<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1489" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Cover-1-300x135.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="450" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Cover-1-300x135.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Cover-1-768x346.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Cover-1.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" />
We at <a href="http://www.thehypetrain.co.uk">The Hype Train</a> will be providing a regular series of Power Rankings updates throughout the season for each position in the traditional Fantasy Premier League game for our partners at the Fantasy Football Hub. We will be picking our top five picks for Goalkeepers, Defenders, Midfielders, and Forwards, providing a graphical aid for each chosen player, and the reasoning behind our choices. All aboard.
<h3>How do our Power Rankings work?</h3>
We use player form, fixtures, potential, and our own gut instinct, to form our own opinionated view on who we believe is the best asset for each position in the FPL. Each position (Goalkeeper, Defender, Midfielder, and Forward) has differing criteria which can help generate FPL points on a weekly basis, whether for short term gain or for the long haul.
For the purpose of this article we will list our top 5 and follow up with a player on the rise in that position to also consider.
All player prices and <a href="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/opta/" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c="1" title="FPL Stats by OPTA - Player and Team Stats">stats</a> are reflective of the official Fantasy Premier League game at the time of publishing.
<h3>Midfielder Power Rankings: Gameweek 5</h3>
The balance between budgeting your midfield and attack in the FPL is one of the most important formulas for a winning combination in the Fantasy Premier League. With midfielders you are faced with more options with set-piece takers and goalscorers, and also have a wider range of player options with both wingers, central midfielders, and number ten&#8217;s vying for FPL contention.
We profile what we believe to be the best five midfielders, and an honorary 6th place, in the FPL game right now after Gameweek 4 and heading into Gameweek 5.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1494" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Pogba-1-300x135.jpg" alt="" width="1002" height="451" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Pogba-1-300x135.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Pogba-1-768x346.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Pogba-1.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1002px) 100vw, 1002px" />
1) Paul Pogba (MUN) 
Who was Number #1 previously?: Henrikh Mkhitaryan (MUN), who drops down
For the second consecutive week, it is a Man United one-two at the top of the midfield Power 5, but ahead of Gameweek 5 Paul Pogba has claimed top sot ahead of teammate Henrikh Mkhitaryan after producing another FPL return during Gameweek 4.
Man United&#8217;s 2-2 away draw at Stoke could have been an incredibly profitable afternoon for Paul Pogba. His goal-bound header in the closing stages of the first-half bounced off the head of Marcus Rashford, which limited Pogba to an assist against Stoke. Playing in a central midfield role, and having license to roam, Pogba has notched two goals and three assists so far this season, and with 31 points sits at the top of the Midfielder&#8217;s overall points charts.
United&#8217;s fixture list shows no signs of slowing down, with Everton (H), Southampton (A), and Crystal Palace (H) in the next three fixtures, which will give more confidence to Fantasy players that a Man United player in each position right now is an essential factor to consider.
With the season still having not settled, Fantasy players are still searching high and low for the best options in the midfield, and undoubtedly Paul Pogba tops the list right now for his position. Can he continue to remain at the summit though? European football is now underway so there will be more of a stress and pressure for Jose Mourinho to rotate his team during Champions League matches, and with the likes of Pogba and Mkhitaryan as Jose&#8217;s key players for United, there might be reduced minutes for both, but specifically with Pogba the potential of playing deeper, allowing Mata, Fellaina, and Martial, into more advanced roles in midfield.
If you don&#8217;t own either player and are considering one of Pogba or Mkhitaryan, the argument is two-sided right now. Mkhitaryan has the higher glass ceiling in terms of FPL points returns, but Pogba is more nailed on in the midfield and less likely for rotation. That&#8217;s what you must decide on, and if you&#8217;re not a gambling man, Pogba is your guy.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1493" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Mkhi-1-300x135.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="450" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Mkhi-1-300x135.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Mkhi-1-768x346.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Mkhi-1.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" />
2) Henrikh Mkhitaryan (MUN) 
Who was Number #2 previously?: Paul Pogba (MUN), who rises
Sitting below Pogba ahead of Gameweek 5 is fellow Man United midfielder, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who for the first time this season didn&#8217;t provide an FPL return, after a run of three games which yielded a huge 26 points for players.
