Everton get things right at both ends of the pitch for a change, while Leicester City see off a sorry West Brom and Huddersfield throw everything at ten-man Swansea City to no avail.
A Cenk Tosun strike and yet another Brighton own goal secured Everton a vital victory as the Seagulls’ five-match unbeaten run came to an end.
The Turkish striker was signed by 10,000+ Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers this week – presumably with more than half an eye on the Toffees’ Gameweek 31 fixture at Stoke City – and he responded with his second successive goal.
Owned by just 0.5%, he’s fast becoming a differential candidate who also delivers bonus points – his two scoring matches have brought in five of those.
Overall interest in Everton assets was minimal heading into the Gameweek, with Theo Walcott’s 24,000+ new managers making him the club’s most popular choice, although some 124,000 have also sold him on over the last three Gameweeks.
He looked like he’d opened the scoring when Yannick Bolasie’s cross ended up in the back of the net, only for it to be ruled a Gaetan Bong own goal, with plenty of pressure but no touch coming from the England midfielder.
Walcott was then subbed off with what looked like a calf issue on 72 minutes, with coach Sam Allardyce confirming post-match that Walcott had suffered cramp and was likely to be “okay” for the visit to Stoke up next. Allardyce also added that Gylfi Sigurdsson played on despite picking up a knock to the knee; presumably he will also need assessment before the Potters trip.
Maximum bonus on the day went to Fantasy legend Leighton Baines, who set up Tosun’s goal and also picked up a clean sheet for a chunky 12-point haul on his first start since Gameweek 13.
And it could have been even better for the left-back when Everton were awarded a late penalty, but Wayne Rooney ended up taking the spot-kick, which was promptly saved by Mat Ryan.
Allardyce later confirmed that the striker is unlikely to retain penalty duties, with Tosun, Sigurdsson and Baines all in the running to take the next. That could add to Baines’ appeal, although his 5.6 price tag, a lack of double Gameweeks and matches with Man City and Liverpool in the next three will dissuade investment from all but the most fanatic of followers.
It was a first clean sheet in nine matches for the Toffees, while Brighton have not managed a single shut-out over the same period, with Ryan’s second penalty save in four Gameweeks a major consolation prize for his 149,000+ owners.
Glenn Murray and Pascal Gross were among the top 10 most signed players heading into Gameweek 30 – they’d had five goals and three assists between them over the previous four fixtures.
But they were kept very quiet at Goodison Park, while a red card for Anthony Knockaert means he’ll miss an FA Cup quarter-final with Man United and the two Gameweeks that follow.
Baggies looking Championship-bound
An opening goal from Salomon Rondon, set up by Oliver Burke, gave West Brom fans some hope of a desperately-needed revival for a side seven points adrift at the bottom of the table.
Four Leicester City goals later it was more Apocalypse Now than The Great Escape for the Baggies faithful, and even a Gameweek 31 fixture at Bournemouth is not going to encourage investment in their misfiring players.
Leicester won’t be in league action next weekend – they’re facing Chelsea in the FA Cup – but should they prevail against the Blues they’ll be in line for two double Gameweeks before the season’s end.
A decent enough schedule – only matches with Spurs and Arsenal look particularly taxing – should also prompt interest in their assets, with Riyad Mahrez the main man.
He scored one goal and set up another, for Jamie Vardy, at The Hawthorns, and has now produced returns in 11 of his last 14 Gameweek starts (nine goals, four assists).
Some 78,000 managers signed him for Gameweek 30, and he responded with back-to-back goals and double-figure hauls – he now has five of the latter this campaign.
Only one bonus point came his way, however, as he was tackled five times and fired two shots off target.
Vardy actually lost 28,000+ in ownership ahead of the Gameweek, but made it five goals in seven matches with a stunning finish from Mahrez’s through-ball.
The other scorers were Vicente Iborra and Kelechi Iheanacho, who were both awarded maximum bonus. The striker also produced an assist, as did Marc Albrighton and Ben Chilwell.
That was a welcome boost for the defender’s 1.3% ownership as the Foxes have now gone six matches without a clean sheet, meaning investment in their players for a probable double Gameweek 34 away at Burnley and home to Arsenal is likely to involve Mahrez and Vardy alone.
Defiant Swans frustrate Huddersfield
The final side with a Gameweek 31 fixture, Huddersfield, had 30 shots to 10-man Swansea City’s zero, but couldn’t find a way past the visitor’s defence in a 0-0 draw.
Jordan Ayew, the second most signed striker of Gameweek 30 with 63,000+ new owners, was dismissed for a tackle on Jonathan Hogg after just 10 minutes and will now miss the FA Cup quarter-final with Spurs and a further two league matches.
He’ll be back for a potential double Gameweek 34 involving home matches with Everton and Southampton, making him a solid budget striker option for Wildcarders.
In truth, either Ayew or Hogg – or even both – could have seen red in the incident, which prompted a supreme backs-to-the-wall performance from the visitors.
Keeper Lukasz Fabianski earned nine points from the shut-out, two bonus and a save point, although it was a mark of the Terriers’ lack of real quality in the final third that he was only required to make four stops.
Maximum bonus instead went to Huddersfield’s Florent Hadergjonaj, who produced an extraordinary eight successful open-play crosses – which created seven chances – from right-back.
Midfielders Alex Pritchard and Aaron Mooy created four chances apiece, while Tom Ince had no fewer than eight shots, including five in the box.
Pritchard, with a goal and two assists from the last four Gamweeks, is perhaps the most attractive prospect of those players for Gameweek 31’s home match against Crystal Palace, although he was replaced by Collin Quaner on 65 minutes yesterday.
That could be a concern, given that Huddersfield were chasing a winner, but the midfielder had managed only 45 minutes in the previous Gameweek against Spurs, which was a likely factor in his substitution.
Up front, Steve Mounie had eight shots, all in the box – more than any other forward in the Gameweek to date.
Three of those were on target, and he is arguably the Terriers’ most likely attacking target for Gameweek 31.
Some 80,000 FPL bosses have already brought him in over the last three Gameweeks on the back of two goals and as many assists in the three matches that preceded yesterday’s stalemate.
