The Stock Check – Gameweek 31 – Tuesday

United leave it late, Leicester keep on rolling and Watford make it back-to-back wins as Gameweek 31’s midweek schedule begins. But there’s another blank for Lukaku and a bad night for McAuley owners. Here’s the Stock Check.

On The Rise

Zlatan Ibrahimovic
It was a strange night for Zlatan and a stressful one for the 14.6% of us who captained him against Everton.

Back from his three-match ban, the Swede failed to take a great early chance, was denied what looked like a legitimate goal by the most marginal (aka incorrect) of offside decisions and finally got his reward with a late, late penalty.

More than 121,000 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers brought Ibrahimovic back into the fold with an eye on Manchester United’s hectic end to the season.

Two matches in Gameweek 34 and a further double still to be confirmed lay at the heart of that decision, but the striker’s recent form has been patchy – two goals and an assist from his last six and  blanks at home against Watford, Bournemouth and Hull City prior to last night.

The worry for his owners is that Jose Mourinho, who is already dealing with a number of key injuries, will target the Europa League as United’s best chance of securing top-tier continental football next season.

If he starts saving his best for Thursday nights – beginning with a trip to Anderlecht next week – then Ibrahimovic could factor on the rotation list. Already we saw a suggestion of that future policy, with Mourinho preserving Antonio Valencia for last night’s stalemate.

But for now Ibrahimovic is back, scoring and facing Sunderland next.

Jamie Vardy, Marc Albrighton
The Leicester City striker is another with European football to look forward to next week, but that’s where the comparisons end.

Vardy now has five goals from five league matches under Craig Shakespeare; a manager who currently seems solidly behind the old ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ mantra when it comes to team selection.

Another excellent haul of nine points was the reward for the 7.4% of FPL managers who captained the England man last night, who also enjoyed a 161,000+ ownership surge.

Vardy’s in clinical form, scoring five goals from just eight attempts. Over the same five-match period, both Sergio Aguero and Diego Costa have had twice as many efforts on goal for rather less reward.

Wednesday’s Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid could be the spanner in Vardy’s works, however. With the Foxes now nine points clear of the drop zone, Shakespeare might finally start resting key players to target further European joy.

Leicester’s domestic schedule could also slow Vardy’s momentum – their next four league matches are all away from home.

We’ll learn more when the teamsheet for Sunday’s match at Everton is announced.

Albrighton needed just 29 minutes against Sunderland to remind Shakespeare of his qualities, setting up both goals in an outstanding eight-point cameo.

The winger missed the weekend win over Stoke City with illness and his replacement, Demarai Gray, did enough to retain his place last night.

But Albrighton’s impact when he came on for Gray against the Black Cats seems likely to have settled any arguments as to who should be first choice now. He also has form on his side, providing four assists from his last four appearances.

Shakespeare’s set-up favours him – under the new manager, 31.7% of chances have been created down the left, compared to 19.5% down the right, with 54% of crosses supplied from Albrighton’s flank.

At 1.0%, he offers differential prospects and, at 4.9, great value as well.

Troy Deeney
Rested for the weekend win over Sunderland, the Watford skipper was back with a bang last night, recording his first double-digit return of the campaign.

Deeney’s 11-point haul came courtesy of a goal and an assist – the first time he’s managed both in a match all season – and consecutive wins for the Hornets surely lays to rest any lingering worries over relegation.

The striker now has six goals from his last eight starts and at 6.9 offers value to go with fine form.

Swansea City and Hull are to come over the next three Gameweeks, but before that, there’s a trip to Spurs and despite a double Gameweek to further boost Deeney’s appeal, Watford’s run-in is tough.

They still have both Merseyside clubs, Man City and Chelsea to face before the season’s end, with a trip to the champions-elect forming part of a double Gameweek yet to be rescheduled.

At best, Deeney looks good for the short-term only,

In Decline

Romelu Lukaku
A wretched, shot-free performance in the Merseyside derby persuaded 64,000+ managers to sell the Belgian ahead of last night’s trip to Old Trafford.

He was much improved against United, firing in five attempts (although only two came inside the box), but blanked for the second match running.

What might save Lukaku from further sales is his home form – 10 of his last 11 goals have come at Goodison – as Everton prepare for back-to-back matches on Merseyside against Leicester and Burnley.

But there’s no double Gameweek for the Toffees, three of their last five matches are away and they still have a visit from Chelsea to come.

Sticking or twisting on Lukaku could be a defining decision for many – he’s in 45.7% of all squads – as the season reaches its climax.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan
With Juan Mata likely to miss the rest of the season, we thought the Armenian could emerge as a key figure in Man United’s busy run-in.

But he was dropped to the bench against Everton following direct and decidedly public criticism from Jose Mourinho.

Mkhitaryan was given 26 minutes last night as United chased an equaliser against their increasingly defensive visitors, but the Red Devils remain overly reliant on Zlatan Ibrahimovic for attacking returns, and our Fantasy squads look set to mirror that situation.

Sunday’s trip to Sunderland will give us a clearer idea of the midfielder’s place in his manager’s plans, but he’s far from an assured starter as things stand.

Gareth McAuley
FPL’s second most popular defender provided precisely zero points for his 33% ownership base in West Brom’s fractious defeat at Watford, providing a blow for those banking on the Baggies option as an FPL autosub for the rested Antonio Valencia.

McAuley was subbed for the first time this season, his 56th minute departure ensuring a painful Fantasy blank.

Tony Pulis explained his decision post-match – “I’d targeted James (McClean) and Gareth because they had played the two full games – so I really wanted to get them off” – so at least injury was not a factor.

But the Baggies’ schedule is not an encouraging one.

They have no Gameweek 34 fixture and await a rescheduled double Gameweek that will involve a trip to Man City.

With Liverpool and Chelsea also still to face, returns from a West Brom defence that’s managed just one clean sheet in seven matches aren’t exactly guaranteed to improve.

McAuley will surelly need to add to his six-goal tally to justify his continued existence in our squads.