The Armenian international started the season with a brace of assists against both West Ham and Swansea, and then provided a fifth assist from the opening three Premier League matches against Leicester during Gameweek 3. A 2-2 draw against Stoke ended Mkhitaryan&#8217;s hot-streak of form, but it doesn&#8217;t mean that he&#8217;s over and out as an FPL option.
We stated above with Paul Pogba what FPL players tussle over between Pogba and Mkhitaryan, and it&#8217;s a case of minutes vs. explosive potential, especially in the Champions League season, when there might be a few question marks of Mkhitaryan&#8217;s potential starting space. Last season, on their way to winning the Europa League, Mkhitaryan rarely featured in the league as his involvement was prioritised for European competition. Do we think the same this season? We&#8217;re confident Mourinho will play Mkhitaryan in league games, but we&#8217;ll continue to see limited minutes and substitutions, with the act carried out four times this season already.
Mkhitaryan&#8217;s Minutes 
GW1 (WHU, H): 87 mins 
GW2 (SWA, a): 84 mins 
GW3 (LEI, H): 73 mins 
GW4 (STK, a): 83 mins
With Mkhitaryan and Pogba priced identically at £8.3 million, we said that if you&#8217;re playing it safe you&#8217;ll go with Pogba. If you&#8217;re going to gamble, then the former Dortmund player is the guy for you.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1491" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Eriksen-300x135.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="450" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Eriksen-300x135.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Eriksen-768x346.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Eriksen.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" />
3) Christian Eriksen (LIV) 
Who was Number #3 previously?: Mohamed Salah (LIV), who drops down
Last week Dele Alli propped up the list of Power 5 midfielders in 5th position, and has dropped out entirely this week, as focus and impetus switches to another Spurs midfield option in Christian Eriksen. The Danish international, who is a new Power Rankings entry at number three, has started life in the FPL this season extremely well and is worth the weight of his price-tag after 3/4 outings with Fantasy returns this season.
Eriksen provided both of Spurs&#8217;s assists in their opening fixture at Newcastle, and also assisted Batshuyi&#8217;s own goal at Wembley during Gameweek 2. A quiet week against Burnley followed, before scoring his first goal of the season away at Everton in a comfortable 3-0 victory at Goodison Park.
A rise in Eriksen&#8217;s Fantasy fortunes has seen his ownership rise to 24.6% (the 4th most selected forward in the game) and his price to £9.7 million, which means there is a lot of room for his price, and selection to grow substantially in a period which FPL players will fancy a good run of Spurs fixtures, peppered with Champions League fixtures.
Spurs&#8217;s Fixture List 
Champions League: Dortmund (H) 
GW5: Swansea (H) 
League Cup: Opponents TBA 
GW6: West Ham (a) 
Champions League: Apoel Nicosia (a) 
GW7: Huddersfield (a) 
GW8: Bournemouth (H) 
Champions League: Real Madrid (a) 
GW9: Liverpool (H) 
GW10: Man United (a) 
Champions League: Real Madrid (h)
The only drawback to Spurs&#8217;s good form is their extremely competitive Champions League group, which features European champions Real Madrid, and German side Dortmund. Teams suffer from European hangover&#8217;s on a regular basis, but with Spurs among the fittest teams in the league, the demand for these fixtures shouldn&#8217;t impact on Eriksen, Alli, or Kane,s output. The trio are a staple of the Spurs side, and all coming into form at the right time of the season.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1495" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Salah-1-300x135.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="450" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Salah-1-300x135.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Salah-1-768x346.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Salah-1.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" />
4) Mohamed Salah (LIV) 
Who was Number #4 previously?: Sadio Mane (LIV), who drops out of the Power 5
Liverpool fans must be sick to their stomachs with the past weekend of football, with the Reds suffering a humiliating 5-0 defeat to Manchester City. Sadio Mane, whose straight red card for a high boot to Ederson&#8217;s face, was the catalyst for the massive defeat, drops out of the Power 5 entirely, with the winger&#8217;s appearance back in this list potentially a long way down the line.
