Welcome back and thanks for returning. We hope last week brought you pints of points and green, upward-trending arrows.

As the calendar flips to December, and Santa sorts out his Naughty and Nice List™, the Premier League shows its holiday spirit by trying to run its players into the ground. While other leagues take a well-earned winter break, the EPL tries to figure out how many minutes its players can play before dropping dead on the pitch. Physically demanding for the players and an absolute nightmare for Arsenal’s medical staff, it provides the perfect excuse to sneak out the back door of work and meet your mates at the pub for a few pints.

Successfully manoeuvring this stretch of the season – six matches in 26 days – can make or break a season. We are here to help you manoeuvre this minefield and see your rankings soar. Here are the teams and players we are tipping for massive point hauls by year’s end.

THE “NICE LIST”

These teams have such a nice run of fixtures we expect massive point hauls for their stars and even decent returns on their other players. Load your team with two or three players from these teams and watch your team soar up the rankings.

Chelsea

Opponents: Newcastle (A), Hull (H), Stoke (A), West Ham (H), Southampton (A), Spurs (A)

Verdict: BUY. Playing a game every 4-5 days for almost a month can wear down the body but it is a lot easier to recovery when you are decimating the opposition. End of the year trips to Southampton and Spurs are the only tricky fixtures Chelsea face during the next month. Depending on how Manchester City fare during this stretch, the title could be out of reach by the time the calendar flips over to 2015.

Key Players:

Diego Costa, Forward

With his suspension for accumulated yellow cards behind him we think Costa will look at this fixture list and think Christmas has come early. We predict big things (and big point hauls) for the temperamental Spaniard during this period. Caveat: the fragile state of Costa’s dodgy hamstrings has been well chronicled this season. If he is still carrying a knock we think it likely Costa could be rested for one of two games this period.

Cesc Fabregas, Midfield

With ten assists in 14 games it is hard to argue against having Fabregas in your side. We think Fabregas will continue to deliver the goods and recommend bringing him into your side if you don’t already have him.

Eden Hazard, Midfield

After scoring in three of Chelsea’s last five, owners are snatching up the Belgian at a rate that has seen his price rise £0.3 in that time. Hazard offers owners the goal-scoring threat that Fabregas doesn’t, but we both feel players are likely to rake in a comparable amount of points.

Cesar Azpilicueta, Defender

Chelsea have kept three clean sheets in a row and it seems they may have finally figured something out at the defensive end of the pitch. We think the cheapest of Chelsea defensive options is a good investment for the foreseeable future.

Differential:  Oscar, Midfield

Manchester City

Opponents: Everton (H), Leicester (A), Crystal Palace (H), West Brom (A), Burnley (H), Sunderland (H)

Verdict: BUY. It is only fitting that Chelsea’s primary title contender experiences an equally easy set of fixtures in December. City will do everything in their power to mind the gap between them and the top of the table and to this end we think it unlikely much rotation will take place in the City squad unless due to injuries or suspensions.

Key Players:

Sergio Aguero, Forward

Aguero’s scoring potential needs little discussion. When healthy, he is a threat to score from anywhere on the pitch. We agree that, at £12.9 he is a bit pricey, but we think him well worth the money. There is a very good chance Aguero could be the fantasy world’s leading scorer over the next month.

Yaya Toure, Midfield

Two goals in City’s last three games has owners wondering if this is a flash in the pan or if the midfielder has returned to the form that saw him score 20 goals last season. The absence of David Silva and Samir Nasri for extended periods has forced Toure into a greater role in the team’s offense and we think it wise to keep an eye on this one: history tells us there is every chance Toure’s form could ignite in the coming weeks.

Gael Clichy, Defender

A goal against Southampton seems to have reminded the fantasy world Clichy still plays in the league. With only four clean sheets to date it is understandable if fantasy owners have not looked City’s way when filling out their back line. Clichy’s cheap price (only £5.4m) and a tendency to drift forward on the attack makes him a cheap differential-defender who could put up points for those interested in his services.

Differential: Samir Nasri.

THE “MISUNDERSTOOD LIST”

These are teams we cannot quite figure out. They are either struggling to find form or have an up-and-down schedule through the end of December. Either way, we think these teams will have their moments and expect their players to do a job. Snatch up players for these teams but keep a mindful eye on their schedule.

Manchester United

Opponents: Southampton (A), Liverpool (H), Aston Villa (A), Newcastle (H), Spurs (A), Stoke (A)

Verdict: wait, then buy in game week 17. If we are to be honest, Manchester United have been a mess this season. A new manager, new formation, injuries and rotation have conspired to play havoc with United. Your guess is as good as ours as to which United team will show up to play Southampton and Liverpool, but from game week 17 on we think United have enough class to simply overpower their opponents.

