Goalkeeper: £4.9m
Julio Cesar (QPR) vs Norwich (H)
Star goalkeeper Julio Cesar has been one of the investments of the Premier League this season, producing sensational performances week in, week out for QPR, and almost single handedly maintaining their hopes of Premier League survival. The Brazilian produced a barnstorming performance against Manchester City in midweek, and we’re tipping Cesar’s breathtaking form to continue when QPR take on out-of-sorts Norwich City on Saturday.
Chris Hughton’s Norwich have been brought back down to earth in recent weeks after a mid-season surge, losing 5 and winning none of their last 7 recent Premier League matches. The Canaries are lacking attacking prowess of late, and now find themselves going through a baron spell in front of goal having failed to find the net in their last 3 matches in all competitions before Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham.
Julio Cesar has helped himself to 3 clean sheets in his last 4 Premier League outings for Rangers, making an astonishing 19 registered saves in that time. The Brazilian has picked up 26 Fantasy Football points in the last 3 weeks, and will be diving his life away to pick up more against Norwich. Cesar is a solid top-10 point scoring goalkeeper, and to bring him into your side this week for just £4.9m would be very kind to your points tally, and especially kind to your purse strings.
Defender: £4.4m
Ben Davies (Swansea City) vs West Ham (A)
When Swansea’s regular left-back Neil Taylor suffered a horrific broken ankle at the start of the season, manager Michael Laudrup looked to be out of options and out of luck at the back. But up stepped 19-year-old Ben Davies, who has made the position his own and now cemented himself as a regular Premier League starter.
Davies has helped his Swansea side to 5 clean sheets this season, and he’ll look to make it 6 when he lines up against the struggling West Ham at Upton Park on Saturday. The Hammers have won just one of their last 11 matches in all competitions, and have dried up in front of goal in recent weeks – scoring just 3 goals in their last 5 matches.
Meanwhile, the Swans are enjoying a fruitful defensive spell, conceding just 2 in their last 6 matches in all competitions, keeping 4 clean sheets in that time. If Swansea can find their way to 3 points at Upton Park then their defensive solidity will have a lot to do with it.
In Davies, is a left-back with maturity beyond his professional years, and while he strives to keep the ball out of the net at his end, he can also prove a threat to the opposition’s net at the other. Davies has scored once, and notched up two assists so far this season, meaning that for £4.4m you’ve got yourself a free-flowing left-back with the potential to pick you up some vital points in the back end of the season.
Midfielder: £5.6m
Adam Lallana (Southampton) vs Wigan Athletic (A)
Saints midfielder Adam Lallana has been out with a rather unfortunate knee injury since the start of December, but has now returned to the first team and is more determined to instrument a Southampton success story than ever. Lallana played 45 minutes of the Saints’ recent 2-1 loss to Manchester United, and looked the best player on the park from his first touch to last.
Lallana is likely to start this week as his side travel to Wigan, and we’re tipping the Englishman to comeback with style and echo his early season form at the DW Stadium. The 24-year-old scored twice and grabbed 4 assists before his crippling injury, and received an England call-up as recognition of his professionalism and ability.
The Saints have tasted defeat just 3 times in their last 13 Premier League matches, and they impressively took the game to Manchester United at Old Trafford in midweek, which is a rarity for a side in the bottom half of the table. Meanwhile, their opponents Wigan have won just 1 of their last 11 top-flight games, and have slipped into trouble at the bottom of the league.
With new manager Mauricio Pochettino determined to grab his first win, and Wigan enduring a dismal spell of form, we expect a Lallana influenced Southampton side to do the business this week. The young midfielder could just grab you some vital points as the season comes to a close.
Forward: £4.7m
Adam Le Fondre (Reading) vs Sunderland (H)
Reading’s recent spell of good form has seen them move from their doomed position at the bottom of the Premier League table up to 17th place and clear of the relegation zone, by and large thanks to the work of in-form hitman Adam Le Fondre.
Le Fondre has scored 10 important goals for Reading this season, taking him into the top-20 Fantasy Football point scoring strikers in the top flight. The Reading front man has scored 5 goals in his last 3 Premier League matches, and we expect that run to continue when the Royals take on Sunderland this Saturday.
The Black Cats have won just 2 of their last 7 matches in all competitions, and haven’t won at the Madejski Stadium since March 2004, losing their last 2 trips to Berkshire. Sunderland’s attacking woes continued this week, as they produced just 2 attempts on target in their recent 0-0 draw with Swansea – something that the passionate Royals will look to exploit as their quest for safety continues.
Adam Le Fondre’s predatory instincts in front of goal make him one of the current hottest finishers in the Premier League; his manager Brian McDermott recently said that ‘the man oozes goals,’ and in turn, he could be oozing points for your side for just £4.7m – bargain!
