As the hours tick down until tomorrow’s 11.30am deadline, we check in with the main captaincy contenders in our regular pre-Gameweek members’ article.
We assess the Opta numbers from both a player and team perspective – including a preview of our forthcoming Expected Goals statistics – and also analyse the Rate My Team (RMT) ratings before suggesting a differential or two to consider.
The Captain Poll
It’s a two-way tussle at the top of our Gameweek 7 Captain Poll, with Romelu Lukaku and Harry Kane going head-to-head for our affections.
The Manchester United striker is a clear leader on 48% of the votes ahead of a plum home encounter against a Crystal Palace side that’s yet to pick up a point this season.
Lukaku has racked up six goals in as many league outings for the Red Devils and has produced two sets of double-figures in three home appearances.
His team-mate Henrikh Mkhitaryan is something of an afterthought, with a mere 2% backing. Yet it’s worth noting that he’s level with Lukaku for points at home, on 25 apiece.
Meanwhile, Kane’s midweek hat-trick at APOEL Nicosia continued his relentless away form.
The Spurs frontman has netted seven goals in his last three road trips across all competitions, which also includes two-goal hauls at Everton and West Ham in the last three Gameweeks.
But he collects just over half the number of votes as Lukaku, with only 25% convinced to hand him the armband.
Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli missed the Cyprus trip through illness and suspension respectively this week.
Yet both have persuaded less than 1% to show faith. Eriksen has served up 28 points in three away appearances, while Alli has bagged a goal and two assists over those fixtures.
Alexandre Lacazette (4%) is regarded as the best of the rest behind Lukaku and Kane ahead of Arsenal’s home clash with Brighton.
The Frenchman has notched in every appearance at the Emirates so far, with a brace against West Brom on Monday night confirming his role as number one for spot-kicks under Arsene Wenger.
Alexis Sanchez equalled Lacazette for efforts on goal (four) against the Baggies but with just a single assist to his name, last year’s top scoring FPL assets earns a mere 1% of the votes.
Elsewhere, Alvaro Morata claims a mere 1% backing for the visit of Man City. Like Lukaku, though, he has delivered two sets of double-figures in three at home.
If he can shrug off a “slight” hip problem, Jamie Vardy looks another big differential as Leicester roll up to Bournemouth.
Five goals in six highlight his potential against a side that’s failed to keep a clean sheet to date.
While Liverpool midfield Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Philippe Coutinho are also shaping up as overlooked picks for a visit to St James’ Park.
Salah has netted in four of his five league starts, while Mane was the only player to score in each of the first three rounds of fixtures prior to being dismissed against Man City in Gameweek 4.
And Coutinho’s two goals and an assist in the last two across all competitions has brought over 145,000 new owners as the Reds look to get one over former manager Rafa Benitez.
