This article is part of our The Armband series.
Everyone can breathe a sigh of relief. The double gameweek is over. Raheem Sterling didn't make Man City's lineup in the second match, Harry Kane managed only one goal and Gabriel Jesus didn't score. The leaders ended up being from Arsenal, mostly because they won 5-0 against Burnley. Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka finished with more fantasy points (15) than all but four others, and that came without a clean sheet because he stopped a penalty and made 12 saves. This is fantasy Premier League at its finest.
While the league is decided, there are still a couple things to play for. Man City undoubtedly wants to reach 100 points, and the battle to be in the top four is real between Liverpool and Chelsea. Swansea blew their multiple chances and are headed to relegation after Huddersfield got a point on Wednesday. That means no one at the bottom of the table has anything to play for. Kane still thinks he can get the Golden Boot, but will need Mohamed Salah to rest for some reason.
Liverpool is the best place to start when looking for a captain on the final day of the season. The Reds only need one point and have two weeks until the Champions League final, so all of the usual names should make the starting XI against Brighton. Salah has just one shot on goal in his last three starts, but I'm not betting on that to continue. He'll be the most popular captain, while Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane are the differential plays. Firmino is easier to trust because he's been more consistent throughout the season, but Mane has done better of late with three goals (and nine shots on goal) in his last five starts. Brighton have scored just 10 away goals this season, so Andrew Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold may be headed for clean sheets.
Manchester City should return to their full squad with 100 points on the horizon. That means Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva back in the lineup. It also helps that Southampton no longer have to worry about relegation, so they'll be playing a bit more relaxed. Sterling screwed everyone last week, but I can't go away from him considering he's been the most consistent player on the squad with 18 goals and 11 assists. Jesus is right behind him, though it's a wonder if he'll feature after playing 83 minutes Wednesday. The same goes for Leroy Sane after his three-assist performance.
Tottenham are the last team I'm looking at for my captain, with Kane and Christian Eriksen in their usual spots. Kane hasn't put in that huge hat trick yet, but at least he has three goals on 16 shots in his last four starts. After his scoring binge, Eriksen has just two shots on goal in that same period, so I'm not as high on him. Spurs haven't closed the season with much of a spark, but Leicester haven't put much into their last few and lost 5-0 at Crystal Palace the last time on the road.
With it being the last week and most fantasy bosses having nothing to play for, there are plenty more places to go for a differential captain. Some will flock to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette, but I'm not backing the Gunners on the road. I'd rather turn to Chelsea with Eden Hazard likely in the lineup. At the least, Newcastle have lost their last four matches, even if they only allowed five goals in the process. Man United have the best matchup (v. Watford) of these clubs, but there's no telling what the squad will look like, especially after playing Thursday. Alexis Sanchez and Paul Pogba are the best options, though neither has been trustworthy this season.
The clear route for a differential is between Burnley (v. Bournemouth) and Crystal Palace (v. West Brom). Burnley may be without their top two forwards, but Johann Berg Gudmundsson is still around with four shots on goal and nine chances created in his last three starts. He hasn't made the score sheet in any of those matches, but the opportunities are there. There's one player above the rest for Crystal Palace, and that's Wilfried Zaha, who has three goals and one assist in his last two home matches. West Brom will be relegated, so it's hard to see them in the right mindset.
I'm expecting a few goals between West Ham and Everton, only because the Hammers are tied for the most goals allowed and the Toffees have been almost as bad as Arsenal on the road. Unfortunately, Marko Arnautovic may be the only one worth backing and he may not even play. There's also Cenk Tosun or even Wayne Rooney in what may be his final English appearance before heading to the States. Of course, Rooney missed the last match due to a calf injury.
