Five-time top 1k finisher Tom Freeman hosts our weekly Fantasy Premier League (FPL) Q&A, answering your burning questions.

• READ MORE: ­­Schade v Barnes v Tavernier: Who is the best midfielder to own in FPL?
• READ MORE: Brighton players, Saka, Bruno: Buy, keep or sell in Gameweek 6?

Q: Should we go with two Arsenal defenders, or Martin Odegaard (£6.8m) and Bukayo Saka (£9.6m) plus one defender?

(via theodosios)

A: For quite some time, Arsenal have been the best defensive unit in the Premier League, so a defensive double-up with one midfielder is still my preferred choice.

Even without William Saliba (£5.9m) this season, the Gunners have still kept the joint-most clean sheets (three) and have the lowest expected goals conceded (xGC)…

Although they shipped three goals at the Amex Stadium prior to the international break, I still haven’t lost faith in the Arsenal defence, and think having at least two backline options is a sound decision.

I’d probably opt for David Raya (£6.1m) and Riccardo Calafiori (£5.8m) on a Wildcard.

It’s still unclear if Ezri Konsa (£4.6m) will play in Gameweek 6, but if he’s passed fit to start, I don’t mind pairing him with Calafiori either. That said, Saliba will probably be back in November, so you might only get four/five matches from him.

Further forward, I’d pick Saka over Odegaard.

The winger has averaged 83 minutes per appearance in Gameweeks 1-5, and given that Odegaard and Christos Tzolis (£6.3m) have been the main creators, he’s been Arsenal’s primary goal threat, with 15 shots (see image below), including six big chances.

Even if Viktor Gyokeres (£7.1m) is more involved, impacting his penalty share, Saka is a really nice pick while playing so close to goal.  

Odegaard is definitely someone to consider. However, he’s only had four shots in the box so far this season (see image below), and there are plenty of other good options in his price bracket, like Marcus Tavernier (£6.1m), who could inherit more set-pieces after Alex Scott’s (£6.1m) injury.

Q: Gabriel Magalhaes (£8.0m) or Bryan Mbeumo (£7.9m) as a captaincy punt this Gameweek?

(via JBG)

A: According to the Rate My Team (RMT) projections, Cole Palmer (£9.7m), who faces Bournemouth at home, is this week’s best captaincy option…

Provided he is fit, I’d feel comfortable captaining Palmer, given that he’s averaging 3.46 shots and 2.24 chances created per 90 minutes, plus penalties.

However, captaincy does feel wide open this week, so I also think it’s fine to look beyond the top three in the above list.

From the two options you mention, I like Mbeumo the most, particularly if Amad Diallo (£5.7m) is back from injury. I always think the Manchester United attack functions better with him in the team, and if he starts, he could push Mbeumo into more central areas.

I don’t expect this to be an easy match for United, however – opponents Tottenham Hotspur are ranked second for xGC over the last four Gameweeks, with 4.02.

Gabriel isn’t a bad option, but if I were to rank them, I’d put him below Mbeumo. It’s just because I think that Leeds United’s direct approach, plus their physical attributes/set-piece threat, could cause Arsenal plenty of problems on Saturday lunchtime.

Q: What should I do with my three Manchester City assets, Josko Gvardiol (£5.7m), Rayan Cherki (£7.8m) and Erling Haaland (£15.6m)?

(via JBG)

A: Man City have won all five matches and sit top of the table, but the recent guilty verdict complicates the situation, as we just don’t know how it will impact the players from a Fantasy perspective.

One possibility is that the City team will be galvanised with an us-against-the-world mentality.

But they could also struggle on Sunday, given the expected hostile Anfield atmosphere.  

When you also factor in Wednesday’s Champions League encounter with Paris Saint-Germain, plus a very busy upcoming schedule (see image below), it does raise a few question marks about the viability of owning their players, with the exception of Haaland.

Image from Legomane

I think you can sell Gvardiol this week. Although he is yet to blank, he hasn’t secured any defensive contribution (DefCon) points so far and has four attacking returns from three shots and three chances created, which isn’t sustainable.

I reckon City will concede at Liverpool, so while it isn’t urgent, I think Gvardiol can be sold.

As for Cherki, his minutes are far from guaranteed, but I’d probably keep him this week, then reassess ahead of Gameweek 7. In an ideal world, he’s benched against PSG in midweek, thereby boosting his xMins for Ipswich Town at home.

Q: Which one of my three Chelsea players – Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers (£7.8m) and Joao Pedro (£7.7m) – should I ditch?

(via ViperStripes)

A: We might enter Gameweek 6 without any idea about the availability of Joao Pedro or Palmer.

The early suggestion is that Palmer should be fit, however.

To be honest, I don’t think you need to sell any of your Chelsea attackers this week, unless we get concrete news from Xabi Alonso on Friday, which feels unlikely.

Palmer is a captaincy contender if fit, while Pedro should be back soon enough, even if he misses out on Saturday.

As for Rogers, with no Europe and five of Chelsea’s next eight Premier League matches at Stamford Bridge, he’s definitely one of my favourite picks in his price bracket, with 2.95 expected goal involvement (xGI) across the first five Gameweeks…

If I had to drop someone when they are all fully fit, it would probably be Palmer; I just wouldn’t do it this week.    

Q: What do you think about using a Bench Boost without a second playing goalkeeper, if it effectively helps save a second transfer?

(via Funkyav)

A: I’d personally try and get two playing goalkeepers, just to try and maximise the Bench Boost.

I got lucky in Gameweek 5 when I played the chip, with Bart Verbruggen (£4.5m) delivering an unlikely six points against Arsenal.

Rotating goalkeepers could be a good idea, too, simply because it provides a bit of insurance if your number one gets injured or suspended.

Yes, benching points is annoying, but if the rotation is properly planned out and you stick with it for a longer period, I think you’ll get the outcome right more often than not.

If you can pair two £4.5m options together, it won’t eat into your budget too much, either.