MX23RW : Tuesday, May 21 02:31:43| >> :120:21353:21353:

FPL Tips: Christian Benteke to lead the line?

FPL Tips: Christian Benteke to lead the line?
© Reuters
Burnley and Crystal Palace feature strongly in gameweek 36's recommendations, while Gareth Bale muscles in on the action for Tottenham.

Burnley provide late-season differential potential while Gareth Bale and Eberechi Eze are two of the exciting Fantasy Premier League names to consider this week.

No sooner was a packed gameweek 35 wrapped up than a new one begins with a Friday teatime deadline – who should you trust for the final stages of the season?

Raise a glass to Clarets

Top attacking picks for FPL gameweek 36
Chris Wood leads all players in gameweek 36's Transfer Scores (PA graphic)

Chris Wood has been a regular in our recommendations in recent weeks, driven by a run of eight goals and 66 fantasy points in eight games.

Form makes up 50 per cent of the PA news agency's Transfer Score for each player, with the remainder combining cost, ownership and fixture difficulty rating (FDR) – remarkably, the £6.4million Kiwi is still selected in less than four per cent of all teams.

His transfer score of 87 out of 100 comfortably leads all strikers ahead of resurgent Crystal Palace man Christian Benteke (71), with Roberto Firmino's brace against Manchester United sparking a last-ditch jump to third for the Liverpool star (69).

Burnley's burst clear of relegation danger is not all down to Wood, however, and midfielder Ashley Westwood has two goals and an assist in their last four games to break onto the midfield podium.

London pair shine in midfield

Top midfield picks for FPL gameweek 36
Gareth Bale and Eberechi Eze have sparkled at times late in the season (PA graphic)

Bale's up-and-down loan spell back at Tottenham has trended in a positive direction once more in recent weeks, never more so than with a hat-trick in the win over Sheffield United, and he trails only Wood in form (eight points per game compared to 8.5) and transfer score (82).

Just behind him in midfield is another exciting London-based winger in Eze, whose solo runs have lit up Palace's late-season fixtures and saw him score as well as setting up Benteke's opener in the 2-0 win over the Blades.

Minimal 1.4 per cent ownership helps him to a transfer score of 79, pipping Westwood (78) to second spot in midfield.

Llorente Leeds the way

Top defensive picks for FPL gameweek 36
Diego Llorente is an overlooked bargain in defence (PA graphic)

Leeds match Liverpool for the easiest run-in by FDR, helping defender Diego Llorente score over 90 in three of the four transfer score categories.

At £4.4m and selected by just one of every 200 managers, the Spaniard has scores of 93 and 99 in those columns as well as 100 on FDR, with his solid form – averaging 5.2 points per game and translating in a score of 62 out of 100 – rounding out a transfer score of 79.

That is enough to pip Everton's Ben Godfrey (77) to top spot in our defensive rankings this week, with Liverpool's resurgent Trent Alexander-Arnold (74) next up for those with money to spare.

Llorente's team-mate Illan Meslier is one of three goalkeepers tied on 70, ranking just behind Sheffield United's Aaron Ramsdale and Everton's Jordan Pickford after the decimal as barely a point separates a top four completed by Liverpool's Alisson Becker (69).

ID:447483: cacheID:447483:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:7209:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Bruno Fernandes scores a penalty for Manchester United against Newcastle United in the Premier League on February 21, 2021
Read Next:
PL Team of the Week - Fernandes, Rashford, Pickford
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CManchester CityMan City38287396346291
2Arsenal38285591296289
3Liverpool382410486414582
4Aston Villa382081076611568
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs382061274611366
6Chelsea381891177631463
7Newcastle UnitedNewcastle381861485622360
8Manchester UnitedMan Utd38186145758-160
9West Ham UnitedWest Ham381410146074-1452
10Crystal Palace381310155758-149
11Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton381212145562-748
12Bournemouth38139165467-1348
13Fulham38138175561-647
14Wolverhampton WanderersWolves38137185065-1546
15Everton38139164051-1140
16Brentford38109195665-939
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest3899204967-1832
RLuton TownLuton3868245285-3326
RBurnley3859244178-3724
RSheffield UnitedSheff Utd38372835104-6916


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!