Fantasy Football Tips: 6 Essential Transfers You Must Make In Gameweek 31 - Part 1

Players You Should Definitely Buy:

6. Steven Gerrard

Team: Liverpool (vs Cardiff City, away) Position: Midfielder Value: £9.2m Selected by: 11.5% Total score: 146 I regretted not buying Gerrard the previous week. Putting on a truly inspirational performance in the derby against Manchester United the previous week, Gerrard could have gotten himself a hat-trick had he not missed a penalty. Nonetheless, a 13-point showing was enough to make me cry myself to sleep that night. Since Liverpool faced Hull City on New Year's Day, the Liverpool skipper has been riding on fine form. Racking up seven goals and three assists in just nine games, Gerrard has quickly established himself as a key man in his team's title charge this season, letting his class shine time and time again despite his ripe age of 33. Only Eden Hazard and Yaya Touré have netted more points than the English international, and with a rather relaxing fixture list facing The Reds in their next four matches (Cardiff City (A), Sunderland (H), Tottenham (H), West Ham (A)), I'll be expecting Gerrard to once again revel in his new role as a deep-lying midfielder and notch up some serious points. At £9.2m, he can be considered a bargain compared to Touré and Hazard, who cost £10.1m and £11.2 respectively. The stats tells the same story. Gerrard created an astonishing 51 chances in 25 appearances compared to Touré's 28 in 26. His average pass length is a stunning 22m, a stark contrast with the Ivorian's 17m and the Belgian's 14m. His passing accuracy of 86 percent accuracy is only bettered by Touré's 90, but his defensive actions, averaging at 4 per game at the moment will ensure he gets his share of clean sheets, bonuses, and assists points nearing the final stretch of the season. Although Brendan Rodgers might be inclined to rest him in the less significant matches, it seems unlikely as Gerrard started all but one game for the Merseyside team this season in the Premier League, with him finishing the full 90 minutes on 19 occasions. With him churning out sensational performances week in, week out, Gerrard will no doubt continue to stake his place in Liverpool's first XI, and definitely your first XI.