As soon as we advised you to avoid Branislav Ivanovic and Winston Reid last week, they were always going to put in sterling efforts for Chelsea and West Ham United respectively. That's the way that it has gone for us this season, but we did get a return of sorts from Memphis Depay, who used the post to set up Juan Mata in Manchester United's win over Southampton. It was obviously intentional...
Nevertheless, we acknowledge that we need to improve or else we could face the same reported fate as Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, so below, Sports Mole makes another six selections for week seven of the Premier League that will hopefully bring you a few points.
Who to pick
1. Anthony Martial
This is something of a no-brainer, isn't it? Ever since leaving AS Monaco for Manchester United for £36m, Anthony Martial has taken English football by storm, starting with a superb solo effort against Liverpool on his debut. He has followed that with a double away at Southampton and another strike in the League Cup against Ipswich Town. His scoring run will come to an end at some stage, but it has every chance of being prolonged past this weekend, with United hosting Sunderland at Old Trafford. The Black Cats have been shipping goals left, right and centre, with six goals being conceded in the first half of their last two fixtures. Realistically, they cannot get any worse, but regardless of whether they produce a more resolute performance on Saturday afternoon, the 19-year-old should add to his tally.
2. Callum Wilson
Another man who has taken to Premier League football like a duck to water is Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson. It wasn't so long ago that the 23-year-old was featuring in the National League during a loan spell with Tamworth, but after netting 23 goals in his debut campaign for the Cherries last year, he gave himself the chance to play in the top flight and he has taken it with both hands. After netting a hat-trick at West Ham, Wilson has followed that with goals against both Leicester City and Sunderland, and against a Stoke City defence whose only clean sheet this season came away at Fulham in the League Cup on Tuesday, he should be able to use his pace to get into shooting positions at the Britannia Stadium.
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3. Virgil van Dijk
Ever since departing Celtic for Southampton, defender Virgil van Dijk has fitted in seamlessly in the centre of the Saints defence, and although he was part of a backline who conceded three times against Manchester United, he was not at fault for any of the goals. In his other two appearances, he has helped his new team to clean sheets at both West Bromwich Albion and MK Dons and we are backing him to make it three shutouts in four matches when Swansea City visit St Mary's at the weekend. The Welsh club have not scored a goal since beating United before the international break, and we believe that their failure to find the back of the net could be extended to a fourth game.
Who to avoid
1. Wilfried Zaha
While some of his Crystal Palace teammates have earned praise for their performances since the start of the season, the same cannot be said of Wilfried Zaha. The winger netted on the opening day of the season but he has since struggled to make a contribution in the final third, while manager Alan Pardew was openly critical of the former Manchester United man after his showing against Spurs last weekend. Zaha did impress in the League Cup tie against Charlton Athletic but it remains to be seen whether it will be enough to earn himself a reprieve when Palace play Watford at Vicarage Road on Sunday afternoon.
2. Harry Kane
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Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane has been a regular choice for us this season - for positive and negative reasons - but we are left with little option but to advise you to avoid him this weekend. It has now been eight games since the England international scored at club level, while his run is extended to one goal in 13 matches since April 25. Kane showed against Arsenal in the League Cup that he was not suffering a crisis in confidence - he almost broke his scoring duck with a scissor-kick that was cleared off the line - but with Manchester City the visitors to White Hart Lane on Saturday lunchtime, and Kane having less than three days to recover from running himself into the ground against the Gunners, we do not expect him to get on the scoresheet.
3. Asmir Begovic
With Chelsea travelling to St James' Park to face a Newcastle United side who are struggling to find a goal or a win, it would probably make sense to put a member of the Blues backline in your starting lineup. However, with Chelsea possessing a poor record away from home against the Magpies and doubts still remaining over their defence, we think that goalkeeper Asmir Begovic should be left out. The Bosnian stopper's only clean sheets have come against Maccabi Tel Aviv and a 10-man Arsenal team. Leaving him out of your team is arguably a bit of a risk, but Chelsea have not avoided defeat at St James' Park in their last three visits.
Darren Plant
