Ronaldo scores again, Shaw blanks, budget defender Duffy impresses: FPL notes

We continue our Scout Notes of the weekend’s Fantasy Premier League (FPL) matches with analysis of West Ham United v Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion v Leicester City.

For a briefer recap of all of Sunday’s action, check out our Scoreboard summary here.

WEST HAM UNITED 1-2 MANCHESTER UNITED

• Goals: Said Benrahma (£6.4m) | Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.7m), Jesse Lingard (£6.9m)
• Assists: Jarrod Bowen (£6.3m) | Nemanja Matic (£4.5m)
• Penalty misses: Mark Noble (£4.5m)
• Penalty saves: David de Gea (£5.0m)
• Bonus: Benrahma x3, de Gea x2, Lingard x 1

RONALDO SCORES AGAIN

Man Utd stretched their Premier League unbeaten away run to 29 games with a 2-1 win at West Ham, coming from behind to secure all three points.

Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.7m) scored his fourth goal in all competitions since his return to the club, as he netted the Reds’ equaliser in the first-half.

Since making his second United debut against Newcastle United in Gameweek 4, Ronaldo has racked up an impressive three Premier League goals, 13 goal attempts, 12 shots in the box, five big chances and 3.24 expected goals (xG), all-league leading totals.

Above: Cristiano Ronaldo’s xG shot map since Gameweek 4

During that time, team-mate Bruno Fernandes (£12.0m) has managed eight shots, though just one of those attempts has arrived in the box.

SHAW FRUSTRATES

After yesterday’s two-pointer, Luke Shaw (£5.5m) now ranks 30^th amongst all defenders for FPL points, with 18.

Patience is obviously wearing thin for a lot of his owners, but it is worth highlighting his underlying numbers.

Across the opening five Gameweeks, Shaw has created 14 chances, a total which is only bettered by Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.6m), Jack Grealish (£8.0m) and Raul Jimenez (£7.5m) amongst all players.

It’s also worth noting that United’s total of 22 crosses from open play against West Ham was their highest in a single league game so far this season, with only Burnley (35) and Liverpool (25) attempting more in Gameweek 5. The threat was often thwarted by the impressive Kurt Zouma (£5.4m), but it does suggest that Shaw’s delivery from wide areas will be a key attacking weapon for United in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, David de Gea (£5.0m) saved his first penalty in the Premier League since October 2014, as he kept out Mark Noble’s (£4.5m) attempt deep into injury time to help win all three points for his side.

As a result of that miss, West Ham have now failed to score four of their last five penalties, which David Moyes touched on in his post-match interview:

We just don’t necessarily have someone who is a natural penalty-kick taker but it is an easy thing to work on because you can stand and take penalty kicks in training but the players quite often do but it’s a different thing when you’ve got to go on the stage and do it. Declan would have taken the kick today if I had not made the change but as you know and the people who watch West Ham over the years know, Mark Noble has been incredibly consistent with his penalty kick taking.

DOUBLE-DIGITS FOR BENRAHMA

In Michail Antonio’s (£7.9m) absence, Said Benrahma (£6.4m) stepped up and delivered his third double-digit haul of the season, via a goal and three bonus points.

The Algerian featured in a fluid front four alongside Nikola Vlasic (£6.0m), Jarrod Bowen (£6.3m) and Pablo Fornals (£6.0m), and ended the game with three goal attempts, though it is worth noting that they all arrived outside of the box.

Above: Said Benrahma’s shot map v Manchester United in Gameweek 5

Elsewhere, Bowen registered his first assist of the season, while Zouma impressed at the back. The former Chelsea man won three of his four aerial duels, completed two interceptions and made 12 clearances. 

Next up for the Hammers is a trip to Leeds United, with Antonio returning from suspension to offer FPL managers an intriguing differential captaincy option in Gameweek 6.

