Gareth Bale and Harry Kane have seen the largest net increase in ownership in the Fantasy Premier League since gameweek 24, despite Tottenham’s shaky form.
The pair have shown flashes of what they are capable of, but have managers been right to back them?
Kane and a Bale
On their day, Kane and Bale are two of the league’s most dangerous players, and both have shown glimpses of their best over the last five games.
Kane has seen his ownership increase more than any other player since GW24, rising by more than 1.5 million.
Some will have backed the England striker having seen his fixture list of West Ham, Burnley, Fulham and Crystal Palace, and those who did so have seen him notch three goals and two assists.
He’s likely to be a captaincy frontrunner for many with several other sides facing blanks. However, be warned – in three of those last five games Kane has failed to register any attacking returns at all.
Bale, meanwhile, has finally managed to string some meaningful minutes together of late, and with Spurs out of the Europa League and an injury to Son Heung-min, he looks set for more time on the pitch.
His form since GW24 has seen his FPL ownership increase by almost a million, with two braces and two assists producing big points hauls.
The Welshman’s underlying data has been strong too, registering encouraging Threat and Creativity numbers against Crystal Palace during the 4-1 victory.
Spurs’ favourable fixture list continues in the shape of games against Aston Villa and Newcastle – if the north London side are to get their season back on track, Bale or Kane, or both, will probably take centre stage.
Making their mark
Elsewhere, less established players are looking to make their mark on the division, and two who have done so over the last five games at least are Chelsea’s Mason Mount and Leeds United’s Raphinha.
Mount has seen his ownership rise by three quarters of a million in that period, with Chelsea’s form under Thomas Tuchel making him an attractive proposition.
The midfielder’s price rose from £6.8m to £7m as a result of star turns in difficult fixtures against the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Everton, with two goals and six bonus points since GW24.
Raphinha’s ownership has increased by more than 850,000 meanwhile, but those who have backed him will likely be disappointed with their return on investment.
Raphinha scored two goals and notched four assists between GW20 and GW24, but has scored just 19 FPL points since then.
His Creativity scores have regularly passed 50 in that time though, suggesting assists could be on the way – the problem may lie elsewhere, with Leeds having failed to score in three league games.
Cheap and cheerful
Also popular have been some emerging bargains, namely Stuart Dallas, Jesse Lingard and Luke Shaw.
At £5.1m Leeds’ Dallas has been a consistent and reliable performer recently, with two clean sheets and a goal in his last five representing good value.
Lingard’s form meanwhile has been such that Gareth Southgate has seen fit to recall the Manchester United loanee to the England squad.
The West Ham midfielder notched a brace in his first start for the London club, and since GW24 has added more goals – at £6.1m he is hard to ignore in midfield.
And last but not least, Lingard’s United colleague Shaw has also been recalled to the England set-up after a run of four consecutive clean sheets and a goal.
The left-back is starting to appear on manager’s radars, and at £5.2m could prove the perfect FPL defender for the run-in, offering attacking returns from a solid defence.
