Diego Costa and the Chelsea defence continue to serve up the Fantasy returns. West Ham and Southampton midfielders add to our festive dilemma, while Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino’s contrasting form continues in the absence of Philippe Coutinho. Here’s the Stock Check following Sunday’s four matches….

On the Rise

Diego Costa
While Eden Hazard suffered a rare home blank before being replaced before the 80-minute mark, Chelsea’s lone frontman once again delivered.

Costa’s match-winner – his thirteenth set of attacking points in the opening 15 Gameweeks – underlines just why he’s the most popular player in FPL, with an ownership now edging towards 52%.

The Spain international remained in the referee’s good books once more and has now gone nine league appearances since earning a fourth yellow card of the season against Arsenal in Gameweek 6.

Having racked up seven goals and four assists over that period, Costa continues to punish those who remained hesitant due to his potential suspension.

The Chelsea Defence
It’s seven clean sheets in nine now for the Blues, with only two strikes conceded – including a Gary Cahill own goal at Manchester City last week – over that run.

Arriving on the back of a Saturday when only Swansea City managed to keep out their opponents, Antonio Conte’s men remain the only consistent premium-priced defence around.

While Marcos Alonso’s wing-back berth makes him the preferred pick, Cesar Azpilicueta’s ability to deliver bonus points means that the duo offer a very viable option for doubling up at the back for those with the Chelsea slots to spare.

The upcoming schedule continues to suggest they will bring in defensive returns, with trips to Sunderland and Palace preceding back-to-back home matches against Bournemouth and Stoke City.

Sadio Mane and Divock Origi
The recent absence of Philippe Coutinho has resulted in an upturn in consistency from Sadio Mane.

Liverpool have scored seven goals since the Brazilian limped off early on in the Gameweek 13 clash with Sunderland – Mane’s pair of assists against West Ham this afternoon means that he’s played a part in five of them.

Now up to third behind Alexis Sanchez and Eden Hazard in the FPL midfield standings, Mane’s departure for next month’s Africa Cup of Nations will be sorely felt by the Merseysiders.

Nonetheless, Jurgen Klopp should still have him on board for the next five Gameweeks which takes us up to January 2 – handing Mane clashes against Middlesbrough, Everton, Stoke City, Manchester City and Sunderland.

Elsewhere, Divock Origi’s second-half leveller strengthened his claim as a viable mid-price option up front.

The Belgian has now scored in three successive Gameweeks, netting in each of his last four in all competitions. With Daniel Sturridge still stuck in the treatment room, a price of 6.6 and ownership of 4.5% may see the bandwagon continue – over 84,000 FPL managers drafted him in ahead of the West Ham encounter.

Dimitri Payet and Michail Antonio
The West Ham midfield pair passed their Anfield audition ahead of three very favourable fixtures.

Slaven Bilic’s side now host Burnley and Hull City before travelling to Swansea City, with Payet and Antonio making persuasive cases for consideration in our five-man midfields.

Priced at 9.1, Payet produced points for the third successive Gameweek thanks to his long-range free-kick – he’d also supplied assists against United and Arsenal prior to today.

Antonio’s value may appeal to those reluctant to spend big on the Frenchman.

After a run of five straight blanks over Gameweek 6-10, he’s bagged two goals and an assist in his subsequent four league outings and has dropped down to just 6.7.

Sofiane Boufal
Southampton’s club-record signing is off the mark in the Premier League after netting the only goal of a 1-0 home win over Middlesbrough.

Boufal has shown glimpses of his ability in recent cup matches since recovering from a knee injury, yet Claude Puel’s reluctance to hand him regular minutes has deterred us until now.

The Moroccan international’s long-range effort underlined his capability and with Charlie Austin sidelined for three or four months, he adds a much-needed goal threat to a side that scored just twice in the previous four league outings.

With the fixtures smiling kindly all the way through until Gameweek 25, the 6.8-priced playmaker may well have played his way into some managers’ plans. Owned by 0.1%, his differential appeal is obvious.

Phil Jones
Benched for Europa League duties in midweek, the United centre-half returned to the first XI for today’s clash against Spurs at the expense of Eric Bailly.

Priced at just 4.7, Jones has now started five successive Gameweeks and with Bailly set to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations next month, his developing partnership with Marcus Rojo helped keep Harry Kane and company at bay.

United’s defensive prospects are boosted by clashes against Palace, West Brom, Sunderland and Middlesbrough in the next four Gameweeks.

They will be without Antonio Valencia at Selhurst Park, however – the right-back is set to serve a one-match suspension after earning a fifth yellow of the season in today’s victory.

In Decline

Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Handed a second straight start in the top-flight for the first time this term, United’s summer signing looked all set for a place in “On the Rise” in this article after firing the match-winner at home to Spurs.

Mkhitaryan’s strike took his tally to two goals and a pair of assists in his last four appearances across all competitions but just when Jose Mourinho’s patience with the Armenian looked like offering FPL managers a ready-made differential, he was then stretchered off with an ankle problem late in the second-half.

Post-match, the Red Devils manager conceded “it looks like” Mkhitaryan will miss the midweek trip to Crystal Palace and hopes to have him back on board for Boxing Day.

Judging by today’s busy display, it looks only a matter of time before the former Dortmund man finally makes his way onto our radars. With the fixtures coming thick and fast, though, Mourinho’s caution may keep Mkhitaryan on the back-burner for the time being.

Cedric Soares
We handed Cedric a place in this week’s Scout Picks only for Claude Puel to omit the Portuguese defender from his squad altogether as the schedule picks up pace.

Frustratingly, the Saints collected a third clean sheet in four thanks to a 1-0 win over Middlesbrough, with Ryan Bertrand also rested to the bench after starting in Thursday’s Europa League stalemate.

Although Puel’s side are out of Europe, their progress to the EFL Cup two-legged semi-finals next month may well see their manager continue to chop and change at full-back to cope with the congested fixtures, damaging his long-term appeal.

Roberto Firmino
It’s four straight Gameweeks without returns now for the Liverpool midfielder – extending his dryest spell of the season.

While Mane and Origi have both plundered the points in Coutinho’s absence, Firmino clearly misses his compatriot. Stationed on the left flank once again to accommodate Origi, Firmino’s shift out of the “false nine” role is restricting his potential at a time when there’s no shortage of options to consider in midfield.

With Mane departing in January, there’s a fear that Firmino could remain out wide with Origi retaining the central role. Such a scenario could quickly force a rethink on a player who still sits in almost 19% of FPL squads.

The Liverpool Defence
With Loris Karius again failing to convince, Jurgen Klopp’s side shipped another two goals to harm the stock of both Nathaniel Clyne and Dejan Lovren as defensive assets.

The short-term fixtures still suggest that the Reds can deliver additional defensive returns but, with their current custodian remaining so shaky, it’s difficult to have confidence ahead of meetings with Middlesbrough, Everton and Stoke City.

Lovren was also replaced at half-time, with Jurgen Klopp stating this evening that the player was suffering from cramp in his hamstring.