Tag Archives: FPL

FPL Player Rankings for Gameweek 4

Mohamed Salah might’ve not had the best start to the season, but with a fixture against Bournemouth—a team he has scored against in every Premier League match—tipster Paul is backing the Egyptian for a big score in his FPL player rankings for GW4.


Hi everyone, before every gameweek, I will try to share my top five rank for the best FPL assets for each position.

 

Forwards

 

RankNameTeamOpponentValueComments
1Harry KaneTOT@NFO11.4MNottingham Forest is first for xGC with 6.3 even though they haven't played against any of the top six teams. Kane seems like he is no.1 in the Spurs attack again and this matchup seems to be made for him, with 49% of chances conceded centrally by Nottingham.
2Gabriel JesusARSvs FUL8.2MJesus is superb, feels like he is playing for years for Arsenal. He can consider himself unlucky with only two goals and three assists in three games.
3Ivan ToneyBREvs EVE7.2MThe main man in Brentford's attack with two goals and two assists, the talisman of the team is also on penalties.
4Erling HaalandMCIvs CRY11.7MThe main threat from the best team in the league, he could have been higher but his minutes are not secured now that City will have two games per week.
5Aleksandar MitrovićFUL@ARS6.6MMitrović tops the charts after three games for xGI (4.7) and xG (3.76). He seems to be fixture-proof, on penalties and the focal point of every Fulham attack.




Midfielders

 

RankNameTeamOpponentValueComments
1Mohamed SalahLIVvs BOU14.5MEven though he hasn't looked like he is at the same level as last year, the best FPL asset in the last three years is having the best fixture of the year at home, making him the best captain option for this GW.
2Kevin De BruyneMCIvs CRY12.2MKDB is back at his best, he tops the charts for xA by far with 2.47 and has created five big chances (two more than everyone else). He seems to be the most nailed City attacker and even though the fixture against Palace is not an easy one, he should reward his owners in FPL.
3Gabriel MartinelliARSvs FUL6.4MMartinelli is the gift that keeps giving, at only 6.4M, he is one of the most in-form midfielders and has returned in every game so far. His link-up play with Jesus and Zinchenko is really good and he seems on for another good game.
4Son Heung-minTOT@NFO11.9MHe has looked a bit out of touch so far, but the matchup seems to favor Son and maybe a goal here will bring his mojo back.
5Wilfried ZahaCRY@MCI7.1MZaha is on fire, he has the highest xG (2.73) among midfielders and also xGI (3.6). The matchup might be the worst it can be but I fancy his chances for a return against Kyle Walker.

Defenders

 

RankNameTeamOpponentValueComments
1Trent Alexander-ArnoldLIVvs BOU7.5MLiverpool didn’t start the season as everyone expected, with only two points and no cleansheets after three games. Despite all this, TAA still ranks first for xA with 1.12. Bournemouth is the last team in the Premier League for xG with 1.27 and it seems to be the perfect matchup for TAA and Robertson to bag a clean sheet and possibly an attacking return, too.
2Andrew RobertsonLIVvs BOU6.9M
3Ivan PerišićTOT@NFO5.5MPerišić showed last game what he is capable of. If he starts he will be a bonus points magnet. His position is very attacking (almost at the level of Kulusevski and Son) and is also on some set pieces. The matchup this GW gives him a decent chance for a cleansheet and attacking returns.
4Reece JamesCHEvs LEI6.1MJames has looked a bit off compared to last season. He was also played in a back three by Tuchel and not in his usual spot of RWB but the matchup against Leicester is too good to ignore. Leicester is one of the worst teams for xGC with 1.8 and also Maddison, the most dangerous player on the team, is not at 100% fitness.
5Joël VeltmanBHAvs LEE4.5MBrighton is one of the most organized teams in the Premier League. They didn’t concede against Newcastle and West Ham, on paper better teams than Leeds, and when that happens Veltman seems to be hooked on bonus points.




Goalkeepers

 

RankNameTeamOpponentValueComments
1Robert SánchezBHAvs LEE4.5MSanchez can be on bonus points with or without a clean sheet, but considering the matchup, a clean sheet is not out of the equation.
2David RayaBREvs EVE4.5MRaya is playing against an Everton team without a proper goal scorer and I can see him keeping a clean sheet and adding some saves to that.
3Dean HendersonNFOvs TOT4.5MHenderson has the most shots conceded as well as saved, and even though I don’t expect him to keep a clean sheet, he could have some points by saving shots.
4Alisson BeckerLIVvs BOU5.5MBest odds for a clean sheet in gameweek 4.
5Nick PopeNEW@WOL5M

You can find Fantasy Premier League (FPL) resources for the 22/23 season here.

