Fantasy Premier League

FPL Lessons: Mitoma the go-to Almiron replacement

By The Scout 29 Jan 2023

In-form Brighton star has been transferred in by 67,000+ managers in place of the Newcastle winger

The Scout looks at the lessons learned over the opening 21 Gameweeks of 2022/23 Fantasy Premier League.

Midfield

Kaoru Mitoma (£5.1m) has emerged as a key figure for Roberto De Zerbi’s free-scoring Brighton & Hove Albion.

The Seagulls have scored 26 goals in 13 matches since the Italian was appointed head coach in Gameweek 9, the third-best total in the league.

By contrast, they managed only 42 goals in 2021/22 under Graham Potter, a total better than just four other sides.

Growing influence

Mitoma’s first seven appearances this term came as a substitute and he managed only one assist in that run.

But he has been transformed as a Fantasy asset since making his first start of the season in Gameweek 14.

Mitoma has started seven of Brighton’s last eight matches, combining four goals with two assists to collect 46 points from Gameweek 14 onwards.

He also scored a stoppage-time winner in the 2-1 win over Liverpool in the FA Cup fourth round on Sunday.

Ahead of Friday's 18:30 GMT deadline for Double Gameweek 22, Mitoma is the most-popular replacement for Newcastle United's out-of-form winger Miguel Almiron (£5.8m).

Over 67,000 managers have made the switch, moving on from the Paraguayan who has blanked in four successive matches.

Video is currently not available.

The Seagulls have profited significantly from his presence and have averaged three goals per match with the Japan international in their starting line-up.

Along with fellow winger Solly March (£5.2m) and forward Evan Ferguson (£4.6m), providing the latter is fit after picking up a suspected injury against Liverpool, Mitoma can continue to offer terrific value in the coming Gameweeks.

Brighton have a favourable set of fixtures, facing only two of the top-six sides in the next eight Gameweeks. Indeed, five of their next eight encounters score only two in the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR).

Brighton's next eight Gameweeks

GW	Opp.	FDR	GW	Opp.	FDR
22	BOU (H)	2	26	WHU (H)	2
23	CRY (A)	3	27	LEE (A)	2
24	FUL (H)	2	28	MUN (H)	3
25	NEW (A)	3	29	BRE (H)	2

James Ward-Prowse (£6.2m) and Daniel Podence (£5.3m) are further examples of players thriving under new management.

Southampton playmaker Ward-Prowse has produced four of his five goals this season, and one of his two assists, since Nathan Jones arrived in Gameweek 16.