Gameweek 32+ saw one of last week’s differential picks, Jarrod Bowen (£6.4m), deliver for his owners, whilst former column favourites Miguel Almirón (£5.8m), Michail Antonio (£6.9m) and Paul Pogba (£8.3m) all registered attacking returns.
So now, ahead of Gameweek 33+, we go in search of more differentials who can help you climb the rankings.
This time we’ve focused on two midfielders with promising fixtures and an intriguing budget defender who has only recently emerged on the scene, all of whom are held by less than 5% of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers.
João Moutinho
- FPL ownership: 4.8%
- Price: £5.4m
- GW33+ – 37+ fixtures: ARS | shu | EVE | bur | CRY
Portuguese midfielder João Moutinho (£5.4m) may get less love than some of his more popular teammates, but the 33-year-old playmaker has a huge influence on the way Wolverhampton Wanderers play, and the numbers confirm it.
When it comes to creating chances, Moutinho is one of the best.
Amongst midfielders this season, only Kevin De Bruyne (£10.7m), Jack Grealish (£6.2m), James Maddison (£7.4m) and Emiliano Buendía (£6.0m) have registered more, whilst he also leads the way at Molineux for touches and successful passes.
This season alone, Moutinho has racked up seven FPL assists, and 14 across all competitions.
A key part of Moutinho’s appeal lies in his opponents this weekend, Arsenal.
The Gunners have often struggled to defend set plays this season. In fact, only Aston Villa and Newcastle United have allowed more attempts from dead-ball situations. You’d imagine this is something Nuno Espírito Santo will look to target, which is encouraging for Moutinho, who has taken all of Wolves’ corners since the restart.
Wolves are a club in form. They’ve improved their Champions League prospects by winning all three of their matches since Gameweek 30+ without conceding a goal, and have only allowed their opponents three shots on target and a solitary big chance.
Moutinho is a superb technician, whose delivery could be a key weapon this weekend, and with an ownership of just 4.8%, is a tempting differential.
Tariq Lamptey
- FPL ownership: 0.4%
- Price: £4.0m
- GW33+ – 37+ fixtures: nor | LIV | MCI | sou | NEW
Tariq Lamptey (£4.0m) moved to Brighton and Hove Albion from Chelsea in January in search of more first-team opportunities.
The 19-year-old has had to be patient, but has now started back-to-back matches, providing Brighton with an exciting option on the right side, both at right-back, and also further up the pitch.
Over the last two games, Lamptey clocked 135 minutes and ranked fourth amongst teammates for final third touches with 23. That’s more than forwards Neal Maupay (£5.7m) and Aaron Connolly (£4.2m), and in the first half against Manchester United, only Alexis Mac Allister (£5.5m) was more advanced.
Graham Potter’s side remain in 15th place, six points above the relegation zone. Despite being brushed aside by Manchester United, they have been in good form since the restart, picking up four points, and have shown enough quality to suggest they should be able to pull themselves away from danger. In fact, no team has given up fewer big chances since Gameweek 30+.
The Seagulls face a huge game against bottom-of-the-table Norwich City on Saturday. The Canaries have looked blunt going forward in recent matches, and it’s worth noting only Aston Villa have conceded more chances from the left flank since the restart.
In a short space of time, Lamptey has proven he has the physical and technical ability to thrive in the Premier League, and could be a useful budget asset for the run in.
Allan Saint-Maximin
- FPL ownership: 2.6%
- Price: £5.5m
- GW33+ – 37+ fixtures: WHM | mci | wat | TOT | bha
With three double-digit hauls in his last four Premier League starts, Allan Saint-Maximin (£5.5m) is becoming hard to ignore.
The 23-year-old was a constant threat against Bournemouth on Wednesday night, laying on three assists for his teammates, and having been subbed off just after an hour, should be raring to go when West Ham United visit on Sunday.
The Frenchman has always had raw talent but has often frustrated due to his erratic decision-making. Now, he looks to have added consistency and an end product to his game and leads the way at St James’ Park for shots, final third touches and take-ons since the restart. He’s also created three big chances over that period; only De Bruyne has more.
The upturn in Saint-Maximin’s form has coincided with Steve Bruce’s decision to switch from a defensive 5-4-1 system to a more attacking 4-2-3-1 in Gameweek 28. Since then, Newcastle have played some of their best football of the season, with three wins and two draws in their last five matches, and looked poised to finish the season strongly.
Saint-Maximin’s unpredictability and individuality makes him one of the most exciting players to watch in the Premier League, and if you do choose to invest, it’s probably going to be a lot of fun.
