An underwhelming Double Gameweek 34 dishes out its final disappointment as the Manchester derby finishes goalless at the Etihad Stadium.
On the Rise
Eric Bailly, Daley Blind, David De Gea
On a night when the 17%-owned Antonio Valencia was at least rewarded with a second start in five league matches, the consistent Bailly delivered once again.
Last night’s result earned United a fifth clean sheet in their last six league outings and the Ivorian is the only defender to benefit on each of those occasions.
An upcoming schedule that affords Jose Mourinho’s side home encounters with Swansea City and Crystal Palace as well as a Double Gameweek 37 indicates that Bailly’s 9% ownership will be happy to hold as part of their Wildcard plans.
Having earned two bonus points in the 2-0 win at Burnley, Blind finished Double Gameweek 34 as United’s top-scoring defender on 14 points.
The Dutchman – who has returned more bonus points than any defensive team-mate – looks set to continue as Bailly’s central defensive partner for the run-in, with the likes of Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Marcos Rojo still stuck in the treatment room.
Meanwhile, De Gea was the top-scoring player over Gameweek 34 thanks to a 17-point haul. Brought in by 69,000+ for the two fixtures, the Spaniard produced two clean sheets, two save points, and maximum bonus points in Thursday’s stalemate.
With Sergio Romero seen as United’s Europa League keeper, the Spaniard is perhaps the one potential asset immune to Jose Mourinho’s rotation plans.
Vincent Kompany
Considering his injury history, we may be getting ahead of ourselves here.
Nonetheless, Thursday’s outing was the first time that the City skipper has started three successive matches in all competitions since March last year.
And there’s no denying Kompany’s impressive return to FPL form. He’s racked up 23 points in the last two Gameweeks, thanks to a goal, two clean sheets and five bonus points.
City’s remaining schedule (mid, CPL, LEI & WBA, wat), involves five matches in the final four Gameweeks and could barely be kinder for those willing to take what essentially remains a big risk.
For those unwilling to consider Kompany, it’s worth monitoring the situation in goal after Claudio Bravo was forced off with a calf problem. A potential period on the sidelines for the Chilean could promote Willy Caballero at just 4.7.
In Decline
Sergio Aguero
Having scored in each of his previous five league appearances, City’s frontman was the third most-captained player for Gameweek 34, with over 8% backing.
Aguero had chances aplenty – nine of them, to be exact – but was unable to convert as United’s defence led a somewhat charmed life.
Without a double-figure haul since Gameweek 13, the Argentine’s 12.8 price tag may now be a little too steep for some as we fine-tune our Wildcard plans.
The return of Gabriel Jesus also places major doubt over Aguero’s security of starts.
Handed just five minutes off the bench late on, the Brazilian turned in a lively cameo and had an effort disallowed for offside, stepping up the pressure on Aguero ahead of Sunday’s trip to struggling Middlesbrough.
At a price of 8.6 and owned by less than 1%, a start at the Riverside could turn a few Wildcard heads.
Marcus Rashford
The striker was subject to a massive 457,000+ transfers-in for United’s Double Gameweek 34, but registered a mere three points across the two matches.
After appearing off the bench against Burnley, the teenager returned to Mourinho’s teamsheet but failed to fire a single effort on goal before being replaced late on.
With this weekend’s home encounter against Swansea taking place four days before the first-leg of their Europa League semi-final against Celta Vigo, Rashford’s owners will already be considering their options for fear of Mourinho rotating again.
Indeed, Rashford is already the fifth most transferred-out player over the last 24 hours, with mid-price alternatives such as Manolo Gabbiadini and Christian Benteke facing favourable home encounters with Hull City and Burnley respectively this weekend.
Gael Clichy
The 5.2-priced Frenchman had started each of the previous seven league matches and seemed a viable differential in defence for our upcoming Wildcards.
Owned by just 1.3% of FPL managers, Clichy was promptly dropped to the bench as Pep Guardiola reinstalled Aleksandar Kolarov to his teamsheet, placing further question marks over the make-up of City’s defence for the run-in.
