MY ACCOUNT
Premier League football has returned and fantasy managers across the world will have been glued to the opening fixtures last week.
With debutants, exciting youngsters and established stars all featuring, cracking the code for the right selections in your fantasy team can often feel like a monumental task.
Injuries, suspensions and form leave a lot for managers to consider – with there being nothing worse than benching or transferring out a player who go on to excel.
With the conclusion of the first round of matches, the window for transfers has opened once again and Stats Perform have crunched the Opta numbers to help give you a hand with four picks to consider.
Oleksandr Zinchenko (Arsenal vs Leicester City)
An impressive debut has seen Oleksandr Zinchenko become a huge talking point for Arsenal after catching the eye down the left, where he made 11 successful passes in the final third against Crystal Palace.
In just eight Premier League appearances in 2022, the Ukraine international has contributed three assists and ranks top of the pile for average assists per match for defenders who have played at least 500 minutes this year.
Creating 2.01 chances per match on average, Zinchenko’s numbers should be boosted with more playing time following his move to the Emirates Stadium.
James Maddison (Arsenal vs Leicester City)
An assist in Leicester’s 2-2 draw with Brentford last weekend took James Maddison to four goals and four assists in his last five Premier League appearances with the Foxes, so it is no wonder Newcastle United are reportedly keen to sign him.
In Premier League history, only Jamie Vardy (174), Riyad Mahrez (66) and Muzzy Izzet have been involved in more goals for Leicester than Maddison (57) – with a record that breaks down to 33 goals and 24 assists.
That results in plenty of points for a much more affordable price than many other high-scoring midfielders – and it may be time to strike before a potential transfer later in the window.
Mason Mount (Chelsea vs Tottenham)
Since the start of last season, Mason Mount has contributed 11 goals and 10 assists for Chelsea – making him one of only three players to hit double figures for both in that time, along with Mohamed Salah and Jarrod Bowen.
His assist record since the start of the 2020-21 season is only bettered by Liverpool duo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold, who are among the most expensive picks in their respective positions in fantasy football.
Inconsistency within Chelsea’s forward ranks will have also affected Mount’s return, which may see his numbers boosted following the addition of Raheem Sterling.
Callum Wilson (Brighton & Hove Albion vs Newcastle United)
Scoring Newcastle’s second of the game in last week’s 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest, Callum Wilson’s record for the Magpies now stands at 21 goals in 45 Premier League matches.
That return is more than double than any other Newcastle player since the start of the 2020-21 season and gives the England striker a ratio of a goal every 169.62 minutes.
Within that period, Wilson’s expected goals (xG) have been 19.5, showing he outperforms what is expected, and his numbers should be boosted considerably if he can remain injury free this season.
