It may be a shortened fixture list as the Premier League embarks on a mid-season break for the first time, but we still have your fantasy football picks covered.
With help from Stats Perform’s Opta data, here are the players we recommend for your line-up this week:
Goalkeeper Vicente Guaita of Crystal Palace
Goalkeeper: Vicente Guaita (Crystal Palace)
Guaita dropped a clanger as Crystal Palace were beaten by Sheffield United last week.
However, the Eagles’ goalkeeper has impressed this term and only Alisson and Martin Dubravka can boast a higher save percentage than his 68.1 (minimum 10 appearances).
Defender: George Baldock (Sheffield United)
As far as full-backs go, few have performed better in the top flight this season than Baldock.
His tally of 21 successful open-play crosses is only bettered by Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold (Everton’s Lucas Digne has 19). Blades team-mate Enda Stevens, meanwhile, has managed 15.
Midfielder: Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)
De Bruyne is a mainstay of most fantasy teams and the Manchester City playmaker is as influential as ever in 2019-20.
The Belgian has been involved in 26 open-play sequences leading to a goal this term – five more than any other player (Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling all have 21).
Harry Wilson of Bournemouth
Midfielder: Harry Wilson (Bournemouth)
Bournemouth’s fortunes have picked up with back-to-back league wins – and Wilson was on target in the first of those over Brighton and Hove Albion.
No midfielder has scored more than his seven this term (the same as Dele Alli, Jack Grealish and De Bruyne), with only James Maddison (four) registering more than the Liverpool loanee’s total of three from outside the box.
Forward: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)
Manchester City may be well adrift of runaway leaders Liverpool in what has become a one-horse race for the title, but Aguero is still having a brilliant campaign for Pep Guardiola’s squad.
The Argentina striker has 16 goals in 19 top-flight matches and has a minutes-to-goal ratio of 73, currently his best in a single season in the Premier League.
Troy Deeney of Watford
Forward: Troy Deeney (Watford)
Deeney has certainly taken to life under Nigel Pearson at Vicarage Road.
Since Pearson’s appointment at Watford, only Sergio Aguero and Mohamed Salah (seven apiece) have scored more than the five Premier League goals returned by the in-form striker. He will hope to add to that number when up against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.
Forward: Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton)
Calvert-Lewin has been a valuable source of goals for Everton, though do not expect him to pick up too many points for providing assists.
The Everton striker has scored 10 league goals this term – the most in the Premier League among players yet to register an assist in the competition.
