After a break for last week's FA Cup fourth round, we return to try to follow up our efforts from week 22 which saw the majority of our gambles pay off to help you make progress in your fantasy football leagues.
We slipped up by selecting Radamel Falcao, who missed a couple of sitters against Queens Park Rangers, as well as advising you not to pick Laurent Koscielny, who helped Arsenal record a highly impressive victory at Manchester City, but you would have collected some clean sheet points if you included West Ham United goalkeeper Adrian and and Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel.
Below, Sports Mole have made six more selections ahead of the matches taking place over the weekend.
Who to pick
1. Peter Crouch
Stoke City have registered some impressive wins during the course of the season, including three points at the Etihad against Man City and at home to Arsenal, and one of their more influential figures during the first half of the season has been Peter Crouch. The former England international's strike-rate is nothing to shout about, but he is always in the thick of the action inside the penalty area, and with Bojan Krkic missing the latter part of the year, Crouch needs to thrive under the extra responsibility in attack. The 33-year-old will also be motivated to hit the back of the net against former side Queens Park Rangers, who are managed by Harry Redknapp, a long-term admirer of Crouch, and that's our main reason for backing him to net for the first time since December 13.
2. Marouane Chamakh
Marouane Chamakh? In a fantasy side? Yep, we understand that you think we are crazy but we are willing to take that risk ahead of Crystal Palace's game with Everton. The Moroccan has hardly been prolific this season - he has netted just once in 13 Premier League games - but his double on his return from injury against Southampton in the FA Cup last week would have impressed new manager Alan Pardew. With the former Newcastle United boss working wonders at Selhurst Park, Chamakh could capitalise on an Everton defence who have failed to impress all season. They kept a clean sheet against West Bromwich Albion last time out, but it could be a different story when they face a physical examination versus the Eagles.
© Getty Images
3 Laurent Koscielny.
You may be questioning our decision to select Laurent Koscielny for the second successive Premier League fixture but after he played a huge role in keeping a clean sheet at the Etihad Stadium two weeks ago, it would seem somewhat strange not to back him against a goal-shy Aston Villa team. In theory, given Arsenal's threat in the final third and Villa's lack of success in the top flight, it should be a relatively comfortable afternoon for Arsene Wenger's men, but Villa may take belief from beating the Gunners in North London last season. That was 17 months ago though, and while new signing Carles Gil may provide Villa with more of a cutting edge, Arsenal have every chance of completing the shutout on Sunday afternoon.
Who to avoid
1.Andy Carroll
The performances of Andy Carroll are one of the reasons why West Ham United are registering positive results in both the Premier League and FA Cup, but despite his undoubted impact in the final third of the pitch, the striker has only netted in four of his 14 matches this campaign. There is more to his game than just scoring goals, but from a fantasy football perspective, that is all that is important, and as he makes the return to former club Liverpool, we are backing the Reds to come out on top. They've only shipped three goals in their last six matches in all competitions and with the team eager to return to winning ways after losing to Chelsea in the League Cup, we think that they will keep a clean sheet against the Hammers.
2. Ashley Williams
Swansea City have enjoyed a solid first half of this year's Premier League, with the Welsh side being a constant fixture in the top half of the campaign, but over the past couple of weeks, two disappointing results had resulted in a bit of uncertainty at the Liberty Stadium. After being thrashed 5-0 by Chelsea, the Swans lost at Blackburn Rovers to bow out of the FA Cup and although there is no pressure whatsoever on his position at the club, Garry Monk may feel a bit of pressure ahead of their trip to fourth-place Southampton. The Saints lost to Crystal Palace last week but their recent form has been impressive and they will fancy their chances against a leaky Swansea backline.
© Getty Images
3.Robert Green
A trip to the Britannia Stadium to play Stoke City shouldn't prove as daunting for Queens Park Rangers as it would it they were travelling to Stamford Bridge, the Etihad Stadium or Old Trafford, but on any away trip, Harry Redknapp's team are huge favourites to fall to a defeat. The London outfit have lost each of their 10 fixtures, conceding 24 goals and scoring just five. Those statistics mean that it is almost a no-brainer to include one of the defensive line in our 'Who to avoid" list. Surprisingly, Stoke have won more points away from the Potteries this season than they have at home, but Mark Hughes will be instructing his team to pressurise their opponents from the first whistle and it could be a long afternoon for the relegation candidates.
Darren Plant
