The Captain Poll – Gameweek 2

We’ve now launched our latest captain poll to canvas your opinion on the likely favourites and differential options for the armband in Gameweek 2.

You can find the poll in the middle column of the homepage or at the bottom of the homepage on mobile. Remember, we are looking for your vote for the player you think will be most effective, regardless of whether you own them in your squad.

With a goal and maximum Fantasy Premier League bonus points each in Gameweek 1, Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero (13.0) and Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic (11.5) are set to dominate the captaincy poll once again, particularly as the pair are FPL’s  most owned attacking players.

A home tie against Southampton may prompt many to favour the 42.9% owned Swede over Aguero, who sits in 45.9% of squads. However, Manchester United could struggle to break down a Southampton side that is unlikely to give away too many chances. In Gameweek 1 no team conceded fewer attempts in the box than the south coast side.

While Aguero has a tricky away clash against Stoke, he could still be in line to prosper as the Potters will be without first choice goalkeeper Jack Butland due to injury. Out of Aguero’s 24 goals last term, a respectable nine came on the road.

Ordinarily a home clash against Crystal Palace ought to place Tottenham’s Harry Kane (11.0) at the summit of our captain poll, but with the 19.6% owned England striker failing to register a single goal attempt in Gameweek 1’s away tie with Everton, there’s a need to show caution.

Saturday’s blank means that Kane has scored just once in the last 10 league fixtures where Tottenham midfielder Mousa Dembele has been missing. The influential Belgian will once again be absent this weekend due to suspension.

For those looking for a differential armband pick, two of Gameweek 1’s goal scoring mid-price strikers may be factors to consider.

With a strike against Manchester City last weekend, Jermain Defoe (7.0), who is owned by only 5.4% of FPL managers, will be in confident mood when Middlesbrough visit the Stadium of Light on Sunday.

West Brom’s Salomon Rondon will be similarly buoyed when Everton visit The Hawthorns, following the 2.6% owned forward’s winning strike against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

West Ham and Liverpool also offer Fantasy managers with a raft of potential high scoring captaincy options in Gameweek 2. With three goals between them in Liverpool’s Sunday lunchtime victory over Arsenal, Sadio Mane (9.0) and Philippe Coutinho (8.0), who has been drafted in by 68,000+ managers this week to take his ownership to 17.1%, offer plenty of potential when they visit Burnley. In terms of FPL ownership, Mane is just behind the Brazilian with 16%.

While their team-mate Robert Firmino (8.5) failed to deliver attacking returns at the Emirates, his strong underlying statistics in the Arsenal match suggest he, too, could reward his 11% ownership.

A favourable home tie against Bournemouth is likely to attract interest in West Ham’s assets, particularly Dimitri Payet (9.5), who scored nine times and assisted a further 13 goals last season. His suitors will be paying close attention to the 28.7%-owned midfielder’s performance at Stamford Bridge tonight.

We will be back to check in on progress in the poll later this week, as we deliver our “Captain Sensible” article offering our view of the results and the statistics behind the leading contenders.