Tottenham Hotspur duo Harry Kane (£12.5m) and Son Heung-min (£10.9m) are the standout captaincy candidates in Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Gameweek 32, ahead of their trip to Villa Park on Saturday evening.
However, given Everton’s underperformance under Frank Lampard, is there a case to be made for Bruno Fernandes (£11.6m) or Cristiano Ronaldo (£12.2m)?
And there may be other viable alternatives, too, including Mohamed Salah (£13.3m) and Bukayo Saka (£6.8m).
First, we will assess the fallout of the captain poll, before then analysing the best options, and the Premier Fantasy Tools ratings ahead of Friday’s deadline.
THE CAPTAIN POLL
Harry Kane is the leader of the captain poll in Gameweek 32 ahead of his visit to the Midlands, with 40.31% of total votes.
Team-mate Son Heung-min is in second place, backed by 16.73%.
Mohamed Salah occupies third place with 8.59%, followed by Bukayo Saka and Bruno Fernandes with 7.77% and 7.4% respectively.
HARRY KANE/SON HEUNG-MIN
Harry Kane wasn’t on the scoresheet in last weekend’s 5-1 win over Newcastle United but did provide an assist for Matt Doherty (£4.9m) which put Spurs in front early in the second half. He was also absolutely integral to their performance, which Antonio Conte alluded to following full-time.
After a slow start to the campaign, the England captain has now racked up 12 attacking returns in his last eight matches and has been involved in a whopping 18 Opta-defined ‘big chances’ (11 of his own, seven created for others) in that time. Whether popping up in the box to finish off moves or creating opportunities from deep, Kane seems to be heavily involved week-in, week-out these days.
As for Son, his attacking play over the last two games shows that whatever mini-slump he had is a thing of the past. The South Korean has five goals and one assist in his last six Premier League outings, and probably would have scored a hat-trick in Gameweek 31 with a little more composure. However, he has now reached 20 goal contributions in each of the last six Premier League seasons, while this campaign is shaping up to be his most productive yet.
At home, Son has scored nine goals in his last nine top-flight appearances, while his overall tally of 11 is the most of any player. On the road, however, there have been suggestions that he struggles. In terms of actual returns this season, it’s hard to dispute that theory, with just three of his 14 Premier League strikes arriving away from home, but when examining the key recent underlying numbers, there isn’t a huge disparity.
Arsenal and Tottenham are firmly in the hunt for Champions League qualification; West Ham, Man Utd, Wolves still in with a shout; watch the race for the top four unfold live on Sky Sports.
Manchester City and Liverpool are fighting for the title but the race for fourth is heating up too.
Chelsea have long looked set on finishing third but could they be sucked into the battle to finish in the top four?
Tottenham and Arsenal are the frontrunners to grab fourth from the chasing pack, with West Ham, Manchester Utd and Wolves in with a shout.
It’s an intriguing race to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Here, we assess the runners and riders in the battle for fourth, their form and their fixtures until the end of the season…
Chelsea
Position: 3rd Games played: 29 Points: 59 Active cup competitions: Champions League, FA Cup
Chelsea appeared to be virtually guaranteed a top-four finish until Brentford derailed their impressive run of form, with Arsenal and Tottenham ramping up the pressure.
Thomas Tuchel’s side were early title contenders but have slipped away during the campaign, while questions remains whether the Blues can stay focussed on the pitch during the unsettling sale of the club.
The title tilt began to wane in early November, failing to record back-to-back league wins after a 1-1 draw against Burnley until the recent run of five successive victories.
Tuchel’s side have also navigated numerous competitions, including all domestic cups, the Champions League and the Club World Cup.
