FPL gameweek 18: Guaita first on the teamsheet

The goalkeeper is the first name on any football club’s teamsheet but rarely the main consideration in Fantasy Premier League.

This week is an exception, though, with Crystal Palace’s Vicente Guaita comfortably the highest-ranked player in the PA news agency’s Transfer Score metric.

With form, price, ownership and upcoming fixture difficulty all considered, the Spaniard scores highly in every aspect – is he this year’s Christmas must-have?

It’s got to be Guaita

Guaita’s recent average of seven points per game means a score of 85 for form, which contributes 50 per cent of a player’s transfer score.

And he hits at least that mark in all four categories, peaking with 93 for his lowly 2.9 per cent ownership to make him an enticing differential.

His total transfer score of 87 is seven points more than any other FPL player and 20 clear of the second-ranked goalkeeper, Newcastle’s Martin Dubravka. Bournemouth’s Aaron Ramsdale, the joint-leading scorer among keepers this season, completes the podium.

Guaita’s form has lifted his defenders as well, with James Tomkins the top pick in that area of the field ahead of Leicester’s Jonny Evans and Tottenham star Jan Vertonghen.

Spurs pair march on

Another Palace star, Wilfried Zaha, is our second-ranked midfielder this week after his goal against Brighton on Monday – sandwiched by some familiar names.

Dele Alli and Son Heung-min have been constant among the transfer score leaders during Tottenham’s recent resurgence and are first and third again this week on 80 and 73 respectively, with Zaha on 76.

Aston Villa have the easiest upcoming run of fixtures in the Premier League and Jack Grealish is the fourth-ranked midfielder with a transfer score of 70, with Conor Hourihane and Anwar El Ghazi not too far behind. Matt Targett and Ezri Konsa offer cheap defensive considerations as well.

Rashford closing on top spot in form chart

In attack, too, the picture is familiar, as Marcus Rashford and Danny Ings top the rankings.

Manchester United star Rashford costs £9.1million and is owned by 28 per cent of all FPL players, keeping his scores down in those areas – but his recent average of eight points per game scores 97 to keep his transfer score at 77.

Only Leicester striker Jamie Vardy is in better form, with an average of 8.2 to nudge ahead of Rashford, Alli and Kevin De Bruyne.

Ings is not in that bracket but provides a consistent option at £6.4m, while the attacking podium is completed by Brighton’s Neal Maupay.