Burnley’s hitman finally lives up to his pre-season billing on a day when the “differential” flourished and big-hitters had to be content with modest returns. Here’s the Stock Check following Saturday’s action…
Andre Gray
We had such high hopes for Andre Gray heading into the new season.
With 23 goals in his Championship campaign and eight pre-season strikes in the summer, the Burnley striker went into the season as our favoured third forward option, only to fall away through indifferent early form and a catastrophic four-match suspension.
Restored to the Burnley lineup back in Gameweek 10, Gray has taken time to adjust back to the pace of things but had previously hinted at Saturday’s explosive form with encouraging recent displays.
Saturday’s hat-trick against Sunderland now catapults him ahead of a pack of mid-price options for consideration once again.
It’s fair to say that Gray will rarely come up against a defence as obliging and injury strewn as the Black Cats but, even so, the confidence gleaned from the triple strike will surely set Gray up for further returns.
The Gameweek 21 trip to Manchester City may not look tempting but, with fixtures improving from Gameweek 23 onwards, Gray could yet emerge as a key factor in our season.
Ashley Barnes
Expected to play second string to a partnership of Andre Gray and Sam Vokes, Barnes has now started the previous three Gameweeks for the Clarets, returning two goals and an assist in that spell.
Barnes converted a second half penalty for Burnley’s fourth goal, suggesting that he could even be in line for spot-kick duties when on the pitch. At 4.4, Barnes presents a clear option for those seeking a move to 3-5-2 with his current assured starts a welcome bonus.
Willian & Cesc Fabregas
The two Chelsea differentials came out of the 4-2 victory over Stoke City with the great credit, as Willian claimed two well-taken goals, while Fabregas added to his catalogue of recent assists with two more.
Starting roles remain uncertain and, with our three Chelsea slots currently reserved elsewhere, it’s unlikely that the pair will make an impact just yet.
Indeed, Willian’s form perhaps registers merely as an annoyance, casting doubts on Pedro’s security of start for the Gameweeks to come.
Diego Costa
Costa continues to claim one of those three precious Chelsea slots and, back in the Blues’ lineup following suspension, he made an immediate return to the scoresheet to reward the 15% who had trusted him with the Gameweek armband.
Consistency is the key with Costa. Again his return was hardly explosive but, again, he delivered and outscored Eden Hazard who had to be content with a single smart assist for Willian’s first goal.
As a captain option, only Manchester United’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic can rival Costa for reliability at this moment in time.
Matt Phillips
The West Brom winger continued his outstanding campaign with a third double-digit return – an unlikely profit away at Southampton.
Phillips has now fetched four goals and five assists in nine successive starts with 11 bonus points accrued over that spell.
Priced at just 5.6, having enjoyed a price rise overnight, with Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha about to depart for the Africa Cup of Nations, it’s difficult to build a case against Phillips as the go-to option in that bracket.
The CV is bolstered further by West Brom’s improving fixtures which, a Gameweek 21 trip to Spurs aside, hands them a smooth passage through until March and Gameweek 27.
Paul Pogba
Saturday’s winning goal for Manchester United took the Frenchman to five returns in nine Gameweeks, as he continued to make progress and attract attention.
With two goals and two assists in his last four, Pogba is beginning to build a case at a time when were anticipating increased interest in tricky team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The fixtures remain in his favour and, as United continue to build momentum, so Pogba’s stock continues to rise.
Go on supplying consistent returns and, should one or two of the midfield heavy-hitters falter, Pogba’s transfer traffic will surely increase.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
An assist was an unspectacular return for the Swede against Middlesbrough, although many will claim he should have had his goal, having seen a first-half effort ruled out for dangerous play.
Even so, Ibrahimovic kept his tally ticking to ensure that he’s returned in six of his last seven Gameweek starts. A consistency that only Costa can currently match.
Charlie Daniels & Nathan Ake
With 19 goals conceded on the road and with Swansea City desperate for a result, few would have foreseen a second away clean sheet for Bournemouth at the Liberty Stadium.
But Eddie Howe’s rearguard were resolute, and Daniels was again the member of the back four to emerge with attacking returns. His pass fed Josh King for the third goal which has elevated the Cherries left-back to fifth in the overall defender standings.
