Welcome to AM’s Perfect XI - Week 21 player picks. This column focuses on Togga’s Perfect XI game, which you can play via their IOS and Android app. Find the apps here and make sure you update regularly to take advantage of the constant enhancements: https://www.playtogga.com
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Each week I provide a Perfect XI of my own for the upcoming gameweek, recommending 11 players to consider along with some honourable mentions. The players listed won’t necessarily be the exact 11 selected for my own Perfect XI fantasy side. The point of this column isn’t to tell you exactly who to pick; it’s to present some ideas and get your brain whirring. I’ll be listing a combination of the must-haves and slightly riskier options, alongside the odd hunch. Hopefully you’ll find this useful whether you’re playing Togga’s game or looking at potential transfers for your official Fantasy Premier League team.
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It seems a long time ago, but this was my Week 20 side:
Foster, McAuley, Koscielny, Baines, Rose, Zaha, Lallana, De Bruyne, Phillips, Firmino, Aguero
2017 started decently as McAuley, Baines, Zaha, Phillips & Aguero helped lift me to a weekly total of 141 points to remain 93rd in the overall standings.
Week 21 kicks off at 12:30 GMT on Saturday as Tottenham host West Brom. It’s important to have your fantasy team locked in ready for this match, but remember in Perfect XI you can swap out a player right up to one minute before their match kicks off and bring in an alternative player whose match is also yet to kick off. This flexibility will allow you to avoid the pain of a surprise benching or unreported last minute injury and a big fat zero. Ensure you keep your eyes on the RW PL Twitter account for line-ups one hour prior to matches.
Here are your fixtures ...
SATURDAY
Tottenham v West Brom
Burnley v Southampton
Hull City v Bournemouth
Sunderland v Stoke City
Swansea City v Arsenal
Watford v Middlesbrough
West Ham v Crystal Palace
Leicester City v Chelsea
SUNDAY
Everton v Manchester City
Manchester United v Liverpool
And the picks ...
KEEPERS
Hugo Lloris - Tottenham are in great form, especially at home, and so I expect them to win to nil against West Brom. The likes of Chris Brunt and Matt Phillips should ensure the Frenchman has a few saves to make too which would complement the clean sheet points nicely.
Honourable Mention: Tom Heaton at home to Southampton, Petr Cech away at Swansea
DEFENDERS
Danny Rose - If you’re going with a Spurs defender this week then it should be Danny Rose, who not only has a clean sheet chance but who should also get plenty of joy against West Brom’s centre-back-shoehorned-in-at-right-back Craig Dawson.
Laurent Koscielny - Swansea can’t defend set pieces. Koscielny goes forward for Arsenal’s set pieces and is very good at heading. Therefore, Koscielny could grab himself a goal. And a clean sheet. Simples.
Winston Reid - Crystal Palace haven’t settled under Sam Allardyce just yet and so West Ham can take advantage as they host the Eagles at the London Stadium. With Wilf Zaha on ACN duties the Hammers should win this one nil and so Winston Reid is worth a look for the clean sheet as well as his attacking threat in the opposition’s box.
Charlie Daniels - A handy fantasy asset last season (mainly because he took penalties in the absence of Callum Wilson), Charlie Daniels has become an all-round performer for Bournemouth during this campaign. The left-back tore Hector Bellerin apart in Week 20 and should profit again at Hull.
Honourable Mentions: Marcos Alonso away at Leicester, Patrick van Aanholt at home to Stoke, Leighton Baines at home to Manchester City, Virgil van Dijk away at Burnley
MIDFIELDERS
Christian Eriksen - The majority of managers will be tempted by Dele Alli‘s stunning goalscoring form but I’m leaning towards set-piece-taking-assist-king Christian Eriksen for the home clash with the Baggies. No blame would be apportioned if you were tempted to field both players for Week 21 but it’s usually safer to spread your eggs across baskets.
Robert Snodgrass - Hull haven’t had much to cheer about this season but the few sprinkles of joy have been created by Robert Snodgrass. The Scottish midfielder has an impressive seven goals for the season already and will have to be the key man once again if his side are to get anything against Bournemouth.
Junior Stanislas - On the subject of Bournemouth, enter the wonderfully named Junior Stanislas. The winger has been mightily impressive both pre and post injury for Eddie Howe‘s side and I’m tipping him to have an impact at the KC Stadium on Saturday.
Michail Antonio - See Reid, Winston. West Ham should beat Palace and in the absence of Dimitri Payet it will be down to the dangerous Michael Antonio to provide the spark at the attacking end of the pitch.
Honourable Mentions: Dele Alli at home to West Brom, Mesut Ozil away at Swansea, Eden Hazard away at Leicester, Xherdan Shaqiri away at Sunderland
STRIKERS
Alexis Sanchez - Arsenal have the perfect opportunity to bounce back from the disappointing draw at Bournemouth with a trip to struggling Swansea, and Alexis Sanchez should star. The Chilean has been magnificent for the Gunners for the past three months and is the top PPG scoring striker in the Perfect XI game by a distance. You’d be a fool to go in to Week 21 without him.
Jermain Defoe - Rumours continue to grow about a potential move to West Ham but at time of writing Jermain Defoe is a Sunderland player and will start the game against Stoke. You wouldn’t bet against the veteran forward adding to his 11 Premier League goals given his current form.
Honourable Mentions: Harry Kane at home to West Brom, Diego Costa away at Leicester, Callum Wilson away at Hull, Sergio Aguero away at Everton.
That’s it for Week 21. Check out the Rotoworld Features page to see a whole bunch of great content to get you ready for the festive period ahead. Feel free to comment below to us know how you’re getting on so far. And of course, good luck to all managers this week.
