FPL Gameweek 11: Luis Diaz replacements
By Holly Shand
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It's shaping up to be a busy week of transfers in FPL as players plan ahead for Manchester City and Arsenal's blank gameweek 12.
But their absence from the fixture list isn't the only thing to worry about, with a number of key players in the game recently struck down by injury. The most prominent, perhaps, was Liverpool attacking midfielder Luis Diaz, who suffered a knee injury against Arsenal and now looks set to miss the upcoming World Cup.
He will also miss a number of games for Liverpool, which is a particular problem for the vast majority of players switching to the increasingly popular 3-5-2 formation in the game. Here's the alternative options to consider if the Colombian happens to be in your side.
Budget: Leandro Trossard vs Brentford (A)
Brighton's Leandro Trossard is a popular acquisition in the transfer market after scoring a hat-trick in Gameweek 9, his first game under new manager Roberto De Zerbi.
His more advanced role looks to be a sure-fire route to consistent fantasy points, particularly in the next couple of weeks. Brentford are next up for the Seagulls before a clash with Nottingham Forest, a team struggling at the bottom of the league.
The Belgian could be a popular captaincy choice in Gameweek 12, with Erling Haaland not having a fixture, although other options at this price point are Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford (£6.5m) and Newcastle United’s Joe Willock (£4.9m). They face Spurs and Everton respectively in the looming blank.
Mid-priced: Jarrod Bowen vs Southampton (A)
After a quiet start to the season, West Ham and England's Jarrod Bowen has exploded onto the FPL scene in recent games, bagging two goals and one assist since the international break.
The Hammers have scored five goals in their last two Premier League outings, with Bowen, who now appears to have assumed penalty duties, ranked third for shots with nine. He now faces Southampton, who are the only Premier League side to not have kept a clean sheet this season.
Phil Foden (£8.2m) and James Maddison (£8.3m) are other good options at this price point, but beware that Foden blanks next midweek and Maddison is one yellow card away from a suspension.
Premium: Mohamed Salah vs Manchester City (H)
After scoring the fastest ever hat-trick in the Champions League (6 minutes and 12 seconds) on Wednesday night, Mohamed Salah is firmly back on the fantasy agenda.
He flourished as a striker in that performance, having spent much of the season confined to the wing with his team-mates failing to finish the chances he created. This return to form could see Klopp change his formation to get the best out of Salah.
His potential as a captain pick against West Ham in Gameweek 12 helps with his appeal, while alternatives at this price point Son Heung-min (£11.7m) and Bruno Fernandes (£9.8m) face-off in a challenging fixture.