Fantasy Football tips ahead of Gameweek 9 in the Premier League

The WhoScored tipster is back with more pointers this weekend ahead of Gameweek 9 in the Premier League. There are plenty of fixtures of interest and the tipster is determined to provide you with the best picks to give you the advantage over your friends.

KASPER SCHMEICHEL (LEICESTER)

The Leicester City goalkeeper ensured the Foxes maintained their 100% record in the Champions League with a stunning save in the dying embers of their 1-0 win over Copenhagen on Tuesday, but attention must now turn to arresting their worrying league form.

Incredibly, Claudio Ranieri’s side have more points in three European matches (9) than they have managed in eight league games (8) this season. Leicester have struggled away from home but the King Power Stadium remains a place of solace for the reigning champions. They are unbeaten in four home matches in the league and have only conceded one goal in that period.

Ranieri’s men have kept a clean sheet in both matches that have fallen after Champions League involvement this season and look set to continue that streak against Crystal Palace on Saturday, despite the improvements their opponents have shown in recent weeks. If any further encouragement was needed, Leicester have won their last two matches against Palace and kept a clean sheet in both.

MICHAIL ANTONIO (WEST HAM)

Slaven Bilic will hope the 1-0 win away to Crystal Palace will mark the turning point in their season. It was their first league win in five matches and came despite being down to 10 men for the final 17 minutes. They now return to the London Stadium to host a Sunderland side in a worse situation than themselves.

The Black Cats are still looking for their first league win of the season, having lost six of their opening eight matches. Only three teams have conceded more goals than David Moyes’ side (15) in the Premier League this season, which should be music to the ears of Michail Antonio - the joint-third top goalscorer in England's top tier (5 goals).

Furthermore, of the four goals West Ham have scored at home this season, three of those have been netted by Antonio.

ALEX IWOBI (ARSENAL)

You’d have scoffed at the idea of calling anyone other than Mesut Ozil Arsenal’s creator-en-chief at the start of the season. After registering 19 assists in the Premier League last season the Germany international finished the campaign as the most creative player in Europe’s top five leagues. However, rather than looking to play the final pass Ozil is now also getting on the end of them. He is yet to set up a goal in the league season, but has found the back of the net three times himself. He is still a creative spark in midfield, but is now only completing 2.6 key passes per game when he created 4.2 chances per match last season.

You’d be surprised to see that last for the whole season, but for now Alex Iwobi is thriving under the added weight of expectation. The 20-year-old has cemented his place in the starting XI this season after registering three assists in five league starts – only Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne (4) has made more.

The Gunners have won each of their last seven matches and will entertain a struggling Middlesbrough side that have lost four of their last six league games. Arsenal will have the chance to go top of the league for the first time this season on Saturday and you can bet Iwobi will be at the heart of it.

XHERDAN SHAQIRI (STOKE)

Like Bilic, Mark Hughes is looking to use last weekend’s win as the springboard to kickstart their season. Stoke’s 2-0 win over Sunderland was their first in the Premier League this season and they will be looking to inflict further misery upon a Hull City side that have lost three on the spin and conceded 13 goals in the process.

Joe Allen has proven an unlikely source of goals for the Potters this season, scoring four goals in Stoke’s last three matches. However, when looking for players that can change the game in their favour then Hughes will be relying on the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and Marko Arnautovic to produce match winning moments.

Shaqiri has struggled for fitness since joining Stoke from Inter last year but has started in each of their last three matches and will be looking to add to his goal scored against newly promoted Middlesbrough earlier in the season with another when Stoke travel to last season’s Championship play-off winners.

ONES TO AVOID:

Last weekend we flagged Swansea’s remarkable away record at Arsenal and that was vindicated as Bob Bradley’s men scored twice against the Gunners in a hard fought 3-2 defeat. While Arsenal should have no problem overcoming Middlesbrough this weekend, the same cannot be said for Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp will be looking to bounce back from their goalless spectacle against Manchester United on Monday with a response this weekend but fantasy football players should be weary of Liverpool’s poor record against Tony Pulis. 

The West Bromwich Albion manager is unbeaten in his last eight league meetings with Liverpool and, having held Tottenham to a 1-1 draw last time out, the Baggies are well versed to repeat the feat this time around.

Coupled with the fact Liverpool have only kept one clean sheet in their last 10 league matches, it would be wise to sell any Liverpool defenders you have and look at alternatives ahead of the weekend. This certainly isn’t a home banker many may expect.  

How is your fantasy football team getting on? Let us know in the comments below