Spot the Differential

Martial could make mockery of £7.5m price tag this year

Wish the summer and your weekend afternoons goodbye, as it’s that time of the year again… Fantasy Premier League is back.

As we hurtle towards the Gameweek 1 deadline, Fantasy Football Scout has all the information, advice and tips you need to help you with your team.

Our best XI for the opening weekend comes out later on Friday but for now, we have something for you mavericks out there.

If you want something slightly different to the crowd, here are three players with low ownership that may be worth considering for Gameweek 1…

Anthony Martial

Martial could do well for Manchester United this year if he gets a run in the team

Price: £7.5m

Ownership: 5.0%

GW1 Opponent: Chelsea (H)

There is no denying that Manchester United did not finished the 2018/19 season on a high. As soon as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was offered the manager’s role on a permanent basis things began to take a turn for the worse as the Red Devils agonisingly missed out on a coveted Champions League spot. 

If there’s one person who could help turn things around with a run in the side, it is Anthony Martial

He averaged an attacking return every 115 minutes in the Premier League last season.

Despite being listed as a midfielder he often plays in advanced positions, such as a centre forward on three occasions during pre-season.

His record of scoring 34 goal in 113 Premier League games is very reasonable, especially when considering his FPL price tag (£7.5m) and position. 

Historically, a combination of injuries, rotation and being subbed off often limited his game time. 

With that said, he is one of United’s most experienced attacking players and, fitness permitting, he should start matches regularly and will be relied upon to perform at his best on a consistent basis. 

Manchester United will be up against a transitional Chelsea team on the opening weekend. 

Interestingly, the last time Martial featured against them he scored a brace in a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge. Meanwhile, Chelsea’s defence has not looked too solid in pre-season and they have just lost David Luiz (£6.0m) to Arsenal.

After last season’s woes, Manchester United will want to get off to a good start and players like Martial will need to make more of a difference with improved motivation.

Kyle Walker-Peters

Kyle Walker-Peters (left) in action for Spurs this summer

Price: £5.0m

Ownership: 3.03%

GW1 Opponent: Aston Villa (H)

Kyle Walker-Peters was far from being one of Tottenham’s firstchoice full-backs last season, but a unique opportunity has presented itself to the youngster.

The departure of Kieran Trippier to La Liga and the injuries to Serge Aurier and Juan Foyth have unexpectedly brought him to the fore. 

Walker-Peters has only featured in nine Premier League games during his entire career and yet averages an assist for every 112 minutes played. 

Moreover, last season, 32% of his touches were in the final third of the pitch. 

Of course, three of Walkers-Peters’ assists came from one game, but it provides an evident glimpse of attacking capabilities.

In fact, you won’t get many other starting £5.0m defenders from last season’s top four, espcially not at wing-back.

The transfer window has now closed and Tottenham’s did not sign any new right-sided defenders. 

Walker-Peters may not be a hugely long-term option and may need transferring/wildcarding out when Foyth or Aurier comes back but we don’t know exactly when that will be yet. 

Tottenham kick start their campaign against newly promoted Aston Villa in Gameweek 1, a favourable fixture.

Walker-Peters has a chance to establish himself in the team and with a few good performances he may prolong his presence as a regular starter.

Ashley Barnes

Burnley’s strike force could enjoy their Gameweek 1 opener against Southampton

Price: £6.5m

Ownership: 0.9%

GW1 Opponent: Southampton

Ashley Barnes was a great differential last season, registering 12 goals and 3 assists. 

This attacking output alone was responsible for 33% of Burnley’s goals, which shows you how important he is to the team. 

There are many other strikers currently priced at £6.5m with similar contributions, such as Josh King, but Barnes has an extra edge. 

For every season that he has played in the Premier League he seems to be progressively scoring more goals:

14/15 Premier League season 5 goals in 35 games
16/17 Premier League season 6 goals in 28 games
17/18 Premier League season 9 goals in 36 games
18/19 Premier League season 12 goals in 37 games

The former Austria Under-20 international’s performance trajectory clearly shows that he is getting better at the top-flight level.

He is at the peak of his powers and there isn’t anything stopping him, even if they’ve signed Jay Rodriguez as an additional forward to add to the mix. 

Sure, Barnes won’t end the season with 20+ goals, but would it be hard to reject him for your third budget striker spot when he could exceed last season’s points tally? 

Burnley start the season with Southampton at Turf Moor. Barnes has scored two league goals in his last two starts against the Saints and he should be more than capable of causing havoc to their backline once again.