Key fixtures: Arsenal (H) – Wednesday Apr 20; kick-off 7.45pm, West Ham (H) – Sunday Apr 24; kick-off 2pm, Wolves (H) – Saturday May 7; kick-off 3pm, Man Utd (A) – Sunday May 15; kick-off 3pm
Tottenham Position: 4th Games played: 30 Points: 54 Active cup competitions: None
Tottenham had alternated between wins and losses in each of their last seven games but were able to post back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time in 2022 with victory over West Ham before the international break and they made it three in a row with a 5-1 win over Newcastle which moved them into fourth on Sunday.
Boss Antonio Conte says his side are improving – but the competition for the top four is tough.
Key fixtures: Brighton (H) – Saturday Apr 16; kick-off 12.30pm, Leicester (H) – Saturday Apr 30; kick-off 3pm, Liverpool (A) – Saturday May 7; kick-off 3pm, Arsenal (H) – TBC
Arsenal
Arsenal Manager, Mikel Arteta
Position: 5th Games played: 29 Points: 54 Active cup competitions: None
Arsenal endured a torrid opening to the campaign, losing their first three matches to suffer their worst start to a season in 67 years. They were rock bottom of the Premier League with Mikel Arteta under pressure, but the Spaniard has overseen a remarkable recovery at the Emirates Stadium.
Their 1-0 victory over Aston Villa saw the Gunners claim a 10th Premier League victory in 13 games, conceding just eight goals in that 13-game period. However, a bad 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace has raised questions about whether they can complete the job.
Key fixtures:Brighton (H) – Saturday April 9; kick-off 3pm, Chelsea (A) – Wednesday April 20; kick-off 7.45pm – live on Sky Sports, Manchester United (H) – Saturday April 23; kick-off 12.30pm, West Ham (A) – Sunday May 1; kick-off 4.30pm – live on Sky Sports, Tottenham (A) – TBC
West Ham
Jarrod Bowen celebrating a goal
Position: 6th Games played: 31 Points: 51 Active cup competitions: Europa League
West Ham had a fantastic start to the season. Under David Moyes, the Hammers were flying high and looked real contenders for the top four. Despite wins at home against Liverpool and Chelsea though, they suffered a bit of a blip with back-to-back defeats to Wolves and Man City in November before successive defeats to Arsenal and Southampton in December.
They responded well, though, and wins against Watford, Crystal Palace and Norwich put them firmly back in the race for Champions League qualification. But defeat to Manchester United on January 22 saw them concede fourth place on a weekend in which Arsenal dropped points and Tottenham lost to Chelsea.
A narrow win over Watford got them back on track, but subsequent draws against Leicester and Newcastle saw their top-four bid stutter before they rounded off February with an important three points at home to fellow European challengers Wolves.
Defeat at Tottenham before the international break came at the end of what Moyes described as a “good week” for the club, having sealed progression to the Europa League quarter-finals. That could be their best route into next season’s Champions League now, although a win over Everton has kept them in the hunt.
West Ham’s run-in to the season looks tricky, with trips to Chelsea and Brighton to come. They also face Arsenal and Man City at home. If they are going to reach the top four, West Ham will have to do it the hard way.
Key fixtures: Chelsea (A) – Sunday April 24; kick-off 2pm – live on Sky Sports, Arsenal (H) – Sunday May 1; kick-off 4.30pm – live on Sky Sports, Man City (H) – Sunday May 15; kick-off 3pm, Brighton (A) – Sunday May 22, kick-off 4pm.
Manchester United
Manchester United Manager, Ralf Rangnick
Position: 7th Games played: 30 Points: 51 Active cup competitions: None
United will end a fifth successive season without a trophy as the club find themselves at yet another crossroads. Hopes of lifting the Champions League always looked faint and their failure to land a glove on Atletico Madrid saw them meekly tumble out at the round-of-16 stage.
Having finished as Premier League runners-up and lost the Europa League final on penalties, hope of further progress under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was fuelled by the summer acquisitions of Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo.
