WELCOME TO SASNAIJA

Ahead of Matchweek 8's Premier League fixtures, here are the standout facts on each match. Friday, 5 October Brighton v West Ham In-form Brighton & Hove Albion striker Glenn Murray has scored five goals in his last four league matches against West Ham United, including three last season for the Seagulls. Saturday, 6 October Burnley v Huddersfield Burnley have been ruthless in front of goal during their recent resurgence, scoring with six of their last seven shots on target in the Premier League. Crystal Palace v Wolves Wolverhampton Wanderers are more dangerous after the break, scoring a league-high 88 per cent of their Premier League goals in the second half of matches this season. Seven out of their eight goals have come after the interval. Leicester v Everton The first goal in this match has traditionally been crucial. The team opening the scoring in this PL fixture have never gone on to lose the match. Everton have done so 15 times, winning seven and drawing eig...

Alan Shearer says that in Felipe Anderson, West Ham United fans have found a shining star to be proud of. The Brazilian playmaker scored his first Premier League goal in stylish fashion on Saturday, producing a skilful backflick that set the Hammers on their way to a memorable 3-1 win over Manchester United. And Shearer, who includes West Ham's No 8 in his Best XI for Matchweek 7, says Anderson's growing influence is beginning to tell on a Hammers side who have earned seven points from their last three matches. "The summer signing scored a wonderful goal against Man Utd," he said says of Anderson. "He is showing the star quality that will get West Ham fans off their seats." Shearer's Team of the Week Rui Patricio (WOL) | WOL 2-0 SOU The Portuguese made a league-high six saves to get his clean sheet. Pablo Zabaleta (WHU) | WHU 3-1 MUN The full-back rolled back the years with an assist in an excellent display to shackle Man Utd. Harry Maguire...

Anthony Knockaert (£5.5m) The midfielder is owned by only 1.1 per cent of FPL managers ahead of his home encounter against West Ham United. Knockaert has one goal and three assists for Brighton & Hove Albion, totalling 27 points in the first seven Gameweeks. At home, in particular, he has been consistent. The Frenchman has produced a goal or an assist in all three of his appearances at the Amex Stadium, which includes visits from Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. Indeed, he has averaged six points per home match in 2018/19. Home impact His underlying statistics also back up Knockaert's growing influence on Chris Hughton's side. The 26-year-old's totals of 14 shots on goal and 11 chances created are more than any team-mate. The Hammers arrive without a clean sheet in their three away matches. They have conceded eight goals on the road, the third-worst record in the Premier League. Knockaert looks well placed to take advantage of those frailtie...

The match officials for Matchweek 8 of the 2018/19 season have been announced. Kick-offs are 15:00 BST unless stated otherwise. Friday 5 October 20:00 Brighton v West Ham United Referee: Kevin Friend Assistants: Matthew Wilkes, Simon Beck Fourth official: Simon Hooper Saturday 6 October Burnley v Huddersfield Town Referee: Chris Kavanagh Assistants: Daniel Cook, Sian Massey-Ellis Fourth official: Martin Atkinson Crystal Palace v Wolves Referee: Michael Oliver Assistants: Stuart Burt, Simon Bennett Fourth official: Roger East Leicester City v Everton Referee: Andre Marriner Assistants: Scott Ledger, Simon Long Fourth official: Lee Mason Spurs v Cardiff City Referee: Mike Dean Assistants: Darren Cann, Dan Robathan Fourth official: Paul Tierney Watford v AFC Bournemouth Referee: Jonathan Moss Assistants: Eddie Smart, Marc Perry Fourth official: Simon Hooper 17:30 Man Utd v Newcastle Referee: Anthony Taylor Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn Fourth o...

