Premier League fantasy football tips: Who to pick and who to avoid in gameweek 34

The fixtures are piling up with no less than ten teams playing twice this week, so plenty of points are there to be had

It's now or never, folks.

With the Premier League season well and truly in the run-in, we're being treated to some high-octane double gameweek action, with ten teams playing twice.

Points, therefore, are there to be had. There's only five weeks left, so if you don't make a move up your league now, you may never do so.

With a plethora of fixtures coming up this week, it's vital that you get your squad selection right and cash in.

Here are all the hints and tips you'll need to make sure you harvest in the points this week.

Double gameweeks

Rex

Double up: Manchester City are among the teams who play twice

First up, who plays twice? Arsenal and Manchester United both have two home games, while Manchester City and Crystal Palace hit the road twice. Elsewhere, Liverpool, Everton, Newcastle, West Brom, West Ham and Watford also have two games.

Adjust your teams accordingly.

Read more: This weekend's Premier League predictions

Key injuries/Suspensions

Getty

No Can do: Emre Can is out for Liverpool

Liverpool's Emre Can picked up a knock against Dortmund, but he's hardly fantasy gold, so won't be too badly missed. Manchester City are still without skipper Vincent Kompany and Raheem Sterling, while Chelsea duo John Terry and Eden Hazard are still sidelined.

Wayne Rooney made his return against West Ham in the FA Cup this week, but is unlikely to start as he returns to fitness.

Favourable match-ups of the week

It's all about the teams who play twice here.

Arsenal have home clashes against Crystal Palace and West Brom, two sides who are very much in end of season mode.

Manchester United also have a two winnable home matches, going up against doomed Aston Villa and Palace at Old Trafford.

Big names, bandwagons to avoid

PA

Drawing a blank: Lukaku failed to net last week

Hands up who made Romelu Lukaku captain for last week's Everton double gameweek?

That one didn't quite work out and it could now be time to drop the Belgian striker, despite another brace of games for Toffees. Roberto Martinez's men face Southampton at home and Liverpool away, with Lukaku struggling with a knock. It's all about the FA Cup for the Toffees now.

It's also worth going to hard and heavy on one of the teams which only play once. Spurs and Chelsea are probably the main ones to try and avoid here.

Read more: Jurgen Klopp wrote himself into Liverpool folklore against Dortmund

Bargain corner

Julian Finney/Getty

The future's bright: Iwobi has been scoring points for fun

Time to trust in youth. Alex Iwobi has been handed a starting place in Arsenal side for their past three Premier League games bagging two goals and two assists, so if definitely worth a punt as he is listed as a midfielder.

If you need a striker, Marcus Rashford will be full of confidence following his superb goal against West Ham and is still available with a cheap price tag, while Wayne Rooney continues his return to full fitness.

A third bright young thing, in the shape of Liverpool's Divock Origi is another to conisder.

Who to captain

Getty

Alexis on fire: The Chilean is back in form

Lots of choices here, again owing to the double gameweek action. Arsenal's AlexisSanchez has perked up in recent weeks, while Daniel Sturridge is a more leftfield choice and could start against nothing-to-play-for Bournemouth after coming off the bench against Dortmund last night.

Read more: LVG is either lucky or has a magic touch - he gets a result when he needs it

Looking ahead

Beware next week's slimmed down gameweek, as there are only seven fixtures, owing to the FA Cup semi-finals. Manchester United don't feature, so bear that in mind if you're stocking up on Red Devils this week.

Injuries, doubts etc

Here's a full low down on who is expected to be missing this weekend and who is facing a late battle for fitness:

Arsenal

Out: Jenkinson, Cazorla, Oxlade-Chamberlain. Rosicky, Wilshere

Doubts: Flamini

Aston Villa

Out: Amavi, Agbonlahor

Doubts: None

Bournemouth

Out: Smith, Mings, Arter, Afobe, Butcher

Doubts: Stanislas

Chelsea

Out: Zouma, Terry, Hazard, Matic, Remy

Doubts: Cahill, Willian

Crystal Palace

Out: Hangeland, McArthur, Chamakh

Doubts: Gayle

Everton

Out: Jagielka, Browning, Hibbert, Cleverley, McCarthy, Rodriguez

Doubts: Baines, Barkley, Lennon, Osman, Gibson, Lukaku

Leicester

Out: James

Doubts: None

Liverpool

Out: Gomez, Can, Henderson, Rossiter, Benteke, Ings

Doubts: Ojo

Man City

Out: Kompany, Sterling, Evans

Doubts: None

Man Utd

Out: Johnstone, Shaw, Schweinsteiger, Keane

Doubts: Herrera

Newcastle

Out: Elliot, Krul, Janmaat, Coloccini, Haidara, Toney

Doubts: Steven Taylor, Gouffran, Marveaux

Norwich

Out: Kean, Tettey

Doubts: Martin, Klose

Southampton

Out: Gardos, Austin, Seager

Doubts: None

Stoke

Out: Butland, Johnson, Pieters, Wilson, Walters

Doubts: Muniesa, Arnautovic, Whelan

Sunderland

Out: Gooch

Doubts: None

Swansea

Out: None

Doubts: None

Tottenham

Out: Bentaleb

Doubts: N'Jie

Watford

Out: Gilmartin, Hoban

Doubts: Ekstand, Capoue

West Brom

Out: Morrison, Brunt, Pritchard

Doubts: None

West Ham

Out: Byram, Cullen, Sakho

Doubts: Reid, Song