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 GW20 blogs including scout picks, players to target, buy, hold, sell analysis, differentials, captaincy metrics, best forwards, 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 three 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 FPL Midfielders To Consider from GW17-19
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 0.33 non-penalty expected goals per 90 minutes
- Averaging 0.31 expected assists per 90 minutes
- Created 28 chances in the league and
- Had 70 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.
He put up an impressive performance in GW16 vs Southampton, scoring a goal and providing two assists in just 45 minutes.
The fixtures are good in the longer run and Son could be a decent option. If you’re not too keen on spending £9.8m on Son, you can opt in for Maddison who has quietly accumulated 91 pts so far this season and costs only £7.6m.
Madders is 6th for most FPL points this season with seven goals and five assists from just 13 starts. Only Haaland amongst forwards has outscored him!
Mid-Priced FPL Midfielders
Jarrod Bowen (£7.4m) – West Ham (TSB – 6.9% ownership)
With 1,418 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. He was unlucky not to return against Bournemouth having accumulated an xGI of 0.51 & he also hit the post in the game.
Key Stats from Bowen in the first 16 games this season:
- 37 shots on goal (8th highest amongst mids in the league)
- 36 chances created with total expected assists of 4.07 xA and
- Touches in the opposition box – 82
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.
Anthony Gordon (£7.2m) – Newcastle (TSB – 9.1% ownership)
With only 24 FPL points in the past six 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 two wins 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 28 shot attempts, 33 chances created and an impressive total expected assists of 2.67 xA suggest that the Geordies midfielder will find form soon.
He got only an assist vs Leicester in GW16 but he could have had more & the GW17 fixture against Ipswich proves an excellent opportunity for Gordon to haul!
Budget-Friendly Picks
Enzo Fernández (£5m) – Chelsea (TSB – 9.5% ownership)
We have another captain recommendation this week, this time in Blues! Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández advanced role for the club has been 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 40 points between Gameweeks 12 and 16, one more than Bukayo Saka’s 39 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 15 shot on goal, 24 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.
Alex Iwobi (£5.7m) – Fulham (TSB – 5.4% ownership)
Alex Iwobi could be a great enabler for the upcoming GWs at just £5.7m, the Nigerian international has registered 3 goals and 2 assists in the last six games despite Fulham’s tough fixtures. Fulham have a great run of games starting GW17, and Iwobi offers great value. He’s also guaranteed to play 90 minutes in most games which is an important aspect during the festive period.
Amad Diallo (£5.2m) – Manchester United (TSB – 12.6% ownership)
Amad Diallo in the last six PL games has picked up a goal, five assist, registering 44 FPL points making him the 4th highest-scoring midfielder during the period with only Salah, Bruno & Palmer outscoring him!
The 22-year-old is thriving in a more advanced role in Amorim’s system, as seen in the Manchester Derby where he amassed 13 FPL points. With festive fixtures against Bournemouth and Wolves next, Amad could be an excellent enabler for your fantasy team.
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 234 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 GW17:
Top FPL GW17 Differential Picks(<10% TSB) to Consider Ahead of Deadline
FPL GW17 Scout Picks Based on Stats, Analysis, and Matchups
Top FPL Gameweek 17 Captain Picks Based on Analysis & Metrics
FPL Midfielders Watch: Top Assets to Target for Gameweeks 17-19
FPL GW17 Tips & Ultimate Guide: Differentials, Captaincy & More
FPL GW17 Tips – Budget Midfielders, Arsenal Defence & More
Sleeper Draft Fantasy GW17- Best Punts and Hidden Gems
Best FPL GW17 Defenders to Consider | Ait-Nouri Replacements
Link to all our FPL GW17 blogs including scout picks, players to target, buy, hold, sell analysis, differentials, captaincy metrics, transfer targets, and more. Completely free to access as well!
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What’s next from ALLABOUTFPL ahead of FPL Gameweek 17 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 GW17 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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