Fielding a five-man defence proved to be an inspired move by Brunei manager Radin Udara. His Admin kotw team brought in 122 points to earn him Gameweek 7's Manager of the Week accolade. And his five defenders, together with Burnley goalkeeper Joe Hart (£4.6m), secured Radin more than half of that total. The Gameweek's top scorer, Leicester City centre-back Harry Maguire (£5.5m), led the way with 18 points. A goal, assist, clean sheet and maximum bonus points helped Maguire to a second double-digit haul of the campaign as the Foxes beat Newcastle United 2-0. Three other members of the Dream Team defence could also be found in Radin's side. Wolverhampton Wanderers duo Jonny (£4.4m) and Matt Doherty (£4.5m) brought in 12 points each, while Tottenham Hotspur wing-back Kieran Trippier (£6.2m) recorded 11 in the 2-0 win at Huddersfield Town. Radin captained Manchester City midfielder Raheem Sterling (£11.0m). The winger's fourth goal of the season, and his seco...

WE WOULD BE GLAD IF SASNAIJA USERS COMMENTS ON ANY POST.PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COMMENTS AND SHARE SUGGESTION. YOU CAN SEND YOUR SUGGESTIONS TO OUR GMAIL ACCOUNT @ SASMUSIQ@GMAIL.COM,YOU CAN ALSO SEND TO US PROPOSAL TO ADVERTISE ON THIS BLOG AND WE PROMISE TO CHARGE YOU AFFORDABLY.THANKS FOR SURFING INTO SASNAIJA.

Leroy Sane (£9.2m) The winger is owned by only 4.3 per cent of FPL managers ahead of his home match against Brighton & Hove Albion. Sane has benefited from Benjamin Mendy's (£6.4m) recent injury to secure a place on Manchester City's left flank. He earned a meagre total of 30 minutes as a substitute over the first four Gameweeks. But he has started and played the full 90 minutes in both their last two matches. Taking his chance The Germany international has taken his chance, netting against Fulham in Gameweek 5 and supplying an assist in last weekend's win at Cardiff City. Sane was particularly reliable at the Etihad Stadium last season. He recorded 12 assists in front of his own supporters, a total ranked second in FPL. Brighton arrive as one of three sides yet to keep a clean sheet. And Sane's home form suggests that record will remain intact.

Harry Kane (TOT) £12.4m The Tottenham Hotspur striker seems to have rediscovered his eye for goal ahead of their trip to Huddersfield Town. Kane ended a two-match scoring drought by netting the opener in a 2-1 win at Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend. He was also awarded the maximum three bonus to tally nine points. That was his second-highest haul of the season. Stats boost Kane's 25 per cent ownership will take encouragement from his underlying statistics. He recorded four shots on target in Gameweek 6, more than any other player. That matches his four shots on target over the first five Gameweeks. Warning signs Kane's improved accuracy looks ominous for the Terriers, who have struggled defensively. No side have conceded more goals than Huddersfield's 14. They also rank third bottom for shots faced this season, with 95. Travel happy Kane arrives at the John Smith's Stadium having impressed on his travels this term. He produced a goal and...

Joao Moutinho (£5.4m) The midfielder is owned by just 2.1 per cent of FPL managers ahead of his home match against Southampton. Moutinho welcomes the Saints to Molineux in fine form, having scored Wolverhampton Wanderers' equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford last weekend. He has 22 FPL points over the last four Gameweeks, including an assist at home to Manchester City in Gameweek 3. Making chances Since arriving from Monaco in the summer, Moutinho has created 10 goalscoring chances, more than any team-mate. Set-play duties are key to his potential. The 32 corners he has taken this season are more than any other player in FPL. Set-piece specialist The Portugal international has created five chances from set-plays alone, which places him in the top four among midfielders. That delivery could well trouble Southampton. Mark Hughes’s men rank among the bottom five sides for chances conceded from set-pieces. They have allowed 20 headed attempts on goal, more than...

Richarlison (£6.6m) The winger made a flying start to his Everton career after arriving from Watford last summer. Richarlison scored three goals in the first two Gameweeks, against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Southampton respectively. That helped him to 23 points and led to a huge surge in early-season popularity for the Toffees’ midfielder. Lay-off Richarlison had earned over 1.1m new FPL owners by the time he was sent off at AFC Bournemouth in Gameweek 3. His subsequent three-match ban forced many owners to look for replacements. The summer signing turned in a promising display on his return to the starting XI last weekend. Although he failed to score in the 2-0 loss at Arsenal, Richarlison fired four shots on goal, at least double that of any team-mate. Marked improvements When compared with last season, his shooting accuracy has improved markedly. Five of his nine attempts have been on target this term. That equates to 55.5 per cent accuracy, up from just 23.2...

