It s the most wonderful time of the year the Premier League is back after the World Cup break, and with the top flight s return comes the chance to made inroads in your fantasy league.
The congested festive fixture list always makes December tough to navigate, but things are a little different this year, with many players availability in question following their trips to Qatar.
With the start of the campaign a distant memory and many of the league s best players likely to be sidelined, how will fantasy managers make the correct selections?
That s where Stats Perform hopes to help, delving into the Opta numbers to identify four players who could make a flying start when the Premier League resumes.
Which player will hit the ground running when the ?
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Paulo Dybala s absence from Roma s starting line-up against Everton had nothing to do with the rumours regarding his future, head coach Daniele De Rossi has said.
The Argentina international was brought on for the final 15 minutes of Saturday s 1-1 pre-season friendly draw at Goodison Park, with De Rossi fielding a strong side in Roma s final warm-up game.
Dybala has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League during the close season, but De Rossi is adamant he was not left out for that reason.
The line-up does not depend on rumours, he told La Gazzetta dello Sport. Nothing influenced my decisions. I deployed the team that I wanted to see against Everton.
The start of the season is near, and we must be more similar to what we want to be. I experime…
Sarina Wiegman was the missing puzzle piece England required to get over the line and win a major tournament, former striker Lianne Sanderson has told Stats Perform.
England Women landed their first major title on Sunday with a 2-1 victory against Germany at Wembley in the European Championship final.
In doing so, Wiegman became the first manager to win the tournament with two different nations, having previously gone all the way with the Netherlands in 2017.
Wiegman, who officially took over as head coach last September, has a record of 12 wins from 12 matches at the Women s Euros.
Sanderson herself went close to winning the competition in 2009, a substitute as England tasted defeat to Germany in the final.
The former Arsenal and Chelsea playe…
Barcelona legend Josep Maria Fuste has died, the club announced on Thursday.
The former midfielder was 82.
Fuste played 406 times for the Blaugrana over a 12-year spell at the club from 1960 until 1972, scoring 117 times.
A product of the club s academy, he enjoyed a loan spell with Osasuna – which coincided with doing military service in Pamplona – during the early 1960s before establishing himself as a fixture in the Barca team.
Known for his speed, technical ability and ferocious shot, Fuste was a Barca great in his era and helped them to three Copa del Rey crowns, plus one Fairs Cup title.
He was later a pre-candidate in the Barcelona presidential elections in 1989 and then served as an advisor to the club s board from 2010.
Josep …
Verdict: AH Malmo (-2.5)
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After failing to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage since the 2021/2022 season, Sweden s heavyweights, Malmo, are well positioned to return at the greatest stage of club football. Facing what is considered by many an easy task, the hosts welcome Faroe Island champions, Klaksvik in the first leg of the Champions League s quarter-finals qualification battle. The game will be played Tuesday night at Eleda Stadion in front of more than 20, 000 fans who are keen to see their favourites take advantage before travelling to Faroe Islands next week.
Malmo
Following an impressive campaign the previous season that culminated with Malmo clinching their 23rd League title by edging Elfsborg at goal diff…
Erik ten Hag hailed the culture and mentality change at Manchester United after the Red Devils battled to a late Premier League victory at Fulham on Sunday.
Dan James second-half strike at Craven Cottage seemed set to haunt his former side after Christian Eriksen s opener, but substitute Alejandro Garnacho pounced in the 93rd minute to snatch a 2-1 victory.
United had their backs against the wall for large parts after Eriksen s well-crafted 14th-minute goal, with David de Gea making a string of fine stops from his six saves.
Ten Hag pinpointed the resolute United performance as a characterisation of the transformation within the Red Devils ranks, highlighting the togetherness between the players and the supporters as United look to rebuild.
The Dutchman t…
Mauricio Pochettino is saddened by some of changes he has witnessed in English football, believing a move towards a more technical way of playing costing the Premier League some of its identity.
The manager is in his sixth full season working in England since being appointed at Southampton midway through the 2012-13 season.
He stabilised relegation-threatened Saints and pulled them clear of the drop zone before helping establishing them in the top flight the following year.
Another day closer to !
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)
At his next job, Tottenham, he transformed the club from perennial underachievers into regular Champions League qualifiers and took them to the final in 2019, losing 2-0 to Liverpool in Madrid.
He is working his firs…
Bayern Munich beat relegation-threatened Stuttgart 2-1 on Saturday to reclaim Bundesliga top spot from Borussia Dortmund on goal difference.
In-form Dortmund defeated RB Leipzig 2-1 on Friday to reach the summit, but Bayern responded well at Mercedes-Benz Arena as they made it four wins in five league outings.
Matthijs de Ligt s 25-yard drive shortly after clearing an effort off the line gave Bayern the lead six minutes before half-time, with the game having been evenly matched until that point.
The visitors added a second through Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting in the 62nd minute and saw out the victory, despite Juan Jose Perea pulling back a late goal for Stuttgart, boosting confidence ahead of facing Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Goal line clea…
Oscar Pareja has admitted Orlando City s lack of goals in recent weeks is a cause for concern as they aim to change that against the Chicago Fire on Wednesday.
The Lions have won two of their last five matches but alternated between hitting the back of the net and failing to score during that run, getting shut out by Columbus Crew on Saturday.
Orlando are currently 10th in the Eastern Conference, two points off the playoffs, and Pareja hopes his side can add a more clinical edge against Chicago to close that gap.
[Not scoring] is a concern, especially when you don t have the accuracy to cross or to find somebody in the box. Or if somebody is in the box but isn t precise to finish it off, Pareja said.
The concern in the week is how can we polish them. Bu…
Sime Vrsaljko has signed an extension to his Atletico Madrid contract, agreeing a new four-year deal with the Liga side.
The Croatia international, who joined the club from Sassuolo in 2016, has committed his future to Atletico to 2022.
Vrsaljko has started nine LaLiga matches this season, with Diego Simeone s men second in the table, nine points behind leaders Barcelona.
I am very happy to continue growing here, Vrsaljko told Atleti s website.
I feel very comfortable and I only think about working every day to be important for the team.
We’re delighted to announce that Sime has renewed his contract with Atleti until 2022
— Atlético de Madrid (@atletienglish)
Atleti have also confirmed Stefan Savic suffered a Grade 1 mus…