Skip to content

Sky Sports Fantasy Football: Our scout looks at which players you should consider signing for Boxing Day

Fantasy Football

The crucial festive period is upon us and, with games coming thick and fast, here are five in-form players to consider for your Sky Sports Fantasy Football team.

Santi Cazorla - £8.3M

The Spanish playmaker’s influence has increased greatly in recent weeks, having a hand in five goals in Arsenal’s last five games, scoring three and assisting two. The 30-year-old was actually Sky Sports Fantasy Football’s top points scorer in 2012/13, having netted 12 times in the debut campaign, so there’s no reason to suggest this upturn in form is a flash in the pan. In fact, Boxing Day is deemed the ideal opportunity for him to continue to flourish with the Gunners considered Sky Bet’s bankers of the weekend when QPR (10/1) visit the Emirates.

Olivier Giroud - £8.9m

Olivier Giroud of Arsenal celebrates scoring his goal with Kieran Gibbs during the Barclays Premier League match at Liverpool

With three goals and 24 points from his last two games, Cazorla's team-mate Giroud has hit top form quickly after his injury. Surrounded by an abundance of creativity, the Frenchman should continue to produce the points on Boxing Day. However, the big question is whether he’s worth such a hefty price tag, with Chelsea's Diego Costa costing just £0.6m more. Having scored 16 goals last season and 11 the campaign before, it will take an improvement for him to compete with the top marksmen around.

Eden Hazard - £8.9m

Eden Hazard of Chelsea celebrates his goal during the Capital One Cup Quarter-Final match between Derby County and Chelsea

One man facing no such questions is Chelsea's Hazard, who climbed up to second in the points scoring charts with a goal, an assist and a Sky Sports MOTM award in his last two games. The Belgium winger has now contributed six goals and four assists to the Blues’ title charge and, while visitors West Ham are certainly flying high, expect him to continue to rack up the points on Boxing Day.

More from Fantasy Football

Charlie Austin - £7.1m

It would be unfair not to mention Austin, even if QPR face a tough trip to the Emirates on Boxing Day. The 25-year-old has almost single-handedly dragged the Hoops out of the relegation zone, netting 11 times in 15 starts to rack up 100 points this season. The big question for those considering signing him must be whether the chances will come at the Emirates. Austin has clearly reaped the rewards from being the focal point of his side’s attacks, boasting the third highest shots-per-game record in the Premier League this season, as per whoscored.com stats. Given Liverpool managed 27 shots, including 10 on target, against the Gunners on Sunday, it’s fair to assume at least a couple of opportunities will come Austin’s way and, on current form, you’d back him to put them away.

Costel Pantilimon - £4.4m

Sunderland goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon saves from  Newcastle player Ayoze Perez

Probably not the name you were expecting to complete this line-up but a worthy addition to it. The Sunderland goalkeeper put in a match-winning performance in the Tyne-Wear derby, making a couple of sensational saves before Adam Johnson’s winner. That performance was no one-off either, with four clean sheets from his eight starts this season, including shut outs against Chelsea and Liverpool. The Black Cats’ Boxing Day hosts hold far less of an attacking threat the aforementioned attacks, with struggling Hull averaging less than a goal a game this season.

Pick your Sky Sports Fantasy Football team here

Around Sky