Fantasy Premier League Tips: The Ultimate FPL Guide to GW31
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After a highly eventful Game Week 30, we now head into GW31 which is another standard set of 10 fixtures featuring all 20 Premier League teams.
Manchester City assets could be desirable considering Leicester City are the visitors to the Etihad Stadium, although it’s worth bearing in mind that GW32 features a blank for the champions.
Two in-form teams meet when Aston Villa host Newcastle in a Saturday lunchtime encounter, with Arsenal and Manchester United both on the road on Sunday when they clash with West Ham and Nottingham Forest respectively.
In this article, we look at the best strategy in order to achieve a hefty points total for the coming Game Week.
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When is the Gameweek 31 Transfer Deadline?
The transfer deadline for FPL Game Week 31 is 11am on Saturday, April 15, shortly before the lunchtime 12.30pm kick-off at Villa Park between Aston Villa and Newcastle United.
Watch Out For Blanks in Game Week 32!
Before you decide to make any GW31 transfers, bear in mind that Game Week 32 only has eight fixtures.
Due to the FA Cup semi-finals taking place, there is no fixture for Manchester City, Manchester United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea.
Therefore, rolling over your free transfer this week gives you two and that tends to allow more flexibility.
Some FPL managers (myself included) will be looking to play their Free Hit in GW32 which means that you can simply pick a one-off team rather than make wholesale changes and then have to transfer key assets back in.
However, if you don’t have a Free Hit chip left, then you need to adopt a longer-term view and you should bear in mind that GW34 has plenty of doubles!
Which Teams Have the Best FPL Fixtures For GW31 And Beyond?
CRYSTAL PALACE were rampant when winning 5-1 away to Leeds and the Eagles’ fixtures look enticing.
They face Southampton, Everton, Wolves and West Ham in their next four matches, with Roy Hodgson having changed the team’s fortunes and there could be lots more points up for grabs.
We also like the look of LIVERPOOL’s games on the horizon and it’s worth noting that the Reds are among those sides that have a double in Game Week 34, with Tottenham and Fulham both coming to Anfield.
Before then, Jurgen Klopp’s side have trips to Leeds and West Ham which sandwich a home clash against Nottingham Forest.
Other teams to have a DGW34 include BRIGHTON, MANCHESTER CITY and MANCHESTER UNITED.
The Seagulls have back to back clashes at the AMEX against Wolves and United, while a GW31 trip to Chelsea is followed by a winnable trip to Nottingham Forest in GW33.
Who Are The Best GW31 Players to Buy?
Defenders
We flagged up TYRONE MINGS (£4.5m) last week and the Aston Villa central defender delivered once again, with the player having now scored 45 points in the past seven Game Weeks.
He’s the most popular defensive transfer in the game this week, although there’s a feeling that managers might have missed the boat.
BEN WHITE (£4.9m) continues to be a warm order although LISANDRO MARTINEZ (£4.5m) could be shrewder selection considering that the Argentine is part of a tight-looking Red Devils defence and the South American has clocked up 16 points in his previous two Game Weeks.
Midfielders
We don’t claim to have mystical powers, although JACK GREALISH (£7.0m) was another player who was given the big one in last week’s article and he rewarded managers with a 12-point haul at St Mary’s.
This came hard on the heels of a previous dozen against Liverpool and the only slight risk is that Manchester City still have a Champions League tie against Bayern Munich to see out which could lead to rotation.
GABRIEL MARTINELLI (£6.6m) has been in and out of FPL teams in recent weeks, although the Brazilian is definitely in vogue after a bumper haul at Anfield, while managers in search of a differential are taking a punt on MICHAEL OLISE (£5.4m) who smashed home 14 points for Palace at Elland Road.
Be warned though, that was preceded by a spate of low scores.
Forwards
ERLING HAALAND (£12.2m) has been trolling me since the 2022-23 season began and the Norwegian was up to his usual tricks at St Mary’s.
After deciding against taking a minus points hit to draft in the Manchester City player, it came as little surprise to see him nab a brace against Southampton and you should leave him out of your squad at your peril.
After all, the forward could line up against a porous Leicester defence this weekend and he will be a popular captain selection, with over 150,000 managers already moving to bring in a player who has now scored 215 points and it could be closer to 300 by the time the season finishes.
GABRIEL JESUS (£8.0m) now appears to have regained his place in the Arsenal team and his haul of 19 points across two Game Weeks means that many managers are looking to draft in the forward.
ALEXANDER ISAK (£6.7m) is also proving popular, although he might have to share minutes with CALLUM WILSON (£6.9m) which makes the Newcastle forwards less desirable.
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Who Are The Best GW31 Players to Sell?
Defenders
LUKE SHAW and WILLIAM SALIBA might not play again this season and any manager with these defenders should be looking to ship them out if possible.
There was also a surprise to see BEN CHILWELL on the bench for Chelsea’s recent clash at Molineux and you should take a watching brief if you have England left-back in your squad.
Midfielders
Although MARCUS RASHFORD has achieved a mega points total for FPL managers this season, the Manchester United forward is the most sold midfielder this week.
It has now been confirmed that the England man will be missing for a “few games” and that will prompt a mass exodus out of several teams.
JAMES MADDISON was a gamble that didn’t pay off for many managers over the past two Game Weeks and it seems logical to move him on ahead of Leicester’s tricky fixture at Manchester City.
Meanwhile, BRUNO FERNANDES has also been underwhelming and that’s partly due to the Portuguese playing in a deeper midfield role.
Forwards
There's not a huge amount of outward movement when it comes to forwards for this Game Week.
IVAN TONEY is predictably the most-sold forward and that’s all down to managers wanting Erling Haaland to sit alongside Harry Kane and Ollie Watkins in a template forward line.
KAI HAVERTZ only played an hour at Molineux and also looks surplus to requirements.
Who Should Be Captain For Gameweek 31?
There seems to be a two-way choice when it comes to the armband for this particular Game Week.
In the blue corner is Erling Haaland who potentially lines up against Leicester City at the Etihad Stadium and it’s easy to see the Norwegian plundering goals when facing a Foxes side who are among the most defensively vulnerable teams in the Premier League.
In the white corner is Harry Kane whose 23 goals this season would normally see him lead the way at the top of the scoring charts.
The Tottenham forward is sure to get chances against a Bournemouth side who recently conceded three at Villa Park and we know that the striker is absolutely nailed to start and probably end this game.
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