We have chosen our best Fantasy Premier League (FPL) players for Gameweek 17 ahead of the Boxing Day deadline.
We’ve made room for a Manchester City premium double-up but there’s no space for Mohamed Salah (£12.8m) or Harry Kane (£11.6m) on our meagre budget.
We line up in a 3-5-2 formation this week and, as ever, are limited to £83.0m for our first XI.
After a reader vote ahead of 2022/23 (I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: democracy simply doesn’t work), an overall price cap of £100.0m is in place for our 15-man squad, too.
GOALKEEPER
In the top two for everything from big chances conceded to expected goals conceded (xGC), Arsenal have been in mean form on their way to pole position in the Premier League table. No side has kept more clean sheets (seven) in 2022/23.
There is a downside to that solidity at the back when you’re Aaron Ramsdale (£4.9m), as he has collected only two save points all season.
So with the disclaimer that we might be looking at a six-point ceiling, the Gunners’ impressive numbers and West Ham’s injury crisis up front leads us to plump for the England international between the sticks. Even with strikers available, the Hammers have still only scored three goals in seven away fixtures in 2022/23.
Gabriel Magalhaes (£5.2m) was considered for his goal threat but West Ham are strong in the air and only Manchester City have allowed fewer set-piece chances all season.
DEFENDERS
Three full-backs with attacking threat make up our defensive picks.
The (hopefully) fit-again Reece James (£5.8m) makes a welcome return to our weekly selection, with fellow England internationals Luke Shaw (£4.8m) and Kieran Trippier (£5.9m) joining him at the rear.
There’s a bit of trepidation about the defences of Chelsea and Manchester United: the Blues’ underlying numbers aren’t great during a period of transition under Graham Potter, while United could be without three-quarters of their first-choice backline in Gameweek 17.
But James and Shaw face the two sides with the lowest expected goals (xG) tallies in away games, with Nottingham Forest scoring only once on their travels all season.
Trippier and Newcastle United meanwhile face a Leicester outfit ranked 20th for xG on their own soil.
We know we’re also getting goal and assist potential with James and Trippier, both of whom rank among the top six defenders for expected goal involvement (xGI) in the current campaign.
Shaw might not be at the same level as those two but the attacking contributions of full-backs are key to Erik ten Hag’s system, and the United left-back sits joint-seventh for chances created among defenders.
MIDFIELDERS
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