Scout Notes

What to do with Liverpool’s FPL assets after their Premier League title win?

Liverpool 4-0 Crystal Palace

  • Goals: Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.8m), Mohamed Salah (£12.7m), Fabinho (£5.4m), Sadio Mane (£12.5m)
  • Assists: Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m), Fabinho, Andrew Robertson (£7.0m), Salah
  • Bonus: Fabinho x3, Alexander-Arnold x2, Mane x1

Liverpool have won their first-ever Premier League title following Manchester City’s 2-1 defeat at Chelsea on Thursday.

The Reds had inched closer to that elusive crown on Wednesday evening with a crushing victory over an outclassed Crystal Palace.

Roy Hodgson’s side had won their previous four league matches, all involving clean sheets, so a tough night for the hosts was expected by many.

But if Palace arrived at Anfield in form, they left it infirm, with key attacker Wilfried Zaha (£6.7m) potentially sidelined with a calf injury and a re-jigged defensive unit pulled apart by an irresistible Reds front line.

A return to the swashbuckling form that characterised much of the first half of Liverpool’s season might be pleasing on the eye, but it creates Fantasy headaches.

The destination of the title has now been decided and, as a result, questions over motivation among the players and how strong the desire of Jurgen Klopp to give squad members pitch-time for their post-coronation celebration tour will now be at the forefront of Fantasy managers’ minds.

But with a Premier League points record up for grabs, no Champions League on the horizon and a team seemingly back to their exhilarating best, just how much will Klopp chop and change from here on in?

Rotation has certainly been a factor in the first two Ganeweeks back, with Mohamed Salah (£12.7m) and Andrew Robertson (£7.0m) returning to the fray last night.

That was welcome news for their Fantasy Premier League (FPL) owners, 36.9% and 18% respectively, and neither player disappointed.

Salah looked sharp throughout, scoring one goal and setting up another, while Robertson produced an assist and a 12th clean sheet to bring in a tidy nine-point haul.

Liverpool started briskly, with Georginio Wijnaldum (£5.4m) going close before Zaha went off injured after 14 minutes and the Reds took total control.

They opened the scoring when Jordan Ayew (£5.2m) eased Virgil van Dijk (£6.5m) off the ball and Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.8m) curled home an exquisite free-kick.

That proved to be the Palace striker’s most meaningful input across 84 minutes of fruitless toil involving one chance created and zero attempts on goal – testament to both Liverpool’s dominance and the visitors’ limited ambitions.

The goal was Alexander-Arnold’s third of a campaign that has also included a mind-boggling 14 assists – only Kevin De Bruyne (£10.7m) has more – and an FPL points total of 187, with his sixth double-digit haul of the season bringing him level with teammate Sadio Mane (£12.5m).

Injuries to James Milner (£5.3m) and Joel Matip (£5.2m), which required Joe Gomez (£5.3m) to slot in alongside Van Dijk against Palace, should mean a bit less competition for Alexander-Arnold’s place in the side.

But Klopp spoke about rotation post-match, saying:

It was clear we had the first two games in pretty much three days which is difficult, and other teams had to do it as well. Then eight days off, nobody wants that.

After that it will be really, really tough with four games in nine days… and we will need them all, they will all play and they will all have game time, which is nice.

But Alexander-Arnold looks to be one of the key players likely to play much of the rest of this season, even if starlet Neco Williams (£4.0m) was given a 16-minute league debut last night.

Fantasy managers, thus far at least, agree as the right-back is currently the only Liverpool player in the top 30 for Gameweek 32+ transfers-in.

Last night’s lead was doubled when Fabinho (£5.4m) dinked a ball into the area for Salah to control with one touch and score with the next.

It was a simple goal beautifully executed, whereas Liverpool’s third was a classic screamer, Fabinho blasting home from 30 yards out following a pass from Robertson.

The scoring was rounded off with a fine, one-touch breakaway goal involving a superb through ball from Salah and a cool finish from Mane.

