Fantasy football tips: The top 20 players to consider for the Premier League run-in

Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Wolves, Tottenham, West Ham, Arsenal and Manchester United players appear the best picks for the Premier League run-in as fantasy football managers look over their team during a break from league action for the FA Cup.
Mohamed Salah. Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyMohamed Salah. Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Mohamed Salah. Picture by PW Sporting Photography

FPL managers who are considering using their Wildcard may want to consider the players listed below, while the Sky Sports fantasy league is currently in its second overhaul period of the season and managers can make as many transfers as they wish until the next Gameweek starts.

The Premier League gets back underway again on February 22 when West Ham host Fulham and Cardiff entertain Watford.

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Four games then take place on February 23 and two on February 24 as some sides do not play because of the EFL Cup final, where Manchester City meet Chelsea.

Eden Hazard. Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyEden Hazard. Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Eden Hazard. Picture by PW Sporting Photography

There is then a full fixture list the following midweek.

Here are a list of players worth considering for the remainder of the season.

GOALKEEPERS

Alisson

The Liverpool stopper is one of the more expensive goalkeepers but has rewarded fantasy football managers with 14 clean sheets this season.

The Reds' next two away Premier League matches are at Manchester United and Everton, so it might be worth holding fire on getting Alisson in your team - although home fixtures against Watford and Burnley do make the Brazilian a tempting choice.

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He has 116 points in FPL and 156 in Sky and costs £6.0m and £7.3m respectively.

Tom Heaton

Burnley's upturn in form has coincided with Tom Heaton's return in goal.

The Clarets are unbeaten in seven Premier League games and Heaton has kept two clean sheets in that time.

Burnley have some favourable fixtures in their run-in along with some tough games but Heaton is a cheap option in goal - especially now the Clarets have tightened things up at the back.

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He costs £4.8m in FPL and £6.8m in Sky and has collected 29 and 41 points respectively this season.

Neil Etheridge

Cardiff's goalkeeper is another one of the cheaper options and is worth considering as it frees up cash for other areas of your team.

He has kept seven clean sheets in the Premier League and saved three penalties.

The Bluebirds' next five matches are Watford, Everton, Wolves, West Ham and Brighton, so there is the chance for Etheridge to collect more points in the next few weeks.

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He has 113 points in FPL and 114 in Sky and costs £4.7m and £6.2m respectively.

DEFENDERS

Aymeric Laporte

Manchester City's defender is a points machine in Sky Sports because of the bonus points he accumulates through passes.

Laporte has helped City keep 12 clean sheets this season and is one of the first names on Pep Guardiola's team sheet at the back, whether it be in central defence or at left-back.

He is also a slightly cheaper option than other defenders, at £5.9m in FPL and £8.8m in Sky. He has 113 and 189 points respectively this season.

Matt Doherty

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Wolves have three favourable fixtures when Premier League action gets back underway, with games against Bournemouth, Huddersfield and Cardiff.

Doherty has enjoyed a strong season at wing-back and has scored three goals, provided six assists and helped Wolves keep six clean sheets.

His attacking qualities make him the stand-out choice out of Wolves' defenders.

He costs £5.4 in FPL and £6.5m in Sky and has returned 104 and 116 points respectively.

Shane Duffy

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Despite Brighton's wretched run of form, with just one win in 11 Premier League games, the Seagulls have some decent games on the horizon.

Defender Duffy has already scored five goals and is a threat from set-pieces.

The Irishman may be worth considering as a cheaper option in defence, as Brighton's next five games are Leicester, Huddersfield, Crystal Palace, Cardiff and Southampton.

He has 87 points in FPL and 94 in Sky and costs £4.6m and £7.5m respectively.

Virgil van Dijk

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The Liverpool defender is arguably more important to have in your team for Sky Sports than FPL because of the bonus points he gets for passing and tackling.

In Sky, he has more points than Mohamed Salah so is almost undroppable if you have him and a must-have if you don't.

For FPL, there's little to choose between van Dijk and Robertson, although at £6.5m van Dijk is 0.3m cheaper and that extra little bit of cash always comes in handy.

The Dutchman has 127 points in FPL and 192 in Sky so far this season and will be a key figure for the Reds for the remainder of the season as they challenge for the Premier League title.

David Luiz

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Forget the six goals Chelsea conceded at Manchester City and the four at Bournemouth as the Blues are still strong at home - and have some good fixtures to come.

After hosting Tottenham in their next game, Chelsea face Fulham, Wolves, Everton, Cardiff and West Ham.

Luiz has helped Chelsea keep 11 clean sheets this season and has also chipped in with two goals.

He costs £5.9m in FPL and £8.8m in Sky and has 117 and 168 points respectively.

MIDFIELDERS

Paul Pogba

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The World Cup winning French midfielder has been in outstanding form for Manchester United since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took over as caretaker manager.

In the last nine Premier League games, he has scored eight goals and provided six assists.

With the form he is in, it takes a brave fantasy football manager to not have him in their squad.

He has 143 points in FPL and 181 in Sky and has returned £8.8m and £10.6m points respectively.

Raheem Sterling

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Many fantasy football managers have opted to risk life without Sterling this season but the 24-year-old has returned points in six of the last eight Gameweeks.

