Goals were at a premium this game week, with half of the teams who took to the field failing to find the net.
Even those clubs who scored, four could not score more than once.
The scorers kept on scoring, like Erling Haaland, and the ones who haven’t been, like Everton, continued to blank.
Let’s analyse some of the hits and misses FPL-wise.
The Hits
Erling Haaland
After two goalless games, Haaland was back on the scoresheet against Tottenham in City’s 4-2 victory. He continued his exploits the next game as well, putting Wolves to the sword with a well-taken hat trick, his fourth in the PL this season.
The player managed to score 17 points and rewarded all the 7,173K players who captained him.
Bruno Fernandes
Yes, Manchester United did not win, but boy was it a thrilling match. And at least a part of it was down to Bruno Fernandes, who yet again managed a goal contribution, his fifth game in a row.
His assist got him a fiver for this game week, but the player has now only blanked once in the past seven games.
Eddie Nketiah
Another man from the same game, but from the opposite team. Nketiah scored not once, not twice, to secure victory for the Gunners. With 13 points in the bag in FPL and 3 in PL, Nketiah is looking like a differential bargain (£6.6), owned by only 4.3% of teams.
His stats since the PL restart are only better by the man on top of this list.
Kieran Trippier
11,12,7,12,8,8,9,8
That’s the points haul that Trippier has amassed in the last eight games. In fact, he has only blanked once in the last 15! Still only owned by 68.7% of teams, the defender has won at least two bonus points in each of the last eight games. Magnet.
The Misses
Gabriel Martinelli
Third successive blank for Martinelli, but the performances are still there. The Brazilian has taken more shots in the box than Odegaard and Saka, and his xGI number is 1.95. It is only a matter of time before the player catches up to it, but till then, it will be agonizing for managers to watch this prized asset fail.
The arrival of Trossard from Brighton has also raised eyebrows, with many stating that Martinelli is the one who would make way for the Belgian.
Joao Cancelo and Trent Alexander-Arnold
Two successive games without any minutes, the first time this has happened this season for Cancelo.
Trent, on the other hand, played, but as a substitute and only for 18 minutes.
The two costliest defenders in FPL may have run their races, at least for this season. Time to move on to other defenders.
With FA Cup action scheduled for the upcoming weekend, fantasy managers will get some respite in terms of team planning and transfers.
They are advised to wait till after the cup matches are done to see who is rotated out of the team, who plays the full 90, and who, if any, comes out injured or suspended for GW22.
