The Independent
·15 February 2023
The Independent
·15 February 2023
Following an eventful round of fixtures last time out, we’ve picked out five key players for consideration in your team who could score highly in Fantasy Premier League gameweek 24.
No double-gameweeks this time, meaning we must pay a little more attention to the fixture list.
Kepa Arrizabalaga
Chelsea may have proven to be a little confusing across the pitch so far this season, but Kepa’s performances, stats and underlying numbers should warrant a spot in your FPL team.
The Spaniard has averaged over three saves per game in the Premier League this season and kept clean sheets in half of his fixtures.
If he keeps to that record, he’s good for at least five points. Moreover, his next five fixtures come against teams that have all had their goal-scoring capabilities questioned throughout the season (Saints, Tottenham, Leeds, Leicester and Everton).
If all that isn’t enough to convince you, he’s saved 20% of the penalties he’s faced in his Premier League career, so there’s potential for an extra five points in that eventuality.
This is certainly one for any Nick Pope owners; the Newcastle man has Liverpool next, then a blank in GW25 (Carabao Cup final) and then Manchester City. Not a fixture list that makes for pretty reading, so take a chance on Kepa if you have the transfer!
Why not take advantage of Brentford’s superb defensive record by bringing in Ben Mee?
The English defender has averaged seven points per game in his last four gameweeks and faces a somewhat toothless Palace side, who only have three goals in their last five matches.
Be wary, however, as the former Burnley man should only be an option for this week; Brentford are due to blank in GW25, so Mee would need to be benched or transferred out for then.
Returning from suspension with a goal and nine FPL points to his name, Joao Felix should be in your thoughts (and your team), this week.
The on-loan Atletico man has had nine shots and boasts 1.34 xG and 0.65 xA across his two appearances (not bad, considering one of those was only 58 minutes long...).
He faces a Southampton defence next that has shipped nearly two goals per game this season, and with his strong offensive stats, Felix should have no problem bringing some points into your side for an extremely reasonable £7.5m (0.2m million cheaper than Havertz).
Another week, another chance for Pep Guardiola to play his favourite game: selection roulette.
Despite this, I’m confident Grealish will both start the match (as he has in the last four Premier League games) and pick up points against Nottingham Forest.
He may not have set the world alight in terms of goals and assists (three of each), but City’s number 10 has averaged at least one shot (1.3) and nearly two key passes (1.7) per league game this season.
Forest concede an average of 14 shots per game and tying that together with Grealish’s decent stats should equal valuable FPL points.
The Toffees have a double-gameweek in GW25, and Sean Dyche can only get more out of his defenders than we already have seen in his two games in charge.
The pick of the bunch should be Tarkowski; at just £4.2m, he’s cheaper than centre-back partner Conor Coady (£4.9m) as well as full-backs Vitalii Mykolenko (£4.3m) and Seamus Coleman (£4.4m) while arguably offering more of a goal threat than all three (the former Burnley centre-half scored and hit the post in his new manager’s first two matches).