Glad to have you back for another captaincy metrics blog! This week, the captaincy decision appears to hinge on Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah. Haaland is set to face Luton Town away, while Liverpool takes on Crystal Palace away. In addition to Haaland and Salah, other notable FPL Gameweek 16 captain picks include Trent Alexander-Arnold, Hwang Hee-chan, and Bruno Fernandes.
The burning question is: who among these five players will emerge as the top captaincy choice this week? Will Haaland maintain his position at the top, or will Salah surpass him in the metrics? Let’s dive in and find out!
Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool)
Trent Alexander-Arnold has really found his groove in his new role, bagging two goals and providing two assists in the last three games. His recent performances have been impressive, earning him a total of 40 points, making him the top scorer in the last four gameweeks.
Looking ahead to Gameweek 16, Liverpool faces Crystal Palace, a team that has struggled to find the back of the net, having scored only 14 goals this season (the second least). Additionally, Crystal Palace’s Expected Goals (xG) of 17.87 ranks them sixteenth in the league.
Liverpool’s defensive record has been solid, keeping five clean sheets (second highest) and conceding only 14 goals (the fewest). Their Expected Goals Conceded (xGC) of 17.6 places them fourth in the league. With these stats, the Reds have a good chance of securing another clean sheet in the upcoming gameweek, and they’re even ranked as the third favorites (38%) to keep a shutout in Gameweek 16.
Considering Trent’s attacking threat, involvement in set-pieces, and his assured starting position, he’s becoming one of the standout options in the game again. It’s worth noting that the England international has only failed to contribute in one of his last seven league games.
Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Erling Haaland, priced at £14.0m for Manchester City, faced a blank in the previous league game, where City suffered a 1-0 loss. However, he’s presented with an excellent opportunity to bounce back in the upcoming fixture.
Manchester City, led by Pep Guardiola, will be facing newly promoted Luton, a team that has conceded 30 goals (the third most) and holds the undesirable title of having the worst Expected Goals Conceded (xGC) in the league at 32.9.
City has been on a four-game streak without a win, registering three draws and one loss. This match against Luton seems to be precisely the type of fixture they need to regain momentum. Despite their recent struggles, City remains the top-scoring team in the league with 36 goals and boasts the second-highest Expected Goals (xG) at 29.03. This suggests they should have more than enough firepower against Luton.
Despite City’s recent form, Haaland remains a solid option for Fantasy Premier League managers this week. He is reliable for minutes, takes penalties, and is part of the best team in the league, making him a strong candidate for a return to the scoresheet.
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Mohamed Salah, valued at £13.1m, experienced his third blank of the season in the previous gameweek against Sheffield United, maintaining his tally at 10 goals and six assists.
Under the management of Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool has been prolific, scoring 34 goals (second highest), and still leading the league with the highest Expected Goals (xG) at 31.84. Their formidable attack makes them a formidable force, and facing Crystal Palace, it would be a considerable challenge for the opposition to keep them from scoring.
Despite his blank in the last game, Salah remains a top-tier option this week. Crystal Palace has suffered three losses in their last four matches, while Liverpool is in excellent form. Salah is a guaranteed starter, takes penalties, and boasts an impressive Goal Involvement of 47%, making him the clear talisman for his team.
Considering these factors, Salah emerges as one of the prime captaincy choices for Gameweek 16.
Hwang Hee-chan (Wolves)
Hwang Hee-chan, priced at £5.7m, is enjoying a standout season and currently stands as one of the best value players in Fantasy Premier League.
With an impressive record of eight goals and two assists, coupled with an Expected Goals (xG) of 4 and Expected Assists (xA) of 1.8, Hwang’s underlying statistics showcase phenomenal value for his price.
In Gameweek 16, Wolves face Nottingham Forest in what appears to be a favorable fixture. Despite Wolves ranking 10th in goals scored with 20 (and having the 14th highest xG at 19.53), the matchup against Forest, who have conceded 27 goals (17th) with an Expected Goals Conceded (xGC) of 22.9 (10th), presents a good opportunity.
Hwang has emerged as Wolves’ primary goal-scoring threat, boasting an impressive 50% Goal Involvement in the games he has played. Notably, he has been a consistent starter, featuring in the last 11 games and completing the full 90 minutes in the last seven.
There’s also a strong indication that Hwang might be the first-choice penalty taker. Having taken the last penalty against Fulham in Gameweek 14, it’s reasonable to assume that he could retain this role in upcoming matches.
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)
Bruno Fernandes, priced at £8.3m, has showcased his impact with three goals and three assists, backed by a notable Expected Goals (xG) of 4.3 and Expected Assists (xA) of 4.8, ranking third overall.
While Manchester United has faced challenges in attack this season, they currently sit sixth in the league, only three points behind fourth place. The recent win against Chelsea marked one of their best performances of the season, highlighted by an impressive Expected Goals (xG) of 4.11. This positive momentum could be a turning point for them, especially with a favorable home fixture against Bournemouth up next.
Bournemouth, having conceded 30 goals (the third most) with an Expected Goals Conceded (xGC) of 26.9 (also the third most), presents a vulnerable defense for Bruno and Manchester United to exploit.
Despite Bruno’s penalty miss in the last gameweek, he remains an excellent option for the upcoming fixture. He poses both goal and assist threats, is a consistent 90-minute player, and holds the crucial role of being the team’s first-choice penalty taker. These factors contribute to his appeal as a strong Fantasy Premier League option for the week.