Opinion

Fantasy managers consider Salah and Mané switch

Is Mohamed Salah (£13.5m) worth the money? A question we find ourselves mulling over again ahead of Gameweek 29 after the Egyptian managed just three points in Liverpool’s 5-0 rout of Watford on Wednesday night. Around this time last season, the Reds smashed Watford 5-0 with Salah bagging four goals. What a difference a year makes!

Owners of Sadio Mane (£9.7m) and Liverpool defenders were the big winners this week. Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m), Trent Alexander-Arnold (£5.3m) and Andrew Robertson (£6.8m) combined to score an unbelievable fifty-one points while Mane came away with thirteen after his brace. He’s now scored six goals in his last six appearances compared to Salah’s three.

Salah out, Mane in, could be a popular move this week. The cash saved can go a long way…

Chelsea followed up a good performance against Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final with an impressive 2-0 win over rivals Spurs. The Blues seem to be turning the corner just at the right time for us fantasy managers. They face Fulham (a), Wolves (h) and Everton (a) in the next three and are likely to have a Double Gameweek 32 made up of Cardiff (a) and Brighton (h) before facing West Ham (h) in Blank Gameweek 33. They are a team we can all target regardless of our chip strategy.

Eden Hazard (£10.8m) managed just fifty-nine minutes against Spurs after completing 120 minutes in the cup final on Sunday which should see him fresh to wreak havoc in the Fulham defence at the weekend.

At just 2.7% ownership, Gonzalo Higuain (£9.5m) could be an explosive differential in the coming Gameweeks with those kind fixtures. Pedro (£6.3m) got himself on the scoresheet in Gameweek 28 and could be an option for those who are free-hitting in Gameweek 32.

David Luiz (£5.9m) registered his 12th clean sheet of the campaign and is another who is sure to be transferred in by many this week. Marcos Alonso (£6.4m) picked up all three bonus points without any attacking returns to remind us of what he can offer.

Rafa Benitez is one of the best in the business when it comes to organising a defence and making his team difficult to break down. The Magpies have kept back-to-back clean sheets and still have a favourable run of fixtures ahead. The three centre-backs, Jamaal Lascelles (£4.6m), Fabian Schär (£4.7m) and Florian Lejeune (£4.4m) are all worthy of consideration. All three offer an attacking threat as well as their clean sheet potential. Goalkeeper Martin Dubravka (£5.0m) is an awkward price but could be worth the outlay.

It will be interesting to see what effect Brendan Rodgers will have at Leicester City. Will Harvey Barnes (£5.5m) keep his place? Will Jamie Vardy (£8.8m) go on a run? Will we see the best of James Maddison (£6.6m)? Can Rodgers shore up the defence? Lots of questions that we don’t know the answers to yet so it may be best to give him a game or two in charge to assess things before investing.

The forgotten man in FPL, Gylfi Sigurdsson (£7.2m) popped up with a brace midweek to bag himself sixteen points. He’s now the seventh highest-scoring midfielder in the game yet is owned by just 5.7%. The upcoming fixtures combined with Everton’s poor form before their 3-0 win at Cardiff will put managers off but we’ve seen it season after season that Siggy delivers points consistently. Don’t rule him out of your plans.

There are quite a few captaincy options for the weekend. Man City assets should do well against a leaky Bournemouth defence. Raheem Sterling (£11.3m) is likely to start the game having come off the bench against West Ham. Sergio Aguero (£11.7m) could do serious damage if Gabriel Jesus (£9.9) remains on the sidelines.

Paul Pogba (£8.9m) at home to Southampton will be trusted by plenty with the armband. He and United are in great form despite their mounting injury problems.

Chelsea’s fixture away at Fulham looks tasty for the likes of Hazard and Higuain.

Will Salah deliver in the Merseyside derby or will Mane outshine him again?

Harry Kane (£12.4m) vs Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.0m) will be an interesting shoot-out in the North-London derby. Will Son Heung-min (£8.9m) return to form?

There’s a great weekend of Premier League action ahead of us, enjoy it and good luck for the Gameweek.

355 Comments Post a Comment
  1. PlayPercentage
    • 13 Years
    5 years, 29 days ago

    Have the fixtures been finalised yet for GW31, GW32 and GW33?

    1. kennethrhcp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      31 yes (im sure)

      32 & 33 nope

  2. The Ejiptian King
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 29 days ago

    Really struggling to decide between Higuain and Vardy, I really haven't been impressed with Hig so far but you'd think he has to start scoring at some point with his career record.

    1. Dynamic Duos
      • 10 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      I don't think you can go far wrong with either

      1. The Ejiptian King
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 29 days ago

        I was looking at ways to get both but it's not really possible, one would have to come in for Kamara and it's just too much money to find.

    2. Amey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      I prefer Higuain

      1. The Ejiptian King
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 29 days ago

        How come?

        1. Amey
          • 5 Years
          5 years, 29 days ago

          He looks good when i watch him. Against minnows he could easily haul.
          Also Vardy is very annoying imo. 5-7 points ceiling. So ...

    3. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      Vardy for me. On pens too

  3. Ten Season Wonder
    • 10 Years
    5 years, 29 days ago

    Who to get? Mane or Haz from now until I wildcard in GW34?

