Haaland Remains Top Captain Pick
Don’t let Erling Haaland‘s blank against Aston Villa deter you. The Norwegian striker is still the best captain choice this week, especially with Manchester City hosting Bournemouth. The Cherries have conceded nine of their 11 goals away from home, making Haaland a confident pick for the Etihad Stadium clash.
Liverpool‘s struggles make Mohamed Salah a less appealing option against an Aston Villa side that kept Haaland quiet last week.
Defensive Picks
Robin Roefs (Sunderland, £4.7m) has been a standout keeper with four clean sheets and a penalty save. He faces an Everton side that has scored just three times in their past six games.
If you’re backing Sunderland‘s defence, consider doubling up with Nordi Mukiele (£4.1m). He delivered a 17-point return last week and is a great budget choice.
Gabriel (£6.5m) and Jurrien Timber (£6.1m) of Arsenal are must-haves. Burnley has found their scoring form, but Arsenal’s defence has been impenetrable, with five consecutive clean sheets.
Daniel Munoz (Crystal Palace, £5.7m) is a defensive asset with attacking prowess. He has contributed four attacking returns (one goal, three assists) and is a right-winger at times. Brentford has scored in all but one game, making a clean sheet unlikely but a bonus for Munoz.
Attacking Assets
Eberechi Eze (Arsenal, £7.6m) is outperforming Bukayo Saka statistically. With Burnley conceding 17 times this season, Eze is a top pick, especially with budget constraints.
Alex Iwobi (Fulham, £6.5m) is a solid choice against rock-bottom Wolves. He has been involved in 33% of Fulham’s goals when on the pitch.
Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United, £8.2m) is living up to his underlying data with impressive shot statistics. Nottingham Forest has lost six of their past eight games, making Mbeumo a strong pick.
Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace, £7.7m) has taken 29 shots with an xG of 7.8. Brentford‘s defence is vulnerable, making Mateta a promising choice.
Danny Welbeck (Brighton, £6.4m) is on a scoring run with five goals in four games. Leeds has conceded nearly double the goals on the road, making Welbeck a cheap and effective pick.
Additional Picks
- Bernd Leno (Fulham, £5m) is a budget keeper facing Wolves.
- Dango Ouattara (Brentford, £6m) is a midfielder facing Crystal Palace.
- Granit Xhaka (Sunderland, £5.1m) is a midfielder facing Everton.
- Ferdi Kadioglu (Brighton, £4.4m) is a defender facing Leeds.
The total cost of this team is £98.8m, fitting within a £100m budget.