But they were out of the Carabao Cup in September then humbled on home soil by Liverpool and Manchester City, with the 4-1 loss at Watford leading to Solskjaer’s exit in November. Interim boss Ralf Rangnick has only lost two Premier League games but there have been too many draws and disjointed displays, plus they are out of the FA Cup and Champions League.
The club have now won just two Champions League knockout matches in the last decade – a period in which their gross transfer spend is reported to be £1.4 billion.
The fact a club of United’s stature went for an interim appointment in November says everything about the long-term planning at a club whose interest in Ajax’s Erik ten Hag and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino is well documented. Thomas Tuchel’s name has also been mentioned since issues at Chelsea began to brew.
Football director John Murtough and technical director Darren Fletcher want to make an appointment before the summer to provide a foundation to build on. Unless performances improve, the club could even slip into the Europa Conference League or miss out on European football for the first time since they finished seventh in 2013/14. That possibility ramped up with a draw at home to Leicester.
Key fixtures: Liverpool (A) – Tuesday April 19; kick-off 8pm – live on Sky Sports, Arsenal (A) – Saturday April 23; kick-off 12.30pm, Chelsea (H) – Sunday May 15; kick-off 3pm.
Wolves
Wolves Captain Conor Coady , Maximilian Kilman and Romain Saiss
Position: 8th Games played: 31 Points: 49 Active cup competitions: None
Wolves had a rocky opening to the season with three successive 1-0 losses under new manager Bruno Lage that left them 18th in the league. One of those losses came against Nuno Espirito Santo’s Tottenham, who had left last season to take charge of the north London club.
However, Lage has since overseen an improvement in his side’s form with impressive victories against Aston Villa, West Ham and Brighton. Though they are the third-lowest scoring team in the division with 24 Premier League goals, their defensive nous has been a key component of their rise up the table. They have conceded just 21 times this season, a record that is bettered only by Man City, Liverpool and Chelsea.
Their start to 2022 was impressive, with successive victories over Manchester United, Southampton and Brentford.
Home and away defeats to Arsenal were setbacks, but they did immediately respond to the loss at Molineux to the Gunners with key victories over Tottenham and Leicester which kept Wolves firmly in the hunt for European qualification.
The Midlands club were back on track from successive wins over Watford and Everton – but their dramatic 3-2 home defeat to Leeds means it is now looking increasingly likely that a Europa League berth is the limit of their aspirations, although a 2-1 win over local rivals Aston Villa boosted the mood after the international break.
Key fixtures: Brighton (H) – Saturday April 30; kick-off 3pm; Chelsea (A) – Saturday May 7; kick-off 3pm; Liverpool (A) – Sunday May 22; kick-off 4pm; Man City (H) – TBC
Victor Lindelof in the match against Istanbul Basekshir
Manchester United completed the signing of Swedish midfielder Victor Lindelof from Benfica four years ago. Back then, Lindelof was an up-and-coming talent. The Swede just had his breakthrough season after five years with the club.
He did not have the best of starts after moving to Manchester United in 2017. The Swede struggled in his debut season and often found himself bearing the brunt of the pundits. But an impressive season saw him establish himself as one of the first-names on the teamsheet.
Victor Lindelof a CDM in the making?
Lindelof always possessed the necessary skillset to play further up the pitch. Former Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho even talked about deploying him further up the pitch, but the idea never materialized. Four seasons later, and Manchester United are still in search of their defensive midfielder.
The arrival of Jadon Sancho and Rafael Varane is likely to have made an impact on the transfer budget. That said, it could be the right time to experiment with Lindelof further up the pitch.
Victor Lindelof: A Potential Solution in Defensive Midfield for Manchester United
Victor Lindelof Started as a Midfielder
When Victor Lindelof first arrived at Old Trafford, he was quizzed about his best positions and his playing style. During the interview, the Swede stated that he started his career as a midfielder before moving back into defence. A couple of days later, his manager at Vasteras confirmed Lindelof’s story during an interview with the Manchester Evening News.
