Maupay favoured over Murray for Brighton’s clash with Crystal Palace

Neal Maupay (£5.8m) starts up-front for Brighton in Blank Gameweek 28, consigning Glenn Murray (£5.4m) to a spot on the bench.

After an equalising goal that earned the Seagulls a point at Sheffield United in Gameweek 27, the Frenchman holds onto his place for the second week in a row.

The ‘shape-shifting’ Graham Potter could either be using a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 formation at the Amex, with Maupay joined in attack by Leandro Trossard (£5.8m), Solly March (£4.6m) and potentially Aaron Mooy (£4.8m) in the ‘number 10’ role.

Potter paired Maupay and Murray in a 3-5-2 to match the Blades last weekend but a more recognisable back-four system means one striker had to make way.

On the decision of who would lead the line, Potter explained:

“We need to play a little bit better than we did at Sheffield United. The onus is on us as the home team. Shane Duffy (£4.8m) has had a family funeral so he is missing today. It’s purely tactical [dropping Glenn Murray] and it’s nice to have Glenn to come off the bench and help us late in the game. We need to be positive, brave and work hard. It was a raucous atmosphere at Selhurst Park, I enjoyed the game and hope we can produce the same atmosphere today.” – Graham Potter

Australian midfielder Mooy might also operate further back the pitch, if Potter chooses to go man-for-man with Roy Hodgson’s staple 4-3-3 diet.

After illness kept him out of Palace’s 1-0 win at home to Newcastle in Gameweek 27, Luka Milivojevic (£6.7m) is fit enough for a place on the bench. Hodgson stated this morning that the Serbian has “been struggling with a virus”.

Patrick van Aanholt (£5.5m), who bagged a huge 15 points in Gameweek 27, is one for the Fantasy radar in this lunchtime kick-off.

Martin Kelly (£4.2m), sitting in over 21% of FPL squads, warms the bench once again as Joel Ward (£4.3m) starts again in the right-back slot.

Duffy’s fellow Irishman Aaron Connolly (£4.3m) also misses out on the Brighton matchday 18, as do new signings Alexis Mac Allister (£5.5m) and Tariq Lamptey (£4.0m).

Brighton XI (4-2-3-1): Ryan; Burn, Dunk, Webster, Montoya; Propper, Bissouma; Trossard, Mooy, March; Maupay.

Crystal Palace XI (4-3-3): Guaita; van Aanholt, Cahill, Dann, Ward; McArthur, Kouyaté, McCarthy; Zaha, Benteke, Ayew.