Gameweek Guide

The Complete Guide to Scout’s tips and advice for Triple Gameweek 35

Gameweek 35 of the 2020/21 season will be etched in our memories forevermore – the Fantasy Gods have thrust a mythical Triple Gameweek upon us.

The Premier League’s most successful side, Manchester United, will be playing three times. But the burning question is, with the Red Devils cramming their three fixtures into five days:

Do you let this Treble – which probably will be a Double for most of the players – completely destroy your plans and blinker you to the potential of the Double Gameweek players?

– Mark, FPL BlackBox

Arsenal, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Everton, Leicester City, Liverpool and Southampton all play twice. 

We have a Friday deadline of 18:30 BST to finalise our teams.

The Fixture Ticker

Here’s how the schedule currently looks

Notice that four teams blank in Gameweek 36, including Man United, while five teams play twice in this round of fixtures and also have a match next Gameweek: Liverpool, Southampton, Everton, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa – could these be the sides to target for those without a Free Hit chip or Wildcard?

Recovery times between matches is likely to have a big say in team selection, and arguably performance too. In the past, Pro Pundit Zophar has noted the impact on injuries:

Recent research has shown that muscle injury risk increases by almost 20% when recovery time is reduced from six to three days. It concluded that fixture congestion and insufficient recovery time between matches are two of the major risk factors associated with injuries and suggested that players should have at least 96 hours between matches in order to recover fully. Beyond the 96-hour period, there were no significant gains observed.

– Zophar

With a day’s rest between each of their three fixtures, caution is advised with Ole Gunnar Solskjær’s troops.

Although, as Neale observed, is the silver-lining of playing three matches in a week that there’s a greater chance of two or more starts for most of United’s key players, even allowing for a benching along the way?

Andy certainly thinks so:

It’s unlikely any of them play three times, the only thing I would say is you kind of guarantee two games for most of the main players whereas … Jota for example or or even Mané potentially – and I know not everyone’s really got him in their team right now but some people might be thinking about it – I don’t think anyone will guarantee two games for them whereas Bruno, Luke Shaw they’ll definitely play twice.

The other question to consider is how good are the fixtures for the 13-time Premier League champions?

And given their current position in the table, when they arguably only need three more points to secure Champions League football, how can we expect them to approach their fixture triplet? 

They have, on the whole, been cautious when facing the ‘big six’ teams and Leicester City. Since the 6-1 defeat at Old Trafford to Tottenham Hotspur in early October, they’ve failed to score in six of their nine matches against this elite opposition (Man United’s score first):

  • 0-0 Gameweek 6 v Chelsea (H)
  • 0-1 Gameweek 7 v Arsenal (H)
  • 0-0 Gameweek 12 v Man City (H)
  • 2-2 Gameweek 15 v Leicester (A)
  • 0-0 Gameweek 19 v Liverpool (A)
  • 0-0 Gameweek 21 v Arsenal (A)
  • 0-0 Gameweek 26 v Chelsea (A)
  • 2-0 Gameweek 27 v Man City (A)
  • 3-1 Gameweek 31 v Spurs (A)

Fantasy Football Scout founder Mark declared yesterday on FPL BlackBox:

I’m quite happy having no Bruno.

– Mark, FPL BlackBox

He outlined his reasons across a couple of videos:

Do you United need to risk it? They don’t need to beat Leicester and Liverpool do they? And they probably think they can get something out of Villa with a weakened team … Both Leicester and Liverpool need to get results, so they’re going to be tough games, I think … Even if physically some of the [Man United] players won’t have played three games in five days mentally, as a team, they’ve got to prepare for three games in five days. That’s going to take its toll.

In recent weeks we’d analysed a slump for Bruno Fernandes (£11.5m), and even questioned if he was a viable premium for our FPL squads.

But his underlying stats have improved, as Jan highlighted in his Captain Sensible article:

The Portuguese international has dominated underlying statistics among midfielders in recent weeks. No midfielder has registered a higher figure for expected Goal Involvement (xGI) over the last six matches.

Tom Freeman picked up on the stat, explaining that his expected goal involvement (xGI) delta stands at -1.73 over the last six Gameweeks – no midfielder has underachieved more in front of goal during that time.

For Jan, there’s only one captain option:

Even in the scenario where Fernandes only starts in two of those three games, he is comfortably the most likely player from Manchester United to provide big returns in Triple Gameweek 34 according to his underlying statistics.

