Scott Heavey/Getty ImagesJuan Mata, middle, is likely to be missing from the Chelsea lineup this weekend, which will make a lot of fanasy owners unhappy.

There are just two days respite between Rounds 24 and 25 with eight matches set for Saturday and two Sunday. The marquee game is Manchester City-Liverpool.

The short turnaround threatens to play havoc with fantasy managers who wonder what starting lineups will come out of Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal and the two Manchester clubs. There is also the specter of the final transfer day before the window closes.

Saturday, Feb. 2

QPR (2-10-12) – Norwich (6-9-9): The improved Rangers come off a shock 0-0 draw at home against MC. Christopher Samba is a late transfer, a massive upgrade for the Rangers’ defense. The Canaries drew with Spurs.

Arsenal (10-8-6) – Stoke (6-12-6): The Gunners came from behind to tie Liverpool. Olivier Giroud and Theo Walcott are the hottest fantasy scorers. Walcott, the fifth highest fantasy scoring midfielder will have his value go up. Mikel Arteta could return but Kieran Gibbs is out three weeks with an injury. Jack Wilshere is in fine distribution form. Stoke now has 12 draws in 24 matches and continues to leak goals. The Potters are scoring on average only a goal a game.

Everton (10-11-3) – Aston Villa (4-8-12): Leighton Baines is in a three-way tie with Patrice Evra and Branislav Ivanovic for the highest fantasy scoring defender after his brace against WBA. Marouane Fellaini has not scored a goal in the last six PL games he has played. Villa: fewest goals scored (20), most goals surrendered (46) - a recipe for relegation.

Newcastle (6-6-12) – Chelsea (13-7-4): The Magpies registered their first road victory of the season, albeit against woeful Aston Villa. Fernando Torres got the start in the shock draw at Reading. Surely Rafa Benitez will start Demba Ba who only played the last two minutes of stoppage time. Ba is the third highest scoring fantasy forward. Eden Hazard is suspended; Petr Cech and David Luiz are out injured. Juan Mata, the second highest scoring fantasy midfielder is brilliant, but came out with an ankle knock and is listed as 75 percent likely to not feature.

Reading (4-8-12) – Sunderland (7-8-9): Adam La Fondre has scored five goals in his last three games, all while playing less than 30 minutes each game as a substitute. The Black Cats took three shots with zero on target their last game. Ugh! New transfer Danny Graham should bolster the attack and will likely be available for selection.

West Ham (7-6-11) – Swansea (8-10-6): West Ham’s Kevin Nolan broke an 11-game goal drought in the Fulham loss. The Swans' Michu has now gone five straight PL matches without a goal and was lost deep in midfield most of Tuesday. Graham is off to Sunderland.

Wigan (5-5-14) – Southampton (5-8-11): Wigan’s survival struggle continues. Franco Di Santo has two goals in his last three matches. The Saints are inching closer to the drop zone but have fantasy scoring capability in Rickie Lambert. They looked pretty good at Old Trafford, losing just 2-1.

Fulham (7-7-10) – Manchester United (19-2-3): DImitar Berbatov scored in his last match but picked up a hamstring injury and is listed as 50-50 to play. United (59 goals) got a brace from Wayne Rooney, who is lethal alongside Robin van Persie, Danny Welbeck and Shinji Kagawa. RvP’s goal-scoring streak was stopped at six. Patrice Evra is fantasy points in the bank but what was that howler ballet move by GK David DeGea?

Sunday, Feb. 3

WBA (10-4-10) – Tottenham (12-6-6): The Baggies are ninth and have conceded only 11 goals in 12 home games. Spurs got a goal from Gareth Bale and have Jermain Defoe back playing. After two good outings, Clint Dempsey was not impressive in the draw at Norwich City.

Manchester City (15-7-2) – Liverpool (9-8-7): City was short-sheeted on the road at QPR. They will not have the same fate at home against the Reds, who gagged up a two-goal lead at Arsenal. City has only given up nine goals in 12 home matches. Liverpool is now seventh in the table. Luis Suarez, the second=highest fantasy scoring forward, opened with an early goal at Arsenal and then went silent. He and Daniel Sturridge form a nice fantasy tandem; however, Sturridge was pulled for Jose Enrique after 70 minutes. Liverpool has not defeated any of the teams above them in the table.

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