Philippe Coutinho tops the Captaincy Forecast for Gameweek 13 ahead of an enticing home fixture against Sunderland.
The Brazilian is currently owned by 46.7% managers after scoring 77 points so far this season - the third highest overall behind Eden Hazard and Diego Costa.
Many people have chosen to captain Coutinho at home over the last few weeks to capitalise on a favourable run of fixtures at Anfield, but over half of fantasy managers don't own the Brazilian - instead opting for teammates Roberto Firmino (18%) or Sadio Mane (15.6%).
So with Jurgen Klopp's side scoring for fun at Anfield, are the other members of the trio worth handing the armband to? This article hopes to answer that question.
As you can see from the above table, each of Liverpool's trio have been superb at home. Mane actually has the best points per game of the three at home (9.4) followed by Roberto (9) and Coutinho (7.8). This doesn't take Coutinho's 17 minute in the 4-1 win over Leicester however - a game where Firmino and Mane both hit double figures - and it's highly likely the little playmaker would have scored a few points had he played the full 90.
We therefore decided to adjust the table so it featured points per 90, and the results were staggering. Both Coutinho and Mane came out with scores of 10 (the Senegalese actually won by 0.024 for those interested), while Firmino also had a very respectable average of 8.1. Only Eden Hazard beat the trio (10.6).
What is incredible is the consistency of all three players. Surprisingly Mane - generally the most erratic of the three - boasts the best consistency with four 5+ scores and three double figure hauls. Both Brazilians delivered 5+ points in three of five games, with Coutinho's three scores of 10+ even more impressive considering how little time he had against the Foxes.
So are you safe captaining any Liverpool option? Yes. Each of Klopp's trio have delivered consistently so far this season, and three double-figure hauls in five games for any player is cause for optimism. If you have more than one of the trio, Coutinho and Mane would be the options to go to, with the Brazilian edging it due to his propensity for bonus points and share of set-pieces. Having said that, either of the three should prove solid captaincy picks at Anfield for the whole season (bar Mane when he goes to the African Cup of Nations).
A word of warning…
While this article shows that all three of Liverpool's prime midfielders are worthy armband picks, it is worth considering that Adam Lallana is injured at the moment. As we mentioned in our captain tips, the 28-year-old has been integral to Klopp's system this year and the Reds have blanked in the last two games without him. With Sunderland also improving, it may not be the walkover many would expect. Still, based on the evidence above, Mane, Coutinho and Firmino owners have every reason to believe the trio will deliver.
Article by Steve Riley.
Image by Ruaraidh Gillies.
Coutinho, Firmino & Mane: Home Form Comparison:
As you can see from the above table, each of Liverpool's trio have been superb at home. Mane actually has the best points per game of the three at home (9.4) followed by Roberto (9) and Coutinho (7.8). This doesn't take Coutinho's 17 minute in the 4-1 win over Leicester however - a game where Firmino and Mane both hit double figures - and it's highly likely the little playmaker would have scored a few points had he played the full 90.
We therefore decided to adjust the table so it featured points per 90, and the results were staggering. Both Coutinho and Mane came out with scores of 10 (the Senegalese actually won by 0.024 for those interested), while Firmino also had a very respectable average of 8.1. Only Eden Hazard beat the trio (10.6).
What is incredible is the consistency of all three players. Surprisingly Mane - generally the most erratic of the three - boasts the best consistency with four 5+ scores and three double figure hauls. Both Brazilians delivered 5+ points in three of five games, with Coutinho's three scores of 10+ even more impressive considering how little time he had against the Foxes.
So are you safe captaining any Liverpool option? Yes. Each of Klopp's trio have delivered consistently so far this season, and three double-figure hauls in five games for any player is cause for optimism. If you have more than one of the trio, Coutinho and Mane would be the options to go to, with the Brazilian edging it due to his propensity for bonus points and share of set-pieces. Having said that, either of the three should prove solid captaincy picks at Anfield for the whole season (bar Mane when he goes to the African Cup of Nations).
A word of warning…
While this article shows that all three of Liverpool's prime midfielders are worthy armband picks, it is worth considering that Adam Lallana is injured at the moment. As we mentioned in our captain tips, the 28-year-old has been integral to Klopp's system this year and the Reds have blanked in the last two games without him. With Sunderland also improving, it may not be the walkover many would expect. Still, based on the evidence above, Mane, Coutinho and Firmino owners have every reason to believe the trio will deliver.
Article by Steve Riley.
Image by Ruaraidh Gillies.
