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Firmino and Mane have to step up in Salah's absence

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Roberto Firmino has to step up if Mohamed Salah is rested after scoring just once in his last four league games.
Roberto Firmino has to step up if Mohamed Salah is rested after scoring just once in his last four league games.

Who Got The Assist (WGTA) is Nick+Tom’s pod and site celebrating the first question managers ask when a goal goes in. They have previewed the following games:

Everton v Liverpool

Bournemouth v Crystal Palace

Brighton v Huddersfield

Leicester v Newcastle

Stoke v Spurs

Everton v Liverpool

A fixture that’ll mean more to Everton than Liverpool, with the Reds’ focus surely to be on finalising their place in the Champions League semis. Accordingly, expect rotation in the Liverpool line up, with a rest for Mohamed Salah highly likely.

This might push the burden of driving Liverpool forward on to Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane – though, if they start, expect them to play 70 mins. For the Toffees, the likes of Cenk Tosun and Yannick Bolasie will be hoping to cause an upset.

Key men: Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Cenk Tosun

Bournemouth v Palace

The Cherries will be without key goal threat Junior Stanislas for the rest of the season, though the veteran Jermain Defoe – who stuck in 15 goals a season over the last couple – will be pushing for a start.

Palace will also be without big man up top Christian Benteke, though his lack of form has been stark – he’s in the single digits (7%) for shot accuracy in the last six matches despite having had 14 attempts. Accordingly it’ll probably come down to if Wilfried Zaha can create something out of nothing, and if the Cherries defence can stand firm against the tricky winger.

Key men: Wilfried Zaha, Josh King and Jermain Defoe.

Brighton v Huddersfield

A relegation ‘six-pointer’, with the Seagulls facing the Terriers in a bird v dog matchup. Brighton will be hoping Glenn Murray – who was the most significant underperformer in terms of xG last week, in large part due to his missed penalty v Leicester – can score the goals to win them the game, assisted no doubt by “mini-Ozil” Pascal Gross.

Huddersfield will be hoping Aaron Mooy and Steve Mounie can help them perform at the Amex, though the big Frenchman is goalless in five matches.

Key men: Glenn Murray, Pascal Gross and Steve Mounie.

Leicester v Newcastle

After a slightly fortuitous win over Brighton last week, the Foxes will be hoping to end the season with a run of good form. Accordingly, Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy are far and away the key men in this game for them.

For Newcastle, Ayoze Perez has been flourishing having adapted to the no. 10 role that Rafa has stuck him in: he’s created four chances, and two big chances, in the last six.

Key men: Jamie Vardy, Riyad Mahrez and Ayoze Perez.

Stoke v Spurs

The return of Harry Kane to our consideration is earlier than expected, but the statistics remain ridiculous: he’s had 40 more goal attempts (162) than his Golden Boot rival Salah.

Heung-Min Son has played his way into the Spurs best XI this year, and will revert to his penetrating runs from the wing with Kane’s return, no doubt ably assisted by the likes of Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli. I can’t see Stoke getting anywhere in this.

Key men: Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son and Christian Eriksen.

Varun is a seasoned FPL player and regular contributor for fantasy football articles and has previewed the following games:

Watford v Burnley

West Brom v Swansea

Manchester City v Manchester United

Arsenal v Southampton

Chelsea v West Ham

Watford v Burnley

This game isn’t one of the most illustrious of games this week and also offers less significance in terms of the effects of the result. Watford are slap bang mid-table with very little chance of much change either in a positive or a negative sense. Burnley do have a bit more to play for as they are 7th and playing to get themselves in Europe next season. So, any kind of value will probably come from Sean Dyche’s men.

Ashley Barnes has scored four in his last four games.
Ashley Barnes has scored four in his last four games.

Top 3 Picks
Ashley Barnes– The striker is in sensational form scoring in each of his last four games the last of which was an amazing acrobatic effort against rock-bottom West Brom.
Chris Wood– Another striker in amazing form scoring four in his last three games. Playing alongside Barnes, and as shown last week the pair can produce without Johann Berg Gudmundsson.
Matt Lowton– The right-back is the cheapest Burnley asset at the back and offers significant attacking threat for that price with three assists already this season. He will be a sure starter and will be looking to get a clean sheet for his team.

West Brom vs Swansea

West Brom are doomed and I can’t see them surviving. On the other hand, Swansea have been very good under new manager Carlos Carvalhal. Their defence has been solid and I expect a clean sheet and a comfortable win for them.

Top 3 Picks
Alfie Mawson– The Swansea defender is a sure starter and provides a considerable threat from set pieces. He will also be motivated to show his worth to the England coach after his latest call-up.
Martin Olsson– Olsson is the more attacking of the fullbacks and gets in the box a lot. Has a wicked shot on him so could be involved offensively.
Ki Sung-Yeung– The Swansea midfielder has scored twice and assisted two in his last five starts.

Man City vs Man Utd

Now to the showpiece event at the Etihad. City could confirm the title and United would like to delay the party. After City’s embarrassing defeat to Liverpool in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final, I expect them to rotate heavily which means that their key players are a doubt for this match.

On the other hand, United have won four consecutive games in the league so are in decent form themselves.

Top 3 Picks
Romelu Lukaku– He has scored three and assisted another two in his last four and is showing great consistency. Against a potentially rotated City line-up, he could have another good day in front of goal.
Alexis Sanchez– After a goal and an assist in his last game Alexis is showing signs of warming up to life at Old Trafford. He would like to impress the fans in this big match and so could be a nice differential.
David de Gea– Not much of a differential but his ownership should be lower this week though. He could get a fair few save points and if city do rotate a maybe even a clean sheet.

Arsenal vs Southampton

Arsenal are finishing the season strongly as they always do while the Saints are in a serious struggle for survival. After a thrashing at the hands of West Ham, confidence wouldn’t be very high and I expect a comfortable win for Arsenal and possibly another clean sheet.

Top 3 Picks
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang– The Gabonese international is in great form and scored twice in his last game. He is also cup-tied so pretty nailed on to start.
Aaron Ramsey– I expect Wenger to start Aaron Ramsey against Southampton and given his attacking qualities he should be heavily involved in the final third of the pitch.
Shkodran Mustafi- The defender is in a good run of form at the back for Arsenal. He is the most nailed on of the Arsenal defenders due to their Europa League commitments. He also offers goal threat off set pieces.

Chelsea vs West Ham

I expect fireworks in this game. West Ham struggling to survive will go all in to win the London derby and Chelsea will look to bounce back from the disappointment against Spurs.

Top 3 Picks
Marko Arnautovic– He is playing up front and is a handful for the defenders. I expect him to be involved in anything they produce going forward. Chelsea’s defence hasn’t been playing very well either.
Willian– Willian has been Chelsea’s best player over the last month and will be involved from open play and from set pieces. Attacking return are on the cards for the Brazillian this Sunday.
Marcos Alonso– How did he not score against Spurs I don’t know but the Chelsea defender; let me rephrase, the Chelsea striker will be a threat in the box and his crossing from the touchline. I expect attacking returns from him this match.