Scout Notes

United defence still suspect but Shaw and Fernandes hit new FPL heights

Manchester United 3-1 Newcastle United

  • Goals: Marcus Rashford (£9.6m), Daniel James (£6.2m), Bruno Fernandes (£11.6m) | Allan Saint-Maximin (£5.1m)
  • Assists: Harry Maguire, Fernandes, Rashford
  • Bonus: Fernandes x3, Rashford x2, James x1

SPOT THE HAUL

Alex Ferguson-era Manchester United were the embodiment of coming up with the goods even when not playing particularly well, a trait that Bruno Fernandes (£11.6m) shares with those serial winners.

Frustrated in the opening 45 minutes against Newcastle and picking up a booking for a set-to with Isaac Hayden (£4.6m), Fernandes predictably went on to bag a double-digit haul – his tenth of the season – with an assist for Daniel James’ (£6.2m) goal and a 74th-minute penalty.

That took the Portuguese playmaker past the 300-point mark in FPL since his debut just over a year ago.

It’s usually at this point that someone points out his heavy reliance on spot-kicks, which is undeniably true: seven of his 15 goals this season have come from 12 yards.

Stripping away penalties from his 10 league appearances this calendar year, Fernandes has had just one big chance and averages less than one shot in the box per appearance.

But the penalties aren’t likely to evaporate: United have been in the top two for spot-kick awards in each of the last three seasons, with the speed and trickery of Marcus Rashford (£9.6m) et al always like to attract rash penalty-box challenges.

And then, of course, Fernandes is capable of scoring from those quarter-chances that Opta doesn’t deem ‘big’ – note his strikes against Everton and West Brom in the last fortnight.

So widely owned, his effective ownership in the top 10k and perhaps among all active managers will once again be in excess of 100% in Double Gameweek 26.

Given the doubts that linger about the form of Spurs assets, it’s no surprise that Fernandes is gaining more votes by the day in our captain poll: initially drawing less than 10% of the vote, he is now up to 15.6%.

INDEFENSIBLE

While United’s cross-city rivals continue to look watertight at the back, the Red Devils are anything but.

Questions continue to be asked about the partnership between Harry Maguire (£5.5m) and Victor Lindelof (£4.8m), in particular. Cut apart by Everton in Gameweek 23 and then bullied by Mbaye Diagne (£6.0m) last weekend, the pair again looked suspect against a limited Newcastle attack missing the injured Callum Wilson (£6.6m).

Allan Saint-Maximin‘s (£5.1m) 35th-minute leveller was a deserved one for the Magpies and meant that the Red Devils’ backline has now been breached by all five of the clubs sitting 16th or below in the Premier League table.

Eight clean sheets for United in 2020/21 isn’t the worst return but it’s seven fewer than City have managed, and only eight top-flight sides have conceded more goals.

It’s the inability to keep clean sheets against the also-rans that is most frustrating for Fantasy managers who favour fixtures over form; shut-outs have instead arrived in games against City, Liverpool and Chelsea, perhaps when Solskjaer has shown less attacking ambition and left his ropey-looking stoppers less exposed.

Luke Shaw (£5.1m) is at least compensating with attacking threat and semi-regular returns.

MISSED ED

Missing from the Manchester United side, and very much missed as Anthony Martial (£8.7m) turned in another sub-par showing up top, was Edinson Cavani (£7.9m).

The Uruguayan, Scott McTominay (£4.9m) and Donny van de Beek (£6.6m) all failed to recover from minor issues and weren’t part of the matchday squad.

There was a modest rush for Cavani’s services ahead of Gameweek 24 and those Fantasy managers who were planning to keep the veteran striker for the Red Devils’ Double Gameweek 26 face a nervy wait over the coming days, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer offering one of his trademark sketchy injury updates ahead of Thursday’s clash with Real Sociedad:

Donny, Edinson and Scott, I don’t know. Maybe they’ll be available but I’m not sure.

MASSIVE DUB

Newcastle assets won’t be high on many FPL managers’ shopping lists right now, not least because they are without two fixtures in Gameweek 26.

Budget FPL midfielder Saint-Maximin, again playing as one of the two wide forwards in Steve Bruce’s attacking 4-4-2 diamond system, is a name to at least monitor for Blank Gameweek 29, having banked three attacking returns in as many games since his return to the starting XI after injury.

There could be a change between the posts by the time that Brighton game comes around, meanwhile, with Martin Dubravka (£4.8m) waiting in the wings and the Newcastle boss sounding some ominous words about current number one Karl Darlow (£5.0m), who was beaten at his near post by Rashford’s opener:

Karl Darlow has had a magnificent season so far. He’ll be disappointed with the first goal in particular, because, obviously, it’s the cardinal sin to let one in at the near post.

