Tottenham Hotspur, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa assets are on our differentials radar in Gameweek 5.
At the time of writing, these three players all have an ownership of 5.0% or less in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).
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XAVI SIMONS
- FPL ownership: 2.7%
- Price: £7.0m
- GW5-9 fixtures: bha | WOL | lee | AVL | eve
After marking his Tottenham Hotspur debut with an assist, Xavi Simons (£7.0m) looks a compelling option ahead of Saturday’s trip to Brighton and Hove Albion.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side have conceded six goals in their four matches so far and are yet to keep a clean sheet.
Albion also rank second-worst for most chances conceded from their right flank over the first four Gameweeks, with 19.
Simons started on the left against West Ham last week, and once more, he played out wide in the UEFA Champions League win over Villarreal on Tuesday night. There were some positive signs, too, as he combined nicely with Djed Spence (£4.5m) on several occasions.
With two wins from two, Simons – who is owned by only 2.7% of managers – should enter Gameweek 5 full of confidence.
Another factor behind the Dutchman’s appeal is Tottenham’s schedule.
Spurs face Leeds United, Aston Villa and Everton in the next five, as well as hosting a Wolverhampton Wanderers side that have conceded nine goals this season, the second-most of any team.
So, for those Fantasy managers who want to get in early on the set-piece taker, this is the time to invest.
Despite his low ownership, investing in Simons doesn’t feel like a punt.
He produced 11 goals and eight assists for RB Leipzig last season, on the back of delivering 10 goals and 15 assists in 2023/24.
YEREMY PINO
- FPL ownership: 0.2%
- Price: £6.0m
- GW5-9 fixtures: whu | LIV | eve | BOU | ars
After a lively debut, Yeremy Pino (£6.0m) has piqued our interest ahead of a trip to struggling West Ham.
The Spaniard played 83 minutes against Sunderland last week, during which he registered three shots, including two Opta-defined ‘big chances’.
He also received 14 passes in the final third, the most of any player.
“I’m very pleased with Pino’s performance today. The cherry on top would have been that big chance in the first-half. Then he was a little bit unlucky in the second-half. But, we could see where he will help us with his positioning between the lines, his understanding of the game.
“He will have to adapt to the physicality and the pace of the Premier League, but he’s not the first one and he won’t be the last one who has to adapt. He was good, he was dangerous, he had chances and it gives me a good feeling that he will score goals for us.” – Oliver Glasner
Gameweek 5 opponents West Ham are in poor form, having suffered a 3-0 defeat to Tottenham last week.
They are also ranked 20th for a) set-piece goals conceded and b) big chances conceded, so the corner-taking Pino will fancy his chances.
Above: West Ham have conceded six goals from set-pieces this season, at least four more than any other side
As for Crystal Palace, they have impressed on the road this season, having earned a draw against Chelsea and achieved a 3-0 victory at Aston Villa prior to the international break.
Priced at just £6.0m in FPL, Pino looks a tempting short-term punt, particularly for those FPL managers who can spare a transfer and are considering using their Wildcard in the next couple of weeks.
MATTY CASH
- FPL ownership: 4.9%
- Price: £4.5m
- GW5-9 fixtures: sun | FUL | BUR | tot | MCI
Okay, so bear with us.
Aston Villa may be heading into Sunday’s away clash at Sunderland in poor form, yet there are several reasons why Matty Cash (£4.5m) stands out as a differential option.
For starters, despite Villa’s struggles, they have still managed to secure two clean sheets in four matches this season, conceding only one goal on the road.
In fact, Unai Emery’s team have only allowed four shots on target in away matches – fewer than any other team except Liverpool.
Cash, meanwhile, has the potential to deliver points at both ends of the pitch in Gameweek 5.
Due in part to his set-piece contributions, the Polish international has produced 21 crosses this season, ranking him second among FPL defenders.
He has also created four chances for his teammates, more than any other Villa defender, and banked two defensive contribution (DefCon) points.
Cash will now face a Sunderland side with the second-worst non-penalty expected goals (xG) tally in the top-flight.
Looking further ahead, home fixtures against Fulham and Burnley in Gameweeks 6 and 7 offer the potential for further returns.
Setting us back only £4.5m in FPL, Cash can always be benched for the tougher matches that follow, too.
