Juan Mata, Olivier Giroud and Philippe Coutinho among Fantasy Football picks for this weekend
The Independent have teamed up with fantasy football game www.oulala.com to reveal four players we're confident will hit big fantasy points this week
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Your support makes all the difference.Oulala boast the most sophisticated scoring matrix in fantasy football, which comprises 70 different statistical criteria sourced straight from Opta. The ideal tool to identify which players are about to hit a hot-streak in fantasy football.
We've pored over the stats and have come up with four must-haves that you should be looking to bring into your fantasy football team this weekend.
Newcastle's Georginio Wijnaldum has been the Magpie's standout player this season since arriving from PSV Eindhoven in the summer. The midfielder is the club's top scorer with seven goals and the Premier League's eighth top scorer overall, equaling Sergio Aguero and netting more than Alexis Sanchez and Ross Barkley. Wijnaldum's seven goals have come from 23 shots, resulting in an impressive conversion-rate of 30 per cent. Furthermore, 68 per cent of those 23 shots have been on target, Statistically, the 25-year-old is Newcastle's second most creative player behind Moussa Sissoko. Wijnaldum has registered two assists from the 17 chances that he has created. He is completing, on average, 28 successful passes per game at an accuracy of 83 per cent. Newcastle welcome the out-of-form Aston Villa to St James' Park on Saturday.
Juan Mata has been Manchester United's shining light offensively in a side struggling to produce in the final third. The Spaniard is currently United's top scorer in the Premier League with four goals. Mata has registered 26 shots with a conversion-rate of 15 per cent. His shot accuracy currently sits at 47 per cent. The 27-year-old is also the side's most creative player this term. Mata has created 25 chances, more than double by any of his team-mates. He has also recorded three assists, again, the most from any player in the side. Mata is averaging 42 successful passes per game at an exceptional accuracy of 89 per cent. The midfielder has also completed 11 successful dribbles. Manchester United host Norwich City on Saturday, a side conceding an average of more than two goals per game away from home.
With Daniel Sturridge absent through injury and as Christian Benteke continues to struggles for form, it has been Philippe Coutinho who has provided the goals for Liverpool this season, despite missing three games. The Brazilian is the side's top scorer, netting five goals in his 13 Premier League appearances. His five strikes have come from 59 shots, the joint highest in the league alongside Jamie Vardy and Harry Kane. Coutinho's shot accuracy currently sits at a reasonable 56 per cent. The 23-year-old has also registered the most assists for the Reds alongside James Milner. Both players have made three goals this season. Coutinho is averaging 33 successful passes per game at an accuracy of 79 per cent. He is also the Reds leading player for dribbles. The Brazilian has completed 27 successful take-ons, five more than any other player. Liverpool travel to Watford on Sunday.
Olivier Giroud has scored 11 goals in his last 12 appearances in all competitions for Arsenal. The Frenchman has shown an impressive level of consistency this season and is starting to answer his critics with some excellent performances. The striker is the Premier League's fifth top scorer with nine goals. Giroud's nine strikes have come from 42 shots, a conversion-rate of 21 per cent. His shot accuracy sits at 56 per cent. The 29-year-old is the Premier League's most successful forward aerially having scored five goals with his head, more than any other player. Arsenal take on Manchester City at the Emirates on Monday. City have kept just one clean sheet in the eight games that captain Vincent Kompany has missed through injury. With the Belgian still a doubt, Arsenal scoring is pretty much guaranteed.
Stats supplied by daily fantasy football game www.oulala.com
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