A 6-1 home rout of Watford promotes Fantasy Premier League interest in Liverpool’s effervescent front three as the competition for our five-man midfield intensifies.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic bags a brace then topples off the Suspension Tightrope, and Harry Kane’s return to action threatens to shake up our options in attack. Here’s the Stock Check following Sunday’s five matches…
On the Rise
Philippe Coutinho, Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane
The Liverpool trio all produced double-figure hauls in the same match for the first time this season in a 6-1 home thrashing of Watford.
Owned by over 45% of FPL managers, Coutinho is now the most popular midfielder in the game, with a goal and assist taking him to second in the overall standings.
Yet the displays of both Firmino and Mane highlight the benefit in at least doubling up on Jurgen Klopp’s front three.
The trio sit amongst the top six scoring FPL midfielders – Firmino served up a second 15-point haul of the campaign to climb into fourth, while Mane’s season-high 13 points sees him sit one point behind City’s Kevin De Bruyne.
With the schedule still so favourable, and a lack of European matches restricting rotation, investing heavily in Jurgen Klopp’s big-hitters continues to pay off handsomely.
Adam Lallana
Despite a favourable price tag of 7.1, Lallana was in danger of being left behind by his team-mates after a run of four straight blanks.
A pair of assists against Watford, supplemented by maximum bonus points, saw the former Saint move onto 59 points for the campaign – just two behind Mane.
At a time when owners of Michail Antonio, Son Heung-Min and Theo Walcott are seeking out mid-price alternatives, Lallana can expect to see his 11% ownership climb. He’s second only to Coutinho for value amongst Liverpool’s midfield contingent.
Harry Kane
Re-installed to the first XI after recovering from an ankle injury, the Spurs forward earned his side a point at the Emirates thanks to a converted second-half spot-kick.
Kane has now netted in each of his last three league appearances and there’s no doubt that his return to action is threatening to shake up our three-man frontlines.
Given that Sergio Aguero and Diego Costa sit in over 40% of squads and Romelu Lukaku and Zlatan Ibrahimovic are held by 30%+, Kane’s 5% ownership makes him the ideal differential for those looking to restructure.
Spurs now have four home fixtures in seven, with West Ham, Swansea, Hull and Burnley next up at White Hart Lane.
Robert Snodgrass
Having returned to training earlier than expected, the Scot was named amongst the subs for Hull City’s home encounter with Southampton.
Injuries up top meant that Snodgrass was afforded the chance to make an impact off the bench and he didn’t disappoint, supplying a goal and assist in the 2-1 comeback victory.
Now down to 5.5, he’s set to challenge the likes of Joe Allen and Ilkay Gundogan in the sub-6.0 bracket as he squares up to Sunderland, West Brom, Middlesbrough and Palace directly after the international break.
Charlie Austin
A converted first-half penalty took the Southampton forward’s tally to five strikes in the last seven rounds of fixtures.
Subject to a price rise in each of the previous five Gameweeks, Austin still sits at just 6.7 in FPL and with the fixtures falling in his favour from Gameweek 14 onwards, that interest looks set to continue.
Indeed, upcoming home encounters with Liverpool and Everton’s unconvincing defences may persuade more to get on board once the international break has passed.
Paul Pogba
We’d highlighted the Frenchman’s threat in last week’s Big Numbers article, and he finally delivered on the data.
Pushed up into an advanced role, Pogba fired a stunning opener in the 3-1 win at Swansea to serve a reminder of his talents.
Only four midfielders have produced more attempts on goal than United’s summer signing over the first 11 Gameweeks, though he’s managed to score just twice. With Eden Hazard and Liverpool’s midfield at the top of our shopping lists, Pogba has a long way to go before he is elevated in our thinking, particularly as he sits just one caution short of a ban.
Matty Phillips
Handed a recall after James McClean (suspension) and Nacer Chadli (knee injury) were sidelined for the King Power Stadium trip, the Baggies wide man grabbed his opportunity with a goal and assist in the 2-1 win.
Phillips has now produced points in three of his last six, yet with Chadli expected to be fit enough to return in time for the Gameweek 12 clash with Burnley, he faces a tough task to find a way past the Belgian in our thinking.
Clashes against Hull, Watford and Swansea City in the next five certainly suggest that Tony Pulis’ men could be back on our radars.
Chris Brunt is another to keep an eye on – listed as a defender in FPL, he was fielded on the flank this afternoon.
The Irishman has started in back-to-back league matches since proving his fitness following a long-term knee injury, though it remains to be seen where he’ll fit in once Pulis has a full quota of players to pick from.
Islam Slimani
It’s three goals and an assist in four home appearances for the Leicester after this afternoon’s strike against West Brom.
