game time. So why is now the best time to bring Solomon into your fantasy football side? A goal in Fulham's midweek 2-0 FA Cup win over Leeds means the Israeli has scored in each of his last four outings.
Only Son Heung-Min (4) has scored more goals off the bench than the Cottagers' super-sub (3) in the Premier League this season and while he may not start at Brentford on Monday night, considering Solomon's solid goalscoring form of late, he may prove a handy earner that'll allow you to spend more elsewhere.
Kelechi Iheanacho - Leicester (vs Southampton)
Now firmly back in favour under Brendan Rodgers, Kelechi Iheanacho has been directly involved in seven goals in his last six competitive outings, and that includes a goal off the bench in Leicester's FA Cup loss to Blackburn in midweek. Back-to-back defeats to Manchester United and Arsenal have hardly helped the Foxes' bid to beat the drop, but so long as they beat those around them, then they'll stay up.
Leicester make the trip to Southampton on Saturday in a crunch relegation six-pointer. No team has conceded more home league goals than Saints (19) this season, while the south coast side are yet to keep a clean sheet at St. Mary's in 2022/23. Saints have lost their last five home league matches, and with Iheanacho back in favour for the Foxes, the Nigerian will fancy his chances of getting among the goals this weekend.
Emerson Royal - Tottenham (vs Wolves)
Admittedly a risk as he missed the midweek FA Cup loss to Sheffield United owing to a knee injury, but Emerson Royal has been much-improved in recent weeks. The Brazilian wing-back was so often the subject of criticism, yet was nominated for the February Premier League player of the month.
The arrival of Pedro Porro was expected to spell the end of Emerson's run in the Tottenham XI, however the attacking performances have improved with the 24-year-old netting twice in his last six league appearances. Spurs have a decent record at Wolves - they are unbeaten in seven at Molineux - and at both ends of the pitch, Emerson will be key once more provided he is fit enough to start.
Mohamed Salah - Liverpool (vs Manchester United)
Considering Mohamed Salah is perceived to be having an underwhelming season, he has still scored nine times and provided five assists in the Premier League this term. The Egyptian has been directly involved in five goals in his last five competitive outings, so looks to be getting back to his best as we near the business end of the campaign.
One of Salah's nine league goals came in the reverse fixture at Old Trafford, and with Manchester United making the short trip to Anfield this weekend, he'll believe he can add to his impressive record against United on Sunday afternoon. Indeed, in his career Salah has scored 10 times against Liverpool's fierce rivals, marking United as his joint-favourite opponents.
