The Scout is tipping five players for big success in Gameweek 12 of 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League ahead of Saturday's 11:00 GMT deadline.
Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea) £7.9m
If you’re thinking of bringing in Jackson as a double-up pick alongside Cole Palmer (£10.9m) for Chelsea’s fine run of opponents, now could be the time to do it.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), NINE of the Blues’ next 11 matches score only two.
Chelsea's fixtures from GW12
| GW | Opp. | FDR | GW | Opp. | FDR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Leicester (A) | 2 | 18 | Fulham (H) | 2 |
| 13 | Aston Villa (H) | 3 | 19 | Ipswich (A) | 2 |
| 14 | Southampton (A) | 2 | 20 | Crystal Palace (A) | 2 |
| 15 | Spurs (A) | 4 | 21 | Bournemouth (H) | 2 |
| 16 | Brentford (H) | 2 | 22 | Wolves (H) | 2 |
| 17 | Everton (A) | 2 |
*1 = easiest possible fixture, 5 = hardest possible fixture
That gets under way with a visit to Leicester City this weekend, while Enzo Maresca’s side also travel to another promoted opponent, Southampton, in Gameweek 14.
Jackson’s away form suggests he can deliver big hauls in Fantasy right from the very start of Chelsea’s kind schedule.
Indeed, he is their top-scoring player on the road in 2024/25 Fantasy, producing four goals, two assists and 34 points over their five away matches, one more than the 33 of Palmer.
Jurrien Timber (Arsenal) £5.5m
The Dutchman looks set to secure a run of starts in Arsenal’s back-four following an injury to his fellow full-back Ben White (£6.2m).
Timber’s strong potential for assists is highlighted by the underlying statistics. Despite starting only eight of the first 11 Gameweeks, his 10 key passes place fourth for the Gunners. The 23-year-old has also recorded six shots, second only to Gabriel (£6.1m) among Arsenal defenders.
After a tough run of opponents, Mikel Arteta's men are now set to embark on a kinder schedule which can revive interest in their defenders. According to the FDR, each of their next nine matches score no more than three.
At a cost of £5.5m, Timber’s all-round prospects can make him a cheaper route into the Arsenal backline for many Gameweeks to come.
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa) £9.0m
The Aston Villa forward has endured a poor run of form, with only one goal across his last five matches.
But three very favourable home matches over the next four Gameweeks give Watkins the chance to get back to his best.
This weekend, Villa host a Crystal Palace side who are without a clean sheet on their travels this season. Their subsequent visitors Brentford and Southampton, meanwhile, are among the four sides who have conceded the MOST goals in 2024/25.
The underlying statistics certainly lend weight to bringing in Watkins for that run of opponents.
He has had 15 big chances this season - situations where the player is expected to score. That total ranks second only to the 19 of Erling Haaland (£15.2m) among all players and is more than TWICE any of Watkins’ Villa team-mates, with Morgan Rogers (£5.4m) his nearest rival, on seven.
Anthony Gordon (Newcastle) £7.2m
After a slow start to the season, the Newcastle United winger has stepped up his influence on home matches.
Gordon scored and earned nine points against Manchester City in Gameweek 6 and supplied the assist for Alexander Isak’s (£8.5m) winner against Arsenal in Gameweek 10.
That hints at a return to the form that made Gordon one of the most reliable performers in home matches last season. Indeed, he was the second top-scoring player in such contests in 2023/24 Fantasy, claiming 133 points.
The underlying statistics indicate Gordon can extend his improving output against West Ham United at St James’ Park.
Gordon’s 11 key passes in home matches are more than TWICE the total of any team-mate, showing his huge potential for assists in Monday evening’s encounter.
Sam Szmodics (Ipswich) £5.8m
The Ipswich Town star has the form and fixtures to offer a budget solution for managers’ midfields in Fantasy.
Szmodics has reclaimed his role in the Tractor Boys’ first XI on the back of goals against Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur over the last three Gameweeks.
The statistics also help to highlight the 29-year-old’s recent goal threat. Szmodics’ five big chances are more than DOUBLE that of any team-mate over the last four Gameweeks and rank TOP among all midfielders in Fantasy.
A home meeting with Manchester United precedes a run of four matches which each score only two in the FDR, lifting the appeal of Szmodics as a bargain buy.
