WhoScored Fantasy Football Tips - Ivanovic, Rosicky & Carroll

 

Last week we started a new fantasy football tips feature, better late than never, and we carry that on ahead of the most important gameweek of the season. Choices and transfers in this period could win you the league and, more importantly, bragging rights over your friends, so don't take your decisions lightly.

Here we will advise you on the players who should have a significant impact for their sides this week based on our WhoScored Match Forecast's. For example, one team's weakness can be an opponent's strength and decide whether a game is won or lost, and with so much still at stake this weekend, the players will be keen to impress.

This week we line-up in a 4-3-3, but before a rundown of the entire XI, we pick a player from each position who we believe will be high scorers this week, starting in defence.

Branislav Ivanovic - Chelsea

The Serbian takes his place in our back four as he will be one of a handful of first team regulars set to start against an already relegated Blackburn side. The defender is suspended from next weekend's Champions League final so should partner Terry this time out, who is also banned for the game in Munich. When on form the duo make a strong partnership, though they didn't cover themselves in glory against Liverpool in midweek, and this time round they face a lacklustre looking Rovers attack.

 

WhoScored Fantasy Football Tips - Ivanovic, Rosicky & Carroll

 

With a clean sheet looking likely at home, we look for extra points for goals from the back, and the match forecast suggests the game may well suit Ivanovic. Chelsea are 'likely' to score from a set-piece situation and the centre-half is often their biggest threat from such scenarios. We fancy the Blues defender to add to his goal tally of 3 this weekend and provide the valuable fantasy football points needed in the closing game of the season.

Tomas Rosicky - Arsenal

Last week we tipped Alex Song to pick up an assist from his deep role in midfield and he duly delivered, however, this time around we have opted for teammate Rosicky, who has taken on more of a creative role in the absence of Arteta. The Czech international looks back to his best in the hole behind van Persie, with Song and Ramsey affording him the chance to play high up the pitch.

 

WhoScored Fantasy Football Tips - Ivanovic, Rosicky & Carroll

 

He is, therefore, the ideal cool head in the Arsenal midfield when on the counter attack right now, and with the Gunners 'extremely likely' to score from a fast break situation Rosicky will hope to add to a flurry of 3 assists in the last 4 games. Arsenal will certainly see plenty of the ball and in turn Rosicky will be highly involved in picking out the league's top marksman, with van Persie hoping to reach the 30-goal mark and secure third place for Arsenal this weekend.

Andy Carroll - Liverpool

It is fair to say that Andy Carroll has turned a corner of late for Liverpool, and ironically turning corners was one of his weaknesses in the first half of the season. His overall agility and fitness levels seem to be up and defences are once again finding it very hard to deal with what is undoubtedly one of, quite literally, the biggest physical threats in the league. While goals remain hard to come by, as his all round game improves they will inevitably come, and Swansea could be his ideal opponent.

 

WhoScored Fantasy Football Tips - Ivanovic, Rosicky & Carroll

 

Perhaps the smallest side in the division, winning the fewest aerial duels per game, Swansea may find it tough to deal with Liverpool's high ball's up to Carroll. Indeed, the match forecast predicts that it is 'extremely likely' that the visitors will dominate in the air, and creating chances hasn't been a problem for the Reds all season. The forecast also reveals that Liverpool are 'likely' to score from a set-piece situation, and with Carroll winning the most aerial duels per game in the entire league, Sunday's encounter may well be set up for the big man.

Rundown of the Rest

In goal we have opted for Joe Hart, purely for the fact that Manchester City's home record at both ends is all but perfect and QPR's is dire away from home. The ramifications of the match will be huge and if City score, QPR must go for it, so the England international could be kept busy.

Ivanovic is joined in our backline by Kyle Walker, who is part of a Spurs side playing at home against Fulham, with the Cottagers failing to score in 4 of their last 5 games White Hart Lane. Without Dempsey, the visitors should pose little threat to Friedel's goal, and the forecast suggests the hosts could score from a long shot situation - something Walker managed for Villa against Fulham last season.

Skrtel and Kompany are our centre-backs, with the former a threat in the air along with Carroll and the latter in the side for similar reasons. QPR are weak at defending set-pieces while City are one of the strongest at scoring from corners in the league, with the Belgian a real threat.

Hatem Ben Arfa is fielded on the right, as Newcastle are 'likely' to score from an individual skill and the Frenchman has shown glimpses of brilliance this season, as well as netting a magnificent match winner at Everton last term. On the opposite flank we have picked a back to his best David Silva for similar reasons, with individual brilliance also likely to have a say in the title decider at the Eithad.

Supporting Carroll up front we field Daniel Sturridge on the right, as he is likely to play from wide against a weak Blackburn defence, with Chelsea 'very likely' to score from a wingplay situation. Javier Hernandez completes our line-up as United are strong at scoring from headers, with the Mexican bagging 3, and Sunderland are prone to conceding them; Alex Ferguson's side need to keep the pressure on their noisy neighbours.

WhoScored Fantasy Football Tips - Ivanovic, Rosicky & Carroll