It wasn’t the most entertaining weekend of football, but it has given Fantasy Premier League managers plenty to think about.
With several teams not playing next gameweek and European fixtures still to come, patience will be key before locking in transfers.
We still have one match to go in Gameweek 30 as Brentford host bottom-of-the-table Wolves tonight (8pm GMT). But here, we will highlight the main FPL talking points from the weekend.
Fulham assets are so back
The big news for Fantasy managers came from Fulham, where both Harry Wilson (£6.0m) and Joachim Andersen (£4.5m) started and played 90 minutes against Nottingham Forest.
This is significant for Gameweek 31 because Fulham host Burnley, which is the best fixture of the gameweek.
Wilson has been a great option this season. His nine goals and eight assists are testament to that and with set pieces in his locker too, he’s an essential buy this week, especially for managers planning to wildcard after Gameweek 31.
With many FPL managers likely to struggle to field a full XI next week, a player with both minutes security and a strong fixture will be invaluable. Burnley have conceded the most goals (58) and also have the worst xGC (expected-goals conceded; 58.0) in the league.
Burnley are without a win in 11 Premier League games (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Andersen’s return strengthens Fulham defensively and this fixture is also the best for clean-sheet purposes. The Danish centre-back is great value and he’s now hit his defensive contribution threshold in 17 games.
In a week where clean sheets may be harder to find due to limited fixtures, Andersen should be at the top of our shopping lists.
Timber injury makes selling easy
Elsewhere, there was frustration for owners of Jurrien Timber (£6.3m) after he was forced off against Everton through injury.
Arsenal already have a blank in Gameweek 31, and an injury only adds further uncertainty around Timber’s availability. Given the circumstances, selling him now appears to be pretty straightforward.
Fortunately, there are several strong alternatives with appealing fixtures heading into Gameweek 31 and beyond. One of the standout options is Andersen, whose fixture against Burnley makes him an obvious replacement with the perfect entry point. He is cheap and can be rotated for his tougher games ahead.
Liverpool’s captain Virgil van Dijk (£6.2m) remains one of the best defenders to buy for both those planning to play their wildcard soon or not. He’s nailed to start, has a fixture this week, has an attacking threat and can pick up defensive contribution points too. Plus, Liverpool have great fixtures until the end of the season.
Despite Liverpool’s travails, Virgil van Dijk remains excellent value for money in FPL (Paul Ellis / AFP via Getty Images)
Newcastle United’s Malick Thiaw (£5.0m) is a more budget-friendly option. For managers needing to free up funds elsewhere, Thiaw offers a solid entry point with Sunderland at home next and solid fixtures until the end of the season too.
With four goals this season, Thiaw is another defender with attacking upside, and he’s also gotten defensive contribution points 11 times.
The main priority? Blank Gameweek 31
The focus for managers is to ensure you can field XI players in Gameweek 31. That’s why transfers should be focused on availability and fixtures.
The ideal transfers this week should benefit both the blank gameweek and beyond, unless you plan to Wildcard after Gameweek 31. If you have prepared for this week, you should be in a decent position. But if you are down in numbers, then don’t be afraid to play your Free Hit chip if you still have it.
If you can only get to around eight players once using your free transfers, I think it merits using the Free Hit.
Why the Champions League adds another layer of risk
Several key Premier League teams who have a fixture in Gameweek 31 also play Champions League football this midweek. They include Liverpool, Newcastle, Chelsea and Spurs, but I imagine not many of us will have any players from the latter.
Therefore, there is a genuine risk of injuries, rotation, or fatigue affecting your players, so waiting as long as possible before making transfers is strongly recommended.
Making an early move could easily backfire if a player picks up a knock or is suddenly ruled out — and even if you have prepared well for the upcoming blank, many of us will not have a full 15-man squad available.
With our teams spread thin already, waiting until all the midweek matches have been played is vital.
A warning on City and Palace
Arsenal and Wolves definitely blank in Gameweek 31. Although Manchester City and Crystal Palace’s fixture has been removed from the gameweek, there is still a very small chance that the fixture will go ahead in Gameweek 31.
For this to even have a chance of happening, both Manchester City and Palace will have to be knocked out of their respective European ties this week.
As we essentially have a three-week break after Gameweek 31, there is a chance it can be added. If this were to happen, it should be announced before the Gameweek 31 deadline.
As I mentioned, though, the chances of this are extremely thin, but it is again another reason not to make early transfers.