– Jan

And, despite having some reservations, Zophar feels that the first Triple Gameweek since 2005/06 is an opportunity that should not be passed up:

In five years’ time, I don’t want to be saying that I had only two players when Manchester United had a Triple Gameweek, irrespective of the outcome.

– Zophar

Harry Maguire (£5.5m) is widely considered to be the most-nailed of all United players, having failed to miss a single minute of Premier League football since moving to United at the start of 2019/20. 

However, that run is likely to come to an end:

But there have been encouraging quotes from Bruno Fernandes, even if he’s unlikely to play all three, his words give hope to his backers:

Advantage Liverpool and Leicester

Given the rotation we expect for Man United, could the real winners be Liverpool and Leicester?

Unlike many of the teams around them in the Premier League table, Liverpool have neither FA Cup, Europa League or Champions League involvement as a sideshow distraction. The sole focus is on securing a top-four finish in the Premier League, which would likely reduce the risk of rotation from now until Gameweek 38.

– Neale

The risk with Liverpool’s attacking quartet is that, following a very open game against Newcastle, Klopp may be unwilling to start all four again. So we could see Diogo Jota (£7.0m), Mohamed Salah (£12.7m), Roberto Firmimo (£9.0m) and Sadio Mané (£11.7m) eat into each other’s game-time during the run-in.

Perhaps Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.6m) could be a safer option, David even mooted him as an option for the armband on the Captaincy Video:

The assist potential of Alexander-Arnold was very high, so in the last six matches he’s created 16 chances … but also the quality of it as well, so he’s created four big chances.

Finally, Everton were tipped by Lateriser in his latest column piece:

I looked into the numbers and 46% of the big chances that they have created this season have fallen to him. Despite their perceived lack of form, only five teams have created more big chances than Everton in the last six matches (2.33 per game). It is also worth noting that Everton’s next four opponents conceded 2.45 big chances per game on average in their last six matches, which bodes well for Calvert-Lewin. He could have easily had a brace against Aston Villa in Gameweek 34, as well.

Community Competitions and Head-to-Head Fixtures

Elsewhere, Neale previewed finals of both the FFS Open Cup and FFS Members Cup, and RedLightning brought us his regular update on the community competitions.

The Head-to-Head fixtures for Gameweek 35 can be found below. 

The scores and tables update every night on the Head-to-Head Leagues main page so you can keep track of the action as the Gameweek unfolds. 

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

1,069 Comments Post a Comment
  1. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    1 minute warning

  2. dunas_dog
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Leno or Forster to Guaita -4?

  3. Heisenberg W. W.
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    For those that have Salah and Bruno

    who's your captain?

    1. Ady87
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Bruno

    2. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Salah

    3. Thomas Magnum
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Salah

    4. artvandelay316
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Salah

    5. Magic Zico
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Bruno

    6. OptimusBlack
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Burno

  4. seewhyaxe
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    good luck guys.

    took so many punts this week to try to finish the season on a fun note

  5. ilikewud
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Zaha to disappoint as always

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Let's go Siggy!

  6. Stranger Mings
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Play rudiger even though he may only play v city rather than holding who could play only v wba?!

  7. DRIZ ✅
    • 12 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Panties are down

    1. MIGHTY JOE
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      So it begins

  8. Duke Silver ☑
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Good luck all. Let's hope this GW delivers.

  9. Thomas Magnum
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    LETS GOOOOOOOOO

  10. ILOVEBAPS
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Play Dallas or Pereira?

    1. DRIZ ✅
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Dallas

    2. Kane and Ablett
      • 3 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Pereira

  11. Kai
    • 8 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    pants down

    1. Kai
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      pens*

      1. artvandelay316
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        I took your first post as advice and now I'm in police custody.

  12. artvandelay316
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Salah locked in as Cap and I don't even regret it!

    1. Gudjohnsen
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Of course not

      It's only a game

      Fellow Salah capper

  13. nerd_is_the_werd
    • 4 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Backtracked with Cavani at the final second, with MUN blank gameweek next.
    Hope I don't regret it.

  14. Jebiga
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Cant wait to activate FH and get Mahrez, KDB and Stones 🙂

    1. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Better with FTs imo - looking at Mahrez and Foden for the run in. Nothing flakey at all in combining that with Bale 😉

  15. BrockLanders
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Pens down

  16. ILOVEBAPS
    • 11 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Bruno. He’s done sod all for me for ages so I may as well go down with the ship.

