clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

EPL GW-12 FPL Player Picks

It’s a blank gameweek for Arsenal and Manchester City!

Brentford FC v Brighton & Hove Albion - Premier League Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

The Premier League returns just two days after the end of gameweek-11. A Europa League commitment for Arsenal means their GW-12 fixture against Manchester City must be postponed, creating a blank for both clubs.

City may not mind the opportunity to regroup. The Citizens came into Gameweek-11 as the last unbeaten team in the Prem, but ultimately fell to Liverpool at Fortress Anfield.

Arsenal and City assets have been among the most productive and popular in FPL this season, so many fantasy managers will find themselves staring at a lot of potential zeroes this round. For them, gameweek-12 could be a good time to make use of the free-hit chip.

But even if you’ve carefully tailored your squad to account for the GW-12 blanks, you probably still need to make a transfer or two. Let’s take a look at some of the players who could fit the bill.


Goalkeepers

Jose Sa (£5.1m, Crystal Palace v Wolves)

Sa helped Wolves secure their first win in four games by denying Brennan Johnson’s penalty kick in their 1-nil victory over Nottingham Forest. The top goalkeeper in FPL recorded his second double-digit return, taking him to 55 points for the season.

~

Kepa Arrizabalaga (£4.4m, Brentford v Chelsea)

Kepa made it three clean sheets in three matches when he helped Chelsea claim a two-nil victory over Aston Villa. Kepa made a gameweek-high seven saves and earned an extra two bonus points to go with his clean sheet points. Up next for Chelsea is a trip to Brentford, and Kepa will need to be at his best to keep out the in-form Ivan Toney, but at his price he looks value for money.


Defenders

Kieran Trippier (£5.6m, Newcastle v Everton)

A clean sheet against Man United made it five consecutive games in which Trippier has returned no fewer than five points. The England international is establishing himself as an FPL must-have while fighting for a place in the Three Lions’ World Cup squad.

~

Eric Dier (£5.2m, Man United v Tottenham)

Dier is part of a Spurs defense that hasn’t conceded in 180 minutes. The center-back is one of the few Spurs players who seems to be immune to Antonio Conte’s rotation policy, and will once again be expected to play from the start at Old Trafford.

~

Diogo Dalot (£4.5m, Man United v Tottenham)

Dalot has proven to be a mainstay in ten Hag’s new-look Manchester United defense, propelling the Red Devils to fifth in the table. Dalot walked away with maximum bonus points in the United’s goalless draw against Newcastle last time out and will be crucial to keeping Son quiet on the right flank on Wednesday.


Midfielders

Salah (£12.7m, Liverpool v West Ham)

You can never rule out Salah, can you? Mo showed that his Champions League hattrick wasn’t a fluke by helping the Reds put Pep Guardiola’s Man City to the sword. Without players from Manchester City and Arsenal, Salah looks like an excellent pick, especially because it appears that Klopp may be playing him centrally again.

~

Andreas Pereira (£4.6m, Fulham v Aston Villa)

Still priced at just 4.6m, Pereira has proved to be value for money this season. The midfielder has provided assists in the Cottagers last two games and will be pumped up to keep the run going against Steven Gerrard’s struggling Aston Villa.

~

Mason Mount (£7.6m, Brentford v Chelsea)

A brace from Mount lifted Chelsea to a 2-nil victory over Aston Villa. The England international is proving to be pivotal to new manager Graham Potter’s plans for the Blues, and it would be wrong to doubt him against Brentford.

~

Leandro Trossard (£6.9m, Brighton v Nottingham Forest)

Up next for Trossard and Brighton is Nottingham, a side with four defeats and just one draw in their last five games. Trossard will be eager to put an end to a run of two games without an attacking contribution, and bottom-placed Nottingham Forest looks like the perfect fixture to do so.


Strikers

Harry Kane (£11.4m, Man United v Tottenham)

Harry Kane will finally get a gameweek to shine on his own without the fear of Erling Haaland stealing the headlines. The England captain has scored nine and created one, a record only bettered by the Norwegian’s 15 goals. Kane is on a run of nine straight gameweeks with attacking returns and will be eager to make it ten in ten when Spurs take on Manchester United on Wednesday.

~

Aleksandar Mitrovic (£6.7m, Fulham v Aston Villa)

Mitrovic marked his return from injury by scoring from the spot in the Cottagers 2-2 draw against Bournemouth. The Serbian striker is beginning to make a place for himself among the best strikers in the Premier League. A fixture against an Aston Villa side still yet to get going this season seems like the perfect fixture to add to his seven goals.

~

Ivan Toney (£7.3m, Brentford v Chelsea)

Toney is making it almost impossible for England manager Gareth Southgate to overlook him. The energetic striker has led the line in an exemplary manner for Brentford, and two goals in the Bees’ last match against Brighton took him to eight goals for the season. Brentford takes on Chelsea next, and Thomas Frank will know that Toney must be at his best for his side to stand a chance of picking up points in this fixture.

~

Dominic Solanke (£5.7m, Bournemouth v Southampton)

Solanke backed up his impressive double assists in gameweek-10 by scoring one and creating another in their 2-2 draw against Fulham. Solanke has been pivotal to Bournemouth’s six-game unbeaten run that has seen them draw four and win two. Still with a long-shot chance of making the Three Lions World Cup squad, expect Solanke to be eager to keep his run going when they take on Southampton on Wednesday.


What do you make of our picks this game-week? Are you going for any differentials? Will you be making use of a chip? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments below!