FPL: Best Captain Picks for Gameweek 4

With favourable fixtures for almost every big team including Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs, selecting the right captain in FPL is a bit of a dilemma for gameweek 4. But tipster FPLbanovic is here to help, sharing his thoughts on the best captain for the week in this article.


Captaincy is one of the most important decisions an FPL manager can make. It is essential for a green arrow. so, who is the best captain for gameweek 4? In this list we will take a closer look at players that we think are the best captain picks for this gameweek.

 

Mohamed Salah vs. Bournemouth (H)

  • Anytime goal-scoring odds this week – 60%.
  • Expected goals (xG) – 1.20.
  • Expected assists (xA) – 1.14.

Mo Salah has scored in all six of his league matches against AFC Bournemouth and boasts an impressive record against newly-promoted sides in general with 18 goals against them. With two consecutive losses, conceding seven goals while scoring zero in their last two meetings against Arsenal and Manchester City, Bournemouth comes to the game with poor form and Liverpool’s game will not be any different. Their xGC (away) is 2.76 per match and they will probably concede. The Egyptian king is the safest bet and the standout captain. He also tops the projections for most expected points in FPL this GW.



Gabriel Jesus vs. Fulham (H)

  • Anytime scoring odds this week – 51.22%.
  • Expected goals (xG) – 2.06.
  • Expected assists (xA) – 0.76.

Anyone who watched the game vs Bournemouth knows that It could’ve been much better for Jesus last week. VAR ruled out his goal with an offside of the tightest of margins and he missed a one-on-one attempt against Tavares. So despite returning only four points, he could’ve easily had another double-digit haul to his name.

Fulham have conceded four goals in three matches so far. Their xGC (away) is 2.18/match and with the Gunners’ current form, they will probably concede more than once. Jesus is expected to be a popular captain pick again even amongst the top 10K managers and has massive ownership (82%, which is an FPL record) that makes him a reasonable captain pick.

 

Harry Kane vs. Nottingham Forest (A)

  • Any time scoring odds this week – 48.94%.
  • Expected goals (xG) – 1.62.
  • Expected assists (xA) – 0.95.

Following his last-gasp equaliser at Chelsea last week, Kane proved to be clinical again after his header helped his team to a 1-0 win vs wolves. Kane now has two goals in three matches and his next opponent is Nottingham Forest, a team that is weak at stopping opponents from creating chances. They have an xGC of 2.45/match and Kane can exploit their weaknesses with his potential to score goals as well as assist.



Erling Halaand vs. Crystal Palace (H)

  • Any time scoring odds this week – 65.22%.
  • Expected goals (xG) – 3.37.
  • Expected assists (xA) – 0.71.

Crystal Palace have failed to keep a single cleansheet so far. They have conceded four goals in three matches and they have an xGC (away) of 2.56. Opponents Man City on the other hand have an xG of 2.44. They are very strong in creating attacks and finishing and will probably win this match with multiple goals. Given how many chances City create and with Halaand obviously as their target man, there is no doubt that he is always a great captain pick. And in a week where most people will captain Salah or Jesus, he could be a decent differential if you entrust him with the captain’s armband.


You can find Fantasy Premier League (FPL) resources for the 22/23 season here.

FPL Gameweek 4 Tips: To Wildcard or Not?

While most FPL managers will be wildcarding on GW8, there are some that might use the chip early in GW4 after a disappointing start to the season. Tipster Luthfi Aditia shares a few things that you must keep in mind before using wildcarding in his first article for the website.


Many of you may be frustrated with your squad output for the first three gameweeks. Some of you will be tempted to activate the Wildcard chip going into gameweek 4. But hold that thought, as I’m going to show you some aspects to consider if you want to activate your Wildcard chip.

Just for the record, this season, FPL has provided three wildcards in total for managers.

  • The first WC is available from GW1-GW16.
  • The second WC is available from GW17-GW38.
  • The third WC or additional WC is available in the period between GW16 and GW17 due to the World Cup.

