Tips

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice to FPL Gameweek 23

Welcome to the Fantasy Football Scout Guide to Gameweek 23 ahead of today’s 11:00 GMT deadline.

The big news is the announcement of more Double Gameweeks in 24 and 25. Legomané updated his ticker, which includes non-Premier League matches.

Manchester City, Everton, Burnley, Fulham, Southampton and Leeds are the six teams to benefit from an extra fixture. 

There will also be a double in Gameweek 26, but which teams play twice depends on the FA Cup results in midweek. The winners will have their Gameweek 29 matches shifted to 26.

The other outstanding fixtures yet to be rescheduled are: 

  • Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur
  • Aston Villa vs Everton
  • Manchester City vs Southampton
  • Fulham vs Tottenham

Six and the City

The Man City backline continues to dish out regular six-point returns thanks to their incredible run of clean sheets. Provided, that is, your selected defenders make the starting XI.

John Stones (£5.2m) returned to the starting XI against Burnley but with Aymeric Laporte (£6.0m) fit and available there’s now the risk of a benching, as happened against Sheffield United.

Some on site, such as Camzy, are considering switching to one City defender and two attackers. And, whisper it softly, on the Scoutcast Karam even suggested selling Ilkay Gündogan (£5.9m) for those who want to stick with two at the back.

The reason is Raheem Sterling (£11.6m):

I started to like someone else, he’s not performing at £11.6m just yet, but if I want to move away from defence and I want to stay in attack, then I think I would take a risk on Sterling … his expected goals is 2.31, the most of any City asset over the last four Gameweeks … for me – as someone who is struggling now with the rank – the fixtures are there for scoring goals, I think Sterling is worth a shout. Now I know Gündogan is crazy value, which I agree, but if you need that element of taking a risk – and we know that Sterling is capable of braces, and he looked good against Burnley.

– Karam

Seb added:

The only thing on Gündogan is … he’s created nine chances in the last three but only had three shots – two of those were goals. In the last match he had an xG of 0.03 … I’d just keep an eye on if things are shifting or how City are playing against a deep defence, whether Gündogan is the goalscorer. For me that would just be the difference whether I captain him or not – not whether I have him or not.

– Seb

David noted the impact of Gabriel Jesus (£9.2m) over the last two matches, his presence in the City team does stop Gündogan from shooting as often.

But the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder remained a creative force, fashioning two big chances for Sterling and creating five goal scoring opportunities in total – the most of any player at Turf Moor.

Another factor in the German’s favour is that his ‘expected minutes’, something Career Hall of Fame No 1, Fábio Borges, places great importance on, is high:

Gündogan has less competition to worry about and seems to be in the form of his life so I’m hoping he will play both matches [over the Double Gameweek]. The fact that he could be on penalties and is ridiculously priced at £5.9 million makes him a much better pick than Sterling in my opinion … if I didn’t already have Dias and Gündogan in my squad, they would definitely be my main transfer targets from Guardiola’s team.

– Fábio

Fábio talked through his transfer targets for the upcoming small Double Gameweeks in his latest FFScout contribution. Nick Pope (£5.5m) or a Burnley defender were high on his list of priorities given their favourable fixtures.

While fellow Pro Pundit Lateriser touted Luke Shaw (£4.9m) in his recent article:

With Shaw, you are not just dependent on clean sheet points. He’s become incredibly vital to the Red Devils and is a ball progressor and an attacking outlet on that left-hand side. In the last six Gameweeks, Shaw has created 19 chances, which is top amongst all defenders. Shaw is also top for big chances created (five) in the same period and is on some set pieces and corners.

– Lateriser

And the highest ranked of our elite contributors, Andy, who climbed another 200 places to 479th overall after Gameweek 22, reviewed his season so far, reflecting on what has worked well for him

This year I’ve made a conscious decision to always have who I believe is the best captain each week, even if that means transferring out a big hitter. This sounds simple, but often FPL managers will forgo the best captain because they don’t want to sell a big hitter … I’ve sold Salah, Son, and Kane twice already this season and I’ve found not having value wrapped up in them makes my decisions much easier knowing I can just buy them back as there’s no money “lost”.

– Andy

Captaincy Debate

The armband for Andy this week is firmly on Son Heung-min (£9.7m) ahead of an encounter against West Brom’s obliging defence. 

