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Gameweek 7 saw a bit of a mixed bag in terms of our captain picks. The Spurs dynamic duo underwhelmed, with Heung-Min Son (£9.6m) surprising everyone by failing to register an attacking return for the first time in four gameweeks, whilst although Harry Kane (£10.9m) did find the the net via the penalty spot, he could only manage six FPL points himself. Mo Salah (£12.4m) faired slightly better in Liverpool's 2-1 win over West Ham. Like Kane, Salah opened the scoring from the spot and with his status as a midfielder, his goal was rewarded more lucratively than Kane's goal, as the Egyptian accrued 8 FPL points. As for Kevin De Bruyne (£11.5m), he was back on the assist trail, setting up Kyle Walker in a 0-1 win for Man City away at Sheffield Utd, giving the Belgian six FPL points. As for our differential pick, Danny Ings (£8.5m) may not have hauled, but he did at least score a goal and accrue six FPL points himself as Southampton beat Aston Villa in a 3-4 thriller at Villa Park. With some big games including Man City vs reigning Premier League champions Liverpool and high flying Everton against Man Utd on the horizon, we now turn our attention to an exciting looking Gameweek 8, as we assess all the viable captain options ahead of Friday's 16.00pm deadline.
PREMIUM OPTIONS
Heung-Min Son (£9.6m)/Harry Kane (£10.9m) vs WBA (a)
This writer is well aware that its getting very old and tiring continuously listing these two Spurs assets as premium options. Trust me, if I could choose someone else I would. However, the fact of the matter is that both Heung-Min Son (£9.6m) and Harry Kane (£10.9m) will be amongst the two most captained players of Gameweek 8 with Spurs set to travel to a lowly West Brom side sitting in the bottom three following a miserable 2-0 defeat away at relegation rivals Fulham.
It comes as no surprise to see that FPL managers are considering the triple captain chip on one of the two players. They are the two highest FPL point scorers so far this season with 71 points each having managed 14 goals and 10 assists between them. West Brom on the contrary, have failed to win a single league game thus far, conceding 16 goals. Previous fixture between the two sides favour Kane, who has scored four goals in his last three league appearances against the Baggies. It will take an incredibly brave FPL manager to not pick one of these two as their captain for Gameweek 8.
Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) vs WOL (H)
One thing we have learnt over the years playing FPL is that when Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) is on a hot streak, it is wise to not only bring him into our team immediately, but to also entrust him with the captain's armband. After having recovered from an injury that kept him out of Gameweek 5, Vardy is looking ominously ruthless in front of goal and is starting to pile up the FPL points. After coming off the bench to score the winner for Leicester away to Arsenal in Gameweek 6, Vardy backed that up after being deemed fit enough to start against Leeds in Gameweek 7. A goal and two assists saw the Foxes forward pick up 14 FPL points and take his overall tally for the season to 55 points, the second most of all registered forwards on the game.
Leicester host Wolves in Gameweek 8, a tough fixture considering that Nuno Espirito Santo's side have conceded just once in their last four league games, not to mention both fixtures between these two teams ending 0-0 last season. However, Vardy well and truly passed the eye test against Leeds and really does look like he's coming back to his destructive best. With six goals in five league starts in this campaign so far, we're tipping Vardy to get back on the scoresheet again at the weekend.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.7m) vs MUN (H)
Everton may have fallen to a 2-1 defeat away to Newcastle in Gameweek 7, but that didn't stop their master marksman from netting his eight Premier League goal of the season. Despite the loss, Toffees forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin looked a threat throughout and was rewarded for his perseverance in second half stoppage time. He has now scored in all but one Premier League match so far this season and consistently churns out FPL points, with another eight last weekend taking his overall tally to 52.
Man Utd are the visitors to Goodison Park in Gameweek 8 and this fixture, like the Newcastle game is one that holds fond memories for Calvert-Lewin, who scored against the Red Devils last season. With influential midfielder James Rodriguez expected to be back fit, Calvert-Lewin isn't likely to suffer from a lack of service against a United defence that has conceded 13 goals in their opening six league games. With five goals in his three league games at Goodison Park so far this season, Calvert-Lewin has to be seen as serious captain pick for Gameweek 8.
DIFFERENTIAL PICK
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.7m) vs AVL (H)
Yes, he may have been guilty of letting us down in the past when tipped to do well in these articles. However, we're hoping that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.7m) scoring the winning goal from the penalty spot for Arsenal in their 0-1 triumph away to Man Utd in Gameweek 7, represents a turning point this season for the Gabonese international star. Arsenal fans and neutrals alike have questioned the utilisation of Aubameyang these season, claiming that he is unable to get into enough goalscoring position due to be fielded out wide on the left hand side by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. However, it could also be claimed that confidence was a factor with Aubameyang having not scored since Gameweek 1 before last weekend.
Arsenal welcome Aston Villa to North London in Gameweek 8 and this is a fixture that Aubameyang scored in last season. Dean Smith side more importantly have looked incredible fragile at the back over the past couple of weeks, conceding seven goals in their last two league games. With Aubameyang on penalties despite the potential presence of Alexandre Lacazette on the pitch and with his scoring drought over, Gameweek 8 could be the one that sees him pick up his first double figure FPL points haul of the season so far. Owned by less than 15% of FPL managers, the Arsenal captain could prove the ideal differential pick.