Fantasy football round the table - Gameweek 15's burning questions

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Each week we will assemble three of the best and brightest from the FPL community to answer the burning questions of the Gameweek.

Our expert panel will give quick fire answers to the burning questions all fantasy managers will be pondering going into the start of Gameweek 15 to help make those agonising decisions easier.

We have assembled a three-strong panel for the hot topic heading into Gameweek 15, which is: can Brighton hold out against the sensational Mohamed Salah?

Here is the panel for Gameweek 15:

Chef Dale is a freelance fantasy football writer who also knows his way around a kitchen. Find him stirring things up and posting mouth watering food over on Twitter.

FPL Physio offers tips and advice on all things fantasy football find his articles at fplphysiosblog.wordpress.com.

FPL Warriors is a seasoned fantasy football pro with an impressive current FPL position inside the top 10k

Salah’s remarkable scoring run continued this week with a second half brace from the bench at Stoke, is this the week it ends?

I said it would end against Stoke and look what happened there. So I guess we can say it will keep going.

Salah’s form will dip at some point but with a trip to Brighton this week I can’t look past a Liverpool win and a well-rested Salah will surely be in the points.

Right now Salah looks unstoppable; his away form has been sensational too. Apart from games against Manchester City and Newcastle, he has scored in all away games. The Brighton defence will find it difficult to prevent him scoring, so I think Salah’s streak will continue.

Mohamed Salah disappointed owners by failing to score for the first time in five Gameweeks in a game where Liverpool put five past Brighton. He did pick up an assist, but the star of the day was Philippe Coutinho, who scored and assisted a further three of the Reds’ goals.

Verdict

READ MORE: How to win money playing fantasy football with Yahoo Daily Fantasy

It’s three league clean sheets in a row now for the Gunners, should we double up on Arsenal’s defence at home to Man United this week?

On the outset you would probably say no, I never enjoy having defenders from the big teams when they play another top-6 side, but United haven’t played well at the Emirates in recent years and if Jose Mourinho reverts to type and shuts up shop, a clean sheet and defensive points are a real possibility.

I am leaning towards no. The Gunners have looked awesome at the back recently and it’s no coincidence that Mustafi’s return to the team has coincided with this. Knowing Jose, he will be happy with a park-the-bus point but the returning Pogba could provide more attacking emphasis. Arsenal could well force a shutout but United are still too dangerous to risk doubling up.

I will refrain from doubling up on Arsenal’s defence this week. Two of the Gunners’ three consecutive clean sheets have come against Burnley and Huddersfield, whose goal scoring record has been awful so far. I’m expecting Mourinho to change his tactics and go for a result at home so United will score goals.

In Yahoo Daily Fantasy goalkeepers are awarded four points for a win, two for a draw, six for a clean sheet and an additional 1.5 points per save: given this scoring structure, which keeper would you select for Gameweek 15?

Petr Cech is probably a good shout this weekend as Arsenal have the form and United will have attacks but outside of that I would go with Nick Pope.

I’d pick Nick Pope – he is bound to be busy against Jamie Vardy and co and Pope has a great clean sheet record!

Thibaut Courtois fits the bills perfectly with Chelsea playing at home against goal shy Newcastle. A Chelsea win and clean sheet will see Courtois bag 10 points. He is averaging 2.4 saves per game so another 3-4.5 points is possible.

Which teams are nailed on for clean sheets this week if any?

I would go for Liverpool, Chelsea, Everton and Stoke.

Cleansheets are so hard to predict but looking at the fixtures I’d say Chelsea first, Manchester City second and Bournemouth a close third.

I am backing Manchester City and Chelsea to keep clean sheets this game week at home to West Ham and Newcastle respectively.

Spurs have been on an awful run recently by their standards: keep or ditch their attacking assets this week?

Watford are a really porous side defensively even if they are performing well, Spurs are due to give someone a tonking so this could be the game to turn it around for them.

Watford have been good this year but their defence isn’t the best. They leaked four to United on Tuesday and face perhaps the Premier League’s best striker in Harry Kane. He has a brilliant away record this season with seven goals, six of which were scored in pairs.

I will not select any Spurs assets this week except for the untouchable Harry Kane.

Defenders are rewarded handsomely in Yahoo Daily Fantasy for attacking returns, with eight points awarded for a goal and four for an assist, which defender, if any, will register attacking returns?

Whichever set of Spurs fullbacks get the nod. Marcos Alonso had chances against Swansea so he will be up there and as an outside shout. Alberto Moreno is also a possibility. But if I can only choose one, it’s got to be Alonso.

I can’t look past the best left back in the league, Marcos Alonso. His attacking threat for a defender is unrivalled and he should have scored twice on Wednesday. It’s only a matter of time before he puts a chance away and playing at home to Newcastle couldn’t be a better fixture.

I think Sead Kolasinac will be handy this week. He gets involved a lot in the final third of the pitch and with Alexandre Lacazette absent, Alexis Sanchez will play in a more advanced role, affording Kolasinac more space to exploit.

Which player will generate more fantasy points, premium priced Alexis Sanchez at home to Man Utd or budget option Callum Wilson at home to Southampton?

I will go against the grain here and go Callum Wilson against Southampton, so long as he starts.

It’s always risky backing an attacker against a Mourinho side, however Man United have looked vulnerable at the back in recent weeks and they are missing Phil Jones big time, plus Alexis may be playing up front with Lacazette’s injury. Wilson hasn’t kicked on after his hat-trick and it would’t surprise me if he was rested in favour of Jermain Defoe

I will avoid both this Gameweek.

With Ashley Young’s excellent recent form culminating in two goals away to Watford, is he worth taking a punt on this weekend?

He has had flashes of good form over the season but not for me as I don’t see United scoring lots of goals or even winning this weekend.

I would say no. His spectacular volley and free kick against Watford are goals that are not often replicated, plus he faces a very solid Arsenal backline.

Young had a brilliant game against Watford but I am not convinced that he can replicate the same against Arsenal, he could however act as a cheap enabler (at £17) if you need to make your £200 budget stretch.

Yahoo Daily Fantasy rewards points for tackles, shots on target and successful crosses: which player will deliver an all action performance right across the pitch?

Willian could be an outside shout if he plays, Riyad Mahrez is also in form and scored a worldie in the midweek games, but I will go for Dele Alli to turn his season round and deliver an explosive all round performance.

This is the hardest question but a well-rested Cesar Azpilicueta is a viable option. He loves to tackle and has assisted many Alvaro Morata goals this season. He pops up with the odd goal so there’s always a chance of a shot on target along with a probable clean sheet

Just one man and that man is Kevin De Bruyne.

Which high priced player will deliver a flop performance, if any?

It’s tempting to just play the percentages and go Salah but that thinking has burned me all season so far. I will go for Romelu Lukaku to continue his patchy goalscoring form.

Lukaku comes to mind straight away. Against an Arsenal backline in very good form coupled with Jose’s probable park the bus tactics – a blank looks a real possibility.

In my opinion, the premium priced player who may disappoint is Alexis Sanchez. I am backing Man Utd to stop the Chilean from scoring.