Norwich 2 Wigan 1

The Pilkington and Hoolahan combination with a goal and assist each won this for Norwich with the 2 most obvious attacking players of Kone and Maloney combining for an assist and goal consolation for Wigan

defensive stats

Good from Norwich, not great from Wigan

player shooting stats

Pilkington and Snodgrass were the 2 leaders

Pen Box touches  were Snodgrass, Kone, Pilkington and Hoolahan

Chances created

Beausejour leads as he often does.

Most forward midfielders

Pilkington and Beausejour

performances by players owned by more than 10% of fantasy premier league teams

Bassong – A flood of purchases followed his 3 goals in a row.  However, Norwich are about to face trickier fixtures.  The issue with the Norwich defence is, who apart from Garrido and Bassong, who are expensive, is going to start.  For this reason the GK Bunn at £4.0m is the best value.

Man U 3 Sunderland 1

The choice of many fantasy premier league managers for the captains armband, the Robin reliable again showed the way with a goal and an assist.  Rooney chimed in with a goal, the other combination coming from the low % owned CMs of Cleverly and Carrick.  Sessegnon rewarded his GW17 2 game in a week owners, who didn’t put him on the bench, with an assist for Campbells goal.  Rafael’s charmed game time life finally came to an end and Vidic made his first appearance in a few months

defensive stats

Sunderlands stats were predicably awful and Utd’s nothing to write home about either

player shooting stats

RVP led the way followed closely by Rooney and surprisingly Sessegnon

Pen Box touches were RVP by a mile.  Next was Rooney then Young, Sess, Evra and Jones

Chances created

RVP, Sess and Rooney

Most forward midfielders

Young and Valencia.  Sess.

performances by players owned by more than 10% of fantasy premier league teams

Rafael – his charmed gametime life finally came to an end and some rotation looks inevitable over the Xmas period.  Its impossible to pick anyone in the Utd defence for reliable starts and I’m starting to wonder if De Gea looks an option again.

RVP – what can you say?  With the fixtures as they are  he’s essential in my mind.  Also very rarely fails as a captain and underlying stats becoming far more reliable.

Rooney – His average position was still well behind RVP’s but these shooting stats are far more like it from Rooney. Pen box touches were half RVP’s so I’m still with RVP even with the price differential.  I personally wouldn’t want the risk of having both in my team but after today (albeit against a rubbish defence)  I don’t think I would criticise anyone for it.

Sess – no where near %10 but worth a special mention after a top quality performance.  Unfortunately its Man City, Spurs and Liverpool after Saints away so its not a purchase for me but if you’re holding him this may make you think about any panic sale especially before the Saints game next week

Liverpool 1 Villa 3

Lethal finishing from Benteke turned this game from what should have been a procession for Liverpool. 2 goals and an assist for Benteke with Weiman also featuring plus a pair of assists for Holman.  Johnson showed why without a clean sheet he can still return with an assist when a shot brushed Gerrards hair for him to score.

defensive stats

Despite the score Liverpools stats were fantastic and Villas terrible.  The finishing and performance from Benteke was exceptional

player shooting stats

Suarez predictably led the stats but he was back to his old self that just couldn’t finish.  Benteke, Weiman and Shelvy followed

Pen Box touches were   Suarez by a country mile followed by Sterling and Benteke

Chances created

Benteke, Johnson and Suarez were honours even

Most forward midfielders

Sterling and Bannan

performances by players owned by more than 10% of fantasy premier league teams

Sterling – Was in a very advanced position and did reasonably well in terms of Pen box touches but no shots and virtually nothing in chances created.  1 assist in his last 5 games is a paltry return considering the fixtures although interestingly up to this game his shooting stats had improved.  As you will  see from the Suarez note below the fixtures are good so hold on is my view.

Suarez – what can you say?  He had it all stat wise but back to the old problem of not being able to finish.  Its 4 starts without a return now but with Fulham, Stoke, QPR and Sunderland next there’s no way I’m selling.

Benteke  – doesn’t qualify with only 1% of fantasy premier league managers owning him but worth a special mention due to his performance today.  He sits in the overall shooting stats and in the last 6 despite the difficult fixtures and also ranks in the top 10 for both in chances created.  He’s also great value at £6.5m.  Its just that the next 2 fixtures are tricky with Chelsea A and Spurs H so fantasy premier league managers may want to hold on until these 2 fixtures are over because after that its Wigan H Swansea A and Saints H