After returning to Manchester City’s starting XI in their previous match, Erling Haaland (£14.2m) looks likely to be the runaway captain pick in Gameweek 24 of Fantasy Premier League.
The Norwegian has soared to 65 per cent ownership on the back of 419,000 transfers in for his home match with Everton.
However, Haaland isn’t the only big-hitter worth considering. His fit-again team-mate Kevin De Bruyne (£10.8m) has been a big success since his own return from injury, collecting 24 points in the last three Gameweeks.
Meanwhile, Son Heung-min (£9.6m) is available for Tottenham Hotspur’s home encounter with Brighton & Hove Albion following South Korea’s exit from the Asian Cup.
Who are the most in-form players in Fantasy?
There are a host of in-form picks with strong fixtures who can provide strong alternatives.
Man City’s Phil Foden (£8.0m) is the top-scoring player in Fantasy over the last four Gameweeks, earning 40 points thanks to three goals and three assists.
Spurs’ Richarlison (£7.2m) and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (£5.9m) sit just two points behind Foden, with both involved in five goals.
Indeed, Richarlison is the top-scoring player in Fantasy since being moved up front in Gameweek 15, scoring nine goals to collect 71 points.
Palmer has delivered two of his five double-figure scores this season in the last four Gameweeks ahead of his visit to Crystal Palace.
Diogo Jota (£8.1m) has matched Foden’s attacking output and has been Liverpool’s standout attacker in the recent absence of Mohamed Salah (£13.0m). The Portuguese welcomes Burnley on the back of one blank in five outings since recovering from injury.
Players' form, GW20-23
| Player | Pts | Goal involvements | G | A | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foden | 40 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Richarlison | 38 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| Palmer | 38 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| Jota | 36 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
The underlying numbers look the most encouraging for Foden and Richarlison.
Foden’s 17 shots and 14 key passes both rank among the top two players in Fantasy in this period.
Richarlison’s 13 shots in the box placed second only to the 16 of Darwin Nunez (£7.4m), while his nine shots on target also claimed a spot in the top three.
Palmer and Jota, by contrast, have managed only six and five shots in the box, with the Liverpool star converting 60 per cent of his shots, a clearly unsustainable rate.
| Player | Shots | Shots in box | Big chances | Goal conversion | Key passes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Foden | 17 | 8 | 2 | 17.6% | 14 |
| Richarlison | 15 | 13 | 4 | 33.3% | 4 |
| Palmer | 12 | 6 | 3 | 33.3% | 4 |
| Jota | 5 | 5 | 1 | 60.0% | 6 |
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What about the home and away form?
Richarlison's numbers in home matches are every bit as promising as those of Haaland this season.
The Spurs star has played 14 minutes less than the Norwegian in those fixtures, yet he leads him by nine big chances to seven.
They are also near-identical for shots in the box and goal conversion - Haaland edges it on both occasions, by 26 to 24, and by 22.2 per cent to 21.4 per cent.
Jota also catches the eye. Bearing in mind he has played over 400 minutes fewer than Son, the duo’s shots in the box and big chances are very similar.
Son’s all-round style of play is highlighted by the statistics, with his total of seven big chances created more than twice any rival here.
Home/away stats compared in 23/24
| Player | Shots in box | Big chances | Goal conversion | Big chances created |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haaland (H) | 26 | 7 | 22.2% | 2 |
| Richarlison (H) | 24 | 9 | 21.4% | 1 |
| Son (H) | 19 | 4 | 20.8% | 7 |
| Jota (H) | 17 | 4 | 25.0% | 1 |
| Foden (H) | 12 | 1 | 15.8% | 3 |
| Palmer (A) | 6 | 3 | 23.8% | 3 |
Assessing the opponents’ defences
Analysing each player’s opponents can help identify any weaknesses to target.
Palace’s porous defence lifts Palmer’s potential for more attacking returns.
The Eagles have conceded 12 goals and 12 big chances in the last four Gameweeks, sitting among the worst three sides on each occasion.
The statistics indicate Everton have been fortunate lately. The Toffees are on a par with Burnley for allowing shots in the box and big chances.
Yet whereas Burnley conceded nine goals and failed to record a clean sheet, Everton conceded only five goals and kept two clean sheets.
Opponents’ defending, GW20-23
| Team | Goals conc. | Clean sheets | Shots in box conc. | Big chances conc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Palace | 12 | 0 | 34 | 12 |
| Burnley | 9 | 0 | 42 | 7 |
| Everton | 5 | 2 | 41 | 9 |
| Brighton | 5 | 2 | 24 | 8 |
The home/away data also shows Everton have been a little lucky on their travels in 2023/24.
In away matches, the Toffees and Brighton have more or less the same numbers for allowing shots in the box and big chances.
Yet Everton have conceded seven goals fewer than the Seagulls, and also lead them by four clean sheets to one.
Burnley’s statistics also raise hope of another haul for Jota. The Clarets have conceded 136 shots in the box in away matches, the second-worst record in the league.
Opponents’ home/away defending in 23/24
| Team | Goals conc. | Clean sheets | Shots in box conc. | Big chances conc. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton (A) | 23 | 1 | 112 | 28 |
| Burnley (A) | 20 | 1 | 136 | 27 |
| Everton (A) | 16 | 4 | 110 | 26 |
| Crystal Palace (H) | 16 | 2 | 85 | 21 |
So, who is the best captain?
As the focal point of the Man City attack, it’s difficult to look beyond Haaland.
Despite his recent absence, his 26 shots in the box in home matches is at least twice the total of any team-mate, highlighting the multitude of chances that could come his way, particularly with De Bruyne dictating play once again.
The defensive statistics offer further encouragement, with Everton’s recent showings and away displays far from convincing.
Richarlison’s goal threat suggests he could be the standout alternative, with the Brazilian on a par with Haaland when it comes to home matches.
Indeed, with Son and James Maddison (£7.9m) both now back in contention, Richarlison is a very appealing option for those managers who reckon Haaland’s pitch time will be reduced.
View all the latest FPL tips ahead of Gameweek 24 in Fantasy Premier League
