Premier League Fantasy Football: Why Diego Costa and Benik Afobe need to be in your team

We take a look at the must haves ahead of the weekend

(OULALA)

Wondering which players you should be looking to draft into your fantasy football team this weekend? The Independent have teamed up with daily fantasy football game www.oulala.com to bring you four players who should be on your radar.

A player's recent form is crucial when judging whether he deserves a place in your side, while the form of his upcoming opponents is just as important. If a forward enjoying a hot goalscoring streak is about to face a side struggling for form defensively, the chances are he deserves a place in your team. The same theory applies to an in-form defender facing a side struggling for goals.

Oulala's extensive database of statistics, which comprises 70 different criteria sourced straight from Opta, is the perfect tool to identify which players are currently enjoying a hot run of form and which teams are experiencing a dry spell.

Here, we reveal four players that must feature in your fantasy football side based on their recent form, alongside some interesting stats surrounding their opponents this weekend. The must-haves.

Diego Costa has transformed for Chelsea since Guus Hiddink's arrival at Stamford Bridge. The 27-year-old has netted four goals from 22 shots in six league games during 2016, averaging 3.7 shots per game, the fourth most by any Premier League player. The Spaniard has registered a shot accuracy of 44 per cent and a conversion rate of 18 per cent since the 1st January. Costa has also picked up two assists in his last six games. Combined with his four strikes, Costa has been directly involved in a goal, on average, every 85 minutes. The 27-year-old has also completed 12 successful dribbles, the second most by any forward. Chelsea welcome Newcastle United to Stamford Bridge on Saturday, a side that have conceded six goals in their last three away games in the Premier League and a total of 26 in 12 away matches this season, an average of 2.2 per game.

Branislav Ivanovic is another Chelsea player that has shown dramatic improvement under Hiddink. The Serbian was heavily criticised during the first half of the season, however has excelled in recent weeks. In his last six Premier League matches, the 31-year-old has won 12 tackles, 16 aerial duels and 16 interceptions. The right-back has also made 24 clearances and two blocks, highlighting his overall contribution to the much improved Chelsea defence. Ivanovic's stats going forward have been equally impressive. He has successfully completed 84 per cent of his passes and has registered two assists since the turn of the year, the most from any defender in the league. Chelsea's opponents at the weekend, Newcastle, have been the least effective attacking side away from home this season having scored just six goals in 12 games on the road and their recent goal scoring form is just as bad, netting just one goal in their last four games in all competitions away from home.

Branislav Ivanovic joined Chelsea in 2008 (Getty Images)

Enner Valencia has experienced an excellent run of form for West Ham in recent weeks. The Ecuadorian has scored four goals from just 17 shots in his last six Premier League appearances, giving Valencia an impressive conversion rate of 24 per cent. While his shot accuracy currently sits as 42 per cent. The 26-year-old has registered two assists during this recent spell, meaning Valencia has recorded a goal or an assist, on average, every 84 minutes in West Ham's last six league games. The 10 successful dribbles that Valencia has completed since the turn of the year is the fourth most by any forward in the Premier League. West Ham travel to Norwich City on Saturday, a side that have conceded the second highest number of league goals (48). Eighteen of these have come at home, the third most of any club. While in 2016, Norwich have conceded eight goals in three games at home, an average of 2.7 per game.

Benik Afobe has hit the ground running in the Premier League following his reported £10 million move from Wolves to Bournemouth in January. The forward has scored three goals in his opening five games in English football's top flight. Having registered just eight shots, the 22-year-old's conversion rate sits at a modest 38 per cent, while his shot accuracy stands at 57 per cent. Afobe's passing stats have been just as impressive. The forward has successfully completed 84 per cent of his passes and has created seven chances for his new side. Bournemouth host Stoke City at the weekend, a side currently struggling for form having conceded eight goals in the last three away games in the Premier League at a rate of 2.7 goals per game, the joint most by any side.

Stats supplied by daily fantasy football game www.oulala.com

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