Our first Gameweek 32 Scout Notes covers the six-goal thriller at Villa Park and a controversial defeat for Wolverhampton Wanderers.
As usual, we start with some key injury updates affecting some well-owned Fantasy assets.
AIT-NOURI INJURY UPDATE
There was a fairly positive update from Gary O’Neil on Rayan Ait-Nouri (£4.7m) after full-time at Molineux.
The Algerian had hobbled off after 54 minutes of Wolves’ defeat to West Ham, with a calf injury to blame.
However, O’Neil’s post-match comments made it sound like his substitution was more precautionary.
“Sore calf. Some pain in his calf. Was a big blow, obviously. We wanted to take him off before it got any worse and hopefully he’ll be OK for next week.” – Gary O’Neil on Rayan Ait-Nouri
O’Neil made similar comments elsewhere, saying that the defender asked to come off and adding that the issue still hadn’t been fully assessed yet.
Ait-Nouri had again caught the eye playing ‘out of position’ in Wolves’ front three. He looks such a threat right now: seven shots have arrived over his last four runouts, four of them big chances.
He was well on his way to a tidy score on Saturday, too, having won the penalty that Pablo Sarabia (£4.7m) converted. Had he left the field six minutes later, he’d have walked away with a clean sheet and a nine-point haul.
MOYES ON BOWEN’S INJURY
Leaving the field around the same time as Ait-Nouri was Jarrod Bowen (£7.9m).
Again, though, it doesn’t sound like serious damage has been done. David Moyes even talked of the winger-cum-striker being fit for Thursday’s UEFA Europa League tie with Bayer Leverkusen.
“He took a knock, I think the boy’s knee went into his hip or into his rib cage, it was one or the other so he looks sore. We’ll need to see how he is but hopefully we’ll get him back and be fine for Thursday.” – David Moyes on Jarrod Bowen
The Hammers kept up their impressive record with Lucas Paqueta (£6.0m) in the side; that’s only two defeats in the last 15 fixtures with the Brazilian in the side. They’ve scored in all but one of those matches, too.
This was one of their limper attacking displays, with a penalty and a freak goal direct from a corner earning them the win. Their xG from open play at Molineux was just 0.14.
The concern with West Ham is the lack of depth: they’re a decent outfit when everyone is fit but take a Bowen or a Paqueta out of the equation and the house of cards often collapses. The decision to bench/rest Michail Antonio (£5.7m) on Saturday made them look anaemic, for instance.
The worry for Gameweek 33 is that it lies in the middle of their two-legged tie with Leverkusen. In the past couple of seasons, we’ve occasionally seen Moyes rotate heavily in such situations.
This was the first time that Paqueta and James Ward-Prowse (£5.8m) had been on the same field for a penalty – and it was the Brazil international who stepped up to convert.
ANOTHER CAMEO FOR CUNHA
Matheus Cunha (£5.5m) was again only handed minutes off the bench for the home side. O’Neil has been careful with his recovery, opting against including him in the squad in Gameweek 30 and then limiting his minutes as a substitute in the last two.
Perhaps the reoccurrence of Pedro Neto‘s (£5.5m) hamstring injury has persuaded him to proceed with caution with others.
Hwang Hee-chan (£5.4m) might be on a similar trajectory. He was back in training ahead of schedule last week, just as Cunha was in March, but wasn’t included in the squad on Saturday.
We can maybe expect a couple of cameos off the bench at first, then, which would likely call into question his Double Gameweek 34 minutes.
Ait-Nouri, if fit, might have more time in the front three yet.
WHY TONEY WAS BENCHED
The usually nailed Ivan Toney (£8.1m) found himself in unusual territory on Saturday: warming the bench.
Thomas Frank said it was fitness and not form that led to that rare call, suggesting he’ll be fine for Gameweek 33 onwards.
“It was a tough one for me to leave Ivan out, he is our main man, he is our best player. I can’t remember a game where I’ve left him out on the bench.
“Ivan is carrying a small muscle injury in the hip, in a tricky place that actually affects the performance.
“Ivan is a guy that can play through everything, he is a beast in so many ways. He played through a full game against Brighton; it affected his performance. This is the fourth game in a row and a short turnaround, plus I want him fresh and firing for the last six games.
“We’ve not overloaded him today, hopefully that will be the case.” – Thomas Frank
Yoane Wissa (£5.7m) and Bryan Mbeumo (£6.7m) were both lively in his stead, each getting on the scoresheet. This was the fit-again Mbeumo’s first start since Gameweek 15, and there was little sign of rust.
Who makes way to accommodate Toney, then? Maybe neither of these two. Frank has used a 3-5-2 all of this year but the availability of his first-choice front three, coupled with some easier-on-paper fixtures, might persuade him to go back to a 4-3-3 next weekend.
It’s all speculation but that would see Sergio Reguilon (£4.4m) move back to left-back from wing-back. It remains to be seen if that affects his attacking output; likely not much given that he’s attacked plenty as a full-back in the past. This was arguably his best display in a Brentford shirt to date, with the assists for the Bees’ final two goals coming from his left boot.
He himself was taken off in the final quarter, although cramp was reported as the issue. Frank didn’t mention any injury in the post-match interviews we’ve seen, either.
LUIZ BANNED FOR TWO GAMES
Douglas Luiz (£5.6m) fell at the final hurdle, being booked for the 10th time this season in the 97th minute of Aston Villa’s 32nd league fixture. He just needed to get through the final seconds of Saturday’s match and he was in the clear. As it happens, he’ll now be banned for Gameweeks 33 and 34.
Villa had only just got John McGinn (£5.3m) back from a suspension, with the centre of their midfield looking light. It’s surely contributed to some porous defensive displays of late. Since Boubacar Kamara (£5.0m) suffered his season-ending injury, for example, Villa are in the bottom five for both expected goals conceded and actual goals shipped.
It’s looking more and more like a favourable game for Arsenal attackers next week, no matter what the ticker says.
WATKINS BACK WITH A BANG
Villa at least got a boost with Ollie Watkins (£8.8m) returning. He picked up where he left off, scoring twice.
Might he be on penalties while Luiz is out, too? He was the last Villan to take a spot-kick before the Brazilian, although his record from 12 yards is patchy. Youri Tielemans (£5.6m) is now on the books and is another option, of course.
He’ll be up against it next weekend, with Villa facing the division’s best defence.
