Brighton FPL Gameweek 34: Dunk back to his best for returns at both ends
Premier League gameweek 34 will see Chelsea and Manchester United play twice and whilst most FPL managers will look towards assets from those two clubs, Brighton are in good form and their players should not be overlooked – especially captain Lewis Dunk.
The Albion may have lost 3-0 at Manchester City in midweek, but Dunk still shone with a strong performance full of his trademark blocks and tackles.
He played a major role in keeping Harry Kane and Son Heung-min quiet when Brighton beat Spurs 1-0 and was also excellent in the 2-1 win at Arsenal a week earlier.
Questions had been asked about Dunk’s form after he initially struggled on his return from six weeks out. That was the first major injury of his career however, and it was always likely to take time for him to return to his best.
It is little surprise that with Dunk fully fit and match sharp, Brighton were able to end that run of seven games without a victory. Seagulls supporters have even stopped shouting SHOOT, much to the delight of Graham Potter.
Defensively, the Albion have kept two clean sheets in the past six gameweeks. Attacking wise, Dunk (£4.8 million) is ranked fifth among Brighton players in FPL for goal attempts in the same period with nine.
He is not the only Seagulls defender with potential for points at the other end of the pitch. Joel Veltman (£4.2 million) and Tariq Lamptey (£4.5 million) are joint-sixth with six attempts each.
Lamptey is also third for expected assists (xA) across the Brighton team over the past six gameweeks.
It might be wise then to invest in Albion defensive options with the potential for extra points returns in addition to clean sheets due to their goal threat.
Robert Sanchez (£4.6 million) has come in for a bit of a hard time lately but his FPL points return actually remains very strong.
Only five other goalkeepers have managed more shutouts than Sanchez in the past six gameweeks and his 20 saves are bettered by only three.
This is great in FPL, as it means Sanchez is a reliable source of additional save points. The Brighton shot-stopper has earned four save points since Gameweek 29.
Sanchez’s nine clean sheets over the season are the seventh-most in the league. He also ranks eighth for saves made so far (90) and is fourth across the league for parried saves and recoveries.
Up until recently, Aaron Ramsdale (£5.1m) had been the most popular goalkeeper in the game. However, the Arsenal man has kept just one clean sheet in his last nine Premier League matches.
For managers seeking a new goalkeeper, Sanchez looks a good option – especially with some promising fixtures remaining for the Seagulls.
Captain Fantastic
Mason Mount (£7.6 million) will likely be a popular captain choice for Gameweek 34. His Chelsea team have two fixtures, increasing Mount’s game time in which to register returns.
The Blues midfielder has done so in his last two Premier League matches, alongside the FA Cup semi-final. Mount’s four attacking returns during the last four Gameweeks can only be bettered by two midfielders.
One of his Gameweek 34 opponents is West Ham United, who the midfielder returned 13 points against in the reverse fixture from earlier this season.
However, Mohamed Salah (£13.2 million) also makes a good captaincy option – even with a single match – as Liverpool play Everton in Gameweek 34.
Salah has returned in two of the last three Merseyside derbies, averaging eight points per match in them. He also shone against the Reds other rivals Manchester United in midweek.
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