We struck gold with Brighton’s Glenn Murray last weekend and we’re backing another budget forward in our latest trio of differentials.
Two midfielders with kind home fixtures also take our fancy this week, with creative talents from Arsenal and Everton taking centre stage.
Steve Mounie
Huddersfield Town’s in-form forward Steve Mounie is our headline selection ahead of an excellent home meeting with Swansea City.
The Benin international has produced two goals and as many assists in his last three Gameweek starts and offers an explosive potential that makes him a strong differential candidate.
Five of his six goals this season have been scored in matches when he has registered a double-figure haul.
Mounie is sat in just 1.9% of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) squads, and as well as the plum fixture this afternoon, the Terriers are, crucially, one of only eight teams in action in Gameweek 31.
They host Crystal Palace next weekend – the side that Mounie scored twice against on the opening weekend.
That makes him an ideal short-term option, particularly given the lack of appealing forward candidates available to us among the eight clubs that feature next weekend.
Since returning to the starting XI in Gameweek 27, Mounie has produced six shots, with four from close-range, while he has also created four chances. Only Aaron Mooy (five) has managed more key passes among Huddersfield players.
This afternoon’s match-up looks very promising.
Swansea have failed to keep a clean sheet in their four away matches under Carlos Carvalhal, conceding seven goals, and they have given up 10 big chances in those encounters.
Available at just 5.7 in FPL, Mounie can prove to be a shrewd acquisition and an effective differential for the next two Gameweeks.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
While Mounie is a two-week punt, Arsenal’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan is more of a temporary option as the Gunners have a blank Gameweek 31.
The Armenian starred in Thursday night’s 2-0 win over AC Milan in the UEFA Europa League, scoring the opening goal.
Prior to that, he had managed only a single assist in five appearances in all competitions since producing three on his home debut against Everton.
No team-mate has had more shots than Mkhitaryan (seven) over the last four Gameweeks, while he has created more big chances (three) than any other Gunners player.
Given the confidence Arsenal will have gained from the victory in Italy, the 11.2%-owned Mkhitaryan may be worth taking a chance on for the home clash against Watford.
In their only away match under Javi Gracia, the Hornets suffered a 2-0 defeat to West Ham United.
Arsene Wenger’s side also benefit from a great run-in, including a double Gameweek which is likely to come in Gameweek 34.
So for Fantasy managers who have already used their second Wildcard, investing in the 7.7-priced Mkhitaryan could prove particularly appealing.
Gylfi Sigurdsson
While plenty of Fantasy managers are gravitating towards Theo Walcott ahead of Gameweek 31, his Everton team-mate Gylfi Sigurdsson should not be forgotten as a viable alternative.
Toffees players are gaining interest as they face a home fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion this afternoon before heading to Stoke City in the reduced Gameweek 31.
In terms of the underlying statistics over the last three Gameweeks, it’s Sigurdsson who stands out as Everton’s premier attacker.
He leads the way for both shots (five) and chances created (four).
Those numbers translated into attacking points when Sam Allardyce’s men last played at Goodison Park, with Sigurdsson producing a goal and an assist in a 12-point haul against Palace.
While today’s opponents Brighton are in good form, they have remained vulnerable at the back.
The Seagulls are without a clean sheet in their last eight matches and have managed just one shut-out from their last eight road trips.
Although Sigurdsson (8.0) is more expensive than Walcott (7.2), that may be less of a concern for those FPL managers who are planning to Wildcard in Gameweek 32.
Sigurdsson has the proven ability to be a key differential, and with an ownership of just 2.4%, continues to offer an intriguing option.
