Christian Eriksen and Adam Lallana rise to the top of our midfield Christmas shopping lists after serving up substantial midweek hauls.
Meanwhile, Divock Origi and Salomon Rondon stake a claim as our third strikers, while a tactical reshuffle from Mauricio Pochettino helps Danny Rose and Walker to produce the points at both ends of the pitch.
Here’s the Stock Check following a busy Wednesday schedule….
On the Rise
Adam Lallana
While Roberto Firmino continues to toil alarmingly, the fit-again Lallana has hit the ground running on his return to the Liverpool starting line-up, firing three goals in two stunning Gameweek performances.
Owned by just 11% and priced at 7.2, he looks destined to enjoy a huge spike in ownership following his Riverside Stadium returns.
It seems the power has shifted again in the Liverpool midfield, at least until Philippe Coutinho’s New Year return.
Divock Origi
The Belgian notched his fourth goal in as many Gameweeks to repay the faith of almost 100,000 managers who had swooped ahead of the midweek fixtures.
Coupled with the assist for Lallana’s second, Origi has caught fire just as our options up front appeared limited.
He did limp off late on, although Jurgen Klopp has confirmed this as just a knock which, we have to expect, should see the Belgian in contention to face Everton in Monday’s derby.
Christian Eriksen
The Dane took his tally to five goals in four Gameweeks as he made giant strides in establishing himself as the Spurs midfielder of choice.
After recording some superb early season statistics, Eriksen is now delivering on his promise to present another powerful midfield option.
Second only to Lallana for transfer traffic overnight, Eriksen provides a persuasive argument ahead of another potentially profitable home tie with Burnley this weekend.
Kyle Walker & Danny Rose
Deployed as wing-backs with Eric Dier slotting in to form a three-man defence, both Walker and Rose earned assists in outstanding displays.
Toby Alderweireld’s return to fitness and goal threat from Eriksen’s deliveries had us recently re-assess our weapon of choice in the Spurs defence; this latest tactical tweak from Mauricio Pochettino may force another rethink.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
United’s frontman bagged a fifth goal in as many Gameweek appearances and also supplied an assist away to Palace to mount a renewed and sustained challenge for consideration in our forward lines.
Backed by 13% of FPL managers, Ibrahimovic was the top scoring player among the top 10 captain choices, with Alexis Sanchez the only other to notch a Gameweek goal.
With fixtures remaining kind for United and Ibrahimovic, on a night where both Diego Costa and Harry Kane blanked, it’s clear that he is a major Fantasy rival to both.
Paul Pogba
United’s big-money signing has also stepped up his form in time for the festive spell.
Similar to Eriksen, Pogba’s underlying numbers have suggested he’s been one to monitor for some time. A goal and assist at Palace finally delivered on that promise, helping the Frenchman to a first double-figure haul of the season.
Sitting in just 8% of FPL sides, he looks set to add yet another name to our list of midfield options as the schedule continues to smile kindly on Jose Mourinho’s men.
Salomon Rondon
Three headed goals delivered the Venezuelan a first West Brom hat-trick and elevated him once again as a mid-price option for our attacks.
Robbed of the Charlie Austin option, Rondon’s ascent to rival the likes of Origi is beautifully timed.
The short-term fixtures remain tough, however, plus Rondon appears to have lost penalty kick duties to Nacer Chadli when the Belgian is on the pitch.
Matt Phillips
The Baggies winger provided another assured set-piece delivery to earn the assist for Rondon’s headed opener. Priced at just 5.4, that took him to three goals and four assists in his last six Gameweeks.
Chris Brunt
A shift to left-back against Swansea City did little to hinder the Irishman’s assist potential as he delivered twice to the head of Rondon.
Brunt has now provided three assists in three Gameweeks and is undoubtedly challenging Gareth McAuley as our first choice defender within the West Brom ranks.
Even with Chadli a factor, it appears that Brunt’s starting role is assured, although it may take West Brom’s injuries and suspensions to clear before we can be certain.
Cesar Azpilicueta
An eighth clean sheet in ten and, once again, the Spaniard was a benefactor of bonus points to cement his place at the top of the FPL defender standings.
