FPL notes: Isak + Ait-Nouri goals, Cunha returns, Trippier latest

We continue our Gameweek 31 Scout Notes by rounding up the key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) talking points from Tuesday’s other three matches: Newcastle United v Everton, Burnley v Wolverhampton Wanderers and West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur.

• READ MORE: Tuesday notes – Gibbs-White great + why Semenyo was benched
• READ MORE: Scoreboard – Tuesday’s goals, assists, bonus points + stats

The numbers and graphics you see in this article come from our Premium Members Area. Here, you can access Opta player and team data from every single Premier League fixture.

ANOTHER ISAK GOAL + PRICE RISE

Each meeting finished 1-1 but, of the six teams, Newcastle will feel most frustrated. Alexander Isak (£7.8m) was the most-bought player heading into Gameweek 31 thanks to a three-match goal streak that peaked with Saturday’s 15 FPL points versus West Ham.

He pleased two million owners by netting again here, set up by Harvey Barnes (£6.2m) – someone who shined in place of the suspended Anthony Gordon (£6.0m). But it could have been more for the Swedish international.

A second-half assist for Dan Burn (£4.4m) was ruled out for being offside. Soon after, Barnes’ pull-back led to Isak’s shot being cleared off the line, meaning he had to settle for eight points from a 1.60 expected goal involvement (xGI).

Goals per 90 of those who’ve played at least 1000 minutes

Besides this, managers planning to buy Isak with a Gameweek 35 Wildcard will be concerned at his frequent price rises. Friday, Monday and Wednesday morning all brought one, surely with more to come. After all, this is someone whose goals per 90 rate (0.84) recently took the lead over Erling Haaland‘s (£14.3m). He’s three goals away from being the Premier League’s top scorer, despite starting just 19 times.

TRIPPIER WILL MISS GAMEWEEK 32

Meanwhile, the unprecedented injury crisis at Newcastle refuses to stop. Already beyond farcical, the last week alone has seen centre-backs Sven Botman (£4.5m) and Jamaal Lascelles (£3.9m) handed nine-month knee absences, alongside Lewis Miley (£4.5m) hurting his back and Miguel Almiron (£6.0m) twisting his knee.

Full-back Kieran Trippier (£6.7m) remains in almost three million FPL squads but has missed the latest few matches with a calf problem. Reports now say he’ll miss the next match at Fulham and possibly Spurs (h) in Gameweek 33.

“He’s desperate to be involved, he knows what’s at stake for us towards the end of the season and his qualities are obvious. We’re desperate to have him back but it has to be at the right time.” – Eddie Howe on Saturday, via the Shields Gazette

Tino Livramento (£4.1m) is apparently missing a month thanks to an ankle issue, so those planning for either him or Lascelles to provide cheap Newcastle defensive coverage from Gameweek 35 will have to re-think.

It could be via Burn or the finally-used Lewis Hall (£4.2m) but, then again, trusting this back line is unwise. No team has a worse expected goals conceded (xGC, 38.14) tally since Gameweek 15 and only Luton Town have allowed more big chances (50). They even let Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.8m) end his 18-game goalless streak – although Martin Dubravka (£4.2m) almost saved the penalty to please his owners.

MORE JOY FOR AIT-NOURI

Perhaps the focus should instead go towards buying Wolves’ Rayan Ait-Nouri (£4.7m). A defender playing as a winger, his last three matches have delivered two goals and five shots on target. There have been four big chances too, listed for a position where nobody else has exceeded six all season.

Just look at his shots map below (green ones are on target). This is a defender!

Shots map for Rayan Ait-Nouri over his last three matches

After heading home a Pablo Sarabia (£4.7m) free-kick to equalise, Ait-Nouri could’ve scored another later, barging his way up to the six-yard box but seeing his shot saved. A huge close-range miss came at Aston Villa too.

Like Isak, he’s another to have risen in price overnight. Popularity will surge as Wolves’ Double Gameweek 34 gets nearer but it’s a shame that they rarely clean sheet. Just one in nine outings.

CAMEO FOR CUNHA

Although they couldn’t pick up the win, Wolves fans will be pleased to see Matheus Cunha (£5.5m) back in action. Missing since an early Gameweek 24 withdrawal, the Brazilian had been on a fruitful run since late November, bagging seven goals and four assists during 11 league matches.

It meant he ranked as the fifth highest-scoring forward pre-injury. Not only that, Cunha had the joint-third most shots on target (31) and created the third-most big chances (seven) amongst forwards.

Wolves sit top of our Season Ticker over the next four Gameweeks

By appearing in the 76th minute, he suddenly becomes an interesting cheap option for managers needing to free some funds. Between Gameweeks 32 and 35, Wolves’ five opponents include Nottingham Forest (a), Bournemouth (h) and Luton (h).

JOHNSON OUTSHINES QUIET SON

Not that Forest should be dismissed as an easy fixture when you see their underlying defensive stats. Since Gameweek 23, they’ve conceded the second-fewest big chances (nine) and third-fewest shots on target (29).

That could worry Son Heung-min (£10.1m) owners, especially after his quiet showing at West Ham. His 0.09 expected goals (xG) were beaten by three team-mates, with James Maddison (£8.0m) having more penalty area touches (10 v 6).

It could mean Richarlison (£6.9m) starts up front against Forest on Sunday and – considering Son probably needs selling before Spurs’ Blank Gameweek 34 – some may be thinking about an early goodbye.

As for the fourth midfield ‘son’, the great form of Brennan Johnson (£5.8m) makes him an intriguing differential. Four goals and four assists from nine matches, starting in less than half of these. He came on at half-time versus Luton and assisted twice to overturn a 1-0 deficit.

Here, the 22-year-old tapped in a driven Timo Werner (£6.3m) cross past goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (£4.2m) – not the hurt Alphonse Areola (£4.3m) – but it was quickly cancelled out when Kurt Zouma (£4.5m) headed home Jarrod Bowen‘s (£7.9m) corner.

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