Captain Poll – Gameweek 35

There may still be four matches left of this extended round of fixtures but we are already looking ahead with the launch of our Captain Poll for Gameweek 35.

In sharp contrast to Gameweek 34, the next set of matches features just 12 teams due to the FA Cup semi-finals.

Among those set to dominate early voting are players from newly crowned Premier League champions Manchester City, who entertain Swansea City at home.

In the reverse fixture, the Welsh side were beaten 4-0 and have been in a similarly obliging mood on their travels, with just one clean sheet in the last six away days.

In that earlier encounter between the two sides Raheem Sterling (8.7) was among the star performers with two assists, and current form suggests he will be popular with voters again.

The winger has three goals and two assists in his last six outings, firing 22 efforts on goal – only Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has produced more attempts (25) over that timeframe.

Claiming more than 49,000 new owners ahead of Saturday’s deadline so far, Sterling is the most popular acquisition in Fantasy Premier League’s market.

Kevin De Bruyne (10.3)’s convincing form at the Etihad Stadium should also attract plenty of interest, with no player creating more chances (61) or registering more assists (14) in home matches than the Belgian.

Fantasy managers will also need to monitor noises on Sergio Aguero’s (11.6) fitness as he recovers from injury. With 15 goals, the Argentine is their most potent threat on home turf.

Should his fellow forward fail to recover, votes are likely to shift towards Gabriel Jesus (10.0), who has delivered attacking returns in each of his last three starts. Already he is the most acquired forward this week, with more than 27,000 FPL managers making their move.

However, there is a caveat in investing and trusting in Pep Guardiola’s charges. With the league title now secure, the spectre of rotation could loom large from this point onwards.

Liverpool’s line-up could also be shuffled for their trip to West Brom which arrives just three days before the first leg of their Champions League semi-final against Roma.

Nevertheless, Mohamed Salah (10.5)’s form should ensure that he garners considerable support. The Golden Boot leader, with 30 goals, he has delivered double-digit scores in half of his last eight league outings, including that record-breaking 29-point return against Watford at Anfield in Gameweek 31.

Sadio Mane (9.5) and Roberto Firmino (9.4) complete Liverpool’s in-form attacking trio. That pair have both claimed four goals from their last seven matches, with Mane producing attacking returns in six of his last seven Gameweeks.

The Baggies will be buoyed by their shock 1-0 away victory over Manchester United. However, this was just the second time since Gameweek 20 that they have earned a clean sheet, surely suggesting that Jurgen Klopp’s side will offer us strong attacking returns.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (10.7) continues to be ineligible for Arsenal’s Europa League campaign and therefore surely a certain starter in Gameweek 35.

Having already proved a reliable armband pick since arriving in north London, it’s no surprise to see the Gabon international challenge at the top of our current poll – he’s returned points in six of eight league starts.

Aubameyang now enjoys an enticing home meeting with a West Ham defence that has shipped a league-high 14 goals over their last six away matches.

Crystal Palace midfield pair Wilfried Zaha (6.9) and Luka Milivojevic (5.1) are among alternative captaincy selections, due to their strong recent form.

Since returning from an injury lay off in Gameweek 30, Zaha has found the net three times and registered two assists.

Meanwhile, set-piece specialist Milivojevic has made a mockery of his modest price tag after amassing 38 points in Palace’s previous four. The Serb is the second most bought this week, attracting 31,000 new owners.

The Eagles pair collide with the league’s worst home defence, Watford, who have conceded 30 goals in front of their own fans.

Our poll is now live in the middle column on your homepage on desktop, or via the slide-in menu on mobile and tablet under recent comments.

Remember, we are looking for your vote for the player you think will be most effective, regardless of whether you own them or not.

We will be back to check in on progress in the poll later ahead of the Gameweek 35 deadline when we deliver our “Captain Sensible” article offering an analysis of the results and the statistics behind the leading contenders.