Spot the Differential – Gameweek 8

As the minutes tick down until the Gameweek 8 deadline, we turn our attentions to a trio of overlooked options for your perusal. Everton and Arsenal both have excellent schedules that could elevate a couple of our selections up the Fantasy standings, whilst City’s budget midfielder has the chance to impress us further.

James Milner

A groin injury to Samir Nasri has afforded the midfielder a chance to nail down a berth in the City XI in recent weeks. With the Frenchman sidelined, Milner has played from start to finish in each of the last four and created 16 goal scoring opportunities over that period – more than team-mate David Silva’s 14 and joint-top in the Premier League.

Milner has subsequently earned a pair of assists from Gameweek 4-7 and his hard-working style of play, whilst perhaps not as easy on the eye as the much-lauded Silva’s, has, nonetheless, helped him collect four bonus points in recent matches.

The England international’s displays have ensured Jesus Navas has been reduced to second-half sub appearances and, for now, he looks in the driving seat to continue on the right as the champions gear up for an excellent run of fixtures. A home clash with Spurs precedes showdowns with the likes of West Ham, QPR and Swansea in the subsequent four and offers Milner, at just 5.3, the chance to deliver the goods once again.

Santi Cazorla

Granted, the Spaniard has turned in some anonymous displays for Arsenal this term but the absence of Mesut Ozil could finally allow him the platform to impress. It’s easy to forget that, back in his debut season at the Emirates, Cazorla racked up 205 points in the FPL game after arriving from Malaga in the summer of 2012.

Arsenal’s upcoming schedule is sure to tempt many Fantasy managers but with Alexis Sanchez a little pricey at 10.3, Cazorla’s 8.2 price tag could persuade some to take a flutter. Sitting in just 1% of FPL sides, the playmaker now has Hull, Sunderland, Burnley, Swansea and West Brom in the next six to weave his magic and with the pace of Sanchez and Danny Welbeck soon to be joined by Theo Walcott, Cazorla’s eye for a killer pass could be key to steering the Gunners’ title back on track.

Romelu Lukaku

It’s been a sluggish start to Roberto Martinez’ second season in charge of Everton. After seven rounds of fixtures, the Toffees sit in seventh spot – just two points off the bottom of the table – but the upcoming schedule could barely be kinder to their prospects.

Over the next nine Gameweeks, Everton welcome Villa, Swansea, West Ham, Hull and QPR to Goodison and also make their way to Burnley and Sunderland – given that they’ve scored in every match so far, visits to Spurs and City won’t hold too much fear, either.

As the only attacker to start every league match so far for the Merseysiders, Lukaku will be licking his lips over that run of fixtures. After blanking in the first three, he’s netted twice in the last four and is slowly beginning to show signs of the performances that plundered 32 goals and 16 assists in his last two Premier League campaigns. Currently owned by just 9% of FPL managers, the big Belgian looks well-placed to produce and may well find his way onto many a Watchlist before too long.