WEST HAM XI: Fabianski, Coufal, Zouma, Ogbonna, Cresswell, Fornals, Soucek, Rice, Vlasic (Yarmolenko 68), Bowen (Noble 90+4), Benrahma (88)

MAN UTD XI: de Gea, Wan-Bissaka, Varane, Maguire, Shaw, McTominay, Fred (Matic 88), Greenwood (Sancho 73), Fernandes, Pogba (Lingard 73), Ronaldo

BRIGHTON AND HOVE ALBION 2-1 LEICESTER CITY

• Goals: Neal Maupay (£6.5m), Danny Welbeck (£6.0m) | Jamie Vardy (£10.4m)
• Assists: Shane Duffy (£4.3m), Leandro Trossard (£6.4m) | Youri Tielemans (£6.4m)
• Bonus: Welbeck x3, Vardy x2, Maupay x1

Brighton and Hove Albion continued their impressive start to the season, as goals from Neal Maupay (£6.5m) and Danny Welbeck (£6.0m) took them up to fourth in the Premier League table on Sunday.

DUFFY BAGS AN ASSIST

Despite Albion losing their clean sheet, Shane Duffy’s (£4.3m) assist for Maupay’s penalty means that the budget defender has now returned in three of his five starts this season.

As a result, the Irishman has produced 27 FPL points, a total which ranks ninth amongst all defenders, while his 27 aerial duels won and 29 clearances are both league-leading totals.

“I’ve been really impressed. I think since he’s come back from a frustrating, disappointing and sad time for him up in Scotland, and he’s realised how much he means to us here and vice versa. I think he knows he’s in a good place, with good people around him that want to help him and he’s taken massive steps. With Shane and his attributes, it makes him unique almost in terms of what he can bring to the team.

We’ve got good options in that area, players that can play there. Dan Burn, Joel Veltman, Shane, Lewis Dunk, Adam Webster and with Haydon Roberts coming up we have a lot of players there.” – Graham Potter on Shane Duffy

Meanwhile, Tariq Lamptey (£4.4m) returned on the bench after nine months out and Dan Burn (£4.4m) was also back in the squad.

MADDISON STRUGGLES

As for Leicester, it’s now three defeats in five for Brendan Rodgers’ side. 

However, Jamie Vardy (£10.4m) continues to produce, with yesterday’s goal taking him up to 29 FPL points for the season and second in the forward standings.

The Foxes were particularly poor in the first half at Brighton, with the ineffective James Maddison (£6.8m) withdrawn at the break. After the game, Rodgers spoke about the playmaker’s dissapointing start to the season:

“(You need to give Maddison) time, patience, support. It’s understanding that no matter how confident someone is and how good a player they are, they will always have a period in their career where confidence isn’t quite there. You always have to take them back to the basics. You’ve got to work your socks off and work even harder. I always feel that if you do that, that gives you confidence. I’ve seen it so often. He’s a brilliant talent and has played many fantastic games for Leicester and he will do that. He’s just in a little moment where it’s not quite happening for him.”

His replacement Ademola Lookman (£6.0m) impressed and found the back of the net, as did Wilfred Ndidi (£5.0m), but they were both ruled offside after VAR decisions.

Harvey Barnes (£6.8m) is still awaiting his first Premier League attacking return of the season, but was heavily involved. His 41 final-third touches was more than any other player on the pitch, while his four created chances was only matched by Leandro Trossard (£6.4m). It’s also worth noting that only Leeds United have conceded more chances from their right-flank than next week’s opponents Burnley.

BRIGHTON XI: Sanchez, Veltman, Duffy, Dunk, Cucurella, March (Mwepu 62), Bissouma (Moder), Lallana, Welbeck (Burn 70), Trossard, Maupay

LEICESTER XI: Schmeichel, Pereira, Soyuncu, Vestergaard, Bertrand (Castagne 68), Tielemans, Ndidi, Soumare (Iheanacho 75), Maddison (Lookman 45), Barnes, Vardy

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW FROM GAMEWEEK 5

• Saturday summary in brief
• Sunday summary in brief
• Newcastle 1-1 Leeds: Raphinha injury latest
• Wolves 0-2 Brentford: Bees defence to give Salah a tough test
• Burnley 0-1 Arsenal: Gunners defence looking solid
• Liverpool 3-0 Crystal Palace: Why Alexander-Arnold missed GW5
• Man City 0-0 Southampton: Livramento and Saints set for favourable fixtures
• Norwich 1-3 Watford: Why £4.0m Foster started in Gameweek 5
• Aston Villa 3-0 Everton: Richarlison out for 2/3 weeks
• Brighton 2-1 Leicester: Budget asset Duffy returns again from a set play
• West Ham 1-2 Man Utd: Shaw blanks but remains creative force
• Spurs 0-3 Chelsea: The reason for Mendy’s absence as Chelsea defence excel again