However, Captain Sensible writer, Jan, does not necessarily agree:

Despite receiving plenty of attention in the captaincy debate for Gameweek 22, I do not think Son is necessarily as strong a candidate as some might think.

– Jan

Jan notes the slump in form for Tottenham Hotspur along with the poor underlying statistics for Son in particular – his total of 15 touches in the box over his last four matches is bettered by 33 Premier League players.

So while West Brom have conceded two goals in each of their last seven matches, could a defensive approach from Sam Allardyce frustrate an off-colour Spurs?

Bruno Fernandes (£11.5m) and Marcus Rashford (£9.6m) are alternatives from a buoyant Manchester United side, and West Ham’s Michail Antonio (£6.7m) could prosper against Fulham. 

Fernandes is my top captaincy pick for Gameweek 23. Given that his underlying statistics are continuously impressive and his Manchester United colleagues are back in their groove, he could easily repeat the haul he achieved the last time Manchester United faced Everton.

– Jan

However for David – who enjoyed a successful 17-Gameweek captain run back in 2018/19 – Antonio is his favoured armband selection from this week’s Scout Picks.

The in-form West Ham striker has hit attacking returns in four of his five last games. With the highest expected goals rating of any forward in the last six Gameweeks, we are backing Antonio to continue his impressive form against a Fulham side whose recent defensive improvements have stuttered.

– Scout Picks

Team News

In the Team News, Jamie Vardy (£10.0m) is set to return following his hernia operation, while Ricardo Pereira (£5.9m) could be a useful asset in the absence of Timothy Castagne (£5.7m) over the coming weeks.

And Wilfried Zaha (£7.2m) has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.

While from Pep Guardiola’s Friday press conference, we received confirmation that Sergio Aguero (£10.3m), Kevin De Bruyne (£11.8m) and Nathan Aké (£5.4m) are still on the sidelines with their respective issues.

Community Competitions and Head-to-Head Fixtures

RedLightning rounded-up the latest Community mini-leagues and competitions

Pro Pundit Andy’s youtube.com/letstalkfpl mini-league is currently the Best League in FPL based on the average score of the top five teams, taking over from our Community Members League, which slips to third.

For those participating in the Head-to-Head Leagues, the main page can be linked to here. The fixtures for Gameweek 23 can be found below:

Use the drop-down menus to show your league and division. To find out which league and division you are in, follow the instructions on the main Head-to-Head page.

Once the Gameweek starts, if you click on your opponent’s name you will be linked to their team on the FPL website.

May your arrows be green!

TopMarx Fan of Fantasy Football and Monty Python. "Archimedes out to Socrates, Socrates back to Archimedes, Archimedes out to Heraclitus, he beats Hegel. Heraclitus a little flick, here he comes on the far post, Socrates is there, Socrates heads it in! Socrates has scored! The Greeks are going mad, the Greeks are going mad! Socrates scores, got a beautiful cross from Archimedes. The Germans are disputing it. Hegel is arguing that the reality is merely an a priori adjunct of non-naturalistic ethics, Kant via the categorical imperative is holding that ontologically it exists only in the imagination, and Marx is claiming it was offside. Follow them on Twitter

2,746 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Xabatlea
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    A) Lookman,>Son (c)
    B) Brewster > bamford ( bench DCL/ Lookman)

    Thanks

    1. Ha.
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    2. Abaddon
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I am also considering Son C. But do we really trust spurs nowadays?

    3. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    4. Snooze ya lose
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

      I thought bought taking son out!

  2. dbeck
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    1ft, best to float

    Have an eye on the doubles:

    1. Robbo to tark
    2. Soucek to raph

    Ederson (Johnstone)
    Robbo Dias Mee (digne, stones)
    Soucek mo son Bruno Jack
    Watkins Antonio (Brewster)

    1. Ha.
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      2

    2. Grendos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      1 for now. 2 before GW25

  3. YEAH PITCH!
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who is your captain

    1. Ha.
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Som

    2. Evasivo
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bruno

    3. dbeck
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Antonio

    4. ItsJonesy
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Antonio.

    5. Grendos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Antonio at the moment

    6. Scots Gooner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Antonio

    7. SAKA AND EMILE SMITH ROWE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Can’t decide between Son & Antonio

    8. gomez123
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bamford

    9. SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Antonio

    10. Jensen Luiz Coleman
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Antonio (C) Sterling (VC)

    11. Matjes_taet
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Close beetween Antonio and Bamford.

      Favor Bamford at the moment,
      Like to watch my cpt. in the last game of the week.

