Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion midfielders are on our differentials radar in Gameweek 26.
At the time of writing, these three players all have an ownership of 2.0% or less in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 26 team news: Friday’s injury updates
MATHYS TEL
- FPL ownership: 0.2%
- Price: £6.0m
- GW26-30 fixtures: ips | MCI | BOU | ful | che
It’s early days for Mathys Tel (£6.0m) at Tottenham Hotspur, but the Frenchman has made a bright start to life in north London.
Propelled into action, perhaps prematurely due to Spurs’ extensive injury list, the on-loan Bayern Munich man scored in the 2-1 FA Cup defeat at Villa Park, prodding home Dejan Kulusevski’s (£6.3m) deep cross.
He then finished last week’s clash against Manchester United with seven shots, the joint-most of any player with just one fixture in Gameweek 25, and nine penalty box touches.
Above: Mathys Tel’s shot map v Manchester United in Gameweek 25
Switching between the left flank and a central striker/number nine role, Tel is set to take on Ipswich Town next, who are 18th for expected goals conceded (xGC) in the last six Gameweeks.
They are also 17th for key passes conceded from their right flank in that same timeframe, so Tel has decent assist potential if stationed out wide.
As for Tottenham, with back-to-back wins secured against Brentford and Man Utd and key players slowly starting to return, such as Guglielmo Vicario (£4.8m) and James Maddison (£7.4m), they are at last picking up a bit of form.
It suggests Tel has decent differential potential in Gameweek 26, with two home matches against Manchester City and Bournemouth to follow.
KEVIN SCHADE
- FPL ownership: 1.2%
- Price: £5.1m
- GW26-30 fixtures: lei | EVE | AVL | bou | new
While it’s Bryan Mbeumo (£7.9m) and Yoane Wissa (£6.3m) that usually dominate our thoughts when assessing Brentford’s attacking options, there is certainly value to be found elsewhere, particularly in the case of Kevin Schade (£5.1m).
The German international is available for just £5.1m and has a meagre 1.2% ownership in FPL.
Schade has found the net in three successive away matches before Friday’s trip to Leicester City, who he racked up 23 points against in the reverse fixture back in November, courtesy of a hat-trick, one assist and the maximum bonus.
Since his return to Thomas Frank’s starting XI in Gameweek 23, it’s also worth noting Schade has produced 10 shots in the box and 27 penalty box touches, easily the most of any Brentford player.
Above: Kevin Schade, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa’s shot maps in Gameweeks 23-25
Schade could therefore represent excellent value if he can cement a starting role.
It’s admittedly a big if, of course, but the midfielder ‘should’ at least keep his place in the starting XI for Friday’s visit to Leicester.
Crucially, he’s up against a Foxes defence that are on a run of 18 matches without a clean sheet, indicating that Schade could be worth a punt.
YANKUBA MINTEH
- FPL ownership: 0.9%
- Price: £5.0m
- GW26-30 fixtures: sou | BOU | FUL | mci | AVL
With a plum away fixture against Southampton on Saturday, Brighton and Hove Albion’s Yankuba Minteh (£5.0m) looks a solid option for Gameweek 26.
The winger scored twice in Brighton and Hove Albion’s 3-0 win over Chelsea last time out, having previously registered a goal and an assist at Old Trafford in Gameweek 22.
Minteh has also posted some eye-catching underlying stats over his last three starts, with six shots, 26 penalty box touches and seven key passes.
The challenge now for Minteh is to stay in Fabian Hurzeler’s starting XI.
“I think it is important we give him the environment and the atmosphere where he can improve. He is new in the league, he is facing a new challenge. Therefore, we shouldn’t under-estimate that he is still a very young player. We try to help him every day but the most important is that he helps himself.
“He has an intrinsic motivation to improve every day and that is the main thing. Now it is about giving him game time, game time, game time because like this I think especially the young players improve. I was happy with him. It is about showing it consistently.” – Fabian Hurzeler on Yankuba Minteh
Southampton are rock bottom for actual goals conceded and xGC this season.
There was a new dynamic on the left in Gameweek 25, too, with Joe Aribo (£4.9m) playing as a left-sided centre-half and Welington (£4.0m) at wing-back. That unfamiliarity is something Minteh could potentially exploit, given that he primarily operates as a right winger.
Investment does carry risk as Minteh isn’t completely nailed on to start each week, but with Southampton so porous, he could be a decent gamble, especially with two home clashes to follow.