MORE TEAM-BY-TEAM ANALYSIS CONTENT

Arsenal | Aston Villa (manager) | Aston Villa (defence) | Aston Villa (attack) | Bournemouth | Brighton | Burnley | Chelsea | Crystal Palace | Everton | Leicester | Liverpool | Man City | Man United | Newcastle | Norwich (manager) | Norwich (defence) | Norwich (attack) | Sheffield United (manager) | Sheffield United (defence) | Sheffield United (attack) | Southampton | Spurs | Watford | West Ham | Wolves

3,661 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Dutchy
    • 5 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Moura or Martial

    1. The Mantis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Moura for now

      1. how now brown cow
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Agreed

  2. The Mantis
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Pick 2: Siggy / Moura / Bilva

    1. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Moura

  3. LIARS POKER
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Thoughts on keeping £1m left in the bank?

    I am pretty happy with my team and not sure where to spend it, so thinking maybe keep it and makes it easier to jump on someone if they emerge

    1. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      If you are happy with your team. No need to ask. That's a bonus!

    2. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      If you're happy with your team there's no reason not to. It gives you some flexability

    3. FPL_DON
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      TAA Robbo

    4. Eastman
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I’ve kept 1m and usually do

  4. MattSmitty
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A. Robbo + King
    B. Gomez + Wilson

    Have VVD and Salah

    1. Darbs
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A

    2. The Mantis
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A all day for me

    3. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A

    4. mrmrscott
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A

  5. bros
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A or B please

    A Sterling + Ryan
    B De Bruyne + Ederson +1m left
    Thanks
    Bobby

    1. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A

  6. Leeds2116
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Greenwood or Wickham as non playing forward?

    1. Bonus magnet
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Greeney

    2. mrmrscott
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Yeah Greenwood

  7. Ninjaa
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Pope Henderson
    Robertson Digne Montoya Guilbert Rico
    Sterling Salah Perez Robinson (Dendonker)
    Kane King Wood

    Opinions on this lot. Thanks

    1. Athletic Nasherbo
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Lovely stuff.

  8. bodsc
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Mahrez a top pick now surely.

    1. Ninjaa
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Why what's happened?

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Sane dead

    2. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Hasn't kicked a ball in pre season

    3. LangerznMash
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      David Silva top pick now surely.

      1. bodsc
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Slice of both.

    4. DaisyDaisyDaisyDaisy
      • 10 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Bilva maybe..

  9. ratski
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A. Kdb, Bruma, and Kane
    Or
    B. Sterling, zinc, and wilson

    1. bros
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      B all day long for me!

      1. ratski
        • 13 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Think I agree but just makes me nervous not having a big name striker like Kane or auba

        1. jtreble
          • 7 Years
          4 years, 7 months ago

          There doesn't seem the be the necessary value in premium forwards. High value wingbacks/defenders seem to have changed the game.

    2. mrmrscott
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      B easily

  10. LangerznMash
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A) Kane + Trossard
    B) Firmino + Martial

    Can't help but feel Firmino is being over looked only because other the other Liverpool options. Looking at him individually, £9.5m is a very fair price for Liverpool's centre forward. He just needs to be more selfish and steal some of Salah's goals!

    1. The Train Driver
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Think Firmino is a great pick, I would have him if I didn't have Auba. Think he will score more than Kane the first 2.

      1. LangerznMash
        • 7 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        Agreed, cheers bud.

  11. nadman89
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    whats the best gk combination with 2 4.5s?

    1. Adro34
      • 7 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'm on Pope and Heaton

      1. Garlana
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        This

    2. Evil Genius
      • 6 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Ryan/Button and rotate WHU/BUR/AVL until GW12

  12. Adro34
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    TAA/Robbo and Zouma or Zinch and VVD?

    (Repost) Cheers

  13. lloydl
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Pope

    Vvd Digne KWP

    Salah Sterling Martial L. Moura

    Jota King Vardy

    Button Rico Kelly Dendon

    1st RMT, this probably my 100th draft, G2G or any obvious disasters

  14. Public user
    • 13 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    The big question ,

    Pérez or king for the first two weeks ?

    Wilson is in my team currently

    1. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Perez

    2. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Perez.

      But I'd get King instead of Wilson and use that 1.5m elsewhere.

