Fantasy Premier League Gameweek 34 (so far) review: Super Gibbs-White and an Arsenal differential emerges
Arsenal’s title challenge is back on track, Liverpool have been dealt a potentially season-defining injury blow, and Fantasy Premier League managers now have just four Gameweeks left to make their mark.
As ever, the weekend’s action in Gameweek 34 has given us plenty to think about, with form players emerging and a number of key decisions looming large.
We still have one more game to go this gameweek as Manchester United host Brentford tonight (8.00pm UK time/3pm ET) but here are the main FPL talking points from the weekend.
The main route to Forest
Morgan Gibbs-White (£7.6m) is finishing the season in excellent form. Nottingham Forest’s talisman followed up his recent 20-point haul with another double-digit return in his team’s 5-0 win over Sunderland on Friday night.
He now has four goals and an assist in the last two games, and looks like a great option from Gameweek 36 onwards. Forest face Newcastle at home that week before another appealing home fixture against Bournemouth in Gameweek 38.
Most importantly, Forest are still looking to mathematically secure survival. That means there will be no shortage of motivation in these final weeks, and their key players should continue to play every minute despite their run to the semi-finals of the Europa League.
Gibbs-White is also likely to be first in line for penalties, which only adds to his appeal.
At this stage of the season, targeting motivated teams with something to play for is often one of the best strategies, and Gibbs-White fits that profile perfectly.
Why Isak is worth considering again
One of the biggest talking points of the weekend was Mohamed Salah’s (£14.0m) potential injury against Crystal Palace. He was forced off with what looked like a hamstring injury, and with only four matches remaining, there is now a very real possibility that Salah has played his final game for Liverpool.
For FPL managers, the decision looks straightforward. If you own Salah, he is now an easy sell. His premium price tag means holding onto an injured player at this stage of the campaign simply does not make sense.
Alexander Isak (£10.3m) also caught the eye this weekend, scoring his first goal since returning from injury. It was an encouraging display from the Liverpool striker, who played 78 minutes and looked sharp.
His fitness is improving and with Hugo Ekitike (£9.1m) ruled out for the rest of the season, Isak is now likely to lead the line in every remaining match. As a result, he suddenly becomes one of the most appealing differentials in the game.
Liverpool are pushing hard for a top-three finish, so motivation will not be an issue, and Isak’s underlying numbers and output have remained excellent whenever he has been fit.
Against Crystal Palace, Alexander Isak scored his first home Premier League goal for Liverpool (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Liverpool play Manchester United (A), Chelsea (H), Aston Villa (A) and Brentford (H) in their last four games, which isn’t the easiest set of fixtures on paper. However, Isak can score well over this run and he’s more of an option for those FPL managers chasing rank.
With Salah possibly out, there might also be a chance he takes penalties in his absence.
An Arsenal differential emerges…
After back-to-back defeats, Arsenal returned to winning ways, securing a much-needed 1-0 victory over Newcastle that included a valuable clean sheet.
That result not only keeps them firmly in the title race but also keeps their players on the FPL radar. With fixtures against Fulham (H), West Ham (A), Burnley (H) and Crystal Palace (A) to come, Arsenal arguably have the best run-in of any side.
Given what is at stake, rotation should be minimal. Mikel Arteta will be expected to field his strongest available side in every league match, which is exactly what FPL managers want to see at this stage of the season.
A defensive double-up looks particularly appealing. Arsenal remain one of the strongest defences in the league and their fixtures offer significant clean-sheet potential.
Meanwhile, Bukayo Saka (£9.8m) is another player who demands attention. Having returned from injury against Newcastle, he now offers managers a genuine differential.
His ownership is going to be low due to his recent absence. With Arsenal fully focused on the title race, Saka will no doubt improve and be central to their attacking output over the final four matches.
Bukayo Saka returned to action as a late substitute in Arsenal’s win over Newcastle (Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)
He offers captaincy potential in the right fixture and could be a particularly effective pick for managers looking to make up ground in their mini-leagues or overall ranks.
Kai Havertz’s (£7.3m) latest injury setback could also open the door for another differential. If the German is ruled out for the remainder of the season, that could increase interest in Viktor Gyokeres (£8.8m).
While the Swede hasn’t exactly been prolific, the fixtures don’t get much better, and if the minutes are there, then he is most definitely worth consideration.
With only four Gameweeks remaining, the focus should now be on players with good fixtures, secure minutes and, perhaps most importantly, something to play for.
Gibbs-White looks an excellent target for the final three weeks, Isak is emerging as a standout differential and Arsenal’s plum fixture run makes their assets highly attractive, particularly in defence.
Saka and Gyokeres, meanwhile, could be the players who help define the end of your season.
