Patience is an essential quality for Fantasy Premier League managers, as recent weeks have vividly demonstrated. Both Erling Haaland and Bryan Mbeumo have made those who sold them regret their decisions in the past two gameweeks. So, what should we be looking for in a player to hold onto for the long term, especially at this stage of the season?
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, valued at 14.0m, saw a significant drop in ownership leading up to the Manchester derby, with nearly 800,000 managers selling him after two scoreless performances against Wolves and Arsenal. However, he quickly punished those who let him go with a stunning 16-point haul against his favorite opponents, featuring two goals and an assist. This has left those who didn’t own him scrambling to bring him back into their teams for the upcoming home game against Bournemouth, especially after a rare midweek break for City. It’s important to remember that all players go through phases of form, and Haaland, with his impressive track record, should not be doubted. Patience is key when dealing with such top-tier players.
Another standout performer is Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford, priced at 6.6m. He has delivered double-digit points in the past two gameweeks, rewarding those who held onto him through a streak of four blank gameweeks. Mbeumo had 18 attacking returns in the previous campaign, and he’s continued to provide consistent attacking returns in Toney’s absence. In fact, only Haaland and Salah have a better expected goal involvement metric than Mbeumo’s 9.3 this season. Even though he faces tougher fixtures against Liverpool and Arsenal in Gameweek 12 and 13, it’s becoming increasingly tempting to keep him in your team.
Many managers attempted to find a way back to Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka. These assets are all excellent choices for the long term if you have them, and constantly switching between them can be risky. Players like the Saka, Son and Maddison should be considered fixture-proof, as their team continues to employ an all-out attack approach. Son, playing out of position as a striker and on penalties, is particularly valuable. Maddison excels in set-pieces and leads in chances created this season.
On the other hand, Ollie Watkins faced some decline after a rare blank against Luton Town, but he remains a great long-term asset for fantasy squads. Watkins is tied for the most goal involvements this season alongside Haaland, with five goals and eight assists. The only concern is his lack of set-piece involvement, but he has proven his value without relying on penalties.
One player who has remained unaffected to the selling trend is Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, priced at 12.8m. He has consistently rewarded his backers with an almost perfect record throughout the season. Acquiring Salah should be a top priority, and he’s someone you should consider keeping for the long term. However, it’s important to keep in mind the upcoming schedule, with Salah likely to be absent for the Africa Cup of Nations in early January. Additionally, Manchester City and Brentford will have blank gameweeks in Gameweek 18 due to City’s participation in the Club World Cup.
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