 

1. Schedule From GW4 Until the International Break

Note that the domestic cups have already started and also the European schedule is about to start (some of the qualifying matches have started even before), so your wildcard squad must depend on the fixtures midweek fixtures too not just domestically.

Here I show you the schedule for GW4 onwards till the first International Break (24th Sept 2022):

  • GW4: 27 Aug
  • GW5: 30 Aug
  • GW6: 3 Sept
  • European Group Stage GW1: 7 Sept
  • GW7: 10 Sept
  • European Group Stage GW2: 14 Sept
  • GW8: 17 Sept


2. Rotation Risk

With that being said, one match every 3 days is something that should worry every manager to keep their players from injury risk. So, rotation must be applied to that period of time. Here are the teams that are competing in Europe this season:

– Manchester City (UCL)
– Liverpool (UCL)
– Chelsea (UCL)
– Tottenham (UCL)
– Arsenal (UEL)
– Manchester United (UEL)
– West Ham United (UECL)

Quoting Pep after the GW3 match he said, “I’ll tell you now that when we have games every three days, Erling is not going to play (every game). Julian is going to play.”

That’s the example of a manager who is terrified of the schedule in that period of time. Prepare for some heavy rotation for each team that will be playing every three days.

 

3. Fixture Swings

If you see the FDR table, there are fixture swings from GW8 onwards. That’s exactly before the International break to GW9. Teams like ARS will face three big six teams (TOT, MCI, LIV) from GW9 to GW12. Another example is Fulham, they won’t be facing any big six teams from GW8 onwards until GW14. So, your team might be upside down if you are chasing to activate the wildcard early in this period of time.



4. Transfer Window

Last but not least, the transfer window is still open until the 1st of September. That’s a two gameweek period and new faces will come while some old faces will go. You don’t want to be stuck with players that go out from Premier League and you don’t want to have to take more hits or wait until the World Cup period for unlimited transfers, right?

I hope that’s gonna give you some insight on whether to activate the wildcard chip or not. After all, the decision is in your hands.


You can find Fantasy Premier League (FPL) resources for the 22/23 season here.

FPL Tips: Players and Teams to Target For Gameweek 4-8

With the first three gameweeks of the Premier League season now over, tipster FPLbanovic is thinking long term, sharing the best players and teams to target in FPL for GW4-GW8.


Three gameweeks are not enough to have a firm, full opinion on teams, but we have more data to try to figure out which are the best teams, fixtures and assets to target in the next four gameweeks of FPL until the international break which is the perfect time to wildcard. Even if you plan on using your wildcard you can use this as a guide on who to buy. Here is a list of budget-friendly players (Below £8M) that have a high projection of expected points from GW4 to GW8.

Players will be classified into three categories:

  • Must have: players that are absolutely necessary to own.
  • Top pick: players that aren’t essential but could do well.
  • Differential pick: players that we expect to do well with a low ownership percentage.

 

Arsenal

Arsenal are currently in 1st position in Premier League, with nine points from three matches played. They have a 100% win record and have scored nine goals and conceded two goals while keeping two cleensheets. The Gunners are also the most in-form team. Their Expected Goals for (xGF) is 2.11 and Expected goals conceded (xGC) is 0.73.

FUL (H), AVL (H), MUN (A), and EVE (H) are all coming up next. A relatively easy run of fixtures which put Arsenal at the top of the list. Three of their next four games are at home and against defences that have only one cleansheet in their last eight games so you should fulfil the quota of three assets from them.

 

Must-have Pick

Gabriel Jesus (£8.1M) is selected by (81%) of players which is sufficient to put him in the must-have category. Jesus has played in all three matches so far and has scored two goals (2.05 xG) to go along with three assists (0.76 xA). He also has seven shots in total (three on target).

Gabriel Martinelli (£6.4M) is selected by (41.4%) of FPL managers. He has played three matches and scored two goals but is yet to have a non-FPL assist to his name. His (xG) is 1.26 and his (xA) is 0.51. He has a total of seven shots (three on target) just like Jesus.

 

Top Pick

Martin Ødegaard (£6.4M) – Selected by 13.1% managers. He has played three matches and has scored two goals. Ødegaard also has two shots on target from a total of six shots. His (xG) is 0.82 and his (xA) is 0.08.

 

Differential Pick

William Saliba (£4.6M) – TSB (9.0%). He has played three matches and has one shot on target—a goal in the last game against Bournemouth (0.11 xG). Saliba also kept a cleansheet in that game and has a 100% tackle success ratio.

