Fantasy Football Captain Picks Game week 25

Hello and welcome to DGW25! With another double-game week, we are presented with an excellent opportunity to deviate from the norm (Haaland, C). This does not come without risks in and of itself. We’ve seen it happen countless times over the years – single-game week players outscoring our doubles captain, and with Man City playing Bournemouth (A) we still expect Haaland to have an effective ownership of over 100%. So be warned. However, as the saying goes, you can’t win the lottery if you don’t buy a ticket!

Rosco – Salah vs Palace (A), Wolves (H)

So, who should you captain this DGW? With notable doubles for Liverpool and Arsenal, I believe that’s where most will be headed. Bukayo Saka will without doubt be the most captained and for good reason (although a look below at who my fellow contributors are going for and I feel I may be off the mark with this!). Saka has played 9 games since the restart and he’s only blanked in 2 of them, compare that to Salah who has blanked in 5 of his 8 in the same period and you’ll be wondering why it’s Salah’s name and not Saka’s up top. Indeed, the underlying stats over the last 6 game weeks certainly don’t do the Egyptian any favours; Saka comes out on top for goal attempts (26 vs 13), chances created (16 vs 6), shots on target (8 vs 4) and most importantly he has 5 attacking returns (3 goals, 2 assists) to Salah’s 2 (1 goal, 1 assist).

So, it’s clear to see that Salah is a hard sell. I’ll come clean. This pick isn’t for everyone. If you’re ahead in your mini-leagues, your overall rank is heading in the right direction, or you’re simply a risk-averse manager, then captain Saka. Most will. But if any of the above is not the case (I’m taking a long hard look in the mirror right now), then go with Mo.

Liverpool looked a lot like their old selves at the weekend, I should know as I was there (unfortunately) and with key players returning to fitness and a top 4 finish suddenly not looking like such a pipe dream for old Turkey teeth, I fancy them and by proxy Salah to do well this double game week. So, are you brave enough? Go on, you know you want to!!

Init – Saka vs Leicester (a), Everton (H)

(Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Saka (vs Salah) comes out on top for goal attempts (26 vs 13), chances created (16 vs 6), shots on target (8 vs 4) and most importantly he has 5 attacking returns (3 goals, 2 assists) to Salah’s 2 (1 goal, 1 assist)….. I’m sure you’ve probably heard all of this before somewhere…

I’ll be honest I was late to the party here… two in fact, but I’ll come onto the 2nd one later. First off I was asked by our Salah writer to do a Saka piece as ‘he would be the most owned this week’. So I jumped on, only to find that the Salah piece was basically written by a Saka fanboy! I had little left to add, seemingly. But I’ll try anyway…

Now then, not to turn this into an ‘I want your pick’ competition but I always find it easier to sell an explosive player as captaincy material than a Mr Consistent. For ‘explosiveness’ I always use the simple barometer of a double-digit score. Whilst Saka may actually have more points overall than Salah he has only hit said magic mark once this season, ironically against Liverpool with a 15-pointer, whereas Salah has 5 of them, a 12, a 10, a 15, another 12 and an 11.

Fixture-wise I also fancy Salah’s a touch more but Leicester and Everton are the archetypal Jekyll & Hyde right now so who knows?

On the plus side of Mr Consistent, he has looked like Arsenal’s best player and biggest threat, from the old-fashioned eye test, plus he’s on pens, plus we know he will definitely start, DGW or no DGW. Although the latter two points could equally be applied to Mo. It’s a bit of a toss-up, in all honesty.

Just on that 2nd party, I was late to…. as we speak I don’t actually own Saka and it has been annoying the hell out of me for weeks now as every time I have gone to rectify that issue something else has got in the way. I shall try to rectify that this week. Right before I also buy Salah and stick the armband on him!

OddDane – Darwin Núñez vs Palace (A), Wolves (H)

Or rather, Darwin Gabriel Núñez Ribeiro, the tall and handsome new striker wonder from Liverpool. Well, technically Uruguay. This is our next pick for the cap’n.

Why you ask? Well, he’s facing off against Crystal Palace (away) and then Wolves at the Anfield home turf. So that’s another double option for you this week.

Looking at his attacking prowess, we note he has 6G and 4A to his name thus far in FPL from 13 starts, 17 appearances and 1,112 minutes. Decent, but we feel it is not quite showing the full story. His expected goal involvement stats suggest a much greater potential, having registered a wholesome 9.1 xG and 4.0 xA from those very same minutes – now that’s impressive, and this puts him in the very top tier for expected returns amongst the forwards. Finally, he’s had form in the UCL where he has 4G and 1A from 7 matches played (and just 343 minutes, or c. 49 minutes per game).

As anyone who’s watched Liverpool play will tell you, he’s frustrating to own, and definitely not for the faint of heart! He tends to work his arse off which may cause fatigue and early subs, gets a ton of chances and good ones too which, let’s be honest, hasn’t always gone his way. In other words, he’s there to give it a shot, literally (!), and generally gets the service to haul.

His opposition is no stranger to conceding goals either, as both the Eagles and Wolves sit in the bottom half for goals conceded (32) as well as xGC (expected goal Conceded) with an average of 1.4xGC per game so far in this season. Liverpool, at the other end, sit third for xG and sixth on goals scored (38 from just 22 games).

Have fun… If you dare!

The confessional…
This is where we ask our entire writing team to tell us who they think they will pick this week…. There are more caveats and get-out clauses than a Lionel Messi contract but this is their initial gut feeling based on who they actually own.

DMC — Salah

Follow @DCoelho

The Gallant Pioneer — Saka

Follow @MitchellC_FF247

Jamesimmo — Salah

Follow @James777Simpson

Ivan — Gakpo

Follow @IvanGB111

Swirly — Salah

Follow @theswirly

Matt — Saka

Follow @MattyMcveigh

Loud Atlas — Salah

Follow @FantasyFooty247

Smash — Salah

Follow @Chrismartin1984

Kop — Salah

Follow @KenLyons79

Rosco — Salah

Follow @eugoogooly

Ellefcee – Salah

Floydeth — Salah

Follow @TinkerManFPL

Init — Salah

Follow @AdamalcockFF247

Gear — Saka

Follow @Lukerouthorn

Stone Frog — Salah

Follow @StoneFrog638

OddDane — Nunez, Salah if he gets him

Thanks for reading Fantasy Football Captain Picks Gameweek 25. This article was written by Rosco, OddDane and Init.

Follow @FantasyFooty247

VOTE ON THIS WEEK’S CAPTAIN POLL

FPL FIXTURE TRACKER

FIXTURE TRACKER LINK

FIXTURE TRACKER 2020/21

SET-PIECE TAKERS

Predicted Line-Ups FPL 2021/22

You can access our Live feed to these here.

Both leagues will be shut to new entrants as of 01/01/23.