Fantasy Football Tips for Gameweek 15 in the Premier League

The WhoScored tipster is back with another set of fantasy football tips ahead of the weekend’s action, looking to provide users with more hidden gems like Chris Brunt and Bruno Martins Indi.

Tipped to flourish in advance of West Brom’s match against Watford, Brunt turned in his finest performance since returning from an eight-month injury lay-off. The Northern Ireland international scored and registered an assist in the same league game for the first time since February 2015 to help the Baggies win 3-1.

After examining the upcoming fixtures, here are some more tips that are worth considering ahead gameweek 15 in the Premier League.

KELECHI IHEANACHO (MANCHESTER CITY)

With Sergio Aguero now unavailable for four matches through suspension, Iheanacho will be given an extended run in the team and tasked with the role of restarting Manchester City’s title challenge. A 3-1 defeat to Chelsea last time out, in which Aguero was shown a straight red for a horrific challenge on David Luiz, has left Pep Guardiola’s side four points adrift of the Premier League leaders.

Iheanacho was handed his first start since the League Cup defeat to Manchester United in October in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Celtic in the Champions League to prepare for his run in the first-team and the Nigeria international capped a fine individual performance with his fifth goal of the season. In fact, his superbly taken equaliser now means he has scored 13 goals in 18 starts for City.

Marcus Rashford’s remarkable rise has hogged all of the attention in Manchester, but Iheanacho has arguably been as impressive, if not more so, since making his debut last season. Indeed, of players to have scored at least 10 league goals since the start of last season Iheanacho has the best conversion rate (24.4%).

Guardiola’s side face a trip to reigning Premier League champions Leicester on Saturday, where they should have no problem getting their title challenge back on track. The Foxes have already lost (7 defeats) more than double the amount of games they lost last season (3) and conceded 66.6% (24 goals conceded) of the goals in 14 games this season than they did in the whole of their title winning campaign (36).

GYLFI SIGURDSSON (SWANSEA)

There really hasn’t been much to cheer about for Swansea this season. Francesco Guidolin was sacked after overseeing their terrible start to the season and now another inquest is being held just seven matches into Bob Bradley’s tenure.

Swansea may be rock bottom of the Premier League but without Gylfi Sigurdsson’s performances it could have been a lot worse for the Welsh outfit. The Icelandic international has been in fine form for Swansea this season despite their struggles and they will need the 27-year-old to be at his best once again this weekend as they look to come out on top in their relegation six-pointer at home to rivals Sunderland.

Sigurdsson has played a direct hand in exactly 50% (4 goals, 4 assists) of the 16 league goals Swansea have scored this season and their defeat to Tottenham last time out marked only the first time in his last five matches that he has not played a decisive role in a goal.

Five of the eight goals Sigurdsson has directly contributed towards have come at the Liberty Stadium, where Swansea will host Sunderland on Saturday in what is a must win fixture for the league’s bottom club.

CHRISTIAN BENTEKE (CRYSTAL PALACE)

It’s been a strange season for Crystal Palace. The Eagles invested heavily in the summer but results have not gone there way and Alan Pardew is reportedly fighting to keep his job. A dramatic 5-4 defeat to Swansea at the end of November did not signal good times ahead over the festive period, but to the shock of everyone, they returned the following week and turned over Southampton 3-0.

Christian Benteke, a club record £30m signing over the summer, was part of an exciting summer for the Eagles and the Belgium international has settled in well at Selhurst Park despite their struggles this season. The 26-year-old striker has scored three goals and registered one assist in his last two outings for Palace and is now only two goals shy of equalling his record for Liverpool from the whole of last season (9 goals scored).

Pardew’s men should be confident of securing successive league wins for only the second time when they travel to face relegation rivals Hull on Saturday. Only Swansea (31) have conceded more goals than the Tigers (29) this season and with the sixth highest rated player in the division in their ranks (Benteke - 7.66 rating), Palace should be primed to heap further misery upon Mike Phelan’s side. Given they also have the second highest rated player away from home in Wilfried Zaha  (8.12), there should be chances readily available for Palace’s star striker.

BEN GIBSON (MIDDLESBROUGH)

There has been plenty of talk about Ben Gibson’s future at Middlesbrough after making a real impression in Boro’s first season back in the Premier League for seven years. Chelsea manager Antonio Conte is reportedly a keen admirer of the 23-year-old and would even like the bring him to Stamford Bridge in January, although a £35m asking price could well cool their interest for now.

As attentions turn towards this weekend, Gibson and his Boro teammates will be tasked with overcoming a Southampton side struggling for consistency between involvement in the Premier League and Europa League. Southampton are fortunate enough to play their final group stage match at home on Thursday but they have struggled to cope with the Thursday-Sunday schedule so far this season, dropping points in three of the five matches that have directly followed Europa League football.

Middlesbrough’s season has not been simple, either. They are quietly going about their business but are finding wins hard to come by, with their 1-0 win over fellow promoted side Hull last weekend just their third of the season. However, Aitor Karanka’s men have only lost one of their last six matches and are have proven very hard to break down this season. In fact, Southampton’s matches and Boro’s matches have seen the joint fewest goals in the Premier League this season (both 28), so don’t expect a blockbuster affair here. However, with the extra rest, Boro’s men could profit and steal a much-needed three points, with Gibson key to protecting their own goal.