Granath said that Lindelof started training with the first-team as a 15-year-old. He started in midfield but later moved to defence after he was deemed ‘too high’ for a position in midfield. Back in 2019, Lindelof gave us another glimpse into his formative years during an exclusive interview with ESPN. The Swede said that he started his career as a No.10. He later played as an eight then as a six before playing in defence. But, he often thought about himself as a No.10 in his head.
Is Victor Lindelof the key to Manchester United’s defensive midfield issues?
Jose Mourinho, the man who brought Lindelof to Manchester, also spoke about the idea of playing the Swede in midfield. But four seasons later, Manchester United are yet to experiment with Lindelof further up the pitch.
Victor Lindelof Fulfills Many of the Criteria’s for a Defensive Midfielder
Defensive midfielders are often one of the most underrated players in a football team. They rarely share the spotlight. But, their absence often disrupts the balance of any team.
A good defensive midfielder has the ability to read and break up play. They have great confidence in their abilities. Their technique, game awareness and defensive skillsets are often their striking attributes. They also have high concentration levels, stamina, and provide a calming influence in midfield. Most importantly, they have good positional sense and tactical awareness.
Potential Strengths
A glance at Lindelof’s abilities is quite noticeable to understand that he fulfills many of the categories. Lindelof is a ball-playing central defender who marks the area rather than the attacker. He often jockeys the attacker and draws him to less dangerous areas before committing a tackle rather than going head-on against the opponent.
A player with great game reading ability, Lindelof has the ability to nip attacks in the bud. He has helped stop several attacks early before they have transformed into dangerous offensive moves. He also has very good game awareness and has found himself taking up good positions on the pitch.
One of his major attributes is his ability with the ball. Lindelof is very good with the ball at his feet and has a wide range of passes in his arsenal. He has showcased the ability to progress with the ball and initiate attacks from deep. Last season saw Lindelof spray dangerous long balls for the forwards, which was a common sight during his Benfica days.
Nicknamed the ‘Iceman’, Lindelof describes himself as a calm player. Over the years, he has shown a tendency to crumble under pressure but in most physical situations. However, on the ball, he has lived up to his name.
His communication skills is another attribute that is rarely spoken about. The central defender communicates very well with his defence. His fitness record also speaks volumes about his availability. Apart from his difficult debut season in England, Lindelof has played 40 or more games in each of the last five seasons.
Some of these attributes are not quantifiable, while some can be broken down into numbers. According to Whoscored.com, Lindelof has a career 88.5% pass completion rate. The Swede also averages one tackle, one interception, 3.7 clearances and 0.5 blocks per 90 mins. These numbers are not eye-boggling but are decent for a defender.
According to Fbref.com, Lindelof possesses a press success rate of 31.5%. He also has a 57.1% career dribble success rate. The numbers indicate the Swede’s ability to progress with the ball and defend without one.
Potential Weakness
The Manchester United man is obviously not the ideal player to play as a defensive midfielder. The Sweden international has his own set of flaws that could potentially hamper his chances of playing up the pitch.
One of Lindelof’s major drawbacks is his lack of recovery pace. He is not one of the quickest players on the pitch and has struggled while playing against quicker opponents. He has found himself struggling to get back into great positions after being beaten by a pacy attacker.
Another of Lindelof’s major drawbacks is his less aggressive playing style. As mentioned before, the 27-year-old likes to draw attackers into difficult positions and make challenges rather than taking a risk and confronting them head-on. Playing as a defensive midfielder often compels a player to make that quick decision rather than drawing them into a less dangerous position.
Heading is another department that has seen Lindelof struggle to cope. But being a defensive midfielder doesn’t always require a player to have the best heading attributes. Now the obvious one would be his lack of experience playing further up the pitch. But having a little experience of playing up the pitch can help the coaches to successfully re-train the 27-year-old.
