Midweek Fantasy Premier League is here for the first time this season and those heavily engaged in the game will be looking to climb while the pack sleeps.
It’s also set to be an interesting captaincy decision this week as Mohamed Salah and Bukayo Saka each play a newly-promoted side.
Son Heung-min also enters the frame while there’s an element of doubt surrounding Erling Haaland. So who should you captain?
Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah (£13.1m) is currently winning the captaincy race for my own team. He has the pick of the fixtures away at Sheffield United.
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He has demonstrated his form in recent games, with two goals and two assists in his last four. The concern is in his away form.
Both of Salah’s blanks have come on the road, most recently in the 1-1 draw against Luton Town back in Gameweek 11. He is also occasionally prone to a midweek rest.
Liverpool’s league form has been a little unconvincing in recent games, pulling out a late win against Fulham following the draw with Manchester City the previous week.
Alisson is a big loss in this Liverpool side, which could impact their output across the board.
Salah has been the best fantasy pick so far this season. He is one point ahead of the highly owned Erling Haaland (£14.0m), with the FPL scoring matrix easier for midfielders compared to forwards.
He has scored ten goals this season and also leads the way for big chances created, with 13. He has had six big chances on goal in the last four gameweeks.
Sheffield United have failed to keep a clean sheet this season, conceding a league-high 39 goals this campaign. Meanwhile, Liverpool lead the way for shots with 251.
We know that Salah is nailed on as a penalty taker too — which is a key route to points. Liverpool have been awarded four spot-kicks this season. Only Chelsea and Arsenal have won more.
(Alex Livesey/Getty Images)Erling Haaland
Haaland is never far away from the captaincy conversation and that’s even more true right now since he is in a purple patch, with three goals and three assists in the last four gameweeks.
His away form has been superior recently, which is a change from his home dominance last campaign. He’s delivered a 16-point haul in his last two away games, with two goals, an assist and all three bonus points against Chelsea and Manchester United.
Haaland already has 14 goals this season and is on track to replicate the 45-goal involvements he managed in his debut Premier League season.
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Manchester City’s recent form does cause some concern, with the current champions drawing all of their last three Premier League games.
This dip in form, plus the injury to Jeremy Doku and the suspensions for Jack Grealish and Rodri mean that Haaland is very likely to start this game — a tricky fixture away to Aston Villa.
The two games Rodri missed earlier in the campaign saw City defeated by Wolves and Arsenal.
We do need to be wary that Haaland could face a ban after his altercation with referee Simon Hooper in the draw with Spurs on Sunday. That might be enough to put me off giving him the armband, although any punishment is unlikely to come before the midweek fixtures.
It makes for uncomfortable viewing watching Haaland when you don’t have him as captain, given his popularity in FPL and especially since Aston Villa haven’t kept a clean sheet in their last eight.
Haaland ranks top for big chances on goal in the last four gameweeks with seven. Manchester City continue to produce the goods, with a league-high 36 goals this season.
Bukayo Saka
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (£8.9m) should also be in the captaincy conversation for the trip to Luton Town. He comes into this game with one goal and two assists in the last four gameweeks.
Saka has already delivered an attacking return against the other promoted sides this season, with an assist against Sheffield United and Burnley.
Luton Town haven’t kept a clean sheet this season, but do have some sound home performances. They have conceded just three goals in their last three games at Kenilworth Road, which came against Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Spurs.
The concern with Saka is his low points ceiling this season. He’s provided just one haul this campaign, with a goal and assist against Spurs back in Gameweek 6.
In most games, he’s been limited to just one attacking return and has shared penalty duties with both Martin Odegaard (£8.3m) and Kai Havertz (£7.1m).
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Despite that, he is the key man on Arsenal’s set pieces, taking 44 corners and creating 36 chances, including eight big chances. He is usually among the bonus points too.
Arsenal have the confidence, having won four of their last five games to sit comfortably on top of the Premier League table. That’s an important factor to consider but could lead to some rotation in this game.
This fixture comes on Tuesday evening shortly after the deadline, so there’s hope that we could get news that Saka is a certain starter — which would elevate his captaincy appeal.
Son Heung-min
Son Heung-min (£9.6m) continues to play out of position as a striker and is the only one on this shortlist to play at home this week.
Those managers who held Son through three successive blanks were handsomely rewarded with his double-digit haul against Manchester City at the weekend, which will boost his confidence.
(Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)Given the number of injuries and lack of depth in Tottenham’s forward line, I am most certain of Son starting and playing the full 90 minutes in the midweek fixture.
Opponents West Ham have just one clean sheet this season which adds to the appeal of awarding Son the armband in this fixture. It is the final match of the gameweek.
According to Fantasy Football Hub’s AI Points Predictions, it’s Son who leads the way on 7.8, narrowly beating Haaland into second on 7.7 points.
Son’s routes to points are a little more limited given his lack of involvement in set pieces. But he could be the first-choice penalty taker after injuries to James Maddison and Richarlison.
He has six goals and five assists in 14 Premier League appearances against West Ham, including three goals in this home fixture in the last two seasons.
(Photos: Getty Images)
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