Assessing the key Fantasy talking points from Liverpool 2-2 Arsenal and Manchester United 0-2 West Ham United, including a fourth goal in five matches for Luis Diaz (£7.5m), it’s our final Gameweek 36 Scout Notes.
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CONSISTENT DIAZ
In a lively clash at Anfield, Liverpool and Arsenal played out a 2-2 draw, with Cody Gakpo (£7.2m) and Luis Diaz on the scoresheet for Arne Slot’s side.
Diaz, who started up front, has now produced either a goal or an assist in seven of his last eight matches.
The Colombian is averaging 7.1 points per start in that timeframe, too, the most of any Fantasy Premier League (FPL) midfielder with significant minutes.
In contrast, Mohamed Salah (£13.7m) has now blanked in five of his last seven matches.
Remarkably, he failed to register a single shot against Arsenal on Sunday, which basically never happens when he starts. Still, he remained Liverpool’s most dangerous player in the first half, with his creativity shining through.
A constant outlet down the right, he created two chances for his teammates, one of them a ‘big’ one, and also played an inch-perfect pass in the lead up to Liverpool’s second goal.
Salah cut a more frustrated figure after the break, however, with an attacking return once again eluding him.
Ahead of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s (£7.2m) expected move to Real Madrid, Conor Bradley (£4.7m) got the nod at right-back, with a mixed reception at best for the former upon his second-half introduction.
Discussing Alexander-Arnold and motivation in his post-match presser, Arne Slot said:
“The thing I consider is I want to win a game of football and if we think we can win this one with Trent, I owe it to his teammates and to the fans, because they hired me to win as many games of football as possible. If I think there is a better chance of winning it with Trent, I will. If I think – which I don’t – that it is a distraction or whatever can happen for us not to play a good game of football, then I might, might, might make another decision. But I think Trent showed today why I brought him in because he was very close with a few fantastic crosses for us to win the game.” – Arne Slot on Trent Alexander-Arnold
“It is not always easy to win the league with four games to go, especially if you have one game a week because you have to keep them ready to play. For the ones that won the league as early as we did know how difficult it is to train players that have already won the league, to keep the intensity levels needed in the Premier League. That is what we showed today. I hope we see the same against Brighton but I can tell you we will definitely see it against Crystal Palace.” – Arne Slot
RICE, TIMBER + TROSSARD INJURY LATEST
Arsenal went strong for the trip to the newly crowned champions, but there was no Declan Rice (£6.2m) in the matchday squad, with the midfielder reported to have a muscular issue.
Jurrien Timber (£5.6m) dropped to the bench, too.
“Declan couldn’t even train so he’s injured unfortunately and couldn’t make the game. I think he is struggling, it does not look good.” – Mikel Arteta on Declan Rice
“We brought Jurrien in to see if today he was better but he was very clear that he’s not fit to play.” – Mikel Arteta on Jurrien Timber
There is concern over Leandro Trossard (£6.8m), too, as he appeared to clutch his hamstring before he was substituted off at Anfield. No update was provided on his fitness by Arteta after the match, however.
Despite a shaky first half on Sunday, there was much more intent about Arsenal after the break. Goals from Gabriel Martinelli (£6.5m) and Mikel Merino (£6.0m), who will miss Gameweek 37 after he was sent off for two bookable offences, salvaged a point.
Bukayo Saka (£10.3m), meanwhile, topped the shots (four) and key passes (four) count, and really should have opened the scoring in the first few minutes, when he rolled the ball wide after a clever set-piece routine.
As for Arsenal, they still have work to do to secure a top-five finish, but they need just one more point from their next two games against Newcastle United and Southampton.
WAN-BISSAKA’S ASSISTS
West Ham arrived at Old Trafford without a win in eight matches, but left with three points thanks to goals from Tomas Soucek (£4.8m) and Jarrod Bowen (£7.7m).
Deployed next to Mohammed Kudus (£6.2m) in a fluid front two, Bowen has now registered five attacking returns in his last four matches.
Graham Potter reverted to a wing-back system for this clash, a tactic he has used in all of his away matches so far, and it clearly gets the best out of Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£4.4m), who squared it for Bowen to tap home West Ham’s second.
Lining up on the left, he was a driving force down the flank, and since Potter’s appointment in Gameweek 21, has now supplied four assists, the joint-most of any FPL defender with Daniel Munoz (£5.2m).
AMAD IMPRESSES
Manchester United, who are now winless in seven Premier League games, made six changes from the starting line-up that reached the UEFA Europa League final on Thursday.
It included Amad Diallo (£5.3m), who was deployed as a right wing-back and was hands down United’s best attacker.
In total, he created five chances, the most of any player in Gameweek 36.
It’s just a shame his teammates couldn’t put any of those opportunities away, with Rasmus Hojlund (£6.9m) particularly wasteful.
“We are missing that feeling of urgency and it’s something which is hard to explain. Everybody is focused on the final.” – Ruben Amorim
In a further blow, United lost Leny Yoro (£4.3m) to injury. The Frenchman, who started in the middle of Ruben Amorim’s back three, was replaced in the 52nd minute, although the youngster was at least able to walk down the tunnel.
“We have to assess Leny in a better way tomorrow [Monday]. He felt something but I think it could be a small thing.” – Ruben Amorim on Leny Yoro
