DREAM TEAM managers haven’t had to think all that hard about captaincy in recent weeks.
Mohamed Salah (£8.3m) is by far and away the game’s top performer having racked up 433 points at an average of 11.1 per game.
The popular choice for a reason[/caption]
Opting to double the returns of Liverpool’s top scorer has essentially been the only logical choice for the majority of the campaign.
But ahead of Gameweek 26, gaffers should at least entertain some other possibilities.
Staying loyal to Salah will be the most popular decision but the Reds’ only fixture is a tricky one in the form of PSG away in the Champions League round of 16.
Luis Enrique’s side have won 14 of their last 15 games and smashed Brest 10-0 on aggregate in the play-off round of Europe’s most prestigious competition.
Such is Salah’s form, he could easily run amok in the French capital but Dream Team bosses who prioritise fixtures above all else when deciding their strategy may be hesitant to captain the 32-year-old on this occasion.
Lone ranger[/caption]
Gaffers brave enough to bet against Salah in Gameweek 26 will be tempted to bestow the armband on Bruno Fernandes (£6.2m).
Manchester United’s captain top scored in Gameweek 25 when he earned a combined total of 27 points from outings against Everton and Ipswich.
The Red Devils are almost totally reliant on the Portugal international and so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he started against Fulham (FA Cup) and Real Sociedad (Europa League) in the coming days.
If this is the case then he may end up playing twice as many minutes as Salah in Gameweek 26.
Fernades averages 7.1 points-per-game this season and so it’s reasonable to expect a healthy double-digit haul from him, making him a appealing captaincy option.
Corner flags beware[/caption]
Alternatively, Dream Team managers might want to target an FA Cup mismatch.
Crystal Palace are in fine form right now and Oliver Glasner tends to name strong starting line-ups in the domestic cups.
Jean-Philippe Mateta (£4.7m) could feast against Millwall on Saturday if unleashed from the off at Selhurst Park.
The Frenchman has scored eight goals in nine games since the turn of the year.
Captaining a defender would be a very bold move indeed but Daniel Munoz (£5.1m) is worthy of a mention on current form.
The Eagles’ Colombian wing-back has contributed to six clean sheets in nine outings – he’s also provided two goals and three assists in the same time frame.
Should Guardiola prioritise the FA Cup for the remainder of the season?[/caption]
Elsewhere, Manchester City’s meeting with Plymouth leaps out of the schedule.
Pep Guardiola’s side are not at the peak of their powers by any means but a home game against a team in the relegation zone of the Championship is bursting with potential.
The FA Cup is the last remaining route to a trophy for City in 2024/25 (not including the post-season Club World Cup) and so a relatively strong starting XI is to be expected.
Whether that includes Erling Haaland (£8.1m) remains to be seen – the big No9 only returned from injury in midweek.
But with no European fixture in midweek, there’s no real need for Guardiola to take it easy on Saturday.
The Pilgrims did upset Liverpool in the last round but a capitulation at the Etihad seems more likely that lightning striking twice.
There’s almost certainly a worthy captain in City’s ranks in Gameweek 26, he’s just not all that easy to pick out of the crowd.
Whatever you decide, make sure to select your captain before 6:30pm today!
