A last hoorah before the final international break of the year! This particular FPL is feeling particularly smug at the moment after another decent score of 70 last weekend, and having put Reece James into my team two weeks ago, I have certainly reaped the rewards. However, it is time to refocus and make sure the green arrows continue. Here are my three tips for success this weekend, but make sure you take a look at the latest injury news coming out from every top flight club before making your final picks.
Go big on Brentford
Norwich at home is the plum fixture for any side this season and with Daniel Farke’s men still waiting on that first Premier League win, they travel to Brentford. Now the Bees actually come into this one on the back of three straight league defeats but there is every reason to believe they will get back to winning ways here.
I’ve been building up my Brentford assets with this game in mind so Ivan Toney, Bryan Mbuemo and Alvaro Fernandez are all starting for me, with Rico Henry also a viable option. I wouldn’t rule out captaining one of these attacking assets either, given how poor the Norwich back line has been.
Aubameyang a great option
I’ve spoken about, and put great faith in Mikel Arteta’s side in recent weeks and it has paid off, especially in the form of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. No European football means there are no tense midweeks, and the players have more time to recover for those vital Premier League matches.
The captain is now back up to the £10m price point, has scored three goals and bagged one assist in his last five, and is now facing Watford at home. Importantly, he has returned points in every single home match he has started and I’d back him to do so again this weekend.
Viva Ronaldo
Despite the Reece James call, I’m still not brave enough to trust Thomas Tuchel’s rotation policy, so my final pick comes from Old Trafford. After four consecutive gameweeks with no return, several FPL managers got rid of the Portuguese forward, causing his price to drop to £12.4m. Unless something drastic changes, Ronaldo will remain in my team for the foreseeable future and that loyalty paid off as he bagged 12 points against Tottenham.
His fixtures over the Christmas period are the stuff of dreams, but in a Manchester derby this weekend, I would also back him to get an attacking return. He proved just how clutch he is again in midweek with two goals and is the deadliest finisher in world football. Only owned by 31.8% of managers, he is not worth giving up on from my perspective.
