The Scout is tipping five players for big success in Gameweek 18 of 2024/25 Fantasy Premier League, ahead of Thursday's 11:00 GMT deadline.
Remember, if you still have your first Wildcard then you must use it before the Gameweek 19 deadline on Sunday 29 December at 13:00 GMT, or you will lose it! The second Wildcard will become available to ALL managers immediately after the Gameweek 19 deadline, at the start of Gameweek 20.
Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal) £6.8m
The Brazilian’s remarkable turnaround in form has made him a top target for managers in Fantasy.
Jesus is the second most-bought player for Gameweek 18, earning more than 250,000 new owners on the back of his two goals, assist and 16 points against Crystal Palace on Saturday evening.
Jesus' second goal v Palace
Top bins 🎯 pic.twitter.com/yZ8R6iRGtM
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) December 22, 2024
Added to his hat-trick against the Eagles in the EFL Cup last midweek, this means the 27-year-old has been involved in SIX of Arsenal’s eight goals in their last two matches across all competitions.
A home encounter with Ipswich Town hands Jesus the opportunity to maintain that momentum on Friday night.
In away matches this season, Ipswich have conceded 33 big chances, more than any other side.
Daniel Munoz (Crystal Palace) £4.7m
After serving a one-match ban against Arsenal last weekend, the Crystal Palace wing-back is set to embark on a schedule that can reward managers in Fantasy for many Gameweeks to come.
According to the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), only TWO of the Eagles’ next 14 matches score more than three.
That run includes encounters with three of the current bottom seven sides in the next five Gameweeks alone, with Palace hosting Southampton and visiting Leicester City and West Ham United.
Palace's next 14 fixtures
| GW | Opp. | FDR | GW | Opp. | FDR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Bournemouth (A) | 3 | 25 | Everton (H) | 2 |
| 19 | Southampton (H) | 2 | 26 | Fulham (A) | 3 |
| 20 | Chelsea (H) | 4 | 27 | Aston Villa (H) | 3 |
| 21 | Leicester (A) | 2 | 28 | Ipswich (H) | 2 |
| 22 | West Ham (A) | 2 | 29 | Newcastle (A) | 4 |
| 23 | Brentford (H) | 2 | 30 | Southampton (A) | 2 |
| 24 | Man Utd (A) | 3 | 31 | Brighton (H) | 3 |
Munoz has been one of the most reliable defenders in Fantasy this season thanks to his potential at both ends of the pitch.
The Colombian has combined two goals and two assists with three clean sheets across his 16 outings.
And the underlying numbers only add to Munoz’s appeal. His seven big chances – or situations where the player is expected to score – are more than any other defender in 2024/25 Fantasy.
Diogo Jota (Liverpool) £7.2m
Liverpool’s Portuguese could be set for his first start since Gameweek 8 after stepping up his fitness with a pair of appearances off the bench.
Listed as a midfielder in Fantasy, Jota profited from his role as the Reds’ lone forward in the opening Gameweeks, scoring twice and supplying three assists in his first six outings before being sidelined through injury.
A home match with Leicester on Thursday night gives the 28-year-old the chance to get more attacking returns, with head coach Arne Slot expected to rotate his side due to the busy schedule.
The Foxes’ poor defensive displays offer even more encouragement for the league leaders, with Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side conceding at least three goals in each of their last two matches.
Jhon Duran (Aston Villa) £5.8m
The Colombian appears to have edged ahead of Ollie Watkins (£8.9m) as Aston Villa’s first-choice forward in recent matches.
Duran has started all of his side’s last three fixtures and has seized his opportunity by scoring in each of those contests against Southampton, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City.
Duran's goal v Man City
Youri's ball through then Morgz and JD did the rest 🎯 pic.twitter.com/7ycaab9Asn
— Aston Villa (@AVFCOfficial) December 21, 2024
Granted, there is the prospect of Duran being benched for one of Villa’s next three festive fixtures against Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Leicester.
But as shown by his early-season displays, where he scored his first four goals of 2024/25 as a substitute, the 21-year-old can still make a major impact in limited time on the pitch.
If Duran can secure his role as a regular from this point onwards, his cost of just £5.8m makes him an outstanding budget pick for managers’ forward lines.
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) £7.5m
West Ham’s talisman offers strong all-round potential away to Southampton this midweek.
Bowen’s assist against Brighton at the weekend took him to six of them for the season, already matching his tally from last campaign.
Also scoring four goals, the Hammers star has produced a team-high 81 points, a total bettered by only eight other midfielders in Fantasy.
The underlying numbers further highlight Bowen’s huge influence on his side’s attack. In away matches this season, his 20 shots and 21 chances created are both more than any other West Ham player.
