In his FPL Gameweek 16 review, Fantasy Premier League author David Wardale sees a popular Crystal Palace midfielder illuminate the final match of an action-packed round of fixtures.

Also on Sunday, a rejuvenated Leicester thrashed Newcastle despite star striker Jamie Vardy’s benching, while Burnley and West Ham played out a nil-nil draw.

On Saturday, both Manchester sides, Chelsea and Liverpool all needed penalties to secure victories. Arsenal, meanwhile, romped to a big win against a sorry Southampton.

On Friday, a late comeback secured Brentford three vital points, although most of the FPL interest revolved around the scorer of Watford’s goal – the popular striker Emmanuel Dennis.

You can catch all our FPL Gameweek 16 tips right here.

FPL Gameweek 16 Review

Crystal Palace 3 Everton 1

A Connor Gallagher (£6.1m) double earned Crystal Palace a first win since Gameweek 11 as Everton’s poor form continued.

Events at Selhurst Palace certainly suited the majority of fantasy managers with skin in the game as the 24.2%-owned Gallagher was easily the most popular player on the pitch.

He opened the scoring with a smart finish after good work from Jordan Ayew (£5.8m) before confirming the win with a late screamer from the edge of the area.

Gallagher’s 15-point return equalled his best tally of a season in which he’s now scored six goals and provided five assists.

Palace’s other goal came from James Tomkins (£4.3m), who poked home a Will Hughes (£4.7m) corner.

But any thoughts of a fifth clean sheet of the season for the Eagles were dismissed when substitute Salomon Rondon (£6.0m) scored his first Everton goal, Abdoulaye Doucoure (£5.4m) providing the assist.

Everton were passive before the interval and marginally better after it, but one win in ten gameweeks is hardly inspiring stuff.

And with Chelsea and Leicester up next, a pre-Christmas punt on any of their players looks unlikely to provide either comfort or joy.

Palace have much more festive fixtures, although it’s hard to look beyond Gallagher for fairly consistent returns from their squad.

Leicester 4 Newcastle 0

Two goals from the returning Youri Tielemans (£6.4m) and a star turn from James Maddison (£6.7m) were more than enough to see off a poor Newcastle.

The Belgium international’s first league action since Gameweek 11 produced a season’s best 16-pointer.

He opened the scoring from the penalty spot, with Maddison essentially allowing himself to be fouled for the award, and made it three after 81 minutes, again courtesy of a Maddison assist.

In between those goals, Patson Daka (£7.1m) netted after being unselfishly set up by Harvey Barnes (£6.5m), with Maddison rounding off the scoring courtesy of a Daka assist.

The striker was preferred up front to the fixture’s most popular FPL asset, Jamie Vardy (£10.7m and 25.8%), as Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers benched his star forward for the second match running.

It’s the Covid-ravaged Spurs for the Foxes next. That would be a tempting game for Vardy owners, if their man was nailed-on to start. It would be a surprise if he didn’t, but Daka did score…

There’s no doubt who the main man for Leicester has been in recent weeks, and it’s not been Vardy.

Maddison made it three double-digit hauls in four gameweeks and the only surprise is how little his ownership has risen over a hot streak involving three goals and four assists.

It was a measure of how ineffectual Newcastle were that Leicester kept their first clean sheet since Gameweek 1 despite losing Jonny Evans (£5.4m) to a hamstring issue early on.

Kasper Schmeichel (£4.9m) made three regulation saves and was far more troubled by a terrible Timothy Castagne (£5.3m) back pass than anything the Magpies attack could throw at him.

Newcastle have to face Liverpool and both Manchester clubs over the next three gameweeks.

Good luck with all of that.

Burnley 0 West Ham 0

Burnley continued their return to more Sean Dyche-like ways with a scrappy goalless draw against West Ham.

That’s now two clean sheets in the last three matches for the Clarets, although it was only a third for the season as a whole.

Not that West Ham have been much more watertight – the shut-out was their first since Gameweek 9.

Unsurprisingly, few fantasy managers gained much from the result, with the 4.0%-owned Hammers full-back Vladimir Coufal (£4.7m) the most popular defender on display.

The two teams managed just four shots on target between them, although the busier goalkeeper, Burnley’s Nick Pope (£5.4m), did well to deny Said Benrahma (£6.0m).

The visiting midfielder’s return to the starting XI was welcome news for his 19.4% ownership, but the 40.1% still invested in West Ham striker Michail Antonio (£7.9m) endured a seventh straight match without a goal from their man.