He is owned by just 10.9 per cent of managers in FPL and 13.7 in Sky but is one of the City attacking players who starts more often than not under Pep Guardiola.

Sterling has scored 12 goals and provided 13 assists this season. Expect many more attacking points to come in the final third of the season.

He has 173 points in FPL and 168 in Sky and costs £11.3m and £11.5m respectively.

Felipe Anderson

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The Brazilian is a constant attacking threat for West Ham, who have some decent games coming up.

The Hammers meet Fulham, Newcastle, Cardiff, Huddersfield and Everton in five of their next six games, although the other match is a trip to Manchester City.

Anderson has enjoyed an impressive first campaign in the Premier League and is a cheaper midfield option. He has eight goals and four assists so far this season.

He costs £7.2m in FPL and £8.7m in Sky and has collected 122 and 139 points respectively.

Ryan Fraser

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The Bournemouth winger has enjoyed an impressive season to date and is a cheap option to consider.

Despite not picking up many points in the last five Premier League games, Fraser has still netted five goals and provided nine assists for the Cherries this season.

He costs £6.1m in FPL and £8.3m in Sky and has 121 and 128 points respectively.

When David Brooks returns to fitness, the Welsh winger will also be worth considering for your fantasy football team as he has six goals and four assists this season.

Eden Hazard

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The Belgian forward always has to be a consideration for fantasy football managers but has only scored twice and provided one assist in the last seven Gameweeks.

After Chelsea's midweek match with Tottenham on February 27, the Blues play Fulham, Wolves, Everton, Cardiff and West Ham.

Hazard will spark into life again at some point in the final third of the season and it could be the five-game run after Spurs where it's a good shout to get him in your team.

Hazard has scored 12 goals and provided ten assists this season. He has 165 points in FPL and 190 in Sky this season and costs £10.8m and £11.8m respectively.

Mohamed Salah / Sadio Mane

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The Liverpool duo have been in sparkling form this season and fantasy football managers will need one or both of them in their team

Mane has scored in Liverpool's last four games and has registered 12 goals and two assists in the Premier League this season.

He has 140 points in FPL and 132 in Sky and costs £9.6m and £11m respectively.

Salah is also a midfielder on FPL but is a striker on Sky.

He is joint top scorer in the Premier League this season with 17 goals and the Egyptian international also has eight assists.

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Salah costs £13.6m in FPL and £12.9m in Sky and has returned 189 and 185 points respectively.

Liverpool have difficult trips to Manchester United and Everton in two of their next five matches but the other games against Watford, Burnley and Fulham offer the opportunity to gain decent point hauls.

STRIKERS

Sergio Aguero

Can anyone afford not to have Aguero in their team with the form he is in?

The Argentinian striker has scored hat-tricks against Arsenal and Chelsea in two of City's last three matches and is now joint top scorer in the Premier League with 17 goals.

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City have the EFL Cup final in the first weekend after the FA Cup fifth round but then entertain West Ham in midweek, before fixtures against Bournemouth and Watford.

Aguero has 149 points in FPL and 168 in Sky and costs £11.5m and £12.8m respectively.

Harry Kane

The Tottenham striker could return to action earlier than expected when Spurs travel to Burnley on February 23.

That gives fantasy football managers a dilemma up front. Will Kane be up to speed immediately or will he need a couple of games before being brought into fantasy teams?

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Kane has missed Tottenham's last four games but has still scored 14 goals and provided six assists this season.

The England captain has 132 points in FPL and 137 in Sky and costs £12.4m and £13m respectively.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

With home fixtures still to come against Bournemouth, Southampton, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Brighton, as well as Manchester United, the Arsenal striker could return some strong point returns.

The first two fixtures against Bournemouth and Southampton come immediately after the FA Cup weekend, so the Gabon international could be worth having in your team for the opening week when the Premier League returns to action.

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Aubameyang has scored 15 goals and provided six assists this season. He has 150 points in FPL and 144 in Sky and costs £11.1m and £12.5m respectively.

Marcus Rashford

The young England star has been a man in form under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford.

Rashford has six goals and two assists in the Premier League since Solskjaer took over and after hosting Liverpool next weekend, United face Crystal Palace and then Southampton.

With many managers opting for Aguero, Kane, Salah and Aubameyang, Rashford could prove to be a strong differential option.

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He has 103 points in FPL and 122 in Sky and costs £7.8m and £10.4m respectively.

Raul Jimenez

The Wolves striker has starred on loan from Benfica this season and is a cheap alternative option in both FPL and Sky Sports.

The Mexican has scored nine goals and provided seven assists this season and Wolves face Bournemouth, Huddersfield and Cardiff in their three matches after the FA Cup weekend.

He costs £6.8m in FPL and £7.9m in Sky and has so far returned 124 and 136 points respectively.

Michy Batshuayi

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The Belgian striker is on loan to Crystal Palace from Chelsea and could be a shrewd differential option if he can hit form at Selhurst Park.

He had a difficult time on loan at Valencia earlier this season but will have a point to prove while with Palace and knows where the back of the net is.

He costs just £6.5m on FPL, which could prove to be a bargain price. But he is more expensive at £10.2m on Sky and money could perhaps be spent better elsewhere.

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