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Not too Shaw on Luke? Five Fantasy questions answered ahead of Gameweek 7

Captain concerns, injury doubts and a fox in the box - there’s plenty more to consider for your fantasy team ahead of the weekend's Premier League action.

In a week which saw Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea all drop points, is there a cause for concern regarding the big-hitters in Fantasy Premier League?
For the first time since his Manchester United return, Cristiano Ronaldo failed to bring in any extra points as the Red Devils fell to a late 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa.
Similarly, Chelsea lost out to Manchester City in a crucial clash at the top of the table, while Liverpool's goal-fest at Brentford ended 3-3.

Elsewhere, the north London derby was dominated by Mikel Arteta's side, and Arsenal's young stars Bukayo Saka (£6.2million) and Emile Smith Rowe (£5.3million) stole the show.

With another week of dramatic twists and turns under our belt, Planet Sport takes a look at five of the latest talking points surrounding the Fantasy Premier League.

Should Salah remain captain against Manchester City?

Last week we suggested that Mohamed Salah should be handed the armband, and the Egyptian didn't let us down, scoring once against Brentford on Saturday afternoon.

Despite our recommendation, it was Ronaldo who turned out to be the most favoured captain across the gameweek. But, both the 36-year-old and fellow favourite Romelu Lukaku (£11.7million) both failed to register a goal or assist for their sides.

However, while it is tempting to rest on our laurels, Fantasy Football is a cruel mistress and falling behind the curve can be dangerous.
So, despite his haul of points last week it's time to strip Salah of the armband and look elsewhere for a more nailed on double-pointer.

That's because Liverpool line up against Manchester City this weekend, and while the Reds' star forward boasts a good record against the Citizens - scoring in three of his last four appearances against them - Pep Guardiola's side have been impeccable in defence.

City have conceded just one goal this campaign - on the opening weekend against Tottenham. Since then, they have been impenetrable and maintained that form last week against the European champions.

Liverpool are the highest scoring team this season with 15, with Salah on five, but their scoring streak is likely to come to an end this weekend at Anfield.

Therefore, with Salah an uncertainty on the scoresheet, Lukaku looks a great pick for the armband when his Chelsea side face Southampton.

If the big Belgian hasn't yet found his way into your side, then Ronaldo up against Everton is certainly appealing, while Michail Antonio against Brentford is also a solid shout.

Are Spurs a sinking ship?

After a chaotic summer which included a farcical search for a manager and Harry Kane's Manchester City saga, no one was quite sure how Spurs were going to fare this season.

However, Nuno Espirito Santo got off to a great start in his new hotseat, beating City 1-0 in his opener before identical wins over Wolves and Watford.

Three weeks in, Spurs were top of the league and seemed to have put the transfer drama behind them. But, three weeks and three defeats later, expectations have been dampened in north London.

A 3-1 derby loss to Arsenal was the latest blow, and they now sit 11th in the table with a -5 goal difference, while their wantaway captain is yet to get off the mark.

Kane's fall from grace has been a huge factor in Spurs' poor form, with goals in short supply.

Kane (£12.1million) has brought in a measly seven points in fantasy this season. This time last year the England captain had raked in over 55.

With a clash against high-flying Aston Villa next, it doesn't get any easier for Nuno or his side, so we advise you to stay away from any Spurs assets when making your transfers this week.

Are Arsenal's young guns worth considering?

From the white to the red side of north London and an Arsenal side who have experienced a contrasting start to the season.

They lost their opening three games, but have managed to turn around their fortunes and find themselves on a three-game winning streak following their derby victory.

Last week we discussed the attraction of Arsenal's new-look defence, and Ben White (£4.4million) and Takehiro Tomiyasu (£4.5million) continue to look like inspired additions to Arteta's backline, but it's beginning to come together at the other end too.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang notched his second of the season, while the youthful duo of Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka opened their accounts.

The latter two added to their points haul by registering an assist, and their sparkling display has certainly caught the eye of fantasy football managers.
However, with most only having space for one of Arsenal's midfielders, we're here to help you decide which one makes the cut, if any.

At £5.3million, Smith Rowe is the cheaper option and has managed an impressive 22 points, 12 of which came last weekend.

In comparison, Saka is more pricey at £6.2million but has rewarded his owners with 26 points - 13 last weekend. Furthermore, Saka's two big chances created this season places him top of Arsenal's midfielders.

Overall, the duo are very close in terms of points gained, so the choice is simplified down to a financial one, and Smith-Rowe edges it.

Arsenal also have favourable fixtures next up against Brighton, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa. So Saka and Smith Rowe should be considered candidates for your weekly transfer, or at the very least should be high up on your watchlist.

Luke Shaw-ly has to go?

Possibly the most frustrating player to own this season, Luke Shaw just hasn't lived up to expectations - although it is hard to follow up a goal in the final of a European Championship.

The 26-year-old has consistently been the most owned defender in the game this season, and currently sits in 35.4% of teams. However, he's only managed a disappointing 18 points.

Manchester United have only managed one clean sheet, against Wolves, and Shaw has only picked up one assist (against Newcastle United).

However, while he has been largely disappointing, it has been hard to isolate an ideal gameweek to transfer him out. But not any more.

Shaw picked up an injury in the first half against Aston Villa, which meant his owners picked up no points from him. So now could be the time to flog him.

At £5.5million, Shaw's sale opens up plenty of exciting opportunities for your defence, one of which is to directly swap him out for Chelsea's Thiago Silva (£5.4million).

Thomas Tuchel's side have conceded only two goals this season - to Liverpool and Manchester City - and have looked well organised and rigid at the back.

With Southampton, Brentford and Norwich up next, more Chelsea clean sheets seem likely, making Silva an enticing replacement.

If you happen to have a bit more cash lying about then Marcos Alonso (£5.9million) has been crucial to the Blues and has already amassed 39 points, while Villa's Matty Cash (£5million) has also impressed with 29 points this season.

Is Jamie Vardy back to partying?

Leicester City currently sit in a disappointing 13th place, but not to the fault of Jamie Vardy, who scored twice against Burnley this weekend to take his goal tally to five.

The Foxes have struggled to get going and Vardy's goals have helped bail out their weak, disorganised defence.

But while their league position may put you off bringing in any of Leicester's players, Vardy's form has made him difficult to ignore.
The 34-year-old is now joint-top in the league's scoring charts, and has brought in 40 points across six games, leaving him second behind only West Ham's Antonio (47).
Yet, Vardy only finds himself in 12.6% of teams. At £10.4million he could well be a valuable differential for any sides that can't quite fit in Lukaku, but are looking for a reliable forward.

Brendan Rodgers' side next face Crystal Palace, Manchester United and Brentford in the league, and if the side do manage to kick back into gear, Vardy's points will only increase.

Does he rank ahead of Ronaldo and Lukaku in terms of value? Probably not. But, Vardy is certainly worth considering for those who don't want to rely too heavily on the big-hitters.

READ MORE: Eight things you didn’t know about Champions League newcomers, Sheriff Tiraspol

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