This afternoon we publish our usual pre-Gameweek members article, which focuses on the main captaincy contenders according to the votes cast in our Captain Poll. As always, we take a three-part approach which includes the weekly poll standings, the Opta statistics and our Rate My Team projections to help steer your thoughts on the armband conundrum.

The Captain Poll

In the wake of Sergio Aguero’s projected four-week absence, Kevin De Bruyne – who converted two free-kicks for Belgium during the international break – sits atop the summit of our Captain Poll with 26% of the vote. The former Wolfsburg midfielder boasts three goals and two assists in his last trio of league starts and will fancy his chances at home to a Bournemouth outfit that’s notched just one clean sheet this campaign.

Alexis Sanchez (20%) is the second most popular captaincy choice. Although he travelled back from Peru on Thursday and has a crucial Champions League encounter against Bayern Munich in midweek, Sanchez is hard to ignore by virtue of his nine goals in five outings for club and country.

Graziano Pelle (15%) ranks top for total points (54) among all forwards this campaign ahead of Southampton’s home tie against Leicester. The aerially dominant frontman notched three goals and four assists in his previous three league starts and scored in his last outing for Italy. Sadio Mane (1%) joins him in the top ten, having chalked up two goals and three assists since Gameweek 6. Both players will be encouraged by the fact that the Foxes shipped ten goals in their previous four match-ups and have yet to register a clean sheet.

Diego Costa places fourth on his return from suspension with 6% of voters prioritising form over fixtures, given that the Spain international has recorded just one goal in six starts ahead of a home clash against Aston Villa. By that same token, Eden Hazard (4%) – who’s tallied one goal and two assists in his last three starts – could capitalise on the fact that the Villains conceded eight goals across their previous three road matches.

Daniel Sturridge has been backed by 4% of FFScout’s readership after bagging a brace in Gameweek 7. Jurgen Klopp’s first match at the helm pits Liverpool against a Tottenham Hotspur team that’s conceded a solitary goal in their last three showdowns at White Hart Lane. On the flip side, Harry Kane (3%) has netted just one goal in eight starts but will be emboldened in the knowledge that the Reds’ rearguard was breached ten times in the past five Gameweeks.

Even though he’s delivered attacking returns (three goals and two assists) in each of the last four Gameweeks, Dimitri Payet enjoys just 1% of the vote as West Ham United roll up at Crystal Palace. The twinkle-toed French playmaker locks horns with an Eagles backline that’s proved more resolute this campaign, conceding just two goals in their last four fixtures.