It has been two weeks since we provided you with our last instalment of Fantasy Football advice so hopefully that has been enough time for you to forget how we fared. However, like a deadline-day signing who is full of enthusiasm at his new club, we are ready to go again.
Below, Sports Mole makes six selections for week five of the Premier League as teams look to mark their return from the international break with three points.
Who to pick
1. Wayne Rooney
Since the start of the season, Wayne Rooney has provided fantasy football managers up and down the country with selection headaches. He has been poor in the Premier League but his hat-trick in Europe suggested that it would be foolish to leave him out of your side. That said, his lack of a clinical touch in front of goal against Swansea City last time out left little reason for him to remain in your attack, but, after the adulation of the last few days after breaking Sir Bobby Charlton's goalscoring record for England, we are backing the Three Lions striker to cap a historic week with a goal or two against a Liverpool outfit who are still reeling from conceding three goals at home to West Ham United before the international break.
2. Romelu Lukaku
After supporting Chelsea during his childhood, it appeared as though Romelu Lukaku had got his dream move when he signed for the Blues in an £18m deal in 2011, but four starts and 11 substitute appearances later, the Belgian had grown frustrated with life at Stamford Bridge and gladly accepted a lucrative transfer to Everton. The 22-year-old has relished his first-choice status at Goodison Park, scoring 40 goals during two campaigns, and with Chelsea's defence in disarray ahead of Saturday's clash between the two teams, we are backing Lukaku to land another blow to his former suitors. He failed to net in both games against the West Londoners last season, but with four goals to his name already since August 8, now could be the time for him to remind Jose Mourinho of his talents.
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3. Harry Kane
Like with Rooney, we believe that the international break could have done wonders with one of his England teammates. At domestic level, Harry Kane has spent the opening month of the season struggling for his first goal of the campaign, taking his recent record for Tottenham Hotspur to two goals in 12 games. For a player who was linked with Real Madrid not so long ago, that is a below-par return and arguably the main reason why Spurs are under-performing. That said, two composed finishes for his country has shown that the 22-year-old certainly isn't lacking in confidence, and if an opportunity should come up against winless Sunderland on Sunday afternoon, we are backing Kane to find the back of the net.
Who to avoid
1. Angelo Ogbonna
After his somewhat surprise move to West Ham United, Angelo Ogbonna has endured an up-and-down start to life in England. The Italian was praised for his performances at both Arsenal and Liverpool, but in front of his home fans, he has been part of a defence who have conceded six goals in two matches to Leicester City and Bournemouth. The former Juventus man also suffered the embarrassment of being substituted midway through the first half against the Cherries. With that in mind, we think that the pressure is on the Italian international, and with Newcastle United possessing a new supply line for Papiss Cisse, the Hammers may find it difficult to keep a clean sheet in Monday night's encounter.
2. Kevin De Bruyne
After signing for over £50m, logic would suggest that Kevin De Bruyne will become a regular first-team player at Manchester City but as for this week, we think that the Belgian maestro could be restricted to a substitute appearance at Crystal Palace. There is no doubting the midfielder's talent, but as manager Manuel Pellegrini has already shown with Nicolas Otamendi, he is not particularly keen to break up a winning team just to accommodate a big-money acquisition. De Bruyne, like Otamendi, will get his chance in the first team at the Premier League leaders, but unless there are a couple of late injury withdrawals, expect the former Chelsea man to begin life at City on the bench.
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3. Jan Vertonghen
During his first season at Tottenham Hotspur, Jan Vertonghen established himself as one of the best defenders in the Premier League, as well as providing a threat from set pieces at the other end of the pitch. However, the former Ajax man hasn't found the back of the net in domestic action for over two seasons and with Spurs showing frailties in the final quarter of games since the start of the season, they have only been able to record the one clean sheet this campaign. His partnership with Belgian compatriot Toby Alderweireld will improve as they play more games together, but we don't think that they will be able to stop a Sunderland attack, headed by former Spurs forward Jermain Defoe, at the Stadium of Light this weekend.
Darren Plant
