This article is part of our FPL Transfer Watch series.
After a double gameweek and last weekend's light slate, we finally have all 20 teams playing over the same weekend. With just three or four matches left for these teams, we still have a fight for a place in the Champions League next season as well as a relegation scrap at the bottom.
Furthermore, Leicester City has a chance to make history in by far the marquee matchup of the weekend as they travel to Old Trafford to take on Manchester United without Jamie Vardy once again. Other key matchups include Southampton against Manchester City and Chelsea against Spurs as they look to keep their own fledgling title hopes alive. Let's take a look at three players worth transferring in for your own stretch run and three who have been transferred out of late.
TRANSFERS IN
Andy Carroll (FWD)
30,102 transfers in, most overall, most among forwards
The oft-injured striker has hit a rich vein of form of late, scoring four in his last five, including five in the last three. Furthermore, Carroll's goals have come against tough competition—Arsenal (three times), Chelsea (twice), Leicester City, Liverpool, Southampton and Watford. The Hammers get a matchup against a surprisingly resilient West Brom team that looked outstanding in the second half against Spurs on Monday. Tony Pulis always has his back four packed in and ready to defend, and look for Carroll to have little room to roam. This isn't the best matchup for the big striker, but it's hard to bet against someone who has been as lethal in front of goal.
Heurelho Gomes (GK)
14,236 transfers in, seventh-most overall, most among goalkeepers
With starting goalies dropping like flies across the Premier League, some fantasy owners are turning to the always-strong strategy of taking whomever's playing the worst team. In this case, Gomes gets Aston Villa on Saturday, who are assured of relegation. However, they showed good fight at home against Southampton last weekend, scoring two goals against the tough Saints back line. Furthermore, Villa scored twice against Watford in November in a 3-2 victory for the Hornets. While I understand the appeal of Gomes, there are better goaltenders with strong matchups—Petr Cech against Norwich and Hugo Lloris against Chelsea both come to mind—who make better plays than Gomes.
Marcus Rashford (FWD)
13,725 transfers in, ninth-most overall, fifth among forwards
Few strikers with the goal-scoring potential of Rashford come at the price of £4.7, which makes him all the more appealing. Still, Leicester City present an enormous challenge, even away from the deafening King Power Stadium, particularly as they complete their chase toward their first Premier League title. In eight Premier League matches, Rashford has four goals and an assist, but the 18-year-old still has a tendency to disappear at times. There's not a ton of available strikers at this price range, but if you're looking for another option up front, scale back your spending on defenders to seek out a Leonardo Ulloa (£5.3) or Aleksandar Mitrovic (£6.2).
TRANSFERS OUT
Dele Alli (MID)
15,781 transfers out, fourth-most overall, second among midfielders
Alli was tangled up with West Brom's midfielder Claudio Yacob throughout Monday's match, but Alli's emotions got the best of him as he punched Yacob in the penalty area that was caught by TV cameras. Alli was subsequently charged with violent conduct, which carries up to a three-match ban. While we're not going to speculate on the term of the suspension, the fact that he was charged with violent conduct as opposed to petulant conduct is bad news for Alli's chances of playing again this season. Even if he does return, it likely won't be until the last match of the season, if at all, and he's ready to be dropped as a result. In his price range, Marko Arnautovic (£6.3) or James Milner (£6.6) are nice options to replace him in the midfield.
Divock Origi (FWD)
10,721 transfers out, seventh-most overall, fourth among forwards
Few were playing as well as the 21-year-old striker before his injury, scoring five goals in five matches between the Premier and Europa Leagues, but a nasty challenge threatens to end his season. Even if he does return this year, it's unlikely he'll be able to provide the form he was in previously. At his price tag of £5.3, similarly to Rashford, it's hard to replace that kind of value, but Ulloa (£5.3) is a like-for-like replacement.
Gylfi Sigurdsson (MID)
8,851 transfers out, 13th-most overall, sixth among midfielders
After four goals in five matches, Sigurdsson was a hot commodity in the fantasy world. But while his Icelandic heritage might suggest that fantasy world was one where Swansea scores goals, you quickly closed that chapter to find them goalless in back-to-back matches—at Newcastle and at Leicester. While Liverpool may have shut out the Swans earlier this season, their defensive record has been spotty at best. While Sigurdsson is fairly streaky, putting together three stretches of at least back-to-back matches with goals this season, I'd keep the Swansea star around, as Liverpool will be coming off a Thursday trip to Spain to face Villarreal in the Europa League.
