Christmas is almost here, and Fantasy Premier League managers are hoping Gameweek 17 delivers a stocking full of points.
With the FPL Boxing Day fixtures just a week away, the holiday season offers little breathing room to perfect your team while enjoying time with loved ones.
As the next round of games kicks off this Saturday, now’s the time to dive into the latest FPL tips as we countdown the release of the new FPL Mystery Chip.
From general FPL advice to Fantasy Premier League tips, TFA has got you covered to help you stay ahead during the festive football frenzy.
FPL Gameweek 17 Fixtures
Aston Villa welcomes Manchester City.
Brentford will host Nottingham Forest.
Newcastle have a trip to Ipswich.
West Ham are at home to Brighton.
Arsenal will travel to Crystal Palace.
Everton are hosting Chelsea.
Fulham have a home game against Southampton.
Wolves are heading to Leicester.
Manchester United take on Bournemouth at Old Trafford.
Spurs have a home clash against Liverpool.
FPL Assets Leading On Form For Gameweek 17
Let’s start by looking at the current form amongst FPL assets for Matchweek 17.
Goalkeepers:
- Jordan Pickford is first with 5.0
- David Raya jumps to second with 4.4
- Mark Flekken drops to third with 4.0
Defenders:
- William Saliba is still first with 7.6
- Ashley Young stays second with 7.0
- Jurriën Timber is tied for third with 5.8
Midfielders:
- Mohamed Salah stays far ahead with 12.2
- Cole Palmer remains second with 8.8
- Enzo Fernández moves to third with 8.0
Forwards:
- Alexander Isak is first with 6.6
- Matheus Cunha is second with 6.0
- Nicolas Jackson jumps to third with 5.8
FPL Gameweek 17 Tips
Amad Diallo Convinces FPL Managers Worldwide
After Manchester United’s electrifying win over their local rivals, Manchester City, all eyes are on Amad Diallo.
The young winger has been a consistent contributor for United throughout the season.
Still, his recent performances have captured the imagination of not just the club's supporters but football fans across the globe.
Amad Diallo’s underlying stats reveal just how pivotal he has been for Manchester United despite limited opportunities.
With only 9 Premier League fantasy starts so far, he has managed to rival some of the league’s best creators.
In fact, only Bukayo Saka and Mohamed Salah have registered more assists this season.
Diallo’s tally of 7 assists puts him level with Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, who has started every league match for his side.
For FPL managers, Diallo’s appeal extends beyond his performances.
Priced at just £5.2m, he offers exceptional value, particularly when considering his recent form.
Over his last six games, Diallo has played 495 minutes in regular time, delivering 6 assists and scoring the decisive winner in the Manchester derby.
This run of form has cemented his status as a rising star, not just for Manchester United but for FPL managers around the world.
Looking ahead, Manchester United’s upcoming fixtures add further incentive to invest in Diallo.
They face Bournemouth at Old Trafford before travelling to Wolves on Boxing Day.
Both fixtures present opportunities for attacking returns, making Diallo an enticing option for managers seeking a budget-friendly midfield dynamo.
Unsurprisingly, the FPL community has taken notice.
Diallo has become the most transferred-in player ahead of the next gameweek, as managers look to capitalise on his form and favourable fixtures.
FPL Managers Rush To Offload Morgan Rogers
At the beginning of the season, Morgan Rogers was hailed as one of the best budget options for Fantasy Premier League managers.
Starting the campaign priced at just £5.0m, his consistent attacking contributions have increased his value to £5.3m.
With four goals and two assists for Aston Villa, Rogers has accumulated an impressive 61 points.
This total is higher than what high-profile players like Marcus Rashford, Bernardo Silva, and Gabriel Martinelli have managed.
Despite being owned by 19.7% of FPL managers, Rogers’ popularity is beginning to decline.
The midfielder has only contributed one goal in his last six matches, leaving many managers frustrated with his recent lack of form.
On top of that, his disciplinary record has become a concern.
After receiving his fourth yellow card in Gameweek 15, Rogers is now just one booking away from a suspension.
Aston Villa are currently sitting in seventh place in the Premier League standings.
With tough fixtures ahead, Rogers is facing a challenging period.
Villa will face Manchester City this weekend before travelling to Newcastle on Boxing Day.
These matches are likely to limit his potential returns even further.
As a result, FPL managers are beginning to lose patience.
With his poor recent form, the risk of suspension, and a difficult set of fixtures ahead, Rogers has become the most transferred-out midfielder ahead of the next gameweek.
Should The Returns Of Enzo Fernández Be Ignored?
In Fantasy Premier League, midfielders who play deeper roles often struggle to gain recognition as valuable assets.
Unlike attacking midfielders or wingers, they typically don’t rack up goals and assists, and the current FPL points system heavily rewards those contributions.
This results in players like Ryan Gravenberch being undervalued despite their crucial roles for their teams.
Gravenberch, for instance, has been a key figure for Liverpool this season.
Still, his lack of direct involvement in goal contributions and limited rewards for defensive work have kept him off the radar for most FPL managers.
Gravenberch started the season priced at £5.0m, and despite starting every match for Liverpool, his ownership stands at just 0.9%.
With only 37 points to his name, it’s clear why he remains an unpopular FPL choice, even though he’s one of the league leaders' standout performers.
While Gravenberch has remained largely overlooked, Enzo Fernández has been in a similar position for much of the season.
However, his recent form has made him a more attractive option.
Over Chelsea’s last six Premier League matches, Fernández has been directly involved in a goal in every game, providing some FPL managers with consistent attacking returns even though he plays in a deeper midfield role.
Starting the season at £5.0m, Fernández’s price has risen to £5.1m due to his impressive recent performances.
If he continues his current attacking and creative form, his price could rise further in the coming weeks.
