Go big or go home on Arsenal’s defence – FPL tips & team of week

Mohamed Salah (captain), Liverpool, £12.9m – away at Southampton

The way Salah is producing at the moment, giving him the captain’s armband is a no-brainer.

He has seven double-digit returns in 11 games so far, which is astonishing. A pessimist would say that he can’t carry on at that rate of production – if he does he’s on for a record 369-point season – but an away game at Southampton doesn’t feel like it’s going to be a stumbling block.

Salah has so many routes to production. Last gameweek was classic Mo – non-owners were escaping with just an assist – with Villa chasing the game and the Egyptian pouncing on a counter-attack to score with his only shot on target late on.

Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United, £8.4m – away at Ipswich

With the same reasoning as Salah, I’m rolling with Fernandes who is a man in form and has underproduced based on his underlying statistics.

Gameweek 11’s 17-point haul was coming and the Portuguese maestro often produces FPL points in spurts.

Dwight McNeil, Everton, £5.7m – home to Brentford

McNeil is back to fitness and he has been Everton’s talisman this season.

Three goals, three assists and an involvement in 60% of the goals in games he has played.

Everton have only scored 10 this season but if they can’t find the net against Brentford, who have the joint-second-worst defence with 22 goals conceded, then they are in trouble.

Emile Smith Rowe, Fulham, £5.7m – home to Wolves

The former Arsenal midfielder was a pre-season player to watch for me but is making his debut in the team of the week.

Like McNeil, ESR has become a key player for Fulham and he is returning roughly every other game.

He’s got a knack of arriving in the box at the right time and it wouldn’t be a surprise if he ends the season close to 10 goals – he has three so far in 11 games.