One of Burnley’s most productive assets this season, Maxwel Cornet (£6.1m), missed the match with a thigh problem, so it wasn’t altogether startling that the score (or the lack of any) ended up as it did.

Norwich 0 Man United 1

A penalty won and converted by Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.4m) was the key fantasy takeaway from an otherwise unconvincing display by Manchester United.

The spot kick (and a likely maximum bonus award) kept 32% of FPL managers plenty happy, with the 1.1 million of them who also captained him just pipping those on Mo Salah for a change.

Norwich were unlucky not to get a point from the match. It was no coincidence that one of the best performances from the visitors came from keeper David de Gea (£5.1m), who made five saves and was on course to join Ronaldo in earning three bonus points.

The Spaniard helped United to a second straight clean sheet under Ralf Rangnick, although it’s fair to say the attacking side of the new manager’s team are far from the finished article.

That should be of concern for fantasy managers looking to exploit United’s excellent fixtures as Norwich aren’t exactly a defensive powerhouse, with anyone considering Marcus Rashford (£9.4m) in need of plenty more evidence that he’s not bang out of form before splashing the cash on the England man.

At least Diogo Dalot (£4.5m) continues to offer a cheap and cheerful way into United’s new-found solidity at the back, although whether he keeps his place when Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£5.1m) is fit again remain to be seen.

As for Norwich, it’s two losses (and no goals) in a row now as Dean Smith’s new manager bounce seems to have gone rather flat.

And while they put United under pressure, their final ball lacked quality and their next three opponents – Aston Villa, West Ham and Arsenal – might not be as accommodating as the Red Devils.

Chelsea 3 Leeds 2

Chelsea and Leeds clashed at the end of a tempestuous affair involving three penalties, another goal from Mason Mount (£7.5m) and a second straight zero-pointer from the match’s most owned player.

The visitors opened the scoring with a Raphinha (£6.6m) penalty – his second consecutive goal from the spot. Dan James (£6.0m) provided the assist after being fouled by Marcos Alonso (£5.7m).

The Chelsea wing-back made amends by setting up Mount’s equaliser.

But on the opposite flank, there were dark times indeed for the 35.9% of managers on Reece James (£6.3m) as he was booked and conceded twice for no points.

Over his last three stars, he’s brought in 1, 0 and 0 points. He’s also now just one booking away from a ban and will need to stay clean until Gameweek 20 to avoid that.

Those who owned Antonio Rudiger (£6.1m) enjoyed the game rather more as he provided the assists for the two penalties Chelsea were given after the break.

Both were converted by Jorginho (£5.8m) which, with maximum bonus coming his way, meant a season’s best 15-pointer.

Leeds fought back with a goal (from his first touch) for substitute Joe Gelhardt (£4.5m), set up by Tyler Roberts (£4.8m) – his second straight attacking return.

But the biggest group of fantasy beneficaries on the day were Mount’s 18% ownership.

The midfielder has now produced three goals and two assists in his last three starts and has the fixtures to continue such a rich run.

Liverpool 1 Aston Villa 0

A winning goal from (who else but) Mo Salah (£13.1m) meant yet another chunky return for the 4.6 million managers who captained the Liverpool phenomenon.

The Egyptian converted a penalty he earned himself to make it 14 straight gameweeks with a return.

Liverpool made hard work of beating an obdurate Aston Villa, but the result was the right one.

They had five shots on target to the visitors’ zero, although Villa could have had a late penalty of their own following an Alisson (£6.0m) transgression in the box.

The Reds survived that appeal and have now kept four clean sheets in five games ahead of fixtures that could provide more of the same.

But that was of little interest to the 27.2% who own Diogo Jota (£8.0m).

The midfielder was a doubt for the game, prompting many to bench him and some to sell.

He ended up coming on in the second half for a one-point cameo that could have been much more had he taken an excellent chance which fell to him late on.

The fixtures now ease for Villa, although they do have to face Chelsea on Boxing Day, so their key assets could be worth a look with the likes of Norwich, Burnley and Brentford to come before the FA Cup in early January.

Arsenal 3 Southampton 0

Arsenal got back to winning ways with an emphatic victory over a Southampton side without a win in five games and a clean sheet in six.

The goals came from Alexandre Lacazette (£8.3m), Gabriel (£5.1m) and, perhaps most interestingly, Martin Odegaard (£5.4m).

That meant a third straight match in which the Norwegian has netted, marking him out as yet another cut-price Arsenal midfielder offering good returns for a relatively small outlay.

