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EPL: Week 21 Preview

Who to sit and who to start in Game Week 21 of Fantasy EPL.

By Nabae Asfar
Paul Thomas

We have the majority of the games being played on Saturday, with two on Sunday, and one on Monday. It should be another fantastic week of Premier League action. So let's get to it!

If you are still trying to tweak your team, you might want to check out the recent articles on who to target here:

EPL Players to Target

Injuries & Replacements

GOALKEEPERS

Vito Mannone (Sunderland) - Mannone has done very, very well in goal for Sunderland lately, and that should continue this week as Sunderland face Fulham. In the last eight games, Mannone has scored 10 fantasy points THREE times. For a keeper that is valued at just 4.4mil, that is some outstanding value. (VERDICT: START)

David De Gea (Manchester United) - United just can't be trusted right now in any way, shape, or form. They face Swansea this week, the same team that knocked them out of the FA Cup just last week. (VERDICT: BENCH)

Petr Cech (Chelsea) - Chelsea seem to be tightening their defense up lately as evidenced by their four clean sheets in the past five games. They go up against Hull City tomorrow and there is a very good chance for Chelsea to have yet another clean sheet. (VERDICT: START)

Julian Speroni (Crystal Palace) - He has been surprisingly decent given the fact he plays for a pretty crap team. However, he faces Tottenham this week and I expect them to put a couple past him. (VERDICT: BENCH)

DEFENDERS

Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea) - Guaranteed to start at RB with Branislav Ivanovic still out injured and a great match up against Hull bodes very well for the one they call "Dave". (VERDICT: START)

Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City) - Going up against Liverpool, I don't feel confident Shawcross will have a decent showing. (VERDICT: BENCH)

Seamus Coleman (Everton) - He has skyrocketed into the best fantasy defender in the league. You don't bench the best fantasy defender in the league against Norwich. (VERDICT: START)

Mamadou Sakho (Liverpool) - He is guaranteed to start since Liverpool's defense is riddled with injury and going up against Stoke isn't a bad match up. He's not very expensive either, so he could end up being a very good pick for this week. (VERDICT: START)

Dejan Lovren (Southampton) - He started the season off as one of the best fantasy defenders in the league, but a dip in not only his form but his entire team, has seen Dejan fall off the map. The match up is decent on paper, against West Brom, but I feel like with a brand new manager at the helm, West Brom will score. (VERDICT: BENCH)

MIDFIELDERS

I'm going to do this section a little differently. I have 3 midfielders as MUST STARTS and I'm just going to list them, the reasoning should be self explanatory. They are in red-hot form, and the third is going to be relied upon heavily in attack due to the amount of injuries on his team.

Eden Hazard - 26 fantasy points in the last three games. 2 goals and 1 assist in those games. Boom.

Oscar - 21 fantasy points in the last three games with 1 goal and 3 assists in that span. Double Boom.

Mesut Ozil - Back from injury and just in time as his team is desperate for a healthy attacking force.

Kevin Mirallas (Everton) - He has been less than spectacular in the last four games and it's hard to trust him right now. He has three straight games where all he could get was 1 fantasy point. There are other, more reliable options available. (VERDICT: BENCH)

Yohan Cabaye (Newcastle) - He is trying to recover in time from an Achilles injury, and it looks like he will play but I wouldn't start him on my fantasy team. Not this week. (VERDICT: BENCH)

Scott Sidwell (Fulham) - Don't get fooled by his goal in week 20. (VERDICT: BENCH)

Adam Lallana (Southampton) - I've been down on him for a few weeks now, but I like him this week. (VERDICT: START)

SLEEPER PICK OF THE WEEK: Serge Gnabry - Arsenal

STRIKERS

Romelu Lukaku (Everton) - Everton should find a way to score against Norwich, and I would bet Lukaku would have a hand in that. (VERDICT: START)

Wilfried Bony (Swansea) - After a slow start to the season, Bony seems to be hitting some form. He faces Manchester United, the team he slayed in the FA Cup. (VERDICT: START)

Jay Rodriguez (Southampton) - I'm not that sold on Jay and thus would not recommend him. (VERDICT: BENCH)

Alvaro Negredo (Manchester City) - He is taking full advantage of Aguero's injury. He just got done terrorizing West Ham in the League Cup with a hat trick. I don't think it would be wise to sit him now. (VERDICT: START)

Gary Hooper (Norwich) - He has been in great form recently, but I don't see him doing much against Everton. (VERDICT: BENCH)

Marouane Chamakh (Crystal Palace) - He's simply not very good. (VERDICT: BENCH)

*Luis Suarez was not mentioned because, by now, you should know to NEVER, EVER, EVER bench him.

*Wayne Rooney is out injured. He will not feature this week.

Questions? Concerns? Comments? Thoughts of your own on who to start and sit? Let us know in the comments or shoot us a tweet.

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