WEEKLY DIFFERENTIALS 2019/20: FPL Gameweek 5
Ahead of each round of Premier League games The Hype Train analyses the best left-field player options for your Fantasy Premier League teams. Historically, weekly FPL Dream Team’s comprise of mostly differential players whose selection falls with a low selection percentage of overall players, to which there is no doubt that their influence cannot be ignored. With such an abundance of points coming from the FPL’s hidden gems The Hype Train selects one player from each Premier League match in the upcoming Gameweek to decide who could be the differential that sets your team apart. All aboard.
Fantasy Premier League: Gameweek 5 Deadline
For the 2019/20 Premier League season, the FPL deadline will be one hour before the commencement of the week's first game. Our website provides a real-world countdown timer for the the upcoming Gameweek, whilst you can read our latest Fantasy articles from the season on our 2019/20 FPL weekly hype sub-section.
Weekly Differentials (GW5)
After the international break we resume normality with scratching your head over your FPL transfers, and can take stock of any injuries, and surprise form over the break. The last Gameweek was big for the attackers we selected, and we are still leaning towards that approach, but with a sprinkling of obvious defensive options to consider. As always, here are the ten differentials we expect to give you a second look at your current plans.
Gameweek 5 Differentials:
LIV/NEW: Adrián (LIV, GK, £4.6mil, 6.0% ownership)
BHA/BUR: Neal Maupay (BHA, FWD, £6.0mil, 0.5% ownership)
MUN/LEI: Youri Tielemans (LEI, MID, £6.4mil, 4.4% ownership)
SHU/SOU: Enda Stevens (SHU, DEF, £5.0mil, 0.4% ownership)
TOT/CRY: Christian Eriksen (TOT, MID, £8.8mil, 4.3% ownership)
WOL/CHE: Christian Pulisic (CHE, MID, £7.5mil, 7.1% ownership)
NOR/MCI: Nicolás Otamendi (MCI, DEF, £5.4mil, 1.8% ownership)
BOU/EVE: Richarlison (EVE, MID, £7.9mil, 7.2% ownership)
WAT/ARS: Nicolas Pépé (ARS, MID, £9.4mil, 3.7% ownership)
AVL/WHU: Sébastien Haller (WHU, FWD, £7.5mil, 6.3% ownership)
GW5: Differential Highlights
Adrián (LIV): The time is running out for the summer signing as Alisson goes into light training. The good news for us is that the Brazilian is still expected to be out for several weeks in the case of picking a differential for this game. Alisson’s departure hasn’t had that much of an impact, and Adrian picked up his first clean sheet for the Reds last week at Burnley. Let’s hope the winning habit continues against Newcastle in the early fixture in what looks like a rudimentary six points for the Spaniard.
Sébastien Haller (WHU): Last week we banked on Haller as our differential captain and he came up with the goods with a goal and two bonus points against Norwich. West Ham this gameweek travel to another promoted team in the shape of Aston Villa. The Villains have proved a sturdy force against mid-table Everton in the most recent Friday night game, but we expect Haller to be much better than Calvert-Lewin was in that game.
Nicolas Pépé (ARS): The North London Derby was an exciting affair as both teams battled out to a 2-2 draw. A big factor of that was just how good Arsenal were in pressing Spurs back to the edge of their box. Based on the run of play Arsenal were unlucky in only getting a draw, and their record signing Nicolas Pépé marked his first derby with an assist, and a very good performance from the Ivorian. Travelling to Watford shouldn’t faze the team and gives Pépé a very good chance at getting his first goal in Arsenal colours.
Other Considerations:
Joel Matip (LIV, DEF, £5.4mil, 3.7% ownership)
Shane Duffy (BHA, DEF, £5.0mil, 2.3% ownership)
Dean Henderson (SHU, £4.5mil, 2.2% ownership)
Danny Rose (TOT, DEF, £5.5mil, 2.4% ownership)
David Silva (MCI, MID, £7.5mil, 7.6% ownership)
Harry Wilson (BOU, MID, £6.0mil, 3.0% ownership)
Gylfi Sigurdsson (EVE, MID, £7.8mil, 6.2% ownership)
Felipe Anderson (WHU, MID, £6.9mil, 4.7% ownership)
Manuel Lanzini (WHU, MID, £6.5mil, 3.3% ownership)
Key Differential: Christian Eriksen (TOT)
The summer transfer window has shut for all European clubs now, and to be honest we are not surprised that Christian Eriksen remained at Spurs. The Dane is one of their standout players, and his ability isn’t in question, and after Atletico spent for Joao Felix, and Real Madrid acquired Eden Hazard, it looked unlikely that Eriksen would be leaving North London.
The problem mainly being that he can run down his contract until next summer which would make it easier for clubs at the verge of Financial Fair Play to pick up Eriksen, but we also think that due to him nearly being 28, it will be the last big move of his career and have little resell value in his thirties.
To us, the ability is also in question. Eriksen has been a player that has dipped in and out of form, and even though he has been at Spurs since 2013 is still not regarded as one of the leagues ‘elite’ players. Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamad Salah, Sadio Mane, N’Golo Kante, Bernardo Silva, and David Silva are the leagues best offensive midfielders and game changers. Only a few years ago we regarded Eriksen as the Premier League’s most inconsistent midfielder, which has created an element of risk regarding the players rating. Eriksen has improved a lot in the last two years, but he was always missing in big games, such as this years Champions League final in which Spurs lost to Liverpool.
What that means is that Eriksen has been the Premier League’s best question mark, and it is no surprise that in the five years of writing differentials we have always been able to rely on Eriksen for large parts of every season. The truth is, the price of the Dane in this years FPL makes him unattainable, especially if you wanted a Man City and Liverpool midfielder to spearhead your midfield. Eriksen is in the ‘best of the rest’ category of the midfielders. You know, the players who you say to your friends ‘I wish I could fit him in if I had the budget’.
The Dane made a big impression in the North London derby before the international break with a well taken goal, and until the next transfer window will now be a big part of Spurs team going forward. Eriksen can lay someone in or take the goal for himself, and rightfully should be starting every game until the question of his future rears his head in again.
Spurs missed Eriksen’s creativity against Newcastle in which Spurs lost convincingly, and he is better against defences who will most likely sit with two banks of five to stay competitive. Crystal Palace at home should be a fixture that a Spurs win shouldn’t be in doubt, and they have a better chance of that happening with Eriksen in their team supporting Kane.
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The Hype Train is an entertainment website founded in 2015, specialising in Fantasy sports reporting, starting with Fantasy Premier League (FPL), before expanding to MLS Fantasy coverage in 2018.
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All aboard.