Marcus Rashford, Raheem Sterling, Diogo Jota Lead Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 7 Sleepers

If you took my advice in last week’s Fantasy Premier League sleepers column, is it too late now to say sorry?

Aside from a Che Adams goal for Southampton in its enormous win over Everton, I didn’t get any goals, assists or clean sheets. Was my worst effort of the year by a longshot.

Redemption starts right here, right now. We roll with a 3-5-2 for the gameweek that begins on Friday with an important one.

Goalkeeper

Rui Patricio, £5.5M, Wolverhampton Wanderers

Patricio is tied for 4th among goalies in FPL points but does come at a high price tag. Aside from a 4-0 loss to impressive West Ham in gameweek 3, Wolves have allowed just four goals in the other five matches, including three clean sheets. Its Friday opponent, Crystal Palace, has eight goals in six matches and are ahead of Wolves on goal differential in 8th in the table. Wilfried Zaha has been hugely impressive for the Eagles this season with five goals and an assist, but this should be the week that Patricio and co has put down the clamps down on he and Palace.

Defenders

Ben Davies, £4.8M, Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs’ first clean sheet came on Monday at Turf Moor against Burnley, and they’ll return home to London on Sunday to face Brighton & Hove Albion after a Thursday Europa League trip to Antwerp. In the two home matches Davies has played this season, Spurs have conceded just two total goals against Everton and Newcastle. The Gulls have actually scored six times in three matches away from home this season, but just one in a gameweek 5 draw against Crystal Palace. I’d bet Tottenham builds on their momentum from Burnley and limits Brighton this weekend.

Joao Cancelo, £5.4M, Manchester City

City’s defense in the Prem has vastly improved since entering Pep Guardiola’s started the 26-year-old Portuguese international two games ago. He played the full 90 in a 1-0 win over Arsenal before assisting on the team’s lone goal in a draw against West Ham, yet is only selected by 0.8% of all FPL managers. City faces Sheffield United, which has scored three goals all season and just one tally this season in three home matches.

Connor Coady, £5.0M, Wolverhampton Wanderers

Coady has been a linchpin in this Wolves defense this season, playing every minute of their six matches thus far. They’ve conceded four home goals this season, but three of those were against City in gameweek 2. Expect continued better effort from this backline Friday against Crystal Palace.

Midfielders

Raheem Sterling, £11.6M, Phil Foden, £6.6M Manchester City

If you were to compile a list of the most disappointing FPL players to date, Sterling would certainly be towards the top of that list, along with teammate Kevin de Bruyne. But there were signs of life since the international break, with two goals in his last three matches. Sterling is certainly due for a breakout performance, and that can certainly come against struggling Sheffield, especially if forwards Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero, subbed out at halftime last weekend against West Ham, are unable to play. There isn’t really such thing as “buying low” when you’re that expensive, but with only 7.4% of FPL managers selecting Sterling, now’s your chance to benefit before he’s widely used.

Young Foden has emerged as one of City’s most consistent players, scoring or assisting in three of the team’s five matches and subbed for Aguero and scored Sunday against the Hammers. It’s super surprising he’s only being selected by 8.4% of FPL managers given his team, price and production.

Marcus Rashford, £9.5M, Manchester United

FPL managers will have been disappointed by Rashford’s output to date as well, aside from a 15-point effort in gameweek 5 against Newcastle. Only 7.2% of managers have stuck with the England international, but that could change after his hattrick in United’s 5-0 home thrashing of RB Leipzig on Wednesday. Will that help turn around his team’s fortunes at home? United have lost all three PL matches at Old Trafford this season, outscored 9-2 in those matches. As Arsenal has faltered against superior competition this season, this could be the game for Rashford and United to finally turn things around.

Diogo Jota, £6.3M, Liverpool

Since his transfer from Wolves last month, Jota has seemingly become a favorite of manager Jurgen Klopp, scoring in his debut against Arsenal and the winner on Sunday against Sheffield. Liverpool is at Anfield again this weekend against impressive world beaters West Ham, which has conceded five away goals to date. Klopp’s team has nine goals in three home games this season, second to only Merseyside rival Everton. As long as Jota remains in the starting XI, he should benefit from the starpower around him.

Allan Saint-Maximin, £5.3M, Newcastle United

It’s an oddly appealing fantasy matchup for Newcastle against the Premier League leaders, but Everton has scored just three away goals this season in as many matches and ASM can contribute a calming, ASMR-like clean sheet in midfield, especially with Richarlison still on red card suspension. The man with the Gucci headband had a goal and an assist at home against Burnley in gameweek 3, and is always ripe for a top performance. His new role further up front can help the 7.1% of FPL managers who have selected him, and he only has one “red” matchup through gameweek 14.

Forwards

Ollie Watkins, £6.0M, Aston Villa

Aside from his three goal, one assist virtuoso in Villa’s 7-2 shocking dismantling of Liverpool, Watkins has been quiet. His opponent this weekend is surprising Southampton, which has scored and conceded four away goals this season. After being blanked last week by Leeds, expect a more determined Villa side looking to protect home.

Aleksander Mitrovic, £5.8M, Fulham

Fulham has been abysmal this season, no doubt. But so has its Monday opponent this week, West Bromwich Albion. Only Liverpool have conceded more away goals than West Brom’s eight, and seven of those for the champions came against Villa. Fulham finally scored at home last weekend against Crystal Palace, and Mitrovic is in prime position if the floodgates open against a poor defensive side.