Fantasy Premier League 2021/22 | Best captain options not named Mohamed Salah for Gameweek 32

BySiddhant Lazar, SportsCafe Editor

04/08/2022

Six Gameweeks left in the 2021/22 Premier League and it has seen managers across the planet, real and fake, scrambling to get their teams right and grab those crucial points. But with only six gameweeks left, player picks are immense but picking the right captain, changes the world.

Go with the tried, the tested and the reliable Mohamed Salah

After two back-to-back blanks for the great Mohamed Salah, questions have begun to arise. Is he really worth the risk especially with Liverpool competing in three different competitions? Combine that with the fact that the Egyptian superstar has contributed to just five goals since Gameweek 22, a gap that does include his AFCON break, and there is a genuine concern. It has already seen the dominos fall with the forward already the fourth most sold player at the time of writing.

Only Philippe Coutinho, Kieran Tierney and Armando Broja have been sold more which makes sense when you consider the fact that James Maddison, Heung-Min Son and Harry Kane have all been brought in. But this is Mohamed Salah and while making informed risks could change your tune in the mini-leagues, this is Mohamed Salah. The same man who has scored 20 goals, 11 assists, 26 bonus points and averaging just over 8 points per game.

But while that points per game has dropped down to 6 since his return from the AFCON, the Egyptian’s non-penalty expected goals per game has actually gone up. It’s moved from 0.73 to 0.97 which points to Salah not only getting the same chances but a few better ones. The luck simply doesn’t seem to be with the forward but an early switch out during the mid-week fixture, it points to him starting yet again. That’s why I’d say hold off on selling the forward, pick him as your captain and then make your decision in a few gameweeks.

Leap on the Tottenham gravy train

However, if you are one of those that are considering dropping Salah, then opt for the Tottenham super duo of Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son. The two have been utterly fabulous since Antonio Conte walked in with six goal contributions in as many games for Son while Kane has ten. That’s right, not a typo because Harry Kane has contributed to ten goals in his last six games. Move further back and he has 12 in eight games with things finally clicking for the forward.

He’s scored just four, in his last six, but has assisted six including a sensational triple haul against West Ham where he played a part in every goal that Spurs scored. It’s a mark of a sensational run of form and one well worth capitalizing on but the reason I’ve mentioned both Son and Kane is because some already own one of the two. However, Spurs do have a tough-ish run of fixtures into the final six with games against Leicester City, Arsenal, Liverpool and even Brentford.

Not quite a massive challenge in the battle for the last top four spot, but they, alongside Arsenal, have got the added bonus of playing no European games which makes it a touch easier.

Go the Manchester City way

If not Tottenham or Mohamed Salah, then Manchester City are always available. But one of many hits on City is the fact that Pep Guardiola loves to rotate, is the fact that they’re also in all three competitions like Liverpool and the fact that Pep Guardiola loves to rotate. Yet if one is fine with all that then go ahead because Kevin De Bruyne is in fantastic form. The Belgian had endured a tough start to the season but has clicked over the last few games.

Out of his ten goals, three of them have come in his last three games although the Belgian has contributed to as many assists as many expected. But combine that with his 8% ownership, at the time of writing, and the fact that the figure is rising, fast, it definitely makes the midfielder an option. There are others as well with Phil Foden showing his class in the mid-week fixture alongside De Bruyne but City have hit a blip off late.

Because Raheem Sterling hasn’t scored in three out of the last three games he has played, Riyad Mahrez has netted just thrice in his last five games with no assists in his last twelve. Jack Grealish, on the other hand, has been on an incredible drought while Bernardo Silva has switched off after that fantastic run of form during the mid-season. It’s a concern especially given that City are still everpresent in every competition they’re playing for but anything could happen.

Lose your mind and pick a differential option

Because if Mohamed Salah, Tottenham’s super-duo and a team-filled with superstars at Manchester City doesn’t make you happy, then nothing but chaos will. That’s what picking a differential star as your captain does especially when you consider the options on offer. You’ve got Jarrod Bowen, who walked off an injury layoff and produced a 13 point haul against Everton, and then added another goal in the Europa League. The definition of being in form.

Then there's Raphinha and Cuho Hernandez, two others in fine fettle over the last few weeks with both sides in the relegation scrap and facing each other this weekend. Add that to the fact that they’ve been defensively liable this season, even if Watford have tightened up the ship under Roy Hodgson, and it could make for an interesting experiment. Then there’s James Maddison and the midfielder might just be the second-best option in this particular category.

He's hit a nice run of form and has been Leicester City’s most consistent player with five double-figure hauls this season and 71 points. However, he does have only two goals and one assist in his last five games which is a concern but the fact that 166852 managers have brought him in, at the time of writing, does bode well for everyone.