The Premier League is back after a rare midweek of inaction which is good news for some managers with well-rested players. Also with a large majority of English sides already qualified, many changes were made in the midweek European games to keep players fresh.
Gameweek 16 presents a fantastic opportunity to play your Wildcard for those who have had a lot of misfiring assets of late. However, Antonio Conte has confirmed that several first-team players and staff have tested positive for Covid-19 hence their GW16 fixture against Brighton has been postponed.
This article will provide you with the best picks for the upcoming game week except Mohamed Salah who now has 13 goals and 10 assists in 15 matches this season and henceforth gets an automatic mention as promised last week.
Beware of the slightly earlier deadline of 18:30 GMT on Friday 10 December.
Goalkeeper
Aaron Ramsdale(£5.0m)
The Arsenal shot-stopper has recorded seven or more points in four game weeks this season. Ramsdale offers long-term prospects because his upcoming fixtures are very good and he possesses bonus points potential with the fourth-highest score in the accumulator.
Defenders
Diogo Dalot(£4.4m)
The Portuguese is owned by only 0.4% of managers and given he has started the last two games, it may be time to seriously consider the young full-back.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka returned to the bench for Ralf Rangnick’s debut in the Old Trafford dugout before he was stretchered off in the midweek Champions League draw. Dalot’s performance already deserved a continued run and now he becomes a key FPL option.
At his eye-catching bargain price, Dalot faces Norwich in GW16 who are the worst attacking side having scored only eight times this season.
Joao Cancelo (£6.8m)
After a rare breather in midweek during Manchester City’s 2-1 loss to RB Leipzig, Cancelo is expected to return straight into the side for GW16. Although the full-back has not registered a return in his previous three games, he possesses the most attacking threat among defenders with the most shots on target since Gameweek 12.
Only Norwich have scored fewer goals than Wolves this season, with just one in their previous five games to boost Cancelo’s clean sheet chances for GW16. The attacking full-back bears huge potential for returns at both ends and it is about time you got him in your team.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.1m)
The Liverpool creator-in-chief earned nine points in a tough GW15 for many managers to underline his consistency so far this campaign. Alexander-Arnold’s 99 points is 15 clear of the third-highest scoring players in the game with his one goal, seven assists and eight clean sheets making him second only to the irrepressible Mo Salah.
Having averaged eight points in his last eight game weeks, Alexander-Arnold faces the team coached by his footballing idol and Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa could well be the latest victims of his FPL dominance.
Reece James (£5.7m)
The Chelsea ‘defender’ already has four goals and four assists in only nine starts for the joint-most attacking returns from any defender this season. Reece James has registered at least 12-point returns in three of his last six game weeks.
GW16 opponents Leeds have struggled for goals with individual mistakes at the back making up the story of their season so far. The Whites are ravaged by injuries, offering James straightforward chances of attacking and defensive returns.
Midfielders
Jarrod Bowen (£6.5m)
The West Ham forward is one of the most transferred-in players ahead of GW16 after winning a penalty and scoring a brilliant goal in an impressive win over Chelsea.
Indeed, only Crystal Palace’s Conor Gallagher has outscored Bowen (72 points to 71) among £7m midfielders this season and it is highly likely he returns for a second consecutive game week.
Bowen also has a good run of fixtures over the winter schedule and he could be a reliable asset going forward.
Mason Mount (£7.5m)
After providing an assist and scoring a spectacular goal in the damaging defeat to West Ham, Mason Mount has now produced double-digit figures for successive game weeks and is one of Chelsea’s best attacking assets whenever he starts this season.
The Blues are expecting a reaction against Leeds after back-to-back disappointing performances and Mount is among the most transferred-in players for this game week.
Bernardo Silva (£7.6m)
Already regarded as the best player in the league after Salah, Silva registered strikes in back-to-back games following a double against Watford and he will be in confident mood for Wolves on Saturday.
The attacking midfielder got a midweek rest after 25 points in the last two GWs and is currently the best captaincy option in the City squad.
Diogo Jota (£8.0m)
Playing in a favourable position, the Portuguese forward’s 14 shots in the box and seven big chances are the most in the entire game over the last four Gameweeks.
Jota is fixture-proof and plays in the best attack in Europe’s top five leagues. Worth every penny.
Forwards
Jamie Vardy (£10.7m)
The Foxes forward should lead out-of-sorts Leicester against Newcastle who have just one clean sheet this season.
The Magpies have the worst expected goals conceded (xGC) in the Premier League so far and Vardy has scored the most home goals in the league this season (six). Gameweek 16 should see a return to winning ways and Vardy would be right at the forefront of those efforts.
Emmanuel Dennis (£5.7m)
The Nigerian’s start to the season has been very impressive and he is now the second-highest scoring forward in FPL.
Six goals and five assists have surprised many, to say the least, and with 24.6% ownership, Dennis has become a popular man. After Brentford, the Hornets face Burnley and Crystal Palace prior to Christmas and the forward can become a bargain asset throughout the month.
Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.4m)
The greatest goalscorer in world football faces Norwich after a well-timed rest from European exertions in midweek. Ronaldo has returns in three of his four away starts this season and you can’t see past him scoring his first goals of the Rangnick era.
