Digne injury latest as Jimenez impresses: FPL notes from Wolves v Everton

We continue our Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Gameweek 10 Scout Notes with analysis of Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton.

For a briefer summary of Saturday’s Premier League action, click here, while you can read up on some more matches in detail below.

• READ MORE: Will Mason Mount be fit for FPL Gameweek 11?
• READ MORE: Spurs players back on the FPL radar after Nuno sacking
• READ MORE: Brighton set for favourable fixture run after fine Liverpool display
• READ MORE: Raphinha stars as Leeds win at Norwich in Gameweek 10
• READ MORE: Antonio blanks and Bowen maintains fine form
• READ MORE: Gallagher in FPL demand as Palace move top of the fixture ticker

WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS 2-1 EVERTON

• Goals: Max Kilman (£4.5m), Raul Jimenez (£7.6m) | Alex Iwobi (5.8m)
• Assists: Rayan Ait-Nouri (£4.3m) | Michael Keane (£5.0m)
• Bonus (projected): Jimenez x3, Keane x2, Iwobi x2

WOLVES BUILDING MOMENTUM

After tonight’s 2-1 win at Molineux, Wolves have now won four of their last five Premier League matches, drawing the other one, and are up to seventh in the table.

Despite a slow start which saw them lose their opening three games, they are now currently one of the form teams in the division, ahead of an appealing run of fixtures which sees them take on Crystal Palace (a), West Ham United (h), Norwich City (a) and Burnley (h) in the next four Gameweeks.

Striker Raul Jimenez (£7.6m) has now produced attacking returns in each of his last four starts, after calmly lobbing Jordan Pickford (£5.0m) in the first-half. However, it could have been more for the Mexican, as he hit the woodwork from a Nelson Semedo (£4.9m) cross, and ended the night with match-leading totals for goal attempts, shots in the box, big chances and penalty box touches.

Meanwhile, Hwang Hee-chan (£5.7m) had a goal ruled out by VAR, having been just offside, while he was also a little unfortunate not to bag an assist.

£4.3M AIT-NOURI ON CORNERS

In a lively and adventurous display down Wolves’ left flank, budget defender Rayan Ait-Nouri (£4.3) supplied an assist for Max Kilman’s (£4.5) opener direct from a corner.

The youngster shared corner-taking duties with Joao Moutinho (£5.0m) on the night, and could become a real FPL asset if he nails down a starting spot ahead of Marcal (£4.5m), who was again absent through injury.

Rayan Ait-Nouri’s touch heatmap v Everton in Gameweek 10

Elsewhere, Adama Traore (£5.9m) dropped to the bench after a quiet performance at Leeds United in Gameweek 9, with Francisco Trincao (£5.8m) replacing him in the starting XI, while Ruben Neves (£5.4m) also featured at the expense of Leander Dendoncker (£4.8m).

OUT OF SORTS EVERTON

Following last weekend’s 5-2 loss against Watford, Everton continue to look out of sorts and have now lost their last three Premier League games.

Tonight, they struggled from the off in a narrow 4-4-2 formation, with huge spaces regularly appearing in front of their back four. In response, they switched to a 4-5-1 just after the half-hour mark, with Richarlison (£7.8m) operating as their lone forward. That did at least stop the relentless pressure they were under, and signalled an improvement in the second-half, though it still wasn’t enough.

Notably, Wolves’ first goal arrived from a set-piece, which the Toffees are struggling to defend on a regular basis this season. In fact, they have now conceded 44 attempts from dead-ball situations, more than any other side bar Crystal Palace.

A mounting injury list, which already includes the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure (£5.5m) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£8.0m), is clearly taking its toll, then, with Lucas Digne (£5.2m) adding to their woes with a muscle injury which kept him out of tonight’s fixture. The 28-year-old France international will now be assessed, though it is unclear whether or not he will be fit for Everton’s next game against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

“He was feeling a bit of discomfort so we left him out” – Rafael Benitez on Lucas Digne

With that fixture in mind, Harry Kane (£12.1m) and Son Heung-min (£10.2m) owners could be the next to profit from Everton’s shaky backline in Gameweek 11.

“It is a pity because we didn’t play in the first half. We had a lot of character and chances in the second half, it was maybe a little too late. That was the reaction we were expecting but it was just a shame we didn’t do it in the first half.

They were growing in confidence. We have to see what we did in the second half for 90 minutes. Obviously, we didn’t do it and that is where we have to improve.

We saw the character in the second half to react after a bad first half. I think we are close but missing the players that can make a difference.” – Rafael Benitez

Wolves XI: Sa, Kilman, Coady, Saiss, Semedo, Moutinho, Neves, Ait-Nouri, Trincao (Podence 79), Hwang (Silva 90+4), Jimenez (Dendoncker 90)

Everton XI: Pickford, Coleman, Holgate, Keane, Godfrey, Allan, Gbamin (Delph 45), Townsend, Iwobi (Gordon 78), Gray (Rondon 90), Richarlison