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. balint84
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Double Burnley (pope + lowton)
    Or
    Play Justin

    1. yakirh
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Justin

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

      J

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

    Bench one:

    A. Dias (liv)

    B. AWB (EVE)

    C. Mee (BHA)

    1. Weak Become Heros
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    2. SharkyT
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

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

      C

    4. Tcheco
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      damn

    5. Z
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Have simular problem.
      It is A or B. In my case i ll try with Dias (only MC def that i have) and bench AWB

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

      C

  3. S.Kuqi
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Areola -> Pope does make no sense but having Ben Mee does mean benching Grealish next gw for me.

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

      I’m stuck on this too. Have 2 fts this week and trying to work out which 2 of Pope, Son or Antonio I want

      1. S.Kuqi
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        I'd get Son and Antonio

  4. Tsparkes10
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Raph captain too rogue?

    1. The Count of Monte Cristo
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      This week, something like this is understandable but think it's slightly too rogue.

      Team looking good for this GW?

      1. Tsparkes10
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        What you thinking? And yup did the Coufal to mee ‘move. Wby mate and captain?

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

    Forster to Pope and bench Martinez or save ft and Play Martinez?

    1. SharkyT
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Save

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

      Start Forster

    3. The Count of Monte Cristo
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Save

  6. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Sterling to Son (C) hokey cokey or captain Bruno or Antonio?

    1. SharkyT
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bruno

    2. Stormbringer22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No point doing Raz to Son. Raz is arguably best captain choice next week. Cap Tony

  7. ZAWAd25
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Which one?

    A) Salah > Son(c) (have WC)

    B) Robbo > Burnley defender (Captain Bruno or Antonio)

    1. SharkyT
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

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

      B

  8. 03farmboy
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who to captain?

    Bruno or Antonio

    1. OverTinker
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      same dilemma

    2. Flynny
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Seen suggestions among West ham fans that moyes may rotate ahead of united on Tuesday....

      I'm thinking of moving armband from Antonio ro bruno.

      1. The Count of Monte Cristo
        • 11 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Who is their backup striker?

      2. Bees4Lyf
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        I’ve seen this too, and I’m gutted I really wanted to go through with Antonio (C).

        1. Flynny
          • 9 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          He could easily play bowen or yarmalenko up front.

          Can understand that moyes may have Tuesday Cup game in mind. He will become a legend if he wins the cup....

          West ham fans say there is definitely a chance of this

          I think it may be enough for me to go bruno c.

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

    Rp Gtg?
    Mart
    Cancelo Stones Trent
    Soucek Salah Raphina Bruno Barnes
    Bamford Antonio(C)
    (Cavani, Bellerin Holding)

  10. Catastrophe
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Captain?

    A) Fernandes (EVE)
    B) Son (WBA)
    C) Antonio (ful)

    Bench?

    1) Dias (liv)
    2) Mee (BHA)
    3) Coufal (ful)

    Cheers

    1. SharkyT
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A1

    2. conorbon
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C1

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

        Looks like I'm doing this

    3. Stormbringer22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C3

  11. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is the Subs in right order?

    Pope
    Cancelo Chilwell Coufal
    Salah Bruno Gundo Grealish
    Antonio(C) DCL Bamford

    Johnstone - AWB Stones ESR

    1. SharkyT
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Start AWB over Coufal

      1. OverTinker
        • 5 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        thats tough decision to make then

  12. conorbon
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play DCL or Ings?

    1. MMN
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I would go Ings

      1. conorbon
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Thanks buddy

    2. Robman
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'd go with Ings - I just think he's a more versatile striker. And I expect a turnaround from Southampton.

      1. conorbon
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Thanks pal

  13. Kodap
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Starting XI, bench & captain choice all good? Feels so wrong benching city double up & DCL, but can’t help but think the other choices are stronger.

