The Watchlist Updated – Midfielders

Having analysed our favoured Goalkeepers and Defenders in the newly-updated Watchlist rankings, focus now turns to the midfielders primed to profit from the season run-in.

For those unfamiliar, the Watchlist offers mid-term player recommendations for the next four-to-six Gameweeks and beyond. They can be found in your sidebar on desktop, or via your slide-in menu on mobile or tablet.

These highlight our current thinking on player selection for each position, listing the factors that are contributing to the given rank.

After heading into the international break off the back of a 29-point haul at home to Watford, Mohamed Salah remains an immovable object at the top of our rankings.

Liverpool may not have a Double Gameweek on their agenda, yet the schedule remains very much in their favour (cry eve BOU wba STK che BHA), with only a Gameweek 37 trip to Chelsea problematic.

Averaging 8.9 points per match and having produced 14 sets of double-figures, Salah will be one of the few players to avoid the Wildcard cull as we freshen up options for the run-in.

A four-goal haul against the Hornets took Salah to 28 strikes for the season – at least double all but Raheem Sterling (15) in midfield four ahead of second-placed Harry Kane in the race for the Golden Boot.

Only the relentless Salah denies Riyad Mahrez from claiming a place at the summit.

Climbing up to fourth in the midfield rankings, the Leicester winger has supplied a goal or assist in 11 of his last 14 league starts, delivering back-to-back 10+ points hauls in their last two league matches.

As a result, Mahrez is the second most bought midfielder among Fantasy Premier League (FPL) midfielders ahead of Gameweek 32.

The schedule also promotes investment. With a Double Gameweek 34 (bur SOU) confirmed and an expected pair of Gameweek 37 matches (WHU ARS), Mahrez would be granted three home fixtures to profit from. Furthermore, the Foxes also face the likes of Brighton, Newcastle and Crystal Palace before the season concludes.

With frontman Jamie Vardy identically priced, Leicester’s run-in may well persuade many Wildcard managers to double up on their two big-hitters.

We’ve also listed Marc Albrighton lower down as a budget buy. At 5.6, he has two goals and eight assists to his name and leads Mahrez for key passes, by 44 to 42.

Chelsea’s pair of Double Gameweeks elevates Eden Hazard (10.6) and Willian (7.1) at very different price points.

Although he’s less secure of a pick than Hazard, the Brazilian has started four of his side’s last five league matches, indicating he could offer value for money over the run-in. Having netted twice in the previous three, Willian is the third most bought midfielder ahead of Gameweek 32.

Across their previous six appearances, Willian has matched Hazard for FPL returns (three goals, one assist) and has fired 11 shots on target – level with Salah at the midfield summit and more or less twice the Belgian’s six.

Antonio Conte’s side have still to face two top four teams (TOT WHU sot & bur blank swa LIV new), though both of them are at home, with a visit from Huddersfield expected to join Liverpool’s trip to Stamford Bridge in Double Gameweek 37.

Spurs also supply us with two players ahead of an expected pair of Double Gameweeks.

With four goals and 31 points accrued in his previous two Gameweeks, Son Heung-min is the top transfer target in midfield. The South Korean looks set to profit from a role up front in Harry Kane’s enforced absence and has started 15 of the last 16 league matches, though a drop to the bench as recently as Gameweek 28 served a reminder that, with Erik Lamela and Lucas Moura offering strong competition, he’s not quite as nailed on as Christian Eriksen.

Nonetheless, Son’s explosive potential keeps him very much in the frame for our Wildcards – although he’s played 639 minutes less than the Dane, he leads him by 154 points to 153 in FPL.

More expensive on the budget (9.4 to 8.3), Eriksen betters Son for shots (74 to 65) and efforts on target (32 to 27), with the playmaker also claiming top three places for both key passes (73 to Son’s 32) and big chances created (14).

Once this week’s trip to Chelsea has passed, many more Wildcarders could be set to load up on Spurs ahead of a fine schedule (stk MCI & bha blanks WAT wba LEI), with a home clash against Newcastle expected to drop in Double Gameweek 37.

As mentioned in our morning Scribbles article, though, Kane could return to action quicker than anticipated, which could yet see Eriksen climb above Son as our preferred Spurs midfielder.

Brighton’s Pascal Gross is our favoured cut-price pick. Chris Hughton’s side are set for a trio of home matches (LEI HUD cry & TOT) in the next three Gameweeks alone, which could persuade many to Wildcard in the Brighton playmaker, who is expected to face both Manchester sides in Double Gameweek 37.

Over the last six Gameweeks, Gross is ranked third in midfield for shots (15), efforts on target (seven) and key passes (16) on his way to producing a goal and three assists.

With five goals and eight assists this term, the Seagulls’ summer signing is second only to Salah for value, in terms of points per million, in the centre of the park.

Arsenal’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan has wasted no time in settling since arriving from Man United over the winter.

Averaging 6.4 points per start for the north London outfit, the Armenian has delivered 13 points in two of his three home matches – a record that bodes well ahead of a trio of Emirates encounters (STK SOT new WHU) in the next four Gameweeks.

Such a schedule promotes early Wildcard investment in the Gunners, who also face Burnley and Huddersfield in the final two rounds of matches. A trip to Leicester is anticipated to drop alongside the Clarets’ visit as part of Double Gameweek 37.

Alexis Sanchez and Jesse Lingard also boast a favourable upcoming run-in (SWA mci WBA & bou blank ARS bha WAT), with a trip to West Ham expected to accompany their visit to Brighton in Double Gameweek 37.

However, both have struggled for output of late.

Priced at 11.5, Sanchez has just a goal and assist in six Gameweek since arriving at Old Trafford, with many preferring the similarly priced Romelu Lukaku (11.4) up front as their route into the United attack. Nonetheless, the Chilean has matched Lukaku for shots (13) over this period and has created more chances for team-mates, by eight to four.

Lingard, at 6.0, is far more pleasing on the budget, yet two sub appearances in United’s last three league matches – including a one-minute outing in the Gameweek 30 match against Liverpool – underlines the risk attached to his acquisition.

Further down, Johan Berg Gudmundsson and Junior Stanislas offer in-form budget candidates ahead of respective Double Gameweek 34s.

Gudmundsson’s Burnley are the only side with a Double Gameweek 34 to also play in Gameweek 35, when they make their way to Stoke.

Priced at just 5.1, the Icelandic international has bagged a goal and two assists in his previous five ahead of a very kind schedule (wba wat LEI & CHE stk BHA ars BOU) that has earmarked him for our Wildcards.

Stanislas (6.0), meanwhile, has four goals and a pair of assists in eight league outings since recovering from injury. Clashes with Watford and Palace precede a testing Double Gameweek 34 (liv MUN) and blank Gameweek 35, though subsequent encounters with Southampton and Swansea hand Eddie Howe’s men further chance to pick up the Fantasy points.