A truncated gameweek with six teams missing due to the FA Cup meant many managers struggled to field a full XI without taking hits. Some of the more savvy ones had planned ahead, while others who had held onto their season long Wildcard were able to lump on “one week punts”. 
Whichever strategy was employed, the top transfer targets invariably were the players who had done well last week; Bolasie, Murray, Agüero, Vardy, Nugent were amongst the top picks. With no lunchtime kick-off, we have four 3pm games plus the evening game to reflect back upon for Part One of this week's Suffix.


CRY v WBA
West Brom are not mathematically safe from relegation, and are on the back of a run of three defeats in which they had shipped ten goals. Palace are on a run of four straight wins, with eleven goals scored. Tony Pulis returned to the scene of his greatest triumph, but there was virtually no pre-match talk amongst FPL managers of anything other than a Palace win.

Perhaps a dangerous assumption to make, as Albion took the lead within two minutes of the referee blowing his whistle. James Morrison headed home from a corner for only his second of the season (his last goal coming back in GW5) with Chris Brunt awarded the assist as the corner taker.

Zaha could have been awarded a penalty from a different referee when he was grabbed by Gardner in the box, but that was evened out when Anichebe was also denied a penalty after being grounded by Jedinak. To be fair, Palace were always in the game, with last week's hero Yannick Bolasie being the most likely to conjure up something. He launched a spectacular overhead kick which was saved.

However, it was West Brom who doubled their lead in the second half when Craig Gardner scored for the second game running with a superb effort from 25 yards to beat Palace keeper Julian Speroni. The ball had come to him from another Chris Brunt corner for his second assist of the match. Substitute Dwight Gayle hit the bar late on, and Yaya Sanogo had a goal ruled out for offside as Albion held on for the 3 points they needed to stop themselves being dragged into the relegation battle. Bonus points were awarded as follows:
Brunt & Morrison - 3pts
Myhill - 1pt

EVE v BUR
As discussed previously in these articles, Everton are in a late season run of good form having waved goodbye to the dreaded Europa League. Burnley are in huge trouble having failed to score in their last three games following their 1-0 win over Manchester City. Lukaku was still missing from the starting line-up with Koné still preferred despite no noticeable returns since he had been brought into the team.

The game was ten minutes old when David Jones made contact with Aaron Lennon and the referee pointed to the spot. Despite Leighton Baines being on the field, with his record of scoring 14 of the 15 penalties he has taken in the Premier League, it was Ross Barkley who placed the ball on the spot. Burnley keeper Tom Heaton duly saved, earning the 5.2% of fantasy managers who own him some lucrative points.

Just before the half hour mark, Koné finally did something for the tiny amount of owners showing faith in him, when he provided the assist for Kevin Mirallas to score his sixth goal of the season - and his first since Dec 28th (GW19). It proved to be the only goal of the game with the only other incident of note coming at the end of the first half when Ashley Barnes was sent off following two yellow cards.
This meant ten man Burnley were always going to struggle, and so it came to pass. Everton strolled to their fourth win in five games and yet another clean sheet. As this site has predicted, Everton defenders are the ones to have at the moment if you want those precious clean sheet points.

Stones - 3pts
Heaton - 2pts
Baines - 1pt

LEI v SWA
A resurgent Leicester hosted Swansea looking for their third win on the trot as their seemingly impossible mission to save themselves continued. With two goals in his last three games, David Nugent was transferred in by 115k managers, who looked on in horror as the news came in that he had been injured in the warm-up. Leonardo Ulloa stepped in to fill the void, having last scored on Boxing Day following a promising start to his Premier League career. With Bafétimbi Gomis out injured, it was Nélson Oliveira who came in for Swansea.
From the first whistle, Leicester showed their intent and desire and perhaps shocked a Swans team with nothing left to play for but total points haul. On the quarter hour mark, Wes Morgan held the ball up for Ulloa to thump the ball past Fabianski in the Swansea goal. David Nugent off the hook with the Leicester fans, but certainly not with those fantasy managers who had used up a transfer on him!
After the break the Leicester pressure continued with Albrighton and Kramaric having good chances before Schemeichel denied Oliveira at the other end. Much to the dismay of many - mainly me - Jamie Vardy was denied a blatant penalty after being fouled by Williams. Leicester finally put the game to bed with Andy King scoring his second in three games after Esteban Cambiasso's free kick could only be parried by Fabianski. Leicester now have a double gameweek going away to Burnley first before hosting Chelsea - and that game could be a lot trickier for the Champions elect than it may have appeared a few weeks ago!

King - 3pts
Morgan - 2pts
Ulloa - 1pt

STO v SOU
Without a win in four games, Stoke - with nothing left to play for - hosted Southampton, who still have fading hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. Nathaniel Clyne was recalled to the Saints starting line-up, his rest last week having frustrated so many fantasy managers.

Southampton had a penalty claim turned down when Mané was fouled, but took the lead on 22 minutes when Morgan Schneiderlin got a touch to Jose Fonte's goal bound header, denying the defender his first goal of the season, with him having to settle for the assist.

It was a poor first half to be fair, but after the break there was a bizarre incident when Steven N'Zonzi mis-hit a cross, which hit the bar and came to Mame Biram Diouf for him to score the equaliser, his ninth goal of his debut season. Late on as the game looked to be heading for a draw, Jon Walters had a shot blocked which fell to Charlie Adam. He managed to blast a shot through a crowd of bodies in the penalty area to nick all three points for the Potters.

Schneiderlin - 3pts
Diouf - 2pts
Adam & N'Zonzi - 1pt

CHE v MUN
No Loïc Remy again for Chelsea, much to the chagrin of those that had brought him in last week. United had their own injury worries with Jones, Rojo, Blind and Carrick out. Falcao was brought back in, with Rooney retreating back to the position he had occupied earlier in the season.

It was United who looked the better side, with Rooney going close but hitting his shot just wide, before a lightweight Falcao was nudged off the ball by Terry when in a decent position. Chelsea took advantage of their first real opportunity on 38 minutes; Oscar back heeled a ball to Eden Hazard who put the ball through De Gea's legs for his thirteenth goal of the season, and his fourth in the last six games.

The second half was much of the same. United looking the more likely, but Hazard again had the best chance, but this time his volley hit the crossbar. Falcao never looked like scoring despite hitting a post, but Paddy McNair had a long range effort saved on the hour. In stoppage time Herrera looked to have been brought down by Cahill in the penalty area and the referee blew his whistle; but it was to book the United midfielder for diving. 1-0 the final score, Chelsea poor again but able to pick up yet another three points.

Hazard - 3pts
Azpilicueta - 2pts
Courtois - 1pt

Five games down with two to go then...Manchester City take on West Ham tomorrow lunchtime before Newcastle host Tottenham later in the afternoon. Everyone's favourite captains both play tomorrow then, with Agüero back amongst the goals, but part of a failing team, whilst Harry Kane looks to rediscover his goal scoring touch and not make it three blanks in a row. Join me tomorrow for Part Two of the Suffix.