Leighton Baines picks up his first attacking returns of the season as Everton remain the last unbeaten side in the English top-flight. Robbie Brady vaults to the top of the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) midfield standings after steering Hull to victory at Newcastle, while Christian Benteke owners face an anxious wait after he is subbed off during Villa’s win at Norwich:
The Game Changer
Leighton Baines’ pair of free-kicks in Everton’s superb comeback win at West Ham not only highlights the Toffees flourishing form under Roberto Martinez, it takes the left-back to the top of the overall FPL standings this evening.
Prior to this afternoon’s game, Baines – despite failing to score or assist in his first four appearances – had picked up more bonus points than any backline option, with his game looking ideal for the new Bonus Points System scoring matrix. Previously looked upon as a luxury commodity for our defences, Baines is looking cheap at the price of 7.5 right now in FPL and today’s double merely underlines his potential for the season ahead. With Seamus Coleman flourishing as a mid-price option, there’s even a case for acquiring both for our defence, given their level of returns thus far.
With home games against Newcastle and Hull in the next three, the chances of instant returns seem highly possible as Baines looks to maintain the form that has earned him 42 points in the first five Gameweeks of the FPL – if he continues in the same vein, he could well be on course to better his previous best tally of 178 points.
After the game, Baines admitted a comment from a midfield team-mate spurred him on to today’s brace:
“It was a great feeling to get that, especially because of the position of the game. Before the game Leon Osman said he’d taken me out of his fantasy team because I’d not scored enough goals, so I put that right today.”
The Underused
Rated as doubtful heading into today’s trip to Newcastle, Robbie Brady was cast aside by over 23,000 FPL owners as midfields were reassembled in a hectic week of trading. The Hull man recovered to play a starring role in a somewhat unexpected win at St James’ Park and with a goal and assist to his name, he has also picked up a couple of bonus points. This takes Brady to 29 points – joint-top scoring midfielder in the game heading into tomorrow’s four matches – and, with back-to-back home clashes against West Ham and Villa to follow, heavy investment can be expected in the 5.1 priced player, who currently has just 6% ownership so far.
Goals in back-to-back games had earned Hatem Ben Arfa an astounding 420,000 new owners ahead of this afternoon’s home games with Hull. While the Frenchman failed to replicate his recent form and delivered no more than a blank, it was team-mate and compatriot Loic Remy who supplied the end product for the Magpies in a surprise 3-2 home loss.
Handed his first full 90 minutes by Alan Pardew, Remy ran riot on the left of the front three and notched both the hosts’ goals to suggest he will be equally crucial for the Tyneside team over the season ahead. Coming in at just 7.4, the on-loan forward has an ownership of just 0.7% right now but with Ben Arfa listed as a midfielder, Remy is likely to remain off most Fantasy radars, ensuring he continues as a differential option over the coming weeks.
The Selection Poser
Christian Benteke’s early withdrawal during the lunchtime opener at Norwich set the tone for what has been a miserable Saturday for most. The Villa frontman arrived at Carrow Road with four goals in as many matches but limped out of the proceedings with a hip injury before the half-hour mark.
Currently sitting with a 35.5% ownership in the FPL game, a potential period of absence for Benteke will have a significant effect in a market that has already proven particularly volatile this term. After the game, Paul Lambert was still uncertain as to whether his star striker will face time on the sidelines, with Benteke set to be assessed in the next couple of days:
“Christian slipped and the medical team are telling me it’s his hip flexor. Hopefully it’s not too bad. I think he’s not too bad. We’ll see how he is, but I’m delighted for Libor to score his first goal. That’s why we bought him, in case Christian got an injury.”
With the likes of United, Arsenal, Spurs, Liverpool and Swansea all facing favourable fixtures over the next few matches, Benteke owners may already be considering an exit strategy. Villa square up to City, Chelsea and Everton in the next four and with Wayne Rooney offering a real in-form option to Robin Van Persie for United and Luis Suarez now free from suspension and available for next week’s trip to Sunderland, there’s a couple of real differentials on offer for those considering a swap.
On the other end of the budget bracket, James Chester’s owners were dealt a bitter blow earlier this afternoon. The 4.0 priced Hull centre-half has played every minute of the season thus far but has been ruled out for four to six weeks by Steve Bruce, forcing his 3% of FPL to reconsider their cheap defensive options in light of this afternoon’s setback.