If they need any extra motivation beyond going above Liverpool in the table, Chelsea will be defending one of their Premier League records when they host the league leaders on Saturday. The Blues’ goalless draw at West Ham United on Sunday brought to an end their 100 per cent start to the 2018/19 season. But Liverpool's perfect start continued with their sixth successive PL victory, a 3-0 home win over Southampton, putting them within three of the competition record, held by the west Londoners. Jose Mourinho's Blues won their opening nine matches of 2005/06 on their way to a second successive title. Even if they beat Chelsea, Jurgen Klopp’s side still have a hard task to set the record. After their trip to Stamford Bridge, they next host defending champions Manchester City on 7 October. Should they beat their two nearest pursuers, the leaders will have surpassed their best-ever start to season, eight wins in a row, achieved in 1991. The Reds would then have the c...

Sean Morrison (£4.9m) Cardiff City may not have started the season as strongly as they would have liked but they do possess a centre-half who is making an impact in both defence and attack. Morrison helped his side to clean sheets against Newcastle United and Huddersfield Town over Gameweeks 2 to 3. He followed that up with back-to-back assists against Arsenal and Chelsea. Major threat The 27-year-old boasted a fine record in last season's Championship. He scored seven goals and recorded a total of 50 shots on goal. Although he has yet to score this term, Morrison has carried a major threat for the Bluebirds. Chance creator No Cardiff player has bettered his totals of seven chances created and two big chances. A big chance is a situation where the player receiving the pass is expected to score. Morrison's aerial threat can be decisive against visitors Burnley this Sunday. He has won 37 headed duels this season, more than any other defender. Claret concess...

Aleksandar Mitrovic (FUL) £6.8m The Fulham striker is in excellent form ahead of his home match with Watford. Mitrovic has scored four goals and provided one assist from the first five matches. He is the second-most productive forward in FPL, with 31 points. Only Sergio Aguero (£11.4m), with 37 points, has scored more. Mitrovic's 20 shots overall is, again, bettered by only Aguero, who has 25. And the Serbia international has been the most accurate player in FPL, with 10 shots on target. His last home fixture was particularly fruitful. Fulham beat Burnley 4-2 in Gameweek 3. Mitrovic scored twice, provided an assist and was awarded maximum bonus for a 16-point haul. Head for heights He will look to target a potential weakness in Watford's defence. The Hornets have conceded 13 goal attempts from headers this season, a total which puts them in the bottom five teams. Eight of Mitrovic's efforts on goal have come from headers, a tally that only Christian...

Romelu Lukaku (£11.0m) Manchester United’s main man up front continued his excellent early-season form with the opener in a 2-1 win at Watford in Gameweek 5. Lukaku is now the joint-top goalscorer among forwards. He has netted four times ahead of a home match with Wolverhampton Wanderers. That’s despite not starting until Gameweek 2, having featured as a substitute in the season opener against Leicester City. Over the last four Gameweeks, Lukaku has also scored against Brighton & Hove Albion and Burnley. Quality service The Belgian’s underlying statistics during that period impress. His totals of 14 shots inside the penalty area and eight on target rank among the top two players in both categories. Compared with last season, Lukaku’s frequency of big chances, where a player is expected to score, has improved significantly. He has had a big chance every 54.7 minutes this season, far better than his average of 130.4 minutes in 2017/18. And no player has had more th...

TEAM NEWS Man Utd have Nemanja Matic, Antonio Valencia and Alexis Sanchez back in training but Jose Mourinho is yet to decide if they can play. Diogo Dalot (knee) has also fully trained for the first time since joining United but Marcos Rojo and Sergio Romero remain out due to injury. For Spurs, Victor Wanyama is recovering from a knee problem and is likely to remain sidelined with Juan Foyth (thigh). Son Heung-min is also unavailable while he represents South Korea at the 2018 Asian Games. Did you know? Man Utd have won 21 of their 26 Premier League home matches against Spurs (D3 L2), and have been victorious in each of the last four without conceding a goal. The home team have won the last seven PL meetings between Man Utd and Spurs, a run stretching back to March 2015. Spurs were the last team from London to win a PL match at Old Trafford, on New Year’s Day in 2014. Mauricio Pochettino has won 199 matches in all competitions as a manager, excluding shootouts, wi...

