In light of the news that Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitike (£9.2m) will miss the rest of the season with a ruptured Achilles, many Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers must now replace a player who still sat in over a quarter of squads, as of Thursday afternoon.  

We’ve assessed some of the leading options at various price points for managers following different FPL chip strategies.

For example, those who are committed to a Double Gameweek 33 Free Hit should check out our draft, as well as the suggestions of three-time top-200 finisher Lateriser.

NO FREE HIT

However, if you have already used this chip, you’ll need in-form players who have a good Gameweek 33 fixture and – crucially – will participate in Blank Gameweek 34. Bought either via a Wildcard or free transfers.

IGOR THIAGO (£7.3m)

Two names stand above the rest, starting with the Brentford frontman. A slightly fortuitous brace from last weekend means that Thiago is now just one goal shy of leading the Premier League’s Golden Boot race.

The Brazilian rarely plays under 90 minutes, is on spot-kick duties, and has decent remaining fixtures, starting with Fulham at home. 

Firmly in the race for European football, the Bees’ other home games are against bottom-half teams, West Ham United and Crystal Palace. 

As for the remaining away days, Thiago bagged three goals in the reverse fixtures versus Manchester United and Liverpool, blanking only against Manchester City. The first two of these have just one clean sheet between them in their last five matches.

JARROD BOWEN (£7.6m)

Another strong option with something to play for during the run-in is Bowen. He’s battling to keep his Hammers out of the relegation zone.

However, the motivation to play well is similar, evidenced by him notching a 14-point haul last time out thanks to a hat-trick of assists, plus defensive contribution (DefCon) points and bonuses.

Bowen has set up 10 goals this season, the third-most of all players. Seven have come in the last seven Gameweeks alone. 

Despite not netting himself since Gameweek 24, he has eight goals in total and struck the woodwork against Wolverhampton Wanderers last Friday. He may even be first in line for penalties.

Furthermore, Bowen has hit the DefCon threshold six times, by far the most of any FPL forward.

Still, his remaining fixtures are a mixed bag. A trip to Crystal Palace is up first, then it’s Everton at home in Blank Gameweek 34. After that, Brentford away, Arsenal at home, Newcastle United away, and then a potentially huge final day hosting of Leeds United.

ALSO CONSIDER…

Bowen’s cheaper frontline teammate, Taty Castellanos (£5.5m), bagged a brace in Gameweek 32. Those five shots followed another six in the FA Cup quarter-final.

He’d only previously scored twice in 11 league games for West Ham. While he started each of those, a Gameweek 31 half-time withdrawal is evidence that his minutes are certainly not as secure as Bowen’s.

Elsewhere, Everton’s Beto (£5.0m) is also not a 90-minute man, but has found himself in decent form, delivering four goals and an assist in five matches.

Level with Brentford, the Toffees also have a real chance of European football if they capitalise on a promising run-in that begins with a home derby against wounded Liverpool.

Up at Sunderland, Brian Brobbey (£5.3m) costs similarly. The Dutchman has just one goal from his last seven appearances, but scored three in four before that, making him Regis Le Bris’ firm first choice.

FREE HIT IN GAMEWEEK 34

Meanwhile, for those managers who instead plan to use their Free Hit in Blank Gameweek 34, it’s hard to look past the forwards who instantly play twice.

A quick mention for the very expensive Erling Haaland (£14.5m). Despite a run of four league games without a goal, he’s be a leading captaincy candidate for his upcoming double against Arsenal and Burnley.

JOAO PEDRO (£7.7m)

Another forward in over 50% of squads at the time of writing is Joao Pedro. Like Haaland, he’s on three successive blanks.

It’s coinciding with Chelsea’s dreadful downturn in form, who have been beaten to nil in every match since Pedro’s hat-trick against Aston Villa in Gameweek 29. That haul capped off a blistering run of 14 attacking returns in eight league games.

The Blues need their main frontman to rediscover that sort of form if they are to secure Champions League football for next season. That challenge begins with a mixed Gameweek 33 double header against Manchester United and Brighton and Hove Albion.

After the Free Hit, Pedro will intersperse home meetings against relegation-threatened Forest and Tottenham Hotspur, with potentially trickier trips to Liverpool and Sunderland.

DANNY WELBECK (£6.3m)

Next up, someone who disappointed many of his new FPL backers by doing nothing at Burnley in Gameweek 32. But Double Gameweek 33 is against Spurs and Chelsea.

Welbeck scored twice to help the Seagulls beat Chelsea earlier this season, and Spurs’ dire form is no secret to anyone. He had scored four goals in four starts before the Burnley failure, but the main drawback could be limitations on his gametime.

Yes, the 35-year-old striker is first choice under Fabian Hurzeler, but the demand of playing a Saturday evening to Tuesday night turnaround could see Georginio Rutter (£5.6m) or Charalampos Kostoulas (£4.8m) start one of them, as previously.

At the very least, it’s unlikely that Welbeck will complete 90 minutes in both matches – he’s only played a full Premier League game on eight occasions this term. But he does get to face the division’s longest two clean sheet droughts.

Beyond the blank, Welbeck then faces Newcastle, Wolves, Leeds (A) and Man United, in the hope that ninth-placed Brighton – currently two points behind sixth – reach Europe.

DOMINIC CALVERT-LEWIN (£5.6m)

Continental football isn’t on the cards for Leeds, but they do have fantastic fixtures from now on.

The ever-wasteful, spot-kick-taking England hopeful somehow failed to score for the sixth match running in Monday night’s win at Old Trafford.

However, his full run-outs and spate of Opta-defined ‘big chances’ throughout that period suggest there’s always a chance that he could embark on another scoring spree like the one we saw between Gameweeks 13 and 18.

Leeds’ position in the top flight is looking increasingly secure, and they’re about to begin their double at home to last-placed Wolves. In Gameweek 35, they host Burnley. Also coming up are trips to relegation rivals Spurs and West Ham.

ALSO CONSIDER…

In terms of other Gameweek 33 doublers, Burnley’s Zian Flemming (£5.3m) actually leads the Premier League’s forwards in several attacking stats recently.

He has racked up 12 shots (10 from inside the penalty area) and four big chances within the last three Gameweeks alone. Throughout the last six Gameweeks, he has three goals from five starts.

If you want – or need – to go even cheaper, Bournemouth teenager Eli Kroupi Junior (£4.6m) has been this season’s best low-priced striker.

He has 10 league goals to his name, having recently netted at Arsenal and scored a penalty against Man United, boasting a minutes per goal rate (131.1) that only Haaland and Thiago can better in his position.

Although not nailed to start both Double Gameweek meetings with Newcastle and Leeds, you wouldn’t bet against him being able to do some damage from the bench. In fact, four goals have come as a substitute.

WHAT ABOUT ISAK?

There is, of course, another possible Ekitike replacement from within Liverpool’s own ranks: Alexander Isak (£10.3m).

Back from a leg break, he played the first half against Paris Saint-Germain, following cameo appearances during Gameweek 32 and the clash in France.

Given that Isak is still clearly working his way back to full fitness after several months on the sidelines, we can’t confidently say when he’s likely to start and play the majority of minutes. Arne Slot indeed said he’s not yet ready for 90 minutes.

One to look at perhaps later in the campaign, rather than right now.