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. Bees4Lyf
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start cancelo or stones?

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

      Cancelo

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

      Cancelo

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

      Cancelo

    4. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C

    5. Ruth_NZ
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Stones.

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

        Interested in your reasoning Ruth?

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

          Liverpool will surely be vulnerable at set pieces. Cancelo could easily be subbed-on or -off.

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

      Cancelo

  2. Ady87
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play Dias, Coufal, Saka and bench order AWB, DCL, Stones?

    I was going to play AWB but all the advice seems to go against it.

    1. Maeki2
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I would do awb over dias

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

    Who to start?

    A) sterling
    B) Wilson

    1. Prison Mike
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Both but A if only 1

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

    Pope or Martinez this week?

    1. Prison Mike
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Pope

    2. Silent Hunter
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Pope

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

      I'm on pope

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

      Pope

  5. Prison Mike
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Am I crazy for benching Gundogan for Che Adams!?

    Southampton need to bounce back after that 9-0 surely...

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

      Yes.

      Southampton need first team players back before we see any bounce.

      1. Prison Mike
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        But it’s Newcastle...

  6. Nemanja Vidic
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Best replacament for Saiss?

    2FT 2.4 ITB
    WC TC and FH available

    Mendy Martinez
    AWB Stone Couf Justin Saiss
    Salah Bruno Son Gundo Saka
    DCL Bamford Antonio

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

      Man Utd or Man City defender.

    2. Super John McGinn-
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Mee

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

    Just clocked properly that Man Utd play at 8 pm Saturday night,

    Does this swing the captain to Bruno from Son on Sunday at noom, which could also be called off by the Baltic snowstorm incoming into the South East?

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

      I have no data to back up this claim but I feel evening fixtures produce more goals than early ones.

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

        I agree.

        The early ones, especially on a Sunday are slow. Maybe without hung over fans it doesn't matter so much!

        As long as the players weren't lockdown partying on a Saturday night!

    2. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Premier League games won’t be called off for snow

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

        Can be if conditions outside the ground grind to a halt and media and officials etc can't get in.

        Less likely in London but possible.

        1. Rupert The Horse
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          No it doesn’t apply. It will not cause any issue. It’s for a large number of fans. Snow isn’t going to block entrance to the ground.
          Don’t let that influence your decision.

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

            I've got a VC but games were called off for ice outside the ground in England a month ago.

        2. The 12th Man
          • 10 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          no fans travelling .

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

            My team still had a football league match postponed when we'd cleared the pitch but the roads were considered risky, despite no fans going in early January!

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

      Bamford then!

  8. ⭐ Bemba_Da ⭐
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    people benching salah? just sell him

    Leicester up next, time to go

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

      I'm benching him but still got 1ft left so even thinking about getting rid now. What should I do?

    2. Rupert The Horse
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      No.

    3. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yeah and play ESR 😆 (fake news)

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

      I did sell

    5. The 12th Man
      • 10 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      sold. Can get him back after the doubles.

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

    At 280k should I go safe with Bruno or risky with Dallas or Raph

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

      Do you want to finish at 280k? Or top 10k maybe? You choose

  10. La Roja
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who to captain?

    A)ntonio
    B)runo
    C) Son

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

      B

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

      Antonio

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

      On A now

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

      C

  11. Jam0sh
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Which one would you bench?

    A) DCL (mun)
    B) Watkins (ARS)
    C) Gündogan (LIV)

    1. Elly88 > KTR (Kevin The …
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      W

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

      Tough one, probably Watkins.

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

      Watkins maybe

    4. Jam0sh
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Cheers all DCL it is

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

    What's these Antonio benched rumours?

    1. Jam0sh
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Haven't heard any

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

        Suggestion I have seen from fans on a message board that moyes may rotate ahead of important united cup match on Tuesday

        It's surely possible. I'm going bruno instead.

        He could play yarmo or bowen up front today

    2. Hybrid.power
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 14 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      And it's time to log off

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

      West Ham fans think he should be rested for the cup but I don’t think he will be.

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

      Probably true as I finally brought him in this week, so being rested is inevitable!

    5. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Every game day you start a rumour!

  13. Atimis
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Pope in for a hit?
    Maybe Bruno (c) over Antonio?

    Martinez
    Cancelo/Justin/Coufal
    Salah/Bruno/Grealish/Gundo
    DCL/Antonio(c)/Bamford

    Martin/Robo/Stones/Stephens

    1. FPL Pillars
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Not for a hit man

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

    Bench a) mee b) gundugan?

  15. FPL Pillars
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Am I doing the right playing playing AWB over Coufal? 🙂

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

      No imo

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

      No

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

    Crazy to go Vinicius punt against WBA?

    1. La Roja
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

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

        Thanks.

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

    Salah and Rjames to Raphinha and Dallas? 2ft

  18. Arteta
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Is it completely nuts to bench Salah and bet on City's rock defense?

    1. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      That’s my dilemma, 4 points from two city if pool scores Salah could easily blank

    2. I'M 2 OLD FOR THIS HIT
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes it is. Don’t do it!

  19. GCM0803
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play 1:
    A) McCarthy (new)
    B) Ederson (liv)

    Play 3:
    1) Konsa (ARS)
    2) Coufal (ful)
    3) Bednarek (new)
    4) Cancelo (liv)
    5) Justin (wol)

    /should I make an immediate change?

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

      mccarthy

      cancelo, justin, coufal

  20. focaccia
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Correct bench order?
    Stones - DCL - Holding

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

    Please help me with this bench-headache:
    Bench 3 of these

    A) Cancelo
    B) Digne
    C) Saka
    D) Gundogan
    E) Maddison
    F) Salah
    G) DCL

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

      B, C and G.

  22. comeonspurs
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Anyone know if theres a chance any more games will be added to game week 24

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

    Start Justin or Dias ?

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

      Justin

  24. iL PiStOlErO
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start one (Pope on goal) :
    A) Lowton
    B) Coufal

    Cpt:
    1) Bruno
    2) Antonio
    3) Bamford

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

      B
      1

  25. Silent Hunter
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play Justin (wol) or Coufal (ful) ?

  26. Gazpilicueta
    • 9 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who would you bench here please?

    Rudiger robbo stones dallas coufal
    Calvert lewin Bamford

    I need to bench 2

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

      robbo dcl

  27. g40steve
    • 6 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Watkins, keep or sell?

    Martial or Vardy

    Wait for Kane?

  28. micsway
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start Dias or Cancelo?

    1. jamesymcnally@gmail.com
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Cancello

  29. jamesymcnally@gmail.com
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Lloris
    Justin - Rudiger - Cresswell
    Son - Grealish - Fernandes(c) - Salah
    Antonio - Bamford - Wilson

    Bench
    Martinez, Gundogen, Cancello, Stones

    Would you recommend any changes?

  30. nkhoughton
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Who to play?

    A) Watkins
    B) Gundogan

    1. Stranger Mings
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A as I am benching gundo