Aleksandar Mitrovic scored twice as Fulham beat Burnley 4-2 for their first victory since returning to the Premier League. A frantic first half began with Fulham taking the lead in the fourth minute, when Jean Michael Seri rifled a spectacular long-range effort beyond Joe Hart and into the top-right corner. Jeff Hendrick equalised for Burnley six minutes later, finding the net at the second attempt after his initial effort was blocked by Denis Odoi. Mitrovic scored twice in the space of three minutes near the end of the first half, heading in from crosses by Tom Cairney and Luciano Vietto. Five minutes before the break, James Tarkowski scored following Ben Mee's header. Andre Schurrle wrapped up Fulham's first points of the season, leaving Burnley on one point from three matches.

Adrian Clarke looks at tactical battles set to take place in Matchweek 3. Man Utd v Spurs Mauricio Pochettino has a big decision to make ahead of Monday night’s trip to Old Trafford. Does the Tottenham Hotspur manager choose the 3-1-4-2 formation he started with in their 3-1 win over Fulham? Or will he revert to the 4-2-3-1 that has worked so well since he moved away from a regular back three in December 2017? What Pochettino saw in the final stages of Matchweek 2 might help him decide. A SUCCESSFUL SWITCH Spurs changed formation in the 63rd minute last weekend after Fulham had equalised to make it 1-1. Pochettino substituted centre-back Davinson Sanchez for midfielder Mousa Dembele as Spurs moved back to a familiar 4-2-3-1. Ten minutes later they made another bold change in bringing on the creative Erik Lamela for Eric Dier. It made them instantly more effective at both ends of the pitch. Spurs found improved control, variety and dynamism, and asserted their authorit...

A late own-goal by DeAndre Yedlin was enough for Chelsea to continue their perfect start to the season as they beat Newcastle United 2-1 at St James' Park. Chelsea took the lead when Eden Hazard scored a 76th-minute penalty on his first start of the season, after Fabian Schar was adjudged to have fouled Marcos Alonso. Newcastle levelled on 83 minutes when Yedlin crossed for Joselu to head in. But Chelsea earned their third successive Premier League win under Maurizio Sarri when Alonso's shot was turned into his own net by Yedlin. The victory puts Chelsea second in the table, level on points with leaders Liverpool and Watford. Newcastle have one point from three matches.

If anyone had suspected N’Golo Kante’s goal on the opening weekend against Huddersfield Town was a one-off, his performance in a 3-2 win over Arsenal confirmed it was not. The Frenchman has a very different role under Maurizio Sarri, whose side travel to Newcastle United on Sunday. Freed to attack The energy was familiar; Kante covered 12.47 kilometres against Arsenal. What was different was where he was expending it. Kante’s three shots in the match were four times his average per 90 minutes last season and he created four chances for others too, more than any other Chelsea player. Even more unusually, he had five touches in the opposition penalty area. That is almost 10 times his average from last season. The most he managed in any of those matches was just two. An opportunity for opponents Opponents will struggle to enjoy comfortable possession against Chelsea now that Kante has been freed up from his defensive duties to go hunting for the ball. But there are still con...

Liverpool v Brighton Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has found a new role for Georginio Wijnaldum during the early stages of 2018/19. Widely regarded as a box-to-box operator, he has impressed as the main holding midfielder ahead of new signing Fabinho and club captain Jordan Henderson. "I think it went well [playing in a three with Naby Keita and James Milner]," Wijnaldum told Liverpool's official website. "It’s more difficult than it looks because sometimes on the pitch I also want to run forward and to help the attack as well and even score a goal, but when you’re playing in that position it’s not always possible so you have to keep the balance between the attackers and the two No 8s and the defence." Rapid passing He may be operating in the centre of a midfield three, but Wijnaldum is not a combative ball-winner. He has won just two tackles and made only one interception across the opening 180 minutes of the campaign. Instead, his job is to kee...