Mastering Fantasy Premier League 2023/24: Top Gameweek 5 Strategies Unveiled by Experts

We're back with our weekly Fantasy Premier League column, where we bring you indispensable tips from the world's top managers.

This week, FPL expert Sam from FPL Family tackles the pressing questions leading up to Saturday's 11 am deadline for Gameweek 5...

Newcastle United

Brentford

Saturday 16th September 5:00pm

Kick off 5:30pm

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Nicolas Jackson has scored once in the Premier League this season

Sam from FPL family believes that owners of Jackson should continue to have faith in him. Although he has not been successful in converting his chances, he has been among the top forwards in terms of attempts on goal, with only two others performing better. In the upcoming match against Bournemouth, who are anticipated to employ a high press strategy, Jackson is expected to have numerous opportunities. It is advisable to keep him in the team for this fixture, as it presents an ideal opportunity for him to enhance his shooting skills and goal conversion rate.

Are you keeping faith with Nicolas Jackson, who has been sold by a lot of managers?

Sam from FPL family believes that FPL managers are facing a crucial decision. If managers have surplus funds and can upgrade their mid-priced midfielders, it might be wise to sell players like Jarrod Bowen, Kaoru Mitoma, Gabriel Martinelli, or Martin Odegaard in order to bring in the Tottenham captain, Son Heung-min. This is because the aforementioned assets have challenging fixtures in the upcoming weeks, making it more advantageous to invest in Son.

For managers who have both Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes in their teams, it could be a strategic move to sell one of the midfielders, particularly as Manchester United will be facing Brighton in Gameweek 5.

Which midfielders would you sell for Son?

Sam from FPL family: In my opinion, Trippier hasn't shown any evidence of being essential. While the Newcastle fixtures are improving, they are still burdened by a difficult Champions League group, which puts their league fixtures in a precarious position.

This situation could result in rotation, particularly in the matches immediately prior to and following a Champions League game. These are the exact moments when having Trippier or any Newcastle assets on the pitch would be desirable.

Newcastle's upcoming schedule includes matches against Brentford in GW5 and Sheffield United in GW6. However, they also have a challenging trip to Milan in between, which may result in squad rotation for GW6. In light of this, I suggest considering Sven Botman as a better investment option than Trippier, thus allowing for budget allocation in other areas.

Additionally, I am quite keen on choosing Alexander Isak, but I have concerns regarding potential rotation with Callum Wilson in the upcoming weeks. Newcastle's investment could prove to be challenging, so it would be wise to reduce spending on defense and ensure that your third forward is a solid choice, considering the possibility of league rotation for Isak.

Is Kieran Trippier essential for the coming weeks and are any other Newcastle assets on your radar?

According to Sam from FPL family, I am currently holding onto my Phil Foden ownership. After witnessing his impressive performance for England against Scotland, I firmly believe that he will continue to be a crucial player for Pep's team in Gameweek 5. Moreover, I would advise other managers to retain Julian Alvarez in their squads as well, given his outstanding form recently.

Pep previously utilized Aguero after extended international trips and might do the same with Alvarez. Even if the forward isn't in the starting lineup, I anticipate him being substituted in, which could still result in gaining points.

However, if I didn't already have them on my team this week, I wouldn't consider buying either player. There are other choices available that pose less risk and have more favorable matchups in Gameweek 5, such as Son, James Maddison, Moussa Diaby, Raheem Sterling, Ollie Watkins, Jackson, or the Liverpool attackers.

What advice do you have for those with Phil Foden and/or Julian Alvarez?

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Heung-Min Son and James Maddison are captain candidates for Gameweek 5

Sam from FPL family believes that most managers will choose Haaland as their preferred option. Although Haaland displayed an impressive performance against West Ham in Gameweek 1 of the previous season, his away performance does not match his prolific form at the Etihad.

Personally, if I possessed Son this week, I would give him the captain's armband. This decision is based on the fact that Son is playing as the number 9 in a highly offensive Tottenham Hotspur team that is competing at home against a recently promoted side, making it an ideal situation.

Who is the best captain for GW5?

Goalkeepers:

I am considering selecting James Maddison as my captain this week. The midfielder has already registered four attacking contributions in his initial four Premier League games for Spurs, and his proficiency in set-pieces provides him with an extraordinary opportunity to accumulate points.

