Captain Sensible – Gameweek 26

A busy Friday rolls on as we turn to our pre-Gameweek members’ article, checking out the leading captaincy candidates for the upcoming round of matches.

As always, we kick off with an assessment of the Captain Poll, then move to the Opta numbers and Rate My Team ratings before considering a differential or two ahead of Gameweek 26.

The Captain Poll

The impact of a busy January transfer window means that our Poll for Gameweek 26 is one of the most open of the season.

Sergio Aguero leads the way with just 26% of votes as Manchester City make their way to Burnley.

A midweek goal against West Brom took his tally to nine goals in eight appearances across all competitions in January, with Aguero’s 7.0 points per match (ppm) more than any forward in Fantasy Premier League (FPL).

Midfield pair Raheem Sterling (5%) and Kevin De Bruyne (3%) bagged double-figure hauls against the Baggies to outscore the in-demand Argentine, yet remain armband differentials.

They have both served up four sets of 10+ points returns in the last nine Gameweeks.

Alexis Sanchez (9%) claims second place ahead of his home debut for Man United.

The Chilean scored at home to weekend visitors Huddersfield while at Arsenal back in Gameweek 14.

Meanwhile, the Terriers have struggled to stem a tide of goals on the road: they are without a clean sheet in their last nine road trips.

That also bodes well for the likes of in-form pair Paul Pogba (2%) and Anthony Martial (1%), who have two and three sets of double-figures respectively over the last four Gameweeks.

Liverpool’s home encounter with Spurs has limited interest in the prospects of Mohamed Salah and Harry Kane, with both backed by just 8% of voters.

Yet the pair have the form to deliver once again this weekend.

The relentless Salah has supplied points in 14 of his previous 16 appearances, which includes double-figure tallies in each of Liverpool’s last two home matches.

Kane – who served up 16 points against the Merseysiders earlier this season – has found the net nine times in his last six league starts.

He’s also scored in two of his three league visits to Anfield.

Arsenal’s new arrival Pierre Emerick Aubameyang collects only 5% of the votes ahead of his debut at home to Everton, with doubts hovering over his pitch-time due to illness.

The Gabon international has supplied 13 goals and three assists in 16 Bundesliga appearances and entertains a defence with just two away clean sheets to their name all season.

Callum Wilson is another in-demand striker as Bournemouth host a Stoke defence that’s conceded more away goals (30) than any side.

He’s the top transfer target up front for Gameweek 26 in light of a goal and assist in the midweek hammering of Chelsea. Indeed, Wilson has now bagged four goals and a pair of assists in his last six league outings.

Eden Hazard travels to the league’s worst home defence on Monday night as Chelsea go head-to-head with Watford at Vicarage Road.

Four of the Belgian’s five double-figure hauls have arrived on the road, including two in his last pair of away matches. While that bodes well against a defence that’s been breached 25 times in front of their own fans, only 4% are willing to trust him the armband.

It’s a similar story for Jamie Vardy, who has scored in three of his last four league outings ahead of Leicester’s home clash with Swansea.

With Riyad Mahrez unavailable to feature, Vardy carries the main threat against a defence that has conceded in each of their last nine away matches.