FPL Tips Game Week 4: What will work and what won’t?
Anthony Martial (£7.7m) was the go-to man for game week 3 with over 900,000 FPL managers bringing in the French forward. Martial picked up 5 points but is reportedly (Manchester Evening News) out with a thigh strain for this weekend’s clash against Southampton.
With game week 4 just around the corner, here are three best Martial replacements for managers who have the Manchester United striker in their team.
James Maddison (£7.0m)
The Leicester midfielder would be a worthy short-term punt. He passed the test with flying colours in the games against Chelsea and Sheffield United with assists in both matches.
Maddison has created 107 chances in the Premier League since the start of last season – a stat that no other midfielder has come close to in this time.
Only De Bryune (£9.7m) has managed to produce more touches in the final third of the pitch this season than Maddison – with 109 touches.
Leicester’s fixtures might be a little rough with Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur on the horizon but the Foxes are no pushovers. His recent England call-up will boost his confidence even more.
⚽️@LCFC‘s James Maddison has been named in the @England squad for games v Bulgaria & Kosovo
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) August 29, 2019
Most chances created in @premierleague since start of last season
107 JAMES MADDISON
98 Eden Hazard
96 Ryan Fraser
91 Joao Moutinho#England pic.twitter.com/oMQGFIthRs
Mason Mount (£6.2m)
Another English talent making waves this season, here are some key stats from his campaign so far.
Touches in the final third – 104 (3rd behind De Bryune and Maddison)
Goal Attempts – 12 (joint second with Raheem Sterling and Pukki with 58% shot accuracy)
Passes in the final third – 45 (Chelsea’s most advanced player so far)
Expected Goal Involvement (xGI) – 1.26 (Top amongst Chelsea players)
Chelsea have an easy run of fixtures up until game week 13 with only a game against Liverpool in between. Mount could very well be your set-and-forget midfielder priced at just £6.2m.
⚽ Total Shots 2019-20 ⚽
— FPL SW⚽️T (@FPLSWOT) August 29, 2019
🏴 Barnes (£6.6m) 1️⃣3️⃣
🇫🇮 Pukki (£7m) 1️⃣2️⃣
🇧🇷 Firmino (£9.5m) 1️⃣2️⃣
🏴 Mount (£6.2m) 1️⃣2️⃣
🏴 Sterling (£11.3m) 1️⃣2️⃣
🏴 Rashford (£8.7m) 1️⃣0️⃣
🏴 Kane (£11.1m) 1️⃣0️⃣
🏴 Maddison(£7m) 1️⃣0️⃣
🇪🇬 Salah (£12.5m) 1️⃣0️⃣#FPL #FPLCommunity pic.twitter.com/xxL9dJv4WT
Kevin De Bruyne (£9.7m)
For managers who have money in the bank fora few transfers – or even managers who are prepared to take a hit – De Bruyne is your man. The Manchester City midfielder has been playing to his absolute best this season after an injury troubled 2018-19 campaign.
He tops the list for the number of touches in the final third with 131 as well as the list for big chances created with 6 coming from his first 3 games. With an expected goal involvement (xGI) of 1.42, he is your man at £9.7m.
Manchester City face Liverpool and Chelsea in game week 12 and 13 respectively with a run of games that is as easy as it gets for the Belgian.
Captain Choices
Sergio Aguero (£12.0m), Raheem Sterling (£12.2m) and Mo Salah (£12.5m) will be the premium options this week.
The Man City duo face Brighton at home and there is no better fixture to captain your City assets. Aguero is on 4 goals and Sterling is on 5 goals from the opening 3 games and it really is a flip of a coin between the two in terms of captaincy. Both players have been crucial to Guardiola’s side.
Elsewhere Salah looks to be in prime form as well. His brace against Arsenal last week was a testament of what he can do on the break. Liverpool travel to Burnely where the Reds have done well against Sean Dyche’s men, winning four out of the last five games.
Teemu Pukki (£6.9m) is, of course, on the list. The Norwich striker is the top-scoring FPL player so far, who faces a West Ham side that has shipped 7 goals already.
The Hammers have also failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 17 games. Is Pukki a daredevil differential captain choice this week? Yes!
Three differential captaincy options for game week 4
Differentials You Need
Sebastien Haller (£7.4m)
West Ham forward Sebastien Haller is just 4.1%-owned currently. His brace against Watford has certainly caught the attention of the FPL managers.
With Sterling, Salah, Mane and De Bryune high on ownership, a need for budget strikers have become a necessity. Haller could slot into your second or third striking option alongside the likes of Pukki, Barnes and Wickham/Greenwood.
West Ham face Norwich and Aston Villa next before hosting Man United. If not for the long-term, Haller could be a worthy short term punt, especially if you are on your wildcard.
V small sample, but despite playing City, West Ham have:
— FPL Reuser (@Reuser5) August 26, 2019
3rd highest xG (5.67)
3rd highest big chances (9)
5th highest SOT (16)
Haller 3rd highest xG amongst fwds (2.08) – despite only playing 2 gw (incl. City)
Playing NOR (7th worst xGC) and avl (4th worst xGC)
(OPTA)
Nicolas Pepe (£9.4m)
Pepe has gone under the radar since the start of the season after his big-money move to Arsenal in the summer. The Ivorian made his full debut against Liverpool in game week 3 and looked dangerous.
He was the only source of a threat that the Gunners provided against Van Dijk and co. In fact, he was the first player to dribble past the Dutch defender in his last 50 appearances in the Premier League.
Arsenal have an easy run of fixtures after their North London derby this weekend and Pepe will be a key figure in Emery’s line-up.
50 – Nicolas Pepe has become the first player to successfully dribble past Virgil van Dijk in the Dutch defender’s last 50 appearances in the Premier League, since Mikel Merino in March 2018 for Newcastle. Beaten. pic.twitter.com/B1oRZMciOB
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) August 24, 2019
Before you leave, read our game week 3 review as well.
Stats taken from fantasyfootballscout.co.uk.
Player prices according to Fantasy Premier League