It’s a testament as to the incredibly high standards set by Mo Salah (£12.9m) that his 5 FPL points accrued on Gameweek 10 against Brighton is his second lowest score of the season so far. One assist was all that Salah could manage as his Liverpool side drew 2-2 with the Seagulls at Anfield. From a TSZ perspective, our captain picks across Gameweek 10 were ones to forget, as Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.6m) could only manage one point with no attacking returns to the full-back’s name combined with two goals conceded.
Picking West Ham forward Michail Antonio (£8.2m) also proved to be a huge fail, despite the Hammers racking up four goals away at Aston Villa, taking advantage of the hosts being reduced to ten-men and emerging 1-4 winners in the West Midlands. Antonio remains the highest scoring forward within the FPL playerbase, however his stock appears to be diminishing with just one goal in his last four Premier League appearances and some tough fixtures to come.
Our focus now moves to Gameweek 11 as we pour over the most enticing captain picks, not forgetting a differential option that could steal a march on some of the higher owned assets ahead of Friday’s 18:30pm deadline.
PREMIUM OPTIONS
Mo Salah (£12.9m) vs WHU (a)
It goes without saying that Mo Salah (£12.9m) will once again wind up the most captained player among FPL managers in Gameweek 11 and for good reason. Gameweek 10 ended a run of ten consecutive games in which Salah has found the net for Liverpool and the first time since Gameweek 2 in which Salah failed to score in the Premier League. Despite that, the Egyptian still boasts 55 FPL points over the course of the last four gameweeks and a score of 112 points overall, by far the most of any player so far this season.
Gameweek 11 sees Liverpool travel to West Ham, an opponent whom Salah has taken to the cleaners in recent seasons from an attacking perspective. The 29-year-old boasts five goals in his last four games against the Hammers and has only failed to score in one of his eight appearances against them in total. With the Reds expected to respond strong after failing to beat Brighton the previous weekend, another big FPL return from Salah looks very much on the cards.
Reece James (£5.8m) vs BUR (H)
The past two gameweeks have seen Reece James (£5.8m) stand out as a hugely valuable fantasy football asset, providing points returns at both ends of the pitch and accruing successive big hauls for his ownership. One goal, a clean sheet and 13 FPL points against Norwich in Gameweek 9 was bettered in Gameweek 10 with a brace, a clean sheet and 21 FPL points against Newcastle.
Chelsea host Burnley in Gameweek 11 with Blues having kept a clean sheet in each of their last three Premier League fixtures against Sean Dyche’s side, scoring eight goals in the process. This bodes well for James, who should be afforded plenty of license to road forward assuming that he is fielded from the start at right-wing-back by head coach Thomas Tuchel. When taking into account the form he is in, captaining the defender is certainly not as far-fetched as it sounds.
Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.4m) vs MCI (H)
After a four-match spell without a goal in the Premier League, Man Utd forward Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.4m) was back on the scoresheet in Gameweek 10 with brilliant finish away at Spurs, typifying his class. The Portuguese superstar wasn’t done there and went on a register an assist in the second half racking up 12 FPL points in total as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side triumphed 0-3 in North London.
Attention now turns to Gameweek 11 for Ronaldo and the Manchester derby provides just the fixture for him to grab the headlines once again. Man City have failed to keep a clean sheet in three of their last four Premier League fixtures and it would be no surprise to see a Ronaldo put on an offensive masterclass at Old Trafford. This bodes well for his large FPL ownership who will be expecting another big haul from the expensive Ronaldo, who has a point to prove in front of the United fans after their humiliating defeat against Liverpool last month.
DIFFERENTIAL OPTION
Harry Kane (£12.1m) vs EVE (a)
Following the sacking of Nuno Espirito Santo as Spurs boss followed by the swift appointment of former Premier League winning manager Antonio Conte as his replacement, a very different Spurs unit is expected to show up at Goodison Park compared to the one that was dispatched 0-3 in embarrassing fashion by Man Utd in Gameweek 10. With that in mind, this could lead to star striker Harry Kane (£12.1m) rediscovering the goalscoring form that has made him such a valuable FPL asset in previous seasons.
If ever there was a stadium that could help Kane end his goal drought, then Goodison Park is that ground. The England captain has netted seven goals for Spurs in his last four appearances away at Everton and is set to come up against an Everton side who have shipped seven goals across the last two gameweeks. Conte is surely going to have a positive effect on Spurs heading into this match and those willing to take a punt on Kane as a differential captain in Gameweek 11 may well reap the benefits.