There isn’t too much need to delve into the underlying data when determining the best captaincy option for Gameweek 11 of Fantasy Premier League.
Mohamed Salah (£12.8m) has blanked just TWICE in 10 appearances under Liverpool’s head coach Arne Slot, averaging 9.3 points per match.
The Egyptian has also been the likeliest to deliver a huge haul by some margin. Indeed, Salah’s six double-digit scores are at least double that of any other player in 2024/25 Fantasy.
This weekend he is at home against an Aston Villa side who conceded four goals at Tottenham Hotspur last weekend, and the combination of his consistency and his peerless potential for huge returns makes him the best captain for Gameweek 11.
Who are the best alternatives to Salah?
Erling Haaland (£15.3m) and Bryan Mbeumo (£7.9m) have the form to merit consideration as two of the top alternatives.
Manchester City’s Haaland has scored 11 goals, at least three more than any other player, ahead of his visit to Brighton & Hove Albion.
Brentford’s Mbeumo hosts AFC Bournemouth as the top-scoring player in home matches this season, claiming 55 points over five appearances.
Chelsea’s encounter with Arsenal makes captaining Cole Palmer (£11.0m) or Bukayo Saka (£10.1m) a somewhat unnecessary risk.
Who has the worst defence?
A look at teams' defensive statistics can help identify opposing clubs with weaknesses that can be targeted, and therefore players who could enjoy successful weekends.
Promoted trio Ipswich Town, Leicester City and Southampton are the worst three sides for conceding big chances - situations where the player is expected to score.
Notably, at this point last season Sheffield United were the worst team for conceding big chances, with a total of 38. But Ipswich and Leicester have already surpassed that, allowing 45 and 39 respectively, while Southampton's 36 is not far off either.
This lifts the appeal of captaining the key attackers for the clubs who will face the promoted trio this weekend, with Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes (£8.2m), Spurs' Dominic Solanke (£7.7m) and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha (£6.7m) among the standout picks.
Opponents' defensive stats GW1-10
| Team | Goals conc. | Clean sheets | Big chances conceded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ipswich | 21 | 1 | 45 |
| Leicester | 18 | 1 | 39 |
| Southampton | 19 | 1 | 36 |
Who has been involved in the most big chances?
A quick glance at the underlying goal-threat statistics show why Haaland is the likeliest player to score in any given Gameweek.
Man City’s No 9 has had 16 big chances, more than any other player in Fantasy this season. Haaland also leads the way for shots and shots in the box in 2024/25, and is the best alternative to Salah as captain.
Solanke's major potential for goals against Ipswich is shown by his 10 big chances, second only to Haaland in the table.
Midfield pair Fernandes and Mbeumo, meanwhile, have produced more all-round displays than the Spurs forward. Both have had at least six big chances, while also creating five or more.
Wolves' Cunha is another whose passing catches the eye here. His total of eight big chances created is top in the analysis. But his team-mate Strand Larsen beats him for big chances, by six to two - an indication of the value offered by the Norwegian.
Big-chance involvement GW1-10
| Player | Big chances | Big chances created | Big-chance involvement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haaland | 16 | 1 | 17 |
| Fernandes | 6 | 7 | 13 |
| Mbeumo | 7 | 5 | 12 |
| Solanke | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| Cunha | 2 | 8 | 10 |
| Garnacho | 8 | 1 | 9 |
| Johnson | 7 | 1 | 8 |
| Strand Larsen | 6 | 2 | 8 |
| Son | 3 | 5 | 8 |