Managers are shaking up their midfield spots in Fantasy Premier League, with Anthony Gordon (£5.9m), Bryan Mbeumo (£7.0m) and Jeremy Doku (£6.7m) all among the six most-bought players for Gameweek 14. But who should be sold to make way for the new additions?
Here, the Scout assesses the form of the most-popular midfielders to help managers decide who to sacrifice.
Who has the best form in Fantasy?
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah (£13.0m) has been the top performing midfielder in Fantasy over the last four Gameweeks, earning 31 points thanks to three goals and an assist.
Jarrod Bowen (£7.6m) has suffered 237,000 sales after missing West Ham United’s match at Burnley last weekend.
He has, nonetheless, mirrored Salah’s three goals in his last four appearances, suggesting those backers may regret that decision if he is available to face Crystal Palace in Gameweek 14.
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka (£8.8m) and Brentford’s Mbeumo have also been involved in three goals.
However, Saka has somewhat frustrated his huge 53 per cent ownership by failing to score, relying instead on a trio of assists.
Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min (£9.6m) and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Kaoru Mitoma (£6.5m) have been the big disappointments.
Son has only one goal in the last four Gameweeks and visits Manchester City this weekend on the back of three straight blanks.
Mitoma, meanwhile, has just a single assist in his last four outings. He is the most-sold player in the Gameweek, moved on by 259,000 managers after missing the Seagulls’ 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest last weekend.
Most-owned midfielders Fantasy output, GW9-12
| Player | % owned by | Pts | Goals | Assists | Clean sheets | BP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saka | 53% | 21 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 |
| Salah | 48% | 31 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Son | 39% | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Mbeumo | 26% | 22 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Bowen | 25% | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Mitoma | 25% | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
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Who has been the biggest threat?
Mbeumo’s underlying numbers show why he has proved a top target for managers in Gameweek 14.
The Brentford star ranks first here for shots and shots in the box, while his five big chances place joint-top with Salah.
See: Gordon or Mbeumo: Who is the better pick?
Liverpool’s talisman also claims a place in the top two here for key passes, further highlighting his huge all-round potential.
Bowen’s 10 shots and eight shots in the box each take second spot, showing why he has been such a reliable source of goals in 2023/24.
Son and Saka owners, however, will be somewhat concerned by their potential for goals. Son has had only one big chance over this run, while Saka has had none.
Saka's two shots in the box is particularly alarming and, combined with his 10 key passes and four big chances created, helps to explain his recent reliance on assists.
Mitoma, meanwhile, has matched Salah for both shots and shots in the box here, although the Japanese has surprisingly created only one chance in his last four.
Players' stats last four matches
| Player | Shots | Shots in box | Big chances | Shots on target | Key passes | Big chances created |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mbeumo | 13 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 1 |
| Bowen | 10 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1 |
| Salah | 8 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 2 |
| Mitoma | 8 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| Son | 7 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| Saka | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 4 |
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Who has the best schedule?
While seven Gameweeks get underway over December, Mbeumo has only six matches due to Brentford and Manchester City’s Blank Gameweek 18.
Brentford star Mbeumo, along with Arsenal’s Saka, Salah and Son, each have four matches in this period which score only two in the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR).
Of those four, Saka has the most favourable schedule as only one of his matches - away to Liverpool in BGW18 - scores more than three.
There’s a significant contrast in Salah and Son’s immediate schedules. While the Reds face Fulham, Sheffield United and Crystal Palace in the next three Gameweeks, Spurs visit Man City and host Newcastle United.
Bowen’s short-term run of opponents also looks encouraging, with three of the Hammers’ next four matches scoring two in the FDR.
Brighton, on the other hand, have only two matches that score two in the FDR in the next seven Gameweeks, suggesting that Mitoma’s toils could continue.
Schedules for next seven Gameweeks
| GW | Saka | Salah | Son | Mbeumo | Bowen | Mitoma | ||||||
| 14 | WOL (H) | 2 | FUL (H) | 2 | MCI (A) | 5 | LUT (H) | 2 | CRY (H) | 2 | CHE (A) | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | LUT (A) | 2 | SHU (A) | 2 | WHU (H) | 2 | BHA (A) | 3 | TOT (A) | 3 | BRE (H) | 3 |
| 16 | AVL (A) | 3 | CRY (A) | 2 | NEW (H) | 4 | SHU (A) | 2 | FUL (A) | 2 | BUR (H) | 2 |
| 17 | BHA (H) | 3 | MUN (H) | 3 | NFO (A) | 2 | AVL (H) | 3 | WOL (A) | 2 | ARS (A) | 4 |
| 18 | LIV (A) | 4 | ARS (H) | 4 | EVE (H) | 2 | - | - | MUN (H) | 3 | CRY (A) | 2 |
| 19 | WHU (H) | 2 | BUR (A) | 2 | BHA (A) | 3 | WOL (H) | 2 | ARS (A) | 4 | TOT (H) | 3 |
| 20 | FUL (A) | 2 | NEW (H) | 4 | BOU (H) | 2 | CRY (A) | 2 | BHA (H) | 3 | WHU (A) | 3 |
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So, what should managers do?
Salah is the one midfielder there should be no question over, as he is on course to break the 230-point mark for a seventh successive season.
Mbeumo’s goal threat suggests he can also make big impact in the coming period, and there’s even an argument for captaining him at home to Luton Town this weekend.
While Son and Saka’s recent lack of big chances is undoubtedly a concern, the latter’s creativity is keeping his points ticking over.
Indeed, he has blanked only twice in 12 matches, whereas Son has blanked in eight of 13 outings.
Spurs’ home match with Everton in BGW18 is undoubtedly in Son’s favour and could make him a top armband pick because Salah and Saka go head-to-head at Anfield.
If both Bowen and Mitoma recover for Gameweek 14, the West Ham man is the far easier hold. Bowen has a kind short-term schedule, and he has been one of the most consistent midfielders for output, blanking in only four of his 12 outings.
Mitoma’s fixtures, combined with his recent lack of creativity, make him a lot more expendable.
View all the latest FPL tips ahead of Gameweek 14 in Fantasy Premier League