Gabriel Magalhães (£5.0M) – TSB (8.0%). He has played three matches so far with a total of two shots for 0.22 xG). Plus, he has kept two cleansheets in addition to five successful tackles with a 71% success ratio.





Brentford

Brentford are currently in 8th position in the league. They have won one match, drawn one, and lost one while scoring eight goals and conceding five goals in the process. Their (xGF) is 1.46 and (xGC) is 1.71. Brentford face EVE (H), CRY (A), LEE (H), and SOU (A) in the coming weeks; teams that have conceded in all games for a grand total of zero clean sheets in their 12 games played.

 

Top Pick

Ivan Toney (£7.2M) – TSB (16.7%). Toney has played in every Brentford game, scoring two goals and assisting another two. He has a total of five shots (two on target). His (xG) is 1.46 and his (xA) is 1.15.

 

Differential Pick

Josh Dasilva (£4.6M) – TSB (11.0%). Popular budget enabler Dasilva has started in just two matches so far (plus one as a sub) but has scored two goals. He has two shots on target from a total of two shots and has an (xG) of 0.07.

 

Brighton and Hove Albion

Brighton and Hove Albion are currently in 5th position in the league, with seven points from three matches played. They have won two matches, drawn one, and are yet to lose a game. They have scored four goals and conceded just once with an (xGF) of 1.85 and (xGC) of 1.08.

LEE (H), FUL (A), LEI (H), and BOU (A) are the next four fixtures for them. Teams that have conceded many goals and Brighton are expected to score in each of these games. Also, no team has conceded fewer big chances than Brighton and they have produced two cleansheets out of their three matches which makes them a team to target in FPL, especially when it comes to picking defenders.

 

Must-have Pick

Pascal Groß (£5.7M) – TSB (8.8%). The top scorer for Brighton and Hove Albion has played all games for the Seagulls with two goals and an assist to his name. He has accumulated (1.59 xG) and (0.89 xA) and has two shots on target from a total of three shots. His performance and ownership make a must-have on a budget and also worth a shout as a differential pick thanks to his low ownership.

 

Top Pick

Robert Sanchez (£4.5M) – TSB (13%). At £4.5M, Sanchez offers great value. He has kept two cleansheets so far in addition to nine saves and has only conceded once in three games which was because of an own goal.

 

Differential Pick

Danny Welbeck (£6.5M) – TSB (1.6%). Welbeck has played all three matches and even though he is yet to score, he has two assists and a total of six shots. His (xG) is 0.51 and his (xA) is 0.61. At 1.6% ownership, he could be a great differential.

Leandro Trossard (£6.5M) – TSB (2.3%). Trossard has played three matches and has scored one goal from nine shots (five blocked, two on target, two off target). He has an (xG) 0.80 and (xA) of 0.21.





Leeds

Leeds United are currently in 3rd position in the Premier League, with seven points from three matches played. They have won two matches, drawn one, and are unbeaten. They have scored seven goals and conceded three. Their (xG) is 1.72 and (xGC) is 1.11.

They showed great form and resilience in the first three games and their attack was very aggressive and dangerous against Chelsea. Their upcoming fixtures are BHA (A), EVE (H), BRE (H), and NFO (A), a great run of fixtures that their rejuvenated attack will most likely take advantage of.

 

Must-have Pick

Rodrigo (£6.3M) – TSB (21.6%). Leeds’ star player has played every match so far and has scored four goals from a total of 10 shots (six on target) and his (xG) of 1.96 and his (xA) is 1.00. He is currently at the top of the Premier League goal-scoring charts ahead of the likes of Mohamed Salah, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane. His form and numbers combined with a favourable set of fixtures put him directly into the must-have category.

 

Differential Pick

Jack Harrison (£6.0M) – TSB (2.7%). Harrison has scored one goal and produced three assists in the first three games. He has two shots on target from the same number of shots and created three big chances. His (xG) is 0.59 and (xA) is 1.32 per match. Harrison is one of the few players who have returned in all of the matches so far and at 2.7% ownership, he can be a massive differential in FPL.


You can find Fantasy Premier League (FPL) resources for the 22/23 season here.

FPL Gameweek 1 Preview

With FPL GW1 coming up we preview each team, their predicted lineups and what you should know about as a Fantasy Premier League manager.


