With Premier League action resuming this weekend, we have launched our latest Captain Poll to canvass your views on the best armband options for Gameweek 28.
Leader of the Gameweek 27 poll, Mohamed Salah (10.4) is likely to dominate voting once again as Liverpool host a West Ham side with just one clean sheet from their last nine league run outs.
The Egyptian’s goal in last week’s 5-0 Champions League rout of Porto last week was his 30th in all competitions this season.
Salah has already bagged 15 points away to the Hammers in Gameweek 11, while seven of his 12 sets of double-figure returns have arrived at Anfield.
Furthermore, he remains the most consistent captaincy option around, with attacking returns in all but two of his last 18 league appearances.
Roberto Firmino (9.2), who also scored against the Portuguese side last time out, is another reliable option. The Brazilian has three goals and a pair of assists in his last five league starts.
Yet at home, he has been involved in just under a third (30%) of his side’s goals, compared with Salah’s impressive 62%.
Sadio Mane (9.3)’s hat-trick against Porto could see the Senegalese winger garner support, even though he last scored in the league in Gameweek 23.
Mane has managed double-digit returns just twice this season, though encouragingly for his owners, one of those arrived in that trip to the London Stadium.
Away to a Crystal Palace outfit that has shipped nine goals in the last four Gameweeks, Harry Kane (12.8) cannot be overlooked.
His goal from the spot against Rochdale in the FA Cup on Sunday was his fourth in his last five matches in all competitions. Away from home, Kane is the top-ranked player for goals (12), attempts (55), penalty area efforts (37) and shots on target (21). Indeed, four of his eight sets of 10+ points hauls have been recorded on the road.
Kane has also found the net in two of his three league visits to Selhurst Park.
Surprisingly, he is currently the most sold striker with 47,000 Fantasy Premier League managers ditching him ahead of Gameweek 28.
Christian Eriksen (9.2) – who joined Kane on the scoresheet in the 2-2 away draw with Juventus in the Champions League – offers an in-form alternative. The Dane has two goals and as many assists in his last four league outings.
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy (8.6) has upped his consistency of late; the Foxes frontman has scored in each of his last four league matches and also fired the only goal in Friday’s FA Cup win over Sheffield United.
Vardy hosts the Premier League’s worst away side, Stoke City, at the King Power Stadium this weekend. The Potters have shipped a league-high 32 goals and kept just one clean sheet on their travels. That includes five goals in two away outings under new manager Paul Lambert.
Vardy’s team-mate Riyad Mahrez (8.6) may also gather votes after making his return to the fold. The Algerian – who set up Vardy’s goal against the Blades on Saturday – has delivered a goal or assist in nine of his last 11 league starts.
Bournemouth’s Callum Wilson is another in-form frontman, handed a new lease of life in Fantasy terms by the fact that he could now feature in Gameweek 31. Before that, he enjoys a home fixture with a Newcastle United defence with just one clean sheet from their last 11 away matches. The Cherries’ striker has served up 12 points against both Arsenal and Chelsea in the previous five Gameweeks.
Manchester United’s home clash with Chelsea on Sunday may mute interest in assets from both camps. However, with four goals in his last three road trips, Blues playmaker Eden Hazard (10.7) could yet prove to be a shrewd alternative captaincy pick.
Arsenal’s home clash with Manchester City also looks hard to call, but their respective home and away form suggests this could be a high-scoring encounter.
On the road Pep Guardiola’s men have netted 29 goals, a tally only Liverpool can beat (34). However, the Sky Blues last kept a clean sheet on the road back in Gameweek 21, against Crystal Palace.
In front of their own fans, the Gunners have notched 36 times, which is second only to City (50). However, over their last four home matches, Arsene Wenger’s troops have failed to keep a clean sheet and shipped seven goals.
For the visitors Sergio Aguero (12.0) looks the stand-out selection, with six goals and two assists in his seven away starts. The Argentine is currently the most popular striker in FPL’s transfer market, with 119,000 managers swooping to acquire his services.
Both Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne were on the scoresheet against the Gunners back in Gameweek 11 – the Belgian’s 10-point haul was one of eight double-figure hauls this season.
Among the hosts’ assets, recent recruit Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (10.5) could prosper after scoring on his debut, at home to Everton, in Gameweek 26. In that encounter, another new Arsenal face Henrikh Mkhitaryan (7.8) also impressed, with a hat-trick of assists, which could see him earn support.
Mesut Ozil (9.3) is another intriguing captaincy candidate with three goals and four assists in his last seven Emirates encounters.
However, it is worth mentioning that if tonight’s FA Cup tie between Manchester City and Wigan goes to a replay, then their trip to the Emirates Stadium will be postponed.
Everton’s Theo Walcott (7.3) and Gylfi Sigurdsson (8.0) are among the other armband differentials. They face an away trip to face a Watford defence with the worst home record, conceding 26 goals in front of their own fans.
Sigurdsson’s goal and assist in his last league run out, at home to Crystal Palace, served as a reminder of his potential, while Walcott’s two successful strikes and one assist in his four Toffees’ starts has also impressed.
The poll is now live in the middle column on your homepage on desktop, or via the slide-in menu on mobile and tablet under recent comments.
Remember, we are looking for your vote for the player you think will be most effective, regardless of whether you own them or not.
We will be back to check in on progress in the poll later ahead of the Gameweek 28 deadline when we deliver our “Captain Sensible” article offering an analysis of the results and the statistics behind the leading contenders.
