It seems like it’s taken a very long time to get here but we’re finally just one gameweek away from the end of the season! What will we all do for those 8 or so weeks until the new game is launched, eh?
When we get to the crunch point of the season, many of us are chasing mini league leaders or desperately trying to climb as many places as possible. While it might be important to take a bit of a risk with your transfer or your captain pick if you do want to gain as much rank as you can, it’s still well worth considering the best options that aren’t too ‘maverick’. We all know how much fun you can have by going incredibly bold with your captain pick in the last gameweek of the season but why risk dropping further by picking someone never destined to haul?
While the obvious picks of KDB, Kane, Son and Salah (if fit) are well worth considering if you’re leading your mini league or you’re happy with your rank as it is, there are a number of differential options that you could potentially pick without being chastised in the FPL community! I’m going to give you six potential picks if you’re looking to chase ranks, starting with Manchester City’s Brazilian forward, Jesus.
Gabriel Jesus
Potentially playing his last game for the Citizens at the Etihad, Jesus is a strong choice for a differential captain in Gameweek 38. Facing Steven Gerrard’s Villa and knowing the title is on the line, Pep will want to seal the league title in convincing fashion and I’m certain that Jesus can play a significant part in that.
Not only has Jesus scored 6 goals in the past 4 games, his underlying stats, as well as passing the eye test, have led me to consider him myself. In the last 6 gameweeks, he’s averaging a shot every 26.4 minutes and a shot in the box every 30.2. He’s also scoring a point every 9.4 minutes too.
Pep isn’t the most sentimental of managers but I do think that if he knows that Jesus is off in the summer, he’ll want to start him and give him the send-off he deserves. Of all the players I’m listing in this article, he’s the one I’d be most inclined to captain if I really wanted a differential.
Raheem Sterling
Talking of Manchester City takes me to Raheem Sterling. Like his aforementioned team-mate, his underlying recent stats are pretty good. There is always the looming shadow of Pep’s roulette wheel and he’s certainly not guaranteed to start but if he does, I expect him to do well against Aston Villa.
In the last 6 gameweeks, he’s scored three times and assisted once. He’s averaging a touch in the box every 11.2 minutes and a shot every 43.5. Shots in the box are averaging out at 48.3 minutes per attempt and his point scoring in the last 6 is currently at 12.4 minutes per point.
Another player who could conceivably be leaving the Etihad in the summer so he could well be determined to either show Pep what he can still offer him or show potential suitors why they should splash the cash on him.
Luis Diaz
The side hoping that Manchester City slip up is Klopp’s quadruple chasing Liverpool. For those of you with Salah money burning a hole in your pocket but still wanting a Liverpool midfielder, why not consider Luis Diaz?
The Colombian has been absolutely sensational since arriving at Anfield and stole the show in the FA Cup Final with his performance. After being rested against Southampton, he’s surely likely to start the final game of the season, especially with 6 days between the game against Wolves and the Champions League final.
In the last 6 gameweeks, he’s assisted three goals and scored twice himself. He’s averaging 11.6 minutes per touch in the box and taken a shot in the box every 31 minutes on average. He’s also averaging a point every 10.6 minutes.
Harvey Barnes
Probably the most in-form man in this list and the player that’s benefitted the most from Jamie Vardy’s return to the side is Harvey Barnes. The young Englishman has played incredibly well in the last few games and got rested against Chelsea, so I’d expect him to start the game against Southampton.
In the last 6 gameweeks, he’s scored 3 goals and assisted a team-mate 3 times too. He’s averaging a touch in the box every 13.6 minutes and a shot in the box every 48.4. At 8.5 minutes per point, he’s one of the best performing players in FPL currently.
With a good fixture against Southampton and a few days extra rest, he’s certainly an option if you really want a differential (and potentially maverick) captain this week.
Jamie Vardy
As I go through this list, the risks start to increase even more and this is no different with Jamie Vardy. While I think he’s a great pick for a differential captain this week, especially given he’s playing Southampton at home, I would be lying if I said I was confident that he’ll start the game. If he does, I expect him to haul well though.
As he played both games in the double gameweek in 37, I have to admit that I’d be a little concerned about his minutes being managed. Especially if the rumours about him and his wife leaving England as soon as possible following the ‘Wagatha Christie’ court case. (Did I really just write that!?)
In terms of his form and underlying stats, Vardy has scored 4 goals in his last 6 gameweeks and averaged a shot in the box every 19.8 minutes. He’s also averaging a point every 8.2 minutes, which is very impressive.
Reece James
The last player on this list is the most risky and given his point-scoring potential, that should be quite surprising. But as Tuchel has stated in his most recent press conference that he’s tempted to play some players ‘who haven’t played much this season’, it begs the question ‘Will James be one of those players dropped or rested?’
If he does start on Sunday, I fully expect a decent points haul from Reece James. He’s playing against an already relegated Watford that are putting up some horrific defensive stats at the end of the season and we all know how much of a threat he can be, not only in terms of creating chances for teammates but also shooting at goal himself.
In the last 6 gameweeks, he’s assisted a team-mate once and averaging a chance created every 46.5 minutes. He’s also scored bbps every 4.6 minutes and attempted a shot at goal every 46.5 minutes too. He’s by far and away the most risky and most ‘maverick’ of these picks but one that wouldn’t surprise me if he did score a good haul of points on Sunday (if he plays!).
Regardless of who you pick as captain this week and no matter how your team lines up on Sunday, it’s important to try and have some fun with this gameweek. It’s the final gameweek of the season and a good opportunity to try and gain some positions, either overall or in your mini leagues. Plus, we’ll all be complaining about not having Premier League football or FPL to talk about/obsess over in a week or so, so why not make the most of it while it’s still here?!
Good luck for Gameweek 38, one and all. May your arrows be green and your differential captains be successes!
FPL Maverick 