Our Gameweek 19 differentials column brings a trio of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) midfielders for your consideration.
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EBERECHI EZE
- FPL ownership: 6.9%
- Price: £6.6m
- GW19-23 fixtures: SOU | CHE | lei | whu | BRE
Eberechi Eze (£6.6m) sits just over our usual differentials threshold, yet we’ve made a rare exception with his ownership currently sitting at just 1.8% in the top 100k.
Having been sidelined in Gameweek 17 through injury, Eze returned to action against Bournemouth on Boxing Day.
The talented midfielder ended the match with four shots, one which forced a Kepa Arrizabalaga (£4.5m) save, and two key passes. Both stats were team-leading totals.
It highlights Eze’s importance to Crystal Palace this season, even if he hasn’t quite hit the heights of the 2023/24 campaign, when he scored six goals and provided three assists in 11 appearances under Oliver Glasner.
Up next for Eze is a plum home fixture with Southampton.
The Saints followed Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Fulham with a 1-0 home loss to West Ham United, so they have shown defensive improvement under Ivan Juric.
However, they are third-bottom for key passes conceded from the right flank in the last two Gameweeks, so from a creative perspective, it’s a nice match-up for Eze and wing-back Tyrick Mitchell (£4.8m).
And with Jean-Philippe Mateta’s (£7.2m) strength, as well as the pace and trickery of Ismaila Sarr (£5.8m), Palace will fancy their chances.
Whilst a Gameweek 20 clash with Chelsea perhaps dents his appeal, Eze then faces Leicester City, West Ham United and Brentford in the subsequent three, handing him an opportunity to edge his way back into our thinking.
BRUNO GUIMARAES
- FPL ownership: 1.8%
- Price: £6.1m
- GW19-23 fixtures: mun | tot | WOL | BOU | sou
Bruno Guimaraes (£6.1m) has stepped up his threat in recent matches, announcing himself as a differential name to consider.
It’s coincided with a new role, which has seen the Brazilian given license to roam and regularly get forward.
Chiefly deployed as the number eight while Sandro Tonali (£5.5m) sits in as a deeper central midfielder, Guimaraes has produced 17 points in his last three games, courtesy of one goal and an assist. He also had a strike ruled out for handball against Aston Villa on Boxing Day.
The underlying stats add further encouragement.
Guimaraes has racked up seven shots and created eight chances in Gameweeks 16-18, with his 14 penalty box touches showing a significant improvement on his previous output.
Bruno Guimaraes’ shot map in Gameweeks 16-18
“Sandro was very good. Bruno [Guimaraes] was very good. Joelinton was very good, capped off with his goal. I was very happy with the midfield. All through the side, the parts of the team are functioning really well at the moment. I think we are in a good place so now we have to keep that going.” – Eddie Howe speaking after the 3-0 win over Aston Villa on Boxing Day
Up next for Guimaraes and Newcastle United are away trips to Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. They arrive in excellent form, having won three in a row by 3+ goals on each occasion.
With further good fixtures from Gameweek 21 (WOL, BOU, sou, FUL), Guimaraes looks like a real under-the-radar budget option worthy of our consideration.
GONCALO GUEDES
- FPL ownership: 0.1%
- Price: £5.3m
- GW19-23 fixtures: tot | NFO | new | che | ARS
Goncalo Guedes (£5.3m) has made an immediate impact under Vitor Pereira.
A peripheral figure under previous manager Gary O’Neil, the Portuguese was immediately re-installed to the Wolverhampton Wanderers starting XI for the Gameweek 17 trip to Leicester.
Since then, Guedes has been one of Wolves’ most influential players, having taken his goal contribution tally up to six for the season.
Notably, all of those attacking returns have arrived in his last nine matches, a period which has seen him average a goal or assist every 54.6 minutes.
Deployed as one of Wolves’ two attacking midfielders in a 3-4-2-1 formation, Guedes’ link-up play with Nelson Semedo (£4.5m) has been particularly notable under Pereira, with the pair thriving down Wolves’ right.
Wolves’ passing network v Manchester United in Gameweek 18
Wolves take on injury-hit Tottenham on Sunday, and confidence will be high going into this game after back-to-back wins over Leicester and Manchester United.
As for Spurs, they have tallied a mere three home clean sheets in 28 league matches since Ange Postecoglou’s appointment. They have also conceded 15 in their last six in all competitions, with Yves Bissouma (£4.9m) and Archie Gray (£4.6m) potentially at centre-back on Sunday.
Guedes could therefore provide the spark to help unlock the Spurs’ defence, with Pereira’s faith and tactical tweaks providing him the platform to deliver consistently.
11 hours, 26 mins agoGW 21 looks to me like a good week to BB. Lot of teams with good fixtures. My plan is to hold the trashcan B.Fernandes, just play Mykolenko, Huijsen and Hall and then wildcard after gw21