After a scintillating week with matches spread across weekdays, the Premier League returns with just a day's halt to gather breath. The midweek fixtures presented several narratives, including Manchester City's run of poor results as they were beaten by Aston Villa in a game where Villa dominated in every aspect. City's defeat means that Arsenal and Liverpool have established some gap between them and City, and even Aston Villa has leapfrogged City to third place. Manchester United seems to be somehow managing themselves in the talks of Champions League football, as their victory over Chelsea put them just three points behind fourth-placed Manchester City. Everton finds themselves outside of the relegation zone with a convincing win over Newcastle United, putting all the promoted sides back into the relegation zone. It would be interesting to see if any of them survive this season and return as a Premier League outfit next season, and perhaps the upcoming matches in this busy holiday season will give us a better indication of their fate, as well as the fate of our fantasy managers who are keeping a keen eye on all the action.
Key Takeaways from the Gameweek 15
Aston Villa beat Manchester City 1-0 to move to third place in the league table, behind Arsenal and Liverpool. Arsenal had to wait until the 97th minute for a winner by Declan Rice to see off Luton Town with a scoreline of 4-3. Liverpool, on the other hand, were comfortable in their 2-0 win over Sheffield United.
Manchester United won 2-1 against Chelsea in a match where they dominated both in terms of results and performances. Brighton returned to winning ways by beating Brentford 2-1, and West Ham United overcame Tottenham Hotspur by the same scoreline. Everton moved out of the relegation zone thanks to their 3-0 win over Newcastle United.
Players to watch out for Gameweek 16
With only a one-day turnaround, teams had little time to recover from injury or fatigue. Hence, before exploring potential game-changers for your fantasy team, it's essential to remain vigilant about any significant absences from the starting lineups. These exclusions can wield a considerable impact on your team's performance in the fantasy league, underscoring the necessity of staying well-informed and adaptable in the ever-evolving landscape of fantasy sports:
Notable Absences
Brentford will be without their top scorer Bryan Mbeumo for a few weeks as he suffered an injury in their last game. Liverpool will miss the services of defender Joel Matip, while midfielder Alexis Mac Allister is also doubtful for the next match. Crystal Palace could be without defender Tyrick Mitchell in the next match due to injury concerns.
Forwards
a. Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) was among the goal scorers for Arsenal in their thrilling 4-3 win over Luton Town in the midweek game. The former Manchester City forward might not be a 20-goal season striker. Still, he offers much more flexibility to Arsenal's attack and would be important for them if they end up winning the league this season.
b. Beto (Everton) did not enjoy a fairy tale start to his Premier League career at Everton but he has scored his first goal for them in the last match against Newcastle United. Everton would be hoping this goal to act as a catalyst for Beto to find his goal-scoring form and help them climb up the league table.
Tip: For 11 credits (477.6 points), Brentford’s Neal Maupay could be a great gamble for fantasy managers. The forward might not be a great goalscorer but his team would expect him to step up, particularly in the absence of Bryan Mbeumo. Maupay certainly has been in better form this season for Brentford than his previous seasons at Everton.
Midfielders
a. Rodri (Manchester City) missed City’s defeat against Aston Villa due to suspension. Nothing underlines his importance more than the fact that City has lost all the three games Rodri has missed this season. He will be back in the team for their game against Luton Town and he will bring back the stability back to this team of superstars.
b. Scott McTominay (Manchester United) scored both goals for Manchester United in their 2-1 victory over Chelsea. The Scottish midfielder, who started his career as a defensive midfielder, has been in great scoring form for both club and county and is currently United’s top goal scorer this season.
Tip: For 10.1 credits (814.6 points), Brighton’s Pascal Groß can prove to be a reliable choice for fantasy squads. The midfielder seems to be always present for Brighton amid the injury crisis at the club, popping up with important goals and assists when they are most needed.
Defenders
a. Pau Torres (Aston Villa) has been one of the faces of this high-flying Aston Villa side which found themselves in third place after beating defending champions Manchester City. The full-back would hope he continues his great form as Villa faces the league leaders Arsenal in the next game.
b. Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspurs) scored a goal immediately on returning after a three-match suspension, however, he could not prevent his side from defeat against West Ham United. The Argentine World Cup winner would hope he can help his club return to the form with which they started the season.
Tip: For 6.4 credits (299.2 points), Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Toti Gomes could be an interesting transfer for any fantasy squad. The 24-year-old centre-back has played well for Wolves this season which earned him his first call for Portugal in November. He expects to continue similarly as the Wolves face struggling Nottingham Forest next.
Goalkeepers
a. Sam Johnstone (Crystal Palace) would be crucial for Crystal Palace if they are to return to winning ways against a formidable Liverpool attack. The former Manchester United academy graduate is joint top in terms of clean sheets this season and would like to extend his tally.
b. Robert Sánchez (Chelsea) produced a great save to stop Bruno Fernandes' penalty early in the last game though Chelsea still ended on the losing side despite his heroics. The goalkeeper has been impressive since joining in the summer from Brighton and would hope he could help his side produce better results consistently.
Tip: For 5 credits (427.4 points), Luton Town’s Thomas Kaminski could prove to be a brave transfer choice for fantasy managers. Luton will be hosting the defending champions Manchester City in the next game, and City's current form might present a good opportunity for Luton, provided Kaminski produces a great display of shot-stopping, as he has often shown glimpses of in the past.
What Next?
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