Fantasy Premier League: Captain picks for GW31+ as Man United midfielder is alternative to Raul Jimenez

We analyse the best options for the armband every GW, breaking them down into three categories: Top Pick, Alternative and Bold Choice.

Here are the picks for GW31+…

TOP PICK – RAUL JIMENEZ | WOLVES | 8.1M

As much as the youthful exuberance of Eddie Howe and his Bournemouth side might appeal to neutrals, they do seem destined for the drop and a ruthless Wolves team is unlikely to show them any mercy as they push for a Champions League spot.

At the forefront of Nuno Espirito Santo’s attacking line is the impressive Raul Jimenez whose 14 league goals this season has put him on the radar of some of the elite clubs in Europe.

He’s always a threat and one of the more consistent performers in FPL with his header at West Ham securing his 20th attacking return of the campaign.

Jimenez’s pivotal role in Wolves’ promising attack coupled with the fact that Bournemouth have kept just one clean sheet since GW12, makes him a strong captaincy pick.

ALTERNATIVE – BRUNO FERNANDES | MANCHESTER UNITED | 8.6M

Speaking of consistent performers, you can’t do much better than Bruno Fernandes at the moment. The attacking midfielder has invariably been the best player on the pitch in every game since his arrival from Portugal.

In fact, he’s won the Man of the Match award in each of his six Premier League appearances so far which yielded three goals and three assists. Nearly every United attack seems to go through him and he hasn’t blanked in the league since his debut against Wolves. Moreover, Initial impressions of Paul Pogba’s return to fitness suggests Fernandes will only be helped rather than hindered by it.

Sheffield United have largely been formidable this season and still find themselves only two points shy of the Red Devils in the table. However, until Sunday’s debacle against Newcastle, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side were the only team to put more than two goals past them in all competitions this season.

The encounter at Bramall Lane ended in a 3-3 draw. United loanee Dean Henderson was ineligible for that contest as he will be for the return fixture at Old Trafford, giving the home team’s attack, and Fernandes, an added advantage.

BOLD CHOICE – DANNY INGS | SOUTHAMPTON | 7.1M

It’s been a torrid season for Arsenal but they’ve never looked more out of sorts under Mikel Arteta than they do right now. A catastrophic 3-0 defeat at Manchester City was swiftly followed by a 2-1 loss at the hands of Brighton in Double Gameweek 30+.

They travel to Southampton next where Danny Ings seems to have returned from the lockdown period fresh and rejuvenated. The striker looked exceptionally sharp during the Saints’ 3-0 away victory at Norwich City, scoring with a sublime finish, bagging an assist and even hitting the woodwork on another occasion.

Arsenal may be desperate for a result but confidence has to be at an all-time low within a squad that’s also been hit hard by injuries to Sokratis Papastathopoulos and Bernd Leno while David Luiz is also suspended.

With 16 goals already this season, Ings will be looking to capitalise on a leaky Gunners defence and compound their misery.

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