- Manchester United host old foes Liverpool in Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 34’s headliner
- Chelsea entertain Fulham in crucial west London clash, as West Brom and Wolves also meet in West Midlands derby
- Manchester City could edge closer to title versus Crystal Palace, whilst Clarets mix at Turf Moor
PREMIER LEAGUE – With just five games of the season to play, who are those vital players you need in your squads for Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 34?
Harry Kane (c)
To begin our Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 34 picks, Harry Kane (11.8) is back on the FPL radar after injury and as relegated Sheffield United visit Tottenham Hotspur this weekend, Kane looks a strong pick for the captain’s armband.
After Spurs lost their latest final versus Manchester City at Wembley last Sunday, Kane appeared a rather laboured picture, however, with a week of training under his belt, will again draw the hopes of his 45% ownership.
The Lilywhites’ talisman has still only missed three games this term, and his tally of 21 goals already comfortably betters his efforts of 18 and 17 goals of the past two seasons.
With still plenty of minutes to play this term, Kane remains ahead of Mohamed Salah by just the one strike, but as the Blades travel to the capital with little to play for, Kane will be licking his lips surely in GW34.
Netting no less than five braces this season, the England striker also scored at Bramall Lane earlier this term. This weekend, Kane will be out to inflict more pain.
Antonio Rudiger
As the league draws to a climax, Chelsea remain one of the strongest contenders for clean sheets, and whilst rotation looks an existing threat in GW34, Antonio Rudiger (4.7) is perhaps the best bet for guaranteed points for owners of the Blues’ man.
Though many managers will be eager to turn to either Marcos Alonso or Ben Chilwell at left wing-back, calling Thomas Tuchel‘s bluff over who he selects is leaving managers with a headache.
Centre-backs then look the best bet for – at the very least – a shutout, and though Chelsea have kept only two clean sheets in the last four, in the four outings priors, did not concede in 360 minutes.
In and out of the starting XI, Frank Lampard‘s departure has seen Rudiger reclaim his place, and with 11 blanks on his card, in the nine games since GW20, the defender has led his side into not shipping a single goal.
Playing the last three league games also, the towering German looks a sure bet to start against derby visitors Fulham in GW34 then, and given the Whites’ returning problems in defence, Rudiger is overdue a goal also from set-pieces.
Rudiger’s 6.6% of managers could be on to a winner at both ends of the pitch this weekend.
Chris Wood
If fantasy managers are looking for a striker around the 6.0 mark for the rest of the campaign, Chris Wood (6.3) must surely be in the conversation.
Despite having scored just four times up until GW21 this campaign before , after his return from injury, Burnley’s kiwi striker has found the going much better, notching six in as many games of late.
Underpinned by celebrating his first hat-trick away to Wolves last weekend, Wood has seen his interest rise with over 50,000 FPL new owners so far this GW.
Opponents West Ham meanwhile, have seen the wheels come off a little in recent games, with back-to-back defeats to Newcastle United and Chelsea, where they again saw a defender sent off – albeit controversially.
David Moyes‘ side still cling to hope a of a top four finish, but Burnley and Wood themselves will now be keen on fully pulling clear of the drop zone against them, in GW34.
With the Irons now without both Craig Dawson and Fabian Balbuena for the trip to Lancashire, Wood looks hungry for more goals and now in double figures for the campaign, will be hunting down his total of 14 last term.
Matheus Pereira
Could West Bromwich Albion yet do the impossible and replicate their houdini escape act under Bryan Robson in 2005? In Matheus Pereira (5.5) it remains a distinct possibility.
Having picked up four points from a possible nine in the last three weeks, the Baggies have kept alive their faint hopes of survival but remain the same amount of points from safety still.
Pereira has been the driving force of their newly-discovered attacking exploits, with the Brazilian chipping in with four in as many games.
This weekend sees the West Midlands derby descend on the Hawthorns, with Wolves fresh from a four-nil thumping last time out.
Indeed, the visitors have conceded 13 in eight ahead of the weekend – on three occasions conceding three times at least. That makes Pereira look good value here, with his penalty exploits to boot.
Having found the target against one local side in Aston Villa last time out, GW34 could see Pereira add more spoils versus their bigger rival.
Punt of the Week: James Maddison
For GW34’s shot in the dark, perhaps opting for James Maddison (7.3) does not count as a ‘dart’ of faith given the player’s reputation, but only just returning to the fold and lacking form, could yet slip the FPL radar of many. Not ours, however.
Having missed five of the last eight games through niggling injury, the Leicester City midfielder has yet to complete a full 90 minutes on his return, but after after going to 71′ and 69′ in his last two games, is pointing at a close-to full run-out here.
As the Foxes make their first return to St. Marys’ since October 2019 where they infamously demolished Southampton 9-0, the Foxes front men are both firing and look a huge threat on the south coast this Friday night.
That could play into the hands of Maddison from a creative viewpoint, with his last assist coming as part of a double away to Fulham back in GW22.
If Leicester are in the mood, Maddison could be on to a real winner this weekend, as so too could his loyal FPL fanbase.
Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 34 deadline is Friday, 18:30 BST
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