EPL DGW-29 FPL Player Picks

As the international break draws to a close, the Premier League presents us with a big double game-week — 12 teams playing twice. In addition, some of the non-doubling teams have interesting fixtures to complicate decisions for FPL managers trying to brainstorm their next moves.

Here are the teams that play twice in DGW-29:

• Aston Villa
• Bournemouth
• Brentford
• Brighton
• Chelsea
• Leeds
• Leicester
• Liverpool
• Man United
• Newcastle
• Nottingham Forest
• West Ham

For many, this is a great opportunity to play a chip. Bench Boost will be a favorite, but there will be plenty of takers for the Triple Captain, Free Hit, and even Wildcard chips.

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Goalkeepers

Jason Steele (£3.9m, Brighton v Brentford); (Bournemouth v Brighton)

Brighton has been producing amazing numbers up front, but the back line has also been doing well thanks to Jason Steele keeping two clean sheets in his previous two fixtures across all competitions, four in has last five. In the last six game-weeks, the Seagulls rank joint second for fewest goals conceded (four), the best for shots in the box conceded (25), joint second for shots on target conceded (12) and the best for big chances conceded (three). The return of former number one keeper Sanchez is a potential threat, but given Steele’s form and Brighton’s recent results, it’s difficult to see why the gaffer would decide to reinstate the Spaniard.

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Keylor Navas (£4.5m, Forest v Wolves); (Leeds v Forest)

Forest faces two relegation-scrum fixtures this week. All three of the involved teams are within three points of the drop zone, and both of Forest’s opponents are struggling to score goals. No team has netted fewer times this season than Wolves (20), who have blanked in two of their last six while averaging just one goal per game over that period. Similarly, Leeds has been held scoreless in six of its last eleven games across all competitions. This puts the former Champions League keeper in a great spot for clean sheets in the DGW.

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Kepa Arrizabalaga (£4.7m, Chelsea v Aston Villa); (Chelsea v Liverpool)

Kepa earned a combined total of 19 points against Villa and Liverpool in the reverse fixtures. He has kept two clean sheets in his last four matches across all competitions. Chelsea has been gradually improving at the back in the last six game-weeks; the Blues rank among the best five teams for goals conceded (five), shots in the box conceded (33) and big chances conceded (five).

The Spanish keeper will face tough attacking threats from both of these opponents, but Chelsea’s stock is on the rise and Kepa will have the home-field advantage for both fixtures.

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Defenders

Pervis Estupinan (£4.8m, Brighton v Brentford); (Bournemouth v Brighton)

Estupinan averaged more than 6 ppg over his last eight games, failing to hit 6 or more just once over that stretch. He provides multiple routes to fantasy points, with five clean sheets, three assists, and eight bonus points over that period.

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Ben Chilwell (£6.0m, Chelsea v Aston Villa); (Chelsea v Liverpool)

Chilwell’s return has been one of the major reasons behind the team’s improvements both up front and defensively. According to the official Premier League site, the wing-back supplied 10 key passes plus five shots in his last four matches, meaning he was involved in 15 shots. Plus, the month of March saw Chelsea shift to a back three that has allowed Chilwell even more freedom to bomb forward, leading to immediate results: one goal plus one assist in his last three games.

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Luke Shaw (£5.2m, Newcastle v Man United); (Man United v Brentford)

Shaw has been brilliant this term for the Red Devils, and he is the most-purchased defender ahead of DGW-29, earning 83,000 new owners. Since the restart of the campaign, Shaw is the highest-scoring FPL defender, and over his last four matches he has created nine shots and produced four of his own. The Man United left-back was sent off in England’s first game, so didn’t feature in the second, which gives a boost to his expected minutes over the DGW.

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Kieran Trippier (£6.1m, Newcastle v Man United); West Ham v Newcastle)

Trippier has created a league-high 39 chances since the season restarted, and despite a dip in form for Newcastle, the Magpies still rank the best for fewest goals conceded (19), joint first for clean sheets (12) and second best for big chances conceded (36). Newcastle defense may have become a little leaky lately, but the right-back’s attacking threat is a buffer against lost clean sheet points.

