The Scout highlights players with good form and fixtures who managers should target in Fantasy Premier League between the international break and the FIFA World Cup.
Premium midfielders
James Maddison (LEI) £7.9m
Leicester City’s playmaker has enjoyed a consistent start to the new season, blanking in only two of his six appearances.
Maddison has amassed 29 points, scoring three goals and supplying one assist.
The Foxes’ upcoming schedule could barely be more encouraging for his prospects of attacking returns.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), six of Leicester’s next seven matches score just two.
Leicester's next seven fixtures
| GW | Opp. | FDR |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | NFO (H) | 2 |
| 10 | BOU (A) | 2 |
| 11 | CRY (H) | 2 |
| 12 | LEE (H) | 2 |
| 13 | WOL (A) | 2 |
| 14 | MCI (H) | 5 |
| 15 | EVE (A) | 2 |
The underlying numbers further enhance Maddison’s appeal as a major differential. He is currently found in only 5.7 per cent of squads.
His 20 shots, seven shots on target and 13 chances created all place top for the Foxes this term.
Kevin De Bruyne (MCI) £12.3m
Manchester City’s Belgian is the top-scoring midfielder in Fantasy, earning 45 points thanks to one goal and six assists.
De Bruyne’s 24 key passes are joint-top among all players this season, while his 19 shots are bettered by just three other midfielders.
De Bruyne's 1st assist v Wolves
.@JackGrealish with our first ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/CXmyxYp0Tj
— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 17, 2022
His short-term appeal is somewhat dented by a blank Gameweek 12, which is preceded by a Gameweek 11 visit to Liverpool.
But Man City’s schedule from Gameweek 13 onwards hands De Bruyne the chance to bring in huge returns prior to the World Cup.
They face Brighton & Hove Albion, Leicester City, Fulham and Brentford over Gameweeks 13-16.
Son Heung-min (TOT) £11.7m
A hat-trick at home to Leicester ended a poor run of form for the Tottenham Hotspur star.
Hat-trick ✅
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) September 17, 2022
Hero ✅ pic.twitter.com/l4EPsgSHW7
Son had managed just a single assist in his first six matches and was dropped to the bench against Leicester before his second-half cameo earned him a 19-point return.
His improving output can be crucial for managers in Fantasy, with De Bruyne the only consistent big-hitter so far.
Certainly, the statistics highlight Son’s huge goal threat.
His 21 shots, 16 shots in the box and 11 shots on target all rank among the top two midfielder in 2022/23 Fantasy.
Mohamed Salah (LIV) £12.9m
Managers should already be making plans for Blank Gameweek 12, when Man City and Arsenal are both without a fixture.
Although Salah has yet to justify his premium price tag, Liverpool’s schedule from that point means he could be a key pick in the final Gameweeks before the World Cup.
Four of the Reds' final five matches score just two in the FDR.
Liverpool's fixtures GW12-16
| GW | Opp. | FDR |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | WHU (H) | 2 |
| 13 | NFO (A) | 2 |
| 14 | LEE (H) | 2 |
| 15 | TOT (A) | 5 |
| 16 | SOU (H) | 2 |
De Bruyne owners, particularly those without Wildcards remaining, should ensure they have the spare budget to move to Salah if he can show some form in the upcoming period.
Also in this series
Part 1: Sa can challenge Pope for No 1 spot
Part 2: Tarkowski can outscore Patterson
Part 3: Set-piece threat raises Dier prospects
Part 4: Zaha has form and fixtures to thrive
Part 6: Toney an all-round prospect
Part 7: Kane merits premium spot next to Haaland