That leaves Mohamed Salah and his FPL owners as frustrated spectators in all this continual drama at Liverpool.
Salah&#8217;s bipolar season saw him open the FPL campaign with 11 points away at Watford, before being benched for his home league debut at Anfield against Crystal Palace, resulting in one point. Salah then provided a second goal and assist against Arsenal during Gameweek 3, before returning to a single point week against Man City, having been substituted at half-time in the defeat against Man City.
FPL players must be juggling their minds over their next move for Salah, knowing that it is going to be an up and down season, much like his Fantasy output, with European fixtures an added complication. Klopp will definitely rotate his squad in the weeks to come, with Salah potentially high up on the casualty list, though Salah&#8217;s involvement in the league is a must as of right now with Mane&#8217;s suspension.
Mane&#8217;s red has actually seen Salah&#8217;s FPL ownership rise from 27% to 29.9%, with the figure continuing to rise, ahead of a Gameweek 5 home fixture against Burnley. It appears that with Christian Eriksen, a direct replacement for the suspended Mane is a like-for-like switch with fellow red, Salah.
Overall, Salah drops this in the midfielders Power 5, but his place in this list is secure due to the fact that there is an extremely limited field of midfielder&#8217;s who have made an impact this season in the FPL. If you&#8217;re not talking about the four already profiled in this article, the conversation switched to differential picks who have had one brilliant week.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1490" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Doucoure-300x135.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="450" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Doucoure-300x135.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Doucoure-768x346.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Doucoure.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" />
5) Abdoulaye Doucouré (WAT) 
Who was Number #5 previously?: Dele Alli (TOT), who drops out of the Power 5
When scouring the plains for a fifth midfield slot in this week&#8217;s Power Rankings, as mentioned above, we have struggled to find one genuine contender for this position. We&#8217;re under the impression that the midfield position right now is quite weak in regard to solid options, with players resorting to trusting players that will undoubtedly slip in and out of form rather quickly. This fifth position this week holds no solid ground, but the eventual chosen one perhaps makes the best case for his inclusion.
Watford midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure has scored in two of the opening four games of the season, and looks an absolute powerhouse in a central midfield slot alongside Nathaniel Chalobah. With license to venture forward and create chances, Doucoure has caught the eye of Fantasy players. Starting the season priced at just £5.0m, and already rising to £5.2m, and is already Watford&#8217;s most selected FPL player with 7.2% ownership, the midfielder will bring back vivid memories for experienced of Etienne Capoue&#8217;s great start to last season, a season which resulted in seven goals and 2 assists for the French midfielder.
Watford have managed three consecutive clean sheets, and under Marco Silva, have a flair for attack as well, which might make Doucoure one that continues to grow momentum, even with a tricky run of fixtures in the weeks to come.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-1492" src="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Gross-300x135.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="450" srcset="https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Gross-300x135.jpg 300w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Gross-768x346.jpg 768w, https://cms.fantasyfootballhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/PR-MID.-Gross.jpg 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" />
One to consider: Pascal Gross (BHA)
Brighton&#8217;s next hero, Pascal Gross, has been thrust into the spotlight after a dominant Gameweek 4 performance which saw Gross score twice, and assist once, in a 3-1 home victory over Brighton. Gross is the one to watch as there are lots of budget options such as Mooy, who soon will start to experience some tough league fixtures. Along with Anthony Knockaert, Gross offers an alternative for owners of players such as Mooy, with Brighton&#8217;s fixtures offering some relief. The only consideration to take in is if Brighton are going to replicate their attacking nature going into games immediately on the horizon.
Brighton&#8217;s Next 5 Fixtures: 
GW5: Bournemouth (A) 
GW6: Newcastle (H) 
GW7: Arsenal (A) 
GW8: Everton (H) 
GW9: West Ham (a)
All aboard.
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