Hello! This is Arturo Hernández, I am from México and I will be writing every gameweek about Fantasy Premier League, giving the preview for the games and a small summary of what happened during those games. Feel free to follow me on Twitter as @arturohdezseg for the latest info.


I won’t be giving a preview for the whole Premier League now, as the fate of many teams can change a lot in the remaining days of the transfer window (Chelsea looking desperately for signings, Manchester United and their search for a central midfielder, the arrivals for the promoted teams and Leicester City trying not to lose their key players), I will just focus this time on the first gameweek. Hope you all have already picked your team and the best of luck!


Crystal Palace vs Arsenal (Friday, 21:00 GMT+2)

Arsenal features again in the opening game of the season; last year they lost 2-0 at Brentford, they will try to change their luck this time against a very exciting Palace side.


Predicted lineups:
• CRY: Guaita, Ward, Guéhi, Andersen, Mitchell, Doucouré, Schlupp, Eze, Ayew, Edouard, Zaha
• ARS: Ramsdale, White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko, Partey, Xhaka, Saka, Odegaard, Martinelli, Jesus


Keys to the game:

• Tomiyasu’s injury problems have forced Arteta to play centre back Ben White to play as a full back. He will be facing one of the most dangerous players in the league, Wilfried Zaha. The Ivorian has improved his numbers under the management of Patrick Vieira and will try to start the new season as he finished the last one.

• The Gunners signed Gabriel Jesus from Manchester City and the Brazilian has been one of the big names of the preseason tour: 7 goals in 5 games are the reason of him being the highest-owned player of the game, let’s see how he links up with Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and the new captain Martin Odegaard.


Fulham vs Liverpool (Saturday, 13:30 GMT+2)

Newly promoted Fulham will host the Champions League and Premier League runner-up on the early kick-off on Saturday.


Predicted lineups:
• FUL: Rodák, Tete, Tosin, Ream, Robinson, Palhinha, Reed, Kebano, Andreas, De Cordova-Reid, Mitrovic
• LIV: Alisson, Alexander-Arnold, Matip, van Dijk, Robertson, Fabinho, Henderson, Thiago, Salah, Firmino, Díaz


Keys to the game:

• Aleksandar Mitrovic broke last kind of goal records last season in the Championship (43 goals in 44 games played). He has been in the Premier League before without having the same impact; on his debut he will face the solid Liverpool defense, let’s see what can he give to his team.

• Luis Díaz had a great debut for the Reds last season. With Sadio Mané gone, he has earned a spot on the starting XI and will try to improve those numbers against one of the weakest teams in the competition.


Bournemouth vs Aston Villa (Saturday, 16:00 GMT+2)

Steven Gerrard’s boys will travel to the south of England to take on the Cherries, who are still missing many signings on his return to the Premier League.


Predicted lineups:
• BOU: Travers, Kelly, Hill, Mepham, Smith, Cook, Lerma, Zemura, Billing, Christie, Solanke.
• AVL: Martinez, Cash, Diego Carlos, Mings, Digne, Kamara, McGinn, Ramsey, Bailey, Watkins, Coutinho


Keys to the game:

• Scott Parkers spoke yesterday on a press conference about how his current tea mis weaker than the one that achieved promotion 3 months ago. He is still expecting some arrivals for his team to fight and stay in the Premier League, so we might see very unfamiliar faces on the bench this time.

• Leon Bailey was the most exciting signing for the Villains last season and he couldn’t show his qualities due injuries (only 1 goal in 18 games played). He had a great preseason and will look to maintain that form when the season starts.


Leeds United vs Wolverhampton (Saturday, 16:00 GMT+2)

After maintaining their Premier League spot in the last game, Jesse Marsch and Leeds United start the season against Wolves which will look very different from what we have seen from them in the last 4 years.


Predicted lineups:

• LEE: Meslier, Kristensen, Koch, Llorente, Struijk, Roca, Adams, Aaronson, Harrison, Rodrigo, Bamford

• WOL: Sá, Jonny, Collins, Kilman, Ait-Nouri, Neves, Dendoncker, Moutinho, Gibbs-White, Neto, Podence.


Keys to the game:

• The hosts will play without at least 7 players from the first team; James is suspended while Sinisterra, Ayling, Dallas, Firpo, Cooper and Forshaw are injured, so don’t expect many surprises on the starting lineup.

