Gameweek 13 taught us a valuable lesson when it comes to picking a differential captain – never ever EVER trust Everton assets, at least while Marco Silva is in charge. A match at home against a Norwich side that had conceded 16 goals in their last seven fixtures seemed like too good of an opportunity to turn down. Naturally, we should have realised Norwich would keep only there second away clean sheet in their last ten league matches (stretching back to last season). Richarlison (£7.9m) owners have our sympathy.
I could've broken triple digits this gameweek, without using my chips as well, tell me why I played Richarlison, I'm an idiot, this why my dad left me #FPL pic.twitter.com/ItPiarVsww
— Big Sad (@TheSavageP0p3) November 24, 2019
Elsewhere on the captain front, GW13 offered fairly few surprises. Jamie Vardy (£9.7m) and Sadio Mane (£12.2m) both scored yet another goal to strengthen there position as the top players in FPL. Sergio Aguero (£11.9m) missed another clear-cut chance before limping off for his annual November/December injury. His absence does at least remove the headache over whether he'll start or not. Finally, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (£11.0m) both registered an attacking return and was outperformed by strike partner Alexandre Lacazette (£9.3m) as Arsenal stumbled to a 2-2 draw with Southampton.
A plethora of Captaincy options for GW14, Rank the options!
— FPL GOAT🐐 (@FPLGOAT7) November 26, 2019
For me it's
1st Aubameyang v Norwich
2nd Mane/Salah v Brighton
3rd Vardy v Everton
4th Tammy v West ham
How would you rank?🤔#FPL #FPLCommunity
Still, with Gameweek 13 in the rear-view mirror, lets look ahead at the top captain options for GW14 ahead of Saturday’s 11:30am deadline.
PREMIUM OPTIONS
Jamie Vardy (£9.7m) vs EVE (H)
The argument for captaining Vardy on a weekly basis only strengthened last week as Leicester’s frontman scored yet another goal and assist in a 12-point haul. It has now been five gameweeks since Vardy last failed to register any attacking returns (GW8 vs Liverpool). The last time he was on this sort of run, he set the record for goals scored in most consecutive Premier League matches (11 from GW4 – GW14 of the 2015-16 season). Although still a few matches away from that record, you just know Vardy will have it in his thoughts.
It’s happening again #Vardyparty pic.twitter.com/rhiKscrlvs
— JV9 (@FplVardy) November 26, 2019
Leicester have a home match against Everton in Gameweek 14, a fixture that could possibly be Marco Silva’s last game in charge if results go badly. If Silva is to keep his job for another week, he will have to find a way of stopping Vardy finding the net – something that has eluded many Premier League managers so far this season. Vardy’s record against Everton is also fairly good with five goals and three assists in nine appearances against the Toffees, including three in the last four.
For me, the captaincy has to go to a Liverpool asset or the ever dependable Jamie vardy! Leaning towards vardy at the moment. Seems the way to go! Any reason not to captain this man at the weekend? pic.twitter.com/1gr73tl7z8
— FPL Strategy (@FplStrategy) November 27, 2019
Tammy Abraham (£8.0m) vs WHU (H)
Absent from last week’s captain choices, Tammy Abraham (£8.0m) makes a return to the potential armbanders as Chelsea are the latest team to face a miserable West Ham side. The Hammers look like a team that belongs at the foot of the table, having now gone seven league matches without a win. During that time period, they have failed to keep a clean sheet, conceding 16 goals in the process. The situation doesn’t look to be getting any better either as they have now leaked three goals in each of their last three matches. Currently the highest owned player in the game, Abraham is the only player in excess of 50% ownership level at present.
Abraham
— FPL DjPunK 羅志輝 (@felixbaso) November 27, 2019
12apps Started
xG 7.50
xA 2.39
6 HOME match : 3⚽️0🅰️
CHE Home (6apps) xG : 14.62 (3rd BEST in the league)
WHU Away (6apps) xGA : 13.07 (4th WORST in the league)
Harry Kane (£10.8m) vs BOU (H)
There may be a new man in the dugout at Tottenham but not all things change at Spurs. Harry Kane (£10.8m) scored his seventh league goal of the season in Mourinho’s first match in charge against West Ham before backing this up with a midweek brace against Olympiacos in the Champions League. Mourinho has always loved to play an out-and-out striker and Kane is set to benefit from this style of management as he will no longer be required to drop deep in an attempt to get on the ball. At least, this is the observation so far.
Think I'll be asking Santa for Harry Kane this year. pic.twitter.com/o5S4BM6Nq2
— FPL General (@FPLGeneral) November 26, 2019
Spurs have a home Saturday 3pm meeting with Bournemouth in Gameweek 14 – a fixture that has usually seen Spurs score plenty of goals. The pair have met eight times in the Premier League with Tottenham scoring a total of 22 goals in those meetings. Kane has been responsible for just under a third of those goals (seven), a record that is even more impressive given he missed two of the eight matches with injury.
Sadio Mane (£12.2m) vs BHA (H)
Really, any of Liverpool’s highly-owned assets could be handed the armband this week. In particular, the home match against Brighton offers the potential of a clean sheet coupled with attacking returns for both Andy Robertson (£7.0m) and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.2m). Both would represent potential differential options as, given the fixtures this gameweek, it is unlikely that many FPL managers will be placing the armband on one of Liverpool’s two attacking full-backs. Of the two. it is Robertson who is currently the standout choice having either scored or assisted in each of his last three league matches.
Salah 12.2
— FFScout Joe (@FFScout_Joe) November 24, 2019
Mane 12.2
..... the day has arrived. #FPL #FPLCommunity pic.twitter.com/ezk9hoHvGn
Of the choice between Mo Salah (£12.2m) and Sadio Mane (£12.2m), there has only really been one option this season. Even with Klopp declaring Salah will be fine for the weekend, Mane is the obvious captain choice when it comes to it. Another goal last weekend means the Senegalese international has now scored in his last three league fixtures. Five out of his last six appearances have netted some form of attacking return for his owners and Mane represents what you would want when selecting a captain – consistency coupled with explosive potential.
DIFFERENTIAL CHOICE
Gabriel Jesus (£9.5m) vs NEW (a)
Owned by just 1.8% of FPL managers, Gabriel Jesus (£9.5m) will have shot to the forefront of FPL managers' thinking the moment Sergio Aguero limped off with a groin strain against Chelsea. Since then, Pep has confirmed that Aguero will definitely miss at least the next three fixtures – against Newcastle (a), Burnley (a) and Man Utd (H) – which means Jesus should be set for a run leading the Man City line. With Aguero arguably approaching the twilight of his Man City career, Jesus will be desperate to show Guardiola he can be the main man for City once Aguero is gone.
With Augero expected out for the next 4 or so gameweeks, Jesus is very much on my #FPL watchlist!
— FPL Steve-O (@FPLsteveo) November 26, 2019
From the 4 games he has started he has 4 returns 👀
⚽️ x 3
🅰️ x 1#FPLCommunity pic.twitter.com/H9b3kx3jFa
His record has also been fairly good when starting in place of the Argentinian this season. So far, the Brazilian forward has started four league matches, registering an attacking return in each of those games – three goals and one assist.