EPL GW-16 FPL Player Picks

Here we are in the final week before the pause for the World Cup — the biggest event in all of sports. (By the way, be sure to join our World Cup mini-league!)

Fantasy EPL will also be on break during this period of course, but FPL has kindly granted us an extra round of unlimited free transfers to play with while the planet’s attention is fixed on Qatar.

But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. We still have EPL GW-16 to contend with, so it’s time to gear up to make your transfer decisions for the weekend. Let’s have a look at the players who seem poised to deliver, so that your team can enter the World Cup break on a high note!

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Saturday, 12 November

• Man City v Brentford
• Bournemouth v Everton
• Liverpool v Southampton
• Nottingham Forest v Crystal Palace
• Tottenham v Leeds
• West Ham v Leicester
• Newcastle v Chelsea
• Wolves v Arsenal

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Sunday, 13 November

• Brighton v Aston Villa
• Fulham v Man United

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Goalkeeper

Aaron Ramsdale (£4.9m, Wolves v Arsenal)

Ramsdale is challenging for a place in the England squad ahead of Pickford, and he’s also motivated to keep Arsenal at the top of the table. Meanwhile this Wolves side has struggled to score goals all season. With the form Ramsdale and the Gunners are in, clean sheet points are a good bet here.

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Alisson Becker (£5.4m, Liverpool v Southampton)

Liverpool’s back line has been a disaster, with Allison able to keep only four clean sheets all season. However, a big win against Spurs last weekend could give the Reds the lift they need to shut out a Southampton team that just sacked Ralph Hasenhuttl. The Saints don’t pose much attacking threat, and Liverpool are always a tougher team when they have the home field advantage.

Shout-outs: Man City’s Ederson, Newcastle’s Nick Pope

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Defenders

Gabriel Magalhaes (£5.1m, Wolves v Arsenal)

Two back-to-back clean sheets plus a crucial win against Chelsea are a big statement by the Gunners that they are legit, and Gabriel has been an important part of that. His “nothing personal” trash-talk to Chelsea’s Aubameyang is a reflection of the man’s swagger and confidence, but being passed over for the Brazilian World Cup squad is surely a massive wound. The defender will want to prove Tite wrong for not selecting him, and Wolves will present the perfect opportunity for him to do that.

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Ivan Perišić (£5.5m, Spurs v Leeds)

With Son Heung-Min unavailable, it was Perisic who provided the missing attacking threat when Spurs faced Liverpool last weekend: Over the last two games he has been positioned further forward than at any other point this season. Dejan Kulusevski’s return to fitness means that Conte could now opt for a front two that relies less on Perisic’s offensive sensibilities, but regardless, Perisic’s potential looks bright against a Leeds side whose defense is anything but tight.

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Kieran Trippier (£5.9m, Newcastle v Chelsea)

Newcastle are really on the rise and Trippier has just been phenomenal. Consistently productive on both sides of the ball, he has managed 22 points over his previous two GWs and will likely now start at right-back for the England national team. This week Trips faces a dull Chelsea side that looks all over the place, and the Magpies will take this chance to entrench themselves even more firmly in the top four.

Shout-outs: Liverpool’s TAA, Leicester’s Castagne

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Midfielders

Miguel Almirón (£5.8m, Newcastle v Chelsea)

What a revelation Almiron is turning out to be – is it mere coincidence that his purple patch began after Jack Grealish suggested that Riyad Mahrez was subbed off in City’s final game of the 2021-22 campaign because the Algerian was “playing like Almiron”? Almiron has now scored in four consecutive games, and has eight goals plus an assist on the season. There seems to be no stopping him right now.

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James Maddison (£8.2m, West Ham v Leicester)

If anybody gets the credit for pushing Leicester forward from the relegation zone, then it is James Maddison. He has 21 points in his previous three games, with four goals plus four assists. What more can the Foxes’ playmaker do to convince Gareth Southgate that he deserves a ticket to Qatar?

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Mo Salah (£12.7m, Liverpool v Southampton)

The Mo we used to know seems to be back. The Egyptian has three goals in his previous two games and could keep his scoring run alive when the Reds welcome the Saints to Anfield. He might just be the best alternative to Erling Haaland for your captain’s armband this week.

Shout-outs: Man City’s KDB, Palace’s Zaha

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Forwards

Darwin Núñez (£8.9m, Liverpool v Southampton)

With his form becoming consistent and his price tag still low, Darwin could be a great player to consider this week. The Southampton fixture is a cherry matchup for him to make a final statement before heading off to the World Cup.

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Harry Kane (£11.6m, Spurs v Leeds)

Despite Spurs not playing their free flowing brand of attacking football, and Erling Haaland’s goal-scoring exploits stealing all the headlines, the England captain still has 11 goals plus two assists so far this season. Kane always seems to find a way to ripple the net, and should have plenty of opportunities to do so against Leeds.

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Erling Haaland (£12.1m, Manchester City v Brentford)

Haaland just can’t stop scoring, bagging an injury-time game-winner last time out even though he started on the bench. The guy now has 18 goals and we are still only in early November! He’s a must-have player and is this season’s Captain Obvious. But you already know this.

Shout-outs: Brentford’s Toney, Newcastles’ Wilson

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What do you make of our picks this game-week? Are you going for any differentials? Who is your captain? Please take our poll and share your thoughts in the comments below!

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