Taylor can provide value route into Burnley’s appealing fixtures

After a slow start for last week’s trio of differentials, we’re back again ahead of Gameweek 14 on the hunt for the next low-owned bandwagon.

There’s no shortage of candidates to consider either.

This time, we’re focusing on differentials from Burnley, Chelsea and Everton, who we like the look of for Gameweek 14 and beyond.

As always, to qualify, the player must have an ownership of 5% or less at the time of writing.

Charlie Taylor

• FPL ownership: 3.7%
• Price: £4.4m
• GW14-19 fixtures: WOL | lee | SHU | FUL | — | whu + liv

With four clean sheets in his last six appearances and an appealing set of forthcoming fixtures, Charlie Taylor (£4.4m) could be a solid under the radar pick.

Burnley have seen an upturn in their defensive performances of late, which has coincided with dressing room leaders Nick Pope (£5.4m), James Tarkowski (£5.3m) and Ben Mee (£4.9m) all being available. In fact, in the five league fixtures which they’ve all started together this term, the Clarets have kept four clean sheets and conceded just one goal. 

Last season, investing in one of Sean Dyche’s backline was one of the easier decisions FPL managers had to make, given their record of 15 clean sheets was second only to Manchester City, and the current campaign seems to be following a similar path with only Aston Villa recording more shut outs to date. Encouragingly, their numbers suggest that further defensive improvements could be on the way too, with 18 goals conceded from an expected goal (xG) total of 16.13. 

With Taylor, attacking returns are unlikely (he’s assisted just once in each of the Clarets’ last two campaigns), but his relationship with Dwight McNeil (£5.7m) down Burnley’s left is one of their key attacking weapons, with a large percentage of their play focused down that side. Amongst team-mates, only McNeil and Ashley Westwood (£5.3m) have delivered more crosses than Taylor this season, so an assist, while unlikely, is not completely out of the question.

However, the real appeal lies in Burnley’s clean sheet potential, and with home games against Wolves, Sheffield United and Fulham in the next four, further shut outs could be on the way. It is also worth noting that they have a Double Gameweek in January, so signing him now can help you be one player better off for that.

Christian Pulisic

• FPL ownership: 2.4%
• Price: £8.2m
• GW14-19 fixtures: WHM | ars | AVL | MCI | — | ful + lei

Christian Pulisic (£8.2m) has endured a frustrating start to the season due to injury, but returned to the Blues’ starting XI against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Tuesday night.

Making his first Premier League start since October, the former Dortmund winger played the full 90 minutes and was the most dangerous player on the pitch until shifted to the right-flank, where he struggled to make as much of an impact. However, until that switch, Pulisic showed his class, constantly running at opposition defenders with pace and trickery.

The 22-year-old’s hamstring issues have restricted him to just five Chelsea starts and nine appearances in all competitions this season, which has prevented him from finding any kind of rhythm. Despite this, he has still found the back of the net against Krasnodar and Leeds United, and fortunately, it doesn’t seem to take him long before he gets back into his stride after injury.

The Blues’ were on a good run of form going 17 games unbeaten before Everton and Wolves both managed to win by a single goal in the last two matches, but they do have an opportunity to get back on track with consecutive games to come against London rivals West Ham United and Arsenal. Interestingly, both sides have conceded most of their chances from their right-flank this season, which further heightens Pulisic’s appeal if he is to operate from that side. 

Some rotation is to be expected amid a hectic Christmas schedule, but with Hakim Ziyech (£8.1m) and Callum Hudson-Odoi (£5.7m) injured, Frank Lampard’s options are reduced in the wide areas, and encouragingly, they will have had a generous six recovery days by the time their Gameweek 14 fixture comes around.

Pulisic tends to deliver when he starts, and although this move does come with risk, he could be a huge differential for those willing to invest early. 

Michael Keane

• FPL ownership: 5.0%
• Price: £5.1m
• GW14-19 fixtures: ARS | shu | MCI | WHU | wol | avl

Michael Keane (£5.1m) has played an integral role in helping Everton keep two clean sheets in their last two games.

With James Rodríguez (£7.7m) and Lucas Digne (£6.1m) absent, the Toffees have gone back to basics, fielding a back four of central-halves marshalled by Keane. That has meant their full-backs, Mason Holgate (£4.8m) and Ben Godfrey (£5.0m), have been less adventurous going forward, but as a result, they have restricted their opponents Chelsea and Leicester City to just nine shots in the box between them, with only five on target.

Against teams like Sheffield United, the onus might be on Everton to be more expansive, and in turn demand more from their full-backs in the final-third. However, this more pragmatic, well-drilled system is likely to stick for the visits of Arsenal and Manchester City, which bodes well for further defensive shut outs. 

Keane is the only player to have started all 16 games in the league and EFL Cup for Everton this season, and has been consistently good in recent weeks. Against Leicester, he made more blocks and clearances than any colleague, and won all of his aerial duels. His threat from set-pieces is also worth noting ahead of their next two fixtures. Arsenal have improved defending dead-ball situations, but will be without the influential Gabriel (£5.0m), while only West Bromwich Albion have conceded more headed attempts than Sheffield United this term.

With two headed goals already from corners, and clean sheet potential too, Keane could be set to profit.