Selection

Differential midfielders to help with forward planning

Cheaper midfielders are the focus of our Spot the Differential article ahead of Gameweek 28.

There is a selection of players in this position offering potential for the next few matches, all priced well under £7.0m.

Read on and discover which options owned by less than 5% can help propel you up the rankings…

Isaac Hayden

Price: £4.4m

Ownership: 1.7%

A new candidate for the fifth midfielder spot has arisen in recent weeks as Newcastle’s Isaac Hayden (£4.4m) continues a decent run of form.

The 23-year-old has benefited from recent time out of the side for Jonjo Shelvey (£5.3m) and Ki Sung-yeung (£4.7m) to start the last nine Gameweeks in a row.

It is in the last five that Hayden has found form, recording three assists and a goal in that time.

That has come from seven chances created in the last four Gameweeks, combined with six efforts on goal.

No midfielder priced at £4.5m or under can do better in that selected time-frame.

The fixtures still look good for Newcastle over the coming weeks with Burnley (home), West Ham (away) and Everton (home) their next three opponents.

Crucially, the Magpies have a fixture in Blank Gameweek 31, against Bournemouth (away), and might have one in Gameweek 33 against Crystal Palace (home), which could make Hayden an important player to own long-term too.

Pascal Groß

Price: £6.7m

Ownership: 1.7%

With Blank Gameweek 27 out of the way, Brighton options come back into consideration ahead of a trip to Leicester City on Tuesday night.

Despite playing in just three matches across the last four Gameweeks, Pascal Groß (£6.7m) is joint-top for key passes played in that time.

He has supplemented that with eight efforts on goal and could inspire Brighton to a decent showing at the King Power Stadium.

Leicester are without a clean sheet at home since Gameweek 14 and the effect of going into this match without a manager is hard to quantify.

This could be a serious opportunity for Brighton to secure their first away win since Gameweek 14.

James Maddison

Price: £6.6m

Ownership: 4.4%

Despite Puel’s departure from Leicester City, there is still plenty of promise surrounding central midfielder James Maddison (£6.6m).

This is not the first time we’ve tipped the former Norwich City man as a differential option of late as the Foxes fixtures continue to appeal.

A home game against Brighton this week is another one of those favourable fixtures, and it comes after a strong statistical performance from Maddison last time out.

That means in the last four Gameweeks, no player has created more chances than him, while only two Fantasy assets in the whole division have shot more often.

With reports of Brendan Rodgers coming to the King Power Stadium, we could still see Leicester able to capitalise on their appealing schedule, and Maddison could be a big part of that.

With reports of Brendan Rodgers coming to the King Power Stadium, we could still see Leicester able to capitalise on their appealing schedule, and Maddison could be a big part of that.

1,878 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Lingard’s Shin Guards
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    How much itb? Barnes is popular

    1. Lingard’s Shin Guards
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Reply to Daxus

  2. LewanGOALski
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Which 2 out of those 3:

    B)arnes
    R)ondon
    V)ardy
    ??

    thanks!

    1. Warby84
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      All 3

    2. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Rodgers is the gamechanger imo. RV all the way.

  3. merin
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Do we know what teams have double in GW32 ?
    Is it MUN, WOL, MCI, CAR, BHA, TOT, WAT, CRY, SOU, CHE, FUL, NEW?

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Just Man U and Wolves at the moment

    2. pjomara
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18r08-Z5lot760c2k1B380OCnNHXLRnNH31YWagB4Oas/htmlview?sle=true#

      Click on "Fixtures in the Blank & Double GWs" for likely DGW32 fixtures

      1. Now I'm Panicking
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        I would approach the likeliness of these "likely" fixtures with extreme caution.

        1. pjomara
          • 13 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          He was accurate with his likely fixtures last season

          1. Now I'm Panicking
            • 9 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            You must have been looking at different predictions than I saw. His blind assumption that all the Cup QF blanks would move to the early DGW and all the Cup SF blanks would move to the later DGW (which was also his wrong assumption last year) is already wrong with the two fixtures that have been rearranged recently.

        2. merin
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 8 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Is the scale Possible -> Likely -> Confirmed? Or is it Likely -> Possible -> Confirmed?

  4. pressdpm
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Any good F.Anderson replacements for around the same price?

    1. #FPLBhuna
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Barnes maddison

      1. pressdpm
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Maddison doesn't seem to have done anything in a while

        1. #FPLBhuna
          • 7 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          Check his stats.

          Returns imminent

          1. pressdpm
            • 11 Years
            5 years, 1 month ago

            Haven't actually watched Leicester much I admit. Barnes looking good too then?

            1. #FPLBhuna
              • 7 Years
              5 years, 1 month ago

              Barnes really passing the eye test for me

              More so than madders

              1. pressdpm
                • 11 Years
                5 years, 1 month ago

                Tempted to do Biling > Barnes

                Eats into my budget a bit though, and gives a benching headache.

