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

    Gtg-
    Martinez
    Stones cancelo coufal
    Salah son(VC) Fernandes(C) soucek
    Wilson Bamford DCL

    Nyland Mahrez Alioski Mitchell

    1. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Would play Ali over a city defender

      1. Eh, just one more thing ...
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        This.

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

        Alioski over stones?

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

      Yep, city double too risky, despite how Liverpool have been playing

  2. james 101
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Another who do I bench question lads!

    A. Gundo

    B. Wilson

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

      B

    2. james 101
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Thanks and good luck!

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

      B

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

      A

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

    Tarkowski worth 0.3 over Mee?

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

      No

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

      dont think so

    3. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No

  4. Sho-kun
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    coufal or cancelo?

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

      Coufal

    2. Sho-kun
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      on the bench

    3. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Coufal

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

      Coin toss

    5. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'm benching Coufal.

      Think Fulham will score

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

    Leeds with a nice long rest, bam bam cap, anyone else ?

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

      Tempted by Raph

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

        Terrible

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

          And who are you captaining ?

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

            Bruno.. Mina to give away a clumsy pen. Most double digit hauls in the league. Easy as

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

          Not terrible.

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

      Could work!

    3. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bamford
      8 goals away
      3 goals at home.

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

        And? Bruno can’t haul at home remember that?

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

        Just noise. His Xg is the same home and away.

    4. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Na going Antonio

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

        I would if I owned him

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

    Still can’t decide...
    Barnes to Son for free?

    1. Thomas Jerome Newton
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      This week. I would.

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

      No

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

      No imo

  7. Thomas Jerome Newton
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    My last decision.
    Who to play?
    A) Grealish (ARS)
    B) Calvert-Lewin (mun)

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

      A easy

    2. Saka Punch
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

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

      Grealish

    4. Sho-kun
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      a

    5. Sloopy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    6. Thomas Jerome Newton
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Cheers guys.
      Job done!

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

      A without a doubt

  8. NoName
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start Gundogan or DCL?

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

      DCL

    2. Thomas Jerome Newton
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'm going Gundogan out of those two.

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

      Gundo

    4. NoName
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Thanks all.

    5. mrelpea
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Gundo

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

    Bench Watkins or Gündo?

    1. Sho-kun
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      gundo

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

      Watkins

    3. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Gundo easily

      1. shady4revr
        • 9 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Gundo on pens

  10. Origal73
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench One:
    A) mee
    2) gundugan
    3) Dias (no other city defender)

    Thanks

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

    Robbo to
    Tarkowski or Mee?

    1. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Mee

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

        thanks

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

      Gone with Tarks myself

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

        thanks

  12. Weeb Kakashi
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench 2

    A Cancelo
    B Cresswell
    C AWB
    D Dallas
    E Mee

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

      CD

  13. mwa1t
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    crazy to captain Grealish? Other options are Son and Bruno

    1. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Not crazy Arsenal keeper is dire

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

      Bruni imo

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

    Any ideas? Thanks!
    1ft, 5.0itb
    DDG
    Cancelo Justin Coufal Lowton
    Salah Soucek Bruno Rashford
    Wilson Antonio
    (Areola, DCL, Gundo, Stones)

    A) Salah --> Son
    B) Gundo --> Son (play Son instead of Lowton)
    C) Save FT

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

      C

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

    Bench
    A) Adams
    B) Gundo

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

      A

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

      A

  16. RamaJama
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Benching, c etc gtg?

    DDG (steer)
    Stones, Dias, Coufal (Digne, Holding)
    Salah, Bruno (c), Rashford, Grealish Gundo
    Watkins, Antonio (dcl)

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

      GTG!

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

        Cheers, GL!

  17. F_Ivanovic
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    To those thinking about bringing in a Burnley defender.... I was checking out predicted points for the next 2 GWs (largely based off the bookies odds) and someone like Wan Bissaka or Rudiger has an expected score of 8 whilst Mee is expected to score 9. So you're spending a transfer on someone expected to score just 1 more point than 2 other good options and you'd rather have these defenders long term as well where as Mee is a transfer down the line waiting to happen.

