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. Alonso The Great Midfielder
    • 12 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    sterling or coufal

    1. dylano21
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sterling

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

      STERLING

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

      Wow

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

      Sterling of course

    5. Alonso The Great Midfielder
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      cheers

    6. zdrojo187
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Sterling
      Fulham will win

  2. HD7
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Quick one mates,

    1 FT, £2.4 ITB.

    1) Salah / Sterling to Son
    2) Taylor to Shaw / Mee
    3) Mitchell to Shaw/ Mee
    4) Save FT

    Thanks

    Martinez
    Cancelo Stones Coufal
    Salah Bruno Sterling Maddy
    Antonio DCL Bamford

    Fraser, Taylor, Mitchell, Bissouma

    1. dylano21
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      D

      1. HD7
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Thanks

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

    Is it good to go or change the bench?

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

    Button DCL Justin Targett

    1. Alonso The Great Midfielder
      • 12 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      yeah

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

      Justin 1st bench

    3. dylano21
      • 6 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Play Justin for cancelo

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

      Thanks boys

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

    Bench
    A Watkins
    B DCL
    C Gundogan

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

      b

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

      A

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

      I'm benching DCL

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

    Play Alioski or Coufal?

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

      Coufal for CS potential

  6. Balls of Steel
    • 8 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Just changed captain to Son from Antonio, damn rumours

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

      where did the balls of steel go?

      1. Balls of Steel
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        It's actually logical enough that Moyes gives Antonio a breather after 90 mins midweek isn't it...time will tell my friend!

      2. Balls of Steel
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Lucky I went with my head and not my balls with the captain decision this week 🙂

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

      Same haha

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

      I would probably not change because of that

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

      What rumours? There's nothing from an actual ITK like exWHUemployee

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

        People purely basing it off the fact they play United mid-week and expect managed minutes.

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

    Play Dallas or Justin?

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

      Dallas

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

      Dallas

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

    Play DCL or Justin?

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

      DCL

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

    DDG or Forster?

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

      DDG

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

    Start Watkins or DCL?

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

      Ollie

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

        Cheers!

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

      Watkins

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

        Thanks!

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

    Why are people benching DCL, Uniteds defence isn’t amazing by any means

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

      Many have 3 well-matched players from which to choose and DCL is one of them

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

      DCL or gundo so benched dcl

    3. zdrojo187
      • 9 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Joshua King

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

        He won’t take any minutes from DCL

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

      I have benched As it was between him and gundo

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

    Yes or no

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

      Maybe

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

    Now that Bruno is being benched, should I sell for Son, or hold?

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

      No...Bruno HAUL

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

      Lol

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

      What???

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

      silly 1059 am

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

        You noticed. Sharp.

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

    Best of luck to all for this GW!

    Well done to the green arrows last week - not easy to get!

    Red arrows, we go again!

  15. Neevesy
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Ahhh just captained Antonio over Bamford and Son.....

    Good choice?

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

      The best

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

      Oof no

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

        In fairness, my captain has now blanked for 9 weeks out of 10, so I've got nothing to lose

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

      hopefully

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

      I did too. Good luck us!

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

      think he might get rested.

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

      Good choice on paper....I went for it also.

  16. Big boy Bowen
    • 7 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Locked in!

    Martinez
    Cancelo | Dallas | Cresswell
    Salah (VC) | Bruno (C) | Son | Grealish | Soucek
    Bamford | Antonio

    Steer | DCL | Stones | Mitchell

    PANTS DOWN!! And good luck all X

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

      Beautiful, GL!

      1. Big boy Bowen
        • 7 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        You too mate, saved FT. Had a horrible couple of weeks but optimistic about this week, but I think it will come down to captain choice whether it’s a good one or not!

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

    Bench: Martinez Coufal DCL Stones, every week BB is needed!

    1. Big boy Bowen
      • 7 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      It really is a strange season, we need more premium strikers in the game!

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

        I agree.

        Argued that before. It would make the midfield more interesting and less template too.

        With Saka, Soucek, Raphinha etc.

        Grealish and all the others.

        1. Big boy Bowen
          • 7 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Yes, I blame the big reclassification of strikers to mids they did this season

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

    Last minute captain change to Son. Good luck all.

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

      Oh no!

    2. ‘Tis the Season
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Me too. We are in trouble bud

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

      Same here, not last min GL

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

      I'm on Son too.

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

      I think it's the right call with Bruno on VC.

      I mean Jan's advice is great but his rank is about 2 million?

      There's another Jan who posts on here from Poland doing really well and he's on Son.

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

        Sorry, his analysis is robust but with the premium picks doesn't always come off.

        I get Son is premium too.

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

    Pens down

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

    Been replying to posts 4 pages ago. Good luck all.

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

    panties down

    1. ‘Tis the Season
      • 5 Years
      3 years, 1 month ago

      Is that you mr glitter

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

    Pens Down.

    At least I don't have to sell Son for GW24 now.

  23. ‘Tis the Season
    • 5 Years
    3 years, 1 month ago

    Sure I made the wrong choice
    Chose soucek over Watkins 🙄

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

      I actually sold Salah for Soucek so hope he plays well.

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

        big balls man... mine were too small for this.

  24. Party time
      3 years, 1 month ago

      When is the deadline?

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

        next saturday

      2. The Polymath
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        NOW

        1. Party time
            3 years, 1 month ago

            Damnnn

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

          What’s a deadline?

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

        PENS DOWN!!!!!

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

        ANTONIO CAPTAIN GANG TALK TO MEEEEEEEEE

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

          +1

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

          As good as any

        3. Luton_Fan
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Here

        4. Twisted Saltergater
          • 14 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Ben?

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

        Not many hauls against Fulham...3 goals put on them only 3x by Everton, Aston Villa and Arsenal way back and 4 put on them once by Leeds

      6. Bennyboy1907
        • 3 Years
        3 years, 1 month ago

        Went Antonio cap over son

        Regret it already

        1. Lev Yashin
          • 11 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          Stay strong.

        2. ‘Tis the Season
          • 5 Years
          3 years, 1 month ago

          I changed with seconds to go

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

        Benched Cancelo. Played Mee Cresswell Dallas over him and Salah(C)

        GL

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

        Half my team is claret and blue! Three Hammers, one Burnley and Watkins (and Martinez in net, albeit in green).

        Good luck everyone!