After a chaotic period of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) blanks and doubles, Gameweek 35 is a return to the usual 10-match weekend and Assistant Manager considerations.
In this article, we’ll assess the best options for this week as well as the rounds ahead.
- READ MORE: No more Double Gameweeks – so when should we use our chips?
- READ MORE: What is the Assistant Manager chip + when can FPL managers play it?
- READ MORE: New Assistant Manager points projections in our Rate My Team page
WHICH MANAGERS COULD GET A GAMEWEEK 35 TABLE BONUS?
One key source of Assistant Manager hauls is table bonus points, whereby Premier League bosses earn extra points if they beat (+10) or draw with (+5) a team five or more places ahead of them in the table at the start of the Gameweek.
In Gameweek 35, there are four such managers eligible for table bonus points out of 10 total fixtures:
- Vitor Pereira – Manchester City (4th) v Wolverhampton Wanderers (13th)
- Andoni Iraola – Arsenal (2nd) v Bournemouth (10th)
- Fabian Hurzeler – Brighton and Hove Albion (9th) v Newcastle United (3rd)
- Oliver Glasner – Crystal Palace (12th) v Nottingham Forest (6th)
It’s a low number, complicated further by trying to judge team motivations. Boosting Andoni Iraola‘s (£1.1m) prospects, for example, is Arsenal being in between Champions League semi-finals against Paris Saint-Germain. If the Gunners heavily rotate their lineup, Bournemouth will smell blood.
Newcastle are fighting for a top-five finish. But Eddie Howe (£1.5m) usually comes unstuck against Brighton – Fabian Hurzeler (£1.1m) bettered him in October and March, following four Seagulls points last season.
Over at Crystal Palace, Oliver Glasner (£0.8m) had a history of table bonus success, defeating Fulham and Aston Villa in Gameweeks 26 and 27. He’d arguably be favourite to do so a third time, considering Nottingham Forest have lost four from five in all competitions. Yet Palace’s FA Cup final is on the horizon, which could become a distraction.
WHAT THE BOOKMAKERS SAY
Before we dive into point predictions and our recommendations, let’s take a glance at what the bookies think.
Here are the odds, in order, for each of Gameweek 35’s table bonus-eligible managers:
| Chance of a home win | Chance of a draw | Chance of an away win | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oliver Glasner – Crystal Palace (12th) v Nott’m Forest (6th) | 40.23% | 28.29% | 31.48% |
| Fabian Hurzeler – Brighton (9th) v Newcastle (3rd) | 33.38% | 25.97% | 40.65% |
| Andoni Iraola – Arsenal (2nd) v Bournemouth (10th) | 44.78% | 26.34% | 28.88% |
| Vitor Pereira – Man City (4th) v Wolves (13th) | 70.68% | 18.85% | 10.47% |
CURRENT ASSISTANT MANAGER POINTS PROJECTIONS
The betting market heavily influences these projections, so the odds of each Assistant Manager capable of earning table bonus points are factored in.
Make sure to check this page for any revised projections.
FINAL THOUGHTS: GAMEWEEK 35 IN ISOLATION
The usual tactic of targeting Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town won’t quite work as well this week, meaning we’re lacking in ‘safe’ picks.
A hero in Gameweeks 24 and 32, David Moyes (£0.5m) is the best bet of the lot.
Instead, it’s a weekend pitting seventh against eighth, 11th against 14th and 16th versus 17th.
Therefore, Gameweek 35’s most exciting ‘table bonus’ options are the bosses of Brighton and Bournemouth.
FINAL THOUGHTS: LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD
If your Assistant Manager chip will be active for another Gameweek or two after Gameweek 35 has concluded, here are some more things to consider.
It was announced on Thursday afternoon that there won’t be any more Blank or Double Gameweeks in the 2024/25 season.
This linear conclusion currently has Tottenham Hotspur (24.50) and Manchester United (22.55) on the highest projections between Gameweeks 36 and 38 but, of course, these sides join Arsenal in prioritising their continental conquests. Both look likely to reach the Europa League final, where the winner qualifies for next season’s Champions League.
Whereas Man City are trying to make the top table in a different way. FPL managers could instead back them to complete a professional job by beating Wolves, Southampton, Bournemouth and Fulham.
Elsewhere, Everton’s schedule alternates between home bankers versus the relegation zone, plus table bonus potential away at Fulham and Newcastle.
Brighton deserve mention in Gameweeks 35-37, too. They’ve not lost to Gameweek 35 opponents Newcastle United in seven matches at the Amex, while Liverpool could well be rotating in Gameweek 37.
