FPL expert Sam Bonfield reveals how she is approaching Double Gameweek 37 (DGW37) of Fantasy Challenge, with players from single Gameweek clubs earning DOUBLE points.
You can enter your own squad any time up until 16:30 BST on Sunday, picking any players whose club have not yet started their match this weekend.
Every time a Double Gameweek rolls into town, I look at my team and think, 'Do I really want to sell that in-form single Gameweeker?' This week's FPL Challenge puts all the players back on a level playing field. Those with Doubles will have two matches to score points, but those with single Gameweeks will see their points doubled.
Looking at the form and fixtures of the single Gameweek players is going to be key. Arsenal, Everton and Crystal Palace have, on paper, the best fixtures of the single Gameweek teams. They are also three of the form sides teams in the Premier League. These, alongside Liverpool, will be the clubs that I look to invest in.
Go BIG on in-form Arsenal
Bukayo Saka (£9.0m), Kai Havertz (£7.5m), Gabriel (£5.4m), Ben White (£6.1m) and William Saliba (£5.9m) have all been punishing those managers who sold them in FPL after Double Gameweek 34. Couple these picks with differentials like Declan Rice (£5.5m), who has been outstanding of late, and Arsenal players look like the perfect investment this week. They have the form, the motivation as they chase the Premier League title and a nice fixture against an out-of-form and injury-ravaged Manchester United team - plus their points will be doubled.
In the main FPL game this week, managers may be forced to bench their Arsenal assets in order to start their Double Gameweek players. However, in FPL Challenge you can select these in-form picks over the Double Gameweek teams and players who don’t have the same form or motivation.
Saka created five chances and had six shots against AFC Bournemouth, both match-high totals. By scoring from the penalty spot, he picked up his ninth double-digit haul of the campaign. This is exactly the sort of player who we should be picking in FPL Challenge this week, even at the expense of some of the Double Gameweek options.
Gabriel, White and Saliba are arguably the best defender options - potentially with the exception of Josko Gvardiol (£5.1m), who currently finds himself with the freedom to maraud down the wing in Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City team.
Arsenal boast the strongest defence in the league, with their 17 clean sheets five more than any other team in the league. Goalkeeper David Raya (£5.2m) has already won the Golden Glove, so even with two fixtures for the likes of Man City, Chelsea and Newcastle, it seems likely that the Gunners' goalkeeper and Arsenal defenders will still outscore them, even before their points are doubled.
Target Palace for goals
Michael Olise (£5.6m), Eberechi Eze (£6.0m) and Jean-Philippe Mateta (£5.1m) have been truly outstanding since Oliver Glasner took charge at Selhurst Park. They have formed the perfect front-three partnership, which is resulting in FPL points galore.
Mateta and Olise returned well against Man Utd on Monday evening, with Eze unfortunate not to register an attacking return. They now head into a single Gameweek fixture against a Wolves side who have lost three of their last four matches, conceding nine goals. I have Mateta in my main FPL team and am very thankful for the Bench Boost chip this week, so I can benefit from his points.
In FPL Challenge, Mateta will have the luxury of being just as good a pick as the forwards with two matches. That being said, Nicolas Jackson (£7.0m), Erling Haaland (£14.2m) and Alexander Isak (£8.4m) are all finding form at the perfect time, so fitting in Mateta might be difficult. Finding midfield spots for Olise and Eze, however, may be easier.
Consider Everton and Liverpool picks
On paper, Everton have the best fixture, at home to Sheffield United. They have also kept three clean sheets in their last four matches and the likes of Jordan Pickford (£4.8m), Jarrad Branthwaite (£4.5m) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£5.8m) have all returned well. These picks from the Toffees will be ignored in the main game due to the Double Gameweek options. However, their appeal is boosted in FPL Challenge.
The Liverpool we saw in London against West Ham was totally different to the Liverpool we watched beat Spurs 4-2 at the weekend. Mohamed Salah (£13.4m) had the same fire in his belly that we have seen time and time again in FPL, but had been missing since his injury at the Africa Cup of Nations.
On Sunday, Salah became the first player to return 200 points or more in seven FPL seasons, moving clear of Frank Lampard’s total of six.
Aston Villa, Liverpool's opponents on Monday, really struggled last weekend at Brighton on the back of Thursday’s UEFA Europa Conference League semi-final first leg against Olympiacos, and the same could happen at Villa Park on Monday following Thursday's trip to Greece for the second leg, so Salah could be a brilliant pick in FPL Challenge this week.
Frustratingly I can’t fit him in because I'm unable to make the budget work - I definitely have the fear of missing out!
Build around Man City and Newcastle
Of course, there are many FPL players who Double this week who you will still want to pick. Three Man City players, Cole Palmer (£6.2m), Anthony Gordon (£6.4m) and Isak feel like key picks.
Finding the balance between single and Double Gameweek players will be tricky given the form of some of the doublers. But having the added benefit of the single Gameweekers earning double points makes this week's FPL Challenge an exciting one.
Good luck this week!
