Dugout Discussion – Saturday

The Gameweek continues with a batch of three o’clock kick-offs, as our eyes are drawn to Goodison Park.

Everton take on Hull City on Merseyside with striker Romelu Lukaku again the top captaincy pick in the Gameweek. Now part of more than two million squads, the Belgian is backed by more than a million of those – 24.6% of FPL managers – with the captaincy ahead of the Tigers clash.

With over 257,000 new Gameweek 29 owners, Diego Costa drops in on the bet365 Stadium to take on Stoke City. He’ll look to provide the cutting edge for leaders Chelsea, but will need to cope without the support of Eden Hazard – the playmaker is missing from the Blues line-up having been sidelined by a “little problem” according to manager Antonio Conte. Owned by almost 1.3 million, Hazard was brought into more than 83,000 new squads prior to today’s deadline.

Elsewhere, Jermain Defoe will look to improve on a run that has seen him register returns in just one of his last six Gameweeks when Burnley pay visit to the Stadium of Light. The veteran striker was acquired by over 88,000 FPL managers ahead of the Clarets clash.

West Ham host the ever-improving Leicester City at the London Stadium, with Fantasy managers scouting the claims of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez ahead of back-to-back home fixtures for the champions.

Meanwhile, Sam Allardyce’s Crystal Palace go in search of a third successive win and clean sheet when they face Watford at Selhurst Park.