Captain Sensible – Gameweek 16

A busy December rolls on as we brace ourselves for the second of seven Gameweeks across the calendar month.

We turn our attention to the armband conundrum next, first assessing the main captaincy contenders for Gameweek 16, before checking in on the Opta data and offering up a differential or two to consider ahead of tomorrow’s 11.30am deadline.

The Captain Poll

There’s a two-way tussle for our attentions at the top of Gameweek 16’s Captain Poll.

A Wembley Stadium encounter with Stoke City’s porous defence earns Harry Kane the slight advantage at the summit, with 31% backing.

Rested from midweek Champions League duties, the Spurs frontman boasts a fine record against Mark Hughes’ men, scoring six times in his last three encounters – including a hat-trick and assist in a 4-0 win at White Hart Lane last term.

Yet Kane’s toils at Spurs’ temporary home remains a big concern – he’s blanked five times and managed just one double-figure haul in seven in front of his own fans.

Eden Hazard has vied with Kane all week, earning over 26% of the votes cast as Chelsea make their way to West Ham – the only side to have conceded more goals (32 to 30) than the Potters this season.

The Belgian played from start to finish against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday night, but looks set to be unleashed from the start against the ailing Hammers.

Five goals and two assists in his last five league starts makes for persuasive reading, with just 6% willing to back his team-mate Alvaro Morata, who has three goals and an assist over his last five by comparison.

It’s somewhat surprising that just 13% are prepared to back Mohamed Salah for a Merseyside derby encounter with Everton.

Granted, the Toffees arrive at Anfield on the back of consecutive clean sheets, yet, just like Hazard, the Liverpool winger has bagged three sets of double-figures in five.

The top scoring player in FPL, Salah has scored or assisted in five of six starts on home turf and faces a defence that’s shipped 28 goals so far.

Team-mate Philippe Coutinho (3%) looks an intriguing armband differential. The Brazilian’s 18-point return at Brighton last Saturday was his fourth double-digit tally in just eight league outings.

Furthermore, Coutinho’s first of three midweek goals against Spartak Moscow was converted from the spot, which suggests that he is now the Reds’ latest designated penalty taker.

Roberto Firmino (1%) is even lower down the Poll, despite producing five goals and two assists in his last four in all competitions.

Arsenal trio Alexis Sanchez, Alexandre Lacazette and Aaron Ramsey travel to a Southampton outfit with a single clean sheet in ten Gameweeks.

The Chilean has netted in three of the last four Gameweeks, while Lacazette seems to have upped his attacking threat recently, supplying points against Man City, Spurs and Man United in the previous five.

Meanwhile, Ramsey continues to deliver points on a consistent basis – over the last seven Gameweeks, he’s supplied six sets of attacking returns and a pair of double-figure tallies.

The Manchester derby tempers our enthusiasm for both sides’ key players, though Man City pair Kevin De Bruyne and Raheem Sterling take strong form to Old Trafford, with three goals and two assists apiece over the last six Gameweeks.

Elsewhere, Watford’s Richarlison has been excellent on the road ahead of a trip to Burnley, with a goal or assist in all but one of his seven away appearances.