If you’re after FPL tips for Gameweek 24 then look no further as Big Man Bakar answers all your questions, providing his expert analysis once again.
This week sees plenty of big clashes as Arsenal host Manchester City and Liverpool travel to Bournemouth.
Below is Bakar’s in-depth FPL Gameweek 24 Q&A, which should give you all the tips you need ahead of this weekend’s Premier League action.
FPL Tips Gameweek 24 From Big Man Bakar
Q) Should we use the triple captain or the Assistant Manager chip?
I will be using my triple captain on Salah this week. Saving the Triple Captain is an option, but with other chips to consider and a limited number of weeks, it feels right to play it now.
Given the uncertainty around another Liverpool double, I want to make sure I use it on Salah this season.
With the best xGi in the league and playing for the highest xG team, he’s earned the trust for the chip.
Tricky fixtures? Sure. But Salah has already proven himself, scoring 10 and 18 points away to Arsenal and Newcastle this season.
The chances of Fulham v Spurs being rescheduled in Gameweek 25 seem slim, so it’s also probably wise to save the Assistant Manager chip for later.
I’ve also already tripled up on Liverpool, so using the Assistant Manager chip doesn’t suit me as I’d ideally want to play it on Arne Slot.
Even so, it’s not easy to call how Liverpool’s fixtures will play out, with Bournemouth unbeaten in 11 Premier League games and the Merseyside derby a potential banana skin.
I believe there should be better opportunities to deploy the Assistant Manager chip later, with some teams still fighting and others already in holiday mode.
A scenario similar to Olivier Glasner’s last season could unfold, bringing big points late on.
Q) Should the Assistant Manager chip be used if triple captain is not available?
I would probably lean against it, due to the reasons mentioned above.
Q) Best Assistant Manager to use this week?
I’d argue Slot is the best one to go for.
Moyes with the table bonus could be nice but the Liverpool fixture is enough to put me off.
Marco Silva in Gameweek 25 would be where I’d go next, with the table bonus against Forest in play.
I’d expect Fulham to beat Forest at home, so that should be a fixture where I’d expect the Assistant Manager to get good points.
Gameweek 26 is tricky to call – but Van Nistelrooy against a Brentford side that doesn’t travel well or Arteta at home to Leicester could work well.
Q) Which Liverpool players are best to own?
Salah obviously picks himself while Trent is also a nice set and forget option to have in place from now on in.
I think the best third Liverpool player depends a lot on your team structure.
Owning double Liverpool defence or double Liverpool attack should both yield dividends, but which one you pick should depend on your team.
For example, double Arsenal defence owners have a natural route to double Liverpool defence while Solanke/Wood owners have an easier route to Gakpo – both are perfectly viable.
Q) Should those with double Liverpool defence look to swap for Gakpo?
Although many are jumping on Gakpo, those of us with double Liverpool defence shouldn’t sway from our plan.
FOMO can cloud judgment, and selling Liverpool assets at this stage feels like a waste.
I still think doubling up on Liverpool’s defence is a strategy that will pay off.
Despite a lack of recent defensive returns, Liverpool’s xGC remains the best in the league, and with a double Gameweek and a home match against Wolves to come, Liverpool’s defence remains a solid option.
In fact, bookmakers rate Liverpool as the most likely team to keep at least one clean sheet this week and in Gameweek 25.
Q) Which/how many Everton players should we consider?
With Dominic Calvert-Lewin sidelined, Ndiaye is likely to be Everton’s top attacking option.
Ndiaye may not be the most exciting pick, but he ticks plenty of important boxes.
With a low price, penalty duties, a double Gameweek fixture against Leicester, and a solid Blank Gameweek 29 fixture at home to West Ham, he looks like a shrewd pick.
A poor return in the double won’t be a major issue, as he can easily be benched as the eighth attacker in the upcoming weeks.
Pickford looks like the best route into Everton’s defence ahead of the double Gameweek.
He’s not just valuable for the double but also has a favourable home fixture against West Ham in Blank Gameweek 29.
Sitting 8th in the league for xG conceded, Everton’s matches have typically been low-scoring this season.
What helps Pickford is that he accumulates BPS more quickly than the Everton defenders.
Pickford benefits from saves, whereas Everton’s defenders often fall short of the successful pass completion % needed for BPS.
Mykolenko, Tarkowski and O’Brien could be nice enablers as well, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy them unless you need to buy a cheap defender.
