Harry Kane books his spot in our squads, while events conspire to cast doubt on returning for Alexis Sanchez. Elsewhere, a cast of flourishing midfield assets force us to consider a 3-5-2 set-up, just as two value striker options lure us to a three-man attack. We learned this and more from Gameweek 27 so far…

The case for Kane is overwhelming…
Typically, with our eyes drawn to the fortunes of Sergio Aguero over Manchester City’s double Gameweek, Harry Kane issued a punishing reminder of his insatiable hunger for goals.

Sold by more than 127,000 Fantasy Premier League managers ahead of the Gameweek 27 meeting with Everton, Kane maintained his trajectory following the devastating hat-trick against Stoke City with a further two-goal blast.

It’s not just Kane’s 33 points over those two Gameweek outings that is so alluring – the nature of his two goals against the Toffees and all-round display smacked of a striker brimming with confidence.

At a time when five heavy-hitting strikers are jostling for our attention, Kane is surely the frontrunner.

Looking ahead to the Spurs schedule, it’s also difficult to counter his claims.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side are blessed with a hugely favourable run-in, with just ties with Arsenal and Manchester United – both at home – their only remaining tests.

Such is his form, he’s been acquired by over 86,000 managers despite sitting out Gameweek 28 through FA Cup duties. Once the weekend blank has passed, thousands more will surely follow.

Only the doubles can revive Zlatan’s fortunes…
With Kane established as a top target, Zlatan Ibrahimovic conveniently offered an obvious route to recruit for the masses.

The Swede’s three-match ban, counting him out of Gameweeks 29 and 30, coupled with his absence this weekend, has only accelerated sales.

Sold by over 100,000 FPL managers ahead of his Gameweek 26 blank, the Ibrahimovic stock then recovered prior to Saturday’s plum tie with Bournemouth, only to plummet following the striker’s negative points return and ill-discipline.

More than 158,000 have moved the veteran out ahead of the weekend blank, with his price heading back in the direction of a season-low 11.1 back in Gameweek 14.

With Romelu Lukaku ticking over, Kane exploding points and Aguero returning as a factor, it looks unlikely that we will prioritise a recall for the Red Devils’ talisman – at least not until the double Gameweeks arrive in the schedule.

Those twin fixtures – with United set to enjoy at least two – now look vital to Ibrahimovic as a Fantasy asset. Although, depending on how they drop in relation to rival assets, it’s perhaps not a given that we will target the Swede as essential.

Losing Sane and Sterling will not be easy…
While we sit and wait for their impact in this evening’s fixture, already we’re looking on Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane and wondering whether there are really disposable Gameweek 27 flirtations.

Sterling’s assist in Sunday’s routine win over Sunderland brought him an ninth return from his last 11 Gameweeks, while Sane’s superbly taken goal was a fifth from his last eight starts in all competitions.

With Pep Guardiola calling for 12 victories over their remaining matches, while lambasting his side for “forgetting” to attack Sunderland once 2-0 up, it’s clear that City boast an ongoing potential for goals.

At 7.9 and 7.6 respectively, both Sterling and Sane can surely offer us value over the run-in, forcing us to keep considering a five-man midfield in a 3-5-2, and perhaps even triggering a rethink for our strategy that would see Alexis Sanchez walk back into our squads.

Liverpool’s middlemen are sticking around…
Elevated to near essential assets for their Gameweek 28 meeting with Burnley, Jurgen Klopp’s fluid attacking front three may yet stick around in our squads.

With Sadio Mane belatedly repaying the Gameweek 26 faith with a goal and assist return a week later, his form continues to bubble and there’s real belief that the Senegal international is now the go-to option.

Roberto Firmino also issued a reminder by matching Mane’s output against Arsenal, though it’s his compatriot Philippe Coutinho who appears the most intriguing.

While he blanked against the Gunners, the Brazilian’s consolation in the defeat at Leicester offers a signpost for greater things to come – the 12 shots on goal in two matches providing further evidence.

Based on Saturday’s display, the spring is back in Coutinho’s game – an ominous sign ahead of a meeting with Burnley’s hefty but somewhat ponderous defence.

Klopp’s charges host Manchester City following Sunday’s Clarets clash, with the Merseyside derby in Gameweek 30 their only real major test remaining.

Until we conduct the clear-out to seize double Gameweek assets, there could be merit in reserving at least one midfield slot to cover the Liverpool attack.

The return to Sanchez is no longer automatic…
So where does that leave Sanchez?

Clearly, in a perfect world, the top points scorer would assume his rightful place back in our squads having suffered heavy sales leading up to his two blank Gameweeks.

But things are far from perfect at Arsenal.

Arsene Wenger’s decision to bench the Chilean at Liverpool, coupled with the alarming malaise the Emirates Stadium, now prompts us to consider a rethink.

His consistency as an asset cannot be questioned – coming off the bench to conjure an assist at Anfield, Sanchez has returned attacking points in seven of his last eight Gameweeks.

But two double-digit returns in 11 suggests that his explosive qualities have waned and, should Arsenal struggle to recover quickly from their current lack of form and confidence, there may be little justification for the surgery required to accommodate Sanchez.

Llorente and Gabbiadini make the case for 3-4-3…
While we currently appear blessed for midfield options, we’re also entering a spell when the lure of a three-man attack looks strong.

Regardless of being able to stretch to a trio of heavy-hitters, in Fernando Llorente and Manolo Gabbiadini, we now have compelling third-striker options in the mid-price.

Llorente is suddenly a major threat.

Paul Clement’s Swansea appear to have perfected their attacking gameplan, emphasising getting the ball wide and firing deep aerial balls to expose defences on the far post. In Gylfi Sigurdsson and Tom Carroll, they have players who can deliver and, in Llorente, Clement has a fearsome aerial weapon that looks immensely difficult to shackle.

While the Swans’ striker offers the short-term schedule to flourish, the case for Gabbiadini is perhaps even stronger.

The goal at Vicarage Road was his fourth in three starts, a sixth in four in all competitions.

The Italian’s staggering impact at St Mary’s has already drawn huge Fantasy interest and, once the Saints return to a regular schedule and with two double Gameweeks to come, Gabbiadini makes a convincing case to shift to 3-4-3.