The top two captains in Fantasy Premier League leave their backers frustrated after failing to produce the goods at home to Brighton and West Brom.
After his weekend brace in the 5-1 rout over Stoke, our faith in Harry Kane was on the rise for a Wembley Stadium showdown with Brighton.
The number one armband choice for FPL managers (25.2%) in Gameweek 17, he was also the top transfer target – over 213,000 drafted him in ahead of Tuesday evening’s deadline.
Five goals and an assist in his previous four home matches had suggested that his toils at Spurs temporary home were finally over.
Yet Kane proved a bitter disappointment, blanking for the sixth time in nine appearances at Wembley.
It was hardly for lack of trying, though – he fired more shots (10) and attempts on target (four) than any player in the Gameweek.
His 41.2% of FPL owners are now faced with a dilemma.
With trips to Man City and Burnley and a blank Gameweek 21 on the horizon, Kane has one favourable match – at home to Southampton in Gameweek 20 – in the next four rounds of fixtures.
Yet with no premium forward boasting the form, or underlying numbers, to rival the Spurs striker, many backers may choose to hold with one eye on Double Gameweek 22, when he faces Swansea and West Ham.
Son takes centre stage again
With Dele Alli dropping to the bench as Erik Lamela was handed his first start of the season, Son Heung-min was again included on Mauricio Pochettino’s teamsheet against the Seagulls.
Transferred in by over 100,000 managers for Gameweek 17, the South Korean’s late strike (courtesy of a Christian Eriksen assist) took his tally to three goals and two assists in the last three league outings.
Yet while Kane looks a near-certain starter for Saturday’s trip to the Etihad, his team-mate’s pitch-time on the road may be enough of a deterrent for would-be suitors.
Whereas Son has started eight of his side’s nine home fixtures, he has been named in the first XI in just two of their eight road trips.
His form, however, may persuade Pochettino to retain his services against a City defence with one clean sheet in five at the Etihad.
At the back for Spurs, both Kieran Trippier and Ben Davies look set to return to the XI after Pochettino rotated his full-backs, starting Danny Rose and Serge Aurier in a 4-2-3-1.
Rare off-day for Salah
After shuffling his pack for Sunday’s Merseyside derby, Jurgen Klopp unleashed his so-called “Fab Four” for Liverpool’s plum home clash with West Brom at Anfield.
Second only to Kane for the FPL armband, Mohamed Salah was backed by 17.8% after serving up a goal or assist in each of the previous eight Gameweeks.
Unlike Kane, though, he struggled to offer much threat as the Merseysiders surprisingly failed to breach a backline that arrived at Anfield with a single away clean sheet to their name.
Salah, Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino all played the full 90 minutes and – along with Sadio Mane – fired two attempts on goal apiece.
The one silver lining is that at least the Egyptian played from start to finish – indicating that the hamstring problem that forced him off on Sunday was no more than a niggle.
Whereas Kane’s armband appeal is in decline for the City match, Salah now travels to face a Bournemouth defence that have allowed 117 shots on goal at home – no side have conceded more.
With 33 points in his last three road trips, a return to form at the Vitality Stadium would be no surprise – Liverpool have scored 20 times away from home compared with just 14 goals at Anfield.
Meanwhile, Klopp’s side continue to defy the critics and show reliable defensive form at Anfield. Last night’s result brought a sixth clean sheet at home, second only to Man United’s seven, while no defence have conceded fewer home goals than Liverpool’s three.
While Joe Gomez’s owners were left frustrated by a single-point return off the bench as a late replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, Andrew Robertson retained his place on the left for the third successive league match.
Priced at 4.6, the Scot’s security of starts look to have been cemented in the continued absence of Alberto Moreno – as well as that trip to Bournemouth, he hosts Swansea and Leicester in the next four.
The latest reports suggest that Moreno will not return to contention to threaten Robertson until early 2018.
With Simon Mignolet rested amid talk from Klopp of a minor ankle issue, Robertson currently looks to be the most secure route into the Reds defence.
Ragnar Klavan (4.3) earned successive starts and picked up three bonus points in Wednesday’s encounter, though with Joel Matip thought to be closer to return over the coming Gameweeks, his role will also be back under threat.
