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The Fantasy Football Suffix - Gameweek 32 - Sun/Mon

13 April 2015

After letting the dust settle on Saturday's action, it's time to review the two games on Sunday, plus the Monday night Football encounter between Liverpool and Newcastle (which I shall write live while watching the game). Hopefully, once the final whistle goes, we'll all be looking at green arrows. 


QPR v CHE

The action started at Loftus Road as QPR hosted the West London derby between themselves and champions-elect Chelsea. With Rangers collecting four precious points from the two away games in DGW31, they would have fancied their chances. The news that Loïc Remy - the most popular fantasy transfer in this week - was missing due to a calf strain didn't start the day very well for the 70k managers who had put their faith in him. Instead, old hand Didier Drogba led the line for the visitors, who struggled to play their normal fast passing game in the first half.

Willian hit the post early on, but it was from a miscued cross rather than a decent shot. Courtois made a smart save from a long range Charlie Austin effort, but the first half was devoid of any real quality. In the second half, QPR looked much the better team in terms of creating opportunities, but Phillips, Hill Nd Austin were all unable to find a way past Courtois.

As it looked like the game would finish 0-0, two minutes from time a poor clearance from Rob Green fell to Hazard who traded passes with Oscar before receiving the ball back and teeing up Cesc Fàbregas who scored only his third of the season. Only one shot on target all game for Chelsea, but they walked away with all three points again.

Fàbregas - 3pts
Azpilicueta & Terry - 2pts


MUN v MCY

The tie of the weekend was the Manchester derby, with a resurgent United facing a stuttering City. Many FPL managers had spotted the danger signs and had shipped out Agüero in their thousands. Mainly for Remy, but we won't dwell on that! In recent weeks, Mata, Fellaini, Herrera, Young and Carrick to name just a few had contributed in United finding a consistency they had so badly been lacking. Eager to take revenge for being on the wrong end of some derby day drubbings, United would have sensed blood.

But that would be to disregard the fact that despite recent poor form (and fantasy points returns), Sergio Agüero is one of the Premier League's deadliest strikers. With only 8 minutes on the clock, a mix-up between Jones and Carrick allowed David Silva to earn his seventh assist of the season as he squared the ball to Agüero who scored goal number eighteen of his campaign. 101k of managers who transferred him out this week (plus the 160k who had already dumped him over the last couple of weeks) groaned. This was the situation they had dreaded.

The lead lasted barely five minutes. Ashley Young gobbling up a chance to score after a shot was only half cleared and he got another bite of the cherry. No assist for this equaliser was awarded. United took the lead on 27 minutes as Marouane Fellaini hung around in the box long enough for Young to deliver a cross right onto his (offside?) head. Just before half time Vincent Kompany was lucky only to receive a yellow card for a foul on Blind.

After the break, Mangala came on to replace Kompany who had injured himself in that challenge on Blind, but United picked up where they left off, launching wave after wave of attacks. The third goal came courtesy of Juan Mata, who received the pass from Rooney before steadying himself and placing it through Joe Hart's legs. The final United goal came from a dead ball delivery from Ashley Young who found Chris Smalling unmarked to head home his fourth goal of the season. The same number as Falcao incidentally.

Aguero had time to score his nineteenth - and draw level with Kane and Costa at the top of the charts - when he received the ball from Pablo Zabaleta in the 89th minute and finished well. 4-2 the result, United easily the better team and all of a sudden plenty of viable fantasy options from amongst their ranks. Chelsea up next, but who'd bet against returning old boy Mata and Rooney (who Mourinho so desperately wanted to sign) turning over the Blues? As for City, over 250k of managers are no doubt looking how they can fit Agüero BACK into their teams.

Mata - 3pts
Agüero - 2pts
Young - 1pt


LIV v NEW

The team news revealed that Daniel Sturridge allegedly picked up an injury in the FA Cup win over Blackburn, which meant he was missing altogether. Jordan Ibe was recalled after a five match absence, with Coutinho in the middle flanked by Sterling and Ibe. It took only 9 minutes for Liverpool to take the lead, and it was through Sterling who brought down a long ball from Henderson out on the left. He danced past a couple of weak Newcastle tackles before scoring his seventh goal of the season.

Coutinho, Moreno, Sterling and Henderson all had chances to extend Liverpool's lead, but were unable to produce anything telling. Newcastle looked completely out of ideas, with Sissoko looking like the only player capable of creating anything. A penalty claim was waved away by the referee as Lovren looked to have made contact with Ayoze Perez, who went down easily.

As the second half began, Newcastle improved slightly, but it was Sterling who missed an absolute howler; the ball fell to him from a clearance about five years out with just Krul to beat, but he somehow put it wide. On 70 minutes the second goal did come, from the unlikely boot of Joe Allen who took advantage of an Emre Can assist that came to him via another poor clearance from the inept Mike Williamson.

Sissoko was beginning to look more and more agitated and was rightly booked on 78 minutes. It only took another few minutes for him to pick up his second yellow (which maybe should have been a straight red) for a terrible challenge on Lucas. He will get a one match ban which will keep him out of GW33, unless the FA review it and extend the ban - which may well happen. 2-0 the final score. Liverpool blank now in GW33 before playing twice in DGW34.

Allen & Lovren - 3pts
Henderson - 1pt

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