FPL notes: Why Robinson missed out + “committed” Cunha

Ryan Sessegnon (£4.2m), Rayan Ait-Nouri (£5.0m) and Matheus Cunha (£7.0m) were among the popular Gameweek 34 picks delivering the goods on Saturday.

All three players emerged with double-digit hauls as Fulham and Wolverhampton Wanderers earned expected wins over relegated pair Southampton and Leicester City – although the Cottagers left it very, very late.

Our next Scout Notes come from these two matches.

• READ MORE: FPL notes: Barnes boost as Gordon not “100% match-fit”
• READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 34 round-up: Saturday’s goals, assists, bonus points + stats

WHY ROBINSON MISSED OUT

There was no joy for those FPL managers who backed Antonee Robinson (£4.8m).

The theoretically ‘safer’ bet for minutes was a no-show, missing a league match for the first time in 2024/25.

Injury was to blame, but not a new one.

Silva on Jedi: “He’s injured. It’s been difficult for him in the last 5-6 games – he’s been playing through pain. Let’s hope he can recover in the next few days to play the next game.” #FFC

— Jack Kelly (@jackellyffc) April 26, 2025

Starring in his place was Sessegnon. It was a blow to his owners in FPL that he wasn’t ‘out of position’ as a right winger on the teamsheet, but so low was Southampton’s block that he was playing high up the left flank anyway.

Seven penalty area touches, four chances and three shots, the last of which was an excellent stooping header that won Fulham the game.

That’s now six returns in eight matches for the budget defender, only four of which have been starts.

It’ll be interesting to see what Marco Silva does in Gameweek 35 if Robinson is fit. Harry Wilson (£5.2m) came in on the right flank here but looked rusty after so long out, and so well has Sessegnon been playing that Silva surely finds a place for him somewhere.

ANOTHER STRUGGLE AGAINST THE STRUGGLERS

Not for the first time this season, Fulham made hard work of what was meant to be an easy match on paper. This was very nearly a fourth draw in six meetings with the bottom three in 2024/25.

There’s an argument that the ticker should be flipped with the Cottagers, who have scored more against the top 10 than those in the bottom half this season:

The low blocks of Everton and Brentford may provide similar challenges in Gameweeks 36 and 37.

Raul Jimenez (£5.3m) may have racked up a Gameweek-high (so far) seven attempts on goal on Saturday but most of them were low-xG efforts. Five of them were harmless headers.

The Cottagers flung in a whopping 53 crosses (again, a division-high on Saturday), most of the hit-and-hope variety. A lack of incision against parked buses is an ongoing issue.

Even the Fulham equaliser, when it came, was a heavily deflected effort from substitute Emile Smith Rowe (£5.3m).

THE BEST OF CUNHA

We’ve seen the worst of Matheus Cunha this season, from the on-field red mist to some stroppy, disinterested-looking showings.

When he’s bringing his ‘A’ game, however, he’s a superb talent.

With the caveat being that it was only Leicester City (arguably the worst team in the league at present), this was the Cunha at his irresistible best.

Instrumental in Wolves’ play, he tapped the hosts into a 33rd-minute lead before superbly teeing up Jorgen Strand Larsen (£5.4m) and substitute Rodrigo Gomes (£5.1m) to claim two assists.

To put his positive contributions into context this season, he’s now averaging more points per match than Chris Wood (£7.0m). All done in, until recently, a mostly struggling side, too:

Above: Forwards sorted by points per match in 2024/25

“Today he played a fantastic game, showing that he is committed with us and with the team, with his teammates, everyone.” – Vitor Pereira on Matheus Cunha

THE SUPPORTING CAST

Strand Larsen is sometimes unfairly viewed in direct comparison to Cunha. Some better context is how he’s faring in the sub-£6.0m forward pool, which is very well indeed. Bear in mind, he doesn’t have the penalties that others in the below list can rely on:

Above: Forwards under £6.0m sorted by goals in 2024/25

Rayan Ait-Nouri is now the outright leading FPL defender for attacking returns (11), meanwhile.

Absurdly advanced yet again, he nearly scored from a Nelson Semedo (£4.5m) cross before he assisted Cunha’s opener. No one at Molineux had more touches inside the opposition box.

A six-match winning run may well come to an end at the Etihad on Friday but Wolves might still have big parts to play in FPL this season. There’s the possibility of a Double Gameweek 36 (we should find that out this week), while a Gameweek 38 clash with Brentford screams goalfest!

BALD MEN AND COMBS

Targeting the bottom three in FPL has proven to be quite fruitful for much of 2024/25. The problem in Gameweek 35 is that two of them face each other.

On the evidence of recent games, you’d arguably fancy Southampton more than Leicester. At least the Saints are having a go, causing Fulham the occasional problem on Saturday. They’ve scored in six of their last seven matches, indeed.

Leicester, however, are a sorry bunch. Goalless in 10 of their last 11 Premier League fixtures, they posed very little goal threat at Molineux outside of a fortunate penalty that Jamie Vardy (£5.3m) won. In keeping with recent goalscoring struggles, he missed from 12 yards to hand Jose Sa (£4.4m) a mega-haul.

SIGN UP HERE FOR ALL THE TOOLS YOU NEED TO WIN AT FPL!