Such was Liverpool’s dominance – they harried and hassled the visitors all night – that further goals should have arrived, with Jordan Henderson (£5.3m) and Salah (twice) going close.

And the display was so impressive that it will be a brave coach who tinkers too much with a team in such fine fettle.

For context, however, Palace’s woefulness needs a mention.

Hodgson brought keeper Wayne Hennessey (£4.2m) and Mamadou Sakho (£5.0m) into the backline and neither impressed, while the team’s attacking intent can be summed up in one, incredibly damning, stat: Liverpool had 44 total touches in the opposition penalty area, Palace had none.

The Eagles have a mixed bag of fixtures to see out the season, but few are likely to be as chasteningly one-sided as this one, so it was no surprise that Hodgson heaped praise on Liverpool  rather than blame his own team’s shortcomings.

The Palace boss went on to provide an update on Zaha:

It’s a calf muscle strain. There were some discussions as to whether he should attempt to play, but he was adamant it was something he could try to get away with. It became obvious he couldn’t and we don’t want him to be out for a long period.

We don’t have the squad numbers, the bodies when our players go down. We have four forwards competing for three places.

Hodgson’s Liverpool counterpart was considerably more tigerish, and rightly so:

You shouldn’t underestimate how much this team wants it. You should not. This team really wants it; they want to fulfil the wishes of the people at home. We all have a common dream, but we have to work for it and we have to work our way for it.

That desire should mean Liverpool’s key players need to feature in our Fantasy thoughts for a while longer, regardless of the league having finally been won.

Because if they can continue showing anything close to the form they displayed against Palace, it will be hard for Fantasy managers to ignore the points potential on offer from the likes of Salah, Mane and Alexander-Arnold.


Liverpool XI (4-3-3): Alisson; Robertson (Elliott 84′), Alexander-Arnold (Williams 74′), Gomez, van Dijk; Fabinho, Henderson (Oxlade-Chamberlain 64′), Wijnaldum; Firmino (Minamino 74′), Mane (Keita 84′), Salah.

Crystal Palace XI (4-3-3): Hennessey; Ward, van Aanholt, Cahill, Sakho; Kouyate (Milivojevic 66′), McArthur (Riedewald 66′), McCarthy; Zaha (Meyer 15′), Townsend, Ayew (Keutcha 84′).

MEMBERS ANALYSIS

View full match data from Liverpool v Crystal Palace here

FPL Lessons Learned from Gameweek 31+

1,441 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Syd.
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Congratulations Liverpool

    Fully deserved for a wonderful team

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Yep

    2. Stockport Hatter
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Spot on Syd

    3. Drexl Spivey
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Brilliant team, brilliant manager. Love what they've done these last two years. Always a good crowd when they come to St.James's and always welcome in the North East. Well done LFC !! Fantastic result.

  2. More Cowbell
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Dump em! They’re on the beach now!

    1. Marmalade Forest
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Dumped them a week too early... Wild decisions not paying off

    2. Zen_Master
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Nope. Salah and Mane still chasing that golden boot. Liverpool chasing points records. If anything, Liverpool will put the pedal to metal now.

    3. Volley127
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      So were half of Bournemouth today it seems!

  3. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    That KdB YC means I might sneak into the next round of FFS cup by 1 point and win my weekly cash prize by 1 point. 🙂

    1. SouthCoastSaint
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Well done

      1. Rolls-Royce
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Ta mate

  4. XabiAlonso
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Boom

  5. Coys96
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    (c)

    A) Jimenez
    B) B.Fernandes
    C) Aubameyang

    Note, B&C play in FA Cup before their matches

    1. POLSKA GOLA
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Wait for FA Cup matches before making a decision

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Cup games are after deadline

        1. POLSKA GOLA
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          What? How come?

      2. Coys96
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        I can't, deadline is before FA Cup

      3. Mweene
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        I hope this is a joke

        1. POLSKA GOLA
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          Why? When are the FA Cup games?

          1. CRO KLOPP
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 9 months ago

            After the deadline

          2. Coys96
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 9 months ago

            Sat & Sun

          3. Coys96
            • 6 Years
            3 years, 9 months ago

            Any recommendations any one?

