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Petr Cech, Sadio Mane and Alexis Sanchez all being snubbed by Sky Sports Fantasy Football bosses

Underappreciated XI
Image: Alexis Sanchez, Sadio Mane and Gary Cahill all lacking interest

As excitement for the new Premier League season builds, Sky Sports Fantasy Football managers appear to be forgetting some of the stars of the last campaign.

The likes of Alexandre Lacazette and Mohamed Salah are some of the most selected players ahead of next week's kick-off, despite being unproven in the Premier League.

Meanwhile, plenty of high-scoring staples of the game are being neglected, making up a star-studded underappreciated XI…

Premier League stars snubbed by Fantasy bosses
Image: Premier League stars snubbed by Fantasy bosses

Petr Cech (£7.5m)

Despite having 13 years of Premier League experience, veteran stopper Petr Cech features in just 3.14 per cent of teams going into the new season.

Cech is selected less than Joe Hart (£7.3m), despite a saves-per-goal ratio of 2.64 last season, while Hart's read 1.49 for Torino, and only two errors made, compared to the Englishman's seven.

Cesar Azpilicueta (£10.3m)

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While the game's most expensive player Harry Kane is also the most popular pick this season, the most expensive defender, Cesar Azpilicueta, also the highest scoring defender last season, has surprisingly been selected by just 7.29 per cent of players this season.

That makes him less popular than Matthew Lowton and Joel Ward - despite the Spaniard winning more headers, making more interceptions and committing fewer defensive errors than both, while providing better points-per-pound value - even with his lofty price tag.

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Gary Cahill (£10.2m)

Cahill made more blocks and clearances than his team-mate Azpilicueta, won more headers, and scored six goals - making him a high scorer at both ends, but was edged out of top spot due to starting two games less.

However, the new Chelsea skipper features in only 5.22 per cent of teams this year, with Everton's Michael Keane (£7.9m) more than three times as popular.

Virgil van Dijk (£8.9m)

Despite injuries, Van Dijk scored 75 points in 21 games for Southampton last season. He won 96 headers, which equates to 75 per cent of his aerial duels. He also completed all eight of his attempted dribbles.

One of the most discussed names in this summer's window features in only 4.83 per cent of Sky Sports Fantasy Football teams, especially with a move to one of the top six sides potentially in the pipeline.

Nathan Ake (£7.6m)

Bournemouth paid a club record fee of £20m to Chelsea for Nathan Ake in June
Image: Bournemouth paid a club-record fee of £20m to Chelsea for Nathan Ake in June

Ake scored 47 points in just eight starts for Bournemouth last season before being recalled to Chelsea in January.

After returning to the Cherries on a permanent deal, it comes as a surprise that only 5.26 per cent expect him to pick up where he left off and be one of this season's top scorers.

Sadio Mane (£11m)

Sadio Mane's selection for 8.2 per cent of teams is not extremely low, but it's almost half the number of team-mate Mohamed Salah, who features in 16 per cent of teams.

While Salah is unproven in England, Mane has hit double figures for goals in each of his three Premier League seasons and scored 175 points in the game last year despite missing 11 games.

Mesut Ozil (£11.1m)

Arsenal's German midfielder Mesut Ozil (L) and Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel react to the first goal by Tottenham Hotspur's English midfielder Dele
Image: Mesut Ozil came second only to Christian Eriksen in Fantasy Football last season

Only Christian Eriksen created more chances than Ozil last season, but there is a significant difference in their Fantasy Football popularity.

Despite eight goals and nine assists last year, Ozil has been selected for just 3.89 per cent of teams - with Eriksen picked more than four times as much, by 16.21 per cent of players.

David Silva (£10.6m)

As Pep Guardiola's summer of spending continues, David Silva has some exciting new names to work with at the Etihad. Along with Ozil, the Spaniard boasts the most assists in the Premier League over the last five seasons.

However, despite being the fifth most creative player last season and in the top 10 for passes completed, he has been selected by just 1.88 per cent of managers.

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Sky Sports Fantasy Football

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Roberto Firmino (£11.6m)

Leading Liverpool's attack last season, 11 goals and seven assists had Roberto Firmino just two points shy of 200 in Sky Sports Fantasy Football.

However, only 6.01 per cent of players have deemed him good enough for their team this year - with unproven duo Alvaro Morata and Alexandre Lacazette more popular picks.

Joshua King (£10.3m)

The cheapest forward to score over 150 points, Joshua King was one of the surprise packages of last year's game, resulting in a £1.4m increase in his price tag.

King scored two more than new team-mate Jermain Defoe (£11m), but the former Sunderland man is more than twice as popular, featuring in 6.48 per cent of teams despite still costing more, with King chosen by only 3.6 per cent of players.

Alexis Sanchez (£12.7m)

Alexis Sanchez celebrates putting Arsenal ahead
Image: Alexis Sanchez was Fantasy Football's highest scorer last season

Perhaps the most surprising name in this XI, Alexis Sanchez has been selected by just 9.94 per cent of players despite top-scoring across the entire game last year.

Rumours of a move to PSG may be a factor, but with Neymar now on his way to the French capital instead, the Chilean's popularity should rise after an outstanding 2016/17 season made him the only Premier League player to hit double figures for goals and assists.

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