As the festive season draws near, football fans have plenty to anticipate, with Gameweek 13 of the Premier League kicking off this Friday.
As we approach the EPL season's halfway point, FPL managers are eager to leave the early stages behind and solidify their squads with reliable players and a carefully crafted strategy.
Before finalizing your lineups for the weekend, let’s dive into some key talking points and essential statistics.
FPL Gameweek 13 Fixtures
Brighton will host Southampton for the opener.
Leicester are set to visit Brentford.
Crystal Palace are at home to Newcastle.
Ipswich have a trip to Nottingham Forest.
Wolves welcome Bournemouth.
The Hammers take on Arsenal at the London Stadium.
Aston Villa are away to Chelsea.
Everton visit Old Trafford to take on Manchester United.
Spurs have a home game against Fulham.
Liverpool vs Manchester City at Anfield will close out the weekend.
FPL Assets Leading On Form For Gameweek 13
Let’s start by looking at the current form amongst FPL assets for Gameweek 13.
Goalkeepers:
- Jordan Pickford moves one up with 6.3
- Łukasz Fabiański also moves one up with 5.7
- Caoimhin Kelleher is in third with 5.3
Defenders:
- Aaron Wan-Bissaka is first with 7.3
- Pedro Porro sits second with 6.3
- Ola Aina is tied for third with 5.3
Midfielders:
- Mohamed Salah again stays first with 12.0
- Bruno Fernandes stays second with 9.7
- João Gomes is in third with 8.3
Forwards:
- Matheus Cunha stays first with 11.3
- João Pedro is second with 7.7
- Dominic Solanke is tied for second with 7.7
A Standout Talent Coming To Light
Wolves are enduring a challenging Premier League season.
They are clinging to safety above the relegation zone, thanks only to goal difference.
Without the brilliance of their star performer, their situation might look even bleaker.
Matheus Cunha has been a standout for Wolves, delivering remarkable displays that have drawn the attention of FPL managers worldwide.
Despite the team securing just two wins in 12 matches, Cunha has been a beacon of hope with his consistent goal-scoring prowess.
The Brazilian forward has already netted seven goals this season, making him a nightmare for defenders across the league.
In addition to being the Wolves' leading scorer, Cunha also shares the top spot for assists at the club, tied with Mario Lemina.
Even with his price rising to £7.0m, FPL managers haven’t hesitated to bring him into their squads.
Cunha’s form has made him the most transferred-in player ahead of the upcoming FPL matchweek 13, a clear sign of his growing reputation as one of the league’s top attacking threats.
Arne Slot’s Left Wing Selections Confuse FPL Managers
It’s only natural for FPL managers to gravitate toward forwards from the league leaders.
Mohamed Salah has been the go-to option for many, but those looking to diversify their exposure to Liverpool’s attack have been frustrated by the rotation on the left wing.
Luis Díaz began the season in outstanding form, scoring three goals and providing an assist in his first three matches.
This strong start saw a rush of Fantasy Premier League managers securing his services, only to be disappointed by Arne Slot’s ongoing selection decisions.
In two of the last three Premier League matches, Cody Gakpo has started ahead of Díaz on the left wing.
This rotation is likely part of Slot’s plan to manage player fitness during a period of intense fixtures.
Díaz has started 8 of Liverpool's 12 Premier League games so far, while Gakpo has started 4.
Although Díaz seems to remain Slot's preferred choice on the left, the uncertainty surrounding his minutes has caused him to become the most transferred-out midfielder in FPL ahead of the new gameweek.
He is the second most transferred-out player overall, just behind Erling Haaland.
The Best FPL Bet Is Brighton
As we look ahead to the next six gameweeks, few clubs have a more promising run of fixtures than Brighton.
Currently just one point behind second place in the Premier League, the Seagulls appear to have hit their stride after impressive victories over Manchester City and Bournemouth.
Brighton's next six matches will include matches against Southampton, Fulham, Leicester, Crystal Palace, West Ham, and Brentford.
