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31st Mar 2017

The three players you need in your Fantasy Football team this week

Conor Heneghan

When in doubt, back the Belgian blue.

J-League

A lot has happened since our last Fantasy Football bulletin, but three of the top five from last time out remain in situ at the top of the J-League, including Ogie Nolan’s Tulig Panthers**, who hold a fairly precarious 13-point lead in the number one spot.

Derek Dickenson’s 2 Girls 1 Schlupp are leading the challenge in second place with seven points to spare over Brian Haugh’s Hauzinho’s Harriers, who managed a whopping 92 points in Gameweek 30.

In an extraordinary coincidence, meanwhile, not only are the two teams below that deadlocked on the exact same points, they have (kind of) the exact same name too; the battle between Klippity Klopp and clipityKlopp, managed by Alan Duggan and Michael Walsh respectively, is just one of the interesting aspects about the title run-in in what is a very competitive J-League.

J-League Top 5

  1. Tulig Panthers** – Ogie Nolan: 1,783 points
  2. 2 Girls 1 Schlupp – Derek Dickenson: 1,770 points
  3. Hauzinho’s Harriers – Brian Haugh: 1,763 points
  4. Klippity Klopp – Alan Duggan: 1,745 points
  5. clipityKlopp – Michael Walsh: 1,745 points

This week’s leaders: Tulig Panthers** – Ogie Nolan

Gameweek 31

Like most international breaks these days, the most recent one seemed to go on forever, but there are a couple of belters to welcome the Premier League back with a bang.

First up is the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Saturday morning, unfortunately the first of many games Seamus Coleman will miss for Everton following his horrendous leg break against Wales last week.

In terms of form and Fantasy Football, Coleman had been flying it before the international break and his loss will be a significant one, as will the absence of Adam Lallana for the hosts.

Ronald Koeman will hope that, in Coleman’s absence, Romelu Lukaku can lead the line as impressively as he has been doing for the Toffees in recent weeks; he’s on a run of nine goals, two assists and 63 points in the last six games.

The other standout clash from the weekend is the meeting of Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates on Sunday afternoon.

The Gunners go into the game on the back of three 3-1 defeats in four league games, with Arsene Wenger looking as vulnerable as he ever has during his long reign at the club.

Word on the street is he’s on the verge of signing of another new contract, but a failure to get a result will only increase the cries for his removal… and might just send Arsenal TV into meltdown.

This week’s picks

Safe bet: Christian Eriksen (£8.6 million). Spurs need players to step up in attack in the absence of Harry Kane and, along with Dele Alli, Eriksen has been the go-to man for Mauricio Pocchetino’s men.

In the last three games alone, he’s bagged a goal, two assists and 22 points and will need watching by the Burnley defence at Turf Moor on Saturday.

Dark horse: Jamie Vardy (£9.7 million). It’s probably an insult to include Jamie Vardy in the dark horse category given his exploits last season, but he wasn’t exactly pulling up trees this season before Claudio Ranieri’s departure.

Since then, he’s been a changed man with three goals, two assists and 29 points in three games as the Foxes look set to avoid the ignominy of going down the season after winning the league.

Captain’s choice: Eden Hazard (£10.2 million). The Belgian is expected to be fit for the meeting with Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge and should be fresh having had his feet up during the international break.

Before his recent injury, he had contributed two goals, two assists and 34 points in five games and looked for all the world like a Player of the Year in waiting.