Jamie Vardy in the Premier League match between Leicester City & Aston Villa, 2020
Jamie Vardy in the Premier League match between Leicester City & Aston Villa, 2020 | (Photo by Visionhaus)

Football | Premier League 2020/21 | Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 15 picks

  • Arsenal and Chelsea face-off in Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 15’s headline act
  • Leaders Liverpool host West Brom, whilst top-four contenders Leicester entertain Manchester United
  • Wolves clash with Spurs, Manchester City welcome Newcastle and Everton visit Sheffield United
PREMIER LEAGUE – After a week of mixed fortunes for Britwatch in GW14, who do you need for Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 15’s round of Boxing Day fixtures?

 

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Jamie Vardy (c)

As a distinctly surreal Boxing Day schedule kicks off, Jamie Vardy (10.2) is our pick to start off the Fantasy festivities in Gameweek 15.

Last year’s Golden Boot winner, the Leicester City striker is again at the top of the scoring charts this season, and has already notched double figures, having netted 11 goals to go with six assists.

Vardy may be the striker with the fewest shots on target from open play, but his penalty abilities remain infallible.

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As Manchester United roll up to the King Power this weekend, Vardy has scored five times against the Red Devils, and his goal and four assists in the Foxes’ 5-3 win back in 2014, will live long in the memory.

Though the visitors are showing signs their attack is beginning to tick again, their defence remains shaky, where Vardy could profit.

With three in his last four, Vardy’s still hefty price-tag is putting many off, but in what will surely be another open encounter, the striker could be in the points again here, and could take the armband.

 

Gylfi Sigurdsson

As the mincemeat in our pie, Gylfi Sigurdsson (6.8) makes his first fantasy appearance this season, having impressed in recent weeks.

With James Rodriguez still on the sidelines, the Icelandic midfielder has returned to Everton’s midfield on a more regular basis, and has started to influence the Toffees again.

With a goal and assist in his last three games, Sigurdsson has also returned to spot-kick duties – dethroning Richarlison from his role.

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With the Merseysiders having won their last three games, Everton appear to be back to their early-season, table-topping form.

A trip to Sheffield United therefore presents a chance to extend that statistic, and with the hosts having conceded 15 goals since November, Sigurdsson stands to profit in Gameweek 15.

 

Olivier Giroud

One of Boxing Day’s big games takes place at the Emirates, as an increasingly desperate Arsenal face London rivals Chelsea, with Olivier Giroud (6.7) returning to his former club.

Having taken the top striking spot from both Timo Werner and Tammy Abraham, the Frenchman has two in his last three outings.

After Abraham was preferred against West Ham on Monday night, Giroud looks set to return against his former club in GW15.

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For the Gunners, as boss Mikel Arteta scrambles for Premier League points, Arsenal will be under pressure to perform here, which should play right into the Blues’ hands.

Giroud has been back to his predatory best in recent weeks, and with a counter-attack to cause Arsenal all manner of issues, Giroud’s sub-7.0 value and 1.6% ownership, looks like it may offer superb differential value.

 

Trent Alexander-Arnold

With funds freed up in midfield and attack, Gameweek 15 could be the perfect time to move Trent Alexander-Arnold (7.2) back into our fantasy squads.

Having played back-to-back 90 minutes, the Liverpool full-back grabbed his first assist since since GW3, but which wasn’t enough to claim a bonus in the Reds’ 7-0 trouncing of Crystal Palace.

After last week opting for Andy Robertson, Alexander-Arnold’s set-piece duties could be a source of points against the visiting West Brom in GW15.

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Though the Baggies have scored in their last two away games, Anfield looks a far different prospect and with Liverpool’s wide players set to play pivotal roles here, defensive and attacking spoils look on the cards.

Alexander-Arnold has had a decisively inconsistent campaign, however, Boxing Day could flip things around significantly for fantasy managers.

 

Punt of the Week: Bobby Reid

GW15’s festive punt is aimed in the direction of west London, as an improving Fulham and Bobby Decordova-Reid (5.3) entertain Southampton.

This pick may appear the biggest of stabs in the dark, but if we look at the stats, the case in not so clear cut.

Fulham are not the same side they were at the outset of the campaign, and Reid has been a direct influence of that.

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While the Whites’ forward has only four goals this term, three of those have come at Craven Cottage, whose environs welcome the upwardly mobile Saints this weekend.

The visitors remain one of the most aesthetic sides in the top-flight, but have not kept a shut-out on the road since GW3.

Reid may be a hugely unfancied commodity over the festive period, but filling a tiny percentage of fantasy budgets, could be a very shrewd short-term acquisition.

 

Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 15 deadline is Boxing Day, 11am GMT.

 

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