The last week was not great for many people. The average number of points was 46, there were few clean sheets and most of those were in teams with low ownership (looking at you Southampton 0-0 Stoke).
In fact, the most interesting thing to come out of the weekend was how little Chelsea seemed to care when Manchester City treated them like a passing drill.
Since then, Spurs have done a Spurs and gotten knocked out of a competition having been in total control of the match and the tie, while Arsenal did an Arsenal, following three incredibly poor performances with a strong win away at the San Siro. It seems the only consistency is inconsistency.
This week in FPL it’s the final week before the FA Cup leaves us with just four matches in Gameweek 31. Then we have the joy of watching England play friendlies against the Netherlands and Italy in the international break. I can hardly wait.
For a full look at how to deal with the Blank and Double Gameweeks that are coming up, click here. Otherwise read on for the best and worst options for your Fantasy Premier League teams this week.
Fixtures
Best: Huddersfield – Swansea (h), Crystal Palace (h), Newcastle (a), Brighton (a), Watford (h), Chelsea (a)
Back-to-back home games, a fixture in Gameweek 31 and the motivation to push away from the relegation battle could make Huddersfield the best option for differentials and cheap punts.
Worst: Stoke – Man City (h), Everton (a), Arsenal (a), Spurs (h), West Ham (a), Burnley (h)
Stoke might have a fixture in Gameweek 31 but it’s away to Everton and before that they have to face Manchester City! The Potters need a win to avoid dropping down to the Championship, but they will find it tough to get anything from these fixtures.
Main Men
Harry Kane (FWD, 12.8m, Bournemouth away)
Spurs are out of the Champions League and the way they bounce back (or not, as the case may be) will define their season and possibly their future. In addition, Mauricio Pochettino is one of the front-runners for the PSG job that will inevitably come up after the Parisians' defeat to Real. Spurs now need to focus on the league, ensuring that their first season at the new White Hart Lane has more of Europe’s elite competition.
This week is the perfect opportunity to finish on a strong note before the FA Cup quarterfinals and the international break as Tottenham travel to Bournemouth. The Cherries have kept just five clean sheets all season, only one in the last 16 weeks.
Kane, on the other hand, is joint first with Mohamed Salah for the golden boot, has three goals in the last four weeks and will be vital to Spurs’ hopes of a top-four finish. As long as there’s no hangover from the match against Juventus he should be back in the goals this weekend.
Riyad Mahrez (MID, 8.7m, West Brom away)
What a difference a month can make! After his agitation for a move away from Leicester failed in January, many people thought Mahrez would never play for Leicester again. However, Puel has got him back on side and he got back on the scoresheet last week against Stoke to rescue a point for them.
This week Leicester travel to West Brom, who sit rock bottom with just three wins all season, and one clean sheet in the last nine games. Leicester should be safe as they're in eighth with 37 points but another win would get them to the magic 40 points and it could lead them into 7th and a possible Europa League spot.
Mohamed Salah? (MID, 10.6m, Man United away)
There is a definitely a question mark around Salah for this game. A few weeks ago, I said I would only take the armband off the Egyptian winger if they had a blank or other teams had a double. Since then he has scored 13, 10 and 8, so I was happy with my choice. But I’m not sure about this week as they face a tough trip to Old Trafford.
Liverpool coasted past Porto in midweek, having done the hard work with the 5-0 away win, and Salah only had a 20-minute cameo. Manchester United have a more difficult second leg next week as they came away from Sevilla with a 0-0 draw, so Mourinho could have one eye on that.
Liverpool’s record away at the other top six clubs is also a bit chequered, with the 5-0 loss to Man City (one of Salah’s very few blanks), losing 4-1 at Spurs and drawing 3-3 with Arsenal.
Salah would be a good differential from the masses who will captain Kane in the hope of an instant rebound from the Champions League defeat. Maybe if you are chasing and need to differentiate yourself from the norm then Salah is the best option but if you want to play it safe go for Kane.
Potential Gambles
Theo Walcott (MID, 7.2m, Brighton at home)
Walcott’s Everton career started so brightly with an assist followed up with a brace. It's all gone a little downhill since then, with no attacking returns at all.
However, it's not for a lack of trying! In the last six weeks, he has had ten shots in the box (level with Jamie Vardy and Alexis Sanchez). That sort of endeavour will surely pay off soon.
In FPL, he is being sold en masse after his run of four blanks so he could be a fantastic differential as Everton welcome Brighton (just two away wins all season) to Goodison Park.
Steve Mounie (FWD, 5.7m, Swansea at home)
Another differential with a fixture in Gameweek 31, Mounie has hit form at just the right time. In the last three games, he has played 270 minutes and scored twice for Huddersfield, only being shut out against Spurs.
The Terriers have a very kind run of fixtures that could lift them away from the relegation battle and ensure another season in the Premier League but, for that, they will need Mounie to keep scoring.
Defensive Pick
Seamus Coleman (DEF, 6.4m, Brighton at home)
The flying Irishman is back! Coleman was the darling of FPL before his horror leg break just under a year ago. Now he’s back and is gearing up to help Everton push for their traditional seventh place.
He is a bit of an expensive gamble considering he is lacking match fitness and sharpness but he already has an assist and there will be plenty more attacking returns if he can join up well with Theo Walcott.
Steer Clear
Glenn Murray (FWD, 5.8m, Everton away)
I know he has five goals in five games, I know Brighton are flying high and I know he’s a cheap option for you third striker. However, Brighton have a horrendous fixture run until the end of the season and no game in Gameweek 31.
Hughton has done a great job with the Seagulls, and Murray has stepped up well this season, but now is not the time to bring them in (as I said in my preview of the final 10 weeks).
Son Heung-Min (MID, 8.1m, Bournemouth away)
Son is another player who is getting a lot of new owners despite some interesting fixtures on the horizon. He bagged a brace against Huddersfield last week, which has prompted 87,000 managers to bring him in, despite the string of five blanks before that and the new threat of rotation from Lamela and Lucas Moura.
If Son continues to start in the coming weeks (which include Chelsea and Man City), then he would be a good option for the final run in, but I don’t trust Pochettino to keep him in the starting XI.
Let us know what your transfer will be this week, or ask for advice from our FPL team in the comments section below.