Arsenal's kind run-in across the final six Gameweeks of 2023/24 is bound to raise interest in their key players at both ends of the pitch in Fantasy Premier League.
Mikel Arteta's team entertain Aston Villa this weekend prior to Double Gameweek 34, when they are among seven sides who will play TWICE. The Gunners' pair of fixtures are against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Chelsea.
Arsenal also have two very kind home matches over the final four Gameweeks. According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), their encounters with AFC Bournemouth and Everton at Emirates Stadium each score two.
Arsenal's remaining matches
| GW | Opp. | FDR |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | AVL (H) | 3 |
| 34 | WOL (A), CHE (H) | 2, 3 |
| 35 | TOT (A) | 4 |
| 36 | BOU (H) | 2 |
| 37 | MUN (A) | 4 |
| 38 | EVE (H) | 2 |
Who are their form players?
Kai Havertz (£7.3m) approaches the upcoming period in the best form of his Fantasy career.
The German is Arsenal's top-scoring player in their last four matches across Gameweeks 28-32 in Fantasy, producing 29 points thanks to two goals and two assists.
Notably, Havertz has delivered all four of his double-figure hauls this season in the Gunners' last seven league matches, including a 14-point return against Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.
Ben White (£5.9m) has run Havertz closest thanks to his contribution at both ends of the pitch.
The right-back, who is now the top-scoring defender in Fantasy on 136 points, has produced returns in all four of his outings between Gameweeks 28-32 in FPL, combining three clean sheets with two assists.
Centre-backs William Saliba (£5.9m) and Gabriel (£5.4m) have also profited from that trio of shutouts, while playmaker Martin Odegaard (£8.6m) has matched Gabriel's 19 points. The Norwegian's goal against Luton Town in Gameweek 31 gave him his seventh double-figure haul of the season.
Arsenal's top-scoring players, GW28-32
| Pts | G | A | CS* | Bonus | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Havertz | 29 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| White | 28 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Saliba | 21 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Odegaard | 19 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Gabriel | 19 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
*Clean sheets. Defenders earn four points for a clean sheet, while midfielders earn one point
Who's most likely to score?
Havertz has been Arsenal's main goal threat over those last four matches, with his nine shots, eight shots in the box and three big chances all being more than any team-mate.
The German also ranks joint-top for shots on target over this spell, alongside Leandro Trossard (£6.5m) on five each. Apart from Odegaard, they are the only Gunners players to manage more than a single shot on target.
Gabriel's huge threat from free-kicks and corners is also notable here, with his seven shots in the box placing second. Indeed, no other Arsenal defender has recorded any shots in the box in this period, underlining the Brazilian's importance.
Bukayo Saka's (£8.9m) numbers are less impressive. While it should be noted that the winger missed one of the last four matches through injury, he has only had one big chance and one shot on target.
In terms of frequency, Gabriel Jesus (£7.7m) has the most-regular shots, averaging an attempt on goal every 23.4 minutes.
Arsenal's top goal threats, GW28-32
| Player | Shots | Shots in box | Big chances | Shots on target | Mins/ shot |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Havertz | 9 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 37.2 |
| Odegaard | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 44.9 |
| Gabriel | 7 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 51.4 |
| Jesus | 7 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 23.4 |
| Trossard | 7 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 31.9 |
| Saka | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 38.3 |
*rotate device to see full table
Who's most likely to get an assist?
Odegaard has a slight edge over his team-mates in terms of assist potential, making eight key passes over the last four matches.
However, both White and Havertz have bettered him when it comes to creating big chances, producing three apiece compared with the Norwegian's one.
Saka has mirrored the five key passes of Havertz thanks to his share of set-piece duties. The winger and Declan Rice (£5.5m) have each taken 11 corners.
Arsenal's top creators, GW28-32
| Player | Key passes | Big chances created | Corners |
|---|---|---|---|
| Odegaard | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| White | 6 | 3 | 0 |
| Havertz | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Saka | 5 | 0 | 11 |
| Trossard | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Rice | 4 | 1 | 11 |
Why set-pieces are crucial
Arsenal’s huge threat at free-kicks and corners has to be factored in when considering their key players.
They have scored a league-high eight goals from set-plays since returning from their winter break in Gameweek 21.
Gabriel has been by far their standout threat. Since Gameweek 21, his set-piece totals of three goals and 16 shots each put him among the top two players in Fantasy, while his 14 headed shots are five more than any other player.
No other Arsenal player has managed more than five shots or two headed shots in that spell.
Rice’s delivery has been particularly effective across that run since Gameweek 21. Twelve of his 32 corners have reached a team-mate, compared with only five of Saka’s 29.
Arsenal's top set-piece threats, GW21-32
| Player | Shots | Headed shots | Corners | Succ. corners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabriel | 16 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Odegaard | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 |
| Havertz | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Saka | 4 | 0 | 29 | 5 |
| Rice | 3 | 0 | 32 | 12 |
| Jesus | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
*rotate device to see full table
So, who are the best Arsenal picks?
Gabriel and Saka are likely to be must-haves for millions of managers, with the pair providing many routes to returns.
The third spot is very much open to debate and comes down to whether you want to double up on Arsenal’s defence or attack.
At the back, White's attacking prospects indicate he can prove a shrewder pick than the 40 per cent-owned Saliba, while goalkeeper David Raya (£5.1m) is a cheaper alternative.
In attack, Havertz now looks to have the edge over Odegaard as the best player to pick alongside Saka. The German is more budget-friendly than the Arsenal captain and also beats him in terms of goal threat and big chances created.
Indeed, Havertz's new-found ability to deliver huge hauls, combined with a remarkably low ownership of just 4.9 per cent, makes him an outstanding differential for managers in Fantasy over the season run-in.