Winning three of four tackles made, Azpilicueta continued his campaign as a bonus point darling, strengthening the case for doubling up on the Chelsea defence and pairing him with Marcos Alonso in our squads.
Tom Heaton
Having failed to produce a save point in his first two appearances on returning from injury, Heaton made amends at the London Stadium.
A penalty save plus an additional five stops ensured that the Clarets skipper returned to double-figures – his third big haul of the campaign.
Lee Grant
A third clean sheet in four Gameweeks, a fifth of the season: while Jack Butland’s troublesome return from an ankle injury drags on, Grant has provided us with exceptional value.
With Liverpool and Chelsea to come in the next three, it seems unlikely that Stoke City and Grant can maintain such defensive form. However, following that, we may have to hike Grant in our Watchlist standings should Butland’s return continue to stall.
In Decline
Eden Hazard
Ruled out at the Stadium of Light with a knock sustained against West Brom on Sunday, it’s presumed this was the clattering suffered from Gareth McAuley’s “tackle” early on. Hazard played on having limped back on the field, but eventually gave way to Branislav Ivanovic once Chelsea had grabbed the lead.
Conte has played down the problem, and it’s hoped that Hazard will make a return at Crystal Palace. With Lallana and Eriksen sparkling, the Belgian’s owners will doubtless be keen to get that confirmed and see their man back in the points.
Top of the “transfers out” overnight, clearly some were itching to rid themselves of the Chelsea man, a move that certainly could be punished with home fixtures with Stoke City and Bournemouth looming.
Nemanja Matic
Dropped to the bench to make way for Cesc Fabregas, it’s clear that the Serbian’s starting role is now under severe threat with further rotation on the when the schedule intensifies. The winning goal and eye-catching display from the Spaniard at Sunderland did little to improve Matic’s prospects.
Roberto Firmino
A fifth successive blank for the Brazilian surely assured further heavy sales in the light of hauls from Lallana and Eriksen.
Two efforts on goal at the Riverside, both off target, did little to boost our confidence in Firmino who is ranked second only to Hazard for “transfers out” column ahead of Saturday’s Gameweek 17 deadline.
Harry Kane
The Spurs striker was heavily backed to return points ahead of a plum home fixture with Hull City but drew a blank in the 3-0 victory.
Hooked on 74 minutes, few Kane owners will be fidgeting quite yet. Nonetheless, a failure to return against Burnley in Gameweek 17 would represent two missed opportunities for major hauls at a time when Ibrahimovic is presenting a convincing alternative.
Kelechi Iheanacho
Brought in by more than 224,000 following Sergio Aguero’s suspension, the Nigerian starlet was ruthlessly benched by Pep Guardiola following his 57-minute blank at Leicester City. His role over the festive spell now looks limited, with Aguero surely set to return after the next two outings.
John Stones
A regular around these parts, Stones’ plummeting stock suffered another blow as Guardiola ousted the defender to the bench. A huge frustration for his remaining 21.7% ownership, who watched on while Manchester City kept just a third clean sheet of the campaign against a makeshift Watford attack.
Ilkay Gundogan
Seemingly locked in rotation with Yaya Toure for the foreseeable, Gundogan has seemingly put an end to all doubts on his selection by sustaining a knee injury which now looks set to keep him sidelined.
Owned by 7.2%, he is now set to be ruled out for several months according to Pep Guardiola’s post-match prognosis.
Victor Anichebe
Absent for the visit of Chelsea following the 3-0 defeat at Swansea City, owners of the 4.7-priced asset will be nervous given Anichebe’s injury record. David Moyes was vague on the details involved in his absence, with the smart money on a precautionary move ahead of a vital home clash with Watford in Gameweek 17.
Loris Karius
Taken out of the firing line by Jurgen Klopp, Karius watched on while Simon Mignolet helped Liverpool to just a fourth clean sheet of the season – a third in five Gameweeks. Mignolet, at 4.7, may now return to the radar as an unlikely option for us between the posts.
Troy Deeney
After eight Premier League matches without a goal, the Watford skipper suffered the ultimate blow by being dropped to the bench at the Etihad. Walter Mazzarri was likely preserving Deeney for the Gameweek 17 trip to Sunderland but, given his current form, the striker’s Fantasy prospects are declining at an alarming rate.
