Spot the Differential – Gameweek 14

With less than two hours left until this evening’s deadline, we call upon another trio of overlooked alternatives for your consideration. A couple have just returned to first-team duties for one reason or another, whilst our final selection is starting to suggest he may yet have a part to play in our Fantasy seasons.

Kevin Mirallas

Recently recovered from a hamstring injury, the Everton midfielder has wasted no time in reminding us of his goal-getting abilities. After notching away to Wolfsburg in the Europa League, Mirallas fired a superb opener in last Sunday’s defeat at Spurs and, having been subbed off on 60 minutes at the Lane, looks set to be unleashed from the start at home to struggling Hull tomorrow evening.

With three goals in just six league starts already, Mirallas’ more direct approach in the final third looks vital to the Toffees’ chances in the next few matches. Over the upcoming five Gameweeks, Roberto Martinez’ side also entertain QPR and Stoke but with trips to City and Southampton during that period, they’ll need to take advantage of those Goodison encounters. Available for just 7.2 in FPL, Mirallas is owned by just 2% of managers as we approach the Gameweek 14 deadline and could well be worth considering in the mid-price midfield bracket.

Santi Cazorla

While a recent change in formation has proven somewhat detrimental to team-mate Alexis Sanchez, the little Spaniard has been quick to benefit. Moved to the role in “the hole” after Arsene Wenger switched from 4-4-2 back to 4-2-3-1, Cazorla has been afforded the chance to dictate play centrally and with Sanchez, Danny Welbeck and Olivier Giroud to feed, he’s provided the assists for all three of Arsenal’s goals in the last two matches across all competitions.

With Mesut Ozil still sidelined, Wenger is clearly turning to Cazorla as the Gunners’ chief playmaker. Having started six of the last seven Gameweeks, he’s looking a secure option for the north London outfit, who are finally showing signs of stability after a mixed first few months of the season.

Encouragingly, an eight-point haul in Gameweek 13 was Cazorla’s highest of the campaign so far and serves a reminder of a talent that produced 12 goals and 13 assists in his debut year in 2012/13. With showdowns against Southampton, Stoke, Newcastle, Liverpool and QPR in the next five, Cazorla – at 8.1 in FPL – certainly has the schedule to flourish further.

Christian Benteke

Unlike his compatriot Mirallas, the Villa man has little form to sing about. Benteke’s long-awaited comeback from injury lasted just four appearances before he was slapped with a three-match ban for an altercation with Tottenham’s Ryan Mason in Gameweek 10.

Without a goal or assist to his name thus far, it’s fair to say there’s no festive rush to snap up his services ahead of Villa’s trip to Palace this evening. Let’s not forget, though, that Benteke is proven Fantasy royalty – producing 29 goals and six assists over the previous two campaigns in spite of his side’s struggles.

Unbeaten in their last two now, Paul Lambert’s outfit will fancy their chances of breaching an Eagles backline with just a single shut out in nine league matches tonight and spot-kick taker Benteke, at 7.9, will be desperate to atone for his November dismissal. With Leicester, West Brom and Sunderland to follow in the subsequent five, the big Belgian certainly has the fixtures to finally arrive back on our radars.