FPL Gameweek 8: Alternative captain picks
By Holly Shand
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It has already reached the stage where Fantasy Premier League managers are considering leaving the captain’s armband permanently on Erling Haaland, given he has scored a ridiculous ten goals in just six appearances for Manchester City.
However, some managers may be considering a differential captain pick - firstly because if everybody has got the same captain, how on earth do you make up ground, and secondly because some key players have enviable records against their Gameweek 8 opponents.
With that in mind, here's your three alternative captain's picks for this week.
Harry Kane vs Leicester City (H)
Harry Kane has enjoyed an impressive start to the season, with five goals and one assist in his first six games. That’s excellent consistency and his goal tally should arguably have been higher: he missed a penalty against Nottingham Forest back in Gameweek 4.
Penalties is a key route to points for Kane and he’s the focal point for this Spurs attack this season. Antonio Conte's side are unbeaten in the Premier League this season, whereas their opponents Leicester City sit at the bottom of the table, with just one point from six games, conceding 16 goals.
The most intriguing argument for captain Kane this week is his legacy in this fixture: he has scored more career goals against Leicester City than any other side, with 17 goals in 14 Premier League appearances, including six goals in his last six fixtures.
Aleksandar Mitrovic vs Nottingham Forest (A)
Only Erling Haaland has scored more Premier League goals than Aleksandar Mitrovic this season, who has six returns in six games. It’s been a remarkable return to the Premier League for the Serbian, who broke goal-scoring records in the Championship last season, with 43 goals in 44 appearances.
Mitrovic is the focal point of the Fulham attack, involved in two-thirds of their goals already this campaign, and he’s also on penalty duty. Not only that, the Serb ranks highest for shots on goals (27) this season, with ten of those categorised as big chances.
Furthermore, Mitrovic scored a brace in this fixture in the Championship last season - so the odds are stacked heavily in his favour.
Kevin De Bruyne vs Wolves (A)
If you want to go against the grain but stay with a captain from Manchester City, Kevin De Bruyne is the best alternative. He’s generally a mainstay of their first team, with one goal and four assists already this season.
Last campaign, De Bruyne bagged four goals against Wolves in a 5-1 win at Molineux, amassing an incredible 30 fantasy points across what was a double gameweek. If the Belgian isn't scoring them himself, there's also a good chance he'll be the one setting up Haaland.