Agüero to Pay the Penalty
FSPortal
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Most valuable fantasy player faces retrospective action
It was another eventful weekend in the English Premier League with Chelsea and the two Manchester clubs maintaining their one hundred percent winning records.
However, Manchester City’s win over West Ham United was soured somewhat by an incident involving the highest valued player in almost all fantasy Premier League formats – Sergio Agüero.
The Argentinian striker appeared to throw a deliberate elbow at Winston Reid but the incident was missed by match referee Andre Marriner, who, incredibly, was only yards away. The clamour for retrospective action has started but a Bank Holiday weekend in England means that Agüero will have to wait to learn his fate, while the powers that be at the FA enjoy their extra day off.
A three-game ban looks a distinct possibility, which could prompt Fantasy Premier League managers to use their wildcards, while daily fantasy managers will have to assess the best alternatives available to them in upcoming slates.
Agüero has already successfully slotted home two penalties for the Citizens in the league this season (even though he did miss two, in a Champions League qualifying game in Romania that City went on to win 5-0) so here’s a quick recap of all of the spot-kicks that have be taken so far, which might just help with some of those selections dilemmas, should a ban be imposed.
English Premier League penalty takers 2016/17
José Mourinho has made it pretty clear that Wayne Rooney, Paul Pogba and Zlatan Ibrahimović are his three designated penalty takers. The Big Swede, who has played every minute so far, converted from the spot against Southampton and is not expected to relinquish the responsibility anytime soon. He will be given an extra couple of days rest following the international break to recharge his batteries ahead of the Manchester derby.
Riyad Mahrez has already scored and missed with penalty attempts this season. The 2015/16 PFA Player of the Year was taken off spot-kick duties after a couple of misses last season, so it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise to see Jamie Vardy stepping up to take the next one the Foxes earn.
Eden Hazard looks much more like his old confident self and is currently the second highest rated player on WhoScored behind Curtis Davies. Chelsea have been awarded one penalty to date in the 2016/17 season and the Belgian winger didn’t make a mistake, slotting the ball home past West Ham keeper Adrián.
Arsene Wenger told the press that he names and prioritizes three penalty takers before each match. Theo Walcott, who missed against Liverpool, was second on the list when Santi Cazorla stepped up to convert at Watford. One can only assume that Mesut Özil or Alexis Sánchez would have been next in line. However, the imminent return of Olivier Giroud is likely to result in a bit of a rejig.
Leighton Baines was back on spot-kicks for Everton but was somewhat fortunate to see his effort finding its way into the net, after only striking the post – Shay Given was credited with an own goal.
Bojan Krkić of Stoke City, Jermain Defoe of Sunderland and James Milner of Liverpool have all hit the back of the net with their respective efforts, while Yohan Cabaye fluffed his lines for a struggling Crystal Palace team.
Nolito scored six of the eight penalties he took in La Liga and he looks an option to replace Agüero, should the City striker be banned for the United, Bournemouth and Swansea City clashes.
Will Aguero be charged with violent conduct by the FA on Tuesday ?
