Double Gameweek 25 was fairly uneventful from an FPL perspective up until this past Tuesday night, when Man Utd’s second fixture of the gameweek took place at home to Brighton. Their first game was one to forget for FPL managers as the Red Devils could only manage a 1-1 draw with Southampton as the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.5m) and Bruno Fernandes (£11.7m) both blanked. However, they successfully bounced back with a 2-0 win over the Seagulls with both Ronaldo and Fernandes scoring. Their local rivals Man City were victorious by four goals to nil away at Norwich with Phil Foden (£8.0m) on the scoresheet and Raheem Sterling (£10.7m) netting a hat-trick.
Elsewhere, those FPL managers celebrating Diogo Jota (£8.5m) and his brace against Leicester were left disappointed as the Portuguese star was benched for Liverpool’s trip to Burnley. Despite Mo Salah (£13.0m) starting his first match since leaving for Africa Cup of Nations duty, the top performing FPL player of the season failed to register an attacking return as the Reds triumphed 0-1 at Turf Moor. One popular FPL asset who did make a big splash however, was West Ham midfielder Jarrod Bowen (£7.0m) who picked up a goal, an assist and 13 points in the Hammers’ 2-2 draw against Leicester.
We now enter arguably a defining round of fixtures for many FPL managers, with Double Gameweek 26 boasting some tantalising captaincy options. With two extremely attractive fixtures at home to Norwich and Leeds respectively, the expectation is that Liverpool players will prove by far the most popular and with that in mind, we specifically analyse three premium captain picks from Jurgen Klopp’s squad, alongside a differential option ahead of Saturday’s 11:00 deadline.
PREMIUM OPTIONS
Mo Salah (£13.0m) vs NOR (H), LEE (H)
It would be no surprise if the majority of FPL managers were to utilise their triple captain chip on Mo Salah in Double Gameweek 26. The Egyptian has not yet found the net in the Premier League since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations and will determined to rectify that in both of these two fixtures. Salah is the highest scoring asset among the entire FPL player-base, having racked up 16 goals, 10 assists and a whopping 181 points.
Salah has good memories of facing Leeds at Anfield, having scored a hat-trick in this fixture on the opening day of the 2020-21 season. Whilst the 29-year-old already has a 17-point haul to his name against Norwich in this campaign, recording a goal and two assists in the reverse fixture at Carrow Road.
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.5m) vs NOR (H), LEE (H)
Currently 25 points behind Salah overall is teammate and defender Trent Alexander-Arnold (£8.5m). The flying full-back is notorious for combining clean sheets with regular attacking returns, accruing two goals and ten assists to his name already in this season’s Premier League, alongside 12 clean sheets. His form right now is very good and across the last four gameweeks, Alexander-Arnold has managed 24 points, an average of six per game. Provided he maintains that scoring rate, he would be on for 12 points over the course of Double Gameweek 26.
Alexander-Arnold was part of a Liverpool defence who kept a clean sheet against both Norwich and Leeds in the reserve fixtures already played this season and the right-back also gained an assist against the latter, enough to earn him 12 FPL points at Elland Road. For those brave enough not to hand the armband to Salah, Alexander-Arnold represents the ideal alternative.
Diogo Jota (£8.5m) vs NOR (H), LEE (H)
Now the third highest scoring midfielder in FPL, Diogo Jota has fast become a must own player among the Fantasy Premier League community. Injury to Roberto Firmino has helped Jota establish himself as a regular starter among Liverpool’s front three and has justified Jurgen Klopp’s faith in him with 12 goals and three assists already this season in the Premier League.
As is the case with Salah and Alexander-Arnold, Jota’s exceedingly high ownership among FPL managers means that captaining him is the best way of gaining maximum value from his returns. A goalscorer against Norwich already this season, Jota’s last appearance at Anfield saw him net twice against Leicester and another big points haul is not out of the question in Double Gameweek 26.
DIFFERENTIAL OPTION
Andy Robertson (£7.1m) vs NOR (H), LEE (H)
Although he is far lesser owned than the three premium options above, none of them have accumulated as many FPL points across the last four gameweeks as Andy Robertson (£7.1m) has. The Liverpool left-back has combined defensive stability with attacking potency to perfection over recent weeks, acquiring three assists and three clean sheets in his most recent four league appearances, delivering 36 points for his small ownership.
Whilst fellow full-back Trent Alexander Arnold boasts an ownership over 40% higher than that of Robertson, the recent numbers suggest that the Scottish international is a better choice when it comes to selecting a captain, particularly for those FPL managers who prioritise form over fixtures. Although entrusting a defender with the armband always comes with its risks, Robertson has shown his capability of registering big point-scores.