FPL Gameweek 17: Best forwards for return of Premier League
By Holly Shand
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Forwards have been resurgent in FPL this season, with Erling Haaland quite literally changing the game.
He hasn’t been the only one though, with four of the top five Premier League scorers all listed as forwards this season. So, who should we be going for?
Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland (£12.2m) has to be a lock in our FPL squads now, with these unlimited transfers allowing the 17% of managers who don’t own him to finally rectify that mistake. He’s been in sensational form this season, with a remarkable 21 attacking returns from just 14 appearances.
Haaland has also had the benefit of not being involved in Qatar, meaning that the foot injury which plagued him in late October and early November should be a distant memory. Manchester City have two scheduled upcoming double gameweeks and we could be using the Triple Captain chip on him soon too.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane (£11.6m) would have been in every fantasy squad if it wasn’t for that man Haaland, having had one of his best starts to the season ever. He’s been incredibly consistent, with 12 goals in 15 games, plus three assists. If he maintains these levels, he could break the 250-point barrier for the first time ever.
The downside for Kane is that although he was prolific at the World Cup, it was a very draining tournament for him and we do not know whether that decisive missed penalty in the quarter-finals against France will impact him positively or negatively in this immediate period. The next three fixtures are good and he soon has a double gameweek.
Aleksandar Mitrovic
Aleksandar Mitrovic (£6.8m) was one of the first names on my team-sheet, purely because he’s back fit and is unstoppable. He returned to the Premier League this season after scoring 43 goals in 44 appearances in the Championship last season. He has nine goals in 12 appearances so far this campaign.
The case for Mitrovic has only grown since Fulham were given a double gameweek against Leicester City and Chelsea. Mitrovic will be a key player for those fixtures as the talisman in this Fulham side and also their penalty taker. If he can stay fit, the sky's the limit for Mitrovic.
Eddie Nketiah
Eddie Nketiah (£6.5m) is somewhat of a wildcard pick as the player who is likely to benefit from additional minutes due to the long term knee injury sustained by Gabriel Jesus. Arsenal have been the best attack in the Premier League this season and Nketiah could play a key role if the absence of Jesus does not hinder their form.
Nketiah is kindly priced and we know that Arsenal have a looming double gameweek too. Nketiah has been involved as a substitute on 12 occasions so far this season, but hasn’t yet registered an attacking return. He was given a run of games at the end of last season in similar circumstances, delivering five goals and one assist for the 2021/22 campaign.
Darwin Nunez
Darwin Nunez (£9.0m) is another player whose appeal has gathered momentum as a result of injury news which has emerged over the last week. Liverpool return for the restart with injuries persisting for Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz, with Nunez set for a settled role in Liverpool’s attack.
It’s unlikely we will see him play centrally, with Mohamed Salah leading the line for the Reds in recent performances, but Nunez can still deliver significant fantasy hauls from the wing. He has scored five goals this season, with four of them coming in his last five starts. He’s also registered two assists.