As the festive fixtures heat up, a rush of EPL games awaits us before 2025. Over the past four weeks, several FPL assets have stepped up for their respective teams, with Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert recently grabbing the headlines after a hat-trick of penalties in Gameweek 13. But the real question is: Who should we be targeting for explosive returns in the weeks ahead?
In this article, we’ll dive into the underlying stats of a few FPL midfield maestros who could make a significant impact from now till the end of 2024. After analyzing data from recent matches, I’ll share insights on the players primed for success and likely to deliver big FPL points. Let’s get into it!
Article written by @TheFPLManual, Do give him a follow on Twitter for all things FPL and UCL Fantasy
Note: We have left out very obvious midfielders like Salah, Saka & Palmer in this blog as they are obvious picks and our focus is on lesser-owned midfielders!
Link to all our FPL GW16 blogs including scout picks, players to target, buy, hold, sell analysis, differentials, captaincy metrics, transfer targets, and more. Completely free to access as well!
Midfield Watch Review: GW12-15 Selections
Before we reel out our favorite midfield picks for the next four weeks, let’s take a moment to reflect on the performances of our previous selections from Gameweeks 12 to 15:
- Bukayo Saka – Two goals and four assists, delivering a stellar total of 36 FPL points.
- Martin Ødegaard – One goal and one assist, contributing 19 FPL points.
- Kaoru Mitoma – Two goals, amassing 23 FPL points.
- Pedro Neto – Limited minutes (175) resulted in 4 FPL points with no attacking returns.
- Morgan Rogers – One goal, totaling 14 FPL points.
Summary: Bukayo Saka was the standout performer with an impressive 36 points, while Pedro Neto struggled due to limited game time, finishing with just 4 points..
Top Five FPL Midfielders To Consider from GW16-19
Just to establish a few metrics used for this piece, we will be measuring FPL assets with the best fixtures against form, non-expected penalty goals/expected assists, and shots on target along with necessary data are from FFHUB(Join now & get a 30 days free trial).
Premium FPL Midfielders
Son Heung-min (£9.8m) – Tottenham (TSB – 5.1% ownership)
Tottenham’s captain, Son Heung-min may not be in his usual dazzling form this season, but the underlying numbers suggest there’s more to his game than meets the eye. Let’s plunge in to see those key stats:
- Contributed 0.31 non-expected goals per 90 minutes
- Averaging 0.38 expected assists per 90 minutes
- Created 25 chances in the league and
- Had 62 touches in the opposition box
One area where the South Korean international attacking returns have been significantly hindered could be traced to recurring injuries, which have largely impacted his minutes under Ange Postecoglou. A second reason might be Spurs’ recent performances, as they have struggled to maintain a steady run of success and are currently 11th in the league standings.
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While Sonny has only delivered four goals and four assists thus far. Spurs’ next four fixtures against Southampton, Liverpool, Nottingham Forest, and Wolves, suggest there is a strong likelihood the 32-year-old forward could be the next bandwagon for this run of games.
According to our FFHub projections, Son Heung-min is rated highly among the top 5 midfielders expected to achieve over 20 points in the coming weeks. At just 5.1% ownership, Son presents an intriguing differential option to stand out in your mini-leagues.
Further Read: Top FPL GW16 Differential Picks to Consider Ahead of Deadline
Mid-Priced FPL Midfielders
Jarrod Bowen (£7.4m) – West Ham (TSB – 6.8% ownership)
With 1,327 minutes played this season, Jarrod Bowen has been a pivotal figure for West Ham. The Englishman recently delivered a 12-point haul in Gameweek 15, contributing to the Hammers’ 2-1 victory over Wolves.
Key Stats from Bowen in the first 15 games this season:
- 37 shots on target (joint 11th in the league)
- 30 successful dribbles
- 35 chances created with total expected assists of 3.81 xA and
- Touches in the opposition box – 76
Despite his undeniable impact in keeping West Ham out of relegation trouble, Bowen has only scored four goals and provided four assists, which is comparable to Tottenham’s Son Heung-min.
One problem for the West Ham talisman is the lack of a prominent striker to feed his passes and help convert such chances. However, if deployed out of position in the future, Bowen’s shot totals show that he could be the focal point of goals for West Ham.
According to our Fantasy Football Hub AI estimates, Jarrod Bowen is ranked 10th among midfielders and is expected to score roughly 19 points in the coming weeks. West’s next four fixtures offer a promising outlook for Bowen’s fantasy returns, especially with games against Brighton and Southampton.
Further Read: FPL Gameweek 16 Transfer Tips: Two Players to Buy, Hold & Sell
Anthony Gordon (£7.2m) – Newcastle (TSB – 8.7% ownership)
With only 18 FPL points in the past five games, Anthony Gordon is far from the player he was last season, when he finished with 11 goals and 16 assists for Newcastle. To be sincere, Newcastle’s recent struggles in the league, with only one win in that time period, may have contributed.
