The rise of Zlatan Ibrahimovic picks up pace as Diego Costa sees yellow to feed the frenzy. Elsewhere the prospect of doubling on the Chelsea rearguard received a further boost, while Alvaro Negredo submits a convincing application for our third striker role. Here’s the Stock Check following Saturday’s contests….

Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Now sitting on 11 goals for the season following his brace at The Hawthorns, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has timed his ascent to exploit the absence of both Diego Costa and Sergio Aguero.

As mentioned in last night’s Knee Jerk article, the Swede has now returned 52 points from his previous six Gameweek starts – more than any other striker, including Costa.

The reaction from Fantasy Premier League managers has been instant.

More than 80,000 have snapped up Ibrahimovic in the last 24-hours, with over 54,000 make the direct trade from the suspended Costa.

He has jumped in price to 11.3 and, with another eight days to go before the Gameweek 18 deadline, further rises look inevitable.

Fixtures with Sunderland, Middlesbrough and West Ham certainly help build a case for Ibrahimovic and, should Harry Kane blank against Burnley today; his bandwagon would receive a further boost.

Phil Jones
A second clean sheet for Jones who put in another reassuring performance in the United backline against the Baggies.

Jones has started the last seven Gameweek fixtures, with United conceding just five goals in that spell.

With Eric Bailly laid low and set for Africa Cup of Nations duty in January, Jones looks likely to see off the challenge of the fit-again Chris Smalling to retain his starting role – at least in the short-term.

Home fixtures with Sunderland and Middlesbrough offer the prospect of further returns and, at just 4.8, there is obvious value on offer.

Cesar Azpilicueta & Marcos Alonso
Azpilicueta claimed the maximum bonus points in Chelsea’s 1-0 victory at Selhurst Park, taking him to eight in three consecutive Gameweeks.

Now sitting seven points clear at the top of the FPL defender standings, the Spaniard has gathered 15 bonus points – the same amount as Eden Hazard and just four behind Costa.

With the Chelsea striker banned and being sold on, the case for doubling up on Blues defenders is building.

Azpilicueta is clearly a powerful bonus point magnet, combining nine clearances, blocks and interceptions in yesterday’s victory with the assist for Costa’s winner.

Meanwhile, Alonso remains almost impossible to overlook. His attacking prospects were on display again at Palace, as the left wing-back fired in three attempts, including a direct free-kick which struck the bar.

Patrick van Aanholt
Few defenders can offer a goal threat to match the Dutchman.

Lining up in our Scout Picks this week, Van Aanholt justified that faith with a third goal of the season from Jermain Defoe’s cut-back.

Clean sheets will remain a scarcity for the Sunderland defence but the left-back continues to show the attacking ambition to bridge the gap.

Alvaro Negredo
Now priced at just 6.2 after a rapid decline in his blossoming early ownership, the Middlesbrough striker provided a brace of goals against Swansea City, accompanied by a performance that suggested that he could emerge as the third striker of choice. Negredo has now scored four in his last four Gameweek appearances.

The confidence shown in both his finishes in the 3-0 win should not be ignored. There’s a swagger surrounding Negredo that hints at further returns to come.

A Boxing Day trip to Burnley looks tricky, as does the clash with Manchester United to follow. However, from that point, Negredo and Middlesbrough and three Riverside Stadium clashes in the space of four Gameweeks that appear to offer the Spaniard the opportunity to kick-on.

George Friend
Re-introduced to the matchday squad via the bench, the 4.4 priced left-back made a second half appearance and will now push for a recall at Burnley in Gameweek 18.

Friend looks a key target for our squads over Middlesbrough’s aforementioned run of fixtures from Gameweek 20.

Joe Allen
As a variety of fourth and fifth midfield options come and go, the Welshman remains a steady consideration, revived by yesterday’s goal in Stoke City’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City.

Now back in the number 10 role, Allen’s 5.2 price tag remains an alluring factor at a time when thoughts turn to freeing up funds for the likes of Ibrahimovic or even Sergio Aguero.

Trips to Liverpool and Chelsea will stifle his short-term prospects but, following that, Allen could thrive from Gameweek 20.

In Decline

Diego Costa
A thirteenth goal of the season kept his tally ticking and rewarded the 23% who went to Costa for the captaincy. However, his booking and resultant one-match ban has overshadowed that.

In a season that appears to punish us for sitting still, already Costa’s owners are ejecting the Premier League’s leading scorer, with heads turned by the Ibrahimovic form and fixtures.

More than 88,000 have sold the striker overnight, with the majority turning to the Swede for the solution; a first Costa price drop looks imminent, with two more possible prior to the Gameweek 18 deadline.

Sergio Aguero’s return is also scheduled alongside Costa’s in Gameweek 19, presenting Fantasy managers with every reason to re-assess their frontline options.

Costa’s absence for the visit of Bournemouth on Boxing Day keeps Eden Hazard’s stock stable. It would appear folly to overlook Chelsea’s attack in that match-up, and the Belgian’s performance at Selhurst Park offered further indications that he can deliver over the next two obliging home matches.

Dimitri Payet
With competition for spots in our midfield so fierce, the Frenchman needed to produce over London Stadium encounters with Burnley and Hull City. Instead, he blanked in both.

Priced at 9.1, it seems we are still some way off being able to trust Payet with investment.

Gylfi Sigurdsson
Having soared in ownership in recent weeks, the Icelander has suffered from two desperate away day performances from Bob Bradley’s side.

Now facing up to vital home encounters with West Ham and Bournemouth, it would surely be unwise to write off the playmaker.

However, further returns for Liverpool’s Adam Lallana in Monday’s Merseyside derby would accelerate Sigurdsson’s current decline in ownership, putting increased pressure on his Gameweek 18 display.

Jordi Amat
Having started the previous six Gameweek outings, Amat would now appear to be back on shaky ground ahead of Gameweek 18.

Culpable for Middlesbrough’s second goal in the 3-0 defeat, Bob Bradley has shown a propensity to shuffle his backline and Amat looks at risk for the visit of West Ham, particularly given that he remains one booking from a ban.

Gareth McAuley
For so long the preferred option in the West Brom backline, the towering centre-back is now giving way to Chris Brunt’s set-piece delivering and threat from range.

Having kept just a single clean sheet in 14 outings and trips to Arsenal and Southampton up next, Brunt’s stronger attacking prospects give him the edge.

The Irishman was retained in a midfield role in the defeat to Manchester United.

Jamie Vardy
The Leicester City striker busted his brief resurgence following his hat-trick against Manchester City with a lunging challenge that drew a straight red at Stoke City.

The Foxes may yet contest the dismissal but, as it stands, Vardy will sit out the next three Gameweeks.