Mixed fortunes from the penalty spot were the story of Saturday’s two matches on the south coast.
While Joao Pedro (£5.6m) converted both of his spot-kicks at the Amex, Marco Asensio (£6.2m) failed twice from 12 yards at St Mary’s.
Picking the bones out of Brighton and Hove Albion 2-2 Leicester City and Southampton 0-3 Aston Villa, it’s our latest Gameweek 32 Scout Notes.
- READ MORE: FPL notes: Why Mateta was subbed + Ederson injury update
- READ MORE: FPL Gameweek 32 round-up: Saturday’s goals, assists, bonus points + stats
EMERY ON VILLA’S PENALTY TAKERS
Fantasy managers who bought Asensio for Gameweek 32 correctly anticipated that he would start. They would have no doubt also been aware that he had a good chance of taking a penalty, having done so in the UEFA Champions League last month.
They were right on both fronts – but what they wouldn’t have expected is for the loanee to join an unwanted club.
Marco Asensio just the fourth player to miss two penalties in a Premier League match, two decades after Juan Pablo Angel became the first in a 1-1 draw with Fulham. Darren Bent for Sunderland and Saido Berahino for #wba the others. #avfc
— matt maher (@mjmarr_star) April 12, 2025
One of Asensio’s saved penalties was converted by John McGinn (£5.2m) to at least give the Spaniard an assist and spare him the ignominy of a -1 score.
Unai Emery’s post-match comments on Villa’s penalty-taking pecking order were interesting. They were positive and frustrating in equal measure for Marcus Rashford (£6.7m) owners.
Positive, because it sounds like Rashford is first in the queue. Frustrating, because he was taken off on Saturday two minutes before the first spot-kick award.
“They have their numbers. Firstly, it’s Marcus Rashford. Second to shoot is Marco Asensio. Of course, Youri Tielemans, Ollie Watkins as well. They choose on the field like the plan is.” – Unai Emery on Villa’s penalty takers, to the BBC
“We have our penalty shooter and the first one is Marcus Rashford. The second one is Asensio. Third ones are Tielemans, McGinn and Watkins. They are responsible when penalties are coming. We have to accept it and decide for the next match.
“I think it is normal that his challenge is to get the second one after the first one. It is clear which penalty shooter is first.” – Unai Emery on Villa’s penalty takers, in his post-match press conference
NO REST FOR ROGERS YET
Emery did indeed rotate some of his team from the midweek win over Paris Saint-Germain, with Lucas Digne (£4.5m), Pau Torres (£4.2m), McGinn and Boubacar Kamara (£5.0m) rested.
Other anticipated starts didn’t materialise, like those for Ollie Watkins (£8.9m) and Donyell Malen (£5.3m). Those two did at least come off the bench to score, with Watkins’ controlled lob particularly excellent. The striker was also brought down for Villa’s first penalty.
In the middle of it all were further starts for Morgan Rogers (£5.6m), Youri Tielemans (£5.5m) and Emiliano Martinez (£5.0m). They remain the only Villa players yet to be benched in the Premier League this season.
All three delivered, too, with Tielemans and Rogers assisting the first two goals with sublime passes and Martinez keeping his sixth clean sheet in nine competitive matches.
Above: Aston Villa’s leading players for league starts in 2024/25
Emery was asked about the seemingly undroppable two midfielders after full-time, saying there was ongoing consideration of giving them a rest but also highlighting their consistency.
“Some players are showing us their consistency, playing minutes and recovering. It is not easy to play at the level we demand in matches in a row without being injured.
“Youri and Morgan, they are being very important and consistent. I am always analysing if we can take some minutes to rest them, but until now they are being consistent and playing the demands we need.” – Unai Emery in his post-match press conference
In a separate interview, Emery also made it clear how important the Premier League is to Villa amid cup distractions at home and abroad.
“Premier League, from day 1 to day 38, is giving us our first target in the season. Europe, usually, you are getting by Premier League position.” – Unai Emery
THE SLOW KNIFE
This was another game in which Villa took their time with the opposition. Last weekend’s quick start against Nottingham Forest was a bit of an anomaly, and it was telling that Emery has seemed to value more controlled performances like Saturday’s in his post-match interviews.
Villa have kept things steady against the likes of Brighton, Brentford, Club Brugge, Preston and Cardiff recently, taking the sting out of the game before turning the screw in the second half. It was goalless in all five of those matches at the interval; Villa won all five.
That was also the case against Southampton. Very little happened in the first hour at St Mary’s, with the Statsbomb xG at a lowly 0.22-0.84 before Asensio’s 69th-minute penalty.
What Emery does have is quite possibly the strongest squad in the division in terms of depth. Watkins, Malen and McGinn all came off the bench to score on Saturday, as Asensio has done previously.
The Villa boss knows that if his side are well in the game come the second half, a strong bench can finish the job.
It’s also a bonus for Fantasy managers going into Double Gameweek 33. Yes, the likes of Rashford, Asensio and Watkins may not get two starts. But as strong finishers, Villa give their substitutes chances to deliver attacking returns regardless. A total of 31 of their 49 goals this season have come in the second half.
JOAO PENDRO
Further along the A27, Joao Pedro was showing Asensio how it was done.
Two coolly taken spot-kicks took him into double figures for Premier League goals in 2024/25. Half of them have been penalties.
In fact, in his last 20 top-flight games, he’s only scored one non-penalty goal. Even that came against bottom club Southampton.
BRIGHTON FRUSTRATED
Brighton’s season, a bit like Bournemouth’s, is in danger of fizzling out. Both clubs were dumped out of the FA Cup in the quarter-finals, while both sides’ league form has dipped.
There is still plenty to play for, at least. Finishing eighth or ninth could even get European football next season.
While they were a bit flat, Brighton still should have won this game before Leicester’s fightback. Simon Adingra (£5.1m) looped a big chance onto the bar, Yankuba Minteh (£5.0m) missed a clear early opening, Pedro screwed wide from the edge of the box and Matt O’Riley (£5.5m) wasted two glorious opportunities, hitting the post with another shot.
In the end, though, Brighton were left hanging on after Caleb Okoli (£4.0m) levelled it up at 2-2. The Foxes themselves hit the woodwork after Okoli’s equaliser.
“If we continue playing like this, then it will be difficult to achieve our goals.
“Not mature enough, too naive, didn’t react well on setbacks, didn’t function as a team in the last 25 minutes.” – Fabian Hurzeler
MAVIDIDI DAZZLES
Not many FPL managers will be remotely interested in Leicester players but Stephy Mavididi (£5.0m) deserves praise.
The Foxes hadn’t scored in eight games before Saturday; Mavididi was on the bench for all of them.
Restored to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s line-up, he terrorised the Brighton right flank and broke his side’s 12-hour goal drought with a well-deserved goal. It was a one-man show at times and it begs the question why he hasn’t been starting more often.
Home games against Southampton and Ipswich Town are still to come, so he may add to his goal tally yet.
“He was excellent. He showed he wants to play for this club, he wants to fight for this club, like Kasey McAteer. Those are the players with these kinds of performances that you’re building on, shaping the future.” – Ruud van Nistelrooy on Stephy Mavididi, via Leicester Live
