Fantasy Football Tips for Gameweek 5 in the Premier League
The tipster found his form last weekend after backing the likes of Diego Costa and Christian Eriksen and will now hope to have similar joy as Gameweek five rolls around. As is the case every week, the fixtures have been examined and here are the top tips that every fantasy football fan should consider.
KELECHI IHEANACHO (MANCHESTER CITY)
Sergio Aguero netted his second hat-trick of the season in midweek when Manchester City thrashed Gladbach 4-0 on Wednesday, but the Argentine will resume the second of his three-match suspension this weekend when Pep Guardiola’s side host Bournemouth on Saturday.
His absence paves the way for teen sensation Kelechi Iheanacho to return to the starting XI, to lead the line as he did in the Manchester derby. Marcus Rashford has courted all of the attention in the north, but Iheanacho’s form has arguably been more impressive.
The Nigeria international is averaging a goal every 84.4 minutes across all competitions for City and there should be opportunities aplenty against Bournemouth. City put nine goals past Bournemouth last season and the Cherries are conceding 15.8 shots per game at the moment.
ALEXIS SANCHEZ (ARSENAL)
The 27-year-old is still trying to find his feet this season, but should be chomping at the bit to face a Hull side he has previous against. Alexis Sanchez has scored four goals in as many matches against the Tigers, which represent his equal-best goal return against English opposition. Not only that, but the Chile international has also registered two assists in that period.
Arsene Wenger will be hoping that Sanchez’s late equaliser against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday will prove the launch pad for the forward to kick on this season. Sanchez has played a direct hand in three goals in his last three matches for Arsenal and was also named the WhoScored Man of the Match in two of those.
The Gunners have been forced to grind out results so far this season, but a trip to the KC Stadium, where they average three goals a game in their last five visits, should see them freely hit the back of the net.
JASON PUNCHEON (CRYSTAL PALACE)
At one point during the summer it looked like Jason Puncheon’s three-year stint at Crystal Palace was coming to an end. While the 30-year-old has never been one of the most eye-catching players, his services have still been invaluable for the Eagles since joining from Southampton in 2013.
Puncheon is currently Palace’s highest rated player in the league (7.62) and the heartbeat of their team, averaging the most passes per game (51). Christian Benteke’s arrival should enhance the performances of the midfielders in behind and Puncheon is no exception. Averaging 3.3 accurate crosses per game - only Willian averages more (3.7) in the Premier League this season - the impact is already clear to see. Not only that, but Puncheon is creating as many chances per game as players like Eden Hazard (2.5). With Benteke winning more aerial duels per game than any other player (8), there should be plenty of chances for assists for the Palace players.
Palace may have only won one game this season and three league games this calendar year, but Alan Pardew will hope their win over Middlesbrough last weekend will be the start of a new chapter. They host a Stoke team under severe pressure this season having conceded four goals in three of their last four matches. Having also beaten them in each of their last four meetings, Puncheon could be a stellar investment this weekend.
MAARTEN STEKELENBURG (EVERTON)
With all the attention firmly fixed on the two Manchester clubs, Everton have quietly flown relatively under the radar into third. Their transfer business ended on a flat note, but Ronald Koeman has already got Everton off to their best start in a league campaign in a decade and their next run of fixtures should be cause for real optimism.
Everton have winnable fixtures against Middlesbrough, Bournemouth, Palace, Burnley, West Ham and Swansea in their next eight league matches, which strongly suggests their good start to the season should continue.
Maarten Stekelenburg’s arrival over the summer as Tim Howard’s successor wasn’t greeted with a great deal of enthusiasm, but the Dutch goalkeeper has performed well, to his credit, with the Merseyside outfit shipping the joint-fewest goals (2) in the Premier League this season. The Toffees haven’t conceded in their last 351 minutes of competitive action and will be confident of extending that run when they face Middlesbrough on Saturday, in what will be their first encounter in seven years. Three clean sheets in their last six home meetings with Boro would also make a case for buying Stekelenburg even more favourable.
What are your fantasy football tips this weekend? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below
