We’ve had another mini-update of The Watchlist ahead of Gameweek 36.
Many of these targets we identified in our Gameweek 35 Wildcard series last week and remain in situ.
But the key changes we outline below.
MORE ABOUT THE WATCHLIST
In this series, we’re looking at the stand-out players over the medium term.
This is in contrast to the Scout Picks, which deals only in the upcoming Gameweek.
With there only being three Gameweeks left, this will be the final article of the season.
We rank players according to factors such as club injuries, form (30 days/last five Gameweeks), underlying numbers, forthcoming fixtures, Rate My Team’s points projections and whether or not the player in question is likely to be a bargain in FPL.
Arrows before the name indicate whether a player has increased in appeal or fallen in our reckoning since the previous Gameweek or if they are a new entry.
The key for the factors you’ll see in the below tables is as follows:
THE WATCHLIST: UPDATED RANKINGS
(click the above images to expand)
INJURIES + REPLACEMENTS
Ederson (£5.5m) doesn’t sound like he’s too badly injured, according to reports. At this stage of the season, though, even a one-week absence is enough to lose your Watchlist standing.
If you’ve got him, you likely hold, wait for Pep Guardiola’s presser, and hope he’s back for Double Gameweek 37. If he is a prospective purchase, put him on ice.
The apparent likelihood of him returning before the end of the season also means Stefan Ortega (£3.7m) can’t yet be recommended as a worthwhile medium-term purchase.
We have a similar situation at Newcastle United, of course, with Martin Dubravka (£4.3m) potentially at risk from Nick Pope’s (£5.3m) looming comeback.
In defence, we’re still waiting to hear the full prognosis on Fabian Schar (£5.7m) and Jan Paul van Hecke (£4.1m). There are some suggestions the budget Brighton defender is out for the season, while Schar wasn’t sighted in training on Wednesday – although seasoned Fantasy managers will be fast to tell you that ‘not seen in training’ does not mean ruled out.
If they remain flagged doubts for the weekend, you’re not likely to take chances on them unless you already own them. So, Lewis Dunk (£5.2m) and Dan Burn (£4.6m) come in to take their places.
Both stoppers are actually above their stricken teammates for shots in the box this season, so we’re not losing any goal threat. Dunk is over one million more expensive than van Hecke, however, and he features low down the Watchlist with that, as well as Brighton’s awful form, in mind.
FOREST FLINGS
Nottingham Forest face two of the sides below them and a less-than-sturdy Chelsea backline in the remaining three weeks. Between them, those three clubs have conceded 226 league goals this season.
Of the teams without a double, Forest feature the highest in our Season Ticker.
They might be harder sells without that second Gameweek 37 fixture but there’s such a glut of unconvincing ‘doublers’ that they’re worthy of consideration nonetheless, especially in the two Gameweeks that sandwich it.
Chris Wood (£4.8m) has nine attacking returns in 13 starts under Nuno Espirito Santo, Morgan Gibbs-White (£5.7m) nine in 17.
As for the defence, they’re a commendable fourth for expected goals conceded (xGC) since Nuno took over. While those underlying numbers haven’t translated into too many clean sheets, the fixtures, the xGC tally and the carrot of survival are enough for budget pair Ola Aina (£4.5m) and Matz Sels (£4.5m) to warrant a mention.
SOLANKE + SALAH DROP, DARWIN OUT
Farewell, Darwin Nunez (£7.6m), you will not be missed. One goal since the March international break, and now not even the likelihood of starts. You have to go back to New Year for his last double-digit haul, so he’s an easy cull from the Watchlist.
Mohamed Salah (£13.5m) isn’t. He is Mr FPL, the leading points scorer since his return to English football in 2017. Written off several times before, he’s always bounced back.
Saturday’s touchline spat, some lacklustre displays, the lack of a ‘double’ and two benchings in three have undoubtedly harmed his case.
We can guess what Jurgen Klopp is going to say on Friday: it’s water under the bridge, so let’s move on. Salah may even be back in the starting XI against a really suspect Spurs backline, so we’re not totally giving up on a legend who may have a fairytale Fantasy farewell before a possible summer move.
For now, though, there are other, cheaper options in better nick, without the rotation threat and with more fixtures remaining.
Dominic Solanke (£7.3m) also slides down a few spots, with a mean Arsenal defence up next and the possibility of him operating in a deeper role as Enes Unal (£5.0m) gets some end-of-season game-time.
With even the visits of Sheffield United and Burnley failing to boost his consistently poor underlying numbers (just five shots in six games!), we’ve taken the unusual step of lowering Rasmus Hojlund (£7.1m) in the standings despite an upcoming Double Gameweek.
He doesn’t even have penalties in his locker, as budget risers Joao Pedro (£5.2m) and Carlton Morris (£4.8m) do.
