Our Gameweek 36 differentials column puts the spotlight on three low-owned players.
This time, we’ve selected assets at Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, who we think have the potential to make an impact.
All three of these players have an ownership of 5% or lower.
JEREMY DOKU
- FPL ownership: 3.8%
- Price: £6.4m
- GW36-38 fixtures: BRE + CRY | bou | AVL
With three goals and one assist over his last four matches, Jeremy Doku (£6.4m) enters Double Gameweek 36 in fine form, making the Manchester City midfielder a prime differential candidate.
Owned by just 3.8% of squads, the winger has amassed 31 points in that time, the most of any teammate:
Although there has certainly been some overperformance (three goals from nine shots and 0.5 xG), Doku’s confidence is clearly sky-high, having gained the trust of his manager, Pep Guardiola.
“He makes a big step up with that, winning games. He is starting to be a winning player. He’s always been incredible but in the final third maybe he misses the last pass, but he arrives there many times.” – Pep Guardiola on Jeremy Doku
In Gameweek 35, Doku racked up 12 penalty box touches at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, more than any other player. He was top for chances created, too (four), with most of City’s attacks funnelled down his flank.
City play twice in Double Gameweek 36, of course, at home to Brentford and Crystal Palace.
The Palace encounter, in particular, looks promising, as Oliver Glasner’s focus is clearly on the UEFA Conference League. The Eagles also suffered a 3-0 defeat in the reverse fixture back in Gameweek 16.
With Antoine Semenyo (£8.1m) and Rayan Cherki (£6.6m) more highly-owned than Doku, the winger presents plenty of upside as an explosive differential for Fantasy managers in need of a late-season push.
BEN WHITE
- FPL ownership: 0.6%
- Price: £5.1m
- GW36-38 fixtures: whu | BUR | cry
In the continued absence of Jurrien Timber (£6.0m), Ben White (£5.1m) is a differential name to consider at the back.
He’s started successive Premier League matches for Arsenal, amassing 12 points.
He was superb against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, too, with one shot, one chance created and three crosses, as well as four clearances.
Crucially, his connection with Bukayo Saka (£9.9m) appears to be back, which nearly led to a goal midway through the first half.
It’s a partnership which could cause further problems for relegation-threatened West Ham United on Sunday, with left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf (£4.4m) particularly poor at Brentford last week.
This encounter also carries shut-out potential for obvious reasons: Arsenal are the best team in the division for clean sheets, goals conceded and expected goals conceded (xGC).
As for Timber, his last appearance for Arsenal was in Gameweek 30, with Mikel Arteta providing an update on the Dutchman in his Friday press conference.
“No chance for the weekend. I don’t know [if we’ll see them again this season]. There’s still a fair bit to do, so everything has to be so smooth and quick if they want to have a chance of playing minutes.” – Mikel Arteta on Jurrien Timber and Mikel Merino
White has delivered two assists and 15 points across his last two visits to the London Stadium, and could profit again in Gameweek 36.
MATHYS TEL
- FPL ownership: 0.2%
- Price: £6.2m
- GW36-38 fixtures: LEE | che | EVE
With Xavi Simons (£6.4m) injured, Tottenham Hotspur’s creative burden could fall on Mathys Tel (£6.2m) for the final three Gameweeks.
Indeed, the Frenchman supplied an assist when Simons was absent in Gameweek 35.
He nearly added a second, too, when his deep delivery for Randal Kolo Muani (£6.9m) was tipped over the bar by Emiliano Martinez (£5.1m).
Playing in his best position off the left, Tel was lively throughout and delivered seven crosses in total, helped by a share of corners.
Spurs host Leeds United in Gameweek 36, and although Daniel Farke’s men have shown plenty of defensive resilience of late, they could officially be safe if West Ham lose to Arsenal on Sunday.
If that scenario unfolds, it could be a good time to play them.
Leeds have kept just two clean sheets away from home this season, regardless, with two goals conceded in their most recent road trip to Bournemouth.
In that encounter, the home side created four Opta ‘big chances’.
A match against Chelsea, who have struggled to keep clean sheets this year (one in 15 Premier League games), is also on the horizon.
It’s now two wins from two for Tottenham, and given Tel’s positive contribution in Gameweek 35, he could potentially make a big impact over the remaining three matches.
