Captain Sensible

Who are the best FPL captain options for Gameweek 34+?

Fantasy Premier League managers are looking at Manchester City, Manchester United and Spurs assets for the Gameweek 34+ captaincy.

But who is the best candidate for the armband? That’s what the Captain Sensible article is here for.

We have compared each asset for various aspects of form over the last four matches of the Premier League restart against the defences they are set to face midweek.

As this article uses data from the Fantasy Football Scout Members Area, only those with a valid subscription can view it in full.

Captain Poll

After several Gameweeks of tight calls, Kevin De Bruyne (£10.8m) has cut through the noise to become the overwhelming captaincy favourite for the next round of action.

The Belgian’s latest rest looks to have locked in a start for the Newcastle game on Wednesday evening and encouraged the interest in his Fantasy credentials.

Since the Premier League restarted, De Bruyne has produced attacking returns during every game in which he has featured from the beginning, totalling three goals, two assists, two double-digit hauls and an average score of 12 points per game. Impressive stuff.

Meanwhile, Newcastle have kept just one clean sheet since Gameweek 30+, conceding twice in their recent draw with West Ham, so De Bruyne will fancy his chances of making a breakthrough, or assisting one of his colleagues. As a result, 44.1% of our voters have singled him out as the best captain for Gameweek 34+.

Bruno Fernandes (£8.9m) takes up the silver medal position this time around, earning 19.8% support ahead of a trip to Aston Villa, just under half the backing of De Bruyne.

The disparity between the two players could be a result of more voters cottoning onto the recent defensive improvements made by Dean Smith’s men. While they have just one clean sheet since the Premier League restart, Villa do look a lot harder to break down than before. Pre-lockdown, they conceded an average of two goals per game across the first 28 matches of the campaign. Since then they have managed to decrease that to just 1.2 per game.

That said, Fernandes comes into Gameweek 34+ in excellent form. After slight blip when starting alongside Paul Pogba (£8.3m) for the first time against Sheffield United, the Portuguese international has responded with two scintillating performances.

In Gameweeks 32+ and 33+ he scored three goals and assisted a further two, racking up 15 points in each match, despite gifting a penalty to Marcus Rashford (£9.1m). Even outside of spot-kicks, Fernandes retains considerable threat on his long-range, but accurate, shots on goal, as well as direct free-kicks and corners.

Harry Kane (£11.0m) sits a distant third in the captain poll this week, backed by just 6.2% ahead of Spurs meeting with Bournemouth.

The Cherries have certainly been in an obliging mood of late, conceding more goals than any other side since the Premier League restarted (12).

However, it must be remembered that Steve Cook (£5.0m), Simon Francis (£4.4m), Chris Mepham (£4.3m) or Jack Simpson (£3.9m) were all absent for the most recent outing, the 5-2 defeat at Manchester United, so Kane backers may want to consider that some of them could return to action.

The centre-forward has put in some mixed performances since Gameweek 30+, scoring twice in that time, but struggling to offer much in the way of justification for the armband in Monday’s win over Everton, which you can read about in more detail HERE.

Willian (£7.2m) has scored a penalty in each of the last three Chelsea matches, helping him climb to the fourth-most-popular captain for Gameweek 34+.

Chelsea travel to a Crystal Palace side that has lapsed defensively since their four clean sheets from four between Gameweeks 27 and 30+. Over their last three matches, the Eagles have shipped a total of eight goals, while Frank Lampard’s men have found the net at least twice in every outing since the Premier League restart.

Willian has played a bit part in that, hence the 3.9% backing for the captaincy, while Christian Pulisic (£7.2m), the man who has won several of the Brazilian’s penalties, has accrued the support of 3.3% of voters.

The two Chelsea options sit either side of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£10.9m) in the popularity charts, 3.4% selecting him as the best captain for Gameweek 34+.

On Tuesday evening, Arsenal host a Leicester side with just one clean sheet in their last five away matches. Aubameyang, meanwhile, has five goals in his last four at the Emirates Stadium.

