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

    I feel like I'm just not going to meet the deadline today. I'm sure the FPL towers will understand and give me another hour to think about it.

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

      The old saying....When in doubt...do nothing lol

    2. Chill, we'll call you
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      They usually do, so just relax.

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

    Lookman or Wan-Bissaka?

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

      Awb

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

    A) Salah->Son (C)
    B) Keep transfer, Bruno (C)

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

      B all day

      1. Here's Tom with the We…
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        B

      2. bring_on _the_fantasy
        • 13 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        This season Son has been garbage without Kane. A is mental!

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

      Keep

    3. Champions League Varane
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I’m going A

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

      B

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

      A

  4. sunzip14
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I'm benching DDG for Forster!

  5. aardvark22
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play ?
    A) Lowton
    B) Cancelo

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

      B

  6. Cobain
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Heavy snow forecast for London tomorrow! Spurs game in jeopardy?

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

      In the most high tech stadium in the world? No chance

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

      Nope. They’ll be able to deal with it

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

      Games are usually postponed because of fan safety, travel to and from ground etc when there is bad weather.
      Since theres no fans going at the moment i doubt snow will stop the games.

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

      it hammered down with rain all game against Chelsea. a little snow will have no chance

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

    Who to bench?

    A) Grealish (ARS)
    B) Watkins (ARS)
    C) Soucek (ful)
    D) Antonio (ful)
    E) Cavani (EVE)

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

      E

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

      E

      1. Here's Tom with the We…
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        B

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

      Watkins or Soucek

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

      Watkins

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

    Play Meslier or Martinez?

  9. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Salah captain ftw

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

      Lol

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

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

    Cpt:
    1) Bruno
    2) Bamford
    3)Antonio

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

    Dias or stones - who should I start?

    1. AC Yew
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Dias

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

      Dias

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

      Dias. More threat.

    4. Boly Would
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Both

    5. Kane and Ablett
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Both

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

    West Ham more likely to finish top 4 or win FA Cup?

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

      Cup win.

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

      Haha

  13. Garfield1001
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench one:

    Justin
    Dallas
    Coufal

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

      Justin

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

      Coufal

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

      Coufal

    4. TVPlugSockets
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Justin

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

      Think Fulham will score but beaten 1-2, so Coufal.

  14. fridge
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    GTG? Have 1 FT and 2.1 in the bank

    Pope
    Dias. Dallas. Coufal
    Salah. Son (c) Bruno. Soucek
    Bamford. DCL. Antonio

    McCarthy. Gundo. Lowton. Stones

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

      Would play Goundo and bench DCL.Save FT

  15. Return of the FF
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench 1 each:

    A. Stones (have Cancelo)
    B. Coufal
    C. Dallas

    1. DCL
    2. Soucek

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

      A1

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

      A1

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

      A

    4. Kane and Ablett
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B1

    5. Return of the FF
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I played Stones over Coufal at the last minute. Already filled with regret

  16. Jdpz
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Captain
    a) Bruno
    b) Antonio
    c) Bamford
    d) Raphinha
    e) Sterling

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

      A

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

      A

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

      E

    4. Chill, we'll call you
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      B

    5. LT10
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      C

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

    Coufal
    Cancelo
    Justin
    Konsa
    Bednarek

    1) would you bring in rudiger and for who?
    2) pick 3 to play

  18. Miniboss
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Gents, good to go or change the bench?

    McCarthy
    Shaw Cancelo Dallas
    Gundogan Salah Bruno(c) Soucek Sterling
    Bamford Antonio

    Button DCL Justin Targett

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

      Play DCL insetad of Gundo

  19. user.n
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Captain?
    Bruno
    Son
    Antonio

    1. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      S

    2. user.n
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Thanks

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

    Bench one:
    A) Dcl
    B) Justin

    1. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

    2. Wheyyyy
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      b

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

    Play 1

    A Mee
    B Cancelo
    C AWB

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

      b

  22. Wheyyyy
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start one:

    A) Chilwell (shu)
    B) Dallas (CPL)

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

    Sorry for RP, need help!

    " Cheers! I really need some help on this. Any suggestions?

    Meslier - Nyland
    TAA - Rüdiger - Creswell - Justin - Holding
    Salah - Son - Bruno - Gündo - Madders
    Antonio - Bamford - DCL

    Squad Value : 104.4m
    In the bank : 3m

    Had 2 FTs and brought in Rüdiger for Mitchell yesterday.
    I'd really like to get rid off Salah and get Soucek into the team but It feels exrtemely odd to have 10.1m in the bank.

    What should I do? Pls. help me out "

  24. Xanthorpe
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Bench
    A) Lookman
    B) Hames
    C) Wan-Bissaka

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

      a

  25. CheesyZoot
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Grealish > (S)on?

    Or captain Bruno and keep Grealish?

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

      Keep

    2. Paqueta Rice
      • 3 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      The latter

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

    With All these benching headaches, I think maybe follow the below theories?

    Play attacker over defender - Eg: DCL over any defenders

    Play a wing back over CB - Eg: Coufal/Justin over Mee/Stones as wing more likely to get attacking returns and CS.

    Play likes of Salah/Gundo/Sterling over Soucek as they can easily punish you with a large haul.

    Better to save a transfer if possible as will come in handy, so don't bother transferring Son in or being a hero with any other unnecessary transfers.

    Not sure if anything else to help make decisions easier!

  27. RAFA THE GAFFA
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Salah >> Son(c)?

    1. sunzip14
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Yes

    2. bring_on _the_fantasy
      • 13 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Son has done nothing without Kane

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

      Just pulled the trigger on that move myself.

  28. Paqueta Rice
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    I have no good captain this week.

    Salah, Sterling, Grealish, Gundogan, Minamino, Chillwell

    1. Here's Tom with the We…
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Grealish is decent this week

  29. Gazza2000
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Would you do Rashford to Son ?

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

      lol

      1. Gazza2000
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Rashford is so frustrating to own though..

    2. FER FUSCH AKE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Spurs are horrible.

      1. Gazza2000
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 12 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        `But it's WBA...

    3. bench boost for every gamew…
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Hope you did not.

  30. toerag
    • 13 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    A. Cancelo

    or

    B. Dias

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

      A