With the busy festive period looming large, the month of November is the time to strengthen and to try and find that perfect squad balance. This article assesses the next five gameweeks and tries to predict which players will perform the best in them to help FPL managers plan their transfers.
Rule of Thumb
This season, players have generally done well while facing Fulham, Huddersfield and Cardiff.
Manchester City seem to always have the best fixtures. No matter who they are up against, they can easily score 3 or more goals. Rotation is the main issue while picking City players, especially midfielders. Raheem Sterling (11.1) is City’s highest scoring player in FPL so far with a season-high 21 points in the last game. Aguero (11.4) has started every game but only completed 90 minutes in one. Those two are the best attacking options from City. Ederson (5.8) is the highest scoring keeper and their defenders are also scoring quite well. Laporte (5.9) and Mendy (6.4) are the best defensive options.
One cannot ignore Liverpool and Chelsea players as well. Rotation is a worry but players like Salah (13.0), Mane (9.8), Robertson (6.4), Alonso (7.0), and Hazard (11.3) should be seriously considered.
The Best Fixtures
West Ham United and Newcastle United have the best fixtures on paper. The Hammers have Huddersfield, Man City, Newcastle, Cardiff, and Crystal Palace coming up whereas the Magpies will face Bournemouth, Burnley, West Ham, Everton, and Wolves. So, one might consider the players from these two sides. The best attacking talent is definitely Marko Arnautovic (7.1) with only his fitness a matter of concern for the fantasy managers. The big Austrian has 5 goals and 2 assists so far and is at the heart of almost every goal scoring opportunity. He must be considered very seriously.
Felipe Anderson (6.8) could be another good option at a reasonable price. Lukasz Fabianski (4.5) in goal is a decent bet as well but the West Ham defence has not been the most solid, keeping just one clean sheet so far.
Newcastle’s attacking play has been dire to say the least so it would be very brave to consider their attackers. Their defence, however, has been quite good and kept 4 clean sheets so far. Martin Dubravka (5.0) should be considered but unfortunately, his price might be an obstacle for some. DeAndre Yedlin (4.5) could be a cheap defensive option from Newcastle. Kenedy (4.9) is probably the only one worth considering from their midfield.
Differentials to Consider
Brighton and Hove Albion also have some great fixtures. The seagulls are taking on Cardiff, Leicester, Huddersfield, Crystal Palace, and Burnley. Their defence has found its mojo in recent weeks with all 3 of their clean sheets coming in the last 4 games. They are especially stingy at home with 1-0 scoreline in favour of them becoming a regular outcome. Mathew Ryan (4.6) could be the best keeper to have this month. In defence, Shane Duffy (4.6) and Lewis Dunk (4.4) provide cheap but solid options. Glenn Murray (6.6) is an excellent choice as a mid-range striker. The veteran striker has already bagged 6 goals and is a serious threat especially in home games.
Leicester City also have some decent fixtures (Burnley, West Ham, Watford, Fulham, Tottenham) coming up this month so Vardy (9.0) and Maddison (6.9) should be considered.
Players in Form
Having juicy looking fixtures does not always transfer into fantasy points. Just ask the Mitrovic holders. One must consider those in form as well. Currently, Bournemouth and Arsenal are in spectacular form but they are facing some tough looking games this month.
The Cherries have Newcastle, Arsenal, Man City, Huddersfield, and Liverpool while the Gunners will take on Wolves, Bournemouth, Spurs, Man Utd, and Huddersfield. Despite the toughish matchups, players in form are often fixture-proof. Hence, one can make a case for keeping or even transferring in players like Callum Wilson (6.7), Ryan Fraser (6.1), Lacazette (9.7), and Aubameyang (10.9).
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