This encouraging set of fixtures offers plenty of opportunities to secure points.
With European football aspirations beginning to take shape, Brighton will be eager to continue their strong form.
Key players to consider from Brighton’s squad include Kaoru Mitoma, Danny Welbeck, João Pedro, Georginio Rutter, and Joël Veltman, all of whom could make significant impacts.
Goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen may also be worth a look, as he could rack up a few clean sheets in the coming weeks.
The Most Consistent Assets So Far
Three names stand out when evaluating the players with the highest points per game this season: Bukayo Saka, Mohamed Salah and Cole Palmer.
For most FPL managers, fitting all three into a squad is challenging due to budget constraints.
Trying to include them all would certainly weaken other areas of your team.
So, which of these three offers the best value when comparing their points per match relative to their price tag?
Bukayo Saka FPL Value
Saka has made 12 goal contributions this season, scoring 4 goals and assisting 8.
He is certainly one of the most consistent players in FPL.
Priced at £10.2m, Saka has averaged 7.3 points per game this season.
We can calculate his PPM (Points Per Million) value by dividing his points per game by his price.
Saka receives a PPM value of 0.715
Mohamed Salah FPL Value
Salah has made 16 goal contributions in 12 games during this campaign.
Assisting 6 goals and scoring 10, Mohamed Salah has been the standout performer in FPL.
Being priced at £13.1m, Salah has averaged 10.0 points per game this season.
We can calculate his PPM (Points Per Million) value by dividing his points per game by his price.
Salah receives a PPM value of 0.763
Cole Palmer FPL Value
Palmer has made 12 goal contributions since the start of the season.
He has scored 7 goals and assisted 5.
Although he has failed to make any goal contributions in his last 3 games, Palmer is still one of the most prized assets in FPL.
Being priced at £10.9m, Palmer has averaged 7.2 points per game this season.
We can calculate his PPM (Points Per Million) value by dividing his points per game by his price.
Palmer receives a PPM value of 0.66
Who Has The Highest PPM Value In The FPL?
João Pedro.
With a price tag of £5.6m and an average points per game of 7.0, Pedro has provided the most bang for your buck so far this season with a PPM Value of 1.25
Looking At Manchester United
Most FPL managers have recently been cautious about investing in Manchester United assets.
However, with the appointment of new head coach Ruben Amorim, some managers are starting to reconsider and wonder if there’s potential value in taking a chance on the Red Devils.
Identifying the most promising assets in United's squad is challenging, given the recent changes and the club's overall underwhelming performances.
A good starting point could be to look at the club’s top three performers in terms of total points so far this season:
- André Onana : 56 points to date
- Bruno Fernandes: 52 points to date
- Alejandro Garnacho: 42 points to date
While it’s still unclear who will be part of Amorim’s long-term plans, FPL managers considering Manchester United assets might feel confident that these three players could see regular minutes under the new coach.
Gvardiol Owners Part Ways With The Croatian
Manchester City's recent struggles have been widely discussed in the media.
The Citizens have now endured three consecutive Premier League losses.
The frustration is palpable, not just for Pep Guardiola and City fans but also for FPL managers.
Many are offloading defender Joško Gvardiol after City’s 4-0 defeat to Spurs last weekend.
Despite City’s disappointing run of form, Gvardiol has accumulated the third most points of any defender in the FPL campaign so far.
This impressive tally is largely due to the three goals scored by the Croatian this season.
However, with Manchester City only having managed two clean sheets, FPL managers are choosing to let go of him.
Gvardiol is currently the second most transferred-out defender ahead of the new gameweek, only behind Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is sidelined due to injury.
Manchester City faces a challenging set of fixtures.
This weekend, they travel to the league leaders Liverpool FC, followed by a home match against Nottingham Forest.
A Rising Threat In Attack For Spurs
Tottenham Hotspur have firmly established themselves as one of the most potent attacking forces in the Premier League this season.
With 27 goals scored, they currently lead the league in goals, surpassing Liverpool, who have netted 24, the second most in the league.
