Spot the Differential puts the spotlight on three players who all have an ownership of 5% or less in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
This time, we’ve selected low-owned picks at Manchester United, Brentford and Manchester City who we think have the potential to make an impact.
RASMUS HOJLUND
- FPL ownership: 3.4%
- Price: £7.1m
Rasmus Hojlund (£7.1m) has made a decent start at Manchester United, scoring his first goal for the club in the 4-3 loss at Bayern Munich on Wednesday night.
Prior to that, the 20-year-old had impressed off the bench in Gameweek 4 and thought he’d opened his account against Brighton and Hove Albion a week later, only for it to be ruled out following a VAR decision on the ball crossing the line.
In his three outings, Hojlund has added energy and a much-needed focal point to Man Utd’s attack, always looking to press high up the pitch. His finishes against Brighton and Bayern showed his poacher-like instincts, a promising sign ahead of fixtures against Burnley, Crystal Palace, Brentford and Sheffield United.
Man Utd’s next opponents, Burnley, have conceded the most goals (12) in the Premier League so far and were carved open a number of times by Manchester City, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur at Turf Moor.
In those three home games, the Clarets lost by an aggregate score of 11-3. It’s also worth noting that in their four matches overall, the opposition centre-forward has returned in some capacity, be it a goal or assist.
Hojlund will be expected to lead the line again in Gameweek 6 and having looked sharp in recent matches, is potentially being overlooked.
AARON HICKEY
- FPL ownership: 0.4%
- Price: £4.5m
Aaron Hickey (£4.5m) has started all of Brentford’s games this season at right-back, but Rico Henry’s (£4.6m) season-ending injury means we expect him to switch flanks in Gameweek 6 and beyond.
The Scottish international is a versatile two-footed defender who often played on the left during his time in Italy with Bologna, where he scored five times and provided one assist in 47 Serie A appearances.
Given that right-back options Mads Roerslev (£4.4m) and Kristoffer Ajer (£4.5m) are both more defensively orientated, the bigger expectation will be on Hickey to show off his attacking instincts and provide an outlet in the final third.
From this position, he can move into more central areas on his right foot, whilst there is potential to connect well with Kevin Schade (£5.4m) when Thomas Frank opts for a 4-3-3 formation. When a 3-5-2 is preferred, a tactic that is usually reserved for tougher opposition, Hickey will be deployed as a wing-back.
The 21-year-old is currently on three bookings – two more and he’ll sit out one Premier League fixture – but a run of Everton, Nottingham Forest and Burnley in the next four matches carries real potential regardless.
With Henry out, Hickey will be expected to be more aggressive and could be a nice under-the-radar pick, given Brentford’s defensive strength.
JEREMY DOKU
- FPL ownership: 1.1%
- Price: £6.5m
Jeremy Doku (£6.5m) has been quick to make an impact at Manchester City after making his debut in Gameweek 4.
The 21-year-old has started each of the last two Premier League matches, scoring and claiming nine points against West Ham United last weekend. In an eye-catching display, he attempted eight take-ons and three shots, whilst also creating three chances for his team-mates.
Benched in midweek, Doku now looks set to start in Gameweek 6, given the recent injuries affecting Jack Grealish (£7.3m), Bernardo Silva (£6.4m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£10.2m).
“His first game against Fulham was only so so. It’s normal. He had just arrived, had two or three days of training with the team who had won the treble. But this time — no. This time was much better. There are positives, he has to learn. Everyone has to be themselves as a player.
Today, we spoke for him to use his quality as a winger and go when it was one against one or two, or if not the feeling to go past then to pass back to Josko [Gvardiol] and go again. Use your quality and lose the ball? It’s no problem. From the first minute, aggressive and with determination, many, many good things he has done. We thought the quality was there and today he started to prove it – not just the goal. This is a winger, a proper winger.
When you buy a young player like him for many years, we have to be patient. I will be honest, I didn’t expect he would be at this level in his second game at Man City. Even if you don’t play quite well, be patient, learn when to get the ball. Against Fulham, he got the ball close to Kyle [Walker] but today he was higher. There are processes he has to learn and we are always there to help him and every player has to be themselves. All the players are here because they have a lot of quality.” – Pep Guardiola on Jeremy Doku’s performance v West Ham
Doku is a quick, confident dribbler who excels in one-v-one situations.
Driving in from the left, he could cause real problems for Nottingham Forest’s backline on Saturday afternoon, with right-back Gonzalo Montiel (£4.5m) struggling against Burnley earlier this week. It’s also worth noting Man City won the corresponding fixture last season, triumphing 6-0.
Owned by just 1.1% of managers, Doku could prove to be an explosive differential in Gameweek 6.
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