Whether I’ve got a decision (to make), I’ve not even thought about that yet. I haven’t even thought about that decision just yet.


MANCHESTER UNITED XI (4-2-3-1): De Gea; Wan-Bissaka, Lindelof, Maguire, Shaw; Matic, Fred; James (Mata 88), Fernandes, Rashford (Shoretire 88); Martial (Greenwood 69).

NEWCASTLE UNITED XI (4-3-1-2) Darlow; Krafth, Lascelles, Clark, Lewis; Willock, Hayden, Almiron (Gayle 78′); Shelvey; Joelinton (Fraser 54′), Saint-Maximin.

378 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Invincibles
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    BB team:

    Martinez
    Stones shaw cresswell
    Bruno gundo Barnes Salah foden
    Watkins Kane
    Subs: Sanchez, Lottin, Dallas, Bamford

    A) -8 to bring in DCL and a dgw defender
    B) g2g

    1. Invincibles
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Lowton*

    2. Boris Bodega
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      6 of one, half a dozen of the other. flip a coin, as i could go either way.

      1. Invincibles
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Losing cresswell is only concern. And max 4.7 for dgw def leaves rudiger or aina.

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

      B I think

    4. Fulchester's New Centr…
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Take the hits if you are dead set on BB

  2. Lost in fantasy
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Why is Everton playing monday and have one day less rest then the other teams?

    1. Fulchester's New Centr…
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      TV.

    2. FPL Theorist
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      They want to televise some game on Monday, someone has to play then.

      There are plenty of other teams that play Sat/Tue or Sun/Wed -- same amount of rest.

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

    WC team (No FH for GW29)

    Martinez, 3.9m
    Cancelo, Digne, Pereira, Dallas, Aina
    Sterling, Bruno, Barnes, Gundogan, Raph
    Kane, DCL, Bamford

    What would you change? 0.2m spare.

    A) 3.9m keeper, Aina, Sterling
    or
    B) Areola, Shaw, Son

    B leaves me with 1.2m for upgrades elsewhere.

    1. Invincibles
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    2. CBonci
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I wouldn’t have a second playing keeper unless you still have BB. I like the flexibility of B more than A personally.

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

        I still have BB so that's the thoughts with the second playing keeper.

    3. 2999 - Lady of Legend
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I think B.

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

        Any idea how to use the spare cash? Or just hold for future transfers?

        1. Invincibles
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          No you’re set

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

            cheers

        2. 2999 - Lady of Legend
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Like to hold a bit of spare cash where possible.

    4. Quan MisTaka
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Dias instead of Cencelo

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

        Yeah I think I will make this swap for added starts.

  4. Malkmus
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    GTG? 0FT, 0.2 ITB

    Ederson (4.0)
    Shaw - Mee - Stones
    Son - Salah - Bruno - Gundo
    DCL - Kane (c) - Watkins

    Subs - Raph, Targett, Coufal

    Ta!

    1. Bagheri Arce
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I would play Target over Mee and captain Bruno..... owning Son and Kane surely enough given their malaise?

  5. Eastman
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who will get more minutes?
    A.Sterling
    B.Gundo
    C.Jesus
    D. Foden

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

      B maybe? But it's anyone's guess

    2. Invincibles
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Gundo/sterling

    3. V-2 Schneiderlin
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B - hoping he has had his rest for now

  6. Invincibles
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Rudiger or aina this week?

  7. Sterling Archer
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    If KDB plays 60ish or 20/30ish on Wednesday and looks good he will be in my WC team over Salah, i feel although Liverpool should be due a good win soon, if they play crap its not as if we didn't have the stats!

  8. V-2 Schneiderlin
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    best triple captain options?

    A. Gundo
    B. Fernandes
    C. DCL
    D. Richarlison

    or others?

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

      A and B are great options imo.

  9. ⚔★Vibudh★⚔
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bamford to Watkins worth a hit?
    Probably going to DCL to Bamford in GW29 to get him back if I do this

    1. Fit_to_drop
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Dont think it is with the triangle over Grealish. A bit closer if removed but i still wouldnt.

  10. Fit_to_drop
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Surely with the fixtures ahead Sanchez is a better 2nd keeper than Areola? I get the DGW thing but most people are going to keep a 2nd keeper like this on their bench probably till season end (unless WC'ing) and wont want to waste a free transfer on him?