Leicester City are another side set for some fine fixtures and Slimani looks to have edged ahead as their likeliest source of attacking points.
Riyad Mahrez still sits in 10% of FPL squads and supplied the assist for his compatriot’s goal, yet with just two assists from Gameweek 2 onwards, that 9.1 price tag continues to look vastly inflated.
Gylfi Sigurdsson
An assist in today’s loss to United was the fifth time in eight Gameweeks that the Swansea City playmaker has produced attacking returns.
Today again underlined Sigurdsson’s fixture-proof appeal – he has also scored or assisted against Man City, Chelsea and Arsenal over that run.
The schedule smiles kindly on Bob Bradley’s strugglers from Gameweek 15 onwards and at a price of just 7.2, Sigurdsson’s consistency could see him emerge as one of the value midfield picks over the winter period.
In Decline
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The United frontman delighted then disappointed his 30% FPL ownership in equal measure this afternoon.
After finally breaking his six-match scoring drought with a brace at the Liberty, Ibrahimovic then toppled off the Suspension Tightrope by earning a fifth yellow card of the season.
The last six Gameweeks have seen the veteran earn significant transfers out and today’s indiscretion will surely now persuade many more the time is right to cut and run.
With Kane throwing his name into the hat as another big-hitter, Ibrahimovic is already number one for transfers out up front since the weekend.
Marcus Rashford
The youngster was omitted from United’s XI for the first time since Gameweek 4 as Jose Mourinho handed Wayne Rooney a surprise return out wide.
Ibrahimovic’s upcoming ban means that Rashford may well be graned an immediate return to face Arsenal next time out, though today’s pair of assists from Rooney clearly throws more question marks over the pecking order in attack.
Daley Blind
Despite being devoid of a number of defensive options – including three of his first-choice back-four – Mourinho opted to bench Daley Blind for the trip to Swansea, suggesting that the Dutchman was only fit enough to be named amongst the substitutes.
Thanks to his share of corners and propensity for picking up bonus points, Blind has been the standout option in the Red Devils’ rearguard.
Sitting in sixth spot for FPL defenders, he’s 16 points clear of any other United backline option, yet Mourinho’s decision may persuade his 10% owners to reconsider.
Today’s result means the Old Trafford side have just two clean sheets in the last eight Gameweeks.
Theo Walcott
Sold by more FPL managers than any player last week, the winger overcame a hamstring problem to be handed a starting role on the Arsenal right.
Walcott played all but three minutes of the previous five league matches he appeared in but today saw him replaced by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on 70 minutes.
There’s a fear that his early withdrawal may be a sign of what’s to come, though it may well be that Arsene Wenger was simply easing him back into action.
Already, though, Walcott is being shipped in numbers as the exodus steps up over the break.
Alexis Sanchez
A blank at home to Spurs continued the Chilean’s poor run of form at the Emirates.
Sanchez has now scored just once in six matches in front of his own supporters, compared to six strikes in five on the road.
As the quest to draft in Eden Hazard intensifies, some are starting to feel that the Arsenal man’s 11.4 price tag could be the answer. Bearing in mind that four of his next six league fixtures are away, though, getting rid could backfire.
Sanchez’ owners will at least have been appeased by his return to the lone striker role today as Olivier Giroud dropped back to the bench, having led the line in Bulgaria on Wednesday.
However, Giroud was introduced for the final 20-minutes – a trend that could continue in future matches, potentially shifting Sanchez’ role for the closing stages.
Jose Holebas
The 9%-owned Watford defender also earned a fifth yellow of the season today.
Holebas treated his owners to a score of -2 points in the 6-1 Anfield loss, with a second-half caution ensuring he will miss a Gameweek 12 home encounter against Leicester.
Given that the Hornets than face Stoke City, West Brom, Sunderland and Palace in the subsequent six, many will be happy to bench a player who produced 33 points in four appearances prior to today.
A move to 4-4-2 at Anfield is worth monitoring, though, considering the former Greek international has mainly been utilised as a wing-back by Walter Mazzarri.
Daryl Janmaat’s form could also be a factor.
Returning to the first XI after a shoulder injury, his consolation means he’s bagged a goal and assist in his last two starts. The Dutchman is now identically priced to Holebas at 4.8 apiece.
Jamie Vardy
Dropped to the bench for the second time in three league fixtures, the Foxes frontman looks to have fallen from consideration just as the schedule turns kind.
Without a goal since Gameweek 4, Vardy looks a far cry from the player that netted 24 times last term, and as Slimani continues to profit up top, the England international is becoming an increasingly peripheral figure in our seasons.
