Fantasy Premier League: Three tips for Liverpool v Brighton
Trent Alexander-Arnold’s expected return to Liverpool’s starting XI makes the right-back a tempting option for Fantasy Premier League managers this weekend.
The No.66 was on the bench for Wednesday’s Champions League tie with Napoli but appears likely to maintain his record of starting every top-flight game so far this season when Brighton and Hove Albion visit Anfield.
Alexander-Arnold has already provided three Premier League assists in 2019-20, while of the three examples of a player creating 10 or more chances for a specific teammate in the division, the 21-year-old is responsible for two (13 for Roberto Firmino and 10 for Sadio Mane).
A set-piece specialist, no player has made more crosses (153) or had more touches (1,320) than Alexander-Arnold in the Premier League this term.
At £7.2 million, the England international is the costliest defender in the FPL.
But his status as a creative fulcrum for a table-topping side who have won all four of their previous Premier League meetings with Brighton by an aggregate scoreline of 11-1 may encourage FPL bosses to splash the cash.
Another Liverpool player potentially worth a significant outlay is Mane.
A nominee for the November PFA Player of the Month award, the forward is the Reds’ leading Premier League goalscorer this season with eight and boasts a peerless home record since the start of 2018-19.
Mane has netted more home goals than any other player in the division in that time (22), with 17 of those strikes coming in his last 16 Premier League appearances at Anfield.
The No.10 broke the deadlock in last weekend’s victory over Crystal Palace and remains the FPL’s top points-scoring midfielder with 92 - nine more than closest rival Kevin De Bruyne.
With such stats comes a hefty price tag, of course, but if ever a £12.2 million signing can be considered a bargain, surely Mane falls into that category.
A cheaper Liverpool midfield option is Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who started at Selhurst Park last time out.
The England international has scored five goals in his last six starts for club and country and Fabinho’s unavailability for the game against Brighton may increase the likelihood of him lining up for the Reds this weekend.
Oxlade-Chamberlain’s price of £6.2 million is a nod to his goalscoring threat and the No.15 should be at the forefront of the minds of those FPL bosses seeking a relatively low-risk, yet potentially high-reward investment.