In-demand Kane an immediate skipper solution

A home encounter with Swansea City boosts Harry Kane’s (£10.9m) Fantasy Premier League armband potential.

Subject to more transfers in than any other forward ahead of Saturday’s 11.30am deadline, the Tottenham Hotspur striker has scored three goals in as many matches since returning from an ankle injury.

Still only found in 8.9% of squads, he faces a defence that has conceded at least three goals in four of six fixtures under new manager Bob Bradley.

The two most popular forwards in FPL, Sergio Aguero (£13.1m) and Diego Costa (£10.6m), go head-to-head at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.

Aguero’s brace in Manchester City’s 2-1 win at Burnley means he has averaged 6.8 points per match – more than any striker in 2016/17.

But visitors Chelsea have conceded only one goal in seven Gameweeks since moving to a 3-4-3 formation, limiting Aguero’s captaincy appeal.

Costa, meanwhile, has been the most consistent player in FPL, producing a goal or assist in 11 of the opening 13 Gameweeks.

His Stamford Bridge team-mate Eden Hazard (£10.3m) has been less reliable away from home, producing only one of his seven goals on the road.

Sitting only one point behind Hazard in the FPL standings, Alexis Sanchez (£11.4m) seeks a fourth double-figure away haul as Arsenal travel to West Ham United.

Rested for the Gunners’ midweek EFL Cup loss to Southampton, the Chilean netted twice against AFC Bournemouth last weekend and is our pick as the most likely to rival Kane’s Gameweek tally.

Southampton’s Charlie Austin (£6.9m) was also handed the night off from cup duties at Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Second only to Kane for transfers up front since last weekend’s deadline, Austin has scored six times in nine appearances. He travels to face a Crystal Palace defence that has yet to keep a clean sheet in the Premier League.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic (£11.1m) stepped up his form with a midweek brace in Manchester United’s EFL Cup win over West Ham United.

The veteran has netted five times in as many matches across all competitions and pays visit to an Everton rearguard with a single clean sheet in nine Gameweeks.

Sunderland’s top scorer Jermain Defoe (£7.6m) could also be poised to profit at home to Leicester City.

The Foxes boast the joint-worst away defence in the Premier League, conceding 16 goals on their travels.

With Philippe Coutinho (£8.5m) sidelined due to an ankle problem, the onus will be on Roberto Firmino(£8.8m) and Sadio Mane (£9.2m) as Liverpool make their way to AFC Bournemouth.

Mane is the second most transferred in midfielder this Gameweek, yet has failed to score away from home since the season opener at Arsenal.

But Firmino, who is expected to shrug off a minor calf complaint in time for Sunday’s match, has been more reliable outside of Anfield, netting in two of his previous three away appearances.

Source:  premierleague.com