Elite FPL managers backed two Portuguese Manchester United attackers in gameweek 22 with mixed results.
By analysing the movements of a group of 1,000 managers with multiple top-10,000 finishes to their names, we can get a sense of how bosses with pedigree approach the campaign.
And Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes were by a distance their most popular transfers ahead of GW22, with a double gameweek promising big things.
However, with United fresh from a 1-0 defeat to Wolves, would the duo reward their new backers?
Ronaldo saw his elite ownership increase by 277 – from 428 to 705 – ahead of GW22, making him the most popular addition among our sample.
The £12.5million forward has scored eight goals and notched three FPL assists in what has been an OK season for the five-time Champions League winner.
He does however rank second for Threat among forwards this season, while he bagged four goals in six games before GW22.
Ronaldo was also the most captained player among our 1,000 bosses, with 637 of them handing the armband to the United man.
The second most popular captain among the elite was Ronaldo’s colleague Fernandes, who was captained by 127 of our sample for United’s clashes with Aston Villa and Brentford.
The Portuguese midfield maestro was only owned by two top managers in GW21, but that figure rose by 267 for GW22.
The £11.7m midfielder has been unable to replicate the form which saw him bag 18 goals and 14 assists last season, scoring just once between GW5 and GW21 this term.
As the top-ranked midfielder for Creativity however, our sample were clearly encouraged by his ability combined with a double gameweek against two sides in the bottom half of the table.
Those who had faith in Fernandes were well rewarded – the midfielder scored a brace as United were held to a 2-2 draw at Aston Villa.
The 27-year-old returned 14 FPL points for his backers as a result, his first double figures points return since GW1.
Those who backed Ronaldo however were left disappointed as the five-time Ballon d’Or winner failed to get on the pitch due to a hip problem.
The FPL website gives United’s number seven a 75 per cent chance of playing against Brentford on Wednesday – another blank would be a huge blow to the hopes of elite bosses.
