Gameweek 9 was one dominated by injuries and Covid-19 isolations that played havoc with many an FPL squad. However, it didn’t stop many of our captain picks from bringing home decent points returns. Man Utd midfielder Bruno Fernandes (£10.8m) benefitted once again from the control of penalties, converting a retaken spot kick to pick up 11 FPL points in United’s 1-0 win over West Brom. Chelsea forward Timo Werner(£9.4m) ensured that his owners didn’t go away with nothing, registering an assist in his side’s 0-2 victory against Newcastle. More joy was to come on Sunday, as Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.8m) continued his excellent goalscoring start to the season by bagging a brace and hence 13 FPL points in the Toffees’ 2-3 win away at Fulham. The less said about our differential pick though, the better as Anthony Martial (£8.7m) continues to search for his first Premier League goal of the season. Despite many debating whether to sell the two highest scoring FPL players so far this season due to Spurs’ tough fixtures ahead, Heung-Min Son (£9.5m) and Harry Kane (£11.0m) both went a way to proving themselves as ‘fixture proof’ with a goal and an assist between them as Jose Mourinho’s men secured an excellent 2-0 win over Man City. With no more international breaks to worry about for a while, we quickly turn our focus to Gameweek 10 as we assess all the attractive looking captaincy options ahead of Friday’s 18:30pm deadline.
PREMIUM OPTIONS
Kevin De Bruyne (£11.6m) vs BUR (H)
Man City vs Burnley at the Etihad normally spells doom for the Clarets and goals galore for the hosts. Pep Guardiola’s men have won their last three games in all competitions against Burnley at home by a 5-0 scoreline, which naturally leads us to scour over Man City assets in search for the ideal FPL captain. We’ve settled on midfielder Kevin De Bruyne (£11.6m), the focal point of Man City’s midfield with all of their attacks at present running through him. Not to mention that De Bruyne is currently in charge of penalties, free kicks and corners.
De Bruyne currently has three assists and a goal to his name in the Premier League so far, but has only started six of the nine gameweeks. No doubt that the Belgian is due a big FPL haul soon and was desperately unlucky not to score against Spurs in Gameweek 9. A side like Burnley are sure to gift possession to De Bruyne throughout large periods of the match and this could prove hugely profitable for anyone who entrusts him with their captain’s armband
Bruno Fernandes (£10.8m) vs SOU (a)
With Man Utd away from home in Gameweek 10, Bruno Fernandes (£10.8m) becomes arguably the most must own FPL player from a statistics perspective. The Portuguese starlet has racked up 40 FPL points from just three away Premier League games this season, scoring four and registering three assists. Fernandes is also in good recent form having picked 11 points in his last Premier League appearance, making it 28 points from United’s last two league matches.
The Red Devils travel to Southampton this coming weekend and whilst the Saints have proven solid at the back this season, Fernandes provides so many different outlets in terms of a goal and assist threat. Whether it be long shots, late runs into the box, through balls on the counter or of course those famous penalties, Man Utd’s talisman is usually in the thick of the action and once again represents an excellent captain pick.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.8m) vs LEE (H)
He simply cannot stop scoring in the Premier League this season! The Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.8m) hype train shows no signs of coming to a halt anytime soon, with the Everton forward scoring twice away to Fulham in Gameweek 9 to take his overall total in the league this season to ten. He currently leads the race for the Premier League’s golden boot and has accrued a whopping 70 FPL points over the past nine gameweeks.
Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds are the visitors to Goodison Park in Gameweek 10 and the Whites do not boast the strongest defence in the top flight, having conceded 17 goals already this season. With a full-strength Everton midfield led by James Rodriguez and overlapping full-backs such as Lucas Digne feeding crosses into the box, Calvert-Lewin will be expected to add to his goals tally this weekend and this has to see him come into the captaincy equation.
DIFFERENTIAL PICK
Richarlison (£7.8m) vs LEE (H)
Another Everton forward who may be expected to add to his Premier League goals tally this season is Richarlison (£7.8m). The caveat here of course being that the Brazilian is owned by significantly less FPL managers compared to Calvert-Lewin. A three-match ban following a red card in the Merseyside derby back in Gameweek 5 had sidelined the Toffees star, but he marked his return in Gameweeek 9 by picking up an assist in their match vs Fulham.
Richarlison only home Premier League start not counting the Merseyside Derby came in Gameweek 2 vs Brighton, where he recorded three assists and 12 FPL points. Expected to play a prominent role against Leeds, whilst many managers will be banking on Calvert-Lewin or Rodriguez to bring them home FPL points, Richarlison could prove an incredible differential when you consider that he is also likely to be on penalties. He could be the Everton attacking asset you need to get in Gameweek 10 to get you rising up your respective mini leagues.