Fantasy Premier League tips gameweek 20: Lucas Moura, Diogo Jota, James Maddison and more

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James Maddison

Maddison is simply the most in-form player in the league right now. After inspiring a Leicester comeback that was ultimately in vain at the Etihad on Boxing Day, he has now scored 53 points in his last five outings, with four goals and five assists to his name, and they have not all been the type of low-percentage plays we have come to expect in the past.

His fixture, at home to Liverpool, is a problem but then Jurgen Klopp’s title challengers are hardly an impenetrable defence. Bringing Maddison in early would also allow you to exploit two potential double gameweeks in January for Leicester, though beware, they are not yet confirmed.

Lucas Moura

It is a tight turnaround at Tottenham, who are one of several sides playing two games in the space of 48 hours. Even so, Antonio Conte sounded as though he is caught in two minds when it comes to rotation after beating Crystal Palace on Boxing Day, suggesting that too many changes away to Southampton could lead to a loss of identity.

Bringing in Lucas is a risk but one that might pay off. The in-form winger played a full 90 minutes against Palace but has two goals and three assists in six starts under Conte and appears to have found a role that suits him. At just 2% ownership, he is a power differential with a likely double gameweek down the line.

Hugo Lloris

Sticking with Tottenham, a lot has changed since Conte took over in November but one of the most striking differences is on the defensive end. Since his arrival in the dugout, Spurs have only conceded three goals in six league games and have impressive underlying statistics to match.

Lloris is probably the one player in next to no danger of rotation and with Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale having several blanks on the horizon, many managers are looking to change ‘keepers. Though there are cheaper alternatives, like David de Gea, Lloris has already proven he can keep sustainable clean sheets under Conte’s management.

Diogo Jota

It is fair to say that Liverpool’s enforced Boxing Day blank after the Covid-19 outbreak at Leeds has shaken things up a bit, tempting many to sell Mohamed Salah and his team-mates. Even without the threat of Africa Cup of Nations involvement on the horizon, Jota’s ownership fell to 27%.

That hardly makes him a differential in terms of ownership but it does make his points slightly more powerful when it comes to lifting you up the ranks. With Salah and Sadio Mané soon going away on international duty and after Leicester’s ramshackle defending at the Etihad this weekend, Jota is a solid short-term and long-term pick.

Jarrod Bowen

West Ham’s momentum is ebbing somewhat amid a defensive injury crisis, but it is their attack that has attracted the majority of investment from fantasy managers and that has not changed over the festive period, even though they are another side with only two days between games.

Michail Antonio may suffer as a result of that fixture congestion but there is less concern around Bowen, who assisted in Boxing Day’s 3-2 defeat against Southampton. Tuesday’s opponents Watford are emerging from a Covid outbreak, have not played since 10 December and have one of the league’s worst defences.