FPL Blank & Double Gameweek 27 – Captain Picks
Our captain picks for Double Gameweek 26 were unsurprisingly dominated by Liverpool players when taking into account their mouth-watering fixtures and they most certainly did not disappoint us! Over a million FPL managers played their triple captain chip on Mo Salah (£13.1m) and the Egyptian king exceeded expectations. A goal and ten points in Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Norwich was followed up by two goals, an assist and 18 points in the Reds’ 6-0 thrashing of Leeds giving him an overall score of 28 points and those managers who tripled captained Salah a whopping 84 points!
Salah wasn’t the only high-scoring Liverpool midfield asset, as teammate Sadio Mane (£11.7m) bagged 26 points after scoring three goals across his two DGW26 fixtures, including a 19-point haul against Leeds. Defenders Virgil van Dijk (£6.7m) and Andy Robertson (£7.2m) recorded 14 and 13 points between them, despite the latter having been rested against Norwich. New signing Luis Diaz (£8.0m) scored against the Canaries, helping him on the way to 12 points whilst Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.5m) accrued only six points.
FPL managers will have to do without any Liverpool assets until Double Gameweek 28 due to their involvement in this weekend’s Carabao Cup final. However, there are plenty of players from other clubs who could make a strong case for being handed the armband in their absence. So with that, we run through three of the most enticing premium captain picks for Black & Double Gameweek 27 alongside a differential selection.
PREMIUM OPTIONS
Harry Kane (£12.2m) vs LEE (a)
Spurs forward Harry Kane is coming off the back of a 15-point haul in Double Gameweek 26 after scoring twice, both of those goals coming away from home against Man City. It has been a poor season for Kane on the goalscoring and FPL front, but last weekend was a timely reminder of what he was capable of. The England international could easily have found the net against Burnley as well, hitting the crossbar with a header.
Kane appeals as an FPL captain largely due to his opponent, with Spurs set to face Leeds at Elland Road. Marcelo Bielsa’s side cannot stop conceding at present, shipping 16 goals over the course of their last four Premier League fixtures including a 6-0 battering at the hands of Liverpool this past Wednesday. FPL managers would be wise to take advantage of their defensive fragilities and captaining Kane represents a sensible option.
Jarrod Bowen (£7.1m) vs WOL (H)
Unlike Kane, Jarrod Bowen has a far tougher fixture to contend with. However, the West Ham winger is in excellent form and has proven himself capable of picking up attacking returns against any team in the top-flight. Across the last six gameweeks, Bowen has accumulated 69 FPL points including five goals and five assists.
The Hammers host Wolves this coming Sunday and when factoring in the strong three-pronged backline of Bruno Lage’s side, this won’t be an easy fixture for Bowen and West Ham. But Bowen’s insatiable recent performances cannot be ignored and with home advantage in West Ham’s favour, the attacking midfielder is expected to carve out a number of goalscoring opportunities either for himself or others. With that in mind alongside his large ownership percentage, Bowen is worthy of serious consideration to be your skipper.
Bruno Fernandes (£11.7m) vs WAT (H)
Since being played in the centre of an attacking midfield three by Man Utd head coach Ralph Rangnick, Bruno Fernandes has been showing the sort of form that saw him establish himself as a must own FPL asset since joining the club in January 2020. Four goals and three assists for the Portuguese international since Double Gameweek 22 has seen Fernandes acquire 52 FPL points over that period of time.
Next up for Man Utd is a Watford side at Old Trafford on the back of conceding four against Crystal Palace in midweek. Fernandes comes into this game on the back of two goals and an assist in his last two league games alongside successive double figure FPL hauls. Despite only having one fixture this gameweek, Fernandes makes a convincing case to be handed the armband.
DIFFERENTIAL SELECTION
Wout Weghorst (£6.5m) vs CRY (a), LEI (H)
Double Gameweek 26 saw Burnley finally come to life in the battle to avoid relegation. The Clarets recorded victories in both their fixtures, beating Brighton 0-3 away from home before edging past Tottenham 1-0 at Turf Moor. Key to their recent revival has been the presence of new signing Wout Weghorst up front. The former Wolfsburg striker is a huge physical threat with excellent attacking movement and a clear eye for goal. Since joining Burnley, it’s easy to see why he was a regular scorer in the Bundesliga and last weekend’s victory over Brighton saw Weghorst play a starring role, bagging a goal, an assist and 12 FPL points.
Burnley are the only team to benefit from two fixtures in Blank & Double Gameweek 27, with a trip to Crystal Palace at the weekend followed up by a home clash against Leicester this coming Tuesday. Therefore, those who captain Weghorst will gain two bites at the cherry compared to those premium options listed above. The last double gameweek saw Weghorst accrue 14 points and it would be no surprise if he were to reward his small ownership with another significant return.