Averaging 7.3 FPL points per game over the last six matches, Fernández’s global ownership has jumped to 9.3%.
The question now is whether this attacking surge is a temporary spike or if Fernández can maintain his form throughout the rest of the season.
Is Bournemouth’s Attacking Potential Going Unnoticed?
Bournemouth are currently enjoying an impressive season, sitting in 6th place in the Premier League, just 3 points off a Champions League qualification spot.
With the season's halfway point approaching, Bournemouth fans can reasonably set their sights on the possibility of European football.
Despite the club's strong performances, their highest-owned player in the Fantasy Premier League is Antoine Semenyo, who is owned by only 6.3% of managers.
Should FPL managers be taking a closer look at Bournemouth’s attacking players?
The statistics suggest they should.
Bournemouth have registered the second-highest number of shots in the Premier League this season, with 270 attempts on goal.
Only Manchester City have had more.
The Cherries have also delivered more crosses into the box than any other team, with 357 crosses so far.
Bournemouth’s attacking efforts are further highlighted by their corner statistics.
Only Manchester City and Tottenham have earned more corners than Bournemouth this season, showcasing their ability to put pressure on opposition defences consistently.
Additionally, Bournemouth have hit the woodwork 12 times in 16 matches this season, surpassing Chelsea for the most woodwork hits.
It is worth noting that new signing Evanilson is tied for the most assists by a forward in the Premier League, with 4 assists to his name.
With these numbers in mind, it’s clear that Bournemouth’s attacking players might deserve more attention from FPL managers looking for value and potential returns.
Cunha Owners Might Need To Sell
The Brazilian forward was caught up in a scuffle following Wolverhampton Wanderers’s match against Ipswich on Saturday.
Reports suggest that Matheus Cunha was involved in a physical confrontation with a staff member from Ipswich Town.
The FA has since issued a public statement, which reads:
“Matheus Cunha has been charged with misconduct following the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Ipswich Town on Saturday, 14 December. The forward allegedly acted in an improper manner after the final whistle. He has until Thursday, 19 December, to provide a response.”
At this stage, the potential length of any suspension remains unclear, and it is uncertain whether Wolves will appeal the decision.
Cunha has been a standout performer for many PL fantasy league owners, but those with the forward in their squad should monitor the situation closely as it develops.
Palmer Levels Salah In Ownership
Mohamed Salah has undoubtedly been the standout Fantasy Premier League asset of the season so far, amassing 156 total points, despite having a game in hand after the Merseyside derby was postponed due to weather conditions.
Hot on his heels in the points race is Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, who has accumulated 128 points.
While the majority of EPL fantasy managers have ensured that Liverpool’s prolific winger is part of their squads, Palmer’s ownership has now risen to match Salah’s.
Both players are currently owned by 63.5% of managers, respectively.
Salah is tied with Erling Haaland at the top of the Golden Boot rankings, with Palmer not far behind, just two goals off the pace.
With a favourable run of fixtures ahead for Chelsea, Palmer will be keen to close the gap on the scoring leaderboards.
In terms of underlying stats, Salah currently holds a higher expected goals (xG) at 10.48 compared to Palmer’s 9.82.
However, Palmer edges ahead in expected goal involvement (xGI), with 13.90, just slightly surpassing Salah’s 13.77.
The Best Budget FPL Team So Far
FPL managers on the lookout for budget-friendly options may be wondering which players have been exceeding expectations relative to their price tag this season.
By examining the top budget performers across all positions, those aiming to free up funds without sacrificing squad strength may find some valuable options below:
Goalkeeper (< £4.5m)
Dean Henderson - 55 Points
Defenders (< £5.0m)
Ashley Young - 62 Points
Ola Aina - 60 Points
Nikola Milenković - 59 Points
Antonee Robinson - 55 Points
Midfielders (< £6.0m)
Alex Iwobi - 78 Points
Justin Kluivert - 65 Points
Dwight McNeil - 65 Points
Forwards (< £6.0m)
Danny Welbeck - 69 Points
Jamie Vardy - 67 Points
Jørgen Strand Larsen - 67 Points
Differential Captain Pick Of The Week
Anthony Gordon
With one goal and two assists in his last four appearances, Anthony Gordon will be eager to take on an Ipswich side that has kept just one clean sheet this season and currently sits 18th in the Premier League.
While very few fantasy soccer premier league managers are likely to captain Gordon in Gameweek 17, those who take a chance on him could be in for a pleasant surprise with solid returns.
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: Leno (£5.0m)
DEF: Colwill (£4.6m)
DEF: Dalot (£5.2m)
DEF: Collins (£4.5m)
MID: Palmer © (£11.2m)
MID: Saka (£10.6m)
MID: Salah (£13.4m)
MID: Amad (£5.2m)
MID: Gordon (£7.2m)
FWD: Jackson (£8.2m)
FWD: Isak (£8.7m)
BENCH: Cahill (£3.9m)
BENCH: Wheatley (£4.5m)
BENCH: Quansah (£3.9m)
BENCH: Thomas (£3.9m)
Final Thoughts
As Gameweek 17 approaches, the festive feeling is in full swing, and it’s a great opportunity to remember that the EPL fantasy soccer league should be enjoyable, not stressful.
While staying engaged is important, this time of year is about embracing the holidays and spending quality time with those you care about.
Take a step back, embrace the time off, and don’t let FPL fantasy football take away from the joy of the festivities.
Managing your team can be overwhelming with the busy holiday schedule ahead, but it’s also a chance to have fun with your picks.
Whether you're making transfers or just keeping an eye on your squad, don’t forget to enjoy the unpredictable nature of the EPL fantasy league without letting it overshadow the important things in life.
Wishing you all a wonderful festive season and a successful Gameweek 17!
Comments