• Wolves don’t have any striker available (Silva left on loan and Jimenez will be out for at least a month); Lage has played with a system which allows Neto and Podence to switch positions constantly, they might cause some problems.


Newcastle vs Nottingham Forest (Saturday, 16:00 GMT+2)

The Magpies are ready for an exciting season ahead and are hosting Nottingham Forest, who are back in the top tier of English football for the first time since 1999.


Predicted lineups:
• NEW: Pope, Trippier, Lascelles, Botman, Targett, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Almirón, Wilson, Saint-Maximin
• NFO: Henderson, Worrall, Cook, Niakhaté, Williams, O’Brien, Colback, Toffolo, Lingard, Johnson, Awoniyi


Keys to the game:
• Miguel Almirón has looked Sharp during the preseason. 4 goals for the midfielder from Paraguay has earned him a spot in the starting lineup; he has not always looked great when it comes to scoring goals but he will try to change his luck this season.
• The visitors have spent big money in the market (almost 95 million euros according to Transfermarkt); unfortunately for them, this doesn’t always mean good in Premier League. At least 8 new faces could start on Saturday, so we might not yet see a good level of chemistry between them.


Tottenham vs Southampton (Saturday, 16:00 GMT+2)

After a busy summer transfer window, Spurs are ready to welcome a new season when they host a very young-looking side of Southampton.


Predicted lineups:
• TOT: Lloris, Romero, Dier, Sánchez, Doherty, Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Sessegnon, Kulusevski, Kane, Son.
• SOU: Bazunu, Walker-Peters, Bella-Kotchap, Bednarek, Salisu, Perraud, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Lavia, Aribo, Adams.


Keys to the game:
• Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son are one of the best partnerships in football. They had their best performance together 2 years ago against Southampton; Sonny scored 4 goals while the Hurrikane assisted all 4 and netted one more for a memorable game. We will see if the Saints learned the lesson.
• Many youngsters have arrived this season to Southampton; Aribo, Mara, Lavia and Bazunu will try to have the same impact that Livramento and Broja had last season. It’s a risky challenge for Hasenhuttl’s team, but they will try to have a nice style of play and to have a calm season.


Everton vs Chelsea (Saturday, 18:30 GMT+2)

Two times European champions will visit Goodison Park and former manager Frank Lampard on Saturday’s Match of the Day.


Predicted lineups:
• EVE: Pickford, Patterson, Tarkowski, Keane, Godfrey, Mykolenko, Doucouré, Iwobi, Gordon, McNeil, Dele
• CHE: Mendy, Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, Koulibaly, James, Kanté, Jorginho, Alonso, Mount, Havertz, Sterling


Keys to the game:
• Calvert-Lewin’s latest injury is a massive blow for the hosts. With both strikers out (Rondón is suspended), we might see Dele Alli playing as a false nine. A central midfielder is also missing for the Toffees, with the club trying to sign back Gueye, so I expect Iwobi to play in that position.
• Chelsea have missed out on many signings this summer (De Ligt, Kounde or Raphinha, to give a few examples), so the side we expect on Sunday will not look so different from last season. Cucurella’s deal has been announced so there is a small chance we get to see the Spaniard in action.


Leicester City vs Brentford (Sunday, 15:00 GMT+2)

Foxes and Bees collide on King Power Stadium on Sunday’s early kick-off.


Predicted lineups:
• LEI: Ward, Amartey, Fofana, Evans, Castagne, Ndidi, Dewsbury-Hall, Justin, Maddison, Iheanacho, Vardy.
• BRE: Raya, Hickey, Jansson, Mee, Henry, Janelt, Norgaard, Jensen, Mbeumo, Toney, Wissa.


Keys to the game:

• Barnes’ injury changes all plans for Leicester, who will not have Ricardo as well. The Foxes haven’t signed anyone yet and are expected to still let go of some players, so we expect a weaker team with still many great players to make the difference such as Maddison and Vardy.• Thomas Frank has left behind the 3 at the back formation and will try to have a more offensive team in its second season in the Premier League. Wissa had a great second half of the season and Mbeumo will play more on the right, with Toney as the main man in attack.


Manchester United vs Brighton (Sunday, 15:00 GMT+2)

Erik ten Hag’s debut at home will be on Sunday when his Red Devils host a very exciting Brighton side which beat them 4-0 last time they played.


