The improving form of Arsenal at both ends of the pitch warrants the attention of managers in Fantasy Premier League Draft.
Mikel Arteta’s side have won three successive matches, conceding just a single goal in that run.
Goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale has proven popular after recently securing his role as Arsenal's new No 1, but there are a host of options in defence and attack who remain overlooked.
Meanwhile, a change in formation at Aston Villa can revive interest in their backline, with Dean Smith’s side claiming back-to-back clean sheets against Everton and Manchester United.
As always, the players selected below were found in less than half the squads in eight-team Draft leagues in the previous Gameweek.
GKP: Alex McCarthy (SOU)
The Southampton No 1 has conceded just a single goal in the last three Gameweeks, keeping out Manchester City and West Ham United in that period. Managers should bring in McCarthy and bench him at Chelsea this weekend. Following that, though, four of his subsequent five matches score only two in the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR).
Newcastle United’s Martin Dubravka has yet to feature this season due to injury but the Slovakian is expected to return following the upcoming international break. From Gameweek 8 onwards, four of the Magpies’ seven matches score just two in the FDR.
DEF: Matty Cash (AVL)
The defender has made a big impact at both ends of the pitch in Villa’s new wing-back formation. Cash has combined a goal with back-to-back clean sheets in the last two Gameweeks, totalling 20 points.
Gabriel’s return to Arsenal's first XI has lifted their defensive prospects. The Brazilian has helped his side claim two clean sheets in the last three Gameweeks and also earned three bonus points, totalling 17 points over that period.
MID: Emile Smith Rowe (ARS)
The midfielder turned in his best performance of the campaign in Arsenal’s 3-1 derby win over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend. Smith Rowe’s goal and assist helped him collect 12 points, ending a run of five straight blanks. Just one of his next seven matches scores more than three in the FDR.
Jack Harrison recovered from illness to earn a 45-minute runout against West Ham last weekend. The Leeds United winger has made a slow start to 2021/22 and is without any attacking returns but his upcoming schedule points to a turnaround in fortunes. Each of the Whites’ next four matches score only two in the FDR.
FWD: Joshua King (WAT)
A trip to Leeds lifts the appeal of the Watford forward as a short-term option. King has started four successive matches and has assisted three of the Hornets’ four goals over the last two Gameweeks. He earned 15 points in those contests with Norwich City and Newcastle.
After making his mark with a goal as a substitute in Gameweek 4, Hee-Chan Hwang was handed his first start of the season in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ 1-0 win at Southampton last weekend. If he can retain a regular role, the South Korean could profit from a very kind schedule, with just one of his next eight matches scoring more than three in the FDR.
Remember, the Gameweek 7 deadline is at 11:00 BST on Saturday 2 October.
