Manchester United aren't playing this week, and you'll have your work cut out if you want to remove your United men and then plug the gaps in your team.

Goalkeepers

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Taking all the Man United players out of your team is going to be fiddly in the extreme, so why not free up a whole load of points by installing Paul Robinson between your sticks?

A decision that would have quite rightly aroused the suspicions of the men in white coats a few weeks ago is rendered appealing by the fact that, with Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate at the heart of their defence Spurs look a lot more secure at home, and at just 1.81, Robbo is an absolute steal.

Alternatively, Petr Cech's ankle-knack means career substitute Carlo Cudicini (6.26) can expect a clean sheet against Derby without having to exert himself much more than he usually does on the bench.

LOSE 'EM

Every season a team plunges from mid-table despite a promising start and fanciful early-season talk of European football, and after back-to-back 4-0 defeats, West Ham look like this season's Late Slumpers.

With relegation not a possibility and a UEFA Cup place unlikely they've nothing left to play for, and Robert Green (8.89) will not be relishing the prospect of a trip to face a Spurs side smarting after successive defeats and keen to return to prolific scoring form at White Hart Lane.

Defenders

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With Steve Finnan and Daniel Agger both crocked, Martin Srktel (6.53) is practically guaranteed to start, and with Newcastle coming to town, Liverpool are practically guaranteed a clean sheet. You do the math(s).

Reading ended a nine-game losing streak with victory over Middlesbrough last time out, and welcome a Man City side without a goal in their last two matches and shorn of the services of all-action wide man Martin Petrov.

Ivar Ingimarsson looks good value at 6.18 - that's if you can't stretch to dead-ball expert Nicky Shorey (12.94).

LOSE 'EM

Wily gamers who correctly predicted Derby's shut-out against Sunderland last weekend will be rubbing their hands together in smug satisfaction, but if you were clever enough to pick Derby defenders last time out, you'd be well advised to remove them pronto.

The Rams travel to Chelsea in mid-week, and no amount of finger-crossing or lucky-pant-wearing is going to save Marc Edworthy (6.66), Darren Moore (4.79), Alan Stubbs (10.04) and Jay McEveley (6.37) from an almighty spanking.

Midfielders

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There is one thing Championship-bound Fulham are good at, and that's getting soundly beaten by just about everyone.

Blackburn's Morten Gamst Pedersen scored against the last substandard team to visit Ewood Park (Bolton), and at 11.13 he won't break the bank.

Now for some arithmetic. Merciless Big Four side + home game against Derby (x outside chance of merciless Big Four side still winning the league) = an absolute shedload of points.

Frank Lampard (19.22) might be a bit on the expensive side, but he's practically guaranteed to score handsomely. Alternatively, Michael Ballack (11.90) is cheaper, and more likely to hang onto his starting berth than wingers Joe Cole (11.66), Shaun Wright-Phillips (8.95) and Florent Malouda (5.79).

LOSE 'EM

Just think of it akin to removing a plaster, and do it quickly. Don't dwell on it. Don't think about it too much. 'SELL', 'Sell Player and Replace with Another', and you're nearly there. You're just going to have to get rid of Cristiano Ronaldo (26.98).

His price has fallen by 2.36 units since last weekend, so now is an opportune time to do it. Just think of all the exciting players you could buy with the dosh he'll free up...

Forwards

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Reading boss Steve Coppell has pledged to keep faith with the team that won 1-0 at Middlesbrough last weekend, so Shane Long (1.53) will start, and he'll fancy his chances against a bare-bones Man City defence missing Micah Richards and Nedum Onuoha.

With Eduardo out for the season and Robin van Persie not yet ready for 90 minutes, Theo Walcott (9.56) stands a good chance of starting at Wigan and, as he demonstrated against Birmingham, he has the pace and the skill to really punish leaden-footed defences.

LOSE 'EM

The goals have been flying in for Yakubu (17.12) of late, but after a gruelling defeat at Fiorentina in mid-week, Everton face a Sunderland team who don't give much away at home, and who are desperate for points.

Sven Goran-Eriksson's favoured 4-5-1 formation tends to work pretty well at Eastlands, but it's a different story away from home, where Man City have scored fewer goals (13) than any other top-half team.

Accordingly, Benjani (12.55) looks set for a frustrating afternoon against Steve Coppell's points-hungry Reading.

For more help, read the daily blog by fantasy football gurus Jeremy Spitzberg and Neal Thurman - it's that link below the photo.

Tom Williams / Eurosport