A rather laboured display for Liverpool in their 2-0 win over Aston Villa has sent Mohamed Salah (£12.6m) down the captaincy pecking order for Gameweek 34+. Ahead of a trip to Brighton, who have conceded in every home game since Gameweek 20+, the Egyptian has the support of just 2.4%.

The differential power of Raheem Sterling (£11.7m) is also rather high, considering that 1.9% have selected him as the best Gameweek 34+ captain, and the same goes for Phil Foden (£5.4m), who has the same amount of support. The latter has produced attacking returns in every home match since the Premier League restart, averaging 11.3 points per game.

Anthony Martial (£8.3m), Son Heung-min (£9.8m), Rashford, Mason Greenwood (£4.6m) and Gabriel Jesus (£9.6m) are the only options with more than 1% backing in the poll.

Player statistics – Last four matches

1,533 Comments Post a Comment
  1. proczell
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Start Jim or Foden?

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Foden for me

    2. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Foden

  2. ankj70
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Pope Doherty guedouzi -> Pulisic Ederson lamptey for a -8?

    Is that insane?

    1. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I think you need to be admitted.

    2. Siggy in the Middle
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      It's overkill.

    3. Saïss Doesn't Mat…
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      the heck is this?

  3. xtina
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    If you have WC and BB remaining - when do you plan to use these and why?

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      WC this week. BB planned for 37 or 38.

      1. Najoman86
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Those chips would be burning a hole in your pocket. Finish the season with a chip flurry and rise up the overall rank. Good luck!

    2. kysersosa
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      36, fixtures

  4. dicky2014
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Right someone needs to rewatch the Wolves game and see who got a big kick.

    Cheers in advance.

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Definitely. Someone mentioned Doherty

    2. kysersosa
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Jota took a few off Xhaka and Moutinho too.

    3. DMil
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Pedro Neto according to a Ben Dinnery RT.

  5. kysersosa
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Choices, Choices.......

    A) Jimenez - Away to a solid SHU defense, might score but unlikely to reach double figures.

    B) DCL - blanked since the re-start and didn't look great last night, Southampton won't perform like that again.

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      DCL is due

      1. Zimo
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I thought Jimenez wife was due

    2. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Jimi. Set pieces. Southampton's defense was very impressive against City.

    3. Siggy in the Middle
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      A

      DCL has been really poor

  6. Taegugk Warrior
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Chose 1 to bench
    A. Saiss
    B. Stevens
    C. Egan
    D. Jimenez

    1. FPL Bond @ Twitter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Egan

  7. Ruinenlust
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Sterling has started 4 games in 10 days. Are we sure he will start against Newcastle?

    1. Camzy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      No we aren't sure.

      And also he has a tendency to miss drubbings.

    2. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Good question

    3. kamdaraji
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      seems very unlikely given pep roulette. Foden could play in false 9 position

    4. Forgetmeknot
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      As a counter argument he has been taken off early in the last two.

      Not sure he will start but I think I will still get him for free for Salah, will still be happy if he gets 30 mins at the end

    5. Klaren
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      On the other hand Jesus started the last 3 and played 90 in 2 of them including the last one while Sterling played 60.

      I think Sterling is more likely to start upfront between the two but not 100% sure.

    6. kysersosa
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Pep doesn't tend to rotate so id be very surprised if the line-up isn't identical.

  8. jaywills
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    I have 1 FT this week...

    A) Play Saka and Salah (Hold the FT)
    B) Transfer Salah -> Son
    C) Tranfer Saka and Salah -> Son and Foden (-4)

    Thanks!

    1. FPL Bond @ Twitter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      C

    2. Nedvěd11
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Replied on your previous post.
      NO

  9. lindeg
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Bench one:

    A: Foden (NEW)
    B: DCL (SOU)
    C: Ings (eve)

    Cheers!