Q) Plan for DCL and Raul owners?
Selling Raul should be an easy decision — Fulham’s best fixtures are behind them, and his early substitutions have been a concern.
DCL also needs to make way, and Ndiaye is the perfect budget-friendly replacement.
Q) Sell Raya for Pickford?
I think I would.
I expect him to run Raya close till the second time we Wildcard.
Pickford has the extra fixture, will benefit from save points and save you some cash.
Q) Mbeumo worth buying this week?
If there is one player outside the doublers that you should be buying this week, it has to be Mbeumo.
I’d argue Mbeumo is now close to being a must-have in teams from this point onwards.
Brentford’s next three opponents—Spurs, West Ham, and Leicester—are all among the bottom-half teams for xG conceded this season.
The fact that Mbeumo consistently gets close to 90 minutes is a thing of beauty and with the fixtures ahead, it’s difficult to see him not performing well.
Q) Sell Gordon for Mbeumo?
Gordon is a good asset to keep as he has a good fixture this week but if given the option, I would sell for Mbeumo.
Mbeumo has arguably even a better fixture and will play in Gameweek 29, which is likely to be a blank for Gordon.
Q) Sell Eze for Mbeumo?
Thoughts are very similar to above. Good asset to keep but would prefer Mbeumo instead.
Eze is also likely to blank in Gameweek 29.
Q) Sell Odegaard for Mbeumo?
Again a good asset to keep with good fixtures ahead but would prefer Mbeumo if given the choice.
Q) Joao Pedro – keep or sell?
I plan on keeping Joao Pedro in my team.
He has blanked in recent weeks but I believe he’s still a good asset to have.
His low cost, penalty-taking role, and assured minutes make a strong case for giving him an extended run.
Q) Would you rather sell Wood or Joao Pedro?
I’d sell Wood. The fixtures after this week are challenging, and he’s significantly more expensive than Pedro.
Q) Bruno Fernandes – keep or sell? Sell Bruno Fernandes for Mbeumo?
Fernandes has blown hot and cold over the past few weeks, but is still worth keeping in my opinion.
The uncertainty over his positioning isn’t ideal, but managers will be keen to see him play more offensively than he did against Fulham.
It’s important to note that from Gameweek 27, United’s schedule is excellent, with Ipswich at home and Leicester in Blank Gameweek 29.
That might be a time where a lot of FPL managers are looking to buy Fernandes, so it could be nice holding on to him in order to save future transfers later.
I would find another route to Mbeumo.
Q) Can Gabriel be sold this week?
If you have no other route to a Liverpool defender, then I’d sell.
He’s a nice player to retain, considering the upcoming fixtures look much better.
Q) Bournemouth midfielders worth considering? Who is the best one to own?
We will be talking a lot about Bournemouth in the coming weeks.
As Bournemouth’s fixtures ease post-Gameweek 25, owning one of their attackers—and perhaps doubling up—could be a solid play.
My pick of the bunch is Dango, who is a £5.0m nailed-on midfield enabler playing as a forward in a team ranked fourth for xG this season.
He’s currently owned by close to just 1% of FPL managers so could be an excellent differential going forward.
In his last three games, he’s had four attacking returns, playing a full 90 minutes in all of them.
It’s difficult to imagine him being dropped with the form he’s in.
Q) Should we get Wissa?
I’d expect Wissa to do well in the coming weeks but I’d opt for Ndiaye at this point if given the choice because of the double Gameweek.
Mbeumo should be more of a priority since there are not too many viable midfielders who double this week.
Unlike midfielders, the forwards feature Ndiaye as a Wissa alternative.
Q) Best time to Free Hit/rough plan for chip strategy later?
I plan on saving my Free Hit for the blank in Gameweek 34, as I believe that the blank in Gameweek 29 should be quite manageable.
If you have saved transfers in recent weeks and not heavily loaded up on Newcastle, Palace, or Villa, you’ve given yourself an easier route through Blank Gameweek 29 without needing to burn a chip.
Even with heavy Newcastle or Palace investment, five more free transfers before Blank Gameweek 29 will give you ample time to adjust.
I’m happy to wait for the EFL Cup semi finals to conclude before being set on a more comprehensive chip strategy as information will drive my decision.
As well as Bakar’s FPL Gameweek 24 tips, you can find more Fantasy Premier League articles here.
