Owners of Michail Antonio (£8.2m) and Said Benrahma (£6.5m) in Fantasy Premier League face a big decision as West Ham United embark on a tough run of opponents.
The West Ham pair are hugely popular players in Fantasy, both among the top three most-selected overall.
Antonio is found in 48.4 per cent of squads, while Benrahma is in 32.2 per cent.
But they are now set to face five of the league’s best six defences over the next five Gameweeks, including matches against Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea.
Indeed, three of their next five matches score four or more in the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR).
West Ham’s next five Gameweeks
| GW | Opp | FDR |
| 11 | LIV (H) | 4 |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | WOL (A) | 2 |
| 13 | MCI (A) | 5 |
| 14 | BHA (H) | 3 |
| 15 | CHE (H) | 4 |
Antonio and Benrahma started the campaign in fine form, both delivering double-digit hauls in each of the first two Gameweeks.
However, they have struggled for output in recent matches.
Antonio has two goals in his last six outings, while Benrahma has a goal and an assist in his previous eight.
A case for holding Antonio?
Certainly, the underlying numbers indicate Antonio, in particular, has been unfortunate in Fantasy of late.
His 10 shots and nine shots in the box were both joint-top among forwards in the last four Gameweeks, while his 10 chances created ranked first.
Benrahma also fared well in his position, with his 13 shots bettered by only two other midfielders in that period.
However, only four of those efforts were inside the box, showing the Algerian has mainly been limited to long-range shots.
Forward alternatives
Newcastle United forward Callum Wilson (£7.3m) could be among the best replacements for Antonio.
Over Gameweeks 12-15, Newcastle are at home to Brentford, Norwich City and Burnley.
Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Hwang Hee-chan (£5.7m) and Brentford’s Ivan Toney (£6.6m) also have kind schedules.
According to the FDR, three of Wolves’ next four matches from Gameweek 11 onwards score only two.
Brentford face Norwich and Newcastle in the next two Gameweeks.
Midfield targets
In midfield, Conor Gallagher (£5.6m) and Emile Smith Rowe (£5.6m) can provide budget-friendly alternatives to Benrahma.
Gallagher has three goals and four assists in nine outings for Crystal Palace, while Arsenal’s Smith Rowe has three goals and two assists over the last five Gameweeks.
Also in this series
Part 2: FPL experts: Keep or sell Benrahma and Antonio?
Part 3: GW10 Lessons: Gallagher among best for value
Remember, the Gameweek 11 deadline is at 18:30 GMT on Friday 5 November.