    1. Over Midwicket
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      We all have our WCs so your argument isn't that valid

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

        Not everyone does but yes with a WC that you're v likely to use soon you can make a move like this. Still think it's worth highlighting how little gain you're getting from it as there may be more gains elsewhere to be had

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

      the joy of DGW fun

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

      Double gameweek included in that prediction?

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

        Yes, that was the point of it.

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

          So he just need one cs on the next three to outscore those predictions.

    4. 2hotty
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Thats why im getting Pope next week got 2 frees and will want him long term

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

    Sell one for Mee

    A. Mitchell
    B. Struijk

    1. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

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

        Why?

  19. Eirern
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Stones to Cancelo to sideways?

    2FT and don’t know what to do.

    1. My heart goes Salalalalah
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Are you sorted for the doubles?

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

        Will WC25 BB26, so pretty sorted. Other alternatives are Mitchell - Shaw or Coufal - Cresswell.

    2. Heisenberg W. W.
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No because cancell playing as a mid

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

      Better sideways then to throw transfer away!

    4. Mr Bird
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I think Stones has more chance of playing both games in the double but Cancelo obviously has more attacking threat so could outscore him in a single game. If you’ve nothing else to do and you prefer Cancelo why not?

  20. My heart goes Salalalalah
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Armband on:
    A-ntonio
    B-amford

    1. Heisenberg W. W.
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    2. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    3. Thomas Jerome Newton
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

  21. Heisenberg W. W.
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play one :

    1. HOLDING
    2. KONSA
    3. STONES
    4. Get MEE THIS GW (Have Pope)
    5. Get Rudiger

    1. Van der Faart
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      3

  22. Ohh1454
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Which one to bench ?
    A. Cancelo
    B. Dias
    C. Coufal
    D. Dallas

    1. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

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

      B

    3. Thomas Jerome Newton
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B or C

  23. Kane Train
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Would you do this or save FT

    Dier > Mee

    1. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Save

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

      Save for next week

    3. mwa1t
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Save it for next week

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

      save - you'd rather play dier over Mee this week. (spurs have much better CS odds than Burnley)

  24. I Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Captain:

    A) Antonio
    B) Bamford
    C) Fernandes

    Don't own Son.

    1. fish&chips
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C

    2. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

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

      A

  25. fish&chips
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Why so much love for Antonio (c)? Not saying he's not a decent option but Fulham haven't exactly been shipping goals recently and surely bruno is a much better option on paper?

    1. Jonesfromthere
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bruno goals non pens been poor, Antonio is a stats monster

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

      Everton are better than Fulham, prob why

    3. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Bruno safer.

      Son puntier

    4. Bury94
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Fulham 12 big chances conceded in last 4 GWs, 2nd worst. Antonio's stats are insane

  26. AC/DC AFC
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Will the fog clear in the Midlands and at Villa Park?

    A) Son
    B) Floodlights

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

    Anyone else do this, set on your team and aren’t going to be swayed. Wake up on sat and start thinking (usually in the shower) then make a random move that wasn’t even on your radar?

    Just did Robbo to Tark, I was sure I was going to bank that transfer

    1. Thomas Jerome Newton
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yep, sometimes!

  28. mr_jones
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pope
    Azpi - Coufal - Dallas
    Salah - Bruno (C) - Maddison - Gundo
    Watkins - Bamford - Wilson

    Subs: McCarthy, Bowen, Cancelo, Robbo

    thoughts?

  29. Ibralicious
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Does it make more sense for someone in the top 10/20k to play it safe with a captaincy pick like Bruno in this situation, or chase the upside of a differential like Antonio?

    1. AC/DC AFC
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Or Son?

  30. Tshelby
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Captains picks? Bruno over Antonio here

    1. Weasel Boy
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Son

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

      Antonio cap and Jack vice

    3. Eh, just one more thing ...
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Struggling between the two ... currently on Bruno.