Transfer recommendations ahead of Gameweek 22 – Manchester City favourites or short-term gains?

DREAM TEAM managers are constantly having to weigh up short-term gains against long-term strategies.

And Gameweek 22 encapsulates this divide perfectly.

Allow us to explain via some transfer recommendations.

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Rex

Game-changer[/caption]

Erling Haaland (£7.9m)

Manchester City’s No9 looked rusty upon his return to action against Burnley but, such is his pedigree, just the sight of him on a pitch in any capacity is more than enough to ensure he’ll be the most-popular recruit ahead of Gameweek 22.

Pep Guardiola’s side face Brentford on Monday night and given the Bees have conceded 16 goals in their last six games, all signs point towards healthy returns for City’s attack-minded assets.

The big question revolves around whether Haaland is fit enough to start?

Kevin De Bruyne (£6.2m) was eased back into action after his layoff and the Norwegian poacher may be given the same treatment, especially with Julian Alvarez (£4.2m) in such good form.

That being said, Haaland is one of those rare players who induces almost unbearable FOMO (fear of missing out) – he can severely punish those who dare to crack on without him.

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for any team news prior to Saturday’s deadline.

PA

A popular option[/caption]

Looking beyond Gameweek 22, Man City players should be hugely popular this month.

The treble winners face Copenhagen in the Champions League round of 16 in Gameweek 23 and will double up in Gameweek 24 because of their rescheduled league meeting with Brentford at the Etihad (initially postponed because of the Club World Cup).

Add in FA Cup commitments plus the second leg against the Danish outfit and City are booked in for FOUR consecutive double Gameweeks.

Simply put: it’s an excellent time to back Guardiola’s troops.

Haaland and De Bruyne will surely be essential while Phil Foden (£5.2m) is Dream Team’s third-top scorer at present.

Clean sheets have been hard to come by but the sheer volume of fixtures means Kyle Walker (£3.1m) and Ederson (£2.7m) are appealing options.

Then there’s Rodri (£3.5m), Jeremy Doku (£3.9m), Bernardo Silva (£4.1m)… it’s almost quicker to list which City assets aren’t viable in February.

Ollie Watkins (£4m)

Back on track?Getty

If the long-term view is fixated on Man City stars, those keen on short-term gains should target the FA Cup fourth round replays.

Aston Villa will host Chelsea in midweek following their 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Before that, the Villains have the luxury of a favourable league fixture in the form of a trip to Bramall Lane.

Watkins ended his mini drought with a consolation goal against Newcastle and he could not cherry-pick a more friendly weekend opponent than Sheffield United in hopes of kicking on again.

The Villains’ No11 banked 13 points in Gameweek 21, a decent return for gaffers who kept faith in him, and he’s a great option for Gameweek 22 as one of very few high-profile players with two fixtures to fulfil.

Cole Palmer (£4.1m)

Dream Team

They don’t call him ‘Cold Palmer’ for nothing[/caption]

The same logic applies to Chelsea’s young gun.

Although it’s probably fair to say the Blues’ double header is tougher than Villa’s, on paper at least.

They host a Wolves side undefeated in seven (at the time of writing) before their visit to Villa Park, a fortress for Unai Emery’s men in the last year.

Even so, Palmer is a strong option having scored 11 goals and provided nine assists in all competitions already this season.

Whether he plays from the right, as a No10, or centre-forward, the 21-year-old provides plenty of threat.

He averages 6.6 points-per-game this season so it’s reasonable to expect a double-digit haul from him in Gameweek 22 thanks to his extra fixture.

Nottingham Forest are the other Premier League team involved in a FA Cup replay (vs Bristol City) but somebody like Morgan Gibbs-White (£3.1m) really would be a short-term punt as their fixtures turn nasty from Gameweek 23.

Ideally, your XI will feature some representation from Chelsea and/or Villa while also gearing up for City’s hectic schedule.

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