FPL tips: Shot hog Demarai Gray to haunt Arsenal with drought-busting goal?

Everton v Arsenal – Premier League – Goodison Park
(Image credit: Martin Rickett)

Demarai Gray leads the list of players on a run of shots without scoring going into gameweek 38 of the season, but he could end his drought in poetic fashion on Sunday.

The Everton midfielder will face the club he last scored against on the final day of the Premier League season – Arsenal – as the Toffees look to celebrate the continuation of their top-tier status with a win.

Gray has taken 31 shots since he last hit the back of the net in the league, doing so in GW15 in a rare Everton win way back in December.

That figure puts him top of our list of shot hogs who have been searching for a goal for some time – could any of these players put an end to their painful run of unsuccessful efforts on Sunday?

A graphic showing the players with the most shots in the Premier League since their last goal (minimum five goals this season)

Gray has scored five goals and registered five FPL assists this season, although he actually scored three of those in the first four games of the campaign.

Ranked 24th for Threat scored among midfielders, he has been unable to find his shooting boots for months, although he does have two assists in his last five league appearances.

Furthermore, at £5.4m and 5.2 per cent ownership he is a good differential option while Everton, who have 10 points from their last five games, could be in the mood to celebrate at the Emirates Stadium.

In at number two on the list is Watford’s Joshua King, who has taken 27 shots since he scored against Leicester in GW13.

The striker was also reasonably fresh from a hat-trick against Everton when he last scored in the league, although he is not as appealing an option having only been given limited minutes in recent games.

Chelsea away on the last day of the campaign also does little to add to his appeal, although with third place essentially secured for the Blues, who knows how that game might go?

A better option might be Newcastle’s Allan Saint-Maximin, who was very much one of the Magpies’ only hopes in the first half of the season.

Newcastle United’s Allan Saint-Maximin (right) and Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Jonny Castro Otto battle for the ball during the Premier League match at St James’ Park, Newcastle. Picture date: Friday April 8, 2022

Allan Saint-Maximin (right) has five goals and six assists this term (Owen Humphreys/PA)

The forward has five goals and six assists this term, his last goal coming against Watford in GW22 – he has taken 22 shots at goal since then.

Saint-Maximin will hope to put that right against Burnley on Sunday and despite his less impressive second half of the season, he is the only Newcastle player with more than 100 points going into GW38.

Ranking first for Creativity among all forwards in the division, ASM might prove a better source of assists than goals – at £6.7m is he worth a try?