There were few clean sheets around this weekend in the Premier League, so it wasn’t a weekend for defences, but there were some special individual performances.>
Star Players
Wayne Rooney – Manchester United – striker – 22m; 14 points The fantasy game’s most expensive player delivered the goods with a hat-trick in Saturday’s come-from-behind 4-2 win over West Ham. Rooney is owned by six per cent of fantasy coaches and their faith and patience was rewarded with a fine score.
Chris Brunt – West Bromwich – midfielder – 10.2m; 13 points One of the fantasy game’s favourite players with eight per cent of coaches owning the West Brom midfielder. Brunt smashed in two penalties in Albion’s 2-1 win over Liverpool to get back to his bigscoring ways after a lean period. Good fantasy player.
Yaya Toure – Manchester City – midfielder – 17.3m; 12 points The Ivorian has found his form in the second-half of the season and his return of 12 points against Sunderland this weekend was representative of that. Toure grabbed a goal and an assist in the big victory.
Disappointments
Nemanja Vidic – Manchester United – defender – 7.5m; 1 point The Serbian defender had a day to forget, or at least a half to forget, as Manchester United fought back to beat West Ham 4-2. Vidic conceded a first-half penalty, and then was lucky to stay on the pitch after a foul as the last man. The Serbian is owned by 18 per cent of coaches but this wasn’t a great day.
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Andy Carroll – Liverpool – striker – 14.5m; 0 points The big England striker is still owned by 11 per cent of coaches but hasn’t ignited at all since his move to Liverpool. Carroll had his chances on the weekend against West Brom, but didn’t score before picking up a yellow card.
Robin van Persie – Arsenal – striker – 21.3m; 3 points Arsenal’s Dutch striker has been in tremendous form lately but his weekend return was a major letdown. Van Persie went goalless as Arsenal went goalless in the goalless draw against Blackburn as their title hopes slipped away.
Special mentions
Goalkeepers
Joe Hart – Manchester City – 9.5m; 7 points (the best goalkeeper in the fantasy game)
Mark Schwarzer – Fulham – 7.6m; 7 points (solid performance)
Ali Al Habsi – Wigan – 4.0m; 5 points (worth mentioning a good clean sheet against Spurs)
Defenders
Joleon Lescott – Manchester City – 6.9m; 9 points (has been inconsistent but this was better)
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Chris Baird – Fulham – 5.7m; 6 points (nice goal line save kept clean sheet in tact)
Aaron Hughes – Fulham – 5.9m; 6 points (fairly reliable and cheap defender)
Midfielders
Mark Noble – West Ham – 10.6m; 10 points (converted two penalties)
David Silva – Manchester City – 17m; 9 points (consistently delivers good points)
Craig Gardner – Birmingham City – 12.6m; 9 points (good scoring midfielder)
Strikers
Bobby Zamora – Fulham – 16.8m; 10 points (back from injury with a brace)
Darren Bent – Aston Villa – 17.8m; 9 points (scoring important goals)
Coaches
Manchester City:Roberto Mancini – Manchester City> – 10m; 5 points (big win)
Fulham:Mark Hughes – Fulham> – 8.5m; 5 points (starting to get the right results)
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