FPL tips: Let Pope bless your goal in gameweek 14

The Premier League fixtures are coming thick and fast, so your FPL team requires more careful consideration than ever.

In order to help you identify potential transfer targets, we have devised a score which takes into account form, cost, ownership and upcoming fixture difficulty rating (FDR) to produce an overall rating out of 100.

Form makes up half of the total with the other categories weighted equally – so who should you put your faith in?

All aboard the Pope-mobile

After a shaky start, Burnley’s defence has found the watertight form that we have come to expect in recent seasons. The Clarets kept just one clean sheet in their first seven matches but have now recorded four shutouts in their last six outings.

Nick Pope was sidelined for the 5-0 defeat to Man City, and has only conceded two goals in his last five appearances, making 25 saves and collecting 11 bonus points (more than any other player in the league in that time).

Some managers have been put off by the extra £1m added to Pope’s starting price this season, but now he has reclaimed his spot as top-scoring goalkeeper he might just be worth a second look.

Defensive deals

Another member of Burnley’s back line features in our list of defenders – Matt Lowton’s appeal is aided by his ultra low 0.2% ownership and £4.4m price tag.

For the same price but with better form, you can pick up Ezgjan Alioski who netted against Newcastle in midweek, but be aware that Leeds face both Manchester United and Tottenham in their next four matches.

If you can afford the extra £0.5m, Angelo Ogbonna has proved his scoring potential with two goals and four bonus points in his last four outings.

A wolf at the door

In midfield, Wolves’ Pedro Neto has flown past last week’s top scorers Pascal Gross and Riyad Mahrez with a nine-point haul against Chelsea.

Neto is now the top-scoring midfielder priced under £6m and is showing that he is ready to step up and fill the goalscoring void left by the injury to Raul Jimenez.

Mahrez has failed to kick on since his hat-trick against a Pope-less Burnley and was rested against West Brom, but he is around £3m cheaper than teammate Raheem Sterling despite very similar output.

McGoldrick, maybe…

Sheffield United have the kindest run of upcoming fixtures, but after a shocking start to the season only one of their players appears in our recommendations.

A brace against Manchester United has propelled David McGoldrick onto the list, but the rest of his season has been less inspiring.

McGoldrick has recorded five returns of a single point and has seen out two of the last four matches from the bench, but there is only one striker who costs less than £6m who has scored more points.

The forward’s ultra-low ownership gives him serious differential appeal, so if you’re looking to balance the books, he might just be worth a punt.