Nonetheless, a favourable swing in fixtures might bring the Englishman in consideration once more. Gordon’s underlying stats of 25 shot attempts, 29 chances created and an impressive total expected assists of 2.56 xA suggest that the Geordies midfielder will find form soon.
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According to our FFHub fixture analyzer, Newcastle is placed second in projected points, ahead of top four rivals Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester City. Gameweek 16 is the ideal time to capitalize on adding more Newcastle assets, and Anthony Gordon and Anthony Gordon might be the ultimate differential for the upcoming festive games.
Further Read: Top FPL Gameweek 16 Captain Picks Based on Analysis & Metrics
Budget-Friendly Picks
Enzo Fernández (£5m) – Chelsea (TSB – 6% ownership)
We have another captain recommendation this week, this time in Blues! Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández advanced role for the club has attributed largely to the midfielder making six goal contributions (three goals and three assists) in his last five games.
Putting this into FPL context, Enzo Fernández has amassed 35 points between Gameweeks 12 and 15, just one point shy of Bukayo Saka’s 36 points mentioned earlier. As of writing, his ownership sits at a modest 6%, which feels criminally low given his form. However, you can expect that number to skyrocket if he delivers another attacking return.
But is this a stroke of luck? The underlying statistics suggest otherwise. Enzo has registered 13 shot attempts, 21 chances created, and boasts a total expected assists of 2.41 (xA). These numbers indicate that his returns are far from a fluke.
Most notably, Enzo Maresca seems to favor deploying Enzo Fernández in a hybrid role as an advanced number eight. Recently, Fernández has even been seen taking corners and sharing set-piece duties, which could further boost his attacking potential.
With no upcoming fixtures against the traditional top-six teams and a favorable run for Chelsea, Fernández emerges as a stellar, budget-friendly option. Adding him to your FPL team could prove rewarding as he continues to rack up points.
Further Read: FPL GW16 Scout Picks Based on Stats, Analysis, and Matchups
Amad Diallo (£5.1m) – Manchester United (TSB – 7.2% ownership)
With a goal and six assists to his name, the 22-year-old winger playing largely as a right wingback has been a creative machine for the Red Devils. Consistently showcasing his exceptional dribbling skills and ability to break through the opposition defence, Amad Diallo is enjoying life under the new boss Ruben Amorim.
Key Stats from Amad Diallo in his last five league games:
- 12 shots attempts
- 15 successful dribbles
- 23 successful progressive carries and
- Amassed an expected assists of 1.29 (xA) and 64 touches in the opposition box for the overall season.
In terms of shooting, Diallo has only had three attempts on target in this timeframe and a low 30% shooting accuracy all season. However, this is likely to change if the Ivorian international plays much more higher up the pitch as he did in the midweek Europa league games.
Should an FPL manager choose to bring in Diallo for Gameweeks 16 to 19, don’t carry a heavy expectation for him to score. Nonetheless, you can bank on Diallo for assist points in your FPL team.
After the Manchester Derby in Gameweek 16, The Red Devils face Bournemouth, Wolves and Newcastle before the new year, Amad Diallo could be a key affordable FPL option for attacking returns in this run of fixtures.
Further Read: FPL GW16 Tips – Palmer, Mbeumo, Watkins Dilemmas and More
Honorable Mention:
Bilal El Khannouss (£4.8m) has been quite impressive since the appointment of Ruud Van Nistelrooy as Leicester boss, breaking into the first team and playing 153 minutes with a goal and assist. However, we might need watch the Moroccan’s game time, to see if his performance keeps improving, and then decide if he is a must-have for the next FPL Midfield Watch series.
And that wraps up our article! Hopefully, these insights support your fantasy decisions and help you rise in your mini-leagues. We’ll be back with more forward-planning tips by Gameweek 20. Good luck, managers!
Further reads from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL GW16:
FPL Gameweek 16 Transfer Tips: Two Players to Buy, Hold & Sell
FPL GW16 Tips – Palmer, Mbeumo, Watkins Dilemmas and More
FPL GW16 Scout Picks Based on Stats, Analysis, and Matchups
Top FPL Gameweek 16 Captain Picks Based on Analysis & Metrics
Top FPL GW16 Differential Picks to Consider Ahead of Deadline
FPL GW16 Tips & Ultimate Guide: Differentials, Captaincy & More
Thanks for reading the “FPL GW16 Midfielders to Target” blog. Keep checking allaboutfpl.com for regular blogs. Also, follow our 180,000+ community on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter to stay updated on regular Posts and FPL updates.
What’s next from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL Gameweek 16 of the 2024/25 FPL Season?
We’ll be covering differential picks, transfer targets, Buy, Hold, Sell analysis, Scout picks, Gameweek preview, Captaincy metrics, FPL GW16 tips, and more. Keep checking allaboutfpl.com for all our blogs. We’ll also be posting regularly about the same on our social media accounts so follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and keep our notification ON.
FPL Manual (Wale)
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