Spot the Differential – Gameweek 6

Our trio of overlooked alternatives for Gameweek 6 sees us call upon Newcastle’s raiding right-back against the goal-shy Hornets at St James’ Park. We also place out faith in Tottenham’s young gun and Stoke’s fit-again playmaker ahead of weekend home encounters.

Daryl Janmaat

Janmaat was a creative powerhouse for Newcastle United last term, racking up eight assists from the right-back berth. The Netherlands international was relatively subdued this campaign until the Magpies’ last match-up against West Ham, in which he tallied five attempts at goal – no forward chalked up more last Gameweek.

Delving deeper into the statistics highlights the extent of Janmaat’s attacking threat. The Dutchman boasted the most touches in the final third (36) – beating out the likes of Branislav Ivanovic (35) and Hector Bellerin (34). Moreover, no defender attempted (eight) or successfully executed (four) more dribbles in the previous round of fixtures.

The Toon earned a hard-fought clean sheet against Manchester United in Gameweek 3 and could well double that tally when Watford pay a visit. The Hornets defence has performed admirably on their return to the top tier, but their attack is yet to find its groove – only Newcastle have carded fewer goals (two to three) than the Vicarage Road side, who have scored just once in the last four Gameweeks. The 4.9-priced Janmaat could be set to profit as a result, with his strong assist and bonus potential rendering him an exciting investment ahead of a an excellent run of fixtures from Gameweek 9 onwards.

Delle Alli

Injuries elsewhere in Tottenham’s midfield allowed Dele Alli to earn his debut start in the league last Gameweek, lining up in “the hole” behind lone striker Harry Kane. With Christian Eriksen, Ryan Mason and Mousa Dembele touch-and-go for Spurs’ home tie against Crystal Palace, Alli looks set to reclaim that starting berth – potentially playing alongside Eric Dier in the double pivot if Mason is ruled out.

Irrespective of which midfielders Mauricio Pochettino has at his disposal, Alli’s standout performance in Spurs’ midweek Europa League clash strengthen his case for a run of starts in the league. The all-action midfielder dovetailed excellently with Heung-min Son in particular, setting up South Korea international’s second goal of the night with some silky footwork.

Alli amassed 16 goals and nine assists in League One last term, with his box-to-box style drawing comparisons to Steven Gerrard. The 19-year-old has already showcased this ability to push up and support Kane, having emerged from the bench and scored the opener against Leicester in Gameweek 3. Considering that Crystal Palace have conceded more shots inside the box (58) than any team ahead of their visit to White Hart Lane, the 4.9-priced teenager certainly harbours the potential to offer great value in the fifth-midfielder slot.

Bojan Krkic

In his first match back from a long-term knee injury, Bojan Krkic clocked 19 minutes for Stoke in the second half of their 2-0 loss to Arsenal last weekend. Mark Hughes has since hinted that the ex-Barcelona graduate could make his first start of the campaign against Leicester on Saturday as he looks to steer his side out of the drop zone.

Certainly, with Mame Biram Diouf a doubt, the Potters are in need of a boost on the attacking front, bearing in mind they have drawn blanks in three of five fixtures so far. Up against a Leicester side that have yet to keep a clean sheet, the Potters will be optimistic of getting amongst the goals later today.

Earlier this week, Hughes’ comments suggest that the former Barcelona man will continue in the number-ten role this term. Whilst some Fantasy managers will be deterred by his forward classification in light of a central support berth, it’s worth noting that Bojan averaged an attempt every 39.2 minutes in the previous campaign – quicker than Diouf’s 45.6.

At a budget price of just 5.3 in Fantasy Premier League (FPL), Bojan also faces Bournemouth, Villa, Watford and Newcastle in the next six and with the likes of Xherdan Shaqiri setting you back 7.0 in midfield, the Spaniard may well appeal to those on the lookout for a cheap third striker.