Round 12 of this season’s Premier League campaign features a Saturday lunchtime kick-off between hosts Burnley and their visitors, Chelsea, with the English top flight action returning after the international break.
Burnley will be keen to avoid losing a third game on the trot in the Premier League especially as The Clarets continue to hover just above the relegation zone, while Chelsea occupy 3rd place in the table and The Blues could move above Manchester City into 2nd spot with all three points at Turf Moor.
Our Sofascore XI this week comprises of unsung heroes who have performed consistently under the radar along with a few blockbuster names to further boost the points tally for this weekend’s action.
Round 12 total budget: €73.6M
Formation: 3-5-2
Đorđe Petrović (Bournemouth vs West Ham) – €5.8M
Bournemouth goalkeeper, Đorđe Petrović, has kept three clean sheets in The Cherries’ five home games in the Premier League and the south coast club have conceded just two goals within this sequence as well, making him the first name on our Round 12 team-sheet.
At a mere snip at €5.8M, the Serbian shot-stopper represents great value this week against a West Ham side who have struggled on their travels, as well as possessing an average Sofascore Rating of 6.85 into the bargain and scoring 7.0 or over in three of his last four appearances in the Premier League.
Chris Richards (Wolves vs Crystal Palace) – €5.9M
Chris Richards is one of two defenders in the Crystal Palace personnel that average above 7.0 in the Sofascore Ratings, the other being Marc Guehi who is rated as doubtful with an injury ahead of Palace’s trip to the West Midlands to take on Wolves.
We have therefore backed Richards to come up with the goods this weekend against a Wolves outfit who have scored just six goals at home this season, while the American defender has been in the Palace side when The Eagles have won two of the last three meetings against Wolves.
Trevoh Chalobah (Burnley vs Chelsea) – €6.4M
Chelsea are enjoying a successful start to this season’s Premier League campaign as the London club currently sit in 3rd place in the table ahead of this upcoming encounter at Turf Moor against lowly Burnley.
Enzo Maresca’s side certainly seem rejuvenated this term and England defender Trevoh Chalobah has been an integral part of Chelsea’s success this term as he has produced a string of consistent performances at the back for The Blues, both on the domestic front and in the Champions League.
With an average Sofascore Rating of 7.19 and providing an assist in his previous appearance against Burnley, Chalobah looks a decent prospect this weekend.
Jan Paul van Hecke (Brighton vs Brentford) – €6.7M
Brighton’s Dutch defender Jan Paul van Hecke has been an absolute rock in the heart of The Seagull’s defensive unit so far this season where he has earned himself an excellent looking Sofascore average rating of 7.35 which is way above that of any other Brighton player heading into this weekend’s action.
During November alone, van Hecke has rated 7.6 and he has chipped in with a goal for the south coast club as well. Up against a poor-travelling Brentford outfit on Saturday should see more points gained by the defender.
Diego Gómez (Brighton vs Brentford) – €5.2M
Diego Gómez is actually second on the Sofascore Ratings list for Brighton at an average of 6.97 and the Paraguayan midfielder has been a vital component of the Brighton engine room where he looks to have finally found his feet.
Indeed, during November, Gómez is rated at 7.9 on the Sofascore scale and no wonder as he notched two goals against Leeds United recently, earning himself a rating of 9.4 – he has racked up a total of 36 Fantasy points to date and at a price of €5.2M, he looks to be one of the bargain-buys in Round 12!
Martín Zubimendi (Arsenal vs Tottenham) – €6.9M
This Sunday afternoon brings us the first of the North London derbies in this season’s Premier League campaign between Arsenal and Tottenham in what is a top five encounter at the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal bringing a 14-game unbeaten sequence, while Tottenham possess the best away record in the division.
Spanish midfielder, Martín Zubimendi, has slotted seamlessly into The Gunners’ engine room and the Spaniard has notched two goals and an assist so far this season, earning him a Sofascore average rating of 7.21, along with amassing a total of 61 Fantasy points to date.
Alex Scott (Bournemouth vs West Ham) – €5.2M
Along with Brighton’s Diego Gómez, Bournemouth’s Guernsey-born midfielder Alex Scott also represents great value for virtual money in this Round 12 series of fixtures in the Premier League as the young play-maker has been part of a successful and consistent looking Bournemouth outfit under rising manager, Andoni Iraola.
With a Sofascore average rating of 6.92 and a goal under his belt, further is expected from the young 22 year-old midfielder and Scott may well produce a winning performance against strugglers West Ham on Saturday afternoon.
Emiliano Buendía (Leeds United vs Aston Villa) – €5.7M
Aston Villa travel to Elland Road on Sunday afternoon where they’ll take on a Leeds United outfit who find themselves hovering just above the relegation zone as the Yorkshire club occupy 16th place in the Premier League table.
Villa themselves had endured a tough start to the season as The Villans had failed to win any of their opening six games but Unai Emery’s side have lost just two of their subsequent 11 games – with Argentine midfielder Emiliano Buendia’s form being one of the catalysts behind Villa’s resurgence.
A Sofascore average rating of 7.21 along with contributing three goals and two assists makes Buendia another bargain purchase for Round 12.
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester Utd vs Everton) – €10.1M
Manchester United captain, Bruno Fernandes, once again makes our Sofascore XI for Round 12 as his Manchester United side play host to an Everton outfit who have struggled on the road so far this season.
United currently sit in 7th place in the Premier League table but are just a point within striking distance of the top four spots prior to this weekend’s action and the Red Devils have won four of their five home games to date.
Fernandes leads by example again this season, possessing Manchester United’s highest Sofascore Rating of 7.26, two goals and three assists to his name so far, and the Portuguese play-maker looks set to add to his points tally with another consistent performance on Monday night.
Cody Gakpo (Liverpool vs Nottm Forest) – €8.2M
Liverpool headed into the international break on the back of a humiliating 3-0 defeat away from home at Manchester City, but The Reds return to Anfield when the top flight resumes this weekend where they’ll play host to Premier League strugglers, Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon.
In what has certainly not been a straightforward campaign to date, Dutch forward, Cody Gakpo, has been one of Liverpool’s shining lights as he has notched three goals along with producing two assists on his way to a Sofascore average rating of 7.02.
Gakpo and Liverpool will therefore be keen to put Forest to the sword at Anfield here.
Jean-Philippe Mateta (Wolves vs Crystal Palace) – €7.5M
Crystal Palace will head up into the West Midlands on Saturday afternoon to take on rock-bottom Wolves at Molineux with the visitors looking to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to five matches and in turn lift themselves further up the top half of the Premier League table.
French forward, Jean-Philippe Mateta, leads the goalscoring charts for Crystal Palace with six goals to his name to date along with a Sofascore average rating of 6.93 and the 6’4” striker looks in good shape to hit the back of the net for The Eagles on Saturday afternoon having notched for France against Azerbaijan last weekend in the World Cup qualifiers.
Total Budget: €73.6M