Predicted lineups:
• MUN: De Gea, Dalot, Maguire, Lindelof, Malacia, McTominay, Fred, Elanga, Fernandes, Sancho, Rashford
• BHA: Sanchez, Veltman, Dunk, Webster, Lamptey, Mwepu, Caicedo, March, Mac Allister, Trossard, Welbeck


Keys to the game:
• The home side had a good preseason, with players such as Sancho, Rashford and Martial (out with an injury) showing that they can get back to their best. With all the Ronaldo saga going on, the club has yet to decide what to do with the Portuguese legend, who is expected to play. The question is whether he will start or not.
• To guess correctly a starting lineup with Graham Potter’s team is almost impossible. Maupay has been rumored to leave the club, while Duffy just went to Fulham on a loan. Some exciting names like Caicedo, Undav, Sarmiento and Enciso might get a start.


West Ham vs Manchester City (Sunday, 17:30 GMT+2)

The English champions start their season at the London stadium against West Ham who will be paying attention to their Conference League play-offs which take place next Thursday.


Predicted lineups:
• WHU: Fabianski, Coufal, Zouma, Dawson, Cresswell, Rice, Soucek, Benrahma, Lanzini, Bowen, Antonio.
• MCI: Ederson, Walker, Stones, Días, Cancelo, Rodri, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Haaland, Grealish


Keys to the game:
• Last season, the Hammers caused a lot of problems for the Citizens, especially the Bowen-Antonio duo, who almost left Guardiola’s team with no league title. The question this time is if Moyes will choose a back 3 or a back 4 to contain City’s attack with so many talented players.
• City’s star signing, Erling Haaland, looked good on the Community Shield against Liverpool but failed to score after having at least 3 clear chances. With Mahrez, Foden, De Bruyne and Grealish providing him assists, I expect the big man to score sooner than later.


That’s it for this time, thanks for reading and please give me your feedback!


You can find Fantasy Premier League (FPL) resources for the 22/23 season here.

FPL Tips: Top Differentials for Double Gameweek 36

With the last major double gameweek of the season upcoming, Tipster Joe Murphy takes a look at the best differential picks to consider in gameweek 36 of FPL.


With only three gameweeks left of the 2021/22 FPL season, this is definitely the time to add differentials to your team. These players should help you with a last-minute push for top 10k or catching a mini-league rival. I will be giving you three players in each position with under 10% ownership. Some positions were easier to find good low ownership than others.

Here are all the teams doubling in gameweek 36:

  • Arsenal: Leeds (H) and Tottenham (A)
  • Aston Villa: Burnley (A) and Liverpool (H)
  • Chelsea: Wolves (H) and Leeds (A)
  • Everton: Leicester (A) and Watford (A)
  • Leeds: Arsenal (A) and Chelsea (H)
  • Leicester: Everton (H) and Norwich (H)
  • Liverpool: Tottenham (H) and Aston Villa (A)
  • Man City: Newcastle (H) and Wolves (A)
  • Norwich: West Ham (H) and Leicester (A)
  • Tottenham: Liverpool (A) and Arsenal (H)
  • Watford: Crystal Palace (A) and Everton (H)
  • Wolves: Chelsea (A) and Man City (H)

FPL Forward Picks

 

Eddie Nketiah

💰 Price: £5.6M

🚀 Ownership: 6.4%

📆 Next fixtures: Leeds (H) and Tottenham (A)

For me, Nketiah is Arsenal’s #1 striker. With him playing back to back 90 minutes, while Lacazette remained an unused sub, I can see him starting upfront against Leeds. He had four shots on target against West Ham and was unlucky not to score. You can tell he is playing with confidence, and his hold-up play was exceptional at the end of the game. This hold-up play makes him look like an experienced forward and I think he’ll start in the North London Derby.

 

Richarlison

💰 Price: £7.5M

🚀 Ownership: 8.3%

📆 Next fixtures: Leicester (A) and Watford (A)

Richarlison is Everton’s key man, and it feels like every FPL Content Creator is banging on about him. Although it is for a good reason, you’re probably sick of him by now. He is also a slight injury doubt and could face a suspension because of the flare incident.

