A table-topping catch, Garnacho’s bicycle kick is one for the ages, and can Angeball continues? Gameweek 13 served up some iconic moments and enough storylines to fill a book.
Here’s what you need to be across, as we build up to FPL Gameweek 14.
When does FPL Gameweek 14 start?
Sunday 3 December, 12:30am AEDT
Following mid-week European fixtures, it’s a late kick off for FPL Gameweek 14. Despite this, we’ve been blessed with a trio of fixtures to feast on. Arsenal host Wolves and will be hoping Kai Havertz (£7.1 I 1.5%) has turned a corner as they look to cement their title push.
At the other end of the table, Burnley and Sheffield United clash. Both sides, deep in the relegation zone, will be hunting their second victory of the season in this relegation ‘six pointer’. Meanwhile, Brentford, who’s form has been patchy at best this season, welcome Luton Town, who lifted themselves from the relegation zone with their victory over Crystal Palace last time out.
FPL Gameweek 14 notes
Mohammed Kudus: Every bit a Premier League star
Burnley looked close to securing a much-needed second victory of the Premier League season. And then Mohammed Kudus remembered he is Mohammed Kudus (£6.6 I 2.5%), flicked a switch, and created two goals of his own accord.
First, he dazzled down the right flank and fired a powerful cross for Divin Mubama (£4.3 I 6.7) to find the back of the net courtesy of a Burnley deflection. Creating one goal would have sufficed for the Ghanaian, who has shown flashes of his brilliance since joining from Ajax, but he felt at liberty to set up a second and win the game for the Hammers.
His deep cross, executed after another showing of frighteningly quick feet, found Thomas Soucek (£4.9 I 1.5%) for his fourth goal of the season. Some time in the future, we may reflect Kudus’ career and pin-point this thrilling five minutes as the jump start he needed.
Havertz ends cruel week on high note
I bet Kai Havertz (£7.1 I 1.5%) was happy for the international break to draw to a close. Played at left-back by new Germany manager, Julian Nagelsmann, he scored once against Turkey but in general felt like the scapegoat by his national sides two losses.
He returned to an Arsenal side fighting it out at the top of the table and, following the stalemate between Liverpool and Manchester City, and started the game against Brentford from the bench. Arriving onto the pitch 79 minutes into the game, it took him 10 minutes to meet Bukayo Saka’s (£8.7 I 52.9%) delightful right-wing cross at the back post, nab his second goal, and first from open play, of the season, and adorn himself to a fanbase who’d so far showed indifference to his talent.
Depleted Newcastle thrashing
Chelsea arrived on Tyneside full of confidence. In their previous two games they’d beaten Spurs and held Manchester City in an enthralling 4-4 draw. What chance would a depleted Newcastle side, with three goalkeepers on the bench, stand?
A good one, it seems. It took Alexander Isak (£7.4 I 11.6%) 13 minutes to break the deadlock in his first game in a month, only for a delightful Raheem Sterling (£7.0 I 9.1%) free kick to cancel his strike out. But, his side rallied, particularly in the second half. Anthony Gordon (£5.8 I 12.5%) was electric, scoring once and setting another up, while Joelinton (£5.8 I 0.6%) and Bruno Guimarães (£5.8 I 2.1%) put in incredible shifts.
Both Isak and Gordon’s performances cemented them as legitimate options for FPL Gameweek 14. The Swede could be a point of difference at the striker position, while Gordon’s price tag marks him as an elite midfield ‘cheapie’.
In the end, 4-1 seemed to be a fair scoreline for the encounter. Chelsea’s defensive frailty continue, compounded by a Thiago Silva (£5.0 I 3.6%) goal-creating error and Reece James (£5.4 I 4.6%) seeing red, leaving Mauricio Pochettino incensed and threatening to cancel his sides day off.
Its back the drawing board for the Argentine, with his sides defensive woes, and James’ suspension, set to cause FPL players headaches ahead of FPL Gameweek 14. Meanwhile, his adversary will rejoice in his sides resilience in the face of an extensive and limiting injury list.
Can Angeball continue?
Three losses in a row. That’s the state of play for Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham right now. Depleted by key injuries and suspension, Ange was forced to play Emerson Royal (£4.4 I 0.9%) as a make-shift centre-back and Dejan Kulusevski (£7.0 I 2.1%) as an attacking midfielder against Aston Villa. It looked like working when the Swede struck the post three minutes in, and again when Giovanni Lo Celso (£4.8 I 0.1%) rifled a volley home from the edge of the area.
And then it didn’t. A back four comprising four fullbacks, two of whom are very average, eventually succumbed to a rampant Aston Villa side who continued doing what they’ve become renowned for doing. It’s begged the question from many corners of the footballing world: Can Angeball continue?
