Fantasy Football Tips for Gameweek 16 in the Premier League
It was another profitable weekend for the WhoScored tipster as Christian Benteke and Gylfi Sigurdsson both performed as expected in Gameweek 14. The fixtures are coming thick and fast now as we enter the festive period and the WhoScored tipster is back, earlier than usual, with some more tips ahead of the midweek fixtures that start on Tuesday.
The fixtures have been examined and here are some tips that you should consider for your fantasy football teams before the transfer deadline shuts today at 6.45pm.
WILFRIED ZAHA (CRYSTAL PALACE)
Despite the fact Crystal Palace are only three points clear of the bottom three and seemingly in disarray, Wilfried Zaha can be proud of his own performances this season. The 24-year-old was perhaps right in turning his back on England to represent the Ivory Coast and Gareth Southgate’s men could come to rue their decision to constantly overlook the Palace No.11 if he continues his current form.
Zaha, who endured two forgettable years at Manchester United before returning to Palace on a permanent basis in 2015, has played a direct hand in seven league goals in his last seven appearances for Palace (two goals, five assists) and will be extra motivated when he lines up against his former employers on Wednesday night.
The loss of Antonio Valencia, who is suspended, is a particular blow for Jose Mourinho’s side ahead of their trip to Selhurst Park. The Ecuador international is arguably the only United defender that has the pace and power to deal with Zaha and Palace will now be looking to target whoever is tasked with deputising for Valencia at right-back.
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Zaha’s best performances have come away from Selhurst Park this season but, when you consider Palace’s last seven league games have seen an average of 5 goals a game, this should be a highly entertaining encounter full of chances for fantasy football points.
KYLE WALKER (TOTTENHAM)
Tottenham may lack invention in the final third but they are still incredibly hard to break down, and with Hugo Lloris in goal, something special is required to score against Mauricio Pochettino’s side. A 1-0 defeat away to Manchester United was certainly another setback for Spurs, who have gone off the boil in recent weeks, but they are presented with the ideal opponents to get back to winning ways.
Hull have haven’t won away from home in the league since August (vs Swansea) and have lost each of their last five. The Tigers haven’t even scored in each of the last three matches on the road and are tasked with a midweek trip to a ground Spurs are yet to lose on this season and they remain one of three teams left in the division with an unbeaten home record. In fact, only three teams have conceded fewer goals on home soil in Europe’s top five leagues than Pochettino’s side this season (4).
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Kyle Walker has been one of many success stories since Pochettino took charge of Tottenham and, along with Danny Rose at left-back, both are crucial weapons for Tottenham going forward as they offer pace and a direct threat in the final third. Only Jose Holebas and Adam Smith (both 3) have registered more assists in the league of defenders this season than Walker (2), who will be looking to showcase what he has to offer when Tottenham welcome Hull on Wednesday. The last time Spurs welcomed a side battling relegation they won 5-0 and Pochettino will be eyeing another trashing following the weekend’s disappointment.
ALEX OXLADE-CHAMBERLAIN (ARSENAL)
It was suggested that it would have been in Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s best interests to leave Arsenal at the end of last season. Injuries, coupled with a lack of consistency and competition for places has seen the 23-year-old’s career drift in recent years. However, now there is talk of a new deal for the England international, who has played his way back into contention at Arsenal with a string of impressive performances.
In just 13 league appearances this season Oxlade-Chamberlain has already shown a cutting edge in his decision making that has been so wildly absent in recent years. In fact, he has already registered as many assists this season than he had managed in his last three league campaigns combined (4) and has already found the back of the net twice in the league this term when he only managed it once in each of his last two league seasons.
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Oxlade-Chamberlain is expected to start his third game in a row when Arsenal travel to Goodison Park to face Everton on Tuesday night. What would normally be one of the toughest away trips for Arsenal should prove to be a routine win in midweek, with Ronald Koeman’s side in terrible form. The Toffees have only won one of their last 11 competitive matches and desperately need the January transfer window to come. Another strong showing from Oxlade-Chamberlain here will only speed up the process of his new deal.
ANDY CARROLL (WEST HAM)
West Ham fans must have feared the worst when they went 1-0 down after four minutes away to a rampant Liverpool side on Sunday. Given the season they’ve had, few would have been surprised to see Liverpool put three or four past Slaven Bilic’s men. It was to their credit that they dug in and left Merseyside with a point as the festive period begins to heat up.
The Hammers must now turn their attentions to the reception of Burnley on Wednesday, which is a match both sides will have earmarked as a real opportunity to steer clear of the bottom three. Bilic’s side are winless in seven but welcome the worst away team in the division. The Clarets haven’t won any of their seven away matches this season and have lost six of those, managing just one goal in that time.
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Despite the pressure on Bilic’s job, the West Ham manager has been careful in easing Andy Carroll back in to the frame when it could have been easy to gamble on the 27-year-old’s fitness. However, now could be the perfect time to unleash their £15m signing as they bid to extend their one-point safety net over the bottom three. It’s been incredibly frustrating for West Ham fans that Carroll is unable to stay fit for prolonged periods. Of players to have scored at least five league goals in 2016, only five have found the back of the net with more regularity than Carroll (1 every 126 minutes). Having come off the bench against Liverpool, his return to fitness couldn't have come at a better time.
