The Stock Check – Gameweek 33 – Sunday

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is benched for the first time this term as a pair of Man United differentials stake a claim for double Gameweek 34. Diego Costa disappoints again as the transfers out build, while Roberto Firmino’s climb up the FPL leaderboard continues.

On the Rise

Ander Herrera
With double Gameweek 34 just around the corner, the Spaniard picked the perfect time to deliver a season-high FPL haul thanks to a goal and assist in United’s 2-0 win over Chelsea.

Herrera – who has started all but one of the league matches he has been available for since Gameweek 12 – also provided an assist away to Sunderland in the previous fixture, marking the first time this term he has produced consecutive returns.

With just three assists to his name prior to that Black Cats encounter, though, it’s fair to say that Herrera has been far from prolific.

Clearly, he remains a gamble but, at just 6.3 and owned by less than 1% of managers, could be worth a flutter as United prepare to face Burnley and Man City next time out.

Marcus Rashford
With Zlatan Ibrahimovic shifted to the bench, the United youngster’s pace through the middle proved the undoing of Chelsea’s defence as he bagged an early opener against the league leaders.

After failing to score since Gameweek 6, Rashford has now notched in back-to-back league outings, having also found the net against Sunderland last time out.

While it seems unlikely that Rashford will retain a central role at the expense of Ibrahimovic, it’s worth noting that he has now started four of United’s last five league fixtures ahead of the double.

Like Herrera, he would be a somewhat risky selection, yet a 6.5 price tag may appeal as a cheap third forward if you’re willing to roll the dice.

Roberto Firmino
Overlooked by the recent clamour for the services of team-mate Philippe Coutinho, Firmino climbed to fifth in the FPL midfield standings by firing the only goal of Liverpool’s 1-0 win at West Brom.

Shrugging off his manager’s suggestions of tiredness, Firmino – along with Coutinho – returned to the starting XI after being utilised off the bench at Stoke City last week.

The former Hoffenheim man has now registered points in each of his last six league outings, serving up three goals and four assists over that stretch to emerge as the Reds’ top scoring FPL asset.

There’s no doubt that the lack of a double Gameweek clearly limits Liverpool’s appeal. Yet owners who have already played their second wildcard may well decide to hold, given his form and fixtures to follow – up next, clashes against Crystal Palace, Watford, Southampton, West Ham and Middlesbrough hand Firmino the chance to maintain his most consistent run of the season.

In Decline

Zlatan Ibrahimovic
In light of his manager’s conflicting comments, there still remains some doubt as to why the veteran was named on the bench today.

In the build-up to the match, we had Ibrahimovic admitting he was tired during Thursday’s Europa League clash with Anderlecht.

After announcing his teamsheet, Mourinho then backed that up by saying Ibrahimovic was named on the bench as he was “tired, very tired”.

However, the United manager’s post-match comments put a different slant on the situation ahead of double Gameweek 34.

Mourinho indicated he had copied the same tactics used against Chelsea in a recent FA Cup fixture – a match that Ibrahimovic was suspended for. To add a further twist, he then went back on his pre-match words by saying:

“Maybe we didn’t rest. Maybe we just chose the team that we thought was the best team.”

If it was no more than tactics, that Mourinho simply looked for Rashford’s speed to trouble the Blues’ back-three, then today’s teamsheet may ultimately prove no bad news for Ibrahimovic’s owners ahead of the double, considering he was afforded just eight minutes.

Regardless, it would be remiss not to include him in this section, if only to acknowledge that this was the first time he failed to start a league match that he was available for since joining the club.

Certainly, today’s events haven’t deterred would-be investors from making the leap – Ibrahimovic is the number one transfer target ahead of United’s double, with over 23,000 new owners since yesterday.

Ahead of those two fixtures – against Burnley and Man City – it’s the Turf Moor trip that remains the potential rotation hotspot for United’s assets. While Rashford’s performance would have demonstrated that Mourinho could possibly have the option of resting Ibrahimovic before the derby clash, the fact that United are now still very much in touch with the top four perhaps reduces that risk.

Diego Costa
The out-of-sorts Chelsea striker shipped more than 121,000 FPL owners heading into Gameweek 33 – more than any player.

This afternoon’s blank against United extended Costa’s wretched run to just two goals in his last ten league appearances, as a third yellow card in five underlined his frustration and left the Spain international’s 31.5% owners with a single FPL point for their troubles.

With Harry Kane looking irresistible and double Gameweek 34 forwards on the agenda, Costa – with just three shots on target in his last four outings – is set for significant sales once again as we freshen up our three-man frontlines.

Indeed, the exodus has continued at pace since yesterday – he is again the most transferred out forward, jettisoned by a further 14,000+ former owners.

Gareth McAuley
Sold by more than 44,000 FPL managers last week, the Irishman remains subject to a major exodus due to the Baggies’ upcoming blank Gameweek 34.

The number one transferred out defender since yesterday’s deadline by some distance, McAuley – owned by over 32% – has already earned over 9,000 sales.

Clearly, there’s a growing worry that, with their safety secured, Tony Pulis’ side are already on the beach – they have managed just one clean sheet in nine and scored in only one of their previous seven.

Furthermore, McAuley’s goal threat has all but evaporated – the Irishman has failed to register a single attempt in his last seven league outings.

Granted, he did, nonetheless, play from start to finish after failing to last 60 minutes in the previous two fixtures.

Yet with a far from favourable double Gameweek 37 against Chelsea and Man City to follow, the Baggies defender could now play a peripheral part in our thinking from this point onwards.