    1. Runaway
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Not A but not sure between B and C, probably B because of form.

      1. lindeg
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Cheers!

    2. FPLShaqiri
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Bit of a coin toss that one. Think you have to play Foden as City likely to score a few and he should be involved. Anytime goalscorer odds would suggest Everton and DCL more likely to score than Southampton and Ings, so bench Ings I guess.

      1. lindeg
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Cheers!

  10. Runaway
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    G2G?

    Pope
    TAA Doherty Kiko
    Salah KDB (V) Bruno (C) Martial Foden
    Rash Jimi

    Martinez DCL Holgate Lascelles
    1 FT 0.7 ITB

    1. RAFA THE GAFFA
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Pretty much identical team if I make a move this week

    2. Shatner's Bassoon
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Hope so I've got an almost identical team except Maguire instead of Martial.

      DCL has annoyed the living daylights out of me so am benching as well. Braced for pain.

  11. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Best move? 1FT, 0.5itb.

    A. Save FT.
    B. ASM >> Foden (bench DCL)

    Martinez
    TAA • Doherty • Kiko
    Salah • Martial • KDB • Bruno
    Jimmy • Rash • DCL
    (3.9, Holgate, ASM, Lascelles)

    1. Karan14
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      B

    2. PascalCygan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I'm doing B but I think you could save there. Good team.

    3. Runaway
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I am in the same situation (with your option B) and not comfortable with benching DCL. Saving FT may help to sort things out with 2 FT next GW and you will not need ASM this week (probably).

  12. LIARS POKER
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Any defenders 4.3 or below worth taking a -4 to replace Lascelles?

    My other defenders are Holgate and Robinson so chance could end up with only 2 defenders unless I take a hit

  13. Viper
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    If I do Saka -> Foden, I'm stuck with Ritchie starting. Should I

    A. Not do Saka -> Foden, start Jimenez & do Ritchie -> Digne for free

    B. Ritchie -> Digne for a hit and do both moves

  14. Salarrivederci
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Jimi, Traore & Son -> Ings, Foden & KDB (-4)

    Gtg?
    Kepa
    Azpi-Doherty-Aurier
    KDB-Bruno-Martial-Pulisic-Foden
    (K)ane-Rashford

    (Martinez, Ings, Taylor, Justin)

  15. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Pep: "What I want with Gabriel Jesus is the way he played against Southampton. It was maybe one of his best performances of this season. We can use him in our process and in the box he is ready to do it. We need his goals, he knows it, for the team."

    Jesus benched then...

    1. The Train Driver
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Lol, he was so ineffective. A tree would have scored eventually with all those chances...

      1. Rolls-Royce
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I think he worked his socks off that game. Unlucky not to score.

    2. Siggy in the Middle
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      If that's his best I'd hate to see his worst

    3. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Or Sterling benched. One of them has to play striker

      1. Salarrivederci
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Foden can play the false 9

  16. Gazza2000
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Thoughts here ?

    2FT 1.0 ITB

    Henderson-McCarthy
    AWB-TAA-Doherty-Fernandez-Taylor
    Salah-Fernandes-KDB-Pulisic-Hayden
    Jimenez-DCL-Rashford

    a) Hayden, DCL to Foden, Greenwood ( Bench Jimmy)
    b) Hayden, Salah to Sterling, Foden ( bench DCL and next week DCL to Greenwood)

  17. FPL Daniel
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Feels like a completely new mini season. Pre lockdown stats are no longer valid

    1. Rolls-Royce
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Definitely.

      1. FPL Daniel
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        I was caught on them for Rashford and Salah and Barnes and Jota and Jesus

        1. Rolls-Royce
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Salad had looked good until the last game. Mings really kicked him in that game. I expect him to get back to his best soon.

  18. Feed tha Sheep
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Trying to catch leader so thoughts on Mane > Sterling?

