Arsenal fans and Fantasy Premier League managers alike were left reeling after Mikel Arteta's recent statement following Tuesday night's Champions League clash.
The Gunners' boss dropped a bombshell, saying, "Bukayo Saka vs Liverpool? Unlikely... he didn't train yet since the injury happened."
This news has sent FPL managers scrambling for suitable replacements, with Son Heung-min, Cole Palmer, and Phil Foden emerging as prime candidates. Let's dive into their 2024/25 stats and upcoming fixtures to help you make an informed decision.
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The Fix Comparison Matrix tool will compare the stats of the midfield maestro trio from Gameweek 1 to 8, using per-game averages. As each player has played a different number of matches in the 2024/25 season.
It's important to note that Palmer has played the most games (8) and logged 687 minutes on the pitch. In comparison, Son has played 6 games with 519 minutes, and Foden has seen significantly less time, with just 191 minutes across 5 games.
When it comes to FPL points, Cole Palmer has been a revelation this season, averaging an impressive 8.6 points per game as shown above in the Fix Comparison Matrix. Son Heung-min follows with a respectable 6.8 points per game, while Phil Foden lags behind with 1.8 points per game. These figures provide a clear picture of each player's overall fantasy impact.
Expected FPL points (xFPL) is calculated using expected goals (xG), assists (xA), clean sheets (xCS), and underlying statistics, factoring in appearance and bonus points to provide an overall expected FPL point score.
Once again, Palmer leads the pack with 7.6 xFPL per game, suggesting his high scoring is sustainable. Son's 5.8 xFPL indicates he's slightly overperforming but still offers excellent value. Foden's 1.8 xFPL matches his current output, hinting at consistent but lower returns.
Cole Palmer has been a standout performer this season when it comes to scoring goals. The Chelsea midfielder averages an impressive 0.8 goals per game, well ahead of Son's 0.5 and Foden, who has yet to score.
Palmer also leads in expected goals (xG) with 0.5 per game, although this suggests he's overperforming. Similarly, Son is scoring more than expected with an xG of 0.2 per game, while Foden lags behind with just 0.1 xG per game.
Palmer continues to impress in the shooting department, registering 1.4 shots on target per game out of a total of 3.5 shots. Son follows closely with 1.0 shot on target from 2.0 total shots, while Foden lags behind with 0.2 on target from 1.2 attempts. Palmer's higher volume and accuracy make him a perfect prospect for FPL managers.
In terms of FPL assists, Palmer leads with 0.6 assists per game, ahead of Son's 0.3 and Foden's 0.2. Palmer also tops the expected assists (xA) chart with 0.5 per game. When it comes to creating big chances, Palmer averages 1.0 per game, while Son averages 0.7, and Foden has yet to create any this season.
This highlights that both Palmer and Son have provided multiple routes to FPL points so far, contributing with both goals and assists for the managers who own them.
According to the Transfer Analytics tool, all three players are among the top six most popular replacements for Saka this week. Mbeumo, Salah, and Johnson have also been popular transfer choices for FPL managers.
As of Gameweek 8, Palmer's ownership has skyrocketed to 51.6%, far surpassing Son's 6.7% and Foden's 6.5%. While Palmer's high ownership can boost team value if he performs, it could be risky if he blanks.
In terms of transfers in, Son leads with 198,281 managers bringing him in, making him the third most popular transfer. Palmer follows with 129,070 transfers, ranking sixth, while Foden has seen a modest 20,709 new transfers.
The Fixture Planner tool reveals that Spurs tops the list when filtered by attacking difficulty over the next five gameweeks, with Man City in second and Chelsea in third. None of the three midfielders face a straightforward run of easy fixtures, though both Man City and Spurs have better matchups in the next three games compared to Chelsea.
FPL managers could take advantage by rotating transfers between these players to maximise points from promising fixtures. However, this strategy carries risks, such as unexpected issues in other areas of the squad and the potential difficulty of securing free transfers for future moves.
After analysing the data, including FPL points and xFPL, Cole Palmer emerges as the standout option among the three midfielders. His impressive average of 8.62 FPL points per game, coupled with a high xFPL of 7.59, suggests he's not only performing well but is likely to continue doing so. His goal involvement, shooting accuracy, and creativity further solidify his position as an attractive Saka replacement.
Son Heung-min presents a strong case as well, with 6.83 FPL points per game and favourable upcoming fixtures. His slightly lower xFPL of 5.77 indicates he might be overperforming slightly, but his proven track record in the Premier League makes him a reliable option.
Phil Foden, despite his undeniable talent, seems to be the riskiest choice based on his current role for Man City and risk of minutes. However, this could of course change moving forward.
Whichever midfielder you choose, they'll have big boots to fill in replacing the dynamic Bukayo Saka. Keep a close eye on team news as you make your final decision for Gameweek 9 and beyond.
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