Sound the triple game-week klaxon. Yes, you heard that right, a triple game week. Manchester United will be playing not two but three matches in game-week 35 after their fixture versus Liverpool was postponed to the 13th of May due to fan protests. In addition to United’s three games, seven other teams will have two matches in game-week 35 including Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.
🗓️ Manchester United’s clash with Leicester City, originally scheduled for next Wednesday, will move forward 24 hours.
🆚 United will play on Sunday (v Villa), Tuesday (v Leicester) and Thursday (v Liverpool) in their Triple Gameweek 35.#FFScout #FPL #GW35 pic.twitter.com/NfLso8utXY
— Fantasy Football Scout (@FFScout) May 5, 2021
With 15 matches to be played, it promises to be one of the most exciting and high scoring game-weeks for FPL managers and here are my thoughts on which players to target for this week.
Manchester United
With this Manchester United triple-game week, it is imperative fantasy managers try and bring in as many of their assets as possible. Given that United play four games in seven days – including the Europa League Semi-Final – it is unlikely most players play all three games in GW35 but you still need to maximise your opportunity for points.
Bruno Fernandes (£11.5m) is the best attacking option from United with 221 points and 29 returns this season and is also the number one choice for captaincy given that he has the highest points ceiling.
The second-best option from United for this week is Harry Maguire (£5.5m) in defence. Maguire has played every minute of United’s Premier League campaign so far and is the most likely player to start all three games for the Red Devils.
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After Maguire, the other options for managers to consider in defence are Aaron Wan-Bissaka (£5.7m) and Luke Shaw (£5.4m). Wan-Bissaka is second for minutes after Maguire and is more likely to start all three games compared to Shaw who could miss out on one fixture in place of Telles. Nevertheless, Shaw has the higher ceiling and is the more explosive option considering he has created the greatest number of chances in the league since the new year.
The other United options to consider in attack is Mason Greenwood (£7.2m). It is unlikely the young Englishman will play all three games but he has scored 4 goals in his last 4 PL appearances and is a great differential option with his 7.1% ownership.
GOALKEEPERS
Fraser Forster (£4.0m) will play both games of Southampton’s double game week and is a great cheap option for those on their free hit. Apart from him, some more expensive options to consider would be Edouard Mendy (£5.2m) or Emiliano Martinez (£5.4m).
DEFENCE
Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.6m) and Andy Robertson (£7.1m) are the two standout defensive options for this week with a nice double game week at home to Southampton followed up by a trip to Old Trafford where 0-0 is a realistic possibility.
Other options to consider are Lucas Digne (£6.1m) from Everton who has nine assists this season and has two fixtures against West Ham and Aston Villa or Timothy Castange (£5.8m) from Leicester.
One cheap option as a budget enabler for your squad could be Arsenal’s Rob Holding (£4.2m) who could start both games with David Luiz out injured.
MIDFIELD
Mohammed Salah (£12.7m) and Diogo Jota (£7.0) were desperately unlucky to not score more points against Newcastle in their previous fixture and are one of the best midfield options for this game-week after two weeks of rest since their previous game. Crystal Palace have the best fixtures on paper with trips to Sheffield United and Southampton which makes Wilfried Zaha (£7.2m) a nice differential option.
Meanwhile, Arsenal play West Brom and Chelsea in GW35 and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang (£11.3m) and Bukayo Saka (£5.1m) are both interesting options capable of scoring double-digit returns.
FORWARDS
👑 @budfootball Kings to Watch 👑
Who’s catching your eye ahead of GW35?#FPL pic.twitter.com/3dMwBypkYQ
— Fantasy Premier League (@OfficialFPL) May 6, 2021
The best forwards to target for this game week are the Leicester pair of Jamie Vardy (£10.3m) and Kelechi Iheanacho (£6.3m) who have a favourable fixture against Newcastle. Iheanacho, in particular, is the in-form striker in the league with 11 goals and assists in his last eight league games.
Apart from the Leicester pair, managers can look at both Ollie Watkins (£6.5m) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£7.5m). Both English strikers scored 8 points in the previous matchday and have two fixtures each in game-week 35.
[Image Credit: Premier League]
Shivaan Shah