    3. Eat my goal!
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Perez imo

    4. Keep Calm and Play On
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Perez

    5. Public user
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Pérez against on fire wolve and new Chelsea ?

      King facing two newly promoted team ? Hmmm

  15. Egg noodle
    • 14 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A. ZINCH + SIGGY
    B. KWP + MOURA

  16. FPL_DON
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Any help much appreciated 🙂

    A) Zinch

    or

    B) Lowton & Diop - rotation

    1. Keep Calm and Play On
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      If you have a decent bench you can get away with A) and replace when he starts missing, if not go B)

  17. Keep Calm and Play On
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Any help appreciated lads.
    A) Coleman and Zouma
    B) Digne and Diop

    Last piece of the puzzle Goodluck to all this season

  18. Darbs
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Any preference between A and B?

    A) Vardy and Jota
    B) Wilson and Jimenez

    1. Keep Calm and Play On
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'd prefer A)

  19. abaalan
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Help, so indecisive...which do we think.

    A. Pope, Heaton
    Taa, digne, kwp, (montoya, diop)
    Salah, sterling, moura, trossard, Perez
    Wilson, deeney (Wickham)

    B. Pope, Heaton
    Vvd*, digne, kwp, zinchenko*(montoya)
    Salah, sterling, Perez, trossard (Hayden*)
    Kane*, king* (Wickham)

  20. Ozzy smith
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Who's the best pick from the 4.5m keepers? Currently on Ryan/Button

    1. how now brown cow
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I think heaton or pope

    2. Keep Calm and Play On
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I'm on Ryan Button just so I don't have to think about it

  21. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Kwp assist stats are heavily influenced by the freakish bournemouth first half where he got 3.

  22. moz_1983
    • 11 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    1) Robbo & Camarasa
    2) 4.5m def & Martial?

    Already have VVD, Digne, AWB - and Camarasa would rotate 4th mid spot with Donk (not ideal)

  23. H.A.BRUCE
    • 10 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    First RMT

    Heaton (4m GK)
    Dunk VVD TAA Soyuncu (4m Def)
    Salah Sterling Fraser Perez (Stephens)
    King Kane (Greenwood)

    GTG?

    Not overly keen on Soyuncu would prefer Digne/Coleman but not sure who to downgrade.

    1. supersham
      • 12 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Bad day for a first RMT pal.

    2. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      I think VVD and TAA will finish on very similar points this year. Maybe TAA to a 5 / 5.5 * Soy > Dig/Cole

  24. gbprogrammes
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    which is best?

    Pickford and 4.5m Bournemouth defender
    or
    Leno and Zouma?

  25. marpy016
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Think I'm ready to walk away from the computer, thoughts?

    Heaton - (Button)

    Robertson - VVD - Digne - Montoya - (Diop)

    Sterling - Salah - Perez - McGinn - (Dendoncker)

    Kane - King - (Greenwood)

    1. Dacra
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Heaton / Mcginn / Kane > Ederson / Moura / Haller, then very similar to mine.

    2. Ozzy smith
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Nice for a kane salah sterling team. I just have KDB Jota and Zinc over McGinn Kane and Mont.

  26. Alli
    • 6 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A) Wilson + Zinchenko
    B) King + Robbo (Have VVD)

    1. Champione
      • 8 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      A

  27. Champione
    • 8 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    A) KDB
    B) Vardy

  28. JDrama
    • 4 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Have always played 3-4-3 in the past but going with 4-3-3 to accommodate 3 big hitters.

    Pope
    Walker-Peters Zinchenko VVD Digne
    Salah Sterling MGinn
    Kane Wilson King

    Bench: Drinkwater Dendonker Lundstram

    Thoughts?

    If a decent midfield option emerges then I can downgrade Wilson, King or Digne to free up some funds.

  29. how now brown cow
    • 9 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    Barely seen tielemans mentioned. Is Perez that much better or is there another reason?

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      It's like picking between Bernardo Silva and Sterling when they're the same price.

      1. how now brown cow
        • 9 Years
        4 years, 7 months ago

        You are comparing ayoze to sterling??

    2. moz_1983
      • 11 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Tielemans deeper, Perez likely to get more returns.

    3. Ozzy smith
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Their roles / positions are completely different....

  30. amit1964
    • 7 Years
    4 years, 7 months ago

    1) zuma/kpa+ rico/kelly
    or
    2) 2 def 4.5 and who?

    thank's

    1. Dacra
      • 9 Years
      4 years, 7 months ago

      Same decision to make here, currently on Zouma+Rico.