    2. Peter Ouch
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Almiron

    3. Demel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      GroB

    4. Ajax Hamsterdam
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      i d keep if i were you

    5. n14mul
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Why replace him is the question

      1. pressdpm
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        His points have seriously dried up

        1. n14mul
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 6 Years
          5 years, 1 month ago

          But West ham don't have any blanks and have some really good games ahead cardiff and huds I would say are tasty

    6. Surfreak
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Why whats wrong with Fanderson?

      1. pressdpm
        • 11 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Returns have been poor for a while now

    7. LarryDuff
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Maddison

  5. #FPLBhuna
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Son > Barnes/maddison/sane (-4)

    Worth a punt?

    Really impressed by Barnes not
    the eye test in particular lately

    1. KUNingas
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      There will be goals in london derby

  6. Pep's Money Laundry
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Who to start:

    A. Digne (car)
    B. Anderson (mci)

    Also would you have Rashford first on the bench or the other one from above

    1. Ëð
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I have a similar conundrum and am going with A.

      Probably won't matter, but I'd go Anderson just in case Rashford makes a cameo.

  7. Karan14
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Manchester City are training this morning with Fernandinho, Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Gabriel Jesus all missing from the session in front of the cameras. Fabian Delph, Ilkay Gundogan and Benjamin Mendy trained as normal #MCFC

    1. internal error
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Why isn't this in the scout tweets?

      1. Karan14
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        I have no clue. But it’s tweet from a reporter so they probably don’t tweet all that.

      2. Nemes1s
        • 10 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Check Ian Irving's post on Twitter, I believe that's the source.

    2. Differential C (Mark)
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Encouraging for a Kun captainer!

      1. Karan14
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Definitely

    3. Erdogan
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Thanks for this. Any Intel on Sane, what people think, will he start?
      Considering Son to Sane for free.

  8. FPL FREAK
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Allison. Button
    Shaw. Doherty. Luiz. Bennett. Bednarek.
    Salah. Son. Pogba. F. Anderson. Gunnarson.
    Aguero. Rashford. Jimenez.

    0.8 in bnk

    Thinking to keep rashford

    So F Anderson > ???

    1. FPL FREAK
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Guys anyone..??

      1. TheTinman
        • 8 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Keep him

      2. PrettyDick
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Strongly disagree with you.

        Although I don't own FA I think the talk of selling him is a bit mad. He's a great player and has great fixtures, and plays in both GW31 and GW33. With a lot of players coming back for West Ham now I think they'll be able to produce a lot of goals in these games and usually FA is part of the play in the final third.

        Keeping Rashford could be a good option, depending on your plan going forward. If you're planning on using your FH in gw32 however I'd consider selling him. Certainly ahead of FA in that case.
        If you feel like you *have* to make a transfer I'd much rather lose Son (saying that I'm sure we can come back to this in two days time when Son's hauled)

        whatever you choose, best of luck!

  9. Lingard’s Shin Guards
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    A) Barnes and a very solid bgw team
    B) Vardy and a worse bgw team

    1. Ëð
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      A

  10. FPL ElasticO
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Are these transfers worth doing for -4/-8?? Got 1 FT..

    A. Niasse/ Rashford/ F Anderson >> Kun**/ Rondon/ Sterling**
    (** may be rotation risk)
    B. Rashford/ F Anderson/ JWP >>
    Kun/ Sterling/ McNeil
    C. Rashford/ F Anderson >> Kun/ Sterling

  11. Demel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Button > Ederson gives me

    Ederson
    Robertson - Shaw - Doherty
    Pogba - Sane - Salah - Son
    Aguero - Rashford - Jimenez

    Fabianski - Schlupp - Camarasa - AWB

    0.5m Bank

    I am Free Hitting in GW 31 so i want to keep Rashford for GW 32. The other option is to bring Zaha in for him.

    All looking ok?

    1. internal error
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      You not worried about no Laporte and Fernandinho ruining City Clean sheets?

      1. Demel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        Perhaps. Another option is to bring in De Gea, take out Rashford and bring in Zaha. But I am not sure that is an upgrade. I think City will pick up clean sheets whoever they play.

    2. n14mul
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      If they are fit

      1. Demel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        If Rashford was out for a while then he goes for Zaha. But it is too up in the air to make that call at the moment.

  12. el polako
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Salah's form has dropped lately, so did Liverpool's as a whole.
    With Firmino out how confident we can be that Mo willndo well against Watford ?
    Considering maverick captain pick this GW.

    1. Demel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Aguero would be a maverick pick this week and could pay off.

    2. n14mul
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Firmino out been confirmed?

  13. Queens of the South Age
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Would you rather have

    A - Higuain, Mane and Maddison
    B - Vardy, Hazard and Almiron

    Thinking these are my next 3 transfers planning for GW32 FH.

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      B

    2. Ëð
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Is Vardy, Mane and Maddison possible?

      1. Queens of the South Age
        • 6 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        It is but wanting somebody from Chelsea and don't fancy going for 2 Leicester just now

    3. The 5% Team
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      B

    4. Queens of the South Age
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Thanks. I was leaning towards B so probably going to go for that. Get Almiron and Vardy this week and Hazard next week.

    5. PrettyDick
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Higuain, Mane, Almiron for me.

      But if I had to choose between those two, A

  14. Dynamic Duos
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Need one price drop on Hazard , will it happen tonight?

