The Stock Check – Gameweek 26 – Sunday

Harry Kane runs riot as Spurs put four past Stoke without reply at White Hart Lane. Mauricio Pochettino’s decision to roll out a 3-4-2-1 also reignites the Fantasy potential of Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli after both were subject to sales aplenty prior to Gameweek 26. Meanwhile, at Wembley it’s a tale of two strikers in the EFL Cup Final as, almost inevitably, Zlatan Ibrahimovic claims a leading role.

On the Rise

Harry Kane
The frontman turned in his most emphatic Fantasy display of the season by playing a part in all four of Spurs’ goals in a home demolition of Stoke.

With Mauricio Pochettino choosing to retain the 3-4-2-1 formation utilised against Gent in midweek, Kane banished a run of one strike in the previous four Gameweeks in style, racking up three goals and an assist.

Kane has now notched seven times in his last three home appearances ahead of next week’s visit from Everton and those who were eyeing up a swap to Sergio Aguero – should City clinch a double Gameweek 27 – may now think twice.

In saying that, Aguero would also face Stoke as well as Sunderland if City defeat Huddersfield in the FA Cup on Wednesday and the Potters’ abject defensive display looks potentially very promising for Pep Guardiola’s men.

Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli
The Dane banished a run of four straight league blanks by providing two assists for the third time in his last four home outings.

Shipped by more than 45,000 FPL managers last week, Eriksen had hinted at a return to form in midweek by grabbing a goal and assist in the stalemate with Gent and he maintained that momentum with an 11-point return against Mark Hughes’ men – impressively, that’s a fifth double-figure haul in his last seven at the Lane.

Sold by more FPL managers (66,000+) than any other player boasting a fixture in Gameweek 26, Alli was back in the goals, with Pochettino choosing to retain him in the first XI after his midweek moment of madness.

Alli’s strike – only a second in the last six Gameweeks – ensures that his battle with Eriksen for our midfield attentions continues to rage on, with the pair ranked third and fourth respectively in the FPL midfield standings.

With home encounters against Everton, Southampton, Watford and Bournemouth allied with trips to Burnley and Swansea City in the next seven rounds of fixtures, those who had considered parting company to cope with Spurs’ blank Gameweek 28 may now be reconsidering.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic
The talismanic Swede just had to have the final say in what was a compelling EFL Cup final.

His late decisive header from point blank range capped another two-goal performance and continued a bout of relentless scoring form ahead of a Gameweek 27 meeting with Bournemouth at Old Trafford.

Earmarked as a likely captain for that clash, enthusiasm has since been tempered by the revelation that City and Aguero may now have two fixtures. However, Zlatan’s performance today issued another reminder that we overlook his claims at our peril.

Certainly, the 281,000 who sold the Swede ahead of Gameweek 26 will be pondering the possibility of a recall, if not for the Cherries visit, perhaps after United’s blank in Gameweek 28.

Manolo Gabbiadini
Another two predatory strikes, a third goal ruled out – it’s fair to say that any remaining doubts surrounding the Saints striker were extinguished by Sunday’s performance.

Having fired three goals in two Premier League starts, the Italian had already caught the eye of Fantasy managers.

The huge investment and transfer numbers ahead of a Gameweek 26 blank were somewhat mystifying but, following today’s Wembley showing, there will be many more managers taking the bait.

Like Ibrahimovic, Gabbiadini will suffer a blank in Gameweek 28 and will follow that with a testing trip to Spurs. However, two home fixtures with Bournemouth and Palace from Gameweek 30 provide an obvious window for investment.

We may need to pay quite a bit more for the striker by that point: Gabbiadini has already become the top transfer target ahead of Gameweek 27, collecting more than 31,000 new owners already.

In Decline

Peter Crouch
With a potential double Gameweek 27 just around the corner, Fantasy managers were hoping for signs of form from Stoke at the Lane.

Instead, we were left with little reason for optimism after the 4-0 capitulation, with Mark Hughes’ men failing to impress at either end of the pitch.

Furthermore, Crouch’s 6.1% of FPL owners were left worrying over his pitch time after he was withdrawn before the hour-mark for the second time in three Gameweeks.

Those currently retaining Crouch will surely retain his services in the likelihood of a double, but with Saido Berahino stepping up his sharpness with more minutes off the bench as the target man’s replacement, would-be suitors may be thinking twice.

Jan Vertonghen, Toby Alderweireld
Spurs will be hoping that their twelfth clean sheet of the campaign didn’t come at a cost after both defenders limped off during the second-half.

Whilst Vertonghen managed 65 minutes to claim a clean sheet, Alderweireld’s unfortunate Fantasy season continued as he limped off just three minutes after the break, earning his owners no more than a single-point return.

Optimistically, Pochettino revealed post-match that the pair were withdrawn as a precaution, boosting their chances of making next Sunday’s clash with Everton.

With Danny Rose still stuck on the sidelines, though, the defensive options are limited right now and should both Belgians fail to recover, there’s a chance that Spurs will need to revert back to a 4-2-3-1 formation, forcing us to reassess their main men once again.