  4. Ha.
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    G2G?

    Meslier
    Dallas Cancelo Cresswell
    Son (c) Salah Bruno Grealish
    Antonio Bamford Watkins

    Martinez Gundo Stones Holding

    1. Grendos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I’ve gone Dias ahead of Dallas with Stones on the bench. Not sure if that helps?!

      1. Ha.
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Not really lol. Gone with Cancelo as more attacking.

  5. Evasivo
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Current team

    McCarthy
    TAA Stones Dias
    Salah Bruno Grealish Gundogen Soucek
    Kane DCL

    Forster Bamford Dallas Coufal

    Have 2FT & 0ITB

    Reckon good time to do Forster TAA to Mee & Areola in prep for BB next week.

    Thoughts?

    1. Puncheon Guly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes. I've benched Robertson as not expecting liverpool CS

      1. Evasivo
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yeap, only brought him a few weeks back but has beer poor in terms of fpl

        1. Puncheon Guly
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          He looked ok against spurs and WHU but at that price he needs more form.

    2. fpl_tp95
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Benching Bamford is brave

      1. Evasivo
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Kane unlikely to play tbf, otherwise would probably bench Soucek and he’s on better form

        1. fpl_tp95
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 3 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Oh yeah hadn't noticed kane, not worried about a 1 point bench cameo from kane?

          1. Evasivo
            • 13 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Possibly, but if he starts then could destroy WBA. Will perhaps see what other Kane owners are doing

            Definitely a conundrum

  6. Puncheon Guly
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play Coufal or Cancelo?

    1. Ha.
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Couf

    2. Grendos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Any way of doing both? I think Liverpool will score but Cancelo is looking very dangerous at the moment

  7. Grendos
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    For those of you still with a wildcard, are you still planning on using it in GW 25?

    1. Ha.
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No

    2. Puncheon Guly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No

    3. Grendos
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Interesting. When are you saving it for? Just a later date?

      1. Puncheon Guly
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        There'll be a big-ish DGW after FA Cup QF so will save it to set up a BB

    4. SHOOTER MCGINN
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Probably using GW30

  8. Nightf0x
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Barnes to grealish -4 y or n

    1. Ha.
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No

    2. Puncheon Guly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No

    3. Bobby_Baggio
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Def no

  9. TAT
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Which option to go for?

    1. Button to Pope (benching Martínez and playing Chilwell)
    2. Chilwell to Mee (and playing DCL)

    Martínez
    Cancelo - Dias - Chilwell - Dallas
    Gündogan - raphinha - Fernandes - Salah
    Bamford - Watkins
    (Button - DCL - Robertson - Anguissa)

    1. Bobby_Baggio
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      2

      1. TAT
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        That's what I'm thinking at the moment. Fancy Villa to potentially get a clean sheet too. It would also sort out owning the non playing Chilwell.

    2. Aussie Rules
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B, although I would start Mee over DCL

      1. TAT
        • 6 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Yes, I'd definitely start Mee. My thought was potentially to bench one of the City guys for DCL (forgot to write that above).

  10. IRBOX ⚽
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Sterling to Son? 1FT, 2.5 ITB

    Martinez
    Cancelo Alonso Coufal
    Salah Bruno Sterling Grealish
    Watkins Antonio DCL

    Forster Stones Bissouma Kilman

    1. Puncheon Guly
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Nah. Hold

    2. Rinseboy
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      salah to son instead?

    3. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sterling best captain next week? I’d stick

  11. Oggle22
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    ML rival is 71 points ahead of me and doesn't own Son is it time to take a risk and captain son? Or play it safe as still time to claw some points back?

    Cheers

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Depends on the chip situation and your personal opinion on son

    2. Scots Gooner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      If you think Son will get big points, captain him. If not, no need to change your game.

      Still half a season to go. 71 points can be clawed back over a few good weeks.

  12. The Red Devil
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    bench 1-
    Mahrez/salah/son/bruno/soucek/Bamford/DCL/Wilson

    Also, bench 1 out of-
    Alioski/Coufal/Stones/Cancelo

    currently on benching mahrez & alioski

    Captain Bamford or Bruno?