    1. pjomara
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Hazard is already on a beach in the Caribbean

  15. Big Ronnie
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Fab
    Kola, Pereira, Doherty, TAA
    Salah, Son, Pogba, Rich
    Auba, Rashford*

    Button, Anderson, AWB*, Kamara*

    1FT and £1.7m ITB. Planning on playing FH in GW 32 so have to have half an eye on planning for GW31 and 33.

    a) Kamara to Barnes
    b) Kamara to Rondon
    c) Rashford to Vardy
    d) Rashford to Jimenez

  16. Daxus
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Guita or Fab to start today??

    1. Pep's Money Laundry
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Guita

  17. wagner is king
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    anderson to mane for -4

    will it be worth the points over a few weeks.

    1. PrettyDick
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      how many weeks? Are you planning on reversing the transfer at some point?

  18. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Rashford & Son
    to
    Aguero & Hayden? (2 FT)
    will give me Aguero, Auba, Salah & Hazard at the weekend

  19. #FPLBhuna
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Gtg - any changes to team or bench?

    ederson
    robbo - doherty - pva
    salah(c) - mane - son - pogba
    vardy - jiminez - rondon

    fab - anderson - bednarek - awb

    1. Kuzser
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Grg

  20. Kane Train
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    What teams should I look at taking out of my team and replacing them with?

    1. dbeck
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Hudds and Fulham player out

    2. Lingard’s Shin Guards
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      To put it simply - take out the blank teams and put in players that play in 31 and 33. Ben Crellin’s got some good spreadsheets on twitter that make it easier to see this

  21. Kuzser
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    The longer I think the more I'm inclined to save ft. Am I mad?
    1ft. 2.5itb 
    1) Rashford-> Barnes
    2) Rashford-> Vardy
    3) gtg 
    4) Schindler->doherty

    Team is:
    Fab
    Pereira robbo Lejeune 
    Salah son pogba McNeil 
    Auba Jimenez Rashford 
    Subs: Anderson, schindler, awb

    1. Bubbles1985
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      2 for me.

  22. KneejerkJoe
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Why are people selling Son?

    1. Nomar
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Look at the next 4 GWs. 3 Top 6 teams and a blank.

    2. n14mul
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      I will too but not yet. Guess because spurs could blank 2 game weeks and most ppl have chips left to bring him back when needed

    3. Another Hoops
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Kane's back people are panicking about his blank last game

  23. Demel
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Who to captain... Aguero or Salah. Hmm....

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Tough one isn't it I'm currently on Salah(c) Aguero(vc)

      1. Demel
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        It looks the safer pick. I think Watford are a bit wobbly. But so are West Ham.

    2. internal error
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      One's in form, the other isn't

    3. Bubbles1985
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Jiminez

  24. Ludde
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    8 points behind the leader in my Mini League. Should I go for Aguero as captain over Salah? The leader will choose Salah as captain.

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Choose who you think is likely to score more points. Wouldn't over-complicate it with such a small points difference and long way to go.

    2. Bonus magnet
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      what if he goes Aguero?

    3. dbeck
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      no, 8 points is nothing to be thinking like this. Captain who you think will get the most points.

      1. Ludde
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 1 month ago

        The leader doesn't have Aguero.

    4. Demel
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      8 points can be overturned in injury time of the last game of the season. That points difference is irrelevant.

  25. pressdpm
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    What's the story with McNeil? 4.4 seems an absolute steal at the moment.

    1. Another Hoops
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      He looks good but is he a risk with the likes of Gudmundsson coming back?

  26. Another Hoops
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Guys if you play the FH chip does it cancel out minus points?

    What does this potential FH team look like?

    Patricio
    Doherty - Robertson - Kolasinac
    Salah (c) - Almeron - Pogba - Sterling
    Aguero - Lacazette - Jiminez

    Boruc - Redmond - Bednarek - Valery

    Kolasinac could be Trent.

  27. StayoutheSpiceZone
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    What to do with Marcus Rashford...

    1. Amey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Depends on your bench player's

    2. Bubbles1985
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Sell for Vardy

  28. Who Ate All Depays?
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Fabianski
    Robertson, Bennett, Yedlin
    Salah, Pogba, Son, Hayden
    Aguero, Auba, Rondon
    (Hamer, Felipe, AWB, Kiko)

    Worth making any changes for a hit?
    A) Son -> Mane
    B) Kiko -> TAA

  29. Warby84
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Everyone going in Barnes!! Is wood not an option??

    1. Garlana
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      He's probably the differential pick, not a bad pick at all, good form. But he doesn't appear to be on pens like Barnes and is slightly more expensive.

    2. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Tempting for the "I've got Wood" jokes, but Barnes is a lot cheaper and is more likely to score according to the bookies.

    3. dbeck
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 1 month ago

      Woods would be an option if he was the same price.

  30. Amey
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 1 month ago

    Any news/pics of Sterling training today guy's ??

    I can't decide Whether to do
    Son to Sterling (-4) transfer. Don't want to miss out on Raz points as missed a lot already.