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Could work. However he might be rested this GW

    2. FPL Bond @ Twitter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Go for it...

  19. Stupendous
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Gtg? Bench feels wrong and worrying me

    Patricio
    Doherty Autier Taa Vvd
    Salah Kdb(c) Mahrez Foden Pulisic
    Ings

    Martin DCL Jimenez holgate

    1. Stupendous
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Aurier geez

      1. kamdaraji
        • 14 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Autier captian?

        1. Stupendous
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Hilarious that one.

    2. PascalCygan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Good team mate. GL

      1. Stupendous
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Cheers and you!

    3. Holmes
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      No other option when you have that kind of team.

      P.s. Is there much difference between Sterling and Mahrez? Cash is not issue.

  20. Slitherene
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    BB 34+
    Krul (wat) Martinez (LEI)
    DC-L (SOU) Holgate (SOU) Saiss (shu)

    OR

    BB 35+
    Krul (WHU) Martinez (tot)
    DC-L (wol) Holgate (wol) Saiss (EVE)

    Which is a better GW for BB?

  21. The Train Driver
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Jota got fouled by Xhaka late in the game, might be him...

    1. PascalCygan
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Sorry missed all this, has there been a Wolves presser today? Worried as a Doherty/Jimi owner!

    2. Hazz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      There's also talk of Podence being involved, and he is a winger. Neto has been good so could be that they both start, or one does & the other is the sub.

  22. The Count of Monte Cristo
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 8 months ago

    Fellow Mané owners (who do not own Salah as well) - are you sticking this GW?

    1. Feed tha Sheep
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      I’m considering Sterling...hard one though. Has sterling a bigger upside?

      1. The Count of Monte Cristo
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Yes I'd say so.

        I own KDB and Mahrez, and thinking of bringing Foden in from St. Maximin so Sterling may be unattainable for me sadly.

    2. Party time
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Definitely keeping

    3. aubawuba
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Bench between:
      Saka
      Jimi
      DCL

      1. barcaa7
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Saka

      2. Nedvěd11
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Jimi

    4. Origal73
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Bottomed...

      worth doing mahrez and jimmy -> kane and fodden for -4?

      Team is:
      henderson (martin)
      TAA Saiss Maguire (Justin, Holgate)
      KDB (C) Fernandez salah martial Mahrez
      Vardy Jimmy (Connolly)

      Appreciate any feedback!

      1. Sotamendi84
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        no way

      2. FPL Bond @ Twitter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Do it..

    5. Gunner1290
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Who gets more points for the remainder of the season:

      A) Foden
      B) Wan Bissaka

      1. The Train Driver
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Both exactly the same points for sure...

      2. Camzy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Foden.

      3. Sotamendi84
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        foden

    6. Old Gregg
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Hello,

      worth a hit to get KDB in?

      I have Mahrez.

      1) Rash + Saka > Greenwood + KDB (-4)
      Or
      2) Saka > Foden

      Thanks

      1. Siggy in the Middle
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        1

        1. Old Gregg
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Thanks

    7. Sotamendi84
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      bench one out of:
      1) dcl
      2) gomez
      3) saiss

      1. Flynny
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        saiss

      2. Siggy in the Middle
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        1

    8. Flynny
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Start which of these?

      A...dcl v saints

      B...jiminez at sheffield

      Thanks

      1. Sotamendi84
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        jimenez

      2. Mogger11
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        B for me.

        1. Flynny
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Thanks

    9. Mogger11
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Poor last gw has led to me questioning everything. Who to bench out if this lot?

      Greenwood (avl)
      Pulisic (cry)
      Ings (eve)
      Jiminez (shu).

      Any thoughts appreciated.

      1. Siggy in the Middle
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Jimmy

      2. Sotamendi84
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        ings or jim (probably jim) but tough decision

        1. Mogger11
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 8 months ago

          Thanks. I kind of agree but it feels counter intuitive.

    10. Skurtram
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 8 months ago

      Start Jimenez or Saka?

      1. ChipsnGravy
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 8 months ago

        Jimi