Captain Sensible – Gameweek 14

Next up this Friday evening, it’s time to settle down to our usual pre-Gameweek members article.

To get underway, we cast an eye over the main contenders in this week’s Captain Poll, before assessing the Opta numbers and Rate My Team rankings and suggesting some differentials to help solve your armband conundrum.

The Captain Poll

Harry Kane is the standout captaincy candidate for Gameweek 14, earning 37% of the votes cast for Tottenham Hotspur’s home clash with Swansea City.

Subject to more transfers in than any forward this week, Kane has bagged three goals in as many appearances since returning from an ankle injury.

He’s served up 29 points in four outings at the Lane and faces a defence that has conceded at least three goals in four of six fixtures under Bob Bradley.

Team-mate Christian Eriksen finally opened his account for the season away to Chelsea last weekend, though a series of inconsistent displays means he is backed by just 1% this time out.

Sergio Aguero and Alexis Sanchez have been tussling for second spot all week after both scored twice in the previous round of fixtures.

Of the two, Aguero’s prospects are a little trickier as Man City host a Chelsea defence that has conceded one goal in seven Gameweeks.

The Argentine has been surprisingly lacklustre at the Etihad so far, scoring just twice in front of his own fans compared to eight strikes on the road.

Sanchez heads to West Ham looking for a fourth double-figure haul on his travels, having delivered at least 10 points away to Watford, Hull and Sunderland.

A trip to Selhurst Park sees Charlie Austin head the chasing pack.

Southampton’s top scorer is a clear differential option, with just 4% backing him against a defence that have yet to keep a clean sheet. Palace’s 5-4 capitulation at Swansea boosts the prospects of the in-form Austin, who has netted six times in the last nine Gameweeks.

Diego Costa and Eden Hazard are backed by a mere 2% and 1% respectively.

The Belgian admittedly struggled on the road, scoring just one away goal to date, whereas Costa has been far more reliable, netting in all but one of his six away appearances.

Fantasy faith in Liverpool seems to have dropped off as a result of Philippe Coutinho’s injury absence.

Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane earn just 2% and 1% of the votes cast respectively ahead of a trip to Bournemouth.

Back in full training, the Brazilian is expected to shrug off a minor calf problem in time for Sunday’s encounter.

He boasts better recent form on the road, scoring in two of his last three away outings, whereas Mane has failed to find the net outside of Anfield since Gameweek 1.

Still owned by 25% of FPL managers, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has five goals in as many outings across all competitions after netting twice in United’s midweek cup win over West Ham.

Up next, he visits an Everton backline that have kept out their opponents just once in the last nine Gameweeks.