    Martinez
    Dier - Coufal - Shaw
    Salah - Gundo - Soucek - Bruno - Raphina
    Antonio (c) - Bamford

    Bench order: Meslier - Dias - Stones - DCL

    1. MMN
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I've done similar but order is DCL, Cancelo, Stones

    2. Blue Moon Rising
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Got to play at least one City defender

  14. Robman
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Dilemmas requiring assistance:
    a) Which goalkeeper Sanchez (A Burnley) or De Gea (H Everton)?
    b) Play Dallas (vs Palace) or Soucek?
    c) Captain Antonio or Fernandes?

    1. conorbon
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sanchez
      Soucek
      Antonio

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

        This

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

          Thanks both

  15. cheese XL
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pick 2 to start:

    A) stones
    B) coufal
    C) ayling
    D) lowton

    Cheers

    1. conorbon
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      BD

  16. MMN
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Would you make any changes? Would love to hear the reasoning in case there's something I didn't consider in my decision ...

    Martinez
    Justin, Mee, Chilwell
    Gundo, Salah, Bruno (C), Grealish, Barnes
    Watkins, Antonio (VC)

    Areola, Cancelo, DCL, Stones

    1. conorbon
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Chillwell to Rudiger if you have a ft, starter and frees up funds

    2. Stormbringer22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Chilwell cameo is worrisome. I would just play Cancelo

      1. MMN
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Hmm, with the potential upside if he starts and the lack of potential points from Cancelo, I think I'll take the risk.

    3. MMN
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Used FT on Mitchell > Mee.

      Chilwell will go in the coming weeks but he might start this week and have Cancelo if he doesn't.

    4. KaBoZ: Kids,don't Drin…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Going without Son? I'm in a similar position and I'm hesitating whether I should get him now

      1. MMN
        • 10 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        No Kane no party. He didn't do well against Brom in the reverse fixture either so I am hoping 1 goal is worse case scenario. Can't guarantee he'll outscore Salah by 4 to warrant the hit. Plus City away next week ...

  17. Blue Gaffer
    • 14 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Playing Cancelo

    Should I bench Stones or Justin?

    1. KaBoZ: Kids,don't Drin…
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Stones

    2. h3nh3n
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Stones on bench for me

  18. KaBoZ: Kids,don't Drin…
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play 1 😀
    A) DCL
    B) Justin

    1. h3nh3n
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    2. conorbon
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    3. Stormbringer22
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Always the attacker

  19. h3nh3n
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Martinez
    Cresswell Coufal James
    Lingard Grealish Maddison Bruno (C) Son (VC)
    Bamford Vardy
    (Johnstone Cancelo DCL Stones)
    GTG?

  20. tbos83
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    BB Guiata, Watkins, Targett and Mee?

    1. h3nh3n
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'd save for double

    2. linkafu
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yep

  21. Genji3lade
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who would you start?

    A.) Chilwell (Shu A)
    B.) Robertson (Mci H)

    1. h3nh3n
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A 100%

  22. HARLEY
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    ANY IDEA WHO TO REPLACE?

    Martinez
    Robbo Dias Dallas
    Salah Bruno(c) Son Gundo
    DCL Watkins Bamford
    (Steer Coufal Bissouma Kilman)

    2FT 3.8ITB

    Need to use at least 1 FT

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

      Bissouma to Raphina

    2. Salah_Fingers
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Robbo to a Mee?

  23. linkafu
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play 2

    A BAmford
    B DCL
    C Raphina

    1. conorbon
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      AB

    2. h3nh3n
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A C

  24. Sgt Frank Drebin
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Are you doing Salah to Sterling now or next week before the DGW? Or getting Sterling for someone else? Or not getting him at all?

  25. Khalico
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start Shaw or Justin?
    Have Coufal and Dallas starting.

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

    Bench which ONE?

    A) Lowton (BHA)
    B) Coufal (ful)
    C) Maguire (EVE)

  27. Tross007
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Soucek(C)?

  28. cm790
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    First sub stones or DCL?

    Cancelo is playing.

  29. Blue Moon Rising
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bring in Watkins or Antonio?

    1. Pukki Party
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Antonio

    2. linkafu
      • 4 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Anto

  30. Pukki Party
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    More points this week?

    A) Martinez Tarkowski
    B) Pope Robbo

    1. The Count of Monte Cristo
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A