It looked like it could for much of this game. Spurs pressed and created as they have throughout the start of the season, Heung-Min Son (£9.7 I 40.1%) had two goals ruled out for offside, and their general play looked reminiscent of their full strength line up. But in the end, Ollie Watkins (£8.5 I 43.6%) continued his fine start to the season, nailed his seventh goal of the season, and ensured the noise around Spurs continues.
From FPL Gameweek 14 and beyond it will be important to monitor Spurs closely, with the likes of Destiny Udogie (£4.9 I 10.1%) and Pedro Porro (£5.3 I 13.4%) potentially facing the chop in light of their wider defensive issues. At the other end of the pitch, can Son justify his price tag without James Maddison (£7.9 I 11.8%) supplying him?
A moment for Justin Kluivert
His dad was one of Europe’s greatest goal scorers in the 1990s but even he couldn’t lay claim to a being part of an elusive goalscoring club his son joined at the weekend. With his two strikes in a crucial relegation ‘six-pointer’ victory over Sheffield United, the Justin Kluivert (£4.6 I 0.2%) became just the third player to score in each of Europe’s big-five leagues: The Premier League, Bundesliga, Ligue 1, Serie A, and La Liga.
Some achievement for a footballer who’s only 24. Bournemouth fans will be singing his praises given his strikes elevated them to 12 points, seven clear of the relegation zone. Hopefully this is the breathing room Andoni Iraola needs to work his magic on the south coast club.
Haaland record ruined by Trent
48 games; that’s all it took for Erling Haaland (£14.0 I 82.4%) to score his 50th Premier League goal. The previous record? 65 games for Andy Cole. Safe to say the Norwegian, who scores goals as easy as us regulars breath, smashed it out of the park.
In a crucial title clash between Manchester City and Liverpool, one akin to their bouts at the end of the 2010s and beginning of this decade, Haaland’s 27th minute strike looked like it was enough for the three points.
But with 10 minutes to go, Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.9 I 8.6%), fresh from signing a fresh boot deal with Adidas, popped up in space you’re more likely to find a striker than right-back, and beautifully stroked one home, gifting Liverpool a point and slowing City’s already stagnate momentum.
With his positional freedom and technical ability, Trent, like this games other goalscorer, is fast becoming a FPL must and should be viewed as a legitimate trade option ahead of FPL Gameweek 14. Defensively he is dubious, that much is true, but his exceptional attacking capability resoundingly makes up for these deficiencies.
What United crisis?
Believe it or not, Manchester United are the Premier League’s form team. A 3-0 victory over Everton was their fifth win in six games. What crisis? Alejandro Garnacho (£4.7 I 1.2%) scored a bicycle kick many believe to be the Premier League’s best ever, Victor Lindelof’s (£4.5 I 0.6%) full passing range was on show, and Andre Onana (£4.8 I 14.5%) looked every bit the goalkeeper United signed.
Between the sticks, the Cameroonian made six saves as a fired up Everton came out of the blocks hard, registering 24 shots and coming close to ensuring their own week from hell did not continue. That it did is testament to some standout United performances.
This result should hopefully help end the noise swirling around Old Trafford at the moment. While there isn’t exactly great substance to these United results, and a clearly identifiable playstyle remains absent, all that matters in football is results.
Rasmus Holjlund’s injury situation is one to monitor, as is the form of Marcus Rashford (£8.6 I 12.6%). The Englishman scored from the spot, but looked a non-threat otherwise. Despite his best position evidently being on the left-wing, he played much of the match off the right as Ten Hag tried to squeeze Garnacho in.
It’s a selection that worked for the sides wider function, but over a long period of time, it may do more harm to Rashford than good to the team.
Ferguson or Pedro? Or Both?
Brighton are blessed with two brilliant young strikers: Evan Ferguson (£6.1 I 8.3%) and Joao Pedro (£5.3 I 8.4%). The Brazilian came on for Ansu Fati (£6.5 I 1.1%) during the first half and scored twice in his sides 3-2 win. The other goalscorer? Ferguson, who is now on six goals this season at a rate of one every 111 minutes. Clinical.
The pair proved the difference in a close encounter against Forest made all the more closer by Lewis Dunk’s (£5.0 I 3.5%) red card. For much of the game, their co-existence appeared seamless.
They didn’t cross each others paths often and gave the appearance that they’d played together hundreds of times before. It was very similar to a classic big man, little man strike partnership that was all the footballing rage three decades ago.
Ferguson is a generational goalscorer who, at times, has struggled this season. Pedro is a harrying talent, quick, direct, and perhaps the perfect compliment to Ferguson’s ever-improving all round game.
From an FPL perspective, they are both very good, relatively cheap, striker options in a season where there aren’t many around, and while it’s not advised to run with the pair of them, savvy players should be monitoring how they operate together from FPL Gameweek 14 and beyond.
Transfer targets under 15% ownership
DEFENDER: Trent Alexander-Arnold (£7.9 I 8.6%)
MIDFIELDER: Mohammed Kudus (£6.6 I 2.5%)
FORWARD: Joao Pedro (£5.3 I 8.4%)
