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Fantasy Football advice: Week 21

Sports Mole's fantasy football advice returns as we look ahead to week 21 of Premier League football.

Like the top leagues in Spain, Germany, France and Italy, Sports Mole had a winter break where our fantasy football advice was concerned.

However, we are back and feeling refreshed. Let's just hope that it shows with our selections because we didn't exactly cover ourselves in glory throughout the majority of December.

So, it here goes. Below are the five players that we believe are worth picking and another five that should be dodged ahead of the 21st round of Premier League matches.

Who to pick

1. Fraizer Campbell: The Cardiff City striker may only have scored five goals this season, but two of those have come in his last three outings. He also possesses the one thing that defences do not like to come up against - genuine pace. West Ham United will visit the Cardiff City Stadium this weekend, having conceded 30 goals in total. Such a statistic should give Campbell confidence, particularly because he has spent the last week working alongside his new manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who had a reputation as a clinical striker during his Manchester United days.

Cardiff's Fraizer Campbell celebrates after scoring his team's second goal against Newcastle during their FA Cup third round match on January 4, 2013© AFP

2. Wilfried Bony: The Ivorian appeared to initially struggle with the £12m price tag that took him to Swansea City, but in his last two outings there have been signs that he has started to show the sort of form that he displayed in Holland last term. He has scored three goals against both Manchester clubs, one of which the Swans face this weekend in David Moyes's United. He shone against the Red Devils last time out and will no doubt be looking to capitalise on any further slack defending from the hosts.

3. David Stockdale: Fulham have not exactly been what you would call watertight this season, but under the management of Rene Meulensteen, they have appeared to be more organised defensively, with the exception of the festive trip to Hull City. Stockdale has kept goal in the absence of Maarten Stekelenburg and he would no doubt be fancying his chances of keeping a clean sheet against a Sunderland side that have scored just five goals on the road.

4. Santi Cazorla: With Aaron Ramsey and Theo Walcott out injured and Mesut Ozil struggling for fitness, Arsenal's creative influence will rest on Cazorla's shoulders on Monday night away at Aston Villa. The Spaniard has scored just one goal and assisted two more in the Premier League this season, but there were signs against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup that he had regained the form that he showed during the last campaign.

Arsenal's Santi Cazorla celebrates after scoring the opening goal against Tottenham during their FA Cup third round match on January 4, 2013© AFP

5. Eden Hazard: Eight goals and five assists from 20 Premier League outings is a more than respectable return from Chelsea's Belgium international. There have, though, been indications of late that Hazard has stepped up his performances to another level. He goes into the trip to Hull having scored two in his last three outings.

Who to avoid

1. Brad Guzan: If Villa could replicate their away form at Villa Park, they would be comfortably higher than 11th spot. The fact is, they've failed to win eight of their 10 home fixtures, conceding 14 goals in the process. Next up is a visit from league leaders Arsenal, so it could well be a busy evening for goalkeeper Guzan and his defenders.

2. Christian Benteke: Meanwhile, up the other end of the pitch, Villa haven't fared much better. Last season Benteke scored 22 goals in a claret shirt, but after a positive start to this campaign, the Belgian has struggled. In his defence he has had a spell on the sidelines, but he hasn't found the net since the middle of September - a run that dates back 12 matches. In Arsenal, he will be up against a defence that has let in just 18 goals in 20 matches.

Christian Benteke of Aston Villa looks dejected following Everton's second goal during the Barclays Premier League match on October 26, 2013© Getty Images

3. John Ruddy: Only Stoke City and Fulham have conceded more goals on the road than Norwich City (22), who this weekend travel to Everton. That means that keeper John Ruddy will come up against a number of goals threats, including Romelu Lukaku, Kevin Mirallas and even full-back Seamus Coleman, who has scored six goals in all competitions, including five in his last nine matches. The Irishman also scored past Ruddy when the sides met at Carrow Road earlier in the season.

4. Jozy Altidore: In his 25 appearances for Sunderland in all competitions this season, the American international has picked up more yellow cards than goals that he has scored. He has found the net twice, but only once in the Premier League, while he has been cautioned on four occasions. He scored his last goal at the start of December, so there have been no recent clues that he is about to embark on a clinical run.

5. Curtis Davies: The Tigers have shipped just six goals at the KC Stadium, three of which were conceded in one outing against Man United. Despite their stubborn defensive performances, in Chelsea they take on a side that has scored 38 times from just 20 matches. They've also failed to find the back of the net on just three occasions in matches against Man United, Everton and Arsenal.

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Chelsea's Eden Hazard celebrates with teammates after scoring his team's opening goal against Liverpool during their Premier League match on December 29, 2013
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Premier League in numbers: Week 19
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal35255585285780
2Manchester CityMan City34247382325079
3Liverpool35229477364175
4Aston Villa35207873522167
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs33186967521560
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd34166125251154
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle341651374551953
8West Ham UnitedWest Ham351310125665-949
9Chelsea33139116359448
10Bournemouth35139135260-848
11Wolverhampton WanderersWolves35137154855-746
12Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton341111125257-544
13Fulham35127165155-443
14Crystal Palace351010154557-1240
15Everton35128153748-1136
16Brentford3598185260-835
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3579194262-2026
18Luton TownLuton3567224877-2925
19Burnley3559213870-3224
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd3537253497-6316


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