    1. Dr. Agabuse
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      Hazz

    2. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      Tuff one but hazard just. But you do know any if them can hail b8g time while the other one does average.

  4. Dr. Agabuse
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 29 days ago

    How do I have to deal with the Blanks and DGWs.

    I have all the chips and my WC.

    Which players should I avoid. What is my strategy here?

    Fab/Speroni

    TAA Kola Lindelof AWB Doherty

    Salah Pogba Maddison Son Brooks

    Aguero Jimenez Rashford

    1FT 0.9 itb

    Thinking Son to Hazard, affordable via Kolasinac to Stankovic 3.9 (played last game) or Salah to Sterling. but then i'd need to play a WC or smth for GW31 Pogba Rash Sterling blank, around which Im currently fnding a way chip free..

    1. Nailed Jesus
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      Kola & Son to Luiz and Haz. You'd probably have to fund it by Aguero to someone who plays in BGW 31. This way you have 9 players in BGW 31. Take a hit for another one if you want.

      Then you're very nicely set up for DGW 32. I'd probably bring in Aguero & Sterling and TC one of them, or Pogba.

      FH33, WC34, BB35

  5. HD7
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 29 days ago

    Doing Auba to Higuain andit gives me:

    Fab
    Doherty Pereira VVD Robbo
    Salah Pogba(C) Jota Son
    Higuain Vardy

    Subs: Button, Camarasa, Llorente, AWB

    All good?

    1. Dr. Agabuse
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      seems mediocre. 5itb? or is it the Liverpool luxury?

      1. HD7
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 29 days ago

        2M Itb. Then next GW Jota Llorente to Brooks King and before GW31 Son to Haz 😉
        Gives me a good GW31 team and balance before 31 comes too

      2. Snevitz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        5 years, 29 days ago

        Ignore this comment, it looks good.
        Get rid of Llorente asap.

    2. Amey
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      Yep

      1. HD7
        • 7 Years
        5 years, 29 days ago

        Thanks bro

  6. Totti
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 29 days ago

    any news that jesus will return next gw or not?

    A) keep aguero
    B) sell aguero

    1. Dr. Agabuse
      • 11 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      a

  7. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    5 years, 29 days ago

    Ashley Barnes to Rashford?

    1. DMP
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      Not now.

  8. Wolfman180
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 29 days ago

    Thoughts on King, Salah, Son out for Higuain, Mane, Sterling for a -8?

    1. Snevitz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      I hate it, what are your thoughts on it?

      1. Wolfman180
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 9 Years
        5 years, 29 days ago

        I'm seeing what downgrading Salah to Mane can do to help the rest of my team. Higuain and Sterling look more appealing than Son and King

        1. Snevitz
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          5 years, 29 days ago

          It's fine for free but -8? Do you think that will pay off?

    2. Pieterke30
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      I like it

    3. JfA
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      I think a -8 is a big risk any week unless you had serious circumstances.

  9. Baps hunter
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 29 days ago

    Which choice is the best?

    1) Salah + Son > Sterling + Haz
    2) Richa + Son > Haz + Jorginho (or 4.7)
    3) Richa + Son > Sterling + Oriol Romeu
    4) Richa > ?!?
    5) Save and keep Richa

    Since I have Luiz number 2 means no Higuain. Kun owner. All these for -4. Lascelles first on the bench. 0.2 short of Salah + Son > Mane +Haz. FH32 strategy. Team linked.

  10. DMP
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    5 years, 29 days ago

    Already did Auba to Higuain. It is worth loosing Son for Sterling(-4) and captain him? It envolves another (-4) to field 11 on GW 31.

    Fabs
    Robbo Pereira Bennett
    Salah(c) Pogba Andersson Son**
    Higuain Rondon Jimenez

    Hamer Richarlison Digne Bednarek

    1. Shineonme
      • 7 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      Not for me. Son could easily outscore sterling. Arsenal haven't the greatest defence on the planet.

  11. Dammed Utd
    • 11 Years
    5 years, 29 days ago

    I can’t see Salah hitting a brace anytime soon Everton up next and always a close game. I have Salah and Mane really considering dumping Salah after reading the article streamed the game yesterday Salah did not do much. I going go with 3 Man City and 3 Liverpool think time up on my watch for Salah warden

  12. JfA
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    5 years, 29 days ago

    First time poster here and need a bit of advice, we play head to head matches at work and I have a big match on Saturday, would anyone take a four point hit to bring in Higuain for Rondon?

    1. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      5 years, 29 days ago

      For one game? I wouldn't.

      1. JfA
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 5 Years
        5 years, 29 days ago

        I'm thinking of the blank game week as well, but Rondon also plays in 31

  13. Mackans
    • 6 Years
    5 years, 28 days ago

    Fabianski (Button)
    Robbo VVD Doherty (Zabaleta) (AWB)
    Salah Son Pogba F.Andersson (Puncheon)
    Agüero Jimenez Barnes

    What to do with 1 free transfer? 1.5m ib

  14. mata7
    • 9 Years
    5 years, 28 days ago

    So I was wondering....

    Son + Fanderson > Sterling + Kante

    Or

    Salah + Son > Sterling + Mane

    What do you reckon?