The Arrival of a New Centre-Back
The arrival of a new centre-back leaves Manchester United with six first-team central defenders. While Axel Tuanzebe left the club on loan this season and the future of Phil Jones is still uncertain, Nemanja Matic could play in defence if any injury crisis hits the Manchester United backline.
This scenario could help the Red Devils explore a bit more of Victor Lindelof’s talents. With the incoming player likely to replace Lindelof in the starting 11, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could experiment with the 27-year-old in a slightly more advanced role. Versatile players always have a better advantage over players that are capable of playing in just one position.
The presence of two great defensive midfielders, Nemanja Matic and Michael Carrick, could help ease Lindelof into the position.
Sergi Canos wrote himself into the history books with a hat-trick of firsts when he scored the opening goal of the 2021/22 Premier League season for Brentford in their 2-0 win over Arsenal.
The Spanish midfielder’s 22nd-minute strike ensured that the Bees became the first promoted club to open the scoring in a top-flight campaign since Hull City in 2016/17.
Canos with the first Brentford goal in the Premier League campaign
Canos’s effort – Brentford’s first ever Premier League goal – was also the first time that a new club in the competition have netted first in a PL season since the inaugural 1992/93 campaign.
The last Spaniard to net the first goal of a Premier League season was Swansea City’s Michu in 2012/13.
Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette missed the trip to Brentford and was denied the opportunity to extend a Premier League record, having become the first player to score the opening goal of a campaign for two PL seasons in succession.
The Frenchman had previously achieved the feat on his Arsenal debut at home to Leicester City in 2017/18, before striking at Fulham in 2018/19
Westham’s MICHAIL ANTONIO celebrating a goal in the English Premier League
David Moyes says Lukasz Fabianksi has a chance of being available for Monday’s match with Leeds United.
Fellow goalkeeper Darren Randolph (hip) is a doubt but West Ham United report no other new injury concerns.
Did you know? West Ham United are looking to complete their first league double over Leeds United since 1953/54, when they were in the second tier.
Michail Antonio has been directly involved in 19 goals in his last 22 Premier League starts for West Ham (15 goals, 4 assists), but he has not scored in eight league appearances against Leeds.
None of Leeds’ last 17 league matches have ended as a draw (W8 L9), their longest run since December 2008 (also 17 in a row).
Leeds are one of only three top-flight sides yet to win a point in London this term, along with Sheffield United and West Bromwich Albion.
First-half goals by Wilfred Ndidi and James Maddison powered Leicester City to the top of the Premier League in Brendan Rodgers’ first career win against Chelsea.
Ndidi fired the Foxes ahead from the edge of the penalty area on six minutes following a well-worked corner.
Jamie Vardy’s scooped effort was then kept out on 34 minutes thanks to a touch from Blues goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.
On 38 minutes, Chelsea were awarded a penalty after Jonny Evans fouled Christian Pulisic, but a VAR review showed the offence had taken place just outside the area.
Mason Mount fired the resulting free-kick over the crossbar and seconds later, a defensive mix-up at the other end allowed Maddison to make it 2-0.
James Justin sent a free header wide and Youri Tielemans had a shot well saved by Mendy on 57 minutes as the dominant hosts threatened a third.
They closed out an assured 2-0 win after Timo Werner’s late effort that was disallowed for offside.
With 19 matches played Leicester are top of the table with 38 points, one ahead of Manchester United, who have played a match fewer and face Fulham on Wednesday.
Manchester United’s all-time leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney has retired from professional football, at the age of 35.
Wayne has been appointed full-time manager of Championship side Derby County, a job he had been doing on an interim basis since the departure of Phillip Cocu in November.
Our former striker last featured in the Rams’ playing squad later that month, and has now confirmed that he will be hanging up his boots in order to focus on his coaching career.
WAYNE ROONEY AS DERBY COUNTY CAPTAIN
Wayne will undoubtedly go down in history as one of United’s – and, indeed, English football’s – greatest-ever forwards.
