This article is part of our The Armband series.
Fantasy Premier League has taken a dive in recent weeks. From the uninspiring Gameweek 33 to maybe the worst double gameweek ever this past week, there have been a lot of disappointing results. Unfortunately, it won't get much better with only six matches in Gameweek 35. At the least, determining a captain won't be as difficult as usual.
There are only three clubs worth considering for the armband with Liverpool (at West Brom), Arsenal (v. West Ham) and Man City (v. Swansea) all in favorable spots. The only problem with backing the Reds is that they host Roma on Tuesday in the Champions League, meaning there may be some new faces in the lineup, especially with a top-four spot in the table locked in. Mohamed Salah is as close to a guarantee for a goal as anyone, but it's a wonder if he'll play the entire 90 minutes; the same goes for Roberto Firmino, who came off the bench at Everton a couple weeks ago. There's also the worry that West Brom are playing with confidence having won at Old Trafford last weekend. That being said, I'm not going to doubt Salah at this point in the season with a goal in 11 of his last 12 starts.
Man City are the better play against a Swansea side that still have to worry about relegation. The Swans have fallen back to earth with three points from their last five matches and City already destroyed them 4-0 back in December. The sneaky captain may turn out to be Gabriel Jesus now that Sergio Aguero is likely out for the rest of the season, as he has scored or assisted in five of his last six starts. As the front man, he may be the most consistent fantasy player, though Raheem Sterling is on the same level with a goal or assist in six of his last seven. In terms of opportunity, Sterling has five shots on goal and 10 chances created in his last five starts, while Jesus has four shots on goal and six chances created in that same period. Kevin De Bruyne doesn't make the score sheet enough to be considered in this spot, with just two shots on goal in his last seven starts. The same goes for Leroy Sane, who may be electric on the wing but most of his production came in the first half of the campaign, as he has just one goal and one assist in his last eight starts. David Silva is in that same vein and is too big of a risk to blank, which he's done in his last four matches. It may even be safer to go with a defender like Kyle Walker with a clean sheet a good possibility for the back line.
As for the Gunners, they may be unpredictable, but they have also won five straight at home, including the Europa League. Prior to drawing 1-1 at Chelsea, the Hammers lost their previous four matches and allowed 13 goals in the process. That means the suddenly dynamic duo of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette could be worth a differential look as captains. While Aubameyang may not be a true differential with five goals and two assists in his last five league starts, Lacazette fits the bill after starting and scoring at Newcastle (his first start since January). If you want to go against everyone else, Lacazette is definitely in play.
As for the other three matches, no one stands out unless you trust Wilfried Zaha or Chris Wood on the road. Those two may score again, but I'd rather take a gamble on Lacazette than either of them.
