Premier League fantasy football tips: Who to pick, captain and avoid in gameweek 25 this weekend

We've only just done the post-mortem on the midweek round but it's time to buckle up and get back into it 

We have a full set of Premier League games this weekend, which is the first chance for many clubs to show off their deadline day signings.

Plenty of new faces have arrived in England and fans will be eager to see them in action on an action-packed weekend.

There are some fascinating match-ups taking place, including a top-of-the-table clash between Manchester City and Leicester, and Manchester United’s trip to Chelsea.

With plenty of selection headaches in store in fantasy land, here are our tips on how to score as many points as possible.

 

Kay injuries/suspensions

Fantasy players looked on in horror on Wednesday night as red-hot striker Romelu Lukaku suffered an injury.
The extent of the damage is still unknown, but he is a doubt to start at Stoke on Saturday and may be given a week off to fully recover.

Injury doubt: Romelu Lukaka may not play this weekend

John Stones definitely won’t feature after straining his hamstring, but he could be back for the Toffees’ match with West Brom next week.

Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli also needs monitoring after he was taken off against Norwich with an illness. He is currently rated at 50/50.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace’s Yohan Cabaye is still a doubt after missing their game against Bournemouth with an ankle injury, and Aston Villa’s Jordan Ayew is suspended for three matches after his red card against West Ham.

James Griffiths

Red mist: Jordan Ayew was sent off against West Ham

Favourable match-ups of the week

Liverpool will be hoping to put struggling Sunderland to the sword at Anfield on Saturday, as they look to bounce back from their defeat to Leicester.
In-form Tottenham will also fancy their chances of bagging a few goals when they welcome Watford to
White Hart Lane, while Arsenal will hope to get back on track at Bournemouth.

 

Big names/bandwagons to avoid

Manchester United may have returned to their free-scoring ways of old, but it is hard to trust any of Anthony Martial, Juan Mata or Wayne Rooney at Chelsea on Sunday.

 

Bargain corner

Charlie Austin is in line to make his first Southampton start against West Ham on Saturday, making him good value for money.
His team-mate Fraser Forster is also a good bet in goal, as he has kept four straight clean sheets since returning from injury.

Meanwhile, Andros Towsend will be keen to show Newcastle fans what he is about against West Brom, and Liverpool’s Roberto Firmino will fancy his chances against Sunderland’s leaky defence.

 

Home bow: Andros Townsend will be in action for Newcastle

Who should I captain?

Sergio Aguero. The Manchester City striker may be facing the team at the top of the league, but Leicester have kept just eight clean sheets in 24 games.
The Argentine striker has scored five goals in his last three games and looks back to his terrifying best. If he remains fit, then he should your captain every week.

Reuters / Andrew Yates

Unstoppable: Sergio Aguero is in superb form

Looking ahead

Next weekend is just too good to miss, with the top four playing each other.
Leicester travel to face an out-of-sorts Arsenal, before Man City host Spurs in the clash of the weekend.

Injuries, doubts, suspensions etc

Here is a full rundown of those that either won’t be playing this weekend or are facing tricky last-minute fitness tests.
ARSENAL
Out: Akpom, Cazorla, Jenkinson, Rosicky, Welbeck, Wilshere, Zelalem.

 ASTON VILLA
Out: Amavi, Baker, Bennett, Crespo, Gardner, Traore.
Doubts: Hutton, Gestede, Kozak, Sanchez, Westwood.
Banned: J. Ayew.
 
BOURNEMOUTH
Out: Allsopp, Gradel, Mings, Rantie, Wilson.
Doubts: Stanislas.
 
CHELSEA
Out: Atsu, Brown, Christensen, Cuadrado, de Souza, Falcao, Garcia, Remy, Solanke.
Doubts: Pato.

 

CRYSTAL PALACE
Out: Appiah, Bolasie, Dymond, Gray, Ledley, McArthur, Puncheon, Sako, Williams.
Doubts: Cabaye, Gayle.
Banned: Wickham.
 
EVERTON
Out: Browning, Besic, Garbutt, Hibbert, Mirallas, McAleny, McGeady Stones.
Doubts: Howard, Lukaku, Niasse.
 
LEICESTER
Out: Hammond, James, Konchesky, Lawrence, Schlupp.
Doubts: Amartay.

 

LIVERPOOL
Out: Fulton, Gomez, Ings, Markovic, Origi, Rossiter, Sturridge.
Doubts: Coutinho, Skrtel.
 
MANCHESTER CITY
Out: De Bruyne, Denayer, Dzeko, Evans, Kompany, Maffeo, Becerra, Mangala, Nasri.
Doubts: Bony, Delph, Navas.
 
MANCHESTER UNITED
Out: Blackett, Johnstone, Powell, Rojo, Schweinsteiger, Shaw, Valencia, Wilson, Young.
Doubts: Jones.
 
NEWCASTLE
Out: Anita, Armstrong, Bigirimana, Cabella, Cisse, Good, Haidara, Krul, Obertan, Thauvin, Tiote, Toney, Williamson.
Doubts: de Jong, Dummett, Colback, Mbabu.
Banned: Lascelles.

 

 
NORWICH
Out: Hooper, Kean.
Doubts: Brady, Dorrans.
Banned: Tettey.
 
SOUTHAMPTON
Out: Davis, Gardos, Isgrove, Rodriguez, Seager.
Doubts: None.
 
STOKE
Out: Adam, Given, Sidwell, Wilson.
Doubts: Cameron, Imbula, Shawcross, Wollscheid.
 
SUNDERLAND
Out: Bridcutt, Buckley, Coates, Fletcher, Giaccherini, Gomez, Gooch, Graham, Larsson, Matthews, Vergini.
Doubts: None.

SWANSEA
Out: Macedo, Ki Sung-yeung Lopes, Tabanou, Tremmel.
Doubts: None
 
TOTTENHAM
Out: Fazio, N’Jie, Vertonghen.
Doubts: Alli, Mason.
 
WATFORD
Out: Angella, Arlauskis, Diamanti, Ekstrand, Fabbrini, Gilmartin, Hoban, Layun, Murray, Vydra.
Doubts: Britos.
 
WEST BROM
Out: Brunt, Lindegaard, McManaman, Morrison.
Doubts: Evans.
 
WEST HAM
Out: Hendrie, Jenkinson, Lanzini, Lee, Sakho, Samuelsen.
Doubts: Byram, Carroll, Ogbonna.