By Pablo Diablo
After a barrage of points from the usual suspects in recent weeks (with the notable exception of City’s heavy-hitters), many of GW13’s biggest returns came from the most unexpected of players, offering big gains for those who own these less-than-5%-owned outliers.
Burnleys James Tarkowski (5m) was GW13’s surprise hero, bagging a goal, an assist, a clean sheet and maximum bonus for a titanic 17 points, adding to the 12 points he scooped in GW12. Not bad for a player owned by just 2.8% of managers. GW14’s home game against Palace also looks promising for the Clarets’ centre-back, before tough matches against City at home and Spurs away in GW15-16.
Conor Hourihane (5.7m) proved an even more unlikely differential pick with a goal, an assist and maximum bonus for 14 points vs Newcastle. Amazingly, his ownership (0.1%) is less than NINE other Villa midfielders, and less than 18 other Villa players overall, despite having scored just one goal fewer than the fêted John McGinn (5.9m). The fact Hourihane has only played 441 mins out of a possible 1170 may have something to do with that however…
Over at Bramall Lane, John Fleck (4.8m) demonstrated that Sheffield United have more than one budget gem in their team with a goal, an assist and maximum bonus for 13 points vs Man Utd – that’s now 2 goals in 3 games for the Scottish midfielder who is owned by just 0.7% of managers ahead of games against wol, NEW, nor, AVL, bha & WAT in the next 6.
Elsewhere,Norwich’s Tim Krul (4.5m; 1.8% ownership) proved his GW10 double-digit haul was no fluke with 11pts away to Everton, courtesy of a clean sheet, 7 saves and maximum bonus, and Wolves’ João Moutinho (5.3m; 4.3%) notched a goal and maximum bonus for 10pts – his third attacking return in as many gameweeks.
Also chipping in with a 10-pointer was City’s 5th-most-owned midfielder, and their 8th-most-owned player overall, Riyad Mahrez (8.3m; 3.6%), while Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette (9.3m; 2.1%) outshone his 23.3%-owned strike partner Aubamayang (11m) with 2 goals and maximum bonus for 12pts.
Norwich’s Todd Cantwell (4.6m) may have a healthy ownership of 16.8%, but given he hadn’t started the previous 2 games and hadn’t returned since GW5, his 10 points in the Canaries’ shock 2-0 win vs Everton would no doubt have been left on a lot of benches.
But it wasn’t all under-the-radar picks who scored big. Everyone was tipping Jose Mourinho to revitalise Spurs’ defensive assets, but it was their attack that benefited most from the new manager bounce, with the irrepressible Heung-Min Son (9.7m; 11.6%) leading the way with a goal, an assist and maximum bonus for 13 points vs West Ham.
Man Utd’s Marcus Rashford (8.6m; 15.1%), got a goal and an assist for 11pts – that’s now 4 goals and 2 assists in his last 5 for the young England international.
And last but by no means least, Jamie Vardy (9.7m; 41.3%) kept the party going with a goal, an assist and maximum bonus. He may have been a tad fortunate to score from a retaken penalty after the first was saved, his record for the season nonetheless now stands at 12 goals, 4 assists and a whopping 19 bonus points from 13 games. Phenomenal stuff.
At the other end of the spectrum, Everton once again flattered to deceive as their mini-revival went up in smoke vs Norwich. Given their improving form, and the fact their opponents hadn’t won since GW5, Everton’s home game against the league’s bottom side looked like an absolute banker, with Lucas Digne (5.9m) and Richarlison (7.9m) in particular expected to deliver.
As has so often been the case with Everton this season however, they couldn’t take their chances and were a far cry from the solid defensive unit they became towards the end of last season, slumping to a spirit-sapping defeat. With lei, liv, CHE, mun, ARS in their next 5, the odds on Marco Silva still being in charge by Christmas look very slim indeed.
Mo Salah (12.2m) also heaped further misery on his dwindling ownership by failing to make the starting 11 against Palace, convincing another few hundred thousand to jump ship to Mané, while his defensive teammates once again failed to keep a clean sheet – that’s just two shut outs in 13 now for the Reds.
It was also another frustrating gameweek for the 1.5 million managers who still own Sergio Aguero (11.9m) as he added insult to injury with another blank before hobbling off late on with a muscle problem that looks like it will keep him sidelined for at least a couple of weeks.
Things we learned in GW13:
• Everton are turning false dawns into an art form.
• With 4 goals and 2 assists in his last 6, Raúl Jiménez is starting a party of his own.
• Show me the Mané. Salah vie.
• Even Mourinho may struggle to shore up a Spurs defence that now has just 1 clean sheet in 13.