Priced at 5.1, even with some kind fixtures to come, many will still baulk at the value being offered by Daniels with Ake available alongside him as an option.
The Chelsea loanee immediately made a return to the defence at Swansea and duly picked up two bonus points. With three clean sheets, three goals and eight bonus points in just seven starts, Ake is difficult to deny as a budget option somewhere across our five defender slots.
Junior Stanislas
Another Bournemouth asset to potentially offer outstanding value, Stanislas returned to the starting XI at the Liberty Stadium and was an effervescent figure, providing the assist for Ryan Fraser’s goal.
Stanislas has returned three goals and five assists in his last eight Gameweek starts and, with the fixtures smiling on the Cherries from Gameweek 21, he has to be a consideration as a fourth/fifth midfielder option.
Adam Lallana
The Liverpool midfielder went into Gameweek 19 having ranked second only to Costa as a transfer target. While his assist return in the win over Manchester City was modest, it maintained Lallana’s consistency and kept the other Reds’ midfield options in check.
Surely one of the first names on the Reds’ teamsheet, Lallana is currently the weapon of choice while we await Philippe Coutinho’s return to the fray.
Dejan Lovren
Having boasted strong defensive statistics all season, the Liverpool backline is finally delivering.
With Joel Matip nursing an injury, Lovren has been the mainstay and has played his part in helping Jurgen Klopp’s rearguard fetch five shutouts in their last eight Gameweeks.
There are tough tests to come but, having snuffed out City’s attack without any real incident, our confidence in Liverpool’s defensive capabilities are building at pace.
In Decline
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Blessed with kind fixtures, we were more than willing to give Gylfi Sigurdsson time to overcome Swansea City’s dire form and breakout with returns. But the Icelander has been unable to rise above the current alarming malaise at the Welsh club.
The Swans have scored just two goals in their last four Gameweeks and, subsequently, Sigurdsson has blanked in all four matches.
The Gameweek 20 visit to Palace remains a must-win fixture but, arguably, so have the previous two meetings with West Ham and Bournemouth.
There seems to be little light at the end of the tunnel until a new manager is in place and settled and, given the competition in our midfields and the Swans’ forthcoming fixtures, it is difficult to find the patience to keep faith with Sigurdsson, even for that Selhurst Park trip.
Divock Origi
With four goals and two assists in his six successive Premier League appearances, Origi was surely unfortunate to find himself on the bench against Manchester City.
But Klopp’s decision to revert to Roberto Firmino as his central attacker reinforces our belief that, once Coutinho is fit, Origi’s pitch time will be scarce. With Daniel Sturridge also a factor, it appears that his shelf life is now limited.
Origi may return at Sunderland for Gameweek 20 but even a goal and another convincing display seems unlikely to help him cement a starting role.
Adam Smith
After five consecutive starts, Smith made way to the Bournemouth bench for the win at Swansea and, with both Ryan Fraser and Junior Stanislas impressing, he now faces a battle to regain a role on the flank.
Clearly, given Nathan Ake’s form, Smith looks unlikely to return to the back four which seems set to resign him to fighting for a midfield position.
Still the top owned Cherries asset at the back, that status looks under real threat.
Victor Anichebe
The Sunderland striker was forced off at half-time with a reported hamstring issue, with manager David Moyes now facing an anxious wait for a prognosis.
The 4.7 forward option is a key component of many 3-5-2 setup and a period on the sidelines would be a worrying development for his 4.8% ownership.
Phil Jones
Subject to more than 31,000 transfers ahead of Gameweek 19, Jones was duly rested by Jose Mourinho as the festive fixtures claimed a key victim.
Nonetheless, with his manager recognising his “phenomenal” form and with Eric Bailly now departed for the AFCON, missing Gameweek 20, a recall for Jones would seem inevitable.
Short-term fixtures at West Ham and with Liverpool are undoubtedly testing encounters, although, following that, Jones would seem likely to offer strong value from Gameweek 22.
Virgil van Dijk
Southampton’s imperious Dutch defender was another popular target to suffer a setback.
Snapped up by more than 68,000 ahead of the Gameweek 19 meeting with West Brom, Van Dijk conceded and then saw red for two bookable offences.
He will now miss the Gameweek 20 trip to Everton, although having served out that suspension, will still be treated to an array of favourable fixtures to follow.
