25 Sep, 2024

Game Week 6: Dark Horses

Gameweek 6 dark horses:

Defenders:

Luca Digne (£4.5m vs Ipswich)

We are going back to the well once again despite being let down by Villa defenders this season in some favourable matchups. Digne has 2 assists already this season, and in a matchup against Ipswich who are dead last in the Premier League for XG and big chances created, Digne’s ceiling outcome for this game is double-digit points and at £4.5m you won’t find a better dark horse pick for a defender than that.

Ola Aina (£4.5m vs Fulham)

A personal fave of ours. The matchup against Fulham is an average one as Fulham sit 10th in XG and have scored 7 in 5. But this is more just a bet on a borderline elite defensive team through the first 5 weeks, as Forest have the 3rd lowest XG conceded out of all 20 teams, sitting ahead of Arsenal, Villa, Chelsea, Spurs and United on that front.

Midfielders:

Antoine Semenyo (£5.6m vs Southampton)

Combine the fact that Bournemouth look like potentially the best attacking unit outside of the traditional big 6, sitting 6th in XG, having created multiple good chances against both Liverpool and Chelsea, with the fact Semenyo has 2 goals and an assist already this season, is top 15% in XG and XA for wingers, along with Southampton’s having conceded the 4th most XG in the division, and you have a recipe for Semenyo FPL points.

Dwight McNeil (£5.4m vs Crystal Palace)

McNeil has been a standout performer for the Blues and goals have not been Everton’s problem of late, not conceding them has. McNeil is on fire at the moment with a goal and 2 assists in his last 3 games. He is also, shockingly, 1st out of all players in the entire division for big chances created and 2nd in XA.

Forwards:

John Duran (£6.1m vs Ipswich)

Duran is one of the in-form players in the Premier League if not the world. He has scored 4 goals in 131 Premier League minutes, including the goal of the season contender against Everton a couple of weeks back, and easily the best goals to minutes ratio of anyone in the league, along with the best XG per 90 of any player by a country mile.

At $6.1m, it does feel a stretch for a player who does not start, but his ability and goalscoring form cannot be questioned, and Emery has to be questioning whether Duran should be starting most games alongside Watkins. Ipswich is the best matchup any attacking player can find themselves with this season, and Duran is a great dark horse pick this week and most weeks it seems.

By Ahsan Ejaz

Last Updated 25/09