After breaking through at Everton, he completed his transfer to Old Trafford in August 2004, becoming the world’s most expensive teenager in the process.
In the subsequent 13 years he spent in Manchester, he more than repaid that significant fee, scoring 253 goals in 559 games to overtake Sir Bobby Charlton at the summit of our all-time scoring charts.
ROONEY AS CAPTAIN FOR THE ENGLAND NATIONAL TEAM
The Croxteth-born forward was an integral part of one of the club’s most iconic sides, leading the line with Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez as United swept to domestic and European glory in 2008.
He procured every possible winners’ medal during his time at Old Trafford – five Premier Leagues, the Champions League, the FA Cup, four League Cups, the Europa League and the Club World Cup – before returning to the Toffees in 2017 and then heading for MLS with DC United the following year.
He returned to England with Derby in January 2020, and played against United in the Emirates FA Cup fifth-round tie in March.
Rooney is also England’s record marksman, another landmark he took off Charlton, who described him as “a true great for club and country” in January 2017.
WAYNE ROONEY AS THE NEW DERBY COUNTY MANAGER
Current United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who played alongside Rooney during his first three seasons with the Reds, sent his best wishes to Wayne upon hearing the news and said he believes his former team-mate will make a successful boss.
“Great news for Wayne and I really wish him all the best,” Ole told club media.
“I think he’s got everything going for him to be a good manager. He’s had a very good career, he’s got a very good personality and he wants to have success.
“He’s played under some top managers and I’m sure he’s over the moon at the moment, so congratulations to him.”
Amad Diallo in a UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE group match against FC Midtjylland
Manchester United have confirmed the arrival of winger Amad Diallo from Atalanta.
The 18-year-old has signed a contract to the end of June 2025, with the option of an extra year, and will join up with his new team-mates after receiving a visa.
“As a club, we have followed Amad for a number of years and having watched him myself, I believe he is one of the most exciting young prospects in the game,” Man Utd manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told the club’s official website.
“It will take time for him to adapt but his speed, vision and fantastic dribbling ability will stand him in good stead to make the transition. He is a player with all of the raw attributes that are needed to be an important player for Man Utd in the years to come.”
Ivory Coast-born Diallo made five appearances for Atalanta, scoring on his debut against Udinese in October 2019.
Those who suffer online abuse can feel defenceless and powerless. But Brighton & Hove Albion striker Neal Maupay is urging everyone to take action, as he has done himself.
When the Frenchman received threatening and racist messages earlier this year, he reported it to the Premier League via its online abuse reporting system for players and their families.
As a result, an official police complaint was filed, with the Premier League supporting all subsequent legal action.
Maupay is backing the League’s call to fans and the wider public to challenge and report racism wherever it takes place, as part of the next phase of its No Room For Racism initiative.
“It is important to show the people that if you say something bad, something racist, there will be consequences and you will have to face your actions,” said Maupay.
“I think we are making progress. The Premier League is taking online abuse really seriously.
“It shows the player that they are looking after them. But they are also showing the fans, the football fans, even outside of football, that racism or abuse is not OK and we are fighting it.
“The support I had from my club and the Premier League has been massive. Straight away we have reported online all those abusers. And those people, I believe, will face the consequences of their act.”
” SCREENSHOT IT “
Maupay has offered his advice for those, especially young people, who are victimised online.
“Sometimes when you are facing abusers, you kind of feel guilty in a way,” he says. “You’re like, ‘I’m not going to answer, I’m not going to report it. It’s just one time.’
“But it’s not OK. You have to report it, and sometimes a friend or family member can help you, so it’s really important to talk about it.
“When you are subjected to abuse you have to screenshot it first of all, to have a picture of it.
“Then you have to report it, to block the person, and then you have to go and speak to an adult. If you don’t know what to do, speak to someone, show the proof and then hopefully this person will face what he said.”
THE FOOTBALL HUB 