Spurs are certainly among the top teams for offensive output, with 198 shots, the second-highest total in the Premier League.
They’ve been especially dangerous with the ball coming in from wide areas.
They have attempted more crosses into the box than any other team, with 285 crosses so far.
Additionally, Tottenham's attacking style has pressured opposing defences, as evidenced by their 105 corners, which are the second-highest in the league.
It’s clear that this Tottenham side is consistently creating problems for opposition defences.
Considering this, who holds the highest xG (expected goals) in the Spurs squad?
The answer might or might not surprise you.
Brennan Johnson ranks third in the entire league, just behind Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah, boasting the highest xG of any Tottenham player.
FPL managers have certainly noted his impressive stats, but seeing Johnson start on the bench for Tottenham’s victory over Manchester City last weekend has left some wondering whether to include him in their teams.
Regardless of these concerns, one thing is clear: Spurs are one of the most exciting teams to watch this season.
Dream Team Wissa
Brentford, currently in 11th place in the Premier League, has experienced mixed results this season.
Among the highs, Bryan Mbeumo has arguably been their standout performer.
However, many FPL managers might be surprised to learn that Mbeumo isn’t the Brentford player with the most Dream Team appearances.
That honor goes to his teammate, Yoane Wissa.
Remarkably, Wissa shares the same number of Dream Team appearances as high-profile players like Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer.
In fact, Mohamed Salah is the only player in the Premier League with more Dream Team appearances than Wissa.
While Wissa’s contributions may have flown under the radar, with attention often focusing on other premium forwards, the Brentford striker quietly makes a compelling case for himself as an attacking option to consider for the remainder of the campaign.
No Breathers
FPL managers highly value players who start every match and play the full 90 minutes.
After the first 12 gameweeks of the season, excluding goalkeepers, only 15 Premier League players have clocked a full 1080 minutes.
Let’s identify these relentless performers:
Pau Torres - Aston Villa
Illia Zabarnyi - Bournemouth
Nathan Collins - Brentford
Ethan Pinnock - Brentford
Levi Colwill - Chelsea
Marc Guéhi - Crystal Palace
James Tarkowski - Everton
Calvin Bassey - Fulham
Antonee Robinson - Fulham
Leif Davis - Ipswich
Wout Faes - Leicester
Virgil van Dijk - Liverpool
Ryan Gravenberch - Liverpool
Murillo - Nottingham Forest
Max Kilman - West Ham
Differential Captain Pick Of The Week:
With just 3 goals this season, many FPL managers are unlikely to trust Son Heung-min with the captaincy for the upcoming gameweek.
However, as mentioned, Tottenham currently holds the best goal-scoring record in the league, and with a home match against Fulham, Son could be poised to reward those who back him.
After assisting in Tottenham's last match, Son may be primed to deliver strong performances for his club and FPL managers in the upcoming gameweek.
Playing Your Free Hit?
Most managers will be saving their free hit for double gameweeks later on in the season.
Those who are tempted to use their free hit this weekend might find some value below:
GK: Flekken (£4.5m)
DEF: Gabriel (£6.1m)
DEF: Estupiñán (£5.0m)
DEF: Porro (£5.5m)
MID: Mbeumo (£7.9m)
MID: Fernandes(£8.5m)
MID: Saka © (£10.2m)
MID: Son (£9.9m)
MID: Ødegaard (£8.2m)
FWD: Isak (£8.5m)
FWD: Cunha (£7.0m)
BENCH: Cahill (£3.9m)
BENCH: Wood (£6.6m)
BENCH: Aina (£4.8m)
BENCH: Thomas (£3.9m)
Final Thoughts
With Gameweek 13 upon us, managers face new challenges and opportunities.
With player form, fixtures, and potential transfers all playing a big role, it’s crucial to stay on top of the latest developments.
Keep an eye on your squad, make those key decisions, and trust your strategy.
Best of luck to all managers this weekend.
Wishing you a successful Gameweek 13!
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