Captain Sensible – Gameweek 35

Next up, we move to our usual pre-Gameweek members’ article, focussing on the main captain contenders ahead of tomorrow’s 11.30am deadline.

As always, we check in with the top picks in our Gameweek 35 Captain Poll before delving into the Opta data and offering a differential or two for your consideration.

The Captain Poll

Mohamed Salah is again the leading contender in our poll as Liverpool make their way to West Bromwich Albion this Saturday lunchtime.

With Jurgen Klopp suggesting he will play a strong side regardless of the Champions League clash against Roma on Tuesday night, the Egyptian claims 31% of the votes cast as he prepares to face a defence with just one clean sheet in 11 attempts.

Salah has returned points on 25 occasions already, blanking in just one of his last nine league outings – away to Man United.

While the winger heads to The Hawthorns in search of his fifteenth double-digit haul of the season, faith in his team-mates Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane is almost non-existent, though, with both sitting around 1% or less.

Of the two, Mane is the form player – he has four goals and three assists in seven. Firmino has three goals and one assist over the same period, though he delivered a goal and an assist against the Baggies in an FA Cup defeat earlier in the season.

At home to a Swansea defence with a single clean sheet in their last 14 road trips, Gabriel Jesus (23%) earns second spot as the favoured Man City pick

With rival Sergio Aguero still on the sidelines, the Brazilian looks set to lead the line and has earned more transfers in than any forward in the Gameweek.

Jesus has two goals and a pair of assists in three starts since returning to Pep Guardiola’s line-up and scored both goals in a 2-1 win in last season’s corresponding fixture.

Yet there are a number of convincing alternatives elsewhere in the champions’ attack.

The most bought player in the Gameweek, Raheem Sterling (11%) is regarded as the best of the City midfielders on the back of two goals and three assists over his last four appearances.

In terms of double-digit hauls at home, Leroy Sane (1%) has matched Sterling’s five, while Kevin De Bruyne’s (2%) tally of six is more than any team-mate. Meanwhile, David Silva (1%) scored twice in a 4-0 win at the Liberty to record his season-high haul of 16 points.

Previously second to Salah in the Poll, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s (16%) appeal is in decline in light of Arsene Wenger’s pre-match conference for Sunday’s visit of West Ham.

With the Gunners boss hinting that he may play a line-up similar to the one that faces Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-finals on Thursday, the winter signing’s ineligibility for that competition may see Alexandre Lacazette (0.7%) lead the line in his stead.

Nonetheless, Aubameyang has been quick to prove his pedigree as an FPL asset, averaging 6.3 points per match since signing in January, that’s second only to Aguero among FPL forwards.

Meanwhile, Lacazette has netted twice in three appearances since returning from injury, while eight of his 11 league goals for the Gunners have been scored at the Emirates Stadium.

It’s worth noting that the Hammers have conceded more away goals (38) than any other side and have returned just two clean sheets on their travels all season.

With Man City, Liverpool and Arsenal all boasting such strong fixtures, there’s little interest elsewhere.

Crystal Palace pair Wilfried Zaha and Luka Milivojevic have three goals and two assists in their last five and visit a Watford side that’s joint-bottom for goals against at home (30). Meanwhile, the Hornets’ Roberto Pereyra has netted in each of their last two at Vicarage Road.

With five goals apiece in their last six and seven appearances respectively, Chris Wood and Ashley Barnes have upped their output as Burnley visit a Stoke City rearguard that’s bottom for goals against (64).

The Potters’ Xherdan Shaqiri could also profit due to the visitors’ concerns in central defence – averaging 5.1 points per match under Paul Lambert, he’s supplied assists in each of the last two Gameweeks.

Meanwhile, Newcastle’s Ayoze Perez makes his way to Everton with 31 points in the last three Gameweeks, thanks to three goals and a pair of assists.