Gameweek 32 of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) is nearing, which gives us an opportunity to have a look at some more differential options.
This time, we’ve selected low-owned picks at Fulham, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace, who we think have the potential to make an impact.
As always, to qualify, the player must have an ownership of 5% or less at the time of writing.
WILLIAN
- FPL ownership: 0.3%
- Price: £5.5m
- GW32-36 fixtures: LEE | avl | MCI + liv | LEI | sou
Fulham returned to winning ways at Everton on Saturday, having previously lost four Premier League games in a row.
In one of the Cottagers’ best displays for some time, Willian (£5.5m) registered five shots and three chances created, earning the assist for Harry Wilson’s (£5.7m) goal. It coincided with Marco Silva shaking up his attack, with forgotten man Daniel James (£5.9m) – who is ineligible to play in Gameweek 32 – used as a central striker, flanked by Wilson and Willian, who consistently found pockets of space, pulling Everton’s defenders out of position.
In his last six matches, Willian has created 14 chances, eight more than team-mate Andreas Pereira (£4.3m). Only five FPL midfielders have managed more in that time, and four of those blank in Gameweek 32: Bruno Fernandes (£9.6m), Solly March (£5.1m), Kevin De Bruyne (£12.0m), Pascal Gross (£5.4m) and Son Heung-min (£11.7m).
As for Fulham, their fixtures are very good and they’ve still got a Double Gameweek to come. The run kicks off with a home clash against Leeds United on Saturday, who have suffered damaging defeats to Liverpool and Crystal Palace recently, conceding 11 goals. However, their defence has been porous for a while now, with just one clean sheet kept on the road throughout 2022/23.
Willian has been a decent signing for Fulham and could be a key player in Gameweek 32, pulling the strings against a ropey Leeds backline.
PHILIP BILLING
- FPL ownership: 1.5%
- Price: £5.2m
- GW32-36 fixtures: WHU | sou | LEE | CHE | cry
Philip Billing (£5.2m) has put in some very good performances under Gary O’Neil this season, with recent goals coming against Leicester City, Liverpool and Arsenal.
The Danish international has scored seven goals in total for Bournemouth this term, making him the top marksman in the squad, two ahead of Dominic Solanke (£5.5m). It could have been more, too, as he hit the woodwork early on against Leicester with a free-kick in Gameweek 30, one of his five shots on the day.
He is good in aerial duels, on some set-pieces, and could thrive against West Ham United this weekend. That’s because fixture congestion could become an issue for the Hammers, given that this game is sandwiched in-between the second leg of their UEFA Europa Conference League quarter-final and a midweek clash with Liverpool.
Beyond that, the fixture list provides further hope that the Cherries can stay up: they still have to face six sides in the bottom half, including Southampton and Leeds immediately after Gameweek 32. These days, Bournemouth are not a team who sit back, either, as they rank eighth for expected goals (xG) in the last six matches.
Billing does tend to blow hot and cold, but at just £5.2m, could be a useful asset.
JORDAN AYEW
- FPL ownership: 0.5%
- Price: £5.2m
- GW32-36 fixtures: EVE | wol | WHU | tot | BOU
After an assist against Leicester and a brace against Leeds, there were no attacking returns for Jordan Ayew (£5.2m) against Southampton in Gameweek 31.
However, he played a key role in Eberechi Eze’s (£5.5m) opener and under Roy Hodgson, has been at the heart of everything Crystal Palace have done well in the attacking third. Indeed, his 1.75 expected goal involvement (xGI) figure is more than any team-mate, including Eze and Michael Olise (£5.5m), since the managerial switch.
“He knows us, we know him, he feels comfortable with what we are asking him to do. He knows we will back him up and get behind him, and he is repaying us by playing so well.” – Roy Hodgson on Jordan Ayew
There is real confidence around Selhurst Park right now, with three wins on the bounce. Five of the Eagles’ remaining seven games are against teams below them in the Premier League, starting with Everton, who are conceding chances at an alarming rate under Sean Dyche.
Criticism has been levelled at Ayew throughout his career for his lack of consistency, which is entirely fair, yet his recent performances have been very good, even if they have been overshadowed by Eze and Olise.
Ayew is currently deputising for the injured Wilfried Zaha (£7.2m), so longer-term this move carries risk. However, if Zaha is ruled out again in Gameweek 32, the former Aston Villa man could be a decent differential punt against Everton.