Key Players:

Wayne Rooney, Forward

With the abundance of striking talent it is simply alarming that United’s forwards have combined to score an underwhelming ten goals this season. We do not think Robin Van Persie is worth his asking price, and with no one knowing the status of Radamel Falcao’s health or confidence, Rooney gets the nod really by default. That being said, we still think Rooney will bag his fair share of goals over the coming month. Caveat: Rooney missed out on United’s mid-week match and, at the time of writing, is listed at 50% for the weekend. If you are considering his services, check the United injury report first.

Ander Herrera, Midfield

At the time of writing it appears Angel di Maria’s hamstring injury is serious enough that he has been ruled out for the foreseeable future. We think Herrera to be the man to benefit most from di Maria’s injury and the most likely of United’s midfielder’s to fill the attacking gap during the Argentine’s absence.

Differential: Juan Mata, Midfield.

Arsenal

Opponents: Stoke (A), Newcastle (H), Liverpool (A), QPR (H), West Ham (A), Southampton (A)

Verdict: BUY. It is tough being an Arsenal fan. No top team tortures its fans more than Arsenal, and this season has been no different. A growing dissent among its fanbase and a continued litany of injuries to its top players has made predicting Arsenal’s potential this season a crapshoot. That being said, we think Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures are timid enough that the Gunners should be able to find some form heading into 2015.

Key Players:

Olivier Giroud, Forward

It took exactly one game for Arsene Wenger to confirm his handsome countryman is the Boss’ first choice at forward in whatever formation the Gunners deploy. While not the complete, all-around striker Arsenal fans have been saying it is hard to argue that Giroud does not deliver. While a late substitute against Southampton it was clear Arsenal were a different team once he hit the pitch and he was unlucky to not score.

Alexis Sanchez, Midfield

There may not be another player in the Premier League as fun to watch as Alexis Sanchez. His tireless pursuit of the ball has resulted in eight goals and two assists, though he was been absent from the team’s scoresheet in the two games prior to the Southampton game. We think Giroud’s return, and Theo Walcott’s return to the squad, will only bolster Sanchez’s offensive output.

Differential: Theo Walcott, Forward.

Everton

Opponents: Manchester City (A), QPR (H), Southampton (A), Stoke (H), Newcastle (A), Hull (A)

Verdict: wait until after the City match, then consider bringing in some Everton coverage. While not the defensive force they have been in prior campaigns, Everton have shown themselves capable of scoring anywhere and at any time.

Key Players:

Leighton Baines, Defender

Baines is no stranger to fantasy owners and for good reason: the defender is averaging 164.5 points a season over his last four campaigns. With two goals and six assists so far, there is every reason to believe Baines will continue to produce the goods for his owners.

Romelu Lukaku, Forward

Lukaku may well be the most frustrating player in fantasy football. There is no doubt he is to be feared when in form but therein lies the problem: the Belgian struggles to both find and then keep a good run of form. We think Everton’s upcoming fixture list to be the perfect cure for what ails Lukaku and we think he will produce a few goals over the next month.

Differential: Phil Jagielka, Defender.

Swansea

Opponents: West Ham (A), Spurs (H), Hull (A), Aston Villa (H), Liverpool (A), QPR (A)

Verdict: BUY. Tipped by many to be the “New Southampton” we think Swansea’s schedule over the next month kind enough to be bullish on Swansea players.

Key Players:

Gylfi Sigurdsson, Midfield

Second only to Cesc Fabregas in assists, and priced at nearly £3 million less, Sigurdsson is simply a must-have in your team. If you still are not convinced, we think Siggy’s performance over the next month should force you to bring him into your team.

Wilfried Bony, Forward

With six goals in his last seven games we think it safe to say Bony has finally rediscovered the form that saw him bag 17 goals last season. We think having the attacking partnership of Siggy and Bony in your team could lead to those coveted green arrows.

Differential: Nathan Dyer and Wayne Routledge, Midfield.

THE “NAUGHTY LIST”

These are the teams that appear at training every day and try their best to avoid looking at the calendar; these teams have unfavourable, and even brutal, schedules through the end of the year. There may be players on these teams who make promising fantasy prospects, but we think the following teams will look forward to putting December behind them.

Southampton, exception: Graziano Pelle

West Ham, exception: Andy Carroll?

Hull, exception: Holland’s Pies

Spurs, exception: Christian Eriksen

Newcastle, exception: “Sack Pardew” signs

Liverpool, exception: Rickie Lambert, Raheem Sterling

Stoke, exception: the great Bojan Krkic

Sunderland, exception: Costel Pantilimon

Crystal Palace, exception: Mile Jedinak

West Brom, exception: Saido Berahino

Aston Villa, exception: Christian Benteke

QPR, exceptions: Charlie Austin, Joey Barton

Burnley, exception: Danny Ings

Leicester, exception: Pukka Pies

Thanks again for reading. For Arsenal-flavouered rants, fantasy football thoughts and the occasional witty comment, follow @PlanoGooner on Twitter. For all the non-price related information you need to field your best XI, visit us at FantasyFootball247.co.uk and follow @FantasyFooty247 on Twitter. Cheers!