            1. OptimusBlack
              • 10 Years
              3 years, 9 months ago

              A

            2. POLSKA GOLA
              • 10 Years
              3 years, 9 months ago

              The one not playing FA Cup for me, don’t fancy going into Captaincy flindfolded

    2. Whiskerz
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I'm on a. But if you've kept aubade for this long you should cap him for his Norwich blank so you can feel truly vindicated in rage selling him afterwards and forever having a vendetta against him.

    3. yakirh
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Just sold Auba for Nketia, cash can be used elsewhere

      Captain Jimmy for me

  6. CheesyZoot
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Can someone tell Kenny to put his phone on silent?

  7. diesel001
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    You know FFS have had this article ready to go.

  8. Hy liverpool
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Finally it's our year baby.

    1. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Congrats, well deserved 🙂

      1. Hy liverpool
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Cheers WR

  9. Fuddled FC
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    How was Alonso looking?

    Is it better to downgrade him or Doherty to upgrade a mid?

    1. Yoshimiwinz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Non factor, picked up a yellow

    2. Stockport Hatter
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I'd upgrade Alonso

      1. Stockport Hatter
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Sorry downgrade

        1. norab
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          Looked like a red card waiting to happen

    3. In and Out
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Ditch Alonso

  10. Rolls-Royce
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Expecting rotations with full-backs but reckon likes of Mane/Salah will get most games

    1. kysersosa
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      1 or the other to start. But eyeing that GW33 against villa

  11. kysersosa
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Richarlison to Pulisic on a free??

  12. Wild Rover
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    I don’t know whether to sell Auba or captain him 😐

    1. Rolls-Royce
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Cap and sell after deadline 😉

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        I reckon ge might be rested v Norwich

    2. kysersosa
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Haha, classic!

    3. FPL Blow-In
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      If ever a man was “due” !

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        A rest

    4. SouthCoastSaint
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Could easily have had 2 goals and an assist today. Only issue is the FA cup game. One of him, Pépé, Laca and Nketiah are going to destroy Norwich

    5. DandyDon
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I’d captain if I had him this week. Norwich have a tiring cup game before. Arsenal finally won a game. No other great options.

    6. yakirh
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I think he's a trap

  13. SouthCoastSaint
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Enjoy all you Liverpool fans. What an unbelievable season.

    And thank you Trent for your performance in my draft team!

  14. Coys96
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Think I should've gone Origi instead of Greenwood

    Listened to advice though

  15. Oooo Matron
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Another KDB goal but with no incentive in the league, would it be worth selling him for Kane or Aubameyang next week?

    1. Dr Van Nostrand
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Martial

    2. SouthCoastSaint
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Foden

    3. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      NO

    4. Tinkermania
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Auba

    5. Only a Hazard of time
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Why on earth would you consider Aubameyang after the last 3 games?

      1. Tinkermania
        • 4 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Next week's points as opposed to last week's points.

      2. yakirh
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        This

  16. Forza Papac
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Barnes or Armstrong > Pulisic?

  17. Mweene
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Really struggling with a replacement for Barnes.

    Got 6.3 and don't really want to risk an FA cup player.

    Armstrong? Redmond? Sarr?

    1. FPL Daniel
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Keep him. He'll come good. No good alternatives. Maybe Saar and Pulisic, but they are more expensive

  18. Only a Hazard of time
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Next GW's captain choice is looking like a proper headache. Son? Jimi? Bruno? Aaargh

    1. CRO KLOPP
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Pulišić

    2. Baps hunter
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Looks like Martial tbh. Or Auba 🙁

    3. yakirh
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Jimmy for safety for me

  19. Coys96
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Awful Gameweek

    74. Out LMS. Red arrow.

    Yet I still played my free hit. Rashford vs vardy really didn't help. Same with Digne vs Aurier

    1. TheDragon
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Come on now, 74 is hardly terrible - just a slightly below average week for someone around the top 10k

      You’ll get them next week

  20. Captain_Shirokov
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Sarr to Pulisic (-4) a good move?

    1. Captain_Shirokov
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      was a toss up between the two of them for me on wc

    2. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      No

  21. Tickle Me Enzo
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    95 GW points; OR @ 82; but all I have to say is congrats Liverpool fans!

