When West Ham midfielder Mark Noble (£5.0m) is the highest FPL points scorer of the gameweek, you can probably guess that Gameweek 21 wasn't the most riveting from an FPL manager's perspective. However, some things don't change. Sadio Mane (£12.3m) continues to score goals for starters, with the Senegalese forward scoring his 11th goal of the season in Liverpool's 2-0 win over Sheffield Utd, which also saw Mo Salah (£12.3m) find the net.
It was a disappointing gameweek for highly-owned forwards with Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) not featuring due to injury and both Marcus Rashford (£9.1m) and Harry Kane (£11.0m) failing to find the net in their respective matches. Danny Ings (£6.7m) however continued his staggering scoring run, bagging the only goal in Southampton's 1-0 win over Spurs. With the busy Christmas period now over, here are our captain picks for Gameweek 22 ahead of Friday's 19:00 deadline.
PREMIUM OPTIONS
Marcus Rashford (£9.1m) vs NOR (H)
Man Utd are back at Old Trafford in Gameweek 22 and this normally means that forward Marcus Rashford will find the back of the net. The striker has eight goals from ten league games at home this season and scored in midweek despite the Red Devils going down 1-3 to neighbours Man City in their Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.
Last-placed Norwich are the visitors at the weekend and the Canaries come into the match having not kept a Premier League clean sheet since Gameweek 13. Rashford registered both a goal and an assist in the reverse fixture at Carrow Road and he will be confident of adding to his goal tally in this game.
Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) vs SOU (H)
After being sidelined for Leicester's last two fixtures due to a calf injury, Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) is expected to retake his place in the starting line-up against Southampton in Gameweek 22. Vardy has fond memories of the Saints, having scored a hat-trick against them in that famous 0-9 win back in Gameweek 10, netting 20 FPL points in the process.
Vardy incredibly has been sold en masse by FPL managers over the past few days despite Leicester manager Brendan Rodgers declaring that the forward is fit again. His price has dropped by £0.1m with well over 225k managers dispensing with his services already (as of Wednesday afternoon). They could be made to regret that come the weekend.
Raul Jimenez (£7.5m) vs NEW (H)
Wolves striker Raul Jimenez (£7.5m) hasn't registered an attacking return in his last two gameweeks for the Black Country side. This marks the first time since Gameweek 6 to 7 that the Mexican frontman hasn't returned either a goal or an assist for two league matches running. Mitigating circumstances were a factor as Jimenez was benched against Liverpool in Gameweek 20. He was afforded chances against Watford in Gameweek 21, but failed to make them count.
Jimenez and Wolves return to Molineux this Saturday to face an out-of-form Newcastle side who have lost their last three Premier League matches, conceding nine goals in the process. On paper this looks like the ideal fixture for Jimenez to return amongst the goals, which has been reflected by over 190k FPL managers transferring him in already ahead of the weekend.
DIFFERENTIAL CHOICE
Anthony Martial (£7.9m) vs NOR (H)
Listed as a midfielder in FPL but playing as a striker for Man Utd, Anthony Martial (£7.9m) looks to have gotten over his injury problems that plagued the first few months of his season. Having started in the last six gameweeks for the Red Devils, Martial is starting to hit the goal trail with more regularity, having scored three in his last three league matches.
Martial put in an impressive attacking performance in Man Utd's away fixture at Norwich back in Gameweek 10. Despite missing a penalty, the Frenchman still managed to score and he'll be expected to gain a number of chances to score against the same opposition at Old Trafford. With two goals and 15 FPL points in Man Utd's last home league match against Newcastle, Martial could prove an explosive differential in Gameweek 22.