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Lars Hamer

Premier League fixtures are coming thick and fast, with two rounds of games this week.
That means there is little time for Fantasy Premier League managers to get their teams in shape, and even less for us in Hong Kong who are dealing with a 2am Wednesday morning deadline.
Without further ado, here is your must-have midfield for Gameweek 14, a selection of defensive diamonds and cheap forward options to enable big-money signings.
Gameweek 13 review
You may remember two weeks ago I told people to triple up on Chelsea players, suggesting Cole Palmer (£11.0m), Levi Colwill (£4.5m) and Nicolas Jackson (£8.1m) as top picks.
Well, against Aston Villa – arguably Chelsea’s second-hardest fixture in a favourable run of 11 games – Colwill kept a clean sheet, Palmer got a goal and an assist, and Jackson scored his second goal in two games – collectively contributing 26 points.

A goal and an assist for captain Mohamed Salah (£13.2m), a Virgil van Dijk (£6.4m) clean sheet, plus a goal and three bonus points for Chris Wood (£6.6m) gave me a very nice 88 points.
That haul saw me skyrocket 200,000 places to take my world ranking to 232,032.
Anyway, enough about me.
If there was a list of things that would definitely happen last weekend, Gabriel (£6.2m) scoring a header from a corner would be near the top.
But if anyone thought Bournemouth’s Francisco Evanilson (£6.0m) winning a hat-trick of penalties, all of which Justin Kluivert (£5.4m) successfully converted, would be on that list then the FA might need to investigate suspicious betting patterns.
Bukayo Saka (£10.4m) continued his fine form, scoring one and assisting three in a crazy first 45 minutes that delivered seven goals at the London Stadium on Saturday.
Must-have midfield
The debate at the beginning of the season was whether managers should get Erling Haaland (£15.0m) or Salah, but now if you do not have Saka, Palmer and Salah you risk being left very far behind.
So good are the fixtures for these three players that even if Haaland does find his form, there is a very strong argument to be made to not bring him in until City’s run of games becomes favourable in Gameweek 28.

Out of form, Bryan Mbeumo is the most transferred-out player this week and it is easy to see why. His £7.8m price tag plus leftover Haaland cash makes the jump to Saka – the second-most transferred-in player – easy.
Need more cash? Drop the consistently inconsistent Alexander Isak (£8.5m) and Dominic Solanke (£7.6m) for in-form Joao Pedro (£5.8m) and Matheus Cunha (£7.1m).
Lars’ line-up
Dean Henderson (£4.4m) gets the nod in the net for his game against Ipswich but it is my back four that excites me this week.
Could Gabriel score from another corner and or keep a clean sheet at home to Manchester United? Definitely. And we can say the same for van Dijk. The Dutchman shut out Manchester City on the weekend and should have scored twice from Liverpool corners.
Colwill faces relegation-threatened Southampton and Pedro Porro (£5.6m) always offers the potential for attacking returns.
I am one of many to make the Saka-Mbuemo switch and the Arsenal man starts alongside captain Salah and Palmer.
Up top are Jackson, Wood and Pedro.


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Fantasy Premier League: splash your Saka cash on Isak, or bet on Foden, City getting better

Recent goal glut for Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus ‘has to be’ turning point, says Mikel Arteta

Liverpool hit Spurs for six, United channel 1980s form; Joshua your only option, Fury told

English Premier League

Fantasy Premier League, Gameweek 14: must-have midfield, stout defenders, cheap forwards

Cole Palmer (left) celebrates scoring Chelsea’s third goal in their 3-0 win over Aston Villa with defender Levi Colwill. Together with striker Nicolas Jackson, they scored a total of 26 points. Photo: Reuters

Bournemouth’s Francisco Evanilson (right) is the first player in EPL history to win three penalties in a match. Photo: AP

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (left) is the most-transferred-in player after Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson. Photo: dpa

FPL: Sell Erling Haaland, Manchester City players; captain Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah

With Liverpool away at the weekend, it’s time to offload your Manchester City players in FPL, including Erling Haaland (left). Photo: AP

Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol has endured a particularly difficult couple of games. Photo: AP

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah is in fantastic form and has a tremendous record against Manchester City. Photo: AP

Cole Palmer and Chelsea are up against an Aston Villa side which has kept just one Premier League clean sheet all season. Photo: Reuters

English Premier League: Arsenal must be near-perfect to catch Liverpool, says Arteta

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta (middle) thanks the fans after their away UEFA Champions League win over Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday. Photo: dpa

Arsenal’s renewed form has coincided with the return from injury of captain Martin Odegaard (left). Photo: Reuters

Liverpool on rise as City’s empire crumbles, United win again, Zhou named driver of day

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah scores from the penalty spot past Manchester City goalkeeper Stefan Ortega. Photo: AP

Pep Guardiola reacts to Liverpool fans during his side’s defeat at Anfield. Photo: AFP

Fulham’s Tom Cairney celebrates scoring his side’s equaliser. Photo: EPA-EFE

Arsenal hammer West Ham, Van Nistelrooy sees Leicester ship 4 as Ireland beat Australia

Arsenal defender Gabriel salutes the crowd in celebration after his side’s 5-2 victory at West Ham. Photo: AP

Arsenal players Bukayo Saka (left), Gabriel (centre) and Declan Rice (right) celebrate the victory at West Ham. Photo: Reuters

Incoming Leicester City boss Ruud van Nistelrooy watched his new side lose 4-1 from the stands at Brentford. Photo: AP

Jamal Musiala celebrates after scoring a late equaliser for Bayern Munich against Borussia Dortmund. Photo: AP

Irish joy and Australian dejection after the hosts’ tight victory during their Autumn International Test in Dublin. Photo: Reuters

F1 world champion Max Verstappen was back on pole in qualifying for the Qatar Grand Prix. Photo: dpa

Dutch ex-Manchester United boss back in the Premier League, Man City drop to third place

Former Manchester United forward and interim boss Ruud van Nistelrooy has been appointed Leicester manager. Photo: Reuters

Ruud van Nistelrooy congratulates his Manchester United players after the second of his two wins over Leicester. Photo: EPA

Brighton and Southampton drew 1-1 in a disappointing, yet rewarding point for the high-flying hosts. Photo: Reuters

Novak Djokovic (right) said he caught Andy Murray (left) off guard after recently appointing him as coach. Photo: Reuters

England’s Jos Buttler is considering whether to focus on batting under Brendon McCullum. Photo: Reuters

Sport

Football

With 2 rounds of games this week, fantasy managers need to work fast to get their teams in shape – including stocking up on some key players


With 2 rounds of games this week, fantasy managers need to work fast to get their teams in shape – including stocking up on some key players.


Fantasy Premier League (FPL)

Erling Haaland

Mohamed Salah