Brighton FPL Gameweek 33: Lewis Dunk has value at both ends v Blades
Whilst the football world has been tearing itself apart over the European Soccer League, it has been an equally busy time in FPL with fixtures on every day for 10 days spread over two gameweeks – including an excellent point for Brighton and Lewis Dunk away at Chelsea.
The Albion’s defence were in decent form going into the game at Stamford Bridge, keeping two clean sheets in their last three Premier League matches.
Indeed, Ben White (£4.5 million) and Lewis Dunk’s (£4.9 million) nine and eight point hauls respectively for the 0-0 draw against Everton in gameweek 31 put the Brighton rear guard right back on the FPL agenda.
Despite that, even the most committed Albion fan would have struggled to see a clean sheet against Chelsea. That is, however, exactly what Graham Potter and his players delivered.
Robert Sanchez (£4.5 million) registered nine points in gameweek 32 from his shutout at the Bridge, including four saves and two bonus points.
Big Dan Burn (£4.2 million) was top for aerial duels across the gameweek following Tuesday evening’s match, with Joel Veltman (£4.4 million) top for tackles.
All of these are positive signs for Brighton’s security at the back, as well as the potential upside of bonus points if the game is low scoring. Swapping out the suspended White for another Albion defender therefore looks a shrewd move.
The theory goes that if Brighton can keep a clean sheet away at Chelsea, they should be more than capable of doing so against already relegated Sheffield United in gameweek 33.
After all, the Blades have managed just two goals in their past nine Premier League fixtures, giving cause for optimism for owners of Sanchez and his backline.
At the other end of the pitch, Sheffield United have conceded 13 goals in their last five Premier League games. With Lewis Dunk having a fine scoring record for a defender this season, the Brighton captain could offer FPL managers the chance to pick up defensive and additional attacking points.
In terms of Seagulls strikers, Danny Welbeck (£5.5 million) continues to put his hand up for one of the three FPL squad striker spots. Attacking returns in three of Brighton’s last five Premier League matches mean that Welbeck is top across the team for goal conversion between gameweek 28 and 31.
Indeed, Welbeck was unlucky not to add to his season’s tally against Chelsea when his second half shot cannoned back off the post. He is sure to have more opportunities to strike against the Blades.
Captain Fantastic
With key players who would normally have been in the captain conversation blanking this week, now might be a good time for a differential captain option.
Brighton’s match against Sheffield United could be the perfect opportunity to trust a Seagull with the armband, with Dun and in-form Welbeck the stand-out options.
Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho (£6.1 million) also looks another great captaincy choice. His ownership has risen by almost 10 percent since gameweek 31’s deadline, but that still means he is owned by 17 percent of managers overall.
Such a low ownership rate compared to some of the other captaincy options this weekend make him an interesting pick and with returns in four of the last five Premier League matches as well as in the FA Cup semi-final, he is one of the most dynamic assets in FPL at the moment.
Bruno Fernandes (£11.6 million) is likely to be one of the most popular captains this weekend as Manchester United visit The Leeds United.
However, with only an assist from his last four Premier League outings, his form going into this fixture might make other choices more appealing.
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