  17. Digital-Real
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Will Mitchell get any games?

    1. DRIZ ✅
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      No

    2. Klip Klopp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Yes

  18. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Somehow ended up with 2 FT for GW36

    1. Nightcrawler
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Must have been hit hard last gw??

      1. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Bent over and destroyed!

    2. Rolls-Royce
      • 10 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Congratulations.

    3. g40steve
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Same, wanted to do Marty > Guita

    4. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
      • 7 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Nice. I am using my single FT for Nacho to Antonio to have 11 playing.

      1. Hazz
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 6 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        In planning Nacho > DCL next week (have Watkins), but Watkins > Antonio after GW36.

        Plans could change but love Antonio 🙂

        1. DARK SIDE OF THE LOON
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          I will have Kane Antonio DCL as my front 3.

    5. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Brilliant work

      Went the other route. Looked at Palace beating WBA 5-1 away and Man U 3-1 away early season and thought why not 🙂

  19. Bobby Digital
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Bruno pen goal in the first game and it'll be a loong week for non-cappers and non-owners.

    1. BrockLanders
      • 9 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Massively

    2. Nightcrawler
      • 4 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Why? If u own him but thats limited damage

      Also not to mention our own captains

      1. artvandelay316
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        This.

    3. pingissimus
      • 5 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Why?

      He's not the only captain in play. It's not as if his points count more than anyone else's or do you think he'll play 4 in 8 days?

      1. Drexl Spivey
        • 5 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Minutes managed, for sure.

  20. Isco Disco
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Took -12 for Bruno Tekkers and AWB
    Let's goooooooooo. Hope it pays off

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Nice punt on Tekkers

    2. Klip Klopp
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Madness

  21. Magic Zico
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Down! Last minute change from Robbo 442 to Vardy 343, good luck folks!

  22. Gudjohnsen
    • 7 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Captain Salah or Bruno?

    1. DRIZ ✅
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Salah

    2. Sun Jihai
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Salah had 4.4 non-penalty xG in his last 8 starts (711 minutes)
      Bruno has 1.7 in the same time horizon.

      Given Salah is more rested and Bruno is unlikely to play all of all 3, Salah is the one to go for.

      1. artvandelay316
        • 3 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Agreed. A lot of people have triple GW goggles on. Salah has been performing better over recent weeks and fresher.

  23. G-Whizz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • Has Moderation Rights
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Pens down...

  24. BrockLanders
    • 9 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Imagine Bruno starts all 3. Wow

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Has there ever been a tripleGW before?

      1. BrockLanders
        • 9 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Think Birmingham had one years ago. I captained Zigic, the rest needs no explanation

        1. Twisted Saltergater
          • 14 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          It may have been back to back doubles, I think. But I did the same with Zigic(c). Disaster 😆

        2. WVA
          • 7 Years
          2 years, 10 months ago

          Haha this made me chuckle

      2. rainy
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        • 8 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        In 2007 I believe

    2. Burger
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Imagine he starts only 1. Oopsie.

  25. Holmes
    • 10 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Psssst

    Mane and Lindelof or Rashford and Robertson

    Was close to picking ML

    1. DRIZ ✅
      • 12 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      A

    2. Twisted Saltergater
      • 14 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      latter

      1. Holmes
        • 10 Years
        2 years, 10 months ago

        Updated on that option

        Should have built the team before, got panic in the end, sigh...

    3. KUN_DE_BRU_YNE
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      Panic last moment gone with shaw an mane myself uffffffffff

    4. G-Whizz
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      • 6 Years
      2 years, 10 months ago

      B for me (but remember I'm a cack manager)...

  26. G00LI0
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Locked! - 8 hit taken. 3 United and all the rest doubles.

    Buckle up!

  27. Hazz
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 6 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Oh no! I forgot to update Draft!

    Oh wait I don't really care 😆

  28. pjomara
    • 13 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Bloody hell, nearly forgot to play my BB chip, just did it in time - I hope.
    Need to wait 40 min to be sure

  29. Kane and Ablett
    • 3 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    I can’t wait for Zaha to limp off after 8 minutes, Jota to play seven minutes , a Maguire og and red card amongst numerous triple gameweeker disappointment, Kane’s hat trick and Brighton getting the only clean sheet to defy the experts once again

  30. OverTinker
    • 5 Years
    2 years, 10 months ago

    Feck offff
    Did one transfer in the last minute and was unable to sort the starting eleven. Disaster if some single GW player in the starting eleven. The wait is painful