Fantasy Premier League: Fixture list offers Liverpool chance to pile up the points

Sometimes you've got to go with the obvious when making Fantasy Premier League transfers and Arsenal and Liverpool look like delivering in Gameweek 9.

The Premier League's second- and fourth-placed teams are the shortest prices in Betfair's match odds coupon at around 1/4 and it's tough to see either coming unstuck against Middlesbrough or West Brom, although the latter are a tougher nut to crack.

Both are probably better in attack than defence - Arsenal have scored 19 and conceded nine, Liverpool 18 and 10 - but possess plenty of decent candidates in midfield and forward positions.

Walcott on a hot run

The obvious Arsenal play would be Theo Walcott. This erratic figure is currently enjoying a fine run of form, his five Premier League goals putting him alongside Sergio Aguero and Michail Antonio and below only Diego Costa and Romelu Lukaku.

Perhaps significantly it is also one more than team-mate Alexis Sanchez, who is 3.4m more in the transfer market. The Chilean's promotion to the no.9 position appears to have given Walcott more freedom and while he may not beat Sanchez's total come season's end, he certainly represents better value right now.

All sorts of options in the Liverpool midfield

As for Liverpool, the same comments apply to previous columns. It is all about the midfield with any of the top scoring five players - Philippe Coutinho, James Milner, Adam Lallana, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane - decent transfer targets. That includes the previously dismissed Milner this time as he represents fair value given his penalty taking duties. Liverpool's swarming attack generates plenty of chances and therefore panic in the opposition defence. Milner will take plenty of penalties this season.

And now is a good time to invest in some of Anfield's finest. The 9/2 joint second favourites for the title (alongside Arsenal) embark on a relatively gentle four-game run of fixtures against mid-table teams. Purchase according to your transfer balance!

Mourinho v Chelsea, Costa v Ibrahimovic

Sunday's big game sees Jose Mourinho return to Stamford Bridge for the first time since he was sacked as Chelsea boss last December. The Portuguese will attract plenty of attention but managers don't score us any points in this game so where should we be looking in our search for points?

The obvious starting point is upfront where two of the game's marquee names will start. But where Diego Costa has been motoring right through the season, Zlatan Ibrahimovic seems to have stalled. Four goals in his first four fixtures had United fans dreaming of a Zlatan-fuelled title charge, but there have been nothing but blanks since and that is painful for managers holding on to the 11.4m striker.

Costa also scored four in his first four games, but has kicked on since with a further three goals to sit top of the goalscorer charts entering GW9.

Of the two, the Spaniard certainly seems most likely to find the back of the net in the Stamford Bridge showdown although seasoned Mourinho watchers would not be surprised to see United set up in defensive mode again as he seeks a draw away from home against one of his key rivals.

Managers with Costa or Ibrahimovic, or both, can hedge against one of their key men scoring by backing a Chelsea clean sheet at 15/8 and a United clean sheet at 3/1. managers without them can back a Costa goal at 7/5 and a Zlatan goal at 2/1.