FPL tips and team of gameweek 20: Triple up on Salah, Diaz and Alexander-Arnold for Man Utd visit
2025-01-02
Category: sports

Jesse Lingard was the last player to score a goal for Manchester United against Liverpool at Anfield - on 16 December 2018!Since then, Mohamed Salah has netted five times in the fixture.A lot of Fantasy Premier League managers' success this week will depend on how they tackle the Liverpool v Manchester United fixture.The past four games at Anfield have finished 0-0, 7-0, 4-0 and 0-0.So there's a fantasy bonanza waiting to happen but United could also park the bus.Do you double up in defence or bring someone like Luis Diaz or Diogo Jota in?The team of the week is selected based on current FPL prices to fit within a Â£100m budget, as if you were playing a Free Hit.
Is an early FPL wildcard worth it?
You may have spotted that the second wildcard chip is now available on the FPL website.Is it worth playing it straight away?Obviously, this is a team-dependent question. You may absolutely hate your team or be riddled with injuries.But in most cases I'd say, 'Woah, hold your horses'.Why?Firstly, both Salah and Cole Palmer are owned by nearly seven in 10 FPL managers. With Bukayo Saka injured and Erling Haaland underperforming, they are the two key players. You probably own at least one already and there is not much to gain by betting against them - certainly at this stage of the season.Secondly, we'll soon get confirmation of which week Everton v Liverpool is rescheduled to AND the assistant manager chip is available from gameweek 24.The wildcard will be vital in setting up for these weeks if you can't get your team right with free transfers.The message is to wait if you can, at least a few gameweeks, until we have more information, especially with a two-week break for the FA Cup on the way.
How did last week's team do?
Reliable captain Salah, Diaz, Alexander Isak and Nikola Milenkovic were the key performers.Unfortunately, six blanks meant the team trundled to a middle-of-the-pack 68 points.Listen to the latest Fantasy 606 podcast on BBC Sounds.
Keeper and defence
Matz Sels, Nottingham Forest, keeper, Â£4.8m - away at WolvesForest's miserly defence is aiming for a third straight clean sheet and takes on a Wolves side without banned talisman Matheus Cunha.Since week 11, Cunha has been involved in 53% of Wolves' goals, scoring nine. They could really struggle without him - alright, they still scored at Spurs when he had left the pitch but everyone does against Tottenham so it doesn't really count.Josko Gvardiol, Manchester City, Â£6m - home to West HamDoes anyone fancy West Ham to score at Etihad Stadium without the injured Jarrod Bowen pulling the creative strings?I don't, so in comes Gvardiol who, despite the Gabriel hype, has the most goals for a defender this season.The Croatian has had a league-high 28 shots this season, 23 of those in the box. So chances are he'll have at least one opportunity to score.Antonee Robinson, Fulham, Â£5m - home to IpswichThe American left-back might become a staple in this team. He has a league-high seven assists for a defender and, even after recent price rises, is great value.Ipswich, despite a superb win over Chelsea last time, are the league's third-lowest scorers.Dean Huijsen, Bournemouth, Â£4.4m - home to EvertonEverton are the clean-sheet gift that keeps on giving having failed to score in seven of their past nine games.Bournemouth youngster Huijsen has made a big impact since earning a starting spot with three clean sheets - including two goal-scoring double-digit performances and nine bonus points.He's a big threat from corners.Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool, Â£7.2m - home to Manchester UnitedOne game, one goal, 15 points and FPL managers are piling on to the Trent train!The right-back has risen in price twice in two weeks. Before last week's haul at West Ham, he had only returned three times in 10 games but you sense a glut of points is coming. Alexander-Arnold often scores in spurts and Manchester United's attack is nothing to fear on Sunday.
Midfield
Mohamed Salah (captain), Liverpool, Â£13.6m - home Manchester UnitedThe Egyptian king has scored more Premier League goals (12) against United than any other player.In the past, in a 'tricky' fixture like this, you might have considered sticking the captain's armband on another player but don't even think about it.Bryan Mbeumo, Brentford, Â£7.7m - away at SouthamptonChapeau to those FPL managers who kept faith in Mbeumo after a run of just 15 points in five games between weeks 11 and 15.He's the third highest midfield points scorer. Brentford get a lot of goals and they must fancy a first away win against leaky Southampton this week.Luis Diaz, Liverpool, Â£7.6m - home to Manchester UnitedThe Colombian produced the goods for this team in gameweek 19 and, given the six-day rest between the West Ham match and facing Manchester United on Sunday, it's likely Arne Slot gives him another start.That's your only real concern with the likes of Diaz, Jota and Cody Gakpo in long-term FPL terms - will the points they score outweigh the occasions they are rested and give you a one-pointer?Anthony Elanga, Nottingham Forest, Â£5.2m - away at WolvesForest keep surprising with their sensational season so far and they have FPL options all over the pitch.Elanga is a great budget midfield pick with returns in his past four games and a cheaper alternative to team-mate Morgan Gibbs-White (Â£6.4m with five returns in five games).Over those four matches, Elanga has had six shots on target, six in the box and three big chances - the most of any Forest midfielder. 
Strikers
Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa, Â£8.8m - home to Leicester CityWatkins has one goal in open play in all competitions since 19 October and you can see why Unai Emery decided to give Jhon Duran his chance as Villa's centre-forward.But, with Duran suspended, this is a major get-right chance for Watkins.Leicester have conceded 14 goals in their past four away games and Watkins is still piling up strong underlying data.Against Brighton last time, he had six shots in the box and three big chances yet ended up with just one goal from a penalty.Alexander Isak (vice captain), Newcastle, Â£9.2m - away at SpursImpossible to leave this man out at the moment, with eight goals in six games.And he faces a Tottenham defence that always concedes.
Subs bench
Carlos Miguel, Nottingham Forest, keeper, Â£4.8m - away at WolvesAdam Armstrong, Southampton, striker, Â£5.1m - home to BrentfordThere could be goals in this one and Armstrong seems to be in favour, ahead of Cameron Archer, up front for Saints.Enzo Fernandez, Chelsea, midfielder, Â£5.1m - away at Crystal PalaceIt's hard to find too many better goal threats at this price, with guaranteed minutes in a top team.Ezri Konsa, Aston Villa, defender, Â£4.4m - home to Leicester CityA decent clean-sheet chance and Leicester have allowed 20 shots from set-pieces - so you cross your fingers for a goal.Total team cost: Â£98.1m
Player to watch
Julio Enciso, Brighton, midfielder, Â£5.4mIn the past four games, the Paraguayan is averaging more than six shots per 90 minutes played.He's a shoot-on-sight type and FPL historians may remember two seasons ago when he burst on to the scene and became an FPL bargain for a couple of months in a high-scoring Brighton team.Injuries have hindered Enciso since then but, if he carries on getting the minutes, he's another budget FPL choice to consider. A striker disguised as a midfielder.
Team to target
Tottenham - Newcastle (h), Arsenal (a), Everton (a)The next two fixtures aren't that enticing for Spurs assets but then their schedule really improves.That Everton game is followed by Leicester (h), Brentford (a), Manchester United (h), Ipswich (a).All games you could easily see Spurs scoring three goals in.