Captain Sensible – Gameweek 28

Friday evening has us present our pre-Gameweek members’ article as we analyse the main captaincy candidates for the forthcoming fixtures.

As always, we get underway with a look at the top picks in our Gameweek Captain Poll, before turning to the Opta numbers and Rate My Team ratings and considering a differential or two for Gameweek 28.

The Captain Poll

It’s fair to say that Mohamed Salah is one of the strongest armband favourites of the season so far ahead of Liverpool’s home encounter with West Ham on Saturday afternoon.

The Egyptian has been backed by a hefty 51% of voters as he goes in search of a thirteenth double-figure return of his debut campaign on Merseyside.

Salah has scored or assisted in 16 of his last 18 league outings and has already delivered 15 points against the Hammers in Gameweek 11.

Up against a defence with a single shut-out in ten on the road, his team-mates Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane are overlooked differentials, with 2% and 1% backing respectively.

Mane’s Champions League hat-trick away to Porto underlines his potential with a mere 7% ownership in Fantasy Premier League (FPL). Yet Firmino has been far more explosive and leads the Senegal international by seven sets of double figures to two.

Boasting 22% of the votes cast, Harry Kane is regarded as the main rival to Salah as Spurs visit a Crystal Palace defence that have managed just two clean sheets at home.

The league’s top scorer on the road (12 goals), he has netted in two of his three visits to Selhurst Park. Kane has also served up 10+ points on four occasions away from home.

With four of the top six squaring up, their armband potential has failed to persuade the vast majority of voters.

Sergio Aguero (4%) has earned more transfers-in than any forward ahead of Man City’s trip to Arsenal.

The Argentine has fired nine goals over the last six Gameweeks and faces a defence that has conceded in each of their last nine league fixtures.

Less than 1% are prepared to punt on Kevin De Bruyne, yet the Belgian – like Aguero – found the net against the Gunners earlier this season. De Bruyne’s 10-point haul in that 3-1 win was one of eight double-digit returns so far.

Eden Hazard (£10.7m) is the form player on show as Chelsea make their way to Manchester United. The Belgian arrives on the back of six goals in as many Gameweeks and has served up 34 points in his last three on the road.

Leicester City’s home match with travel-sick Stoke City looks promising for owners of Jamie Vardy and Riyad Mahrez.

Vardy is enjoying his most consistent form of the season – he’s scored in each of the last four Gameweeks and netted the weekend FA Cup winner against Sheffield United.

Back on the teamsheet against the Blades last Friday night, Mahrez has delivered returns in nine of his last 11 starts.

Brighton’s Pascal Gross and Bournemouth frontman Callum Wilson also have favourable home fixtures to follow as Swansea City and Newcastle pay visit respectively.

All four of Gross’ double-figure returns have arrived at the Amex Stadium, including a 13-point haul in his previous home match against West Ham.

Up against a Newcastle defence with a single clean sheet in their last nine away matches, Wilson will be looking to replicate the form that produced 12 points against both Arsenal and Chelsea in the last five rounds of fixtures.