Ederson: Manchester City is one of just two teams that have managed to retain two clean sheets this season. Given the frequent rotation in the City defense and the impending start of the Champions League, Ederson believes he is the ideal choice for Manchester City's favorable upcoming fixtures.

Areola: West Ham's goalkeeper, through his effective rotation with Ederson, proves to be a great budget-friendly option, priced at £4.1m, allowing for financial flexibility.

Bournemouth

Chelsea

Sunday 17th September 2:00pm

Kick off 2:00pm

Defenders:

Saliba: Arsenal have a good run of fixtures and Saliba has shown already this season that he has potential for attacking returns. I think he is worth paying the extra over Gabriel.

Chilwell: Despite Chelsea's defensive struggles, Chilwell's advanced position increases the chances of him providing attacking returns. He should be selected for the upcoming four weeks due to Chelsea's favorable fixtures, but afterwards, it would be wise to consider transferring him out.

Udogie: The defenders from Tottenham Hotspur, including Udogie, Pedro Porro, and Cristian Romero, are all viable options. In Gameweek 4, all three players had successful attacking returns, and their advanced roles make it likely for them to continue earning points. Additionally, the absence of European football reduces the risk of rotation.

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Matty Cash has been a valuable points contributor for Aston Villa.

Cash, the right-back for Aston Villa, has notched the highest number of goals among defenders, tying with Romero. Additionally, he boasts the highest number of attempts on goal, with nine, seven of which were taken from within the box. Furthermore, Cash has created three big scoring opportunities, surpassing any other defender. Furthermore, Villa's upcoming fixtures are highly favorable.

Before the double gameweek announcement, this position included Botman or Trippier. Following the double in GW7, my plan is to transfer Kabore to a Newcastle defender. However, it would be wise to retain the Luton defender for the double, considering his significant contribution in the team's offensive play.

Regarding the midfielders:

Saka: Leading with 217 touches in the final third, Saka surpasses all other midfielders. Enzo Fernandez comes in second with 171 touches. In terms of chances created, Saka stands at 14, second only to Pascal Gross. Furthermore, Saka joins the league's top players Maddison and Mbeumo as the most successful corner taker.

Everton

Arsenal

Sunday 17th September 4:00pm

Kick off 4:30pm

Foden: The City midfielder has produced three attacking contributions in three starts and a cameo - he was not in the starting lineup for GW3 due to illness. His seven goal attempts and 12 chances created are consistent with Alvarez and rank highest among his City teammates. Additionally, he has taken five corners and made one goal attempt from set pieces thus far.

Son's attractiveness in FPL significantly improves when playing in the No 9 position. Although he is currently the second-best player at Spurs in terms of expected goals (xG) and expected assists (xA), three out of the four matches he played were in a wider position. If he continues to play upfront, it is expected that Son will lead the xG stats at Spurs. Therefore, he is an ideal choice for those looking for a player who plays out of position.

Maddison has been the most effective midfielder in terms of goal contributions in the Premier League since last season. Despite playing only 28 times for Leicester, who scored 51 goals, Maddison was directly involved in 19 of them. In his four matches for Spurs, he has already provided four attacking returns.

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Aston Villa's Moussa Diaby has been highly impressive. The upcoming fixtures up to GW14 hold great potential for the team. Diaby has managed to secure three attacking returns in just four starts, and his nine goal attempts are only one less than Watkins. Notably, Diaby has created seven chances, including three significant opportunities.

Haaland: The man is a self-pick. His hat trick in GW4 serves as a crucial reminder to all FPL managers about his indispensability.

Darwin: Despite playing only 132 minutes, the Liverpool forward has made nine goal attempts. Within that time, he has successfully scored two goals and provided two assists. With promising upcoming fixtures, I anticipate him starting in GW5, especially with Luis Diaz unavailable for his international fixture until 3am on Wednesday and Liverpool having an early match.

What would your wildcard team be?

Archer: Making his debut for Sheffield United, the talented budget forward displayed an exceptional performance, accumulating an impressive 12 points through a goal, assist, and securing all three bonus points. Remarkably, he appears to be the sole player within this formidable front eight who can be an option for the substitute bench.

We've leveraged the cutting-edge AI Points Predictions from Fantasy Football Hub to curate an outstanding FPL wildcard team for Gameweek 5 onwards.

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