Sales of Mohamed Salah (£13.7m) and Alexander Isak (£9.5m) are gathering pace in Fantasy Premier League as more managers look to take risks in their quest for success.
The Liverpool and Newcastle United stars are the two most-owned players in Fantasy, found in more than 68 and 59 per cent of squads respectively.
But with just two Gameweeks of 2024/25 remaining, FPL managers who are chasing in their mini-leagues - or simply looking for a big jump in overall ranking - are parting company with the popular pair in a last-ditch bid for glory.
Indeed, Isak and Salah are among the four most-sold players ahead of Friday’s 18:00 BST deadline, moved on by more than 65,000 and 44,000 managers respectively.
This tactic of going against highly-owned players was employed by the current world No 2 in Gameweek 36. They sold Salah to free up the funds to bring in Erling Haaland (£14.9m) and captain him against Southampton.
Most-sold players in GW37
| Player | Ownership | Transfers out |
| Marmoush | 26.8% | 187,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Isak | 59.5% | 65,000 |
| Cunha | 14.9% | 52,000 |
| Fernandes | 15.5% | 49,000 |
| Salah | 68.1% | 44,000 |
*Data correct as of 13 May 16:58 BST
Salah's form has dipped
Salah’s recent drop-off in output in Fantasy has admittedly been alarming.
Liverpool’s Egyptian has only one goal and an assist in his last seven appearances in Fantasy, collecting a mere 27 points and blanking on FIVE occasions.
Isak has been more reliable, with three goals, an assist and three blanks in his last seven matches, totalling 32 points.
Salah and Isak's last seven matches
| Player | Isak | Salah |
| Goals | 3 | 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Assists | 1 | 1 |
| Blanks | 3 | 5 |
| Points | 32 | 27 |
Has Salah been unlucky?
As always, though, it's best to dig a little deeper and delve into the underlying data before making any decisions.
By focusing more on their last four matches and looking at the pair's involvement in big chances - or situations where the player is expected to score - it's clear to see that Salah, in particular, has been very unfortunate.
The Liverpool star has had five big chances in his last four outings, while also creating three of them for his team-mates.
Essentially, this means Salah has been involved in eight big chances - more than ANY other player in Fantasy. Yet despite that huge all-round potential for goals and assists, he has scored just once and collected 15 points in that spell.
His nearest challenger for big-chance involvement is Brentford's Kevin Schade (£5.2m), with seven. That is one fewer than Salah's tally, yet the German has scored four goals and amassed 35 points in his last four matches - 20 points more than Salah.
It is worth highlighting that Arsenal's Bukayo Saka (£10.3m) boasts an identical goal threat to Salah here, matching the Egyptian's 11 shots in the box and his five big chances.
Big-chance (BC) involvement, last four matches
| Player | Shots in box | BC | BC created | BC involvement |
| Salah | 11 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schade | 10 | 6 | 1 | 7 |
| Saka | 11 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Diaz | 9 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Nketiah | 7 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| McAtee | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| Sarr | 9 | 3 | 3 | 6 |
| Wissa | 14 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Watkins | 8 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Bowen | 7 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Eze | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Rutter | 4 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| Rogers | 3 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Isak | 13 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Hojlund | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Trossard | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Mbeumo | 9 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
Watkins is rivalling Isak's stats
These numbers above also show that Isak has mainly been all about goal threat recently. He has had four big chances - just one fewer than Salah - but failed to create any.
Nonetheless, the "shots in the box" statistics offer plenty of encouragement for his backers here. Isak's total of 13 ranks SECOND among all players in his last four matches, just behind the 14 of Brentford's Yoane Wissa (£6.8m).
Ollie Watkins (£8.9m), meanwhile, has matched Isak's four big chances while also creating one. The Aston Villa forward's total of five big-chance involvements is level with in-form midfielders Jarrod Bowen (£7.7m) and Eberechi Eze (£6.9m).
Villa's kind end to the campaign has made Watkins the most-bought player in the Gameweek. Over 159,000 managers have brought him in ahead of a home match against Tottenham Hotspur and final-day visit to Manchester United.
Notably, both those sides have heavily rotated in recent league fixtures due to their upcoming involvement in the UEFA Europa League final, which lifts Watkins' prospects for goals.
What to do if you're leading your league
Ultimately, any decision on Salah and Isak should be based on your position in your mini-league.
If you are top of the table, then Salah and Isak’s ownerships - combined with the underlying data - indicates there is simply no need to sell either player. At this point of the season, for you, it’s all about limiting the risk.
Salah’s massive ownership means he is likely to be the most-selected captain in the final two Gameweeks, when Liverpool visit Brighton & Hove Albion in Gameweek 37 before welcoming Palace to Anfield on the final day of the season.
In Isak’s case, Newcastle’s involvement in the race for UEFA Champions League places means they will be one of the few sides who won’t be rotating in the final two Gameweeks.
Furthermore, their final two opponents, Arsenal and Everton, have a combined one clean sheet in their last four matches.
Bringing in Watkins for Omar Marmoush (£7.5m) instead seems the sensible move instead, after Marmoush dropped to the bench to accommodate the return of Haaland to Man City's starting line-up in Gameweek 36.
What to do if you're chasing
If you’re chasing in your mini-leagues and need to take risks, then Newcastle’s visit to Arsenal this weekend means now is the time to sell Isak.
Although Wissa’s numbers make the strongest case as the replacement, a move for Watkins could be the most productive one if Spurs and Man Utd continue to rotate. Indeed, the Villa forward be one of the best captain picks in Gameweek 37.
Everton’s Beto (£4.8m) and AFC Bournemouth’s Evanilson (£5.8m) are also names to consider as each have a home match against one of the relegated clubs to come. Beto faces Southampton in Gameweek 37 while Evanilson hosts Leicester City in Gameweek 38.
In Salah’s case, the statistics still show his potential for goals and assists remains peerless, despite his recent drop-off.
If you’re willing to accept the potential consequences of such a high-risk move, then Saka’s goal threat looks encouraging, with Arsenal visiting Southampton in Gameweek 38.
Schade’s underlying statistics and Bowen’s schedule - a home match against Nottingham Forest followed by a final-day trip to Ipswich Town – indicates they can also outscore Salah over the final two Gameweeks.
