Fantasy Premier League: Easy fixtures make City and Liverpool attractive transfer options

It's the last round of Fantasy Premier League before August is done and we are subjected to a two week break as international footy takes over.

For some it'll be a time to reflect on a good opening four rounds. For others - myself included - it'll be a severe licking of wounds after a poor start and trying to find a quick route back to big points.

I am still cursing a late decision before Gameweek 1 to put my faith in Theo Walcott after he followed up a firing end to the last campaign by putting pen to paper on a new contract this summer. Two substitute appearances, and no goals have seen 0.4m shaved off the England international's asking price. He'll doubtless get a run some time but it underlines one of the golden rules of successful fantasy management - your men must start if you are going to score points!

Betting.Betfair league leader, Nigel Deakin's Fiorentina Turner, again surfed the Riyad Mahrez wave to big points last time out. Man City's Aleksandar Kolarov made a big contribution too, and Nigel will doubtless be looking to those two to maintain his place ahead of the field with Mahrez going to Bournemouth on Saturday and Kolarov likely to line up at home against Watford.

A nice run of fixtures always makes a player an attractive transfer target and Kolarov certainly falls into that camp. City play four of the next six at home and the visitors are West Ham, Newcastle , Southampton and Bournemouth. You'd only get slightly bigger than even money for City to win all four and with the defence yet to concede Kolarov looks a good value defender. The Serbian has featured for all 270 minutes and possesses an attacking edge other defenders lack.

Managers looking for teams on a decent run might like to note that a quartet of teams play three of their next four at home - Liverpool, Spurs, Stoke and Southampton.

The league's third-placed side will be very attractive for transfer shoppers given hapless West Ham pay a visit this weekend - a game which they are 1.392/5 to win on the Betfair Exchange. Although a visit to Old Trafford is next up they follow that mega fixture with successive home games against Norwich and Aston Villa. Three matches so far have yielded three clean sheets and the Liverpool defence screams value, especially new signing Joe Gomez who impressed against Arsenal.

Stoke's next four matches have a similar look to Liverpool's. Bottom of the table West Brom go to the Britannia on Saturday, then the Potters make the trip to The Emirates, before hosting Leicester and Southampton. Slightly tougher but nothing to strike fear into the hearts of the faithful. Might new signing Xherdan Shaqiri make an impact over the coming games? The former Bayern Munich and Inter Milan midfielder is just £7m.

Spurs' home run is more tricky - Everton this weekend followed by Crystal Palace and Manchester City - while Southampton's is nasty. After Norwich on Sunday it's Swansea and Manchester United for Ronald Koeman's faltering outfit.

While this weekend brings the curtain down on the opening four rounds the league is going to look a little different when round five begins. Transfer Deadline Day takes place on Tuesday September 1 and there will doubtless be arrivals and departures at all 20 clubs.

One new signing made an instant impact last weekend - Chelsea's Pedro scoring in an entertaining game at The Hawthorns. It was an impressive debut for the Spaniard and he looks like being a key member of the Blues' first choice lineup already.

He might be just the thing for those nursing a Theo Walcott-induced scar or two.