The round-up of key Fantasy Premier League (FPL) notes from two of Tuesday’s Gameweek 22 matches – Nottingham Forest v Arsenal and Luton Town v Brighton and Hove Albion.
The numbers and graphics you see in this article are taken from our Premium Members Area. Here, you can access Opta player and team data from every single Premier League fixture.
FPL NOTES
SAKA IS BACK-A
Amidst all the new information gathered regarding future Blank and Double Gameweeks, injuries to premium assets and continental tournaments was a small debate on whether it was time to move on from Bukayo Saka (£9.1m).
Five blanks from his last six outings – although he was cruelly denied a Fantasy assist for last week’s own goal that was later officially given to Gabriel Magalhaes (£5.0m) – combined with no double-digit scores since Gameweek 6 to ask serious questions about his value. Yet recent underlying stats stayed strong. No player had underachieved more during those six matches for non-penalty expected goal involvement (NPxGI, -3.20).
For those that kept faith, Saka’s six attempts brought an eventual 72nd-minute goal. None of these half-dozen shots was deemed to be a ‘big chance’ and they only accumulated 0.36 expected goals (xG) but, by claiming three bonus points, the Arsenal attacker has returned to double-digit status.
ARSENAL LOSE CLEAN SHEET
The reason that Saka snuck ahead of William Saliba (£5.6m) and Oleksandr Zinchenko (£5.2m) for additional points is Taiwo Awoniyi’s (£6.3m) late consolation strike. Recovered from a groin injury that kept him sidelined for nine league matches, the Nigerian’s half-time introduction will be a welcome relief to Forest fans but not the FPL managers who were about to secure a second successive Gunners clean sheet.
Centre-back Gabriel passed a fitness test but ultimately grabbed just two points. Arsenal remain the best backline for preventing big chances (27) and shots on target (57) but tricky meetings with Liverpool and West Ham United are up next.
A mention should also go to forward Gabriel Jesus’ (£8.0m) assist and goal at the City Ground. The latter was set up by a Zinchenko throw-in, allowing both to pick up a pair of bonus points
STUNNING ADEBAYO HAT-TRICK DENIES ESTUPINAN
Meanwhile, the simultaneous match at Luton saw a jaw-dropping 4-0 win over Brighton. Cheap FPL forward Elijah Adebayo (£4.8m) scored after just 18 seconds, on a peculiar night where Sheffield United’s Ben Brereton Diaz (£5.0m) waited until 20. The thing is, for Adebayo, it somehow came from a Brighton kick-off.
In a quickfire blitz, Chiedozie Ogbene (£4.9m) made a fool out of onrushing goalkeeper Jason Steele (£4.2m) in the third minute to ensure Pervis Estupinan’s (£5.1m) 300,000 new owners got off to a terrible start.
Above: Alfie Doughty (£4.5m) led the way for attempted crosses
The usually attack-minded Seagulls entered Gameweek 22 on the back of two 0-0s but – following the emotional pre-match pitchside appearance of cardiac arrest victim Tom Lockyer (£4.2m) – were unable to make this a contest and are now goalless in three games.
Adebayo’s second arrived just before half-time, set up by in-form Ross Barkley (£4.9m), which spurred Roberto De Zerbi into removing Estupinan and Facundo Buonanotte (£4.7m) at the break.
Before the hour mark, Adebayo sealed his hat-trick by tapping home a corner kick. Six goals from his latest seven matches could catch the attention of FPL managers who require squad depth, seen as they soon host Sheffield United and the abandoned match with Bournemouth will, at some point, become a Double Gameweek.
By thrashing Brighton, these Hatters avenged the opening day’s 4-1 defeat and have temporarily escaped the relegation zone.
IS JOAO PEDRO INJURED?
Meanwhile, the closest Joao Pedro (£5.5m) came to a goal was the near-post flick that accidentally assisted Adebayo’s third. Maybe it was an agreement within the strikers union, having bagged his own hat-trick in Saturday’s FA Cup win.
What will concern recent buyers is that his substitution was seemingly caused by a knock, although De Zerbi didn’t yet know its severity. His 0.27 expected goal involvement (xGI) turned out similar to midfield team-mate Pascal Gross (£6.5m) – over 400,000 managers bought the German before Gameweek 21 but he has just one attacking return in six matches.
However, a weekend clash with rivals Crystal Palace provides a great opportunity for Brighton to put this horror show behind them.
LINE-UPS
Nottingham Forest XI: Turner; Williams (Elanga 78′), Montiel, Omobamidele, Murillo, Toffolo; Gibbs-White, Mangala (Yates 71′), Danilo, Dominguez (Hudson-Odoi 64′); Wood (Awoniyi 46′)
Arsenal XI: Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Zinchenko (Kiwior 90′); Odegaard (Jorginho 90′), Rice, Smith Rowe (Havertz 71′); Saka, Jesus (Nketiah 78′), Martinelli (Trossard 78′)
Luton Town XI: Kaminski; Burke, Osho, Bell; Ogbene, Lokonga (Mpanzu 68′), Barkley (Berry 83′), Clark (Townsend 68′), Doughty; Morris (Woodrow 83′), Adebayo (Chong 72′)
Brighton and Hove Albion XI: Steele; Dunk, van Hecke, Igor; Milner (Hinshelwood 20′), Gross, Gilmour (Baleba 61′), Estupinan (Lamptey 46′); Buonanotte (Ferguson 46′), Joao Pedro (Moder 71′); Welbeck
