For the first time in a while, there is one complete day of rest between consecutive gameweeks. In the build-up to Saturday’s gameweek 35+, Friday’s Premier League-less day will be welcomed by more than a few clubs as several of them were starting to look tired and devoid of ideas. For FPL managers, it makes the prep for GW35+ a bit less hectic, especially for those still holding on to a chip or two.
This round is the reverse of gameweek 4, all the way back in August, and it’s offering a few interesting fixtures. Both Liverpool and Manchester United are playing lesser opposition at home, while the likes of Leicester and Man City play winnable games away from their homes. The clash of the week surely is the game between Spurs and Arsenal on Sunday, while a West Ham side fighting against relegation visit relegated Norwich in what could be an interesting fixture from a fantasy football point of view. Anyway, here are our fantasy picks for gameweek 35!
Finally, don’t forget that the deadline for gameweek 35+ is set at 11h30 (UK time) on Saturday, July 11th, 2020.
Most transferred in/transferred out players (as per July 10th, 2020)
| TRANSFERS OUT | TRANSFERS IN | POSSIBLE REASONS | |
| GK | Pope (BUR), Henderson (SHE), Ryan (BRI) | Schmeichel (LEI), Ederson (CIT), Pope (BUR) | Ederson is City’s most certain starter + favourable fixtures, Schmeichel is showing excellent form. |
| DEF | Lundstram (SHE), Chilwell (LEI), Wan-Bissaka (UTD) | Egan (SHE), Wan-Bissaka (UTD), Söyüncü (LEI) | Defenders lacking regular playing time (or with injury) are being exchanged for in-form assets. Managers can’t make up their mind about AWB. |
| MID | Cantwell (NOR), Traoré (WOL), Mané (LIV) | Willian (CHE), Pulisic (CHE), Fernandes (MU) | Cantwell injured & relegated, Traoré ongoing shoulder worries and the most-tranferred in assets are all in great form. |
| FOR | Jimenez (WOL), Calvert-Lewin (EVE), Rashford (UTD) | Greenwood (UTD), Vardy (LEI), Ings (SOU) | Jimenez and DCL are not delivering lately, while the likes of Greenwood, Vardy and Ings are scoring goals. |
Premium fantasy picks
We’re considering giving Kevin de Bruyne (£10.8m) a permanent spot in our weekly FPL article until the end of this season and, why not, for the entire next season as well. It’s just… he’s THAT good. That’s also why his current 52.5% ownership is no real surprise. Despite his very low differential value, the Belgian midfielder is still our first premium pick for gameweek 35+. He was on fire again in his last game as City thrashed Newcastle 5-0. With an assist on Mahrez’ goal, KDB brought his totals for the season to an incredible 11 goals and 21 assists, as well as 223 FPL points. (Incidentally Marhez signed for City 2 years ago today). Up next is an away game against Brighton, who have shipped 47 goals in 34 games and who won’t be looking forward to facing De Bruyne and the rest of the Cityzens.
Our second premium fantasy pick for GW35+ is the inevitable Jamie Vardy (now £9.8m after a price rise last night). With just 6 FPL points from his first three games after the coronabreak (no goals, no assists), the Leicester striker, like the rest of his team, had a sluggish restart. As it tends to be for strikers though, apparently all he needed was that first goal and it came late in gameweek 33+. That one was promptly followed by another goal and then another goal in GW34+. Like that, Vardy recorded 22 FPL points those who kept faith in his scoring abilities. The 31-year has a history of scoring in batches and upcoming opponents Bournemouth will know that as well. On top of that, the Englishman is unlikely to relax before the end of the season, seeing as his 3 goals in the last two games have kept him in the lead for the Golden Boot, which has put him two above Arsenal’s Aubameyang and three above Liverpool’s Salah. He’ll be hoping to extend that lead when they visit the seriously relegation-threatened Cherries on Sunday.
