Fernando Llorente and Josh King promote their Gameweek 28 appeal, while Sadio Mane belatedly rewards his recent wave of investment by delivering double-digits at Anfield. As those stars rise, Zlatan Ibrahimovic provides his worst tally of the season ahead of an impending blank and a potential FA ban. Here’s the Stock Check following Saturday’s events…
On the Rise
Fernando Llorente
Two superb headed goals added to the Spaniard’s consolation at Chelsea in Gameweek 26 to bolster his stock, just as we approach the Gameweek 28 blanks.
Llorente and Swansea City will make the trip to Hull City next weekend, with the striker sure to be backed by a legion of new Fantasy Premier League managers. Already more than 23,000 have swooped since Saturday’s 13-point return which saw him move to 11 goals for the season.
Gylfi Sigurdsson remains the jewel in the Swans crown – he earned yet another assist in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Burnley to ensure that he’s fetched returns in seven of his last eight Gameweeks.
However, the temptation to pair him with Llorente for the Tigers visit is strong. The Swans have a very favourable run that extends to Gameweek 34, with a home clash with Spurs their only major test during that run.
Elsewhere in the Swans’ camp, Martin Olsson also built his case to challenge Alfie Mawson as our defender of choice from Paul Clement’s rearguard.
With just a single clean sheet over Clement’s eight-match tenure, it’s clear that attacking returns will need to play a part in the appeal of a Swans’ backline options.
Olsson again linked with Sigurdsson on the left-flank to blast home his second goal from his six starts.
Josh King
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s ill-discipline may have grabbed the attention at Old Trafford, but Fantasy managers will have come away from the 1-1 draw well aware that King again produced for Eddie Howe’s charges.
This time deployed in a No 10 role behind the recalled Benik Afobe, King still stepped up to fire home a second successive penalty to move to five goals from his last six Gameweek starts.
Like Llorente, his ascent has been well-timed to coincide with the clamour for assured Gameweek 28 assets.
With over 10,000 new owners in the last 24-hours, King ranks fourth for “transfers in” so far, with the Cherries hosting West Ham next weekend.
They follow that with a tie with Swansea City to further boost King’s short-term appeal, though the schedule does stiffen from that point on.
However, arguably, if King can regain the central striker role from Afobe, he can be held as a fifth midfielder even throughout Bournemouth’s testing run from Gameweek 31 (liv CHE tot).
Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino
Reviving their fortunes following Monday night’s abject performance and output at Leicester City, Liverpool saw off Arsenal at Anfield with both Mane and Firmino the protagonists.
Both emerged with double-figure returns, as Mane restored faith following a huge wave of investment prior to Gameweek 26.
He has now returned four goals and an assist in his last five Gameweek starts, a run broken up by his absence at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Firmino’s form is far less consistent. Over the long-haul, he has returned five goals and two assists from 16 starts, although the Brazilian has three goals and two assists since compatriot Philippe Coutinho’s full return from injury for Gameweek 22.
Coutinho failed to build on his goal at the King Power Stadium but again fired in six attempts, with four arriving from inside the box.
This provides further encouragement ahead of Liverpool’s guaranteed Gameweek 28 fixture with Burnley at Anfield.
Meanwhile, the largely ignored Georginio Wijnaldum provided another goal, taking his recent returns to two goals and two assists form his last four Gameweek starts.
Not surprisingly, investment in Jurgen Klopp’s midfield continues ahead of the meeting with the Clarets. Mane, Firmino and Coutinho all feature among the top ten most bought assets since Saturday’s deadline, claiming over 35,000 new owners between them.
Manolo Gabbiadini
The Italian striker’s incredible ascent continued as he struck a sixth goal in just four starts in all competitions in the 4-3 win at Watford, his fourth strike in the Premier League.
The huge recent investment has been somewhat inexplicable given his blanks in both Gameweek 26 and 28, but there can be no question that, once the Saints resume a regular schedule, Gabbiadini can become a key asset.
Since his arrival for Gameweek 24, no FPL forward has had more attempts (16), while only Everton’s Romelu Lukaku has scored more goals.
The home fixtures with Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, plus the trip to West Brom over Gameweeks 30-32, present an obvious window for investment.
Dusan Tadic
So often a frustrating Fantasy asset, the Serbian’s 16-point return at Vicarage Road offered a reminder as to his ability to dominate a match and provide an explosive return.
Revelling in his No 10 role behind Gabbiadini, Tadic has now provided two goals and three assists in his last four starts.
The Saints designated penalty taker, he could yet threaten to be a factor in our season, particularly when Southampton’s double Gameweeks fall into place.
Andre Gray
Another asset assured of the opportunity of a Gameweek 28 appearance, his brace in the defeat at Swansea City again hinted that he may yet be fit to fulfil a third striker berth at some point during this campaign.
So heavily backed around these parts heading into the campaign, Gray has been a frustrating figure and has yet to offer us any assurance as a budget striker option.
But he appears to be growing in stature and confidence once again and, with Burnley scoring seven goals from their last six Gameweeks, Gray’s form warrants monitoring at the very least.
Riyad Mahrez, Chrisitan Fuchs, Jamie Vardy
We we went into the weekend charged with a watching brief on Leicester City’s assets, keen to see the reaction from Monday night’s dramatic turnaround in form and fortune.
The Foxes duly provided more evidence to suggest that a full revival is underway, with Mahrez and Fuchs taking their opportunity to demonstrate their potential as end of season differentials.
Fuchs scored his second goal of the season from a Vardy cross to follow his own assist from Monday’s win, while Mahrez’ second-half goal was reminiscent of strikes from the title-winning season: a mesmeric run, crowned by a smart curling finish. That was the Algerian’s first goal since Gameweek 13 and his first attacking return of any kind since Gameweek 15.
Few Fantasy managers will be getting over excited at the prospects of Leicester’s return to the radar. However, we have to consider that Mahrez, Fuchs and Vardy could become effective short-term assets, either for the double Gameweek or even prior to that period.
The Foxes host Stoke City and Sunderland at the King Power Stadium over Gameweeks 30 and 31, presenting an obvious scenario for further returns.
In Decline
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Subject to last night’s Knee Jerk, it appears that we seem likely to lose Ibrahimovic to retrospective FA ban following his various bouts with Bournemouth’s Tyrone Mings at Old Trafford.
Monday will bring news on a potential FA charge. Until then, we can reflect on Ibrahimovic’s missed spot-kick and his failure to live up to the expectation of a big Gameweek 27 haul.
We can at least be thankful that Manchester City’s double Gameweek and the lure of Sergio Aguero as a captain option provided an effective distraction. However, Saturday’s display and return provided evidence that, even in his own two-fixture scenario, Ibrahimovic is perhaps not an explosive Triple Captain option to rival the likes of Aguero, Harry Kane and Alexis Sanchez.
Already missing Gameweek 28, sales of Ibrahimovic have accelerated and, should he receive his ban, we now have to ponder when the United striker will be considered for a return.
Much will depend on how United’s rescheduled fixtures fall in relation to Kane and Aguero.
Alexis Sanchez
Through no fault of his own, our confidence in Sanchez suffered a minor blow as a result of Arsene Wenger’s decision to omit the Chilean from his starting line-up at Liverpool.
We can surely anticipate that this will not be a common occurrence, although Wenger’s decision was still a surprise and offered a reminder that Sanchez is perhaps not “untouchable” under certain tactical circumstance.
The premise that Sanchez will start as a central striker in both matches in double Gameweek scenario can perhaps no longer be taken for granted, with Olivier Giroud, Danny Welbeck and Theo Walcott all options to Wenger.
Nonetheless, Sanchez typically made his impact from the bench and provided the assist for Arsenal’s goal at Anfield; he’s now returned a goal or an assist in seven of his last eight Gameweek starts.
Matt Phillips
Lined up for a potential return for West Brom against Crystal Palace, the Baggies winger was ruled out of the matchday squad, sparking another raft of FPL sales – only Ibrahimovic has suffered more overnight.
Nonetheless, his remaining owners may now cling to the winger in hope of a return to fitness and a recall at Everton for Gameweek 28.
Certainly, with so many gaps to fill, it would make sense to hold for that potential scenario given West Brom’s 2-0 defeat, which could urge Tony Pulis to tweak his starting XI for Goodison Park.
Patrick van Aanholt
The Dutchman followed his 15-point Gameweek 26 haul with a clean sheet from the Eagles victory at The Hawthorns but suffered an injury that could now rule him out for several weeks.
Ankle ligament damage will sideline Van Aanholt while Palace sit out Gameweek 28 and it remains to be seen if he can return to contention when they resume against Watford in Gameweek 29.
Ordinarily, that would be an ideal fixture to consider a short-term punt on the forward-thinking full-back.
