FPL Gameweek 13 Preview: Key Players and Insights
This week presents an excellent opportunity to utilize your Free Hit chip, as three of the league's weakest defenses—Leeds, Burnley, and Wolves—face in-form attacking teams.
Manchester City will host a struggling Leeds side that has lost their last three matches and conceded 15 goals away this season, making Erling Haaland an obvious choice for captain.
It’s not a question of whether he will score, but rather how many goals he will net.
The team of the week is selected based on current FPL prices to fit within a £100 million budget, as if you were playing a Free Hit.
Be sure to tune in for our FPL special Q&A with expert Pras, live on the BBC Sport website this Friday at 15:30 GMT.
How Did Last Week's Team Perform?
It was a disappointing week. While leaving Haaland out did not backfire, making Mohamed Salah captain resulted in a mere four points.
Joachim Andersen (10 points) and Yankuba Minteh (11 points) were the standout players, but they were the only contributors, leading to a total of just 38 points.
FPL Team of the Week for Gameweek 13
Goalkeeper and Defense
Jordan Pickford, Everton, Goalkeeper, £5.5m - Newcastle (H)
Everton's defense performed impressively against Manchester United on Monday night, and they have a good chance to maintain that form against a Newcastle side that has struggled away from home.
Eddie Howe's team has scored only three goals, recorded no wins, and earned just three points from six away matches, while Everton has conceded only five goals at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Pickford has recorded a clean sheet every three games this season, making this a favorable opportunity for another.
Nico O'Reilly, Manchester City, £5m - Leeds (H)
City's home match against Leeds is the key fixture to target this week, and O'Reilly is the defender with the most potential.
Concerns about Pep Guardiola's rotation persist, but O'Reilly has started all but one Premier League match since week four.
In the last six gameweeks, he ranks as the third-highest-scoring defender with 37 points, having registered nine shots— the highest among defenders—along with one goal, two assists, and three big chances created.
Matty Cash, Aston Villa, £4.6m - Wolves (H)
Wolves continue to struggle, making them a prime target in FPL. Cash has recorded 27 points over the past six matches, including a goal against Manchester City.
With a right-back position secured and an expected assists (xA) of 1.0 this season without any returns, he is due for a breakthrough.
Micky van de Ven, Spurs, £4.8m - Fulham (H)
Excluding the 3-0 win over Wolves, Fulham has scored only two goals in their last four games and has been one of the poorest away teams this season, with just one point from six matches.
This gives confidence that a wounded Spurs team can bounce back from their derby defeat against Arsenal with a clean sheet. Van de Ven has shown his goal-scoring potential, making him a worthwhile gamble.
Midfielders
Eberechi Eze, Arsenal, £7.7m - Chelsea (A)
Why not capitalize on the momentum of London derby hero Eze? His hat-trick against Spurs was no fluke, and he has made this team of the week due to impressive underlying statistics.
With 31 shots in 11 starts, Eze leads Arsenal players in attempts, including six in the derby alone. The only concern is that he has yet to register a 'big chance' this season, with most of his shots coming from around the edge of the area.
However, given his proficiency from distance, this may not be a significant issue.
Morgan Gibbs-White, Nottingham Forest, £7.3m - Brighton (H)
Gibbs-White is on a hot streak with three goals in three games for a revitalized Forest under Sean Dyche. He scored 10 points in his last home match against Leeds, and with a favorable fixture against Wolves next, he remains a strong choice.
Morgan Rogers, Aston Villa, £6.9m - Wolves (H)
Targeting Wolves is essential this week, as they have lost five consecutive matches and conceded 27 goals in 12 games. While Donyell Malen is Villa's most explosive midfield option, Rogers showcased his value with a goal and assist against Leeds.
Phil Foden, Manchester City, £8m - Leeds (H)
Since scoring two goals against Manchester United in week four, Foden has only one assist, but his overall performances have been strong. He has created 20 chances and taken 14 shots, ranking second among City players behind Haaland.
This match against struggling Leeds presents a prime opportunity for Foden to convert his underlying statistics into tangible returns.
Dango Ouattara, Brentford, £6m - Burnley (H)
Burnley has the worst away defense in the league, making them a team to exploit this week. Ouattara and Kevin Schade are closely matched in expected goals (xG), but Ouattara's higher rate of big chances per 90 minutes gives him the edge.
He has shown a knack for drawing fouls in the box, enhancing his assist potential.
Strikers
Erling Haaland (Captain), Manchester City, £14.9m - Leeds (H)
After two challenging weeks against Liverpool and Newcastle, Haaland is an easy captain choice this week.
Igor Thiago, Brentford, £6.5m - Burnley (H)
With seven goals in seven games, Thiago is hard to overlook. He trails only Haaland in scoring and faces a Burnley side that has conceded three goals per game away from home.
A word of caution: Thiago's non-penalty expected goals (npXG) is only 3.3, despite his nine goals this season. If penalties dry up, his output may slow.
Substitutes
Caoimhin Kelleher, Brentford, Goalkeeper, £4.5m - Burnley (H)
Danny Welbeck, Brighton, Striker, £6.6m - Nottingham Forest (A)
Nordi Mukiele, Sunderland, Defender, £4.2m - Bournemouth (H)
Chris Richards, Crystal Palace, Defender, £4.6m - Manchester United (H)
Team Total Cost: £97.1m