Salah’s return, Leicester’s set-piece issues and Martinelli’s ban: FPL notes

We round up the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points from Thursday’s Gameweek 24 fixtures.

The graphics below are taken from LiveFPL, Ragabolly’s excellent and ever-expanding website, and our own Premium Members Area.

GOALS, ASSISTS AND BONUS

INJURIES AND BANS

Jordan Henderson (£5.0m) was absent for Liverpool in Gameweek 24 with a back problem, though Jurgen Klopp did confirm prior to kick-off that it wasn’t serious.

“Jordan Henderson has some back problems, not massive, but not enough to be involved tonight.” – Jurgen Klopp

A calf injury kept Joao Moutinho (£4.9m) out of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ squad, while Hwang Hee-Chan (£5.4m) was an unused substitute, having suffered a back spasm upon arriving at the stadium.

“I really don’t know (how long he’ll be out) and for tonight he was unavailable. He felt something in training so lets see how he goes in the next couple of days.” – Bruno Lage on Joao Moutinho

“He was training well yesterday and I talked with the doctor. We took the decision for him to come and play 15 minutes and when he arrived at the stadium he felt his back. A spasm. He was on the bench but it wasn’t possible for him to play in the game. Maybe one or two days and he can return, but it was strange.” – Bruno Lage on Hwang Hee-Chan

Bernd Leno (£4.5m), meanwhile, missed Arsenal’s trip to Molineux after testing positive for Covid, whilst Takehiro Tomiyasu (£4.7m) also failed to make the matchday squad due to an ongoing calf problem.

However, the big FPL news is that Gabriel Martinelli (£5.4m) will miss the first match of Arsenal’s Double Gameweek 26 against Brentford, after being sent off for two bookable offences in quick succession.

That’s because the Gunners’ won’t feature in Gameweek 25, due to their scheduled opponents Chelsea participating at the Club World Cup.

As a result, Martinelli now has just one match – funnily enough against Wolverhampton Wanderers again – in the next three Gameweeks.

“I think the level that he’s playing at, the way he’s been every game, the way he’s been evolving. It’s a real shame because he’s going to miss the game now because we need him and because we are really, really short.” – Mikel Arteta

GAMEWEEK 24 TALKING POINTS

SALAH RETURNS AS DIAZ MAKES FIRST START

Mohamed Salah (£12.8m) was back in the Liverpool squad in Gameweek 24, having missed the Reds’ last six games in all competitions due to his participation with Egypt at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

However, the Egyptian had to settle for a place on the bench, though he certainly made an impact upon his arrival after 59 minutes, racking up four shots in the box, which carried a combined expected goals (xG) value of 0.78.

Above: Mohamed Salah’s xG shot map v Leicester City in Gameweek 24

“It was not his choice! It was my decision of course, but it was completely fine. It is understood. He is here to contribute and he will come on, definitely. But coming back from a major tournament… come on, at some point we have to think a little bit. We have to be cautious. Sadio Mane got back last night and is still in bed!” – Jurgen Klopp on Mohamed Salah being on the bench

Elsewhere, Diogo Jota (£8.5m) netted his 16th and 17th goals of the season, and took up an unfamiliar role on the right-wing during the first-half, as Luis Diaz (£8.0m) started on the opposite flank, with Roberto Firmino (£8.7m) deployed through the middle. That changed after the break, however, as he moved at first to the left-wing, and then into more of a central role upon Salah’s introduction.

SET-PIECE ISSUES REMAIN AT LEICESTER

Leicester City’s ongoing issues defending set-pieces continued at Anfield on Thursday, as Virgil van Dijk’s (£6.7m) thumping header from a corner, which was initially parried by Kasper Schmeichel (£4.8m), was then turned in by Jota from close-range.

As a result, the Foxes have now conceded 10 goals from corners in the Premier League this season, more than any other side, which could be good news for Burnley assets like Wout Weghorst (£6.5m) and James Tarkowski (£4.9m), in light of today’s Double Gameweek 27 announcement.

Despite being able to take some positives from defeat, especially after Sunday’s abject showing at Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fourth round, it is worth noting that the Foxes have now gone eight away matches without a win in all competitions, conceding 23 goals.

“You have to be tight and organised and when you have the ball, have the courage to play and I thought the boys did that. I think our two centre-halves did great. Wilfred Ndidi got caught in the pack for the first goal and Virgil van Dijk had a free header. It’s been an ongoing problem for us. It’s definitely an area we have to improve on.” – Brendan Rodgers

ANOTHER CLEAN SHEET FOR ARSENAL

Arsenal had an awful January, failing to win in the league and getting knocked out of both domestic cups.

However, they picked up an important three points at Molineux on Thursday, thanks to Gabriel’s (£5.3m) first-half winner, his third league goal of the campaign so far.

Notably, the 1-0 win means that Mikel Arteta’s side have now kept 11 clean sheets this season, more than any other side bar Manchester City and Liverpool.

All of those have arrived with Aaron Ramsdale (5.1m) in goal, with today’s nine-point haul taking him up to second in the FPL goalkeeper standings. Since making his debut in Gameweek 4, he’s averaging 5.3 points per match, the best tally of any keeper to play more than once.

“We put ourselves in trouble with the red card and we had to dig in. Wolves threw seven players up front and it was difficult to maintain a clean sheet but we defended the box extremely well.” – Mikel Arteta

Elsewhere, Thomas Partey (£5.0m) and Granit Xhaka (£4.8m) were paired together in midfield, which meant Emile Smith Rowe (£5.8m) had to settle for a place on the bench again. However, due to Martinelli’s suspension, it’s likely he’ll come back into the starting XI against Brentford in Double Gameweek 26.

“Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey link the team together. They have the right qualities to play the roles we demand them to. They are vital in the way we play.” – Mikel Arteta