In regards to our captain picks, it was a Gameweek 16 to forgot with both our premium options and differential selection all disappointing. Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.2m) saved faced with 4 fantasy points in total across Liverpool’s late 1-2 victory over Crystal Palace, the right-back picking up two bonus points despite not recording an attacking return or keeping a clean sheet. Bukayo Saka (£9.0m) failed to accrue a goal or assist for the first time since Gameweek 11 as Arsenal were beaten away at Aston Villa, whilst Erling Haaland (£14.0m) didn’t feature at all for Man City due to injury. Despite Everton beating Chelsea 2-0, our differential pick Dwight McNeil (£5.4m) was not among the attacking returns, picking up just 2 FPL points.
Haaland's dad is on FPL!!
— FPL Focal (@FPLFocal) December 11, 2023
He sold Haaland + Mbeumo for Isak + Salah
He's in a Haaland family league, and a Prime league (sponsors Haaland). pic.twitter.com/lsNIzBgqL6
However, with a new gameweek comes a new opportunity, so we’re looking to bounce back immediately with three more premium captain choices for Gameweek 17 who have the potential to rack up plenty of points, alongside another differential pick ahead of Friday’s 18:30 deadline.
PREMIUM OPTIONS
Mo Salah (£13.2m) vs MUN (H)
After 16 gameweeks, Salah is now out on his own as the highest-scoring FPL asset in all positions with 127 points to his name after another lucrative return this past weekend. The Egyptian scored Liverpool’s equaliser away at Crystal Palace before assisting the winning goal, meaning he ended Gameweek 16 with 13 fantasy points, his sixth double-figure score of the season so far.
Mohamed Salah's recent form against Man Utd is just ridiculous
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) December 14, 2023
He's averaged an incredible 18 points per match across his last four appearances #FPL pic.twitter.com/K0hjMIdFdd
Liverpool host Man Utd in Gameweek 17, the very same fixture that saw Jurgen Klopp’s men triumph 7-0 last season, Salah bagging a brace on that occasion. A total of 11 goals and seven assists in the Premier League this campaign, eight of those goals coming at Anfield underlines Salah’s potential to go massive on Sunday and when considering Erling Haaland’s questionable fitness, the Liverpool star will surely be the most captained Gameweek 17 asset.
Heung-Min Son (£9.7m) vs NFO (a)
Son successfully batted back any concerns over his fitness in Gameweek 16 after taking a knock in Spurs’ defeat against West Ham a few days earlier. Named in the starting line-up vs Newcastle, Son went on to set up two goals before scoring himself from the penalty spot. This was enough to see him accumulate 17 FPL points, the highest score of any player in Gameweek 16, a bitter pill to swallow for those who sold him.
Sold Son to get Haaland back pic.twitter.com/Qk4n45vlmg
— FPL Marcin (@FPLMarcin) December 10, 2023
Gameweek 17 will see Son play in the Friday evening kick-off as Ange Postecoglou’s side take on Nottingham Forest in the East Midlands. With six double-figure point returns to his name already, Son has proven his ability to score big and across the last three gameweeks, he has managed a whopping 29 fantasy points. Such numbers warrant serious captaincy consideration.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.2m) vs MUN (H)
The most enticing pick for anyone who wants to take a gamble and place the armband on a defender for Gameweek 17. Only Kieran Trippier has more points in this position than Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has piled up 44 FPL points over the past five gameweeks. This is mainly due to the right-back’s offensive potency with Liverpool having kept just two clean sheets across those five league fixtures.
TAA on for 2 bonus points without any return #FPL pic.twitter.com/uEHTY9lRlB
— FPL Frasier (@FPLfrasier) December 9, 2023
Man Utd are struggling in all departments right now and when assessing things from an FPL point of view, there are plenty of ways in which Alexander-Arnold can profit points-wise whether it be through attacking returns or a clean sheet. With two goals and two assists in his most recent five Premier League appearances, naming the England international as your skipper could reap huge rewards.
DIFFERENTIAL OPTION
Matheus Cunha (£5.7m) vs WHU (a)
A pick based on brilliant recent form. The consistency of Cunha makes him a player worth taking notice of for those fantasy bosses looking for an under-the-radar differential captain that can wind up being a big point of difference in Gameweek 17. The Wolves forward is now among the top five highest FPL scorers in his position despite such a slim ownership after Cunha’s goal against Nottingham Forest last weekend saw him bag his highest individual FPL score of the season so far.
Cunha has blessed my FPL man what a player
— Nikola Gruevski (@Afcnikola_JB) December 9, 2023
The Brazilian will line-up for Wolves away at West Ham this coming Sunday hoping to add to his three goals and two assists across the last five gameweeks, each of which have seen Cunha accrue one attacking return. West Ham are without a Premier League clean sheet since back in Gameweek 7, further enhancing Cunha’s appeal as a differential captain.
