Hold on to your hats, FPL managers! Gameweek 21 is shaping up to be a wild ride, and if you're still relying on only the big-name, expensive players, you're missing out on a huge opportunity. This week's team is packed with mid-priced dynamos ready to explode! Forget the old template; this season is all about value, and we're here to guide you to the hidden gems.
Rice, Watkins & Cunha Make the Cut - Your FPL Dream Team Awaits!
By Thomas Woods, BBC Sport Senior Journalist
It's official: the FPL landscape has been completely transformed! After the inevitable Erling Haaland, did you know that the next five highest-scoring assets in the game are all priced at £7.1m or under? That's right, the power has shifted, and smart managers are capitalizing on it. Mid-priced players are dominating, and this week's team is a testament to that, featuring Gabriel, Declan Rice, Bruno Guimaraes, and Igor Thiago – all budget-friendly powerhouses. The variety of options around the £7m mark has blown the traditional team structure wide open, injecting a whole new level of excitement into FPL. Get ready for another week of unpredictable, point-laden action!
This team is built as if you were playing a Free Hit, meticulously crafted within the £100m budget, using current FPL prices. It's designed to maximize potential without breaking the bank.
Also, don't forget to tune into the BBC Sport website on Tuesday, January 6th at 15:30 GMT for an FPL special Q&A with the expert himself, FPL Heisenberg! Get your burning questions answered and gain an edge on your rivals.
Last Week's Performance: A Resounding Success!
After a slightly disappointing Gameweek before, last week's team bounced back in spectacular fashion, racking up a massive 67 points! This was thanks to two mega-performances: Malick Thiaw's incredible 17-point haul and his Newcastle teammate Bruno Guimaraes chipping in with a solid 12. Proof that taking calculated risks can pay off big time!
BBC Sport's FPL Team of the Week - Gameweek 21: The Lineup
(Image source: BBC Sport)
Goalkeeper and Defense:
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Manchester City, £5.7m) vs. Brighton (H): This week, the budget allows for a premium keeper, and City's chances of a clean sheet against Brighton are as good as anyone's. While Brighton can be dangerous, City's defense at home is usually solid.
- Gabriel (Arsenal, £6.6m) vs. Liverpool (H): Gabriel is now a consistent, reliable pick. He scores goals, contributes defensively (defcon points, as they're known), and has a good chance of a clean sheet. He's facing a Liverpool side potentially missing key attacking players like Hugo Ekitike, alongside the already absent Alexander Isak and Mohamed Salah. That's a significant advantage for Arsenal's defense.
- Malick Thiaw (Newcastle, £5.1m) vs. Leeds (H): The 17-point hero from last week earns another starting spot! Leeds are visiting St James' Park, and despite their recent improvement, they struggle on the road. They rank in the bottom four for away goals, bottom six for shots on target, and bottom eight for expected goals (xG). All signs point to a potential Newcastle clean sheet.
- Ayden Heaven (Manchester United, £3.9m) vs. Burnley (A): Talk about a budget enabler! Burnley have struggled to score at home, failing to find the net in five of their ten home games and only managing two goals in their last four matches. Heaven has been a solid performer for United, picking up defcon points in four of his seven recent starts. He's a steal at that price!
- James Tarkowski (Everton, £5.6m) vs. Wolves (H): While Everton's defense crumbled against Brentford last time out, Tarkowski still managed to secure those valuable defcon points. Now, here's where it gets controversial... If you believe Wolves' thrashing of West Ham signals a genuine turnaround, you might want to avoid Everton's backline. However, Wolves have zero away wins and only four goals on the road. I'm willing to bet on Everton's defense bouncing back at home.
Midfielders:
- (Image source: Getty Images)
- Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle, £7.1m) vs. Leeds (H): Another standout from last week's team, Guimaraes is riding a wave of momentum with two double-digit hauls in a row. He's a prime example of why you shouldn't always rely solely on underlying data. He only had one shot against Crystal Palace but scored and bagged 10 points. The week before, his goal came from a late goalkeeping error. The points are flowing, and with a favorable home fixture, he's a confident pick.
- Matheus Cunha (Manchester United, £8.2m) vs. Burnley (A): Cunha is currently United's talisman, with three goals in his last five games. He's unleashed more shots (22) than any other midfielder during that period and is definitely worth backing against a struggling Burnley side.
- Declan Rice (Arsenal, £7.2m) vs. Liverpool (H): Rice has ascended to the top of the FPL midfielder rankings after his two-goal performance against Bournemouth. He's a fantastic all-around pick, capable of contributing with both goals and assists. Against Liverpool, he should also accumulate plenty of defcon points, providing a solid four-point floor.
Strikers:
- Erling Haaland (Manchester City, £15.1m) vs. Brighton (H) (Captain): Haaland will likely feature in this team almost every week, given the limited high-end alternatives. But here's the part most people miss... His recent form is a cause for concern, potentially giving FPL managers the courage to bet against him as captain. Six blanks in nine games isn't exactly captaincy material. However, he's facing a Brighton side that has struggled defensively on the road, conceding 18 goals in 10 games. He also managed five shots in the draw against Chelsea, even though he didn't score. Give him one more week; if he blanks again, it's time to seriously consider alternative captaincy options.
- Igor Thiago (Brentford, £6.9m) vs. Sunderland (H): Thiago unleashed six shots during his hat-trick performance against Everton, matching his total from the previous five matches combined! Owners will be hoping he can maintain that form against a decent Sunderland defense. He also has penalties in his locker, and given the scarcity of strong striker options elsewhere, Thiago is a gamble worth taking this week.
- Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa, £8.7m) vs. Crystal Palace (A): Watkins has suddenly found his scoring touch, netting four goals in his last three games. FPL managers can confidently jump on the bandwagon. Over the past three gameweeks, no striker has had more shots, big chances, or scored more goals than Watkins. He's up against a Palace side that has recently started conceding goals, making him an enticing pick.
Subs' Bench:
- Martin Dubravka (Burnley, £4m) vs. Manchester United (H)
- Granit Xhaka (Sunderland, £5.2m) vs. Brentford (A)
- James Garner (Everton, £5.1m) vs. Wolves (H)
- Nathan Collins (Brentford, £4.9m) vs. Sunderland (H)
Team Total Cost: £99.3m
So, there you have it – the Gameweek 21 dream team! Now, tell me: Are you sticking with your premium-heavy strategy, or are you ready to embrace the mid-priced revolution? Do you agree with our Haaland captaincy pick, or are you looking elsewhere? Let us know your thoughts and team selections in the comments below! Let the debate begin!