    1. Bobby_Baggio
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      DCL

      1. Bobby_Baggio
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Sorry Mahrez And Alioski

  13. Bobby_Baggio
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Morning wise ones. Is my starting lineup and bench correct?

    Pope
    Dias - Coufal - Justin
    Salah - Gundo - Bruno - Son - Soucek
    Bam - Antonio

    (McCarthy) - DCL - Stones - Alioski

    1. Pat Bonner
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Soucek is so good but still might go DCL over him

      1. Bobby_Baggio
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Soucek burnt me too many times. Cheers tho

    2. fpl_tp95
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Looks good to me

    3. Make United Great Again
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

  14. JollyGoodYellows
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Any suggestions here? 2FTs and 2.6itb

    Martinez Martin
    AWB Dias Stones Digne Dallas
    Salah Bruno Son Gundo Soucek
    Antonio Bamford DCL

  15. Pringle
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Could Jesus be worth a punt now over the DGW?

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Could be for sure, I’d sooner have gudo and sterling but He’s not a band punt

  16. Yozzer
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bring in

    A Dallas
    B Justin
    C Shaw

    1. royals forever
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      either Dallas or Shaw

  17. royals forever
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is this team G2G or are there any other changes that would make to it

    Martinez

    Coufal Dallas Mee

    Fernandes Salah Rashford Saka Soucek

    Watkins Wilson

    Johnstone DCL Dias Stones

    Any ideas would be welcomed

    1. Steve The Spud
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I would play a city defender over Dallas, if they clean and your players don’t it’s going to hurt

  18. Chris_White
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start two:

    Robertson
    Coufal
    Pieters

    1. royals forever
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Coufal Pieters

  19. Slitherene
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Best 4.4 defender to get in?

    A) Lowton
    B) White
    C) Suggest?

    1. Chris_White
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Lowton for sure

  20. FDMS All Starz
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Which 3 defender to start from this 5?
    A) Justin (wol A)
    B) Lowton (bha H)
    C) Alioski (cry H)
    D) Stones (liv A)
    E) Coufal (ful A)

    Which forward to start?
    A) Watkins (ars H)
    B) Adams (new A)

    1. royals forever
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      BCE and A

    2. Slitherene
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Ab/ceb

  21. Forgetmeknot
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who do you think is more important to own this week;

    Son or Antonio?

  22. Make United Great Again
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Surprised Bamford isn’t a more popular captain pick on here.

  23. winchester
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    G2G? Captain a) son b) bruno c) antonio d) bamford

    pope
    cancelo dallas coufal
    salah bruno son soucek gundo
    bamford antonio

    martinez adams dias taylor

  24. corderz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Should probably line up like this but don't have the bottle:

    Forster
    Cancelo Chilwell Dallas Coufal Mee
    Bruno Son Soucek
    Antonio Bamford

    Martinez Salah DCL Gundogan

  25. Romford Pele - Don't w…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    One to start and two to bench (in what order?)

    A) Digne (mun)
    B) Mee (BHA)
    C) Stones (liv) - note: cancelo already starting

    1. Aussie Rules
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B, C, A

  26. SHOWSTOPPERRR
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Guys have 2 ft..

    A) Bissou and kwp to rashford/son and mee and bench dcl and digne
    B) just bussou to ras/son and start digne and save one ft..

  27. fpl_tp95
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench Watkins or gundogan?

    1. JJeyy
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      ive benched wat

      1. fpl_tp95
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Thanks, it's so difficult. Gundogan seems to be less of a goal threat over the last few games, but is more creative and on pens. Watkins has higher xg and is in good goalscoring form

  28. Nightf0x
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start dias/stones or target ?

    1. fpl_tp95
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Dias

  29. CrouchDown
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I think Soucek v DCL is the most difficult bench choice I’ve had to make!

  30. FPLMACKEM
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    McCarthy,
    Robertson, Cancelo, Coufal
    Salah, Gundogan, Bruno, Son(c),Soucek
    Antonio, Bamford

    Forster, DCL, Stones, Mitchell

    1ft 2.4itb

    Already used one ft. Brewster > Antonio. I simply couldn't go the next two gw without him.

    A Robertson > Shaw/Rudiger
    B MCarthy/Forster > Pope/Sanchez
    C hold second ft to have 2ft next week.

    1. AD2110
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Could do Forster to Pope and then keep McCarthy for his double?