Having splashed on the wildcard Chubby Alonso’s pretty confident that he’s got it bang on the buck. It ought to be a little less sweat and a lot more to savour this week, so Chubby has sussed this week’s picks into Fixtures and Fo ‘Shizzles:

Fixtures

Leighton Baines (Crystal Palace v Everton): The sentimental choice. The expensive defender has set pieces and (definitely) penalties in his locker, and duly scored from the spot the last time both sides met. In a game against Palace that spells goals, he’s got as good a chance as any, and there are few better feels in Fantasy football than a goal from his sweet left foot.

Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea v Manchester City): Benching him against Swansea was a failed gamble, and his record of a goal and three assists in his last five games means dropping him against City would a foolish. It will be interesting to see just when the tireless defender will finally wear out: his extra-time outing in midweek was his 30th game this season and alongside John Terry is the only player to have clocked 90 minutes in every league game this season. He comes into this game on the back of a slight niggle and a little less blood, but who would bet against him pulling through unscathed and ever-ready to tame a rested but restless Sergio Aguero, who has now gone over 200 minutes without a goal.

Eden Hazard (Chelsea v Manchester City): Mourinho will take a draw from this game but knows that Chelsea will have to score to get any results. Cue, Eden Hazard – Chelsea’s brightest star. The Belgian is an untouchable in Mourinho’s side and is the same in mine. He’ll be even more valuable following the repurcussions of Costa’s stamp-collecting efforts, but will need Didier Drogba dancing to the same beat to create the space for Eden to be a real Hazard.

Charlie Austin (Stoke City v QPR): It hit me last week that I feel much more uncomfortable with Charlie Austin out of the side than with him in it, no matter the opposition. The stats speak for themselves: 4.2 shots a game, 13 goals in 20. Harry Redknapp’s surprising silence in the transfer market suggests that little ought to change in QPR’s approach to the game, making the outing at Britannia rather predictable: an empty endeavour, but chances for Charlie nonetheless.

Fo’ Shizzle

David Ospina (Arsenal v Aston Villa): It should speak volumes of Arsenal’s visitors on Sunday that Ospina’s biggest threat to his clean sheet bonus is not Villa’s ambling attack but Szczesny’s competition for the first team spot. Of course, in Christian Benteke, Aston Villa boast a man who has perennially been a thorn in Arsenal’s flesh, with three goals in his last two games against them – but without the right sort of service, it’s hard to see him regaining his colour just yet. If he starts, Ospina’s third clean sheet in a row looks a mere formality.

Oliver Giroud (Arsenal v Aston Villa): There’s almost no chance that Arsenal won’t score, and highly unlikely that it’ll stop at one. Even with Alexis likely rested, there’s too much firepower in this Arsenal and chances aplenty will be created – ergo, plenty for Giroud to gobble up.

Angel Di Maria (Manchester United v Leicester City): I’m putting my neck out to say that there’s absolutely no way that Di Maria will draw a blank against Leicester. No matter how poorly and stubbornly LVG sets United out, surely Di Maria is too quick, too good, and too trigger-happy to do nothing against one of the league’s least convincing defence. Perhaps Carrick’s injury will push the cause for Di Maria’s creativity in midfield, and perhaps Wilson’s goal against QPR can prompt a place alongside Falcao, necessarily pushing the Argentinian deeper. Perhaps, but surely?

Jason Puncheon (Crystal Palace v Everton): It’s all party at the Palace these days until the new headmaster starts getting real uptight about things, which means it’s all crystal with a good chance of goals. I don’t think much else needs to be said about the selection of Jason Puncheon, who – like Dwight Gayle – is a man in some form, but unlike his counterpart, can score in a greater variety of ways. Of course his streak can’t go on forever, but boy will he try, especially in front of the raucous Selhurst crowd.

Nathaniel Clyne (Southampton v Swansea): Swansea’s loss is Southampton’s gain. Sigurdsson’s sending off means the Swans are without him and Ki Sung-Yeung for the first time this season, and the signing of Jack Cork from the south coast has come a day too late for him to face his newly-former club. Southampton should easily control the midfield and therefore the game, allowing Nathaniel Clyne the chance to pour forward and heap potential points on top of his assured clean sheet.

Graziano Pelle (Southampton v Swansea): Southampton will understand that there are few better ways to command a game than to score, and Graziano Pelle must know there are few better opportunities to get the season going again. The last time the two sides met, Pelle had six shots at goal without scoring, and will look to put things right this time round. Saido Mane might make a cameo appearance after returning from AFCON, and it will be interesting to see how much of his form has been lost through his recent injury.

Victor Moses (Stoke City v QPR): QPR’s incredible return of a ZERO points in all their travels this season means that Stoke’s win should be a formality. Bojan’s cruel injury may make this a slightly more tricky than necessary, but Victor Moses is a man keen to pick up the pieces. The Nigerian’s good form early in the season was halted by an injury, but sparkled again against Rochdale in mid-week. On average, Moses still leads the club in key passes made, and is second only to Bojan himself in shots taken. Jonathan Walters‘ energy and spot kick responsibilities makes it a tough choice between the two to share the load – meaning a fifty-fifty for Fantasy managers, but a win-win for Mark Hughes at the Britannia today.

Also worth a shot…

Jermain Defoe (Sunderland v Burnley): Choosing Charlie Austin ahead of my man Jermain was a crying call and one I’m hoping I won’t end up regretting. Defoe has had a significant impact not just on Sunderland’s shape, but also their swagger. The team are attacking with great confidence, and I know Defoe’s will peak when – not if – he starts scoring. Against a porous Burnley defence, in front of the Stadium of Light, Defoe will surely do what he’s done all these years. Reservations only remain as to just how many and how often Defoe can do it because unlike China, one’s not quite enough for me.

Adam Lallana (Liverpool v West Ham): My vote for the biggest revelation thus far is not how lost Liverpool look without their ‘SAS’ strikeforce, but how astute a tactician Big Sam actually is. Sterling, Coutinho and even Sturridge play to their flowing best when Liverpool pour forward with last year’s reckless abandon, but Allardyce will surely know better than to allow that to happen. Enter Adam Lallana, a man capable of driving both on the fast lane and the slow, a man primed to unpick an oragnised defence with grace and without glamour. If Alex Song fails to overcome that niggling knock, a rested Lallana may be the one to get Anfield on her feet this time.

Nikica Jelavic (Hull City v Newcastle United): Hull City may have failed to score in their last three games but Newcastle have not kept a clean sheet since November and have leaked 12 goals in their last in the league. Something’s obviously got to give, and my cheeky money’s on the returning Nikica Jelavic to be the day’s hero.