Our pre-Gameweek members article, offering insight on the armband conundrum for the upcoming round of fixtures, is up next.
We’ll check in with the main players in this week’s Captain Poll, then assess the Opta numbers and Rate My Team (RMT) ratings before suggesting a differential option or two in light of the data analysis.
The Captain Poll
Before this morning’s confirmation that Harry Kane has been ruled out of Spurs’ trip to Man United, he was involved in a three-way tussle for along with Mohamed Salah and Sergio Aguero at the top of the Gameweek 10 Captain Poll.
With Kane now out of contention, Liverpool’s Salah has edged into the lead on 19% after netting a fifth of the season in Sunday’s loss at Spurs.
The Reds’ summer signing has delivered double figures in two of his three home starts ahead of Huddersfield Town’s visit and is the preferred Reds option over Philippe Coutinho (5%), who has drawn blanks in both his home appearances and is a big doubt with a groin problem.
Aguero started the week at the Captain Poll summit, but his 120-minute Carabao Cup shift against Wolves on Tuesday has seen him slip in many managers’ estimations.
The Argentine still has 18% of the votes as the league leaders make their way to West Bromwich Albion – a team he scored twice against in the corresponding fixture last season.
If he earns the pitch-time at The Hawthorns, Aguero’s form on the road – 30 points in three away outings – underlines his potential.
Fellow forward Gabriel Jesus (5%) earned minutes as a sub at the weekend and, having been replaced before 90 minutes in midweek, could be in line to start against a defence that has mustered just one clean sheet in seven.
A home clash with Swansea City brings Alexis Sanchez (6%) and Alexandre Lacazette (4%) into the frame in light of Arsenal’s demolition of Everton.
After a slow start, the Chilean claimed his first double-digit haul of the campaign at Goodison and has returned points in each of his last three league outings.
Lacazette has notched four times in front of his own fans and boasts spot-kick duties to strengthen his points potential.
Faith in Watford’s Richarlison (4%) is on the rise ahead of a home encounter with Stoke City. The young Brazilian has delivered points in each of the last four Gameweeks and faces a defence that has conceded more times (20) than any other.
Chelsea pair Alvaro Morata (5%) and Eden Hazard (3%) could also emerge as differentials for a trip to Bournemouth.
The former scored a hat-trick in his previous road trip and has 23 points across his last two away outings.
Hazard has saved his best form for the Champions League since returning from injury, but will fancy his chances against a defence with a single clean sheet all season.
Romelu Lukaku’s armband allure is in decline – he’s backed by just 2% after failing to score in his last two appearances.
His output against the north London side – one goal in eight league appearances for West Brom and Everton – is hardly convincing, yet four goals in as many home matches suggests that we shouldn’t rule him out.
Elsewhere, Jamie Vardy (1%) will look to get the better of Everton’s dodgy defence at the King Power. The Foxes frontman has scored against Chelsea and Arsenal in two of his last three home appearances.
