As Luton Town and Burnley prepare for Double Gameweek 7 in Fantasy Premier League, the talismanic displays of Carlton Morris (£5.5m) for Luton suggest he can reward managers who are willing to spend a free transfer.
The forward has been involved in all three of the Hatters' goals, scoring two and assisting one to collect 26 points, more than any other DGW7 player.
Although both of those strikes have been converted penalties, Morris has been quick to show managers how important he is to Luton's attack.
He was a key figure in their promotion from the Championship last season, scoring 20 of their 57 goals and assisting a further seven.
Morris's GW6 penalty v Wolves
Slotted from our number nine. 🎯@CarltonJM | #COYH pic.twitter.com/ZlNW0RtMcT
— Luton Town FC (@LutonTown) September 23, 2023
Crucially, Luton have the more favourable opening match of the DGW7 sides. They travel to Everton, whereas Burnley visit Newcastle United.
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This can also lift Morris's appeal as a temporary pick for managers who are planning to “dead end” their squads in Gameweek 7 ahead of a Wildcard in Gameweek 8 to profit from the swings in fixtures for Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.
In defence, both Burnley and Luton endured poor starts to the campaign following their promotions.
In their first three matches, they conceded 11 and nine goals respectively.
But since then, they have each conceded only one goal in each of their last two encounters.
Burnley’s numbers are particularly impressive. Indeed, they are the only side in the league to have conceded no big chances in the last two Gameweeks.
Gameweek 5 & 6 defensive stats
| Statistic | Burnley | Rank | Luton | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goals conc. | 2 | =6th | 2 | =6th |
| Shots conc. | 25 | 11th | 16 | =2nd |
| Shots in box conc. | 14 | =7th | 9 | =2nd |
| Big chances conc. | 0 | 1st | 3 | =4th |
Owners of centre-back Jordan Beyer (£4.0m) may even be encouraged enough to take him off their bench, with the statistics suggesting he could claim a clean sheet against Luton.
Luton’s numbers have also been promising. They have conceded only 16 shots and nine shots in the box across that run, both totals ranking joint-second.
Although it’s hard to justify spending a free transfer for a Hatters defender, owners of Issa Kabore (£4.0m) should certainly consider starting him.
The average position map against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend shows how advanced Luton’s wing-backs, No 12 Kabore and No 45 Alfie Doughty, are in possession.
Kabore supplied an assist in the 1-1 draw and has created three big chances this season, second only to the four of Pervis Estupinan (£5.3m) among defenders.
Doughty’s higher cost of £4.4m means he has been ignored by managers, selected by a mere 0.1 per cent.
Yet his five key passes against Wolves highlight the importance of his delivery from the left.
Doughty’s average of 38 minutes per key pass ranks fourth among defenders with 200+ minutes this season.
View all the latest FPL tips ahead of Gameweek 7 in Fantasy Premier League