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      wow well done

    2. Now I'm Panicking
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      All you have to say after the brag that is 😉

      1. Wild Rover
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        😀

    3. Captain_Shirokov
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      so why didn't you just say that?

    4. Wild Rover
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Lol, most insincere congrats ever 😀

  22. JustPark
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Congratulations Pool.

    Anyway, getting rid of Egan. Saiss/Boly or Aurier? Currently have Doherty if that helps.

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Egan

    2. Fuddled FC
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Egan to go

    3. JustPark
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Saiss/Boly or Aurier are the replacements.

  23. Athletic Nasherbo
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Grealish + Aguero > Pulisic/Martial + Rashford (-4)?

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      No brainer. Martial

    2. moment
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Same situation. I'm thinking just doing Aguero to Rashford and crossing fingers for Grealish to do something now Villa are really up against it. Avoid the -4 if possible.

      1. Athletic Nasherbo
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Yeah I am leaning towards this...those FA Cup games scare me.

  24. DandyDon
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Another difficult deadline with cup games running alongside the gameweek. Players I’m considering May likely only play one or the other so bit of a nightmare.

  25. TheBabyfacedAssassin
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Martinez
    AWB, Doherthy, TAA, Kiko, Lascelles
    Salah, Son, Martial, Bruno, Richa
    Jimenez, DCL, Nketiah

    Save FT? Bench who? Can't even deside. Thanks

    1. Coys96
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      BB if u can. Otherwise bench Lascelles, Kiko, Nketiah

    2. Only a Hazard of time
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Bench DCL, Kiko and Lascelles

  26. FPL Blow-In
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    City are going to want to prove a point v pool right?

    1. Gianluca Busio's Hair …
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Pool are going to want to prove a point vs City.

      1. FPL Blow-In
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        I can’t see them going with second strings v each other

  27. FCSB
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Pope
    TAA AWB Saiss
    Salah KDB Fernandes Sarr
    Rashford Jimenez DCL

    Henderson Lascelles Cantwell Lundstram

    1FT, 1.4itb

    What to do here?

    1. Save
    2. Other

    Thanks

    What to do here

    1. yakirh
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Save.

      Captain?

      1. FCSB
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        no idea mate... i thought last week was a tough decision... this week harder

        who are you captaining?

        1. yakirh
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 9 months ago

          It should be between Jimenez and UTD attacker

          Currently on Jimmy but unsure

  28. tristanabc
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    Thoughts on my WC team?
    Staying up to hit tonight to avoid a few price changes.

    Pope Button
    TAA Alonso Aurier Holgate Robinson
    Salah Bruno Martial Foden Saka
    Kane Rashford Jimi

    1. yakirh
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      KDB missing

  29. FPL ZB
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    78 points is a red arrow.. tough week

    1. bitm2007
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      81 for a small green, saved by Pope and KDB tonight.

  30. The Ejiptian King
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 9 months ago

    My strikeforce has looked absolutely lethal since the return, Vardy DCL Jota. I think I wanna punt on Bowen instead of Jota and switch to 352 but it's gonna be tough to find the extra FT, thoughts on Bowen? West Ham are awful but decent fixtures soon and playing for survival, I think he's looked a goal threat since coming into the side.

    1. have you seen cyan
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      no :/

    2. Only a Hazard of time
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      Just avoid the headache and stay away from Moyes, he's not the manager you want in a relegation fight, he's a black hole that sucks in positivity. Not just saying that as a bitter Sunderland fan too.

      1. The Ejiptian King
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 9 months ago

        Post-Everton Moyes isn't a manager I'd want in any situation to be fair.

    3. yakirh
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 9 months ago

      I like 3-5-2 lots of great midfielders to own