Non-premium fantasy picks
The final game of gameweek 35+ is played on Monday and it’s a nice one: Manchester United versus Danny Ings’ Southampton at Old Trafford. The Saints have been capable of causing a few upsets this season, but we still feel that they won’t be much of a match against a flying Man United side. That’s why this week, we’ve picked Anthony Martial (£8.3m) to represent our hopes for a nice haul. Man Utd won (yet again by 3 goals) last night against Aston Villa and whilst Martial didn’t score, since the return of football, the Frenchman has scored 4 goals and provided 2 assists, though it should be noted that none of those returns came in away games. The Seagulls have had a decent return to football with 7 points from five games, but they also conceded 7 goals over that run. In other words, the Red Devils will have their work cut out for them, but we feel the 19.8%-owned Martial could deliver here.
We also wanted to include a defensive pick in our selection for this weekend and it looks like James Justin (£4.7m) could be up for some FPL points. The young English right-back has taken the injured Ricardo Pereira’s spot in coach Brendan Rodgers’ starting lineup and he has been doing a good job there. Since GW30+, the first one after the break, he has been part of 2 clean sheets and this weekend’s game against Bournemouth could very well end up being his third. The Cherries have had a horrid return to football with no points and 12 goals conceded (and just 3 goals scored) in five games, and despite the threat of relegation having become very real now, we don’t see them forcing anything against an improving Leicester side.
A differential fantasy pick or two
Our first differential pick for GW35+ is an attacking Man City asset of less than £6.0m with a big chance of starting at the AmEx in Brighton on Saturday evening. That’s right and the player we’re talking about is the ridiculously talented Phil Foden (£5.4m), who has played 284 Premier League minutes since the return of football. In those 284 minutes, he racked up an amazing 38 FPL points, courtesy of 4 goals, 1 assist, 3 clean sheets and 4 bonus points. He played 60 minutes in gameweek 34+ at home to Newcastle and 30 minutes in the week prior to that, so we’re expecting/hoping for a start against Brighton this weekend. Despite his low price and obvious FPL potential, he is still owned by just 6% of managers, so getting him in for the final four games could be a wise move.
Finally, a repeat pick. We identified West Ham’s Michail Antonio (£6.9m) as a differential with potential for the home game against Burnley last week, so if you followed our suggestion, we appreciate it and we apologise for the lack of returns. Still, the midfielder-turned-striker was quite unlucky not to get at least an assist or to even get one past Pope himself. His right-footed curler against the post in the 40th minute was the closest he got. We know, West Ham are still West Ham, but the Hammers did string together decent attacking at times and Antonio was involved practically every time. On top of that, they should be fighting with all they’ve got as relegation is looming. And on top of THAT, West Ham are visiting Carrow Road to face Norwich this weekend. It’s a punt, but we think it could be a very good one.
The captaincy
After his brace against Brighton a few days ago, Mo Salah might well be the most captained player by the time we reach gameweek 35+’, though the benching and subsequent 30-minute cameo by Sadio Mané might lead to many managers going for the Senegalese winger instead. Still, we’re putting the armband on Kevin “Breaking the PL record for assists in a single season soon” de Bruyne’s right arm. An in-form City side is facing Brighton at the AmEx and even though the Seagulls are in good shape, there will be opportunities for the Belgian. There will be for his team mates as well, but the problem is the high risk of rotation.
Outside of ‘Pool and City, Vardy facing Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium is not a bad way to go. If you prefer a home game for your captain, any of Greenwood, Fernandes, Martial or Rashford is a wise pick for the home game against Southampton. Finally, if you’re in need of a seriously differential captain haul, go for Antonio against a Norwich side whose relegation to the Championship was all but confirmed at the end of gameweek 34+.
According to the FISO Forum poll on the FPL Captain for GW35, Fernandes and Sala lead the way at the moment.
Finally if you like FPL but want to have a go at a weekly Fantasy Premier League type competition for large prizes then have a look at FanTeam’s Premier League 50k Main Event and see discussions on the FISO FanTeam forum. There are freerolls for new entrants organised by FanTeam who also have a 100k GW38 Premier League comp to finish the season and will have another massive season-long Premier League comp for 20/21. Read all about a fiso member who won 30,000 euros on FanTeam from just a 2 euro entry fee.