As the English Premier League enters matchday 25, the race for the title, European spots, and the battle for survival is heating up. With just a few points separating the top teams and the bottom, every match is crucial in determining the fate of each team. matchday 25 promises to be an exciting round of matches with several intriguing matchups and potential upsets on the horizon, both at the top and bottom of the table.
Key Takeaways from the last round
The title race saw another twist as Arsenal scored twice in the injury time against Aston Villa to win 4-2 while Manchester City dropped again to the second spot as Nottingham Forest drew against them courtesy of Chris Wood’s 84th-minute equalizer. The relegation battle has also intensified as Everton, Bournemouth, and Southampton all won their games 1-0 causing Leeds United and West Ham United to drop into the relegation zone.
Manchester United’s fine form continued as they beat Leicester City 3–0 at Old Trafford while Liverpool won 2-0 against 10-man Newcastle United, who saw their goalkeeper Nick Pope sent off in the first half. Tottenham Hotspurs took advantage of Newcastle’s defeat as they leapfrogged them to fourth place after their 2-0 win against West Ham United.
Players to watch out for Matchday 25
Manchester United, Brentford, Newcastle United, and Brighton would be missing from action in the premier league this week owing to the Carabao Cup final between Manchester United and Newcastle United. However, there will be two additional fixtures on Wednesday featuring Arsenal against Everton and Liverpool against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Tweaking the fantasy squad to benefit from these fixtures without affecting the balance of the team in future matches could be a challenging task.
Notable Absences
While there would be a plethora of talent to choose from in the upcoming fixture, few of the important players would be missing from the action. Liverpool could be without Darwin Nunez as he went off with a shoulder injury against Newcastle United in the last match. Both Thomas Partey and Gabriel Jesus seem to be not fully fit yet for Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures in the coming week. Aleksandar Mitrovic is most likely to miss Fulham’s match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Forwards
a. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal) scored the first goal for Arsenal in their dramatic victory over Aston Villa. The forward has now scored 9 goals for the gunners this season making him the top scorer of them.
b. Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth) assisted Marcus Tavernier’s goal that helped Bournemouth beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0. Bournemouth would hope Solanke, whose 29 goals last season in the championship promoted them to the premier league, would help them prevent relegation this time around.
Tip: For 9.4 credits, Liverpool’s Cody Gakpo (73 points) could be a smart choice as the forward, who has scored in two consecutive matches, seems to have found the form that caused trouble to defenses in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Midfielders
a. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) scored a terrific goal from outside the box that helped his team take the lead against the forest in a match that ended in a draw. The Portuguese superstar had been played as left back in the last few matches and showed his immense potential after returning to the center of the midfield.
b. James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) converted another free kick into a much-needed goal for Southampton, who held onto crucial three points against Chelsea. He has now scored 17 goals from direct free kicks, just one short of David Beckham’s premier league record.
Tip: For 9.9 credits, Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze (1133 points) could be an interesting midfield option as he possesses the ability to both score goals as well as assists his teammates to score.
Defenders
a. Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal) scored his first goal for Arsenal to equalize the score before Arsenal scored two late goals to win against Aston Villa. The Ukrainian defender has proven to be an astute signing for the gunners as he brings a winning mentality to the young Arsenal squad.
b. Seamus Coleman (Everton) scored a screamer to propel Everton to their second win under Sean Dyche and push Leeds United into the relegation zone. The veteran defender would be hoping to lead from the front as his side would need an organized defensive display from him to stay in the premier league.
Tip: For 6.3 credits, Fulham’s Kenny Tete (816 points) could be an impressive defensive inclusion for a fantasy team that is looking for a fullback that can provide an attacking threat.
Goalkeepers
a. Alisson Becker (Liverpool) added two back-to-back clean sheets to his name as Liverpool overcame Newcastle United 2-0. He has been Liverpool’s best player this season and they would hope his form continues as they aim for a top-four finish.
b. Keylor Navas (Nottingham Forest) made five crucial saves that earned Forest a hard-fought draw against the champions Manchester City. The former Real Madrid goalkeeper showed his class again and is proving to be an inspired signing.
Tip: For 4.1 credits, Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jose Sa (963 points) could be a smart choice for the goalkeeping position. Wolves would be facing Fulham and Liverpool in the next round and they would be relying on their goalkeeper to make multiple saves.
What Next?
So there you have it, a comprehensive preview of the quality players who are set to light up the English Premier League. Now all that is left to do, is to pick your team and make sure you win the Krida Fans fantasy game!
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