Covid outbreaks continue to affect Fantasy Premier League manager’s plans in the festive season as two more Boxing Day fixtures have been postponed in Gameweek 19.
However, the good news is that to deal with these sudden changes and postponements, all FPL managers will receive one extra Free Hit chip from Gameweek 20 onwards which allows managers to completely change their squad for a single gameweek without suffering a points hit. This chip could be used in Gameweek 19, where highly-owned players like Salah, Alexander-Arnold, Jota and Josh King will not feature due to the postponements.
Here are the best FPL assets to look out for in Gameweek 19.
GK: David de Gea (MUN) – £5.1m
David de Gea has scored 16 points and kept two clean-sheets in Ralf Rangnick’s two matches in charge at Manchester United, and the Spaniard faces a Newcastle attack in Gameweek 19 that have only scored once in their last three encounters.
DEF: Joao Cancelo (MCI) – £6.8m
Manchester City have conceded the fewest goals at home in the Premier League this season (3), and following his 18-point haul against Newcastle in Gameweek 18, Joao Cancelo is the third-highest scoring player in FPL.
DEF: Reece James (CHE) – £6.2m
After a stretch of three games without scoring, Reece James registered back-to-back returns in Chelsea’s previous two fixtures against Everton and Wolves. The Blues take on Aston Villa at Villa Park this weekend, and the wing-back is averaging 9.6 points per game away from home this season.
DEF: Sergio Reguilon (TOT) – £5.2m
The Spaniard scored 26 points in his first three appearances under Antonio Conte, and Spurs have shown excellent defensive improvement under the Italian manager, conceding just three goals in five games.
MID: Gabriel Martinelli (ARS) – £5.4m
Gabriel Martinelli has started each of Arsenal’s last five Premier League games and has registered 42 points across the last six gameweeks, including a 15-point haul against Leeds United last week.
MID: Bernardo Silva (MCI) – £7.6m
Bernardo Silva is the top-scoring Manchester City midfielder this season with 93 points, and the Portuguese has started every game for Pep Guardiola’s side since Gameweek 2.
MID: Jarrod Bowen (WHU) – £6.5m
Jarrod Bowen has ten goals and assists for West Ham this season and faces a Southampton side in Gameweek 19 that have conceded 12 goals in their last five matches in the league.
MID: Riyad Mahrez (MCI) – £8.6m
Riyad Mahrez has four goals and assists and 25 points in Manchester City’s last two appearances in the league, and with an ownership of just 3%, the Algerian is an excellent differential midfield option for the festive fixtures.
MID: Son Heung-Min (TOT) – £10.3m
Son Heung-Min has the third-highest points per game (6.3) amongst midfielders this season and has amassed 28 points in his last three appearances in the league.
FWD: Cristiano Ronaldo (MUN) – £12.5m
Cristiano Ronaldo takes on a Newcastle United side that have conceded at least three goals in each of their previous three matches, and the Portuguese has taken the second-most shots (46) in the league since his second Manchester United debut in Gameweek four.
FWD: Alexandre Lacazette (ARS) – £8.4m
In the absence of Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette has started each of the last four games for Arsenal – returning three goals and assists in that time – and is an excellent budget differential option with an ownership of just 6.7%.
Captaincy Pick
With no Mohamed Salah in Gameweek 19, there is plenty of choice for FPL managers when it comes to captaincy. Cristiano Ronaldo is an excellent option as United take on a weary Newcastle side, but my pick for the armband is Tottenham forward Son Heung-Min. Son has managed eight goals and assists in home fixtures this season and has an excellent record against Crystal Palace, registering three double-digit returns in his last four home meetings with the Eagles.
Shivaan Shah