FPL GW12 tips: Turn to Newcastle for budget differentials
Gameweek 12 is on the horizon, and Newcastle fans may feel some concern over their club’s injury crisis – but Fantasy Premier League players may stand to gain from the Magpies’ misfortune.
With 11 players out through injury or suspension, the cheaper assets in Eddie Howe’s squad have a chance to shine – both on the pitch and in managers’ FPL teams.
We used the Twenty3 Toolbox to pick out three budget differentials – all owned by under less than 10% of FPL managers at the time of writing – whose prospects have been boosted by their team-mates’ absence.
Anthony Gordon (£5.7m, 8.5% owned)
Anthony Gordon has enjoyed a regular starting berth since the start of the season and has excelled as a low-cost option – only two midfielders under £6.5m have scored more points than his 54 so far.
However, Alexander Isak (£7.4m) is out until after the international break and Callum Wilson (£7.9m) is a doubt with a hamstring issue – opening the door for Gordon to be used out of position at centre-forward.
The 22-year-old moved into a central attacking role when Wilson was substituted in the 1-0 win over Arsenal and eventually scored the decisive goal, while he also replaced the 31-year-old up front at half-time of the 2-0 Champions League defeat at Borussia Dortmund in midweek.
Gordon’s underlying metrics are encouraging – he is Newcastle’s most active forward, ranking first at the club for successful attacking actions per 90 in the Premier League (5.34).
He also sits second among team-mates for assists (0.2) and expected assists (0.16) per 90 and third for goals (0.4) and expected goals (0.25) per 90.
A player classed as a midfielder playing out of position at the point of attack for a Newcastle side performing well in the league – and at such an attractive price – is an exceptionally tempting prospect.
Jamaal Lascelles (£4m, 4.4% owned)
Further back, the injury to Sven Botman (£4.6m) has not been as detrimental to Howe’s side as it has for his FPL owners – in large part due to the outstanding performances of club captain Jamaal Lascelles, who has taken the Dutchman’s place in the side for the last five games.
His aerial prowess – winning a club-leading 3.22 aerial duels per 90 – has been particularly impressive, as has his ability with the ball, completing an average of 54.07 passes per game.
The 29-year-old has yet to translate those qualities into any notable goal threat or creativity, but the potential is there.
Either way, a £4m route into the Newcastle defence can hardly be sniffed at.
Tino Livramento (£4.3m, 0.3% owned)
A riskier punt, admittedly – particularly at £0.3m more than Lascelles – is Tino Livramento.
However, the 20-year-old replaced the injured Dan Burn (£4.7m) against Arsenal last weekend and played the full 90 minutes – playing the first half as a right winger before returning to right-back, with popular FPL pick Kieran Trippier (£7m) switching across to the left on both occasions.
The absence of Matt Targett (£4.3m) and Javier Manquillo (£4.3m) further deplete Newcastle’s full-back options, increasing the likelihood of Livramento being afforded a run in the side.
Should that be the case, the right-back would likely offer more creativity than Lascelles, having attempted 2.33 crosses per 90 on average in his 116 Premier League minutes so far.
He is also active defensively. Per 90, he has recorded 12.41 successful defensive actions, won 6.98 defensive duels and made 0.78 dangerous ball recoveries in the opposition half.
If you have the money to spare and are willing to take a risk on a player owned by less than 1% of FPL managers, Livramento may well prove a rewarding choice.
All visualisations in this article were produced with the Twenty3 Toolbox. For more information, please get in touch below.