 

Timo Werner

💰 Price: £8.7M

🚀 Ownership: 4.2%

📆 Next fixtures: Wolves (H) and Leeds (A)

Chelsea have one of the best doubles, but it comes before the FA Cup final. So that means they’ll be rotation in this double. I feel like he’ll go 110-120 minutes, and he can easily haul with games against Wolves and Leeds. Chelsea may look disinterested, but I’m sure that in these games, they’ll have to wake up and go into the final with some rhythm. It is worth noting that Lukaku could start in the next game as Tuchel has hinted, so it is a good idea to stay up to date with more news before punting on Werner.



FPL Midfielder Picks

 

Ismalia Sarr

💰 Price: £5.7M

🚀 Ownership: 2.8%

📆 Next fixtures: Crystal Palace (A) and Everton (H)

Yes, Watford are pretty much relegated, but that doesn’t make Sarr a less appealing option. Sarr will likely leave them in the summer, so he will want to impress visiting scouts for a selfish reason. Watford have an excellent double, and if they score, he’ll likely be involved.

 

Luis Diaz

💰 Price: £8.0M

🚀 Ownership: 3.8%

📆 Next fixtures: Tottenham (H) and Aston Villa (A)

The reason why his ownership is this low is that most players have triple Liverpool already. But if you are one of the few that don’t, Diaz is the fourth-best one, in my opinion. He got subbed on at HT in the Champions League, which means he will likely start at the weekend. The positive about Diaz is that he is just as effective off the bench. You always fancy him to get a return no matter how low his minutes are.

 

Martin Ødegaard

💰 Price: £5.6M

🚀 Ownership: 6.6%

📆 Next fixtures: Leeds (H) and Tottenham (A)

Ødegaard is the biggest key to this Arsenal attack. He has often gone under the radar by FPL managers as he only has one double-digit return, which came in GW5 vs. Burnley. Despite this, he has steadily chipped over 5-6 points over the season. You know he is guaranteed to play in that Arsenal attack, and I can see him getting at least one return over the next two games.

 

Bonus Pick

 

Milot Rashica

💰 Price: £5.2M

🚀 Ownership: 0.1%

📆 Next fixtures: West Ham (H) and Leicester (A)

This is a differential and half. Norwich will be playing two teams who have just had to play in Europe, so they’ll be up against some tired legs. It could easily lead to them slipping up in Norwich’s favour. We have seen it before where a team that has just been relegated starts to play better football as they play with no pressure (this could also go the other way where Norwich collapse in the final few games).



Defender Picks

 

Seamus Coleman

💰 Price: £4.9M

🚀 Ownership: 0.8%

📆 Next fixtures: Leicester (A) and Watford (A)

Coleman and Mina are probably the two most nailed Everton defenders, but with Mina just coming back from an injury, he might miss one of the games. If that is the case, I don’t see them also resting Coleman in this game. It’s also important to note that Coleman has played every minute under Lampard when he has been available.

 

Joel Matip

💰 Price: £5.2M

🚀 Ownership: 8%

📆 Next fixtures: Tottenham (H) and Aston Villa (A)

A similar reason to Diaz as to why he has such low ownership. Matip is the cheapest way into Liverpool’s defense, although I’m not sure if he plays both with Konate playing mid-week games. He’ll get you at least one cleansheet over the double if he plays both.

 

Ben Davies

💰 Price: £4.5M

🚀 Ownership: 2.9%

📆 Next fixtures: Liverpool (A) and Arsenal (H)

A cheap way into the Tottenham backline. He has a bad double, but his GW37 and GW38 fixtures are good for Tottenham. He is probably the best fit defender from Spurs and will be your 15th man on bench boost if you decide to go with him. With Davies, you are more hoping he grabs an attacking return in the double as it is more likely that he won’t keep a cleansheet.

 

Bonus Pick

 

Marc Guehi

💰 Price: £4.5M

🚀 Ownership: 2.1%

📆 Next fixtures: Watford (H)

This is more for people planning to bench boost who need a cheap defender with a decent cleansheet chance in GW36. Palace at home to Watford looks like one of the best cleansheet chasers this week. Crystal Palace don’t have a double, but if Guehi keeps a cleansheet, he could easily outscore Ben Davies. Important to note that he also has a double next week, so Guehi could be a nice punt for the next two weeks. Another positive about Guehi is that he is a threat from corners, so he could get you an attacking return over the next two gameweeks.

 

Thanks for reading, and good luck with this double gameweek!


You can find Fantasy Premier League (FPL) resources for the 21/22 season here.