Latest Content

GW35 Top Five Key Players

The Editor 19 April 2018

Caveat: Blog was written prior to Wenger’s comments regarding Aubameyang’s involvement in gameweek 35

Headliner - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (WHU)

Aubameyang or Jesus look to be the go to options in the premium bracket up top this week. However, Arsenal’s forward gets the nod as our headliner given that he is more assured of a full 90 minutes over the City forward, and has some impressive underlying numbers himself. Aubameyang has provided six goals and two assists across eight appearances for Arsenal so far, with seven of his eight Fantasy Premier League (FPL) involvements coming during his last five matches. Only Arnautovic, Son, Kane, with 13, and Salah, with 17, have taken more than Aubameyang’s 12 shots on target, since his league debut in gameweek 26, and no forward has returned more FPL points, 50, during that period. In the last six gameweeks only Salah has provided more FPL involvements, eight to seven, while only Sterling, Son, with six, and Wood, with seven, have been involved in more ‘big chances’. Arsenal will host West Ham in gameweek 35 and our Fix algorithm predicts that they will score 2.82 goals against the hapless Hammers, who have conceded 13 goals in their last six league games. Aubameyang is predicted to score 5.4 via our Fix algorithm for this week.

A352

Raheem Sterling (SWA)

Sterling, controversially missed out on the Player’s Football Association team of the year this week, but do not panic young squire, you made our “top five”, which more than makes up for it. The Man. City winger looks to be the most likely to retain his place in their showpiece against Swansea. With a total score of 200 FPL points at present the young Englishman is Man. City’s top point’s scorer this season. He has been directly involved in 30 league goals, which is more than Kane, Aguero, and De Bruyne, who have 28, 27 and 24 to their names respectively. Over the last three gameweeks, the 23-year-old midfielder has produced two goals and two assists, against Everton, Man. United and Spurs, with no midfielder able to beat that total of involvements. The England international has also been involved in five ‘big chances’ during the same timeframe, which is on par with Vardy but no player has achieved more. Man. City will welcome Swansea to the Etihad this weekend and will be looking to put on quite a show before they lift the Premier League Trophy after the game. The Swans have conceded 12 goals in their last five games versus “top six” opponents and our Fix algorithm sees no let-up here, with City projected to score 2.92 goals, with Sterling forecast to score 6.0 points.

raz35

Wilfried Zaha (wat)

Zaha, has been missed by Crystal Palace greatly when injured this season. In the nine games that he has not featured The Eagles have lost every one of them. Since his return from his recent set-back he has helped his side secure seven points from five games – league surviving form. The Ivory Coast international has provided 12 FPL involvements this season, despite making just 25 appearances. Since his return from injury, Zaha, has impressed with three goals and two assists across five appearances playing ‘out of position’. Over the last four gameweeks Zaha’s 12 shots can only be beaten by Sterling, Salah and Eriksen, who have 13, 14 and 15 respectively and his seven efforts on target are more than any other player bar Salah, who has 10. Crystal Palace have scored eight goals over the last four gameweeks, which is on par with Man. City and only Liverpool have scored more over that period, with 10. Crystal Palace travel to Watford for gameweek 35 and face a Hornets side who have conceded 13 goals in their last five league games and with Palace scoring for fun since Zaha’s return we expect many to pick up the Palace playmaker this gameweek.

zaha35

Ayoze Perez (eve)

Perez, makes his debut appearance in our “top five” this week off the back of fine performances in recent weeks, and in doing so presents us with a good budget option. The Newcastle forward has been directly involved in 11 goals this season (five goals and six assists) from 31 appearances, starting just 23 of these. He has found the back of the net in each of his last three games, while also providing assists in each of the last two against Leicester and Arsenal. Only Aubameyang, Vardy and Rodriguez, with three each, can match Perez for goals over the last four gameweeks amongst forwards. His tally of five FPL involvements in that time has only been beaten by Salah across all positions, who has seven. When compared with forwards priced at 8.5 or below, only Wood, Rodriguez, with five, and Rondon, with seven, have taken more than Perez’s four shots on target, over the last four gameweeks. Newcastle make the trip to Everton off the back of four wins in their last four league games, so their tails will be well and truly up coming into this one. Everton have only kept two clean sheets in their last 14 league games and with Newcastle having scored eight goals in their last four games, Perez, looks to offer real value.

perez35

Trent Alexander-Arnold (wba)

Alexander-Arnold, continues to benefit from the lack of options at right-back, with Gomez and Clyne still not ready to feature from the off in the league. But that is doing him some discredit, given that he has more than held his own when called upon for the most part of this season. The right-back provided an assist against Bournemouth last weekend which is his third attacking return of the season from just 15 starts. He has been given rests in two of the last six gameweeks due to Liverpool’s involvement in the Champions League but his seven attempted assists over that period and is behind only Southampton’s Bertrand, with eight, and Huddersfield’s, Hadergjonaj , who has 10, when looking at defenders. Only Man. United, with 17, have kept more than Liverpool’s 15 clean sheets this season. Liverpool travel to West Brom for gameweek 35 and will have their work cut out if they are to follow-up their heroics of gameweek 34’s shock win over Man. United. Liverpool have now kept six clean sheets in their last 10 games,  with five of these coming to teams placed 10th or below. Clean sheet potential coupled with Alexander-Arnold’s attacking threat increases the appeal for those on a Free Hit this week.


T35

TAA351

Unlock all tools and content. Start your free trial.

Join 89% of our members who won their main mini-league last season.

GET IT NOW