It may be a new year, but there is no sign of the football dying out. In England, Premier League action switched to the drama of the FA Cup, and as it always does, the competition provided some upsets. Stoke City’s loss to Coventry caused Mark Hughes to lose his job, but the performance of the round came from Nottingham Forest who overcame Arsenal 4-2 in a fantastic game at the City Ground.
Elsewhere, action in La Liga returned after the winter break and Diego Costa was back with a bang in his second debut for Atletico Madrid. The fiery forward scored his first goal at the Wanda Metropolitano, but was given a second yellow for his celebration. Real Madrid slipped once again, with their 2-2 draw against Celta Vigo leaving them in fourth place, 16 points off front runners Barcelona.
With all those fantastic performances, who could have done enough to make the FIFA 18 Team of the Week? Those that do will receive a special in form card on Ultimate Team, which you can challenge for a coin boost and find in packs, and on the FUT transfer market. Team of the Week 17 will be released at 6pm on Wednesday, January 10.
Kristoffer Nordfeldt (OVR 73 – IF 77)
With Premier League survival the priority, Swansea manager Carlos Carvalhal rotated his squad in the tricky FA Cup tie against Championship leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers. The Swans needed to rely on goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt to keep the Wolves at bay, with the Swede making seven saves in the 0-0 draw.
With a normal 73 rating, it’s hard to say how much Nordfelt will rise if he makes the Team of the Week. A rise by four to 77 appears the most likely, and you can get his silver card for just 450 FUT coins on PS4 and 600 on Xbox One.
Jack Grimmer (OVR 66 – IF 74)
Mark Hughes has Coventry’s Jack Grimmer to thank for losing his job at Stoke, with Scotsman Grimmer grabbing the winning goal in the 2-1 victory for the Sky Blues. The right back found room out wide before unleashing a snap shot to beat Jack Butland at his near post.
Grimmer’s 66 overall rating should improve to a maximum silver score of 74 after his cracking strike. He will currently set you back 200 coins on PS4 and 400 on Xbox One in the FUT transfer Market.
Virgil Van Dijk (OVR 83 – IF 86)
What a start in the Liverpool shirt for Virgil Van Dijk. The recent £75 million arrival from Southampton headed in the winning goal with just six minutes to play in the FA Cup Merseyside clash with Everton. The Dutch international looks set to be the man the Reds need to solve their defensive issues, but he has already shown what he is capable of in the opposition box.
The 29-year-old should receive an increase of three to 86 this week, and if he makes the TOTW squad he would be a highly valued item. Van Dijk’s Liverpool card has not been released yet, so if you want his Saints one you will need around 12,000 coins on both consoles.
Eric Lichaj (OVR 70 – IF 80)
Perhaps the man of the FA Cup third round was Nottingham Forest’s Eric Lichaj. The right back grabbed a shock brace in the 4-2 upset victory over Arsenal, with his second goal a volley of the highest order. With Forest lost in mid-table in the Championship, a cup run is just what the fans need to get excited about the rest of the season.
United States defender Lichaj is set for a big increase this week, and we believe his 70 rating will jump by 10 overall points to a gold 80. His normal silver card is priced at 1,500 coins on PS4 and 950 on Xbox One.
Daniel Wass (OVR 80 – SIF 85)
Celta Vigo piled more misery on Real Madrid, holding them to a 2-2 draw at the Estadio de Balaidos. Daniel Wass, moved out to the right, had a hand in both Celta goals, scoring the opener and setting up Maximiliano Gomez late on to equalise.
Wass already has an in form card this season, so his 80 overall should hit 85 this time around. His normal central midfield card will cost around 800 coins on both consoles whereas his 83 in form is priced at 28,000 on PS4 and 32,000 on Xbox One.
Josh Harrop (OVR 65 – IF 74)
After only making his first professional appearance at the age of 21, Josh Harrop knows he has to make the next two seasons count. The former Manchester United man rejected a new contract with the Red Devils in the summer, joining Preston, and he has been rewarded with regular football. The attacking midfielder netted a pair of goals as the North Enders defeated Wycombe 5-1 in the FA Cup, giving them a form boost as they look to push towards the Championship play offs.
Harrop should receive a large increase this week, and we expect his low silver rating of 65 to hit a maximum 74. His normal card will set you back 550 coins on PS4 and 850 on Xbox One.
Ayoze Perez (OVR 74 – IF 80)
Ayoze Perez has struggled to tie down a starting place at Newcastle, but an FA Cup brace against Luton should give him some much-needed confidence. The 3-1 victory gave the Toon Army something to shout about, and after a tricky campaign thus far, a cup run could breathe life back into St James’ Park.
Attacking midfielder Perez looks set to make the FIFA 18 Team of the Week, and he deserves of a six point increase to 80 this Wednesday. His maximum 74 silver rating will cost 750 coins on PS4 and 2,100 on Xbox One.
Cristian Tello (OVR 77 – IF 82)
One of the best games of the weekend was the clash between local rivals Real Betis and Sevilla. Cristian Tello came off the bench to win the game for Betis, first setting up Sergio Leon and then sealing the victory in injury time with a goal of his own.
Former Barcelona man Tello is likely to receive an in form increase of five this week, giving him an 82 rating. His normal 77 gold card is likely to set you back 700 FUT coins on both consoles
Aiden O’Brien (OVR 66 – IF 74)
Millwall ran out 4-1 winners over Barnsley in the FA Cup, with wide man-turned-striker Aiden O’Brien netting two goals and assisting one other. O’Brien first lashed home a loose ball in the box, then pulled the ball back for Ben Thompson to score and finally curling home a beauty from the edge of the box.
O’Brien’s dream performance makes him a favourite to make the Team of the Week, and his 66 rating should hit a maximum silver of 74. His normal card will cost 600 coins on both consoles.
Ciro Immobile (OVR 82 – SIF 86)
The star of the weekend, Ciro Immobile smashed in four goals as Lazio defeated SPAL 5-2 in Serie A. The Italian striker became the first Lazio man to record multiple hat tricks for the club in a single season in nearly 20 years, with Hernan Crespo last doing so in 2001/02. With the transfer window now open, don’t be surprised if clubs elsewhere in Europe put an offer on the table for the prolific forward.
With one TOTW appearance already this season, Immobile's 82 rating will receive a super in form boost this time, which could take his overall to 86. His normal card costs around 1,500 coins on both consoles, with his in form 84 priced at 35,000 coins on both PS4 and Xbox One.
Massimo Coda (OVR 71 – IF 79)
Benevento followed their first ever Serie A victory with another three points against Sampdoria, giving them a glimmer of hope over survival from relegation. Striker Massimo Coda was the star in the 3-2 win, scoring twice and grabbing an assist to take the club to within eight points of escaping the drop zone.
The Italian’s performance should mean a healthy in form boost, and we expect his 71 rating to rise all the way to 79. Coda’s normal card will set you back 1,600 coins on PS3 and 1,200 on Xbox One.
RealSport’s TOTW 17 Prediction
Who do you think will make the Team of the Week? Let us know in the comments section below.
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