Chief's Premier League picks - Gameweek 5
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Must-have pick – Harry Kane
With August long gone for another year, he was back to his scoring ways against Everton. In doing so, Kane also scored his 100th competitive goal for Spurs at the tender age of 24. If we include the international break and Champions League, he’s already managed to score six goals in four games. With that kind of form he should justify his place in your fantasy football team. However, Spurs’ next game will be at their temporary ‘home’, Wembley. They have only mustered two Premier League goals in two games so in far North-West London. To put this into context, Spurs won 17 out of their 19 home games at White Hart Lane last season and scored 2.47 goals per game on average. This is a slight cause for concern at the very least, although a convincing 3-1 win at Wembley to Dortmund will help dispel the Wembley ‘curse’. Hopefully a transitional Swansea team is just the kind of visiting opposition they need to boost their spirits at Wembley. Ignore Kane at your peril.
Comeback pick – Philippe Coutinho
The Brazil international was subject to much transfer speculation over the summer, right up until the end of the transfer window. The fact is he didn’t move and he has to make do with Liverpool in the interim. For what it’s worth, he scored during the international break and his Premier League goals per season has increased steadily since 2013 from three to eight. There’s no doubt he will face stiff competition to fight back for his place in a Liverpool team that is laden with attacking minded midfielders. Something’s got to give – Sadio Mané’s suspension is a game changer in that regard. There’s also no doubt that Klopp will rotate his team as a result of Champions’ League commitments. Liverpool’s next match is at home to Burnley and they will be looking to bounce back immediately after their Etihad bruising. This could be the kind of opportunity that is required for Coutinho to shine and show his proven prowess in our fantasy football teams.
Differential pick – Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting
To be perfectly honest with you, I hadn’t even heard of him until last Friday. Having seen him frustrate a resurgent Manchester United, I believe he may be the kind of enigma that could spice up your fantasy football team. Could he be this season’s Michu or Mahrez? It remains to be seen. The fact is he scored a brace last weekend and has a 29% international strike rate, so he has a bit of form about him. This type of short-term and long-term yield is good from my perspective. Also, barring Chelsea and Man City, Stoke’s next 9 Premier League fixtures seem relatively reasonable on paper. The key for me is that Choupo-Moting has often been deployed in an advanced role during his short time at Stoke, which only serves to increase his goal scoring opportunities. Tempted? If you’re still not sure, keep an eye on him at the very least in the weeks ahead as a £5.6m forward classed as a midfielder.
STATS: How many shots has Choupo-Moting fired off so far? Here’s a statistical rundown of all the budget midfielders including both Choupo-Moting and Jese from Stoke.