Talking of which, both Bukayo Saka (£6.2m) and Gabriel Martinelli (£5.2m) provided assists, while Kieran Tierney’s (£4.7m) return from injury continued to reap rewards as he recorded a second straight 12-point haul courtesy of a clean sheet, assist and (projected) maximum bonus.

Looking like joining him on three bonus points was keeper Aaron Ramsdale (£5.0m). He made six saves and was due to bring in a season’s best 11 points.

It wasn’t entirely sweetness and light for the Gunners, however, as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£9.7m) was left put of the squad for disciplinary reasons after the striker missed the Friday training session.

And the 26% who own Emile Smith-Rowe (£6.0m) saw their man sit the match out on the bench after returning from a groin injury.

Southampton were well beaten, despite working Ramsdale throughout, and their attacking options were further reduced when Adam Armstrong (£5.9m) limped off just before half-time.

Man City 1 Wolves 0

Manchester City squeaked past Wolves thanks to a contentious penalty award and a burst of quick-fire stupidity from Raul Jimenez (£7.6m).

The winning goal came from the in-form Raheem Sterling (£10.6m), who rolled in a spot-kick for his fourth return in five gameweeks.

The penalty was given when Joao Moutinho (£4.9m) was adjudged to have handled a Bernardo Silva (£7.7m) cross.

VAR took a long look and backed the referee. Had the handball not been awarded, VAR would have not overturned the decision either – the call was that marginal – so read into that what you will.

Wolves defended heroically throughout, and especially after Jimenez was dismissed for two yellow cards, for dissent and then not retreating from the resultant free-kick, brandished just 48 seconds apart.

The striker’s actions were beyond idiotic and deeply annoying for his 8.5% ownership.

It was also his first meaningful contribution since Gameweek 12, if ‘that’s two points off your total, managers’ can be deemed meaningful.

Many more fantasy bosses were invested in Silva who, with close to a million new owners, was the most popular buy of the gameweek.

An assist made it five hauls in six starts for him, while the ever-popular Joao Cancelo (£6.8m and 39.8%) earned a first clean sheet since Gameweek 12 and was projected to gain two bonus points as well.

That was as good as it got for the defender, however, as a booking means he’ll miss Gameweek 17 after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season.

The 4.1% who own Ilkay Gundogan (£7.3m) had even less to smile about. Their man was subbed off a minute after having a header cleared off the line and four before the 60-minute mark.

Such are the margins.

And it got worse after the final whistle, with coach Pep Guardiola delivering the following verdict on the Germany international:

“Gundogan is struggling a lot with his back and he has not performed well in the last two games. We must reflect what to do to recover him.”

Brentford 2 Watford 1

Watford’s Emmanuel Dennis (£5.7m) delivered for his ever-growing fantasy fan club, only for Brentford to prevail with a stirring late comeback.

The second most bought player of the gameweek gained a net 864,319 new managers, taking him to 29.2% ownership, and he scored a fourth goal in five starts to give the Hornets the first-half lead.

The assist came from Tom Cleverley’s (£4.8m) corner.

The visitors were certainly worth that lead, but they were dismal after the break and Brentford took advantage eventually.

Watford were just six minutes from a first clean sheet of the season – thanks mainly to the Bees’ complete inability to produce a half-decent final ball – when Pontus Jansson (£4.6m) put paid to that with a header from a Marcus Forss (£5.3m) flick-on.

And with the game deep into time added on, Bryan Mbeumo (£5.5m) calmly hit the winner from the penalty spot after Saman Ghoddos (£5.3m) was brought down in the area.

The midfielder, who has played as a striker for much of the season, only took the penalty as Ivan Toney (£6.6m) missed the match with Covid-19.

Toney should be back for Gameweek 18’s trip to Southampton, meaning Mbeumo will probably only remain on penalties for one more match. Seeing as that’s against Man United, few managers will be investing in him, or any other Brentford player for that matter.

The same cannot be said for Dennis, who was in line for maximum bonus which would take him to 84 points for the season – seven clear of Jamie Vardy (£10.7m) at the top of FPL’s striker standings.

With form come fixtures for Dennis as Watford will face Burnley and Crystal Palace next.

He’s put on nearly two million extra owners over the last six gameweeks and plenty more will surely be on the way before Christmas.

The other well-backed Watford striker, Josh King (£5.8m), blanked and was kept to one (fairly) good chance on the night.

Then again, he wasn’t helped by being employed out on the left, with Dennis operating centrally.

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