The Scout assesses the best way to invest in clubs who will play twice in Double Gameweek 25 of Fantasy Premier League.
Liverpool
Liverpool's very appealing Double Gameweek 25 against Brentford and Luton Town has caught the eye of many managers in Fantasy.
Diogo Jota (£8.3m) and Luis Diaz (£7.5m) are among the three most-bought midfielders in Fantasy ahead of Saturday's 11:00 GMT deadline, while Virgil van Dijk (£6.4m) and Darwin Nunez (£7.6m) are all among the top three most-bought players in their respective positions.
There are, however, two key factors to consider before investing in Liverpool assets.
Mohamed Salah (£13.0m) is now back in contention for the Reds, and despite missing the last four Gameweeks he remains the top-scoring player in Fantasy on 156 points.
Liverpool’s upcoming EFL Cup final against Chelsea is another consideration. The Wembley Stadium showdown takes place four days after the second match of their Double Gameweek 25, against Luton, so Jurgen Klopp could rotate against the Hatters to keep players fresh for the cup final.
Who's starred in Salah's absence?
If FPL managers decide to go without Salah, it is Jota who has been Liverpool's standout attacker in Fantasy over the last four Gameweeks, during the period when Salah has been absent.
The Portuguese has been involved in five of their goals, scoring four and assisting one.
Budget right-back Conor Bradley (£4.1m) has 29 points over that period thanks to a starring role as a deputy in Trent Alexander-Arnold’s (£8.6m) brief absence.
Although Nunez and Diaz have each been involved in four goals in the same spell, the former trails his team-mate by 29 points to 19.
Nunez missed a penalty against Chelsea and has been booked in all four of the Reds’ matches without Salah.
Liverpool's last four matches
| Player | Pts | Goals | Assists | CS* | Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jota | 36 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Bradley | 29 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Diaz | 29 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Nunez | 19 | 3 | 1 | N/A | 3 |
*Midfielders earn one point per clean sheet compared with the four of defenders
Who has the greatest goal threat?
The underlying numbers show Nunez has been Liverpool’s biggest goal threat in their four matches without Salah.
His 20 shots, 14 shots in the box and 10 shots on target are all team-leading totals in the last four Gameweeks. Furthermore, he has had five of Liverpool’s 11 big chances in those contests.
Diaz has been his nearest rival for both shots and shots on target, with the Colombian's 10 shots in the box matched by Jota.
Jota's 40 per cent goal conversion rate is indicative of him over-performing and looks unlikely to be sustained.
Liverpool goal threats last four matches
| Player | Shots | Shots in box | Big chances | Shots on target | Goal conversion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nunez | 20 | 14 | 5 | 10 | 15% |
| Diaz | 12 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 16.7% |
| Jota | 10 | 10 | 2 | 6 | 40% |
| Mac Allister | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0% |
Who has been their best creator?
Nunez's all-round contribution is further highlighted by his seven key passes and two big chances created, with both totals placing joint-top for the Reds.
Alexis Mac Allister (£5.8m) has also supplied a team-leading seven key passes over the last four matches, although it’s worth noting not one of those was classified as a big chance created.
Similarly, all nine of the Argentinian’s shots have been from outside the box.
Andrew Robertson (£6.4m) has also impressed despite starting only one of those matches following a long-term injury. Combined with Bradley's five key passes, this shows the Reds' reliance on their full-backs to push forward and get involved in attacking situations.
Liverpool's creators last four matches
| Player | Key passes | Big chances created |
|---|---|---|
| Mac Allister | 7 | 0 |
| Nunez | 7 | 2 |
| Robertson | 6 | 2 |
| Bradley | 5 | 1 |
| Jota | 5 | 1 |
So, who are the best Liverpool players to pick?
Salah has delivered 230+ points in each of his six seasons at Anfield, and is clearly the go-to Liverpool player in any given Gameweek.
But given he may have his minutes managed, there is no need to rip up your team to bring him in, particularly when Manchester City pair Kevin De Bruyne (£10.8m) and Erling Haaland (£14.4m) also have a Double Gameweek 25 and go on to play AFC Bournemouth in Blank Gameweek 26, when Liverpool are without a fixture.
Other than Salah, Jota certainly looks the attacker most likely to reward investors, with five goals, three assists and just one blank in his last six outings. Although his recent goal conversion rate is unsustainable, the Portuguese is averaging 26.5 per cent for the campaign, which is still very healthy.
While Nunez's numbers are encouraging, he is a constant source of frustration for his owners, converting a mere 10.3 per cent of his shots into goals this season.
In defence, the centre-back position seems the least likely to be rotated, which elevates the prospects of Van Dijk.
The Dutchman is a huge threat from set-pieces, with his 23 shots in the box placing fifth for the Reds in 2023/24 and top among all defenders.
Van Dijk's appeal is lifted by doubts over the minutes over the Liverpool full-backs for the two fixtures. Alexander-Arnold is an injury doubt after he was forced off against Burnley with a knee problem last weekend, while Robertson made his first start since Gameweek 8 in the Clarets' encounter.
View all the latest FPL tips ahead of Double Gameweek 25 in Fantasy Premier League