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Midfielders

Alexis Mac Allister (£5.5m, Brighton v Brentford); (Bournemouth v Brighton)

Investing in Brighton’s assets is a great call in this DGW, and now operating in the number 10 role, Mac Allister makes a terrific differential. Brighton’s attacking stats are amazing; over the last six games the Seagulls rank first for attempts on goal (104), first for shots in the box (70), third for big chances total (21) and first for shots on target (37). The World Cup winner has 15 shots and 10 shots in the box in the last four GWs, placing him second for both among all FPL midfielders. Meanwhile, Solly March (£5.1m) and Kaoru Mitoma (£5.5m) are great options too, but Mac takes pens and free kicks so gets the nod from us.

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Marcus Rashford (£7.3m, Newcastle v Man United); (Man United v Brentford)

The Man United talisman is in top form, scoring 27 goals and 9 assists in 44 matches for the club this season, and has averaged 8.1 points per start since the World Cup finished. Among all players in the league over the last six matches, Rashford ranks joint first for goals scored (five), joint fourth for attempts on goal (20) and joint third for big chances (seven). The left-winger picked up an injury that kept him out of England’s international matches, but was back in training at Carrington on Monday (although away from the main group). Bruno Fernandes (£9.6m) is also another great differential to consider.

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James Maddison (£8.2m, Crystal Palace v Leicester); (Leicester v Aston Villa)

If the Foxes somehow escape relegation, Maddison will be the reason. The England midfielder has been involved in 26 shots over his last four matches, creating 13 and taking a further 13 of his own. Despite earning just one assist, his attacking threat is massive, especially when facing two sides who are in declining form. He’s on free kicks too.

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Mo Salah (£12.8m, Man City v Liverpool); (Chelsea v Liverpool)

Salah has 32 goal contributions in all competition despite having a “poor” season with the Reds. Liverpool has tough away fixtures to Man City and Chelsea, but these two fixtures are make-or-break for Liverpool’s hopes of securing a Champions League spot for next season.

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Forwards

Alexander Isak (£6.7m, Newcastle v Man United); West Ham v Newcastle)

Newcastle’s striker scored twice and earned a season-high haul of 13 points in his previous game, his 11 shots in the box level with Haaland. Isak has scored six of the seven goals Newcastle has scored when he was selected this season. He is the most-purchased forward for DGW-29.

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Ivan Toney (£7.9m, Brighton v Brentford); (Man Utd v Brentford)

Toney has turned out to be one of the most favorite players in this DGW, owned by over 41% of FPL squads despite being just one booking away from a two-match ban. The striker has scored thrice in his previous six fixtures, so it will be suspenseful to see whether he will reward his owners with a sweet fantasy haul, or sting them with a 10th yellow. Perhaps he’ll do both.

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Ollie Watkins (£7.5m, Chelsea v Aston Villa); (Leicester v Aston Villa)

Villa has been struggling to score goals, but if anybody can, it’s Ollie Watkins. He has now blanked just once in his previous eight appearances. As per the PL stat, Aston Villa’s top scorer recorded 12 shots in the box and seven big chances, while his 10 shots on target were at least twice that of any rival save Kai Havertz (£7.6m). Since Unai Emery was appointed in GW-15, Watkins’ average of 5.7 ppm is almost identical to the 5.8 ppm of Erling Haaland (£12.0m).

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Harry Kane (£11.8m, Everton v Spurs)

With Antonio Conte out, will Tottenham find new inspiration or start looking toward next season? Despite recent cup exits, Harry Kane has still been a standout player, and he can find further goals against a dull Everton side. Recently crowned England’s record scorer after a penalty kick goal against Italy, the Spurs man notched in England’s game against Ukraine too. Despite having just one match this week, he is still poised to deliver points, having scored with four of his last five shots on target in the league.

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Note: Erling Haaland was named in a previous version of this article, but he was not pictured in training today (Thursday) so we have dropped him.

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The question is, who are you planning to captain? Any player you think we missed out on? Who are you adding and removing? Also, what chips do you have saved and plan on using? Please join and let us know in the comments below!

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