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. Letsgo!
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    so should we bench antonio now?

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

      Why?

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

      what? why?

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

        what? why?
        why?

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

      Wait what????

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

      maybe

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

      I know what you’re doing

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

        Ban

    6. Letsgo!
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      His benching rumours?

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

      no ignore the muppets spreading lies

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

      Yeh he’s being rested is the word around the hammers forums

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

        No it's not. Read them.

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

      Rumour has it...Bruno is getting benched. You heard it here first.

    10. Mr. O'Connell
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Love it

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

    Drop one:
    Cancelo, Dias, Coufal

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

      Coufal

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

      Couf

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

      Dias

  3. Mr. O'Connell
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    There's gonna be some mega bench scores about this week

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

    Play Martinez or Messlier?
    (already playing Dallas)

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

      Thinking Meslier

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

    Salah benched and sticking with double city defence and Gundo.....there’s been such a gulf in recent performances I can’t see Liverpool scoring

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

      i want to but i cant - stupid i know

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

      This

  6. JustPark
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Current team:
    Meslier
    AWB Dallas Holding
    Fernandes(c) Gundogan Sterling Son Soucek
    Bamford Martial
    (Leno DCL Coufal Stones)

    2FT.
    1) Leno to Pope and play him
    2) Coufal to Mee and play him
    3) 1 and 2
    4) 1 and 2 and play Coufal, bench one of City att.

    1. buttsy9
      • 11 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I like Leno to Pope... have the same dilemma.

      With 2FT though I'd do Pope and Mee but for Holding if you can.

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

        Cheers. Pope and Mee in and playing them both.
        I have no value tied to Coufal hence the reason to get rid of him instead of Holding. Great about anyway.

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

    Bench one:

    A) DCL
    B) Gundo

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

      Gundo.

    2. Nolberto Solano
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      A

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

      dcl

  8. Trane84
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play 2 from Alioski ( Palace H), Cancelo (Liv A), Justin (Wol A), Coufal (Ful A)

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

      I'll bench Cancelo, I don't know who Alioski is so I'll bench him as well hence I'll play Justin and Coufal.

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

      Last 3

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

        I have all of them and im benching alioski

  9. buttsy9
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    A) Pope (FT)
    B) Meslier

    Captain
    1) Bruno
    2) Antonio

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

      B1

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

    I just cannot wait for the double gameweek to give Dias the armband.

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

    Tempted to switch the armband to Son if Andy is doing it given his luck this season!

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

      wildcard and just copy his team

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

      Well that doesn't feel like a good reason to switch

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

      Haha I've switched it now to Son cos of Andy!

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

      He captained Salah last gw?

  12. Alejo - CFC
    • 10 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Barnes to Grealish on a FT?

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

      Looking great imo

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

      Same predicament for me. Would do Grealish myself if I wasn't looking at Rashford for GW24, so at the moment not sure it's worth the transfer for one week. It's a tough transfer!

  13. bezzo_101
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Will antonio get rested?

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

      Yes

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

      100%

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

      this is hilarious

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

      If he’s rested he’s rested.

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

      Only once he’s scored his brace

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

    Play two

    DCL
    CHILLY
    GUNDO

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

      Last 2 if chillwell doesnt play dcl will come on

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

        What if Alonso starts and Chilly comes on for a one pointer?

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

          Doubt that will happen just the risk tho

  15. jonnybhoy
    • 11 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    GTG? Feels weird benching DCL but just can't bench Gundo.

    McCarthy
    Cancelo Coufal Justin
    Salah Son Bruno (C) Soucek Gundo
    Bamford Antonio

    Forster DCL Stones Alioski

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

      DCL with 1 goal against Leeds since gw11 and a goal against Burnley?

      Okay, 3 assists in the last 10 games too.

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

    Play which
    A) Madison
    B) Wilson

  17. Budgies
    • 4 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    GTG? Can’t decide on Son, Bruno or Antonio as Captain!

    De Gea
    Cresswell, AWB, Cancelo
    Gundogan, Salah, Bruno, Son, Maddison
    Antonio, Wilson

    (Martinez, Dias, DCL, Justin)

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

      Bruno

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

    Should I start TAA or Cancelo?

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

      I'd just start both and look elsewhere

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

    Bench one
    A) Dallas
    B) Stones

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

      Stones. Think Liverpool will score. Palace travelling to Leeds on freezing monday night = eagles in freefall.

  20. Pickle juice
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Help which 2 out of this three ...

    A.justin
    B.coufal
    C.dallas

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

      First 2

  21. Weilong7
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    go with the flow and play cancelo (bench dias) for targett?
    or play double city?

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

      Double city. Arsenal looking fairly decent in attack at the mo.

  22. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Play one from each

    A) Martinez (ARS)
    B) McCarthy (new)

    1) Gundogan (liv)
    2) DCL (mun)

    Currently on A1

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

      B1

      1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Thanks!

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

          No worries good luck

          1. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
            • 7 Years
            3 years, 1 month ago

            You too mate

  23. Maddamotha
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    OMG should I bench Cancelo for Mee!? Im playing Ederson...

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

      crazy

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

        Bemba the OG telling me Im crazy. Thats all I need to know! Im loggin off!!!

    2. IN SANE IN DE BRUYNE
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      I'm benching both Dias and Stones for Mee

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

    GTG????

    McCarthy
    cancelo justin dallas
    salah bruno (c) son grealish gundo
    antonio bamford

    martin - dcl - stones - mitchell

    gonna have 2FTs next week

    Thanks!!!!!!!!!!1

  25. LJJH1984
    • 3 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Start DCL or Cancelo?

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

      Cancelo

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

    Start Alioski or stones?

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

    Will Minamino start?

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

      probably

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

        Hope your right Bemba

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

      Any Saints fans?

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

    Bottomed

    Coufal
    Cancelo
    Justin
    Konsa
    Bednarek

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

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

    Play one:
    a) Alioski
    b) Coufal
    c) Justin

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

    Son or Bruno captain?

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

      Going Son