Kevin De Bruyne orchestrates a Manchester City victory at Old Trafford. Michail Antonio pops up with another brace of headers and Etienne Capoue’s remarkable season continues with another double figure return. Here’s the Stock Check following Saturday’s events…
On the Rise
Kevin De Bruyne
Deployed in a central midfield role by Pep Guardiola, we’d almost written off the Belgian’s prospects of reaching last season’s heights. Today’s performance with goal and assist returns certainly prompts a rethink.
De Bruyne was seen clutching his hamstring late on, although local reports have suggested that Pep has confirmed this was just from fatigue rather than a genuine injury. We will know more ahead of City’s Champions League tie with Borussia Mönchengladbach on Tuesday.
Etienne Capoue
The Frenchman’s incredible early season output goes on belying this 4.7 price tag and continues to punish those who keep him benched – that was more than 269, 000 managers today.
Capoue has not only cemented his place as the budget midfielder of choice, he’s already done enough to push for selection in our XI ahead of the Gameweek 5 Vicarage Road encounter with Manchester United.
Odion Ighalo & Troy Deeney
The statistics told us that Watford were limited as an attacking force but the four goals at the London Stadium has surely dispelled that.
We know that Ighalo and Deeney are capable providers of Fantasy points and, once the Gameweek 5 clash with Manchester United is out of the way, the fixture list could benefit Walter Mazzarri’s attacking assets.
Jose Holebas
An unlikely goal from the Greek wing-back may have just blown the lid on his potential to FPL managers over Watford’s obliging run. Holebas has seen more touches in the final third than any other Hornets player and has fired in 17 crossed balls so far – more than any other Watford starter in Saturday’s win.
Michail Antonio
Recognised with an England call-up and with two goals to his name already this season, Antonio underlined his huge potential as a Fantasy asset with another two goals.
Again they were both headers, with the Hammers winger establishing himself as a regular target for aerial balls in the absence of Andy Carroll.
Antonio has already earned more new owners than any other player following today’s haul as his bandwagon inevitably picks up pace – an overnight price rise looks likely.
Dimitri Payet
Two assists, including a sublime rabona cross offered reminders of Payet’s talents.
It’s a stock rise for the Frenchman but, in light of Antonio’s twin strikes, Payet is unlikely to pick up significant transfer traffic.
Wilfried Zaha
Last season’s Eagles player of the year, Zaha has never managed to establish himself in Fantasy terms.
But goal and assist returns in the win at Middlesbrough demonstrated Zaha’s potential and, given his modest 5.4 price tag, he has the potential to be a factor in our seasons.
Certainly Andros Townsend has to begin to deliver on his promise if he is to hold Zaha as an option in the Palace midfield. The former Spurs man has now blanked in all four league outings having suffered a price drop to 6.4 ahead of Gameweek 4.
Christian Benteke
A typical towering header at the far post allowed Benteke to open his Palace account and reward the 65,000 who acquired his services ahead of today’s deadline. However, it should be noted that the decisive header was the Belgian’s only effort on goal.
Nonetheless, Benteke now looks a major temptation ahead of a Selhurst Park encounter with basement dwellers Stoke City.
Son Heung-min
The star of Tottenham’s demolition of Stoke, the South Korean was fresh to step into the starting lineup having sat out international duty and took his opportunity with aplomb.
Classified as a 7.4 midfielder, Son’s chances of cementing a starting role remain in doubt given the talent available to Mauricio Pochettino.
Christian Eriksen
Only Mesut Ozil bettered Eriksen’s haul of 16 assists last season but, until today, the Dane had appeared jaded and uncertain.
With a new contract settled, Eriksen’s output immediately improved as he laid on two assists in Tottenham’s rout in the Potteries.
He will need to go on delivering to attract investment – Eriksen’s 8.4 price tag looks to be an obstacle given the wealth of in-form midfield options on offer.
Harry Kane
The Spurs striker got off the mark with a tap in but will now look to kick-on.
Moussa Dembele returns from suspension for the Gameweek 5 home encounter with Sunderland and, according to the theory, that should trigger a further upturn in Kane’s form and output.
Kyle Walker
A second assist of the season, coupled with the second clean sheet for the Spurs defence, boosted Walker as the key target in their back four.
With Danny Rose sidelined and Toby Alderweireld 0.9 more expensive, Walker continues to standout and has Sunderland and Middlesbrough up next.
Roberto Firmino
After shedding ownership to the early Philippe Coutinho bandwagon, Firmino re-announced himself with a brace in the 4-1 thrashing of Leicester.
The Liverpool midfield continues to cause us an issue, with points again shared as Saido Mane and Adam Lallana prospered.
Lallana’s 7.1 price tag could become a key factor. Certainly his confidence and form cannot be questioned, but Firmino is also making a strong argument and currently we’re standing by him as our weapon of choice.
Robert Snodgrass
Having hit a hat-trick for Scotland over the break, Snodgrass turned to his dead-ball talents to rescue a point for Hull City at Burnley.
His prospects are perhaps limited by an evil run of opponents over the next three, although from Gameweek 8, Snodgrass looks to be positioned as a target as a cheaper fourth midfielder option.
Callum Wilson
We’d love the Bournemouth striker to thrive and provide us a viable 6.4 option and today’s brilliantly executed winner against West Brom certainly offered hope.
But Bournemouth have scored just four goals in their four outings and we’ll need to see them promise more before Wilson is truly promoted in our thinking.
Adam Smith
The Cherries right-back is a different prospect. Priced at 4.5, Smith’s attacking potential was again demonstrated by his assist and has now promoted him above Simon Francis as the choice option in Eddie Howe’s rearguard.
Santi Cazorla
Back to back spot-kicks have boosted the Spaniard as he continues to challenge Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil as the prime target in Arsene Wenger’s midfield.
Whilst penalties continue to be key this season, Cazorla will also have to provide from open play if he is to keep pace with that pair in the long-term.
For now, though, his output to this point, coupled with his 7.6 price tag, keeps him bubbling.
In Decline
Raheem Sterling
To say that Sterling wasn’t a factor in City’s Old Trafford win is an understatement. The winger followed up his two-goals in Gameweek 3 with a subdued display that saw him touch the ball less than any other City starter.
More significantly, he was withdrawn before the hour mark to be replaced by debutant Leroy Sane.
The promising German will clearly be a threat to Sterling, putting pressure on him to produce. While he should retain his start for the Gameweek 5 Etihad meeting with Bournemouth, Sterling will be under pressure to step up with Sane now a factor.
James Collins & Adrian
Preferred to Angelo Ogbonna over the opening four Gameweeks, Collins could now be under real threat for the forthcoming trip to West Brom as Slaven Bilic holds an inquest into the capitulation at the hands of Watford.
Adrian is another who could suffer – at fault for at least one of the goals, he will need a convincing performance at the Hawthorns to keep the challenge of Darren Randolph at bay.
Erik Lamela
Rested to the bench after international exertions, Lamela watched on while Son took his chance to impress.
Lamela has won plaudits with his early season form but Mauricio Pochettino clearly has options in midfield and the decision to drop Son next time out will not come easy.
Philippe Coutinho
Another major midfield asset preserved on the bench, Liverpool did not miss the promptings of the Brazilian playmaker and, if anything, benefited from having their build-up player uninterrupted by the Brazilian’s speculative long-range efforts.
With Firmino and Mane continuing to flourish, Coutinho’s 31% ownership will be fidgeting having now enduring three consecutive blanks.
Olivier Giroud
Starting on the bench today, Giroud had an impact in winning Arsenal’s decisive penalty but now appears to face a battle with Lucas Perez who was immediately thrown in to lead the Gunners’ attack.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Handed the opportunity to stake a claim for regular starts, the Armenian was badly off the pace and was duly hooked, along with Jesse Lingard, at half-time. As Mkhitaryan continues to stall, we appear to have little option but to stick by Zlatan Ibrahimovic for our cover of Jose Mourinho’s attack.
Nathan Redmond
A change of shape from Southampton at the Emirates saw Claude Puel abandon the midfield diamond and deploy Dusan Tadic and Nathan Redmond either side of Jay Rodgriguez. That comes as another blow to Redmond’s stock which took an earlier blow following the arrival of Sofiane Boufal before deadline day.
It seems that Redmond’s role as a central striker is in question with Rodriguez returning as an option – if that is the case, Boufal will threaten the former Norwich City man’s starting berth.
