Fantasy Premier League

Grant may keep FPL favourite in waiting

By The Scout 28 Nov 2016
Man Utd 0-0 Stoke City

Stats suggest Jack Butland will have trouble displacing Stoke City team-mate on return from injury

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The Bonus Points

Bruno Martins Indi (£4.9m) won the maximum Fantasy Premier League bonus points as Stoke City earned a third clean sheet of the season with a 1-0 win at Watford.

Scoring 32 in the Bonus Points System (BPS), Martins Indi helped his side to a first shutout since Gameweek 9, producing 15 clearances, blocks and interceptions (CBI) and five recoveries at Vicarage Road.

The fit-again Glen Johnson (£4.7m) was awarded two additional points, totalling 26 in the BPS.

In his first start since Gameweek 7, the defender registered nine CBI and four recoveries and completed 86% of 35 attempted passes.

Lee Grant (£4.1m) made it a clean sweep for the visitors’ defence. 

The Potters goalkeeper scored 25 in the BPS to collect one bonus point, having produced two saves, eight recoveries and three clearances. 

The ICT Index

Xherdan Shaqiri (£6.3m) topped the ICT Index with a tally of 7.9.

Fielded up front, with manager Mark Hughes opting for a 3-5-2 formation, Shaqiri created four goalscoring opportunities and completed two of five crosses.

He also fired two efforts on goal and registered four touches inside the Watford penalty area.

Watford's Etienne Capoue (£5.0m) edged Stoke’s Jon Walters (£5.6m) to third in the ICT Index by 5.7 to 5.2.

Capoue managed a single attempt on target and also produced one key pass and two completed crosses.

Stationed alongside Shaqiri in a two-man front-line, Walters recorded three attempts on goal, all from inside the penalty area, though all three were off target. 

Watford v Stoke City
FPL midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri was deployed as part of a front two at Watford

The Scout Notes

Stoke now have a selection dilemma after making five changes to their starting XI on Sunday.

Hughes will welcome back Joe Allen (£5.3m) for a Gameweek 14 home encounter with Burnley. Sold by more FPL managers than any other player ahead of Gameweek 13, the Welshman returns to contention after serving a one-match suspension.

Allen’s availability could mean that Hughes reverts to a 4-2-3-1 set-up, allowing the midfielder to take up a central-support role behind a lone striker.

Wilfried Bony (£7.3m) was dropped to the bench for the first time since joining the club on loan and may struggle to return to the first XI, with Walters or Mame Biram Diouf (£5.7m) – who was fielded on the right flank on Sunday – viable alternatives.

Between the posts, Grant has now started eight successive matches and produced 33 points, averaging 4.1 points-per-match. 

Lee Grant, Stoke City
Lee Grant has started eight successive matches and produced 33 points, averaging 4.1 per match

But his security of starts will soon be at risk as first-choice goalkeeper Jack Butland (£4.7m) is nearing a return to action from an ankle injury.

Hughes will also be hoping that Ryan Shawcross (£4.9m) shakes off a calf complaint as Stoke's fixture schedule gets trickier.

From Gameweek 15 onwards the Potters have trips to Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea allied with visits from Southampton and Leicester City over a daunting five-match stretch.

Watford’s concerns are building in defence ahead of a Gameweek 14 trip to West Bromwich Albion.

Owned by 8.1% of FPL managers, Jose Holebas (£4.8m) returned from a one-match ban only to limp off early in the second-half with a knock.

Head coach Walter Mazzarri also has concerns over Younes Kaboul (£4.4m) and Craig Cathcart (£4.3m), while Miguel Britos (£4.4m